We may feel our own level of discontent, desirous of the new and the different for our future yet bound by our responsibilities and sense of limitations in our present. And all the while our past definitions of whom we have been, what we have been doing and with whom we have been associating may cause a level of irritation and aggravation. This sense of discontent can be very much like the analogy of the grain of sand within the oyster, the irritation and aggravation eventually developing the pearl. Will our discontent with the way things are and the way things have been eventually create a pearl for ourselves? We can only hope so and intend that it do so.

This Winter begins at the time of the Winter Solstice on December 21st – 22nd, as the Sun exits Sagittarius and enters Capricorn. At the time of the Winter Solstice, our focus may be on New Year’s resolutions, our plans to engage change and our desire to find venues for our self-expression. While there can be the impulse of greater individuality, autonomy and personal creativity, we might experience the restrictions, limitations and regulations imposed upon us by the powers-that-be.

Make no mistake that the power struggle between the individual and the collective can be reaching a fever pitch. This struggle is like birthing pains, the labor pains necessary in the paradigm shift between the old, outmoded methodologies of hierarchical authority and the new, avant garde ways of increased power of the person. We have seen this struggle play out on national levels. We have witnessed it with the Arab Spring triggered by social media and the standing up of individuals in protest to the dictatorial repression by a small few. We have experienced it with the dysfunctionality and increased inability of free societies to effectively solve economic and social problems. We have expressed it with public opinion giving low grades and disapproval of government leaders in more ‘democratic’ societies.

Everywhere we look, whether on a macro-level of the larger society or on the micro-level of our own personal lives, we feel a high-pitched fever of anxiety and discontent.

First comes the awareness of a problem, often followed by the voicing of one’s frustration, distaste, and even anger at the situation. Then comes the full consideration of ways to resolve the problem with the intent of creating brighter days through better ways.

And so it is for us as we enter this Winter of 2011-2012.

We may not be fully aware of how best to incorporate the necessary changes in our lives. But we are convinced that change must occur.

As we start the Winter, we may consider a serious inventory-taking, all with the intent of clearing away the debris, the outmoded, the no longer useful in our lives. We might not understand what comes after our cleansing, but we may consciously, or subconsciously, embrace the true reality that the universe does not like a vacuum and that as we clear away the dross of our lives, we can focus and be open to receive new ingredients that are far more in harmony with where we are and that provide the opportunities to get to where we may be going. Even if we do not comprehend what our trajectory might truly be, we are at the threshold of a paradigm shift when we no longer have to make the plans or assume total control over the conditions, circumstances and direction of our lives.

If nothing else over the past three years, we surely have learned that no matter how much we might try and control our life’s direction, there is a greater power and a natural unfolding occurring that is leading us to where we are going. This acceptance embraces the idea that our soul’s development and our spiritual engagement are far beyond our egocentric personality and offers us to journey along the path of greater en-lightenment and true soul fulfillment.

Like Hercules, however, we may still have to clean out the stables of our egocentric personality. We might still need to engage the sentiment: ‘let go, let god’, whereby we let go of our sense of control over circumstances and accept our soul’s journey.

The process might not seem easy, but it is an alchemical process, a process of transformation, a process of burning off the dross in order to get back to the essence.

Although we start the Winter somewhat confused as to what to be rid of and what to engage, we do not have to be fixated or rigid in our considerations. The most important aspect of this process is malleability and the ability to be both adaptable and flexible to shifting circumstance. If we can engage the tai chi moves in our lives, whereby we move in accord with the energies and conditions unfolding, we shall be in harmony with our life’s rhythms and in balance with our natural self-development.

The Winter period, like nature in the northern latitudes, is a time of turning inward, of concentrating on our internal being with the realization that our attention to the innermost workings of our selves can bear seed as we enter the Springtime.

During this Winter, we might mourn the loss of dreams we once held dear. But in letting go of certain long-cherished dreams we may come to the realization that we dreamed them once when we were at a certain stage in our journey but that those same dreams are no longer relevant for our present much less goals for our future. Our process, our journey is all about adaptability and flexibility and I would remind all of us, and each of us, that the universe and higher forces have far greater plans for us than we could have ever imagined for ourselves.

It is all part of the paradigm shift, all part of the magical mystery tour on which we have engaged and hopefully embraced the attitude of awe and wonder at it all.

While we might conceive of new hopes and wishes, we may also experience a tempering process, a honing of our desires as things take longer to develop on the material plane than on the ethereal plane.

The Capricorn Lunation with the New Moon on the 24th of December can influence the two-week period up to the Full Moon with a focus on manifestation, putting plans into action and creating a best practices approach by which to expand our interests and strategize our plans. With a Grand Trine in the Earth Element, this latter part of December and early January can be a most productive time. We could be highly effective in moving our projects forward, but it would be wise for us to maintain humility. We might feel as though we have a manifest destiny, and in all likelihood we do. But our destiny might not be a straight line of greased wheels but could provide some bumps and hits to help us maintain our humility and for us to always engage awareness and mindfulness.

We may be highly effective but the universe will throw us curveballs so that we do not get a fat head and fall backwards into the old paradigm mindset of our belief in having control over all situations. No, we are no longer in times of the shortest distance between two points being a straight line. The concept of linear, sequential progression is an old paradigm concept that will no longer play but could instead prove a severe detriment in our moving ahead. These times call for us to be nimble and quick, to be astute and flexible, with a willingness to follow the clues along the way in the natural unfolding, even if that unfolding appears to take circuitous routes.

The Capricorn New Moon on the 24th has the Sun, Moon, Pluto conjunction trine Jupiter, stationary just prior to Jupiter turning direct on the 25th, Christmas Day. Akin to the Winter Solstice, we too are birthing into the light, with our emphasis on the truly significant, the most meaningful and with us embracing our true purpose. The game of life is no longer who wins the most toys. Now, the dance of life is the vibrant expression and the full blossoming of our creative talents and unique characteristics. The game has changed and life no longer has to be a game but rather can be a playful dance.

During this two week period at the end of December through the first week of January, we may discover that we are going through a deepening process. Our interest in the superfluous and needless distractions could drop away. We may seem more serious about how we are doing our lives. But seriousness does not mean tediousness for we can also be playful, exuberant and fully engaging the spirit of living in seriously doing our lives. These are exciting times, even if the backdrop on a societal level continues to see a crash and burn of institutions, organizations and beliefs that no longer are valid nor functional during these changing times.

It is important that we keep aware of the universal curveballs, those incidents arising out of the blue that force us to keep on our toes, be alert and mindful at all times. Although some people might define the unexpected situations as anxiety-provoking, unanticipated variables also allow us to continually re-evaluate where we are and how we are going. Certain surprising factors also create a dynamic of changing circumstances, which could allow us to shift our trajectory and alter our approach.

We are living during a most dynamic time when things can change dramatically and virtually instantly.

As we move into January, the Earth Grand Trine becomes strengthened when Mercury moves into Capricorn on the 8th, just prior to the Cancer Full Moon on the 9th. With Mercury’s entry into Capricorn, the Earth element is not only strengthened but now we have a Stellium of three or more planets in Capricorn as Mercury joins the Sun and Pluto in the Cardinal Earth Sign.

Also on the 8th, Mercury in Capricorn trines Jupiter but squares Uranus. The Mercury square Uranus is my least favorite aspect for flying, but problems could also arise at this time in regard to travel, communications and computer problems. We may have some great ideas regarding how best to expand our operations, but we might not be accounting for all the variables that could influence the implementation and execution of our plans. Now would be a time to rein in our sense of omnipotence, omniscience and invincibility in getting from concept into manifestation. And yet much of this end of December through most of January is a time when we can be highly productive and most effective in pushing our ambitions forward.

Although many people quake and suffer from triskaidekaphobia, the fear of the 13th, in numerology thirteen is considered the number of transformation, the realized individual. And January’s Friday the 13th could actually spell some very interesting, focused, yet otherworldly feelings and sensations. On this Friday, Mercury conjuncts Pluto, providing a laser-like vision to cut to the core and to be aware of the basic fundamentals of any situation. Our discussions may be to the point and exceptionally incisive. On that day, Venus also conjuncts Neptune and trines Saturn, just before Venus moves into Pisces on the 14th. Our interactions with other people can be close to idyllic and we may find that we have an ardent supporter of not only what we are doing, but more importantly who we are.

As we move through January, we begin to pick up the pace of universal consciousness, as the planets begin to move into their transits of the two universal Signs of Aquarius and Pisces. Venus moves from Aquarius into Pisces on the 14th, followed by the Sun moving into Aquarius on the 20th and Mercury moving into Aquarius on the 27th.

The Aquarius New Moon on the 22nd-23rd also begins the Chinese New Year of the Water Dragon, an auspicious year that can imply good luck, hard work and success in many ventures. There is the potential to see things from other people’s points of view and to be passionate, assured and determined in all that we do. But with the black water dragon, there is also the liability to the unpredictable and the unexpected, once again forcing us to stay aware and mindful. Struggles and conflicts are likely during this Chinese New Year, all leading to natural phenomena upheavals [such as earthquakes, volcanic activity, intense storm systems and flash floods] and dramatic changes in the socio-political arena.

This Aquarius New Moon can also trigger our personal desire for greater change and our focus more on our future than on our present reality. To incorporate greater change we do have to be wary of needless expenditures that might increase our debt load. Being resourceful at this time will not put a damper on our future goals but could provide a reining in of moving too fast with too much exuberance and not enough due diligence. Let’s look before we leap and quite possibly instead of leaping ahead create a suspension bridge, slat by slat, to get us from where we have been to where we intend to go.

While the latter part of January into early February can have us concentrating on plans, strategies and considering how best to move forward, we may draw upon other people for their support, encouragement and advice. It would be wise to do so, since we all might be far more interested in rushing ahead into our future than spinning our wheels in the present. We just have to be wary of acting like lemmings and rushing towards the cliffs. Haste creates waste, and these times call for, even demand, resourcefulness whereby we utilize our time, our energy and our monies in a judicious and focused manner.

Neptune re-enters its own Sign of Pisces on February 3rd and will transit through Pisces on into 2025. Compassion, spirituality, religiosity can all be accentuated during this time. Idealism can be strong, but there is also a liability to delusion, escapism and non-realities.

The Leo Full Moon on February 7th comes at the time of Saturn turning retrograde in the last degree of Libra. Saturn reaches the cusp of Libra – Scorpio but retreats back into Libra for its four and a half month retrograde cycle. It would be wise for us to note what is going on regarding the financial realm, both on a macro perspective of the geopolitical world and on a micro viewpoint of our own personal financial world, as Saturn turns retrograde. When we come to the Autumn, Saturn will enter Scorpio for its two and a half year cycle. The Saturn Scorpio transit may speak to financial restraints, increased taxations and a higher death rate. Saturn Scorpio will certainly demand that we be resourceful and can create limitations to our sense of abundance and bountifulness.

With Saturn retrograde until the latter part of June, let’s also keep in mind that there can be greater delays and difficulties in getting things done. We are being asked to reflect and deal with our interactions with other people, especially the significant relationships in our lives.

Shortly after Saturn turns retrograde and the Leo Full Moon on the 7th, Venus exits Pisces and enters Aries on the 8th and conjuncts Uranus on the 9th. Relationships can be highlighted, but the focus on relationships can be less about a balance of personal needs with those of someone else. Instead, everyone may become more self-centered, self-focused and self-absorbed. We might be far more interested in how relationships are impacting us and less considerate of how the relationship is impacting someone else.

With Mercury moving out of Aquarius and entering Pisces on February 13th, followed by the Mercury Neptune conjunction on the 14th, Valentine’s Day, we could easily buy into hopes and wishes that have no fundamental basis in reality. Although our intuitive sense can be strong, it would be wise for us not to take things at face value. This energy configuration can also be akin to the trickster, things appearing one way, the reality being quite different. In the native American tradition, the coyote is the trickster, for the coyote howls its haunting, seductive song enticing its prey to come forward only to pounce upon it once within harm’s way. While we might be visionaries during this time, we need to keep our feet firmly planted on the ground if we choose to have our head in the clouds.

The Sun moves into Pisces on the 19th of February and conjuncts Neptune at the same time. We now have a Stellium of three or more planets in the Mutable Water Sign as the Sun joins Neptune and Mercury in Pisces. With the Piscean energy highlighted even more by the Pisces Lunation, the Pisces New Moon on the 21st, we need to be aware that this fortnight between the 21st of February and the 8th of March can be a time of tricksters extraordinaire. Whatever is presented to us at this time can be a mirage or an illusion or certainly not the truth, the whole truth. Our sensitivity is likely to be turned up severalfold. At times, we may feel like the savior, other times like the victim. The liability towards escapism can be strong, as we seek more pleasant surroundings, our safe happy place where we can go to avoid the hard cold realities of these changing times.

We may feel like sponges soaking up the energies of our surroundings. It might be important for us now and then to step off the track, take time to recharge our batteries and reflect on what is going on. It would also be wise for us to recognize that we are coming to the end of the zodiac year with the Vernal Equinox and the Sun moving into Aries later in March initiating the new astrological year.

During this latter part of February through mid-March, we may do a great deal of sighing, even involuntarily sighing. It may not be a sigh or breath of relief, as much as an inadvertent recognition that we are coming to the end of a cycle.

As we come into March, Mercury exits Pisces and enters Aries on the 2nd and Venus exits Aries to enter its own Sign of Taurus on the 5th. We are feeling the burgeoning sense of Spring ahead of us. We may be making our plans for our personal renaissance as we come into Spring. Our thoughts can be insightful as we consider how we can initiate projects and engage activities that allow us to put our personal imprint on our daily involvements. At the same time, we may be looking at personal makeovers, putting our best foot forward and presenting ourselves in a perfect light.

The mid-part of March can be a highly active period but also one when we might go a little overboard in our expenditures. In our desire to look good and create a magical impression, we could easily overspend and do too many ‘overs’ whereby we even move into a garish presentation.

Mercury turns retrograde on the 12th, and our thoughts, while self-focused, can be too much on how we see the world and how we want to see the world. We could also be too nonchalant about factors beyond our control and beyond our personal realm, thereby missing salient points and contributing to a ‘my way or the highway’ type of attitude.

Excess can be strong during this mid-March period. Following Mercury turning retrograde on the 12th, Jupiter and Venus both trine Pluto on the 13th. On the 14th, Venus conjuncts Jupiter, and Mars triggers the Earth Grand Trine exactly by Mars in Virgo trine Jupiter in Taurus and Mars trine Pluto in Capricorn.

This mid-March period can seem like we have entered into paradise on earth. Equity markets could ratchet up and all might seem right in the world. Yes, we are likely to be feeling the burgeoning of Spring coming forward. We would all like to feel as though the worst is behind us and that we are entering a golden age. Certainly, some commentators and pundits will acclaim that the best is not only yet to come but that we have crossed the threshold into a new world, a world of bounty and abundance. But to borrow from Aldous Huxley, we may feel and even be encouraged to accept the concept that we have entered a brave new world.

Winter 2011-2012… from irritations and aggravations a pearl is formed…

We are on the dawning of a new day, even if we feel at times that we are in the dark of the night.

These are exciting times, if not stable and secure times. Instead of assuming that we know how things should be, let’s keep our eyes and ears wide open in order to gauge the possibilities and the inclinations for the future. Certainly, the extremes of volatility can whipsaw us if we try to hold on to assumptions and beliefs and accept the consensus opinion as to what is really going on. Like little children, we might want to be open to the awe and wonder of these changing times, the shifting sands, a dynamic period when things swing wildly but in so doing also allow the most unexpected situations to arise.

Autumn begins on September 23rd with the Autumn Equinox, as the Sun enters Libra. At the time of the Equinox, we are enmeshed in the Cardinal Climax of Aries, Libra and Capricorn with the Sun opposed Uranus in Aries and the Sun square Pluto in Capricorn. We start the season with a Stellium of three or more planets in Libra with the Sun, Venus and Saturn in the Venus-ruled Cardinal Air Sign. The Moon in Leo conjuncts Mars and both trine Uranus.

We may be feeling good about ourselves, looking to take machete in hand and carve our own path. We may be dismissive of the authorities, the powers-that-be and shake our heads in disdain at how badly they seemed to have mucked things up. The evidence of their inabilities and ‘pay to play’ corruptions could be seen everywhere with various traditional institutions under assault and with people walking away from believing that the powers-that-be can rectify a situation that seems like a runaway train. We have witnessed episodes of the general public discontent — the Arab Spring, the riots in Eurozone countries, the dismissive public opinions polls on the ‘leaders’ in the US.

As we drift away from reverence for people, things and institutions larger than ourselves, we are likely to empower our selves, our individual abilities to deal with things as they are and turn them into opportunities and possibilities for our selves. I have written it before, I shall write it again: these times do not speak so much to the ’60′s refrain of ‘power to the people’. These times speak to ‘power to the person’.

And we begin this Autumn ready to engage the unique, the different, the iconoclastic. We are not interested now in fitting in but rather now in standing out. We want to be free. We want express ourselves. And we want to explore and discover the possibilities for ourselves and for our future. We are not interested in stepping on other people’s toes. Our sense of competition can diminish, for we are interested in doing our own thing and in cooperating and encouraging other people to do their own thing as well.

While we are energized by our own prospects, we may see further problems asserting themselves in the collective and on the societal level. The end of September highlights this Cardinal Climax. On the 25th, the Sun opposes Uranus, followed by the New Moon on the 27th with Mercury opposed Uranus, one of my least favorites aspects for air travel. Things may crescendo on the 28th as the Sun conjuncts Mercury and both square Pluto. With the New Moon impacting the next fortnight and until the Full Moon on October 11th [someone's birthday... well, probably, a lot of people's birthdays but mine as well], this two-week period can be an interesting time. Of course I use the term “interesting” as in the Chinese proverb, some would call a curse, may you live in interesting times.

Yes, this end of September into early October could prove very interesting. There can be difficulties associated with air travel, internet connections, computer problems, solid institutions not so solid and a ratcheting up of concern over the global economy and its ingredient national economies with a sluggish recovery [we could only hope] and the tax man multiplying his various charges.

Necessity is the mother of invention.

We might find this Autumn period to provide the necessity of our further developing our individual skill set, honing our talents and learning the ability to do more with less. Whether there are breakdowns in infrastructure systems or we become ever more aware of rising costs and a stagnant revenues stream, we may have the opportunity to become ever more resourceful and focus our energies and our resources on the most meaningful and essential aspects of our lives.

The beauty of these times is the new reality that we don’t have to do it all. We do not have to feel as though we were rolling a boulder up a mountain. Unlike Sisyphus, we can use winches and devise a best practices approach to get the boulder to the mountaintop. And our best practices approach might allow for a little magic, the synchronicity of things developing in a non-sequential manner. Those serendipitous moments, when things come out of the blue, can become ever more rampant and evident. All we have to do is to take off our blinders, be open to the possibilities and be willing to engage serendipity.

We do not have to make things hard for ourselves but rather we can recognize the truth to the wise saying that we never get more than we can handle.

While the early Autumn may seem like scenes out of Alice’s Wonderland or a Hieronymus Bosch triptych, relationships can be interesting and challenging. We might bump into people who, like messengers on a scavenger hunt, provide us clues of new possibilities or inclinations of what we might look for next.

This Autumn is a time for us to explore and investigate but without feeling the need to make definitive commitment or create solid foundations of new interests.

The mid-October can be fairly pleasant, especially if we are willing to embrace the sentiment that the best things in life are free.

The Stellium in Libra that began the Autumn season is replaced by a Stellium in Scorpio as of October 23rd, when the Sun enters Scorpio and joins Venus, which exited Libra on the 9th to enter Scorpio, and Mercury which entered Scorpio on the 13th. Our focus definitely shifts in October as we become ever more interested in looking beyond surface appearance, stripping away the veneer and looking to see what is really going on. We may also become more aware of the bite being taken out of our paycheck and our finances as price increases become increasingly evident and we learn of increases in user fees or taxes.

October would be a time for us to budget our resources — our time, our monies, our involvements. Some of us may choose to downsize or concentrate on our personal debt reduction. We may also see some nuggets of worth whose value has gone unrecognized and unappreciated and could provide solid foundation stones for our future and the changing parameters of the world-at-large.

Let’s keep in mind the volatility of these times and not be swayed by momentary trends that may merely be a brief reaction to extremes. Maintaining a conservative approach to our resources and our expenditures would provide a cushion against any severe bumps that might otherwise prove costly.

The end of October allows for due diligence, all the while that there can be extreme whipsaws. If we can maintain an even keel amidst the storm-tossed seas, then we shall successfully ride out the waves. Some black swans of unexpected situations that we might have been aware of may suddenly become more prominent and could create an upswell of anxiety and concern. It will be essential that we maintain awareness, mindfulness and be ever vigilant to the vagaries of these times.

Confusion can be rampant as we come into November. I have noted before, shall reiterate now, that I have been startled by the number of charts that have a pronounced Saturn transit during this latter part of the Autumn on through the winter period. Since I have seen it in so many charts and in many different types of people, I have to presume that something occurs on the collective level or societal level that has a heavy, serious impact on many of us. A Malthusian quandary could be upon us, with some event or situation having a dramatic impact on the world at large.

Although it seems that national leaders have chosen a less than coordinated game of kick the can, kicking substantial issues and fundamental problems down the road, at some point there is likely to be a kickback. I have suggested before, reiterate again, the fact that the astrological signatures now have an eerie correspondence to the patterns in effect at the time of the late 1920′s, early 1930′s. I have also indicated long before now my belief of a liability towards a double dip recession. With third quarter results for corporate entities coming in during this Autumn, the meager economic growth of this year may look healthy in comparison.

Unfortunately, the players on the world stage are oblivious to the epochal change, the paradigm shift and the crossing of the threshold from the way things have been to the ways things could be. Past solutions are ineffective for present and future conditions. And once again, I suggest that these times speak more to the ‘power to the person’ than to ‘power to the people’.

Each of us, in cooperation with one another, can find our way and develop a new consciousness and a new way of being. We are going through a transformation, both individually and collectively, and this shape shifting is akin to the metamorphosis of the caterpillar into the butterfly. We can only scrape our wings along the ground for so long before we are forced to fly.

November is a month when it is essential that we read between the lines, accept nothing at face value and be ever skeptical of presentations long on rhetoric and flourish but short on facts and pragmatic solutions. We may come to realize that we are not the problem, but we are the solution and a solution acted upon the individual level.

We may feel truly empowered as we come into mid-November. Thanks to Mars moving into Virgo, we have an Earth Element Grand Trine with Mars trine Jupiter in Taurus on the 16th, followed by Mars trine Pluto on the 23rd. We may feel confident about the steps we have taken to both preserve our resources, be resourceful in our daily dealings and focused on how we can improve our personal situation while the world seems hell bent on falling apart.

Thanksgiving day in the US, on November 24th, is also the day that begins this year’s last Mercury retrograde cycle. Mercury retrogrades back through Sagittarius and turns direct on the 13th of December.

Although there may be a great deal of confusion during much of the November period, if we stay true to our individual path, focus on the most meaningful interests in our lives, then we are likely to not only empower ourselves but make forward progress towards our hopes and dreams. We may feel driven with a sense that the baton has been handed to us. Although we might not have a roadmap regarding the terrain ahead of us, we have honed our skills, become far more adept at trusting our inner voice and far less distracted by the noise of the maddening crowd.

Although December continues with varied twists and turns, we are becoming used to the dance. As if our anxieties have been deadened by the constant scares, we are able to cope, less reactive to the unexpected events that arise and able to circumnavigate any difficulties that lie in our way.

It is said that this journey on the earth plane is a school of constant lessons with various tests along the way. We may have found ourselves tested over the course of the past few years, and during this Autumn time, but we have risen to the challenge, come to a fuller understanding of our own personal journey and have determined to makes these volatile times the best of our times with a hope that the best is yet to come.

Autumn 2011… why take the race to nowhere…

It is essential that we take nothing at face value nor accept the truth to things being presented to us. More goes on than meets the eye and we need to be wary, withhold judgment before making definitive decisions and even once decided go slowly and tentatively in the directions we choose.

During this Summer, we may feel as though we are at a theme park with various rides and exhibitions displaying both the best of times and the worst of times. The swings this Summer could prove extreme, somewhat dizzying and certainly confusing. We may question whether things are moving ahead or are moving backwards, and like a metronome we can swing back and forth between hope and despair.

Spring ends and Summer begins with the Summer Solstice on the 21st of June, the longest day of sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere as the Sun enters Cancer. This beginning of Summer also has Mercury square Saturn. We may feel reticent about our needs in contrast to the demands of other people. Relationships could be a little dicey, as everyone might seem to have a chip on their shoulder, assuming that the perennial promise of Summer may be hard to live up to this year. Great expectations for the season could be tainted with anticipations of great disappointments. We may feel enthusiastic and confident one moment, ready to launch forward into new arenas with new plans for ourselves, only to fall back and assume that we are but recreating our past and engaging the idea of ‘meet the new boss, same as the old boss’.

The first full day of Summer on the 22nd of June could be a mixed bag. The Sun trines Neptune and Mars squares Neptune. We may be a little spacey today and we have to be careful to avoid possible accidents, especially around the water. This can be a day when a boating accident or accidents on the water could highlight the local news. We may have good intentions but we might not be totally clear about what to do and how to proceed. Impetuous actions could create severe problems. While we might want to bask in the sun, we have to watch for those parade rainers, people who might be aggravated and irritated and looking to take their frustrations out on someone. Let’s avoid being that someone. We don’t have to be the eternal optimist but neither should we engage a sense of despair.

The weekend of the 25th and 26th could be a time for family fun and sprucing up our homes. The Sun sextiles Jupiter on the 25th and the Sun squares Uranus on the 26th. We may want to incorporate greater variety into our lives, try out new things and add some splash to our surroundings. We might feel confident about our abilities but it would be wise to keep a check on our finances, since we could have a tendency to overspend in order to add greater flair to our home, wardrobe or personal appearance. We may be itchy to do something different but we just have to watch the expense involved.

Mars sextiles Uranus on the 27th, and this is a day when we might choose to spread our nets wide. We are far more interested in being spontaneous, doing things impulsively, and accentuating our sense of freedom. We do not want to be restricted or limited in our actions and this is a ‘me’ day when we emphasize our individuality and the quirkiness of our character. We do have to watch that we don’t go overboard in asserting ourselves, for the 28th has the Sun opposed Pluto. If we have gone overboard and to the extreme, we could find the repercussions to be a headbanger and disadvantageous to our interests.

July begins on the 1st with a Solar Eclipse and the Cancer New Moon. With the Eclipse square to Saturn, we may experience recapitulations, those walks down Memory Lane that remind us of our past and past discouragements, and might enforce the sense of responsibilities to other people. This being the July 4th weekend in the US, celebrating Independence Day, we might feel anything but independent. On the contrary, we could feel restricted by our past, our obligations and other people’s whims, especially with the Sun square Saturn on the 2nd. If we could take a time out over this weekend, rest and recharge our batteries, then the aggravations of ‘what we should do’ can be lessened and allow us to enjoy the long holiday weekend.

We have two Signs changes at the beginning of July. Mercury exits Cancer to enter Leo on the 2nd, and Venus exits Gemini to enter Cancer on the 4th. Our focus can turn to fun events, engaging the true sentiments of the Summer season with an emphasis on re-creation and enjoying ourselves. Our safety net may be our home and family, whereby we stretch into new adventures, all the while that we have a base camp of support upon which to draw and recharge our energies.

The 4th can be an exciting time with novel experiences. Venus trines Neptune and Mercury trines Uranus. We might feel in an otherwordly space and this a day when it would be wise for us to follow our inner voice, be open to wonderful surprises and luxuriate in the realm of possibilities, even if they seem impossible.

What we do have to watch for, and the caveat for the season and for these times, are the wild swings between euphoria and discouragement. There can be some real ‘up’ times when we might feel as though all is right in our world and that pesky matters have resolved themselves. And there can be some real ‘down’ times when issues thought resolved come back up for us to deal with and create high anxiety with sense that the worst is yet to come. Let’s keep in mind the volatility of these times and the likelihood being that things are never as good as we might imagine nor as bad as we might imagine and as a result the importance of not making snap judgments or impetuous decisions.

On the 5th, Mercury squares Jupiter and our tendency to blow things out of proportion and a desire to enjoy ourselves no matter the cost could be aggravated and might put a huge dent in our pocketbook. This is a time when presentations may be dramatic and enticing but also stronger in the images offered than the reality of the situation.

During this Summer we will be tested regarding our focus and our willingness to let things play out before opining on what is going on. If we will take our time, not be distracted by the hoopla and concentrate on the unfolding, and an unfolding that might be more asequential than sequenced, the less likely we shall be to step into some trap of our own making, a trap created by our impulsive nature and desire to do something, anything, in order to move our interests forward.

Let’s always bear in mind that we are crossing the threshold into a time when C does not necessarily follow B, nor B following A. Instead, the new normalcy is abnormalcy where things can occur in any order, by any means and perhaps without any recognizable rhyme or reason. Welcome to the paradigm shift, the magical mystery tour when we need to maintain awareness and mindfulness in order to see the unfolding and go with the flow of developing events.

The first full week of July, from the 4th through the 9th, seems a high energy time with a great deal of movement and caroming between extremes. Excess can be in full gear, thanks both to a cock-eyed optimism and deep-rooted intensities seeking release.

The mid-part of the week, on the 6th, has Mars trine Saturn. By drawing upon other people’s objective insight and detached counsel, we may devise a best practices approach by which to bob and weave through the kaleidoscopic landscape. Discussions can be to the point, be far less emotionally-charged and can allow us to be both expeditious and productive in getting things done.

We just have to watch that when we do catch the wave and ride the pipeline we just not assume that we can ride the wave to shore. Our greatest success during these times is to know which wave to ride, when to ride the wave and when to get off the wave before crashing into shore.

The potential for excess and indulgence is ratcheted up on the 7th through the 9th. The Jupiter trine Pluto on the 7th increases things exponentially and can either be the very best of times or the very worst of times, depending on how we play it and how events are unfolding. The extreme during this time cannot be downplayed. Things can go on a positive tear and may seem indicative that all problems have been resolved and that we are back on the fast track able to move full speed ahead. Or the depth of problems could become better known and give us a sense that things are more like a house of cards, flimsy and likely to fall at any significant shift or change. Venus also squares Uranus on the 7th. Issues regarding our home, real estate and troubling interactions with other people can add fuel to the fire of extremism. This is a time to take deep breaths, not react immediately to any situation going on and wait for the dust to settle before considering actions or making important decisions.

The 8th of July has Venus opposed Pluto. We might be going through our contact list and seeing whom we might wish to expunge and what social invites we are likely to accept and those we are likely to defer.

While the 7th and 8th can be off the charts in regard to people’s actions and reactions, with an either or type of mentality and little space for equivocation; the weekend of the 9th and 10th could allow us to make amends for any belligerent actions. Venus sextiles Jupiter and Mercury sextiles Saturn on the 9th. People may come to their senses and recognize that no one is able to move recklessly ahead, stepping on toes, creating consternation without some blowback. We might find people apologizing for their behavior or excusing their actions with the rationale of overload or overwhelm that seem to be symptoms of these changing times.

Uranus does turn retrograde on the 9th, and whatever our plans might be at this time, we need to keep in mind that things can change instantly and without a moment’s notice. But people’s self-interest and self-absorption could also be muted as we all come to the realization that none of us are islands unto ourselves. This Uranus retrograde cycle continues on into the Autumn and turns direct on the 10th of December, at the time of the Lunar Eclipse. Change can be in the air but much of it may become more internalized rather than the spontaneous and sporadic actions we might have taken earlier.

The mid-month of July can see things quieting down. Although we are interested in broadening our realm and expanding our interests, we may also have a tendency to fix our attention of home and family matters. Even staycations whereby we take time off from our daily routine, get off the track but stay around home base with day excursions rather than long trips, could be preferable to extended distant trips.

Mercury sextiles Mars on the 11th, and we are certainly looking for fun events and variety. We want to be on the move but our arena could be far less than long distance trips and visits.

July 13th has Venus square Saturn followed on the 15th with the Capricorn Full Moon. We may be concerned about home projects and might be looking at maintenance or home repair issues. Renovations and redecorations could be in the works and a greater sense of fixing up that which we have rather than branching out into new directions. This could also be a time when the real estate market takes another hit, whether another wave of foreclosures, tightness in the mortgage market or further devaluation of real property.

The Sun moves into Leo on the 23rd with a shift of gears into summer at its peak. We may be planning events for August with the idea that we get away, even if for just a few days before Summer ends. We are unwilling to let Summer pass without some significant pleasurable activity and getting off the track, getting out of Dodge, may be requisite for our health and well-being. This desire for spreading our wings, doing our own thing and enjoying the new and the different can be further engaged towards the end of the month as the Leo Sun trines Uranus in Aries on the 27th. If we have been thinking of trying out some new activity or recreational pursuit, this end of July could be a time for us to do so.

The end of July has Mercury and Venus, once again, shifting Signs at virtually the same time, similar to earlier in the month. On the 28th, Venus moves out of Cancer and enters Leo, while Mercury exits Leo to enter its own Sign of Virgo. Social engagements and fun times are calling us reinforced by the Leo New Moon to end the month. Love is in the air but we are likely to be selective and not merely interested in settling.

Part of the tenor of these times is quality, and being far more interested in the quality of things rather than the quantity of accumulation. All of us are in an alchemical process, a transformation, whereby we are being asked to be resourceful and concentrate on the truly important and the most meaningful. We might assume that the economic realities of these times are forcing us to do more with less. But, in truth, our own process of self-development is honing our desires and making us far more selective in regard to what we bring into our lives and no longer merely accepting whatever comes our way.

While July begins with an upswing in energy, much of the month seems quite pleasant despite some blips on the screen. August is another matter, and a month challenged by a Mercury retrograde for much of the month.

The month of August begins on a high note. We are feeling the impetus of the Leo New Moon on the 29th – 30th of July. Fun, fun, fun can be the keyword for this fortnight period and accentuated on the 1st of August with Venus trine Uranus, the Sun square Jupiter.

We are in FUN mode and willing to enjoy ourselves no matter the cost. And costs there can be. We may be indulgent, take our eyes off our budget, all with the idea of ‘let’s live for today’ as captured in the 1967 classic song by The Grass Roots.

The 2nd of August has Mercury turning retrograde, this retrograde cycle continuing into the 26th of the month, with Mercury tracing back through early Virgo and back into Leo on the 8th. Our ability to analyze and reason could become lost to our desires and our focus on summertime fun. Due diligence might go out the window, as we embrace whatever appeals to us with little satiation.

The first week of August may prove the case for ‘let the good times roll’.

Mars moves into Cancer trines Neptune on the 3rd. Neptune exits Pisces and moves back into Aquarius on the 4th, a day when Mercury also sextiles Mars. And the 5th has Venus square Jupiter and the Sun sextile Saturn, followed up by Venus sextile Saturn on the 7th.

This first week of August can highlight our summer re-creational plans. Getting to the beach, staying down by the pool, reconnecting with old friends can all play a part of our first week of August. This would be a good time for us to take a breather, recharge our batteries and just enjoy ourselves.

But the volatility of these times can become evident as we move from the first week of August into the second week of August. The energy shifts from highly pleasurable events to begin the month to some real pushes and pulls during the second week of the month.

This second week could be extreme with liabilities towards poor judgment, impulsive actions even to the point of accidents and explosions. Mercury exits its own Sign of Virgo and goes back into Leo on the 8th, when it opposes Neptune. Mars transiting Cancer triggers the Cardinal Climax with Mars square Uranus on the 9th and Mars opposed Pluto on the 11th. The Leo Full Moon is on the 13th.

Nothing may be done in half measure during this second week of August. Actions taken may be miscalculations with a tendency to push the envelope and go overboard. People may be on edge and we might witness explosive events. Now is a time for us not to react to any situation without taking the time to have full disclosure regarding what is really going on. We might feel confused, hoodwinked and with little information, even false information, leap forward without considering the circumstances or the conditions.

The second week of August could prove the most volatile of the month, for things seem to start to level out as we come into mid-month. The third week of August could have us licking our wounds, and taking the time to focus on our personal interests that give us pleasure and prove a nice antidote to the extremes of these times.

To assume that directions in place will last a lifetime, a season, a month or even more than a moment’s shift and change would be setting ourselves for grave disappointment and a liability to one of those whacks on the side of the head [can we call it the universe’s way of giving us a wakeup call?].

The 16th of August ramps our desire for good times as the Sun, Mercury and Venus all come together in Leo to emphasize: PARTY!

Whether a party of one or a gaggle of many, this mid-August period entices us to focus on having fun, doing our own thing and quite possible engaging a certain narcissism whereby we expect the world to revolve around ourselves. Seems to me like a potential set-up for a greater fall [not Autumn but the fall of the ego and the fall from grace].

This sense of entitlement can be reinforced on the 18th when Mars sextiles Jupiter. We may look to spend, spend, spend with some of our expenses associated with our home, family matters, a personal makeover, all with the justification that we are preparing for the return of routine as we come towards the Autumn period.

Unfortunately, clarity may be lacking, or not engaged during this time. Whatever we want, we may feel we richly deserve. The richly, however, could come with a hefty price tag and, if we are not careful, we can find ourselves digging a bigger hole of debt. Let’s not go there!

While the third week of August could be something of a Summer respite, reminiscent of summertimes past when we frolicked and played without a care in the world, the fourth week of August ratchets the energy up severalfold. Perhaps we are back to school or certainly in preparation mode to get back into our normal routine. But the energy from the 21st into the 28th could keep us hopping, at times confused, other times following the yellow brick road.

The potential for tricksters appearing could loom large on the 21st and 22nd, as Venus opposes Neptune on the 21st and the Sun opposes Neptune on the 22nd. Whether the trickster is someone we like and trust or our own delusions and grand expectations, we could be vulnerable to specious promises and possibilities that seem too good to be true and are too good to be true. These configurations occur just as both Venus and the Sun are about to exit and before entering Virgo, Venus on the 21st, the Sun on the 23rd.

Our appetites could get the better of us and we might feel deceived or tricked into believing something that has little basis in reality. We may not be especially clear at this time and, if in deed something does occur whereby we feel victimized and taken advantage of, we could find ourselves pulling the plug on certain contacts and relationships.

Mars squares Saturn and Venus trines Pluto on the 25th, a day before Mercury ends its retrograde cycle to turn direct on the 26th. While there might be pulls on us regarding other people’s needs, or demands, we are ready, willing and able to focus on what we need and what we want.

The Venus trine Pluto is a brief introduction to the Virgo New Moon on the 28th – 29th when the New Moon configuration creates a Grand Trine in the Earth Element with the Virgo New Moon trine Pluto in Capricorn and also trine Jupiter in Taurus. Impacting the fortnight, these next two weeks could see us highly productive, back on the fast track, and focusing on the most significant aspects of our lives. We want to cut to the core, be expeditious in the way we do things and concentrate on getting things done.

Although we get quite a thrust of energy from this New Moon, we do have to be wary of feeling invincible and overloading ourselves assuming that we are Superman or Superwoman.

Venus trines Jupiter on the 30th, just as Jupiter is turning retrograde. Excess could be strong and especially in regard to our shopping for what we believe our needs to be for the new school year or for our getting back into our regular routine.

Highly influenced by the August New Moon, September seems like a month when we accomplishing a great deal and being very effective. We may be working smarter rather than harder, but it would seem that things are falling neatly into place with less expenditure of energy than usual. From the New Moon of August 28th – 29th to the Full Moon on September 12th, we may feel turbocharged, engaging no nonsense and attentive to the most important aspects of our lives.

If we have been contemplating change or even just initiating new projects, this two-week period can allow us a highly resourceful and totally concentrated focus.

The key to these times is being co-creator with the universal energies, working with them and recognizing the wave cycles of times when we might be in the trough, other times when we are riding the waves.

This fortnight from the end of August into mid-September is a time when we are riding the waves, at the top of our game and able to accomplish more now than many other times when we are merely bumping along.

The one glitch during this fortnight, apart from excess and indulgence on the 30th of August when Venus trines Jupiter, is on the 8th of September when Mercury opposes Neptune. We might be susceptible to our own good fortune, embracing the idea that we are legends in our own minds. Such lack of humility could be a stumbling block and entice us in buying into illusions and fanciful beliefs, even beliefs of our invincibility and omnipotence.

Mercury moves into its own Sign of Virgo on the 8th, creating a Stellium of three or more planets in the Mutable Earth Sign as Mercury joins Venus and the Sun in Virgo. The Stellium is brief, however, for Venus exits Virgo on the 14th to enter its own Sign of Libra.

Before Venus leaves Virgo, the 11th has Venus sextile Mars, a pleasant Sunday afternoon before the Pisces Full Moon on the 12th, also a day when Mercury trines Pluto. We bring closure to the fortnight but the influence of the Earth Grand Trine lingers on.

This mid to latter part of August through much of September is an important period when we can focus on the truly meaningful, reinforce the purpose of our lives and make the necessary changes that will leads us closer to the realization of our dreams.

While everything seems quite rosy during this latter part of the Summer, let’s keep in mind the volatility of these times, whereby things can shift without a moment’s notice. And so it is as we end the Summer season.

The 16th through the 18th of September could prove dicey especially in regard to our relationships. Things could prove explosive thanks to Pluto turning direct on the 16th. Bomb blasts could occur and issues with certain traditional institutions could blow up. Problems with other people could be pronounced as Venus triggers a T-Square by Venus opposed on the 17th, followed by Venus square Pluto on the 18th, the day that Mars moves into Leo and exits Cancer.

The drumbeats of anger and frustration might be heard with people likely to act out. It might be as though things were so good that they were too good to last. But it’s not that we go through good to bad and stay there for a while. Let’s keep in mind the volatility of these times. Things change quickly, even instantly, and often without even a moment’s notice. Welcome to our new world order — reminiscent of the good, bad and the ugly.

Summer 2011… a time to get off the track, recharge and then move confidently ahead…

As we start the Spring season with its promise of renewal, rebirth and renaissance, we may feel that our greatest hopes and wishes are being blocked by circumstances beyond our control. Those blockages could be imposed upon us by those people closest and dearest to us or by the conditions in the world-at-large. Tempering our enthusiasm and fine tuning our sense of our manifest destiny are but steps along the way in our journey of self-discovery and self-development.

In the beginning of Spring, we are feeling the Cardinal Climax that was felt initially in the Summer of 2010. The Vernal Equinox on the 20th-21st of March has the Sun enter Aries, which launches the Spring season and the astrological new year, as the Sun ends its cyclic annual transit by exiting Pisces. With the Sun in Aries we also have a powerpack in the Cardinal Fire Sign, as the Sun joins Mercury, Jupiter and Uranus in Aries. By Sign, the planets in Aries square Pluto in Capricorn and oppose Saturn in Libra.

This Spring asks us whether we are crossing the threshold of the new year, and moving across the threshold of the paradigm shift, with our old baggage or whether we have done the necessary clean up and clear out of old matters that could only impede our progress forward. Now is a time for us to be clear and free of old matters that could only be holding us back.

We may be looking at starting things up, launching our projects, planting our seeds but we have to ask ourselves whether we have done the necessary preparatory work of making a suitable foundation on which to build. And the suitable foundation includes, and demands, that we get rid of the extraneous and the superfluous. We are not looking at re-creating the past and couldn’t, even if we chose to do so.

Now is now, and we might have to accept the fact that the playbook of our future is filled with blank pages on which we can write, devise and consider the possibilities for our involvement.

Change is in the air, and we are looking at being more self-determining, freer in our movements and in our expressions. In so doing, it is important that we recognize the need for testing the waters, trying things out, allowing ourselves to experiment without the need for long-term commitment or fully embracing any interest that grabs our fancy. Rather, it is time for us to sample and gauge new aspects of ourselves.

Although we might feel the ghosts of our past nipping at our heels, trying to convince us to fall back on the familiar, now is a time for us to broaden our scope, expand the realm of possibilities and look beyond the narrow parameters of our experiences.

The impetus for changes in our personality, in our expression, and in the backdrop of our life’s journey may be a strong trigger point for self-exploration.

Whenever we make changes, we ruffle feathers and are challenged both by those who know us and know us by definition based upon their past experiences with us and challenged as well by the complacency of our discontent. Change is scary and especially during these times, when the changes can be dramatic and even seem cataclysmic. We may be afraid to make ‘mistakes’.

Instead of fearing missteps and mistakes, let’s proceed with the realization that nothing is carved in stone, that we can alter our path at any point and that, in truth, we have entered an exciting time of the magical mystery tour where things can occur without our making them happen but rather that the conditions of these times warrant magic and miracles. Yes, we are moving into a phase of synchronicity and serendipity, of not having to make things happen but being open to receiving the wonders of the universe. We are entering times when things come out of the blue, the asequential reality that transcends linear progression of beginning, middle and end.

But with any dramatic changes, often we get those taps on the shoulder from the universe asking us to reflect on our past, even to do an exercise of recapitulation whereby we go back over past events, past experiences and see whether we are attached to them or can see them as incidents along the way that have no longer any pull for us or are likely to get in our way.

The beginning of the Spring Season may seem paradoxical. On the one hand, we are itching to try out new things, to explore new realms and to express ourselves in new ways. On the other hand, we may feel that the universe has served up a large heaping of our past, forcing us to reconsider where we have come from and delaying us from moving quickly forward.

This dichotomy between what can be and what has been could be excruciating at times. This Spring can have us soaring with the eagles, but like Icarus perhaps flying too close to the sun. This Spring can have us going through major transformations, feeling as though we are like the camel trying to squeeze through the eye of a needle. The main attitude for us to engage during this process of back and forth may be detachment, not getting overly involved in the evaluation or reasoning of the process, but rather letting the process be.

The 26th of March has Venus conjunct Neptune. We can feel that our interactions with those special people in our lives are idyllic. Love is in the air and with it a love of life and a love of the possibilities that the future holds for us. Of course, one of the key characteristics during this time when all of us are vulnerable, as innocents in a brand new world, is discernment. We must realize that the appearance needs to be matched by the substance. Otherwise, we could fall victim to the trickster, people or situations that seem one way but in reality are quite different from the image projected.

In the Native American tradition, the coyote is known as the trickster. For the coyote sings its haunting song in the quiet of the night, enticing and seducing its prey to come forward, only to pounce upon that prey when it has entered its circle. So too for us. This time asks us to be highly discerning, to take things with a grain of salt and not buy into the hype or spin presented to us. People talk of transparency but, in truth, more goes on than necessarily meets the eye. And so, awareness and mindfulness are key attributes for us to develop and engage.

Venus exits Aquarius and enters Pisces on the 27th of March. Our emotions could be a great deal stronger now, our compassion ratcheted up severalfold. We may feel the pain and suffering of those less fortunate than ourselves, those that have been confronted with severe adversarial conditions. We might even feel as though everywhere we look there is pain and suffering. Earthquakes, tsunamis, nuclear meltdowns, food crises, escalating costs, tornadoes, civil unrest — all these and more could give cause for concern and alarm. Our hearts may go out to those addressing catastrophic conditions, and we might choose to put our spirit into action. A proactive approach would be far more productive than a reactive mode, whereby we could feel that the world was going down the tubes and that we were but victims to a larger and more powerful force. While we could sense that we are no longer master of our world in control of circumstances and conditions around us, we need to avoid a sense of being victims and merely reactive to life’s changing parameters. What we can do is use such incidents and situations to reinforce the new way of being — being co-creators with the natural unfolding and letting go of our belief in our total control over life’s circumstances. We may not master our world but we can master our selves.

The battle of old and new during this transformational time may be played out especially around the 28th of March as the Sun squares Pluto and Jupiter opposes Saturn. This is a transformative time, a time of letting go, yet also a time of looking back before moving forward. We may feel the alchemical process during this time, a sense of being transformed through the cleansing fires, so that the dross drops away and the essential characteristics of our being are honed and tempered. This could also be a time, tied in with the impending Mercury retrograde that begins on the 30th of this month, when we realize that actions taken by authorities have only made matters worse. We might see the powers-that-be as merely new incarnations of ‘same old, same old’.

If military interventions begun prior to the Mercury retrograde are not completed before the 30th, then the three-week Mercury retrograde cycle can see a bogging down and raise greater questions regarding the wisdom of martial action.

For each of us, this Mercury retrograde from the 30th of March into the 23rd of April may have us reconsidering where we have expanded our scope and question whether certain new projects initiated were done so with blind faith but little forethought or if our egocentric tendencies have laid us a trap of reaching beyond our capabilities.

Early April is highlighted by the Aries New Moon on the 3rd. Prior to the New Moon, Venus sextiles Pluto on the 2nd, the same day that Mars exits Pisces to enter its own Sign of Aries. We may find ourselves putting spirit into action, seeking ways by which to heal the world and how we can best serve others.

There is a wise and true saying that states ‘the pathway to hell is paved with good intentions’.

Evidence of this statement might be witnessed during the fortnight influenced by the Aries New Moon on the 3rd. A powerful configuration, this New Moon has six planets in Aries, the Cardinal Climax T-Square with the Aries Planets opposed Saturn in Libra and square Pluto in Capricorn. Mars conjuncts Uranus.

The energy could prove too hot to handle. We may feel invincible, asserting ourselves and emphasizing our needs without due diligence or due regard to the needs of those people close to us.

The first New Moon of the Spring season, this intense energy configuration could find various spectacular incidents occurring in the natural world. Atmospheric storm systems could prove severe, with exceedingly high wind speeds. Tornadoes and cyclones can tear up areas and wreak a path of destruction. There can be increased geophysical activity, with earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. And people may be acting out, feeling like a law unto themselves, able to rationalize their actions in a narcissistic manner of ‘might makes right’.

With the Mercury retrograde during this fortnight from the 3rd through the 17th, it would be essential that we give considered thought before launching into action. And such a caution may go unheeded, for the energy directs us to act and act even impetuously before much time spent on considered reasoning.

The sense of confidence and enthusiasm can be strong during this April period to the point of being overly optimistic and drawing upon blind faith, all the while negating the facts and the evidence. We may feel held back by someone else or by other people’s input. And we could easily turn a blind eye to evidence that would question the wisdom of our intended actions.

The intensity of this April period seems especially pronounced around the 3rd, and again around the 8th through the 11th. Unexpected actings-out with violent outbursts could be encountered during these times. Whether natural catastrophes or man-made bad decisions, this April period could give witness to the idea of Spring busting out all over with blasts and explosions and a roiling of the energies. It would be wise for us at these times to temper our personal desires and watch for any hasty and ill-conceived actions.

A major Sign change occurs on the 4th as Neptune exits Aquarius to enter its own Sign of Pisces. Issues associated with chemicals, water, drugs, oil and religion can be highlighted over the new few years. On one hand, we may have a spiritual revival but on the flip side we may have a militant religious movement akin to the middle ages crusades, now today’s jihad or religious fundamentalists. Matters associated with oil and water can prove an irritant and even the lubricant for civil conflicts.

Towards the latter part of April, things can simmer down. Outstanding issues may still have to be dealt with and resolved but the energy takes on a less impetuous nature and adopts a more conciliatory manner.

The Sun moves into Taurus on the 20th, followed by Venus moving into Aries on the 21st and the end of the Mercury retrograde cycle on the 23rd.

Whatever intensity has gone on earlier in April, reason can now hold sway over impulse. We may still be doing our Spring cleaning, but we are also more conscious of taking things at a proper pace rather than the leaps and bounds that we might have taken earlier in the month and could have lead to some nasty pitfalls.

May seems a great deal less heated and impetuous than April. There is a greater maturity in our decisions and in our actions, no longer leaping ahead without considering the conditions or aware of possible circumstances. Some of our missteps in April, some of our over-reactions and some of our hasty decisions can now be reworked to our benefit.

If we were not ensnared by the rush to judgment in April, then this May period allows us to plant the seeds given impulse during the April time. If we did put our feet into some hotspots in April, we can now disengage and seek a more conciliatory and focused manner by which to move our interests ahead.

Yes, this May could well live up to the refrain of the 17th Century poet Thomas Dekker in his poem The Merry Month of May:

“O the month of May, the merry month of May,
So frolic, so gay, and so green, so green, so green.”

This May has a far more grounded and practical approach in all our affairs. We have a great deal of the Taurus energy as various planets join the Sun in Taurus — Mars on the 11th and both Venus and Mercury on the 15th.

Especially highlighted dates in May are the 11th when both Venus and Mercury conjunct Jupiter; the 16th when Mercury conjuncts Venus and both sextile Neptune; and the 20th – 21st with some favorable Pluto energies as Mercury conjuncts Mars and both trine Pluto on the 20th, followed by Venus trine Pluto on the 21st.

Love is in the air during this merry month of May. We may feel inspired, confident and optimistic and ready to rebuild our lives. But the rebuilding will not be a re-creation of our past, when some of our accomplishments may have been more ego-drive. On the contrary, the alchemical process each of us has been through, and is going through, is likely to focus on the truly essential, on building upon rock, rather than on sand.

We may feel ourselves far more together during May. As though the dark clouds have parted, we can see the way, our way. No matter the craziness of the world and bizarre world events that might be headlining the news, we are far less engaged in the chatter of things that do not directly impact us. We are looking to take our journey. We are looking to engage the true purpose of our being. And we are planting the seeds of our new directions.

We still shall have our weeding to do, ridding ourselves of those areas in our lives that no longer fulfill us or serve any real purpose. The Scorpio Full Moon on the 17th of May could prove a little perplexing, as we are asked to release some of our dreams that may have been dreamt before but could turn into nightmares if realized now or in the future. While we may be looking at this time as one of eliminating some of our plans and intentions, let’s keep in mind that in this paradigm shift we do not have to do it all. The universe provides and as long as we work with peripheral vision and be open to receive, wonderful surprises and exciting opportunities can come our way. The universe does not like a vacuum, and as we do our Spring cleaning, we may discover that we have created greater space for the new and more intriguing scenarios to enter our lives.

The 20th-21st of May allows for a restructuring, a rebuilding and developing a solid base from which to operate. Similar to climbing a mountainous summit, we may need to establish a base camp from which to climb the summit and explore the greater heights.

June continues with the planting seeds for our future but now with a greater tendency to try various things out. We are not content to focus solely on one or two areas. We would prefer a smorgasbord of tasty delights to sample and taste. If in May we have established our base camp, the fundamental values we wish to engage in our journey ahead, then June allows us a greater opportunity to explore, investigate and try different paths by which to reach our summit.

On the 1st of June, we have a Solar Eclipse in Gemini. The Sun trines Saturn and we may find ourselves over the next fortnight connecting with people in social occasions. Some of our connections may be reconnections with people from our past. Some of our connections may be new contacts with people who hold clues or possibilities for our future journey. Like a scavenger hunt, this June could have us going from one clue to another, all the while not fully knowing the final destination or if there is a final destination.

On the 2nd of June, Mercury exits Taurus to enter its own Sign of Gemini and Neptune turns retrograde. The 3rd has Mercury square Neptune followed on the 4th by Mercury sextile Uranus. We may feel a little confused at this time but I always say that ‘confusion is the starting point of wisdom’.

Confusion forces us to drop our faith in our beliefs and asks us to be open to a wider breadth of understanding. Once again, like the innocents in a brand new world, the more we can let go, the more we can be open to the insights and understandings that can come from all the various sources around us.

On the 4th of June, Jupiter exits Aries to enter Taurus. A sense of greater security, of serenity and trust can help us feel that the worst may be behind us as we seek to build for a new day, in a new way. We may also see a late Spring into Summer rally in the equity markets as mergers and acquisitions gain greater momentum and companies release their worried grip on their liquid capital assets.

Saturn ends its retrograde cycle that has gone on since the end of January on the 12th. Many of the delays, some of the frustrations we might have felt during this Winter and early Spring could start to drop away.

It might almost seem as though the starting gate is opening up for us. Having grown internally and given deep thought regarding our individual journey, we can move forward confidently, aware that we have the resources and the stamina to deal with whatever comes our way.

There seem to be some wonderful gatherings and social get-togethers during this latter part of the Spring. Venus going into Gemini and Mercury entering Cancer would seem to encourage both family reunions and a flurry of social activity.

We do have to be aware of the Lunar Eclipse on the 15th with the Sagittarius Full Moon indicating that we might have taken on too much or tried too many things without dropping some of them along the way.

The 18th and 19th of June could prove difficult. On the 18th Venus trines Saturn but Mercury squares Uranus, one of my least favorite travel day configurations. Communications can be off, misunderstandings rampant and the ability to get from here to there disrupted. The 19th has Mercury opposed Pluto, and this day is Father’s Day. Discussions could get heated, especially if long-held grievances are aired. It would be wise for us to keep in mind that each one of us sees our reality based upon our own personal perspective.

The Spring season closes with Mars moving into Gemini on the 20th. We have much juggling and running around to do. Spring ends with the Sun exiting Gemini and moving into Cancer at the Summer Solstice on the 21st.

This Spring Season is a season of two quite different temperaments — the extreme impetuousness of March and April followed by the due diligence of May and June.

Spring 2011… a time to be born again…

Change is in the air and the changes are not minor shifts but rather dramatic transitions during a significant transformational phase. We are in the midst of a paradigm shift and with it come various endings, eliminations and releases that carry within them the seeds of the future that can grow into the new sprouts, the new format, and the new ways of the future.

The Winter begins on the 21st of December with the Winter Solstice, the darkest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the birthing of the light which grows to its maximum daylight at the time of the Summer Solstice in late June. The Winter Solstice has the Sun moving into the Cardinal Earth Sign of Capricorn and follows fast on the heels of a total Lunar Eclipse on the same day. Situations far distant could seem to have an impact on our individual lives.

Whatever is occurring on the collective level, the grand scale of the world at large, its influence could either be like a tsunami threatening to slam onshore and wash away many of the existing structures or like a pebble in a pond with its ripple effects gently spreading out subtly impacting life as we know it. Either way, we may sense that things going on in the world affairs are having an effect on our lives. The questions are how we choose to view any such situations and then how best to work with them so that we can successfully navigate the currents and move towards our long-range goals.

Winter begins with one planet in a Fire Sign, three planets in an Earth Sign, two planets in Air Signs and four planets in Water Signs. Five planets are in Cardinal Signs, two planets are in Fixed Signs and three planets are in Mutable Signs. Three planets are in Positive Signs, and seven planets are in Receptive Signs.

Winter starts with a Stellium of three or more planets in the Cardinal Earth Sign of Capricorn with the Sun, Mars and Pluto transiting. There is a T-Square by Sign in the Cardinal Signs with the three planets in Capricorn opposed the Moon in Cancer and both square Saturn in Libra. There is a Grand Trine by Sign in the Water Element with the Moon in Cancer, Venus in Scorpio and Jupiter and Uranus in Pisces. Mercury continues its retrograde cycle.

Winter is a natural time when we turn inward, when we take an introspective look and consider whether the fundamentals of our lives are truly working and how we can best structure and format our lives so that we can withstand any waves or impacts that could shake us to the core. As this is a time when we look at the structure of our lives, it is also a time in which we might be more aware of aches and pains in our skeletal structure, in our back and in our joints. Focusing on our health regimen, with a concentration on being malleable and flexible, would allow us to create the necessary rhythm to be adaptable to changing circumstance. As the Taoists would remind us: ‘Bend like a reed, or break like an oak’.

The early part of the Winter brings closure to the year 2010. We might choose to tie up loose ends of this year, complete various outstanding matters and consider how we can best accomplish matters that we would prefer not to bring into the new year of 2011.

With such a great deal of Capricorn to begin the Winter period, we might also experience abnormally cold temperatures. Records may be set and we might find that weather conditions are adversely impacting our movement with possible flight delays, traffic problems and travel inconveniences along the way.

We may feel as though we are between a rock and a hard place early in the Winter season, wanting to move ahead but feeling blocked and hampered by the conditions around us.

Let’s keep in mind that the times they are a’changing. Not only are the formats of society shifting and changing, but much of our sense of selves is also going through some deep and dramatic internal shifts. Before we end the year, we might feel that we have to contemplate who we are, what activities truly speak to us and how we want to live our lives with greater integrity and resonance to our fundamental sense of self.

The transiting Sun conjuncts Pluto on the 26th. This could be a time when an important person exits, or people exit, the stage. This is also a time when we might reflect on whether we are following our true path. If we have taken divergent steps and been distracted in our journey, we may feel sharp discontent. Let’s avoid any eruptions or explosions triggered by our frustrations to the restrictions in our lives. We can look at our lives and see how we can best restructure our lives during the year ahead. ‘Out with the old, in with the new’ may be our mantram as we come towards the end of the year.

On December 28th, Mars squares Saturn. The sense of blockages and limitations could be strong at this time. We might feel that other people are limiting our advances and blocking our progress. Relationships could be a little tense at this time and there could be a feeling that no one is on the same page. We have to be careful that we don’t force issues or push the envelope at this time. We might also hear of governmental regulations proposed that could impose further constraints but possibly justified by the promise of increased security.

The 30th has Mercury turning direct, ending its three-week retrograde cycle. Although our thoughts can be clearer, we also have to be wary that we are not considering possibilities that are only pragmatic in our thoughts rather than in the actual implementation. We may feel expansive and exuberant, but we might not be taking into account the various parameters that can temper our intentions and dampen our desires. Whenever Mercury turns direction, traffic problems can increase, there can be more communication issues with misunderstandings and travel can be delayed by unforeseen conditions.

The New Year begins on the 1st. 2011 offers further potential for significant transformations. In numerology, 2011 represents a year of transformation as 2011 breaks down into 13, the number of transformation that offers the potential of the realized individual. If we bring the 13 down to its lowest common denominator, then the magical transformative number comes down to a 4, a work number where we have blinders on, put one foot in front of the other, and are more focused on the micro rather than the macro. In the 21st Century, and the 2000s, we have the opportunity of finding the complement to ourselves. We no longer have to do our lives alone and feeling somewhat incomplete. On the contrary, we can find the missing link to our individual selves, blend the different components of our being and come up with a completed whole. The 11 is a Master Number, indicative of the visionary, the individual who can see beyond the mundane reality and see the potentials of what could be. Putting all these components together, 2011 can be a powerful year whereby we transcend the narrow vision of daily, ordinary existence. We can embrace the greater perspective, cross the threshold of the paradigm shift and enter a whole new world but a world far different than that with which we are familiar.

The key to this new year is in the ‘letting go, let god’ concept of releasing our sense of control over circumstance and working with the energies to co-create a new framework and a far more engaging lifestyle for ourselves.

On January 4th, we have the first New Moon of the new year, and this Capricorn Lunation is a Solar Eclipse. The likelihood of magic and miracles cannot be underestimated but, instead of the possibilities, some people might see further eliminations of old patterns and traditional structures falling away. This Capricorn Lunation can increase the sense of cold, even restrictive measures, but it comes at a time when Venus squares Neptune, Venus trines both Uranus and Jupiter and Jupiter conjuncts Uranus. This signature of the fortnight gives greater strength and belief of the changing of the guard. While there can be enthusiasm, and even irrational exuberance, what is most important for us during this time is to take off our blinders and be open to the magic and the miracles. A major factor of the paradigm shift we are all going through is the letting go of control over situations and accepting with humility and with awe and wonder the natural unfolding, whereby we can work with the energies, be very much involved in the process but without our expectations of how things should go with us getting in the way. These times speak to the concept that ‘life is too mysterious, not to take it serious’.

The more we can embrace the process of living, the serendipities and the synchronicity of these times, the more productive, happy and healthy our lives are likely to be.

But old ways and old patterns are hard to let go. They become habits that are almost automatic and familiar ways we tend to revert to when we are in a quandary wondering how to act or how to proceed.

Such a quandary can occur around the 7th of January when the Sun squares Saturn, also the day that Venus moves into Sagittarius. We may want to jump ahead with optimism and confidence into new ventures, but if we are still carrying the old baggage and looking to re-create old patterns, we could find that we are hampering ourselves and limiting the true potential of stepping into the unknown.

This conundrum of the familiar and the expected versus the unfamiliar and suspending our anticipations can be part of the push-pulls of this early Winter period. We have to be wary of both relying on the past as a security during these times and looking to leap ahead without considering the circumstances and conditions, some of which we might not be fully aware until we are actually on the road.

And the 10th – 13th of January provide a significant challenge in regard to the idea of unanticipated variables affecting our vision and our hopes and dreams. The 10th has Mercury sextile Neptune and Mercury square Uranus. The 11th has Mercury square Jupiter, and the 12th has Mars sextile Uranus, followed by Mars sextile Jupiter on the 13th, the day that Mercury enters Capricorn to reinforce the Capricorn Stellium of the Sun, Pluto, Mars and now Mercury transiting the Cardinal Earth Sign.

During this time, we have to be careful not to be overly optimistic and assume that we are fully prepared for whatever challenges come our way. Our confidence could know no bounds. We might assume that we are on our manifest destiny, like a streamlined autobahn able to move quickly ahead. We may feel like legends in our own mind. And such beliefs would play to the tricks of the egocentric personality, the tendency towards narcissisim, whereby we feel entitled and that life revolves solely around us. If we take that disposition, then we might find ourselves like wrong way Corrigan, heading off in the wrong direction but with little regard to countervailing indications. We might force issues, forge ahead with intensity and determination but also without the necessary evaluation and re-evaluating along the way. And such a move could postpone some of the collateral damage on the short term but only mitigate issues briefly as we kick the problems further down the road. Eventually, we shall have to address our intentions, our ways of doing things and our audacity of arrogance in place of mindful humility that could keep us abreast of the subtle and dramatic shifts and changes as we move along.

If we can use early Winter through mid January as a time to tie up loose ends, restructure our lives and devise practical strategies for developing our future prospects, then we are less likely to go off on a tear and could avoid creating heaps of trouble for ourselves and all concerned. This is a time for us to consider the foundation stones of our future but all with a recognition that foundations stones may have to be shifted or replaced as we build from the basics.

The latter part of January allows us to focus on our future prospects. Like a flare shot into the air, we might have signals regarding possibilities and potentials for new involvements and activities that allow us greater autonomy and fuller creative self-expression.

These times are interesting times, akin to the Chinese proverb, some would call a curse: ‘May you live in interesting times’.

There is a paradox of opposing forces during these times. On the one hand, we have greater consolidation by the powers-that-be. Whether seen in corporate entities or government institutions, there is a contractive, restrictive and consolidating phase going on. The big are getting bigger. On the other hand, these times speak to the power of the person. The illusion of the 1960’s and 1970’s, when the phrase ‘power to the people’ assumed institutional power being handed over to the people, has been shattered. Even under the guise of ‘hope and change’, people have come to realize the truth to the old saying: ‘meet the new boss, same as the old boss.’

The beauty of these tumultuous times lies in the realization that the dynamics and technological advances of these times give greater force to the concept ‘power to the person’.

As individuals we have the tools by which to more fully express our creative talents. We have also come to a recognition that the powers-that-be, no matter their slogans or their sleight-of-hand maneuvers, are more interested in the old paradigm of power, control and authority. As individuals we may need to fall back upon our own resources, our own talents and our own creative abilities. But we have been given the tools and given the awareness by which to be not only self-sustaining and surviving the tumult, but more importantly to thrive and to come fully into our own and to develop our own individual journey.

Power to the Person!

This sense can be accentuated during the latter part of January on into February of 2011. New ways, some of which come about in the most unexpected manner, seem to open us up ever more to the opportunities of these times. And we are ready.

On the 15th of January, Mars moves into Aquarius. We are giving greater determination to our desire for autonomy and self-animation. This desire for greater individual freedom gains traction through this next week as the Sun sextiles Uranus on the 17th, Mercury conjuncts Pluto on the 18th, the Sun sextiles Jupiter on the 19th at the time of the Cancer Full Moon and the Sun moves into Aquarius on the 20th, thereby ending the Stellium of three or more planets in Capricorn and creating a Stellium of three or more planets in Aquarius as the Sun joins Mars and Neptune in the Fixed Air Sign.

We may seek out the new, the different, the iconoclastic; all in the exploration of self-discovery and greater autonomy.

Another significant shift occurs on the 22nd of January as Jupiter enters Aries, emphasizing the self-assertiveness or self-affirmation of each one of us. Jupiter briefly went into Aries over this past Summer and each of us might have felt a certain lifting, a certain re-invigoration and a sense that we, as individuals, can move in our own direction, emphasize our own self-determination, no matter the constraints or constrictions imposed upon the populace by the consolidating forces of the old ways and traditional institutions.

On the 25th of January, Saturn turns retrograde. Things slow down and moving things forward may take longer than we like. But similar to Winter in the northern climes, there can be much percolating below the surface, the sense of new life welling up, growing in strength and in determination.

Mercury squares Saturn on the 26th, and while this could be slightly depressive to our thoughts and to our plans, we might realize that some of the issues of our past we thought resolved still need to be attended. We may question whether the people in our lives are supportive of our new interests and our new sense of being or if they are holding us back by clinging to their definitions based upon past experiences and their desires for us to be responsive to their needs rather than our own new sense of self-affirmation.

As we come into February, we may feel as though the restrictions of the past are having less influence on our movement and our push into new terrain. The Aquarius New Moon on the 2nd of February reinforces the sense of breaking out from old patterns, focusing on our own uniqueness and accentuating our individuality. On the 2nd, Venus sextiles Neptune and Venus squares Uranus while Mercury sextiles Uranus. Increasingly, we may become aware that we don’t have to make things happen, that we don’t have to do it all but that instead the universe offers us some wondrous surprises. We do have to be discerning regarding some of the surprises since even the most tempting of surprises might be more of a challenge than an opportunity. Again, we are being asked to be aware, mindful and discerning regarding where we place our energies and with whom we engage.

Mercury moves into Aquarius on the 3rd, followed by Venus exiting Sagittarius to enter Capricorn on the 4th. Not only do we have Sign shifts of the planetary energies to begin February. The energy is turned up severalfold, beginning with the New Moon on the 2nd and augmented by the Sun conjunct Mars on the 4th, Mercury sextile Jupiter on the 5th, and on the 6th the Sun trine Saturn, Mars trine Saturn and Venus square Jupiter.

Our determination to develop new interests can be ratcheted up severalfold. If we will keep in mind the idea of testing the waters rather than making long-term commitments to new activities, then we shall have the opportunity of drawing upon a broader palette and consider what things might be momentary enjoyments or those interests that lead to further and more involved projects a little later on. We may feel energized, feeling as if a new day were dawning and can sense the wind to our back as we move rapidly ahead, all the while realizing that old matters could come up at any moment to slow us down or divert our attention.

Whenever we go through major changes, it seems as though past matters, whether situations or people of our past, crop up to challenge our new ways and our new directions.

On the 9th of February, Venus conjuncts Pluto. Our relationships can become a lot deeper and far more meaningful, but some relationships might be jettisoned as no longer holding much purpose for us in the present, much less the future.

Mid-February can be quite pleasant although possibly slightly delusional.

Mercury trines Saturn on Valentine’s Day on the 14th. We may look to connect with friends and loved ones, staying in touch, making them aware of our plans and reconnecting with them as if to maintain contact but without entanglement.

On the 17th, the Sun conjuncts Neptune just prior to the Leo Full Moon on the 18th, which reinforces the impact of Neptune and has Venus square Saturn.

A somewhat confusing time, especially in light of the fact that we are moving from the strong Aquarius influence into a heavy Piscean influence.

The Sun moves into Neptune-ruled Pisces on the 18th and Neptune is highlighted again on the 20th with Mercury conjunct Mars and both conjunct Neptune, before Mercury moves into Pisces on the 21st, followed by Mars moving into Pisces on the 22nd, thereby creating a Stellium of three or more planets in the Mutable Water Sign as Mars and Mercury join the Sun and Uranus in Pisces.

The sense of endings could be ever more pronounced towards the end of February and early March. Storm systems could be extreme with heavy amounts of precipitation. Anxieties might be ratcheted up as we feel the impact of karma acting out. We may become more aware of the process of consequences of earlier actions. We could feel more reactive to situations rather than the ability to take a proactive stance. We might even believe that life is happening to us and at us rather than our being co-creators of our life’s journey. Emotions can be strong with wild mood swings, especially if natural disasters grab the headlines and force us to wonder what we have done to ourselves.

On the 25th of February, the energies are quite impressive with nothing done in half measure but possibly more an ‘all or nothing at all’ attitude. The Sun conjuncts Mercury, both the Sun and Mercury sextile Pluto and Jupiter squares Pluto. This heavy Pluto influence may give indications of the transformations of these times with evident endings and eliminations. It would be wise for us to be watchful and vigilant to the indications at these times and not feel merely victims to circumstance. The more aware we can be to the signs along the way, the more successful we shall be in what may seem ever more like a scavenger hunt with clues along the way suggesting the appropriate turns and shifts in our life’s direction.

Early March does seem to roar in like a lion in Winter. Venus sextiles Uranus on the 1st and Mars sextiles Pluto on the 3rd. Chance meetings and unexpected opportunities can grease the wheels of fast forwarding our movement and the implementing of our plans. Venus goes into Aquarius on the 1st and the Pisces New Moon on the 4th finds seven of the ten planets in the two Universal Signs of Aquarius and Pisces with five planets in Pisces. Although we are moving towards the end of Winter, our compassion and our intentions are engaged. We are looking to put our imprint and mark on those situations that have a larger impact than just our individual worlds. We may feel like leaders, pioneers in a new world order, and so we can be, if we don’t lose sight of our humility.

The second week of March has greater movement into the Spring Sign of Aries. We are betwixt and between the old and the new. The 9th has Mercury conjunct Uranus, just before Mercury enters Aries on the 9th, and Uranus enters Aries on the 11th, creating a Stellium of three or more planets in the Cardinal Fire Sign as Mercury and Uranus join Jupiter in Aries. We shall be emphasizing our personal interests but have engaged the Cardinal Climax of the Aries planets opposing Saturn in Libra and both the Aries planets and Saturn squaring Pluto in Capricorn. This engagement, entanglement and dramatic impulsion will gain greater force as we enter the Spring.

This Winter is a time to tie up loose ends, see our intentions with the backdrop of world changes, test the waters of new interests, all the while riding the rogue waves of unexpected circumstances and adamant in doing our individual life journey, no matter the conditions, no matter the attempted restraints.

Winter 2010-2011… a time to plan, to test and to devise…

We are all certainly aware that there are major changes going on in the world at large and in our own personal worlds. In truth, all of us, as a society and as individuals, are going through a significant transformation, a shapeshifting. We are on the threshold of a dramatic change in regard to life and how we do life.

Old ways no longer work, and traditional formats and institutions are either having to be radically revamped or are falling by the wayside. We are being asked to come up with a new format, new ways of operating and to create new identities for ourselves. While we tend to identify ourselves by what we have and what we do, such definitions may no longer play once we cross the threshold into the new paradigm.

To assist us in the letting go and in trying new options and various alternatives, the energy configurations in effect now provide an opportunity of looking back, ridding ourselves of the outworn and outmoded and impel us to consider possibilities we might never have before taken into account.

We call the major energy configuration of these times the Cardinal Climax, for this energy configuration highlights the Cardinal Signs of Aries, Libra and Capricorn.

Ever since 2008, when Pluto first entered Capricorn, we have seen a scenario of crash and burn. It has played out in regard to real property and the housing market bust. It has occurred with traditional financial systems as the global economy edged close to the precipice of another great depression with the collateral damage of various financial institutions going under, some corporate behemoths being bailed out by government sponsorship, and a cutting to the core of businesses to survive the tsunami-like financial waves with a consequent high unemployment rate.

What we should keep in mind is the fact that eliminations and releases also open the door for the new and different to take their place. This concept is akin to the wisdom teaching that the cup has to be emptied before it can be filled.

While not every one of us may like the process of stripping away, the universe does not like a vacuum and some thing other can take the place of that which is being released.

This Cardinal Climax is in play again as we begin this Autumn of 2010.

On the 22nd – 23rd, the Sun exits Virgo to enter Libra at the Autumn Equinox and the beginning of the Autumn season. The Autumn begins with no planets in the Fire Element, two planets in Earth Signs, three planets in Air Signs and five planets in Water Signs. Three planets are in Cardinal Signs, three planets are in Fixed Signs and four planets are in Mutable Signs. There are three planets in Positive Signs and seven planets in Receptive Signs.

We begin the Autumn with a Stellium of three or more planets in one Sign, with the Moon, Jupiter and Uranus conjunct in Pisces.

While the Cardinal Climax speaks especially to the T-Square of Aries, Libra and Capricorn, Autumn begins with a dissociate aspect T-Square with the Moon, Jupiter and Uranus in Pisces but on the cusp of Aries. Six hours after Autumn begins, we have the Aries Full Moon fully engaging the Cardinal Climax with the Moon’s opposition to the Sun in Libra and both square to Pluto in Capricorn.

The Cardinal Climax, which many of us may have felt during this past August, is back in gear as we begin the Autumn Season.

With no Fire to begin the Season, we may feel like a cork bobbing on the ocean seas, more reactive to situations and the changing world around us than taking a proactive, emphatic approach. This sense could be enhanced by both the over-emphasis upon Receptive Signs to begin the Season and also the weightiness of the Water Signs, with five of the planets inhabiting Water Signs, including the Stellium in Pisces.

We may start this Fall feeling very emotional, possibly concerned about what has been passing away and seeing our losses rather than our prospects or our potential for gains. We might become concerned about our financial situation, a concern aggravated by news headlines indicating seemingly impenetrable high unemployment figures and poverty statistics the worst in fifty years.

It would be easy for us to throw up our hands, feel victimized and powerless and wait for whatever other shoe might drop. By doing so, we would only aggravate our situation and lose sight of the opportunities being presented to us during these times.

When I have gone through very dramatic and extraordinarily wrenching times of losses and eliminations, I would certainly feel the pain. Once I broke through my self-pitying phase, I realized my losses also opened the door to a wide palette of potentials and possibilities. My definition had been ripped from me, and in so doing, new opportunities came forward for me.

During these times, we can grieve what we seem to have lost, mourn the person we considered ourselves to be, but in virtually the next breath we could consider our limitless possibilities and feel free to explore new avenues of our own creative self-expression.

Although we may start the Autumn with an anxiety regarding what might come next, the more we can tie up loose ends, get rid of our clutter and deleverage ourselves from the weight of our past, the better able we shall be to engage new possibilities, some of which may come about in a synchronistic, asequential manner, or virtually out of the blue.

We do have to be wary that we don’t vent our frustrations, or our fearfulness, on those near and dear to us. Although Saturn is moving out of orb of the square to Pluto, with Saturn transiting Libra, the relationship Sign, we may find that we are using other people as the donkey in a pin the tail on the donkey game with the pins being our frustrations, our anger and our willingness to blame other people or situations rather than accepting accountability and responsibility for our own actions.

The Aries Full Moon on the 23rd of September can set up a dance between our own personal needs and those of other people. We may feel that our interactions carry too much of a sense of responsibility or are too limiting to our desire for free-wheeling ways.

As the month of September ends, we could bang our heads against the interests of other people. On the 25th, the Sun squares Pluto and we might feel that our need to shapeshift is being restricted by the limitations placed upon us by other people, or our assumption of how we should behave in front of certain people.

The 30th has the Sun conjunct Saturn. Whenever we are in process of making significant changes, old patterns and old situations come up to challenge us as to whether we want to move forward in new directions or if we feel more comfortable holding back, content in the complacency of our discontent. Whether we are in contact with people from our past literally, or we take a walk down Memory Lane figuratively, we might find ourselves exhausted by considering where we have been instead of giving thought to where we might go.

As we come into October, we may be more interested in doing things around our home base, staying in our comfort zone and spending time with loved ones. Our mind can be sharp and focused, just so long as we do not get carried away with irrational exuberance. The spinmeisters may be out in force, spinning wonderful pictures of what is, which isn’t.

Mercury opposes Jupiter on the 1st of October, followed by Mercury opposed Uranus on the 2nd, and then Mercury moves into Libra on the 3rd, to square Pluto on the 5th. This first week of October could have our mental gears whirring. We could be blinded by irrational exuberance, wanting to believe certain things to be true but also neglecting our due diligence to evaluate whether they are actually true. During this time, we have to be careful regarding our communications, our travel plans and possible computer glitches. Our technology is advancing at lightning speed but the infrastructure to carry the information may be out-of-date or, even worse, cumbersome and prone to breakdowns.

Although our mind can be sharp and focused, we have to take our time and allow ourselves to evaluate and re-evaluate before jumping to conclusions.

If we draw upon other people for our counsel, it would be wise for us to consider the source and their possible agenda. This period is a time when the hucksters can be out in full force — either promoting things as better than they actually are or discounting things indicating them to be worse than they are. The keywords of these times — awareness and mindfulness — are imperative for us not to accept bald assumptions or make wrong decisions. More can be going on than meets the eye.

The 7th of October has the New Moon in Libra with a Stellium of four planets in the Cardinal Air Sign. Our focus for much of the fortnight may be on our relationships and our interactions with other people. We are not looking to be argumentative or in discord with other people. We would far prefer the serenity and placidity that seem to be rare moments during the recent years. We may seek out those people that we have not heard from. Reconnections, reunions and special times with special friends all seem highlighted during this mid-October time. There can also be endings as we pare down our core support group to those people who both truly understand our evolving process and are more in synch with our future intentions.

The 18th – 20th of October can be close to idyllic, albeit with a liability towards the delusional as well. Mercury trines Neptune on the 18th, the Sun trines Neptune on the 19th and Mars trines Jupiter on the 20th, the 20th also being the day that Mercury exits Libra to enter Scorpio, thereby creating a Stellium of three or more planets in the Fixed Water Sign as Mercury joins Mars and Venus in Scorpio.

This period of October allows us to consider our prospects for the future, our plans, our desires and our hopes for brighter days through better ways. We may not know how we get there, but we have a sense that the worst might be behind us. Our sense too could be that we have learned to be flexible and adaptable to the shifting sands of changing circumstances and radically altered conditions. We might feel that we have developed our skill set to deal effectively and productively with these volatile times.

Unfortunately, our skill set might be tested as we come towards the end of October and into the early part of November.

The 22nd of October has the Aries Full Moon, at which time Mercury sextiles Pluto and Mars squares Neptune. We have to be moderate in our actions and able to strip the chaff from the wheat, or rid ourselves of illusions and focus instead on the fundamentals. The Aries Full Moon is right on the cusp of the Moon moving into Taurus and the Sun entering Scorpio on the 23rd.

The Scorpio influence is ratcheted up severalfold during this latter part of October. We can be resourceful and more effective with less expenditure of energy, but only if we are willing to rip away the veil of maya — the appearances and possible illusions — to see what is truly going on.

The luxury of being oblivious and accepting things at face value, tendencies we might have enjoyed a few years ago, no longer is an option for us. We have to been keenly alert, diligent, nimble and quick in our evaluations and our actions.

There is an acceleration going on and as the saying goes ‘time waits for no one’.

This end of October, early November period can be highly productive. If we plan our strategies, hone our methodologies and concentrate on our goals, we could virtually move mountains. We have the persistence, determination and even a bit of synchronistic luck to help us along.

Mars trines Uranus on the 24th of October, followed by Mercury conjunct Venus on the 25th and the Sun sextile Pluto on the 26th. Mars exits Scorpio and enters Sagittarius on the 28th, also a day when the Sun conjuncts Venus.

Early November has Venus sextile Pluto on the 1st and Mercury trine Jupiter on the 4th.

There can be a sense of uplift and a belief that we can get back on track. Much of the intensity of these times may seem to drop away and many of us could be humming ‘happy days are here again’.

Such a sentiment, while upbeat and uplifting and optimistic, could also engage our seeing things through rose-colored glasses. A greater sense of balance could seem to take hold, and things might not seem as perplexing or beyond our control as they might have seemed over the past two years. As if having been off track, we might feel that we are getting back on track and heading in a better direction.

That’s all well and good but such an attitude could also negate some of the problems, gloss over the liable collateral damages and lose sight of other difficult areas that might arise during these transitioning times.

The 6th of November has the Scorpio New Moon with Mercury square Neptune and Mercury trine Uranus. Neptune turns direct on the 6th. Although there can be talk of new programs and especially those to deal with deficits, debt structure and financial liabilities, such talk, while exciting and possibly innovative, may have little basis in reality. During this period and this fortnight, it will be essential for us to read between the lines, not accept things at face value and be certain that we are not carried away by our emotions.

Although we could be prone to buying into deceptions, the interesting factor about this November period is the likelihood that answers can come to us. While it will be important for us to be astute and maintain a healthy skepticism, we might also experience answers coming from the most curious of sources. If we would work with peripheral vision and keep our antennae up, then we’re less likely to get hoodwinked and better able to trust the information coming to us. This November period can be a time of startling revelations, but we need to suspend judgment and be open to answers from wherever they may come. As if on a scavenger hunt, let’s see ourselves picking up the clues regarding the true reality of what is going on.

On the 7th of November, Venus retrogrades back into Libra and on the 8th, Mercury enters Sagittarius.

The mid-part of November seems an exuberant time. We seem confident, happy, feeling once again that the worst is behind us, and ready to move ahead and expand our interests.

On the 15th, Mars sextiles Saturn and the Sun trines Jupiter. On the 17th, Mercury sextiles Saturn. While the Sun squares Neptune on the 18th, this day also sees both of the ‘good guys’ of the zodiac, Venus and Jupiter, turn direct. The 19th has the Sun trine Uranus.

We can accomplish a great deal during this time, especially in looking at our finances and being more cognizant of the likely changes in tax structures and user fees for the coming year. It would be wise for us to spend some time planning our budget, consider our investments and take into account the possibility of our disposable income being negatively affected by next year’s tax changes.

The Taurus Full Moon on the 21st of November is followed by the Sun moving into Sagittarius, creating a Stellium in the Mutable Fire Sign as the Sun joins both Mercury and Mars in Sagittarius. We are likely to feel more upbeat, looking at making our holiday plans and feeling as though a dark cloud has been lifted.

Like a metronome, the volatility of these times allows for wide swings and we have to be cautious in not swinging from despondency to over-optimism.

The 27th of November has Mercury sextile Neptune and Mercury square Uranus, followed on the 29th with Mars square Jupiter and Venus moving into Scorpio. The 30th has Mercury exiting Sagittarius, ending the Sagittarius Stellium, with Mercury entering Capricorn.

Any excess or irrational exuberance can suddenly be seen for what it is at this time. Communications can be off, and there can be travel disruptions and Internet difficulties.

Misunderstandings could trigger wrong actions and honing our sense of being clear regarding the parameters would be important, for otherwise we could be like that notorious character wrong way Corrigan and head off in a different direction than our intended goal.

The end of November, early December could prove a little dicey. We may be pushing the envelope, and we might be insistent about what we want and how we want it. We have to be careful not to move too fast. Our intentions may be good but let’s keep in mind the saying that the pathway to hell is paved with good intentions. Being hasty, impetuous or impulsive could cause accidents, especially around the 3rd of December when Mars squares Uranus.

People could be obstinate and we might need to use our diplomatic skills to garner people’s support.

The second week of December can be especially pleasant. The Sagittarius New Moon on the 5th seems to accentuate good cheer, social interactions and contacting people near and far. We may feel very much in the holiday mood during this second week of December. This week is a good week for mailing packages, sending cards, have holiday gatherings and just enjoy the spirit of this time of year.

The 10th of December has Mercury turning retrograde, which lasts through the end of the month. This retrograde could prove especially difficult and might increase various delays, system breakdowns and frustrations with government and the powers-that-be. It may seem as if everything stops working.

The potential for explosive behavior is ratcheted up severalfold especially around the 13th of December when Mercury conjuncts Mars and they both conjunct Pluto. There can be liabilities of aggressive behavior, violent actions, bomb blasts and earthquake activity. Around this time, it would be wise to be especially vigilant and keep one’s head down. The energy configurations are especially intense. Nothing is done in half measure but tends more to the extremes. This period of December seems the most aggravated of the Autumn season.

Foreign intrigue can be afoot as we end Autumn. The Sagittarius Sun squares Jupiter on the 16th, and sextiles Neptune and squares Uranus on the 18th. Mercury retrogrades out of Capricorn back into Sagittarius on the 18th and the Sun conjuncts Mercury on the 19th. Mercury squares Uranus on the 20th and the Autumn ends on the 21st with Mercury sextile Neptune and Mercury square Jupiter and the Gemini Full Moon Eclipse right on the cusp of Gemini Cancer and just before the Sun exits Sagittarius to enter Capricorn at the time of the Winter Solstice and another trigger point of the Cardinal Climax.

This Autumn has its highs and lows, and asks us to be agile on the balance beam, detached and objective as we are pushed and pulled between irrational exuberance and overblown distress.

Like the alchemical process, we are being asked to temper the base mettle of our passions and emotions in order to realize the gold of transmutation and transformation. We are developing the skill set not only to survive these volatile times but to fully thrive in them.

Autumn… releases, concentration but no need for a fall…

Spring begins on the 20th of March. While we all have been awaiting the beginning of Spring after a rather long, hard, arduous Winter, Spring is awaiting us. On the one hand, our sense of Spring fever can have us looking to march forward, progressing with our own plans, initiating projects that call to us. We may launch ahead with a great deal of thrust, determined to carve our way no matter what the obstacles, impediments or overhangs that could get in our way. Our intentions may be great in concept but possibly harder to realize in practical terms. It would be wise to keep in mind the admonition that good intentions are the pathway to hell.

The T-Square that we, as individuals and as a society, must deal with over the next two years is strongly in play during this Spring. We have already experienced the Saturn Uranus opposition during the 2008-2009 time frame while Saturn was transiting Virgo and Uranus transited Pisces. We have experienced the Saturn Pluto square during the 2009-2010 time frame when in the Autumn of last year Saturn entered Libra to square Pluto in Capricorn. This Spring we combine the three Signs of Aries, Libra and Capricorn to create a Cardinal Sign T-Square. We do so with the personal planets of Venus, Mercury and the Sun transiting the Cardinal Fire Sign of Aries. And this is but a prelude to the Cardinal Sign T-Square in 2011-2012 when Uranus is in Aries, opposes Saturn in Libra and squares Pluto in Capricorn.

The alchemical process of transformation with different phases of crash and burn, releases and eliminations, stripping away down to the very core, the rebuilding or building anew has been upon us and continues for the next two years. Not every birth is nine months long. And in this transformation, there are times when we need to let go, feel powerless to the changing circumstance, explore new ways of doing things and discover new qualities and characteristics of ourselves.

We may witness increased conflict between the individual and the authority. The primal scream of self-assertion evidenced by the Aries energy may be blocked by old patterns or by powers-that-be. While we are looking to initiate new projects, engage in new activities and find outlets for our own creative self-expression, these desires and our needs may be blocked by the archaic patriarchal pattern of control, seeking to limit or confine our personal expression, all under the guise of knowing what is best for us and providing us a semblance of security during a most insecure phase. And with the drastic changes going on within ourselves and in our society, such promises of safety, security, caretaking may be seductive and enticing. But we should ask ourselves: at what cost?

There is the Chinese proverb, some would call a curse, which is appropriate for this period: ‘May you live in interesting times.’ Indeed we do, and perhaps too interesting.

The paradox of these times is the increasing ability and opportunity for individual self-expression juxtaposed with the shifting formats within society at large. Everything is up for questioning. Everything is in a gelatinous state, nothing firm, nothing solid but rather morphing. And so it is for ourselves.

This Spring begins with the Vernal Equinox on the 20th of March, as the Sun exits Pisces to enter the astrological new year with its entrance into the first Sign of the Zodiac, the Cardinal Fire Sign of Aries. We begin the Spring with four planets in Fire Signs, two planets in Earth Signs, two planets in Air Signs and two planets in a Water Sign. There is a Stellium of three or more planets in the Cardinal Fire Sign with the Sun, Mercury and Venus all in Aries. The Spring begins with five planets in Cardinal Signs, and the Cardinal Sign T-Square linking up Aries with its three planets mentioned above, Saturn in Libra and Pluto in Capricorn. There are three planets in Fixed Signs, creating a Fixed Sign T-Square with Mars in Leo, the Moon in Taurus and Neptune in Aquarius. There are two planets in a Mutable Sign with Jupiter and Uranus in Pisces. Six planets are in Positive Signs, four planets are in Receptive Signs.

Spring starts with a great deal of Fire. We’re jazzed, ready to go, wanting to put our imprint upon our lives, and to do our own thing. We might even be singing or humming mantram-like the 1979 McFadden and Whitehead lyrics: “Ain’t no stopping us now. We’re on the move.”

Where a problem could arise is the fact that Spring also begins under the influence of a Mercury Pluto square. The Mercury in Aries squares Pluto in Capricorn and we have the tug-of-war between our personal desires and the consensus of how things should be. Discussions could become quite heated with people trying to prove their point and possibly doing so by raising their voice and gesticulating wildly. The theory that a good offense is a strong defense could be at play during this Spring period. We may feel constricted or limited by authority figures. We might have the sense of being blocked from what we want to do and how we want to do it. Might makes right, or so it would seem under this energy configuration that impacts this Spring.

But we need not feel powerless, or victim to circumstance or merely reactive to situations going on around us. If we take our time, strategize, all the while tracking the shifting winds of change, then we can do the tai chi moves of being aware of the volatile energy and working with the energy rather than taking an adversarial or confrontational stance. Nimble and quick, flexible and adaptable, all with an understanding that we neither can nor do we desire to re-create our past, should be foremost in our mind’s eye.

Spring is a time of rebirth, regeneration, renewal and rebirth. But the ‘re’s’ are not re-creations of the past. Rather they are indicative of the ever-continuing process of birth – life – death – rebirth, always moving to a different level than ever experienced before. This season is a time of new beginnings, of start-ups and initiations.

Around the 20th-22nd of March, we are entering Spring but we may feel that old issues, old patterns, old baggage continue to hold on, forcing familiar habits on us to look at and use as a mirror regarding where we have been and where we are. As we look at birthing anew, we may also long for the comfort of the old and familiar, the complacency of discontent.

The Sun moves into Aries and Mercury squares Pluto on the 20th. On the 21st, the Sun trines Mars and the Sun opposes Saturn. On the 22nd, Mars sextiles Saturn. During this period, we may have to prove ourselves to ourselves, that we are truly willing to be pioneers in the journey of life and take machete in hand with no road map for our journey and forge a path that is our own. We may have naysayers as we begin new projects or investigate new directions for our lives. This is a time for us to stretch, even if that stretch is within the confines of our mundane, daily parameters. We can make change, even very subtle change, that can be a trigger point and eventual impetus for further and greater changes in the days ahead. By our taking action, we can affirm to ourselves our intent, and by careful planning we can gain the admiration, even if begrudging, of our endeavors from other people.

The 25th has the Sun square Pluto and we may feel uncomfortable in our own skin. The ignited within us that cries out for self-assertion and self-animation is being limited or restricted.

The Libra Full Moon on the 29th of March asks us to find the balance between our personal needs and our interaction with other people. We need to be able to nurture and also to be comforted by our relationships and our contacts with other people. Venus sextiles Neptune at this time, and we can prove important support systems and sounding boards and cheerleaders for our friends and loved ones, as they can do for us. We might want to escape with our special someone into a world of our own, an idyllic retreat where mundane concerns have no influence. More importantly, it would be wise for us to embrace the wabi sabi idea of perfection within imperfection.

On the 31st, Venus moves out of Aries, a Sign in which it is uncomfortable, and moves into Taurus, a Sign it rules. This transit of Venus into Taurus ends the Aries Stellium but offers greater grounding and further potential for seed planting as we come into April. Mercury sextiles Neptune at the same time, and our intuitive sense can be heightened. We can consider possibilities for ourselves, where we can envision how we might be and where we might be in the days ahead. Our mindfulness can be strong and our awareness astute. Let’s trust the inner voice, our inner knowing, and not be confused by the spinmeisters who proclaim reality as they wish us to see it rather than what is truly going on or what we truly believe to be happening.

April 2nd begins one of the holiest weekends in Christian theology — Easter weekend, a symbology akin to the Vernal Equinox, the idea of rising from the dead, resurrected to ascend into heaven. For us, it affirms the process of shapeshifting, of dying to the old to be born to the new. On the 2nd, Mercury exits Aries and enters Venus-ruled Taurus. Our thoughts may be more grounded and we may be more cognizant of the tools with which to work to take our desire for new beginnings and create an appropriate format for their execution and manifestation.

The 3rd has Venus square Mars. Our feminine and masculine energies may be in conflict. The sense of creating a pastoral setting could find friction with our creative thrust of being active and doing. Relationships could be strained but more so if people are digging in their heels, fixed in their opinions and not being receptive of other people’s needs.

Easter is on the 4th and on this Easter Sunday, Venus trines Pluto. Gatherings with family and friends can be deeply meaningful. We can stand in our own light and respect the light in other people. Namaste.

April 5th sees Mercury square Mars, followed fortunately on the 6th by Mercury trine Pluto. Discussions can ratchet up into heated arguments on the 5th, but it may likely be more a case of hurt egos than logical sparring. Whatever the fireworks on the Monday, it could generate an incisive inspection of matters, focusing on the fundamentals and the best way to present the case to be pursued on the Tuesday. The 6th also has Pluto turning retrograde and this change in direction could trigger intense releases, explosions and blasts. More will be operating behind the scenes than readily apparent, so let’s be vigilant and mindful and read between the lines and look under the covers.

The Pluto retrograde on the 6th is followed by Saturn retrograding back into Virgo on the 7th. This transit of Saturn back into Virgo continues through the latter part of July. If we have not begun a good health regimen over the past two years, now is a time for us to do so. Let’s find ways to effectively address stress release, be careful of our intestines and focus on a good diet, exercise and meditation programs.

With Saturn retrograding back into Virgo, we now have by Sign a Grand Trine in the Earth Element with Mercury and Venus in Taurus, Saturn in Virgo and Pluto in Capricorn,. We may be far more grounded, better able to strategize and focus on the fundamentals with a best practices approach and the ability to stretch our resources and, to borrow from Tim Gunn of Project Runway, ‘make it work’.

On the 14th, the Aries New Moon gives thought to far-away places and philosophical understandings. Spreading our wings, making plans for holiday travel and a desire to contribute to the good of our community may be calling us.

The 17th of April has Venus sextile Jupiter. The two good guys of the zodiac link up and excess and indulgence could be the result. It would be wise to keep an eye on our time, our finances and our desires. Less is more.

Mercury turns retrograde on the 17th and continues retrograde until the 11th of May. If we can avoid major decisions or significant purchases during this Mercury retrograde, it might be wise to do so. Mercury retrogrades are akin to Murphy’s Law whereby whatever can go wrong could. With Mercury retrograding through Taurus, we need to keep an eye on our finances. The taxman may have cometh but he no doubt will be coming back and possibly with a posse over the next few years. Conservation of our resources is something to work on and develop now.

Despite the Mercury retrograde and its potential to create chaotic traffic conditions, travel problems and communication breakdowns; the Venus sextile Jupiter on the 17th is followed by the Sun sextile Neptune on the 18th. Reality be damned! We would far prefer to luxuriate in grand illusions. Or is that fanciful delusions?

The Sun moves into Taurus on the 20th creating a Stellium in Taurus as the Sun joins Venus and Mercury in the Venus-ruled Earth Fixed Sign. The Grand Trine in Earth is reinforced with now five planets in the Earth Element. We can make manifest some of our hopes, with the caveat that Mercury is retrograde and the need to check and re-evaluate repeatedly as we move ahead. It is seed planting time, but it would be important that we know the possible side-effects that might arise, and maintain flexibility and be willing to adapt if circumstances dictate.

The 23rd through the 26th of April is an active period. We may be looking at changes but it would be essential that we not take anything at face value. We could be easily deceived by appearances, and it would be important for us to be aware of what is impelling us to consider different things that our out of our ordinary situation and to check the source and their agenda. The 23rd has Venus square Neptune and Venus sextile Uranus followed on the 24th by Venus trine Saturn. Even if we are looking at buying things, making purchases of either electronics, computer technology, fashion or home furnishings, it would be wise to keep our receipts to be certain that what looks so wonderful in the store works in our own personal environment. We can fine tune but again it would be important for us not to get stuck in our convictions but rather to be flexible and willing to make necessary adjustments.

The 25th has Mercury squares Mars, the Sun trine Pluto and Venus exiting Taurus and entering Gemini. With Mercury in Venus-ruled Taurus and Venus entering Mercury-ruled Gemini we now have a Mutual Reception between the two planets. The Taurus Stellium of three or more planets in the Fixed Earth Sign ends with Venus’ exit, but we may find that we are looking at a greater social whirl, meeting and greeting, rather than being singularly focused. Our interests are becoming slightly more flighty, with a tendency to sample the smorgasbord rather than focus on one particular item or activity. We do have to watch our expenses for we can be enamored with having fun, embracing the pleasures of life and negate the costs involved. While we want to sample various things, we are not going to pursue anything that doesn’t speak to us on a very deep and meaningful level. We may be interested in variety but not superficiality.

The 26th has our old nemesis and our future nemesis of the Saturn Uranus opposition. We experienced this configuration last year with the battle of old and new engaged. The conflict between the individual and the collective can be evident again and there can be demonstrations and protests against authority and in behalf of the rights of the individual. We might also realize ever more the problem with our infrastructure and how the information superhighway can get bogged down due to the inability of the infrastructure to keep up with demand [remember AT&T breakdown in NYC when the iPhone 3GS was first introduced?}

The Scorpio Full Moon on the 28th with the Sun conjunct Mercury both opposed the Scorpio Moon can raise questions about our finances, the impact of taxes, delays with tax refunds and our material resources. Now is a time for us to see how we can be more conservative regarding our finances, cutting down on our expenses and shoring up our revenue stream.

May 3rd and 4th can have us with laser-like vision, able to see the essential aspects and cut to the core. Mercury trines Pluto on the 3rd and the Sun squares Mars on the 4th. Even if we have to cut back on our plans for the short-term, it only means that we might have to put them on the back burner rather than tossing them away forever. During these times, it is essential that we be resourceful, prioritize and see how much we can accomplish with the least expenditure of energy, time and finances. We may go through a push-pull regarding what we want and what we can reasonably afford.

May 7th can be a pleasant time. With Venus sextile Mars we may be looking at some fun events, uplifting conversations and an ability to create win-win situations with our friends and loved ones.

May 11th has Mercury turning direct, ending its three week retrograde cycle that may have had some ill-conceived purchases, miscommunications and problems in dealing with our expenses. Things could go awry today, so let’s add on extra time to accomplish our goals.

The Taurus New Moon on the 13th – 14th of May reinforces the Earth Element Grand Tine by Sign. We can be adept at dealing with our mundane concerns, our responsibilities, even to the point of pulling a rabbit out of the hat. This two-week period could prove a good time to blueprint and devise a best practices approach in order to realize our goals and deal effectively with our responsibilities.

Too much of a good thing could be the sentiment on the 17th as Venus squares Jupiter and the Sun sextiles Jupiter. This third week of May can be highly active. The 18th has Venus square Saturn, Venus trine Neptune and the Sun trine Saturn. The 19th has the Sun square Neptune, Mercury trine Pluto and Venus square Uranus. Venus then moves into Cancer on the 19th. The 20th sees the Sun sextile Uranus just before the Sun moves out of Taurus to enter Gemini.

We could take on more than would be appropriate, be all over the place and assume that we are being divinely guided. Unless we keep our feet on the ground, we could go floating off into la-la-land. Overconfidence and over-enthusiasm could trigger some ill-advised actions whereby we spend too much, buy into the possibilities without due diligence and take a gamble on what could be without fully considering what is. This is a time when we need to repeatedly apply some braking action for without putting the brakes on, considering what we’re doing and where we are going, we could head off in the wrong direction with much gusto but little forethought.

Around May 23rd, the energies could prove intense. We may feel like we’re in a whipsaw as Jupiter opposes Saturn and Venus opposes Pluto. Restrictions could halt our intentions and our relationships might prove the harbor in which to vent our frustrations. This weekend it would be wise to count to ten before any actions or reactions since the energy could be explosive and we could overreact or go blindly into the night.

This end of May is quite significant since we have the Sagittarius Full Moon on the 27th just as Uranus exits Pisces to enter Aries. This shift in energy is but a prelude to the seven year Aries transit of Uranus, but it will also impel us to incorporate changes that allow our free spirit and the ability to do our own thing greater breadth of expression. While power to the person will be a major focus in the years ahead, this emphasis on individuality will also conflict with a tightening control by the powers-that-be.

These are interesting times in which we live. On one hand, contraction, greater control and less privacy are likely to be exerted by big government, big business, bigness of authority. On the other hand, technological advances give the individual the tools by which to easily and relatively inexpensively express creativity. Experimentation and self-discovery become ever more pronounced. People will not merely question authority but either step out of its way and do one’s own thing or confront authority with Lord Acton’s words of ‘Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.’

Saturn turns direct on the 30th and will continue its transit through Virgo until coming back into Libra in July and the initial sense of the Cardinal Sign T-Square with Saturn, Uranus and Pluto. Many of the delays we might have experienced over the Winter and Spring period, as Saturn retrograded, may finally be released. We are far better now to create the foundations, the structures and the format for our new tomorrows. As Saturn turns direct, Neptune turns retrograde on the 31st. We may be far more realistic, unwilling to accept at face value the images, impressions, appearances and spin that try to entice us and seduce us.

June 4th has Mars opposed Neptune. We may feel a little queasy, perhaps unsure of ourselves. Such an attitude could prove an important restraining factor, keeping us from leaping into a void. We do have to be careful regarding accidents and issues associated with water problems or electrical matters.

Major energy shifts occur again on the 6th and 7th with Jupiter moving into Aries on the 6th, followed by Mars ending its seven and a half month transit of Leo and entering Virgo on the 7th. We are likely to focus ever more on our own personal self-assertion. This tendency could be augmented by the Jupiter Uranus conjunction on the 8th with Mercury trine Saturn. We may be looking at a personal makeover whether that be in regard to our personal appearance, our activities and involvements, our patterns of behavior, or all-inclusive. But in so doing, we may be very focused on a best practices approach, grounding our self-assertions in an appropriate and expedited format.

This early part of June can see us focusing on new horizons, all of which serve to embellish our sense of self, our sense of self-determination. While we have the burst of energy to move ahead and do so in a well-considered manner, it would be wise for us to see any changes as experimental rather than long-term committal. For this early June period is another high energy time when we have to be wary of getting caught up in a whirlwind of personal enthusiasm and the desire to do whatever we want without fully considering the implications on the long-term.

Mercury squares Neptune on the 9th and we should take things with a grain of salt. Our enthusiasm may be stronger than our intuition at this time and we might not be seeing things clearly but rather caught up in our own enthusiasms. Mercury moves into Gemini, its own Sign, on the 10th and sextiles both Jupiter and Uranus. We may see a world of opportunities before us, and in deed there are. But with Mercury square Mars on the 11th, we could easily skip over important details, neglect specifics and avoid due diligence. We may have a great deal on our plate and assume that more is better. The Gemini New Moon on the 12th – 13th ratchets up this tendency to juggle ever more and again add more on our ‘to do’ list. Have we not learned the truth to the saying that ‘living simply is not simply living.’?

During this time it would be wise not to go on overload regarding our activities and our projects. We have all experienced overload and the focus of this time should be to prioritize, sample and experiment, but not to take on more than we can easily handle.

The latter part of Spring has some pleasant Venus energies. Love is in the air. At the time of the Gemini New Moon, Venus sextiles Saturn. The second half of the month may have us reconnecting with people from our past. Family get-togethers and reunions put an emphasis upon our relationships, old and new. The 14th has Venus moving into Leo where it trines Uranus on the 14th and trines Jupiter on the 15th. Social occasions can keep us in a whirlwind of pure delights.

The 15th also has Mars trine Pluto. We have the passion, determination and the most effective and expedited manner by which to move mountains. Great things can be accomplished now, easily and with great momentum.

Spring comes to closure with Father’s Day and just prior to it on the 19th, the Sun square Saturn and the Sun trine Neptune. Although much of the Spring talks to new beginnings and birthings, there are times during the process of initiations that we have to look back at where we have been. We may have angst of what could be and might feel somewhat dejected by what has been, but such a tendency would only be a judgment and an opinion and perhaps not the reality of what was. If we go down Memory Lane during this Spring period and harken back to where we’ve been, it is important not to overly critique or criticize ourselves or other people for past matters. Everything has been grist for the mill. We do not have to re-create our past but neither do we have to judge it. Our perspective now was not our perspective then. We did what we did with the information available to us at that time. There are no mistakes in life, only lessons with their challenges and their opportunities.

Spring… stumble in…

This Winter begins with two planets in Fire Signs, three planets in an Earth Sign, four planets in Air Signs and one planet in a Water Sign. Four planets are in Cardinal Signs, four planets are in Fixed Signs and two planets are in Mutable Signs. Six planets are in Positive Signs and four planets are in Receptive Signs.

We start the season with two Stelliums of three or more planets in a particular Sign. We have a Cardinal Sign Stellium in Capricorn with the Sun, Mercury and Pluto in the Cardinal Earth Sign. We have a Fixed Sign Stellium in Aquarius with the Moon, Jupiter and Neptune in the Fixed Air Sign. Jupiter conjuncts Neptune and Venus sextiles Neptune to begin the Winter.

There is a great deal of hope, possibly even irrational exuberance as we begin the Winter Season. We are likely to be seeing things from a very upbeat, positive attitude and could even fall prey to the old paradigm’s modus operandi of mastering the universe. We could easily assume that whatever we want to make happen will occur by our intention, bending circumstance to our will and believing in some magical secret that allows us to supersede natural law and be a law unto ourselves. Not to dampen one’s enthusiasm but if we have not learned anything from the recent crash and burn scenario that society has gone through and that might have singed us, then we are likely to fall prey to philosopher George Santayana’s well-known and true saying that those who do not learn from their past are doomed to repeat it.

While we may be largely focused on our prospects and our possibilities in the days ahead, this Winter is also a time of stripping away the excesses, the outmoded and the no longer functional aspects of our lives. We are going through a major shapeshifting and similar to any growth spurt we may experience the labor pains of our transformation and metamophosis. We may be reluctant to look beyond our own personal interests, unwilling to take into account other options or possibilities that are not of our own conception. We might vent the frustrations born of our shapeshifting on those who either do not agree with us or on those who just happen to be in range of our releases. Relationships could be a little dicey and it is essential that we recognize that everyone, individually and collectively as a society, are going through some dramatic, life-altering changes. It is important that we cut ourselves and other people a fair amount of slack. Otherwise, we might find ourselves flailing about and willing to throw baby out with the bath water as we seek some solace and comfort during these transitional times.

Although I propose such cautionary advice, the Winter may begin more on notes of irrational exuberance and heightened expectations. We might see only the good in people, the idyllic in our relationships, thereby creating an unrealistic standard that no one could always attain. And there lies the potential downfall of this Winter season. We might hope that the changes we have gone through have flushed out all the problems, all the concerns, all the excesses of the past. We might expect that we can start anew unbridled and unchallenged. If we have such great expectations, then we have to allow for some great disappointments.

While the season begins on a very high, upbeat note, it is not too long before we have to address some of the issues of the past, outstanding matters that we might have hoped to have been resolved.

On the 24th, 25th, the Capricorn Sun conjuncts Pluto and then squares Saturn. We might have to take off our rose-colored glasses, take a far more realistic and clear look at what is going on. We may feel encumbered by situations and feel that we are being forced back to address matters instead of being able to blithely move on with a clean blank slate. It would be wise for us to try and tie up loose ends before we come into the new year.

The 26th has Mercury turning retrograde, with a rare fourth Mercury retrograde cycle in a year. The Mercury retrograde in Capricorn continues into the New Year turning direct on the 15th of January. Mercury retrograding through Capricorn could put a delaying process on our goals and our plans. The key issue of the Pluto transit through Capricorn is raised once again: have we built upon rock or built upon sand?

Even if problems have arisen in our personal lives and in society, the question is whether we have truly addressed the key issue, dealt with it in new and appropriate ways or whether we have merely put a band-aid on the situation, trying to gloss over the fundamental problems by “solving” the matter with tried no longer true ways. Essential factors of these times are a recognition that we have crossed a threshold into uncharted waters and that new ways of looking at things and alternative ways of dealing with things are called for. The past is not a remedy for the present much less for the future.

The latter part of December may have us addressing outstanding matters, looking to clear the decks in order to have a clean desk from which to operate as we move into the new year.

The Sun conjunct Pluto on the 24th and the Sun square Saturn on the 25th is followed by Venus conjunct Pluto on the 28th and Venus square Saturn on the 29th. Pulls from our past and a realization that we might have to let go, release and eliminate certain elements of our lives that are more associated with our past could have us feeling a little low. We can still garner our irrational exuberance but our mood swings can be quite extreme as we realize that we cannot cross the threshold of new beginnings by bringing a lot of our old baggage with us.

2009 ends with the Cancer Full Moon and Lunar Eclipse on the 31st. By Sign, there is a Cardinal T-Square with the Cancer Moon opposed Pluto, Venus and the Sun in Capricorn and square Saturn in Libra. As we celebrate the end of 2009 and bring in the new year of 2010 we may truly be singing auld lang syne.

The New Year may start off somewhat slowly. Not only are we laboring under the Mercury retrograde, we also might find that we are having to continue our tie up of loose ends.

Mid-January has a great deal of twists and turns. On the 13th, both the Sun and Venus sextile Uranus. We are looking to implement changes, wanting to free ourselves up from past routines and seeing how we can best streamline our activities in order to allow for more ‘free’ time in order to explore, experiment and discover. The 13th also has Saturn turning retrograde until the end of May. Reconnections and reunions can be part of our Winter – Spring period but so too are delays and things taking longer than we might necessarily appreciate. If we are reliant on other people to get things done, then there could be times of exasperation as we wonder when they’ll get their part accomplished or if they are even capable of doing so.

The 15th has Mercury turning direct just after the Capricorn Solar Eclipse. At the time of this New Moon, also signaling the Chinese New Year of the metal Tiger, there are five planets in Capricorn —- Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Pluto. And three planets are retrograde — Mercury, Mars and Saturn.

We might feel as though we are engaging the Hollywood dictum of hurry up and wait. As though feeling mired in quicksand, we might have a sense that we are having to put on blinders to deal with responsibilities all the while that our daily tasks are taking longer than we are accustomed to.

Jupiter ends its transit of Aquarius on the 17th and enters Pisces. We have ended the Jupiter Neptune conjunction which has influenced us since last Spring and has contributed to the irrational exuberance of seeing positive new shoots of life despite the continuing backdrop of contraction.

Jupiter entering into Pisces has Jupiter coming into a Sign it co-rules. Our sensitivity is likely to be turned up severalfold and our compassion engaged. This transit can be a highly spiritual impetus for us to seek truth and understanding of our life journey’s true purpose and meaning. It could also contribute to intensification of precipitation during storm systems.

On the 18th, Venus exits Capricorn to enter Aquarius followed by the Sun moving into Aquarius on the 19th and creating a Stellium of three or more planets in Aquarius as the Sun and Venus join Neptune in the Fixed Air Sign. We are looking to affirm our individuality, seek ways of establishing our autonomy and interested in interacting with those people whose lives reveal an exciting and fascinating story. Our personal interests could be in conflict with friends and the interests of the collective good. The more we can explore and express our creative talents in unique formats and innovative ways, the better we can create the slats that make up our suspension bridge from our past into our future. We may see further technological advances of this Information Age and further medical advances through biotechnology.

The Leo Full Moon on the 30th can have us broadening our perspective, looking far afield and interested in foreign intrigue. We may be considering various options and alternatives and certainly the whole realm of green technology could get a fair amount of media play now. This Full Moon feels the influence of the Saturn Pluto square exact on the 31st.

The key influences during these next two and a half years, some of which has been felt since the Autumn of 2008, are the energy configurations between Saturn, Uranus and Pluto and the T-Square created by the Saturn Uranus opposition both square to Pluto.

Since the Autumn of 2008, we have moved into an intense period of dramatic changes, drastic eliminations and major transformations to life as we have known it. We have seen some of the implications of the Saturn Uranus opposition wreak havoc in the financial markets abetted by Pluto transiting through Capricorn. Although much of the extreme changes have been masked by the Jupiter Neptune conjunction that has allowed us to escape into irrational exuberance and assume that the worst is behind us, I would suggest that we have only just begun in the overhaul and shapeshifting of our worlds. All of this is in deed part of the paradigm shift of these times. While we might focus on the eliminations, releases and deathings, we need to keep in mind that we are increasingly moving away from sequential reality of beginning, middle and end.

We need to appreciate the asequential reality that we are moving into, where time-space collapses with past, present, future all in the Now. This new paradigm speaks to the magic and the miracles whereby things can occur in a most indirect and unexpected manner. We might discover that things occur not so much from our making them happen as much as a natural, albeit at times confusing, unfolding. Things can come out of the blue. Things can turn on a dime, with significant changes occurring without a moment’s notice. We are to embrace synchronicity and engage the serendipity of life. No longer able to master the universe, we are asked to be co-creators with the natural unfolding.

One of the key requirements to effectively handle this paradigm shift is mindfulness. It is important that we discipline our mind and come to realize that our mind is an important tool but one that needs to focus on the positive and life-enhancing and not get sucked into a vortex of negative thoughts, a desire to hold on to past patterns, or a feeling of being victimized and subject to the vagaries of volatility. In this process, it is essential that we let go of our need for resolution and completion. No knee-jerk reactions nor fixed assumptions that we know the eternal truth of any situation, for such actions and attitudes could have us basing decisions upon contained information or limited data and closing ourselves off to possible radical changes or unanticipated variables that we have not taken into account yet could drastically alter our perception of a situation.

But the Saturn, Uranus, Pluto T-Square will effectively handle any fallback to previous mindsets.

February seems a far more placid month. We may be far more concerned regarding what is ahead of us than our present day circumstance or past matters.

On the 6th of February, Mercury sextiles Uranus and Jupiter sextiles Pluto. Not only are our insights rapid and spot-on but we might also find ourselves seeking to expand our goals as though a manifest destiny for our lives has taken hold. We can streamline operations and we might discover new technologies being announced that speed up our communications and allow us to be far more productive with less expenditure of energy. In the ashes of past situations that have fallen apart or no longer work for us, we can now build solidly on firm foundations. It is necessary, however, that we attain a degree of humility, a willingness to be flexible in order to adapt to shifts and changes that can alter our plans, our itinerary or our direction.

These are exciting times and if we get with the program of asequentiality, awareness, flexibility, mindfulness, humility and adaptability; then we can find our progress to be a turbo-thrust moving us quickly ahead towards our dreams or towards what is best for our greater good.

The 8th of February has Venus conjunct Neptune. Even if we have vented some of our frustrations on other people, we can now make amends. We are far more appreciative of the individual uniqueness of the people in our lives and people in the world-at-large. A greater sense of community of humankind can be engendered during this month of February, for the energies this month emphasize the two universal Signs of Aquarius and Pisces —- a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood with the recognition that we are all in this together and a spiritual, mystical sense that there is something far beyond our mere mundane earthly concerns, the strength of our spirit, the substance of our soul.

On the 10th, Mercury moves out from Capricorn and enters Aquarius, followed on the 11th by Venus exiting Aquarius to enter Pisces. At the time of the Aquarius New Moon on the 13th–14th the two universal Signs are accentuated with a Stellium of three or more planets in both Aquarius and Pisces with seven planets in these two Signs. The Sun, Moon, Mercury and Neptune will be in Aquarius. Venus, Jupiter and Uranus will be in Pisces.

At the time of the Virgo Full Moon on the 28th of February, there are two planets in Aquarius – Mercury and Neptune – and four planets in Pisces – the Sun, Venus, Jupiter and Uranus.

February can be a highly spiritual month, a month when we are looking more at the meaning and purpose of our lives. Our emotions can be heightened but so too consideration of where we want to go in our future days. But challenges are likely to arise and one of the key challenges during this month of February is likely to be the dualities of market psychology — greed and fear. Some people will emphasize their own personal needs to the detriment of the community. Other people may be blithely into possibilities without considering steps necessary to realize their goals. Either extreme could prove devastating. We are not here to be self-centered or merely focused on our personal desires. But neither are we here to escape from earthly reality whether that escape be through drink, drugs, maudlin spirituality, or various philosophies and ideologies. Earth life is like a school whereby we never stop learning. Maintaining constant balance is required of us and especially during these times demands that we be able to walk a tightrope.

A feel good attitude can continue on into March, if we are willing to accept life’s volatilities and not get consumed by our great expectations. Some people may fall victim, assuming that life is happening to them as opposed to them mastering life. Those people will have lost the balance, or never attained the balance between what we, as individuals, can do and what the energies of natural unfolding are doing. Co-creating… flexibility… adaptability… awareness… mindfulness… humility; all provide the keys to the kingdom.

While our mind is sharp during the early part of March, thanks to Mercury sextile Pluto exact on the 4th, and serendipitous connections can be made, thanks to the Venus Uranus conjunction exact on the 3rd; we might find ourselves going through a sifting of new, interesting developments and of old or past involvements.

To some degree, we might feel the end of Winter to be a real push-pull between old and new. Not only is it appropriate for the time of the year, about to end an astrological year and begin a new astrological year as we embrace the Vernal Equinox with the Sun moving into Aries and ushering in Spring. We also have new, exciting and expansive energy configurations with the Venus Uranus conjunction on the 3rd, the Mercury Pluto sextile on the 4th, Venus trine Mars and Mercury conjunct Jupiter on the 7th, Mercury conjunct Uranus at the time of the Pisces New Moon on the 15th–16th, and the Sun conjunct Uranus and Mercury trine Mars on the 17th. And we have issues of what is real for us and what is not along with a reflection of past matters with the Saturn Pluto square engaged as Venus opposes Saturn on the 9th and Venus squares Pluto on the 11th, followed the next week by Mercury opposed Saturn on the 18th and Mercury square Pluto on the 20th.

The Pisces New Moon accentuates past and future, for this New Moon has the Sun Moon conjunction also conjunct Mercury and conjunct Uranus. This Pisces Stellium is within orb of an opposition to Saturn and approaching the square to Pluto. Some of those energies will become more impactful as we come into Spring.

As we move forward into the uncharted waters of the new terrain of our lives, there will be times when we may have to stop and deal with our past, looking back at where we have been and who we have been, before moving forward unencumbered by our old baggage. In revisiting our past, we can also re-vision it, changing the outcome in our mind’s eye, releasing any long-forgotten but subconsciously held slights or pains, and cleanse ourselves in order to have a blank canvas on which to draw our future by experimenting with our present.

Winter 2009… let’s celebrate the light…

The season of this Autumn continues the alchemical process, a period of purging and eliminating, a season of deathing in order to provide the fodder for a rebirth. Like nature in the Northern Hemisphere with the leaves falling from the trees and the skeletal structure of branches, limbs and trunk exposed, we may feel as though during this Autumn we are being stripped down to the bare bones, being rid of excesses and cut to the essence of our very being. There is a purging going on, a dropping away of those characteristics of our lives that have served their purpose and now prove no longer functional for us. We are likely to experience this stripping away as individuals, as a society and as a community. Back in early Summer, I posted on my website an Autumn Alert which detailed the different factors in society that I believed could create a perfect storm for this Autumn period.

The Autumn begins under the influence of the Virgo New Moon back on the 18th – 19th of September, a Lunation with the Stellium in Virgo opposed Uranus in Pisces and impacted by the forthcoming square to Pluto in Capricorn. This Lunation and this Autumn are highly significant, for they offer a vision of our forthcoming future when the opposition of Saturn Uranus that has gone on since last Autumn of 2008 is ratcheted up by the opposition moving into a T-Square with Pluto in Capricorn.

I would suggest that some of the dramatic changes we have seen since August of 2008 and continuing on into the present are but the tip of an iceberg. There is more to come as we go through the transformative process — the alchemical process — of dying to the old to be born to the new. We are at a paradigm shift, a time when a particular style and manner of operating in life are falling away and a new style and manner of living are coming forward. We may not know the ingredients, the unfolding, or the outcome of this shift clearly, but we are all likely to sense and feel the process of this falling away, deathing and labor pains of incipient growth and eventual rebirth.

During these times, it is essential to embrace flexibility and adaptability. During these times, it is important to allow the jury to be out regarding what is really going on. There can be no rush to judgment, for all the factors and unanticipated variables have yet to be revealed. What we can be secure in is the fact that unexpected situations are likely to arise. We must recognize that old solutions no longer work for the present, much less the future. We may not have a detailed playbook regarding how to cope. We may have to experiment, try things out and hopefully without total commitment until we have proven to our satisfaction that new ways are more appropriate for our future and offer better days through brighter ways.

This Autumn asks us to take our time, even as things are accelerating and we are being asked to handle more now than ever before and all with the recognition that new ways of operating might have to be used. It is essential that we use due diligence, look at things from as many facets as possible and always with a jaded eye, or at least a healthy skepticism, regarding the ‘answers’, the ‘solutions’, the ‘leaders’.

These times are very confusing since our subconscious tendency would be to re-create our past, and even if the outer environment is totally different, we have to be careful that engrained, conditioned, habitual patterns do not impose themselves on our judgment, opinion, choices and decisions. We are not looking to re-create our past nor could we. And it is important that any change is not merely a case of ‘meet the new boss, same as the old boss’.

All of us might want someone to come forward, ‘have the right answer’, and then do it for us. Perhaps this attitude seems like a nice concept in theory but such a disposition is totally out of present reality and unfolding reality when both individual accountability and individual responsibility are demanded of us. We are in times when no one can do it for us. We are in times when we have to step up to the plate, act as adults and make our choices with the recognition that the choices do not, and should not, be carved in stone but that our choices, no matter what our choices might be, have ramifications.

Not only does this Autumn ask, demand, that we focus on due diligence, consider the specifics of our lives with the backdrop of a constantly changing landscape of the world-at-large, and then make choices and the commitment to accomplish and achieve no matter how difficult the process might be during these radically transitioning times.

This Autumn also suggests the need for us to consider our health regimen, decide how best to take care of ourselves mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. Just as society is going through a transformative process, so too are we. We are going through what the first nations peoples would refer to as shapeshifting. And in this metamorphosis of ourselves, like the caterpillar going through the chrysalis to be the butterfly, our physical bodies are under a great deal of stress.

Added to the natural stress of our own transformative process, we have the stress that occurs with significant seasonal changes as the dramatic variations in the outer environment and weather systems place greater stress on our physical bodies. We also have the stress of the changes occurring in society and in our community as old practices, ways and means fall away to be supplanted by…. What? How? When? With What Effects?

Added to all these dis-stress factors, we also have the town criers screeching about pandemics, virus systems that could be plague-like and that bring up trace memories of previous world contagions such as the black plague or, more recently, the Spanish flu early last century.

Amidst the revelations of the different factors triggering stress responses and amongst the realizations of the various corrupt aspects of life on the earth plane, we might find our immune system breaking down unless we take responsibility and engage the Christian biblical admonition that cleanliness is next to godliness.
Whether our physical body, our mental body, our emotional body or our spiritual being, the more we can clean up our act during this Autumn period, the more prepared for the future changes we shall be. Let us see this season as a conditioning program, an accountable and responsible process by which we are preparing ourselves not only to meet the challenges of the next few years but to move from mere survival during difficult times to a true thriving no matter the conditions prevalent around us.

We start the Autumn with Mercury retrograde conjunct Saturn. Outstanding matters, old issues, even mental meanderings down Memory Lane can all be part of our early Autumn phase. We may be able to see how present situations are recurrent patterns as a parade of similar past situations comes up in mind. While we might wish to change the pattern, on the short term it is far more important to be an objective witness. Like standing under a waterfall and letting the water droplets run down our back, we would best use any past remembrances as a reflection of where we have been and how we have done life but without overly critiquing or judging it. Instead, let’s just allow our thoughts and reflections to wash over us, keeping in mind that before we can change a pattern or correct a situation, we must first be aware of them.

If we feel as though we are behind the eight ball, having to react to circumstances rather than controlling the conditions, let’s bear in mind the paradigm shift of these times is moving humankind away from being able to control and master its universe. We are moving away from an egotistical self-absorption and moving towards co-creating our reality and getting back into greater syntony with the natural unfolding. No longer masters of our universe, we can be free to work more effectively and successfully by being in harmony with natural coordinates and universal cycles. How liberating! How freeing up! And how far more productive and successful life could prove to be!

This Autumn can have some wrenching aspects to it. Either we let go of certain situations or they are pulled from us and gotten rid of. We might not like the process, but it would be wise not to judge it but rather keep in mind the wise saying that god and the universe have far greater plans for us than we could ever imagine for ourselves. Or, if you prefer, when one door closes, another door opens.

In reflecting upon my past experiences, I know and I can see that what I considered at the time as some of my greatest tragedies opened the door to some of my greatest successes. Yes, life is mysterious and increasingly so. And that is why it is important for us to suspend judgment and affirm that the best is yet to come… even if we have difficulty imagining such a thing.

During some of this season we may feel that we have stepped through the looking glass, entered a Dali-esque surreal world and encountered a hallucinogenic time frame that might seem a perfect reflection of the classic Western movie title ‘The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly’.

Although we have been playing tag teams with the Saturn Uranus opposition since last Autumn of 2008, we are shifting the focus briefly from this interchange to a different and possibly more difficult interchange. At the end of October, Saturn moves out of Virgo and enters Libra. As it does so, it moves into a square with Pluto exact on November 15th and fully influencing the Scorpio New Moon on November 16th and the following fortnight.

In 2010, Uranus enters Aries and from next year into 2012 we shall have a Cardinal Sign T-Square with the Saturn in Libra opposed Uranus in Aries and both square Pluto in Capricorn.

If the Saturn Uranus opposition since last Autumn of 2008 has wreaked havoc and triggered major transformations and forced major changes, then this next phase of the Saturn Pluto during this Autumn might prove ever more challenging and still serve as but a prelude to the Cardinal Sign T-Square from 2010 into 2012. In light of these forthcoming energy configurations, it can be seen that perhaps we have only experienced the tip of the iceberg in the radical shifts and dramatic changes that have already occurred.

With Saturn moving into Libra at the end of October, we may experience tests regarding our personal relationships and those things — whether work, activities, friendships and self-identity — that help to complete us and even define us. The ‘other’ for all of us will be up for questioning. We may also experience a ratcheting up of the ‘blame game’. While true reality now is asking us to be accountable and more responsible for our choices, there will be many people resistant to such maturity. Instead, they will see their problems, their difficulties and their frustrations as not a cause of their own personal choices but rather as a result of other people’s actions. Talk about giving up control!

Although we are all having to let go of control over our lives and the world around us, such a shift does not mean flipping to the other extreme of feeling reactive or playing the victim. On the contrary, we move into a phase whereby we are co-creators, doing what we can with the recognition that we are working in synch and in league with the natural unfolding. No judgment, no opinion regarding how our lives are going but rather doing what we can from our integrity and with the best of intentions and with our plans written in pencil with a large eraser in hand so that we can adapt and change as shifting circumstances warrant.

The Saturn in Libra can raise many issues with personal relationships with a likely uptick in divorce and domestic violence. Although relationships, the Libran energy and the archetypal seventh house that Libra rules represent the ‘other’ and offer a completion to our selves, they also represent the shadow side to our selves, that part of our selves about which we are least familiar and have little, if any, knowledge. It is through relationships, the Libran energy and the seventh house that we learn about ourselves in order to integrate ourselves and become whole. While the Saturn in Libra will offer us the focus on these areas, before the integration we might experience the conflict and discord. In truth, we are fighting within our own personal selves. Rather than addressing our own personal issues, we can reflect those issues outward and assume that other people, other situations, circumstances beyond our control are the trigger points for our discord and disharmony. Eventually, we can come to a synthesis, an integration but before what degree of collateral damage?

The Saturn in Libra squares Pluto this year and by Sign over the next several years. In 2010, Uranus moves into Aries to create the Cardinal Sign T-Square. To some large extent, we should be grateful that this significant energy pattern occurs in the Cardinal Signs, for it will allow for initiations, start-ups, changes that are begun rather than merely reactive changes or being so stuck that change comes about solely by an eating away. No, this T-Square will allow for initiated change, proactive movements and a willingness to try and experiment in order to move forward.

We are living during what the Chinese proverb, some would call a curse, states: ‘May you live in interesting times.’

We are living in deed during interesting, challenging, and even, at moments, tragic times. And we are living during times that offer incredible opportunities, a time of a dramatic paradigm shift, moving into a synchronistic world of asequential reality and out from the linear, sequential reality of the past. We are moving from the fourth dimension of space-time with the three dimensions of space confined within the parameters of time sequence in past – present – future. We are moving into the fifth dimension of NOW, a collapse of time with past present future all now and a limitless space of infinity.

We may be unaccustomed to the change but ready for the adventure, if we keep in mind the truth that we never get more than we can handle.
We are going through an alchemical process — a phase of turning base mettle into gold. We are shapeshifting, morphing, transforming. If we can be open and receptive, then while the adventure may seem chaotic at times, we can also come to the full appreciation that life is good.

This Autumn continues the roller coaster ride but allows us to put together our own conditioning program. We may need to rid ourselves of the extraneous and outworn. We might want to build up our strength, tone our bodies, focus on wellbeing rather than dis-ease, and be willing to surf the emotional tsunamis that are liable to come with these times.

Life is exciting. Life is good.

Autumn 2009… between a rock and a hard place, a gem is discovered…