Aquarium Age - Transformational Astrology

Hello to readers in Paris!

It’s a planetary downshift for the next several weeks. Pluto Retrograde begins on April 24, Saturn Retrograde begins on April 30, and as these two astral giants join Jupiter Retrograde, which began a week ago on April 10, daily life on Earth is likely to feel like a slog—at least until we get used to a prolonged review of what’s transpired since the beginning of the year. For those who keep thinking it’s Mercury Retrograde: it’s not—it just feels like it. From a personal perspective, the best way to make the most of this Jupiter/Saturn/Pluto retrospective is using it to refine whatever the ongoing Saturn/Pluto conjunction has already stirred—wherever you are you experiencing the most constraint or pressure. If you can focus on those areas, your efforts will eventually produce tangible results. From a collective perspective, the next five to six months are going to crystalize even more what needs to shift—socially, financially, and politically—so be prepared for more of the same.   

Pluto Retrograde starts on April 24 and ends on October 3. All week long, as it prepares for its “turn around,” we are likely to feel caught in a peculiar time warp. Normally we don’t tend to experience Pluto Retrogrades dramatically, but because Saturn Retrograde begins six days later on April 30 and ends September 18, their combined retro-pull is sure to intensify the already too-intense atmosphere of daily life. What’s more, because these two planets are within two-and-a-half degrees of each other, their combined retrograde influence is not just a time drag, it’s also a time warp: between now and the end of June, as Saturn and Pluto pretty much travel in tandem, we’re in a dress rehearsal for their exact conjunction on January 12, 2020.

It would be wise to pay attention to what transpires over the coming months, especially as it relates to what’s been going on since January of this year. These are the issues that are going to dominate our lives not only leading up to the exact Saturn/Pluto conjunction in 2020 but also during the cycle it sets in motion for the next three decades, until 2053—issues that are key to our planetary survival. This coming Saturn/Pluto cycle isn’t just about human lives; it’s about the lives of all sentient beings, including Gaia, our living Planet Earth.

As you pay attention to your personal world as well as the world around you, be determined to deal with the surface symptoms but also to dig down deep into the causal level of the issues we’re facing. What is the source of racism? Of immigration fear? Gender inequality? Economic suffering? Animal cruelty? And all other egregious behavior that refuses to acknowledge the right of all beings, from a grasshopper to a head of state, to live a full and rewarding life.

I was raised in a deeply political household and because of that I attended peace rallies from a very early age. As I grew up, I couldn’t reconcile those peace marches with the ongoing fights between my mother and father. There was no physical violence, but there was a tremendous amount of intolerance. I think I was twelve or thirteen when I first realized that if you wanted a peaceful world you had to live a peaceful life. I have not always lived a peaceful life and it’s taken all of my adult life to realize that living such a life is one of the hardest—if not the hardest—challenges a spiritual warrior faces. Nevertheless, the challenge itself recalibrates consciousness, setting a course toward living a life of greater self-awareness. Somewhere along the way it becomes possible to make finding a peaceful solution the first choice.

This is the challenge we all face: Do we hate our enemies or do we find ways to accept them, and through that acceptance learn to heal our differences? Is it possible to make peace without abandoning our principles? If we are going to save our planet we need to find ways to cooperate with each other, and those ways must include all sentient beings. All beings—no exceptions.

Monday, April 22, both Easter Monday and Earth Day this year, is the first of seven Sun/Uranus conjunctions that will take place during Uranus’ transit through Taurus. This conjunction is the astral signature for the revolutionary—the innovative, progressive freedom fighter who catalyzes stagnant waters with innovation that ushers in change. While it is a cliché to say “be the change you want to see in the world,” clichés are clichés because they are to an extent true. Certainly the people we seem to admire most are the ones who refuse to accept the status quo and instead push the envelope and in doing so move the collective into a new consciousness.

For some, Mr. Trump and his Gang of Hungry Ghosts are catalysts of change—and I agree, but not for the same reasons as their supporters. They are dramatically shifting the collective consciousness by provoking heartfelt resistance to a blatantly cruel and mendacious agenda. Their contribution to the collective is part of our evolutionary process, if only because their extreme, almost cartoonish positions have helped so many spiritual warriors move into positive action. Be the change. 

Sun Bursts: If you know your Ascendant and/or your Moon Sign, read that too.  

Aries March 21-April 19
In 2008, Pluto entered your Solar House of recognition and since that time, you’ve been in a deep process of acknowledging your ambitions. When Saturn joined the team in December 2017, you intensified your determination to incorporate your lessons into action. The next several months are about refining not just your goals but also your awareness of how those goals reflect your character and integrity.

Taurus April 20-May 20.
Pluto’s transit of your Solar House of belief systems began in 2008, provoking an examination of what you believe in and why. Saturn began its journey through the same sector at the end of 2017, challenging you to walk your spiritual talk by putting those beliefs into action. Even though you would like to be done with this integration process, be patient—it’s going to take a little longer to turn those thoughts into deeds.

Gemini May 21-June 21
Since 2008 Pluto’s been transiting your Solar House of transformation, and as they used to say in the ’60s: it’s been a trip. When Saturn linked itself to this ongoing process at the end of 2017, several facets of this journey took on an increased seriousness as you struggled to deal with financial issues. The next months are all about bringing a deeper awareness to this prolonged phase of personal growth so you can bring several negative patterns to a close.

Cancer June 22-July 22
Pluto entered your Solar House of partnership in 2008, catalyzing an intense exploration of relationships and what they mean to you. Along the way you’ve encountered a broad spectrum of relationship issues, but when Saturn joined the team it upped the ante on the longing to belong. While this process is far from over, you can use the next several months to solidify what’s essential in a wholesome relationship for you to feel satisfied and content.

Leo July 23-August 22
Pluto’s passage through your Solar House of health and service began in 2008 and it is far from over; there’s so much more to learn about how to create healthy structures, something Saturn is happy to help with. The key to integrating Saturn’s assistance is clarity—you need to be clear about what your priorities are. Once you identify those areas, finding the discipline to stick to a plan will be easy—well, maybe not easy, but certainly not as hard as it’s been.

Virgo August 23-September 22
When Pluto began its journey through your Solar House of creativity in 2008, you may not have anticipated that it would initiate such a passionate phase. Of course, now that Saturn has joined the team, some of those emotions may have cooled off. But don’t let that stop you from following your heart and embracing what has meaning for you. The moral of this transit is: Have the courage to be all you, all the time, and life will be a much more interesting ride.

Libra September 23-October 22
Pluto entered your Solar House of the home—or what I like to call the bottom of the psychic pond—where all the early emotional and psychological imprints are stored, and for the last many years, it’s raised those memories to the surface of daily life. That was hard enough without Saturn’s entry there in December 2017 and its persistent query: what are you going to do about it; how are you going to heal? Yes, it’s been a pain, but it’s also an opportunity for emotional health.

Scorpio October 23-November 21
Since 2008, Pluto—your Ruling Planet—has been moving through your Solar House of communication, stimulating discourse and discussion with family, friends, and just about everyone you meet. Saturn entered that same sector in December 2017 and its presence deepened some of those exchanges—you may have even divulged never-before-shared secrets. As this process continues, channel that intimacy into greater self-awareness by listening closely to yourself.

Sagittarius November 22-December 21
In 2008, Pluto moved into your Solar House of finance and self-esteem, and I’m guessing that you really don’t need me to tell you what a challenging transit this has been. Saturn joined the team in December 2017, and while we could say Saturn added insult to injury, we could just as easily say that Saturn started to structure the process and that this structure may have provided a much-needed sense of continuity and purpose. Stay on the field—hard as it is, you’re growing.

Capricorn December 22-January 19
I know you don’t need me to tell you just how difficult this transit has been—so rather than dwell on the harsher aspects of this journey, I’m just going to say that even though this ongoing identity crisis has been the most difficult time of your life, you may also look back on it as one of the most beneficial phases. Continue to embrace this process. Pluto and Saturn are reorganizing your priorities—and you’re likely to be pleased with the outcome.

Aquarius January 20-February 18
Pluto has been in your Solar House of dreams and visions since 2008, deepening your awareness of what it means to become increasingly conscious of the unconscious psychological patterns that contribute to our behavior. While this has often been a disturbing phase, if you’ve answered its call for self-awareness, it’s also been beneficial. Saturn’s presence may have turned some of this process a little heavy-handed, but that hasn’t diminished its overall value.

Pisces February 19-March 20
Pluto’s transit through your Solar House of community began in 2008 and its presence has inspired your curiosity about various types of communal experiences that might work for you. Saturn’s entry into that same house in December 2017 turned your curiosity a bit more serious, and while some of the encounters may have been disturbing, overall you are widening an awareness of your options—and that’s a good thing.