Welcome to The New Standard Aspectarian's official blog site, designed to encourage discussion, answer questions, etc. re the general field of present-time planetary influences, as well as to let people know of the existence of this new aspectarian, now available online from http://www.newstandardaspectarian.com/
Most comments will be posted in this free, open forum as is; we reserve the right to screen them where necessary. In most cases the lag time for posting comments will not exceed a couple of days. We are not obligated to answer all questions, but will endeavor to do so. Other readers are welcome to respond.
Orbit Publications (the makers of The New Standard Aspectarian) does not currently offer personalized services, e.g. natal chart calculation and analysis, personal forecasts and advice, etc.
Thank you, Blog Admin.
July 4, 2009
July 3, 2009
A Guide To Astrological Influences In August 2009
The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of August is: 1 conjunction, 5 oppositions, 5 trines, 4 squares. Again there are a goodly number of planetary trines, comparable to June and July but unlike the months of this year prior to June. However, as in July, the planetary trines are significantly outnumbered by the planetary oppositions and squares, possibly portending more stress for the month than usual (whatever "usual" might mean in these unusual times.) And remember, the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction is in orb throughout the month of August even though it doesn't peak in August.
And now let's look at the other significant astrodynamic influences in August. Jupiter 3/7 Saturn peaks in the afternoon of the 1st, emphasizing considerations of practicality regarding things like health, space, color, and finances. And then, reaching a peak later in the afternoon, Venus 1/2 Pluto will try to mess up our composure and rile our emotions. Taken together, these two aspects will tend to create a stressful atmosphere regarding the subjects of health, space, color, and finances.
In the morning of the 3rd, Mercury 1/3 Pluto sets up a nice atmosphere for meetings, conferences, announcements, or just talking and writing. Peaking in the afternoon (but in orb for days), Jupiter 1/11 Uranus injects an ingredient of big new ideas that are "out of left field" -- intriguing, audacious, but generally harebrained and impractical.
In the wee hours of the 6th, Venus goes stationary in declination, emphasizing feelings and emotions and other aspects of subjectivity.
For a few days leading up to the peak in the afternoon/evening of the 10th, Mars 1/4 Saturn creates a climate of stern harsh seriousness, somewhat similar to a militaristic atmosphere, perhaps demanding blind obedience. Arguments can turn deadly under this influence.
Reaching a peak in the afternoon of the 12th (but in orb for days), Jupiter 1/7 Pluto spreads an influence which could be conceptualized as "widespread multiplicity". Anything that relates to that concept is brought into focus under this influence -- viruses, war, multifaceted competitiveness, etc. (Item: Please realize that astrological influences originate at levels of existence higher than the gross planetary levels, and so describing them verbally is inevitably limited by the constraints of language and the human mind. That is one of the reasons why some people find it so difficult to comprehend astrology.)
In the morning of the 13th, Mars 1/3 Jupiter establishes a nice climate for working on big projects of all kinds, either physical or ideological. Jupiter is in the sign of Aquarius and Mars is in the sign of Gemini, and so the concept of "new ideas" is included as an ingredient in this influence. However, Sun 1/2 Jupiter peaks the next day (14th) at about midday followed by the peak of Saturn 3/7 Neptune early in the afternoon, and so this should be taken into account -- such as by not working on the project very long after the peak of the Mars-Jupiter trine. In practical terms, this actually means that the latter two aspects will tend to put a damper on the otherwise nice Mars-Jupiter trine.
By the way, Jupiter and Neptune are at perigee in mid-August (peaking on the 14th and 17th, respectively) -- meaning that they are closest to the Earth at this time. Another way of saying this is that both planets are stationary in geocentric distance. The reason this is mentioned here is that when a planet goes stationary in either longitude or declination or geocentric distance, its influence is temporarily magnified. So, due to these two perigee aspects, the influences of Jupiter and Neptune should be felt more strongly than usual at this time.
The 17th is a mixed bag. Mercury CON Saturn in the sign of Virgo peaks in the morning, increasing the compatibility for mental concentration. But Sun 1/2 Neptune peaks in the afternoon, increasing the compatibility for confusion and blocked flows of all kinds. Mars 1/3 Neptune peaks in the evening, tending to facilitate flows of all kinds. As indicated, the 17th is a mixed bag, and it is anybody's guess as to how this will all play out. As usual in this kind of thing, what each person experiences will probably depend on his or her personal aspects.
(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for August 17, 2009, can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of July at http://www.newstandardaspectarian.com/.)
Peaking in the evening of the 18th, Mars 1/4 Uranus makes things feel a bit strange. Unusual motions and sounds (including noises) emerge from various sources (including people). Some things may move erratically.
Jupiter 5/12 Saturn peaks in the morning of the 19th, focusing on areas similar to those associated with the Jupiter 3/7 Saturn aspect which peaked on the 1st (namely: health, space, color, and finances) -- except that in this case, the focus will be less harmonious. A "5/12" aspect is generally inharmonious whereas a "3/7" aspect is more nearly neutral.
Peaking in the wee hours of the 21st, Mercury 1/2 Uranus creates a strong tendency to alter communications. Mistakes in talking and writing abound under this influence. Wires come loose in electrical apparatus. Things that are routed are more likely to wind up in the wrong place -- such as mailing materials and telephone calls. If you need to change your mind about something, this is a compatible time for doing so. Appointments are forgotten. Pens and pencils won't write. Things are uncoordinated. Numbrs and wurd spelings are unaccountably jumbled. Dreams are weird.
A really strange set of aspects occurs on the 22nd and 23rd, as follows:
On the 22nd: Sun 3/7 Uranus Venus 1/3 Uranus
On the 23rd: Venus 3/7 Pluto Sun 1/3 Pluto
Please notice the uncanny (if not downright spooky) symmetry involved. This appears to be a case of pure coincidence. If that's what it is, the probability of occurrence must be very close to zero. In terms of aspect interpretation, this period of time will feel fresh and new, due to the two Uranus aspects. And it will feel somewhat competitive and pushy, due to the two Pluto aspects. Still, the outstanding feature of this configuration is its extraordinary symmetry. (Actually there is a coincidence involved. The Sun and Venus are about 34 degrees 17' apart, and that just happens to be very close to the difference, 34 degrees 17'09", between the "1/3" and "3/7" aspect angles -- indeed a highly improbable occurrence.)
The configuration on the 25th and 26th is also interesting though not nearly as spooky. In essence, Mars 1/2 Pluto peaks in the afternoon of the 26th, creating an extremely competitive influence. It could easily give rise to widespread belligerence. Mercury squares that opposition in the evening of the 25th (Mercury 1/4 Mars) and the morning of the 26th (Mercury 1/4 Pluto), generating a very argumentative atmosphere that will set the stage for the belligerence on the 26th. These two days are definitely not compatible with cozy comfort, serenity, and peacemaking.
Saturn 3/11 Pluto, which peaks on the 28th at about midday, does little or nothing to quell the unrest of the previous few days. It just solidifies the general attitude of belligerence and all but shuts out the possibility of negotiation, arbitration, reconciliation, and compromise. Tapping into the feeling of serenity is still not yet in the cards.
The three-terminal configuration peaking on the 29th and 30th won't help either. The Sun, Venus, and Jupiter all aspect each other on these days. Sun 5/11 Jupiter peaks at about midday on the 29th, Venus 5/11 Jupiter peaks in the afternoon, and Sun 1/11 Venus peaks in the wee hours of the 30th. (Reminder: The entire "1/11" family of aspects is inharmonious. This includes "1/11", "2/11", etc.)
In the wee hours of the 31st, Mars goes stationary in declination, motivating us with a sense of purpose and stimulating us to "do something".
Here are some previews regarding September. Mercury is "slowing down", getting ready to go stationary-retrograde (Sept. 6). So it will square Mars and Pluto again (Sept. 3 and 17, respectively). And Pluto will go stationary-direct (Sept. 11). And Venus will oppose Neptune (Sept. 15). Saturn will oppose Uranus again (Sept. 15) -- the third peak in their current cycle of five. And the Sun will align with that opposition by opposing Uranus and conjuncting Saturn (Sept. 17). It looks like the middle part of September promises to be an interesting period of time!
* * *
To subscribe to The New Standard Aspectarian,
go to our website at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.
And now let's look at the other significant astrodynamic influences in August. Jupiter 3/7 Saturn peaks in the afternoon of the 1st, emphasizing considerations of practicality regarding things like health, space, color, and finances. And then, reaching a peak later in the afternoon, Venus 1/2 Pluto will try to mess up our composure and rile our emotions. Taken together, these two aspects will tend to create a stressful atmosphere regarding the subjects of health, space, color, and finances.
In the morning of the 3rd, Mercury 1/3 Pluto sets up a nice atmosphere for meetings, conferences, announcements, or just talking and writing. Peaking in the afternoon (but in orb for days), Jupiter 1/11 Uranus injects an ingredient of big new ideas that are "out of left field" -- intriguing, audacious, but generally harebrained and impractical.
In the wee hours of the 6th, Venus goes stationary in declination, emphasizing feelings and emotions and other aspects of subjectivity.
For a few days leading up to the peak in the afternoon/evening of the 10th, Mars 1/4 Saturn creates a climate of stern harsh seriousness, somewhat similar to a militaristic atmosphere, perhaps demanding blind obedience. Arguments can turn deadly under this influence.
Reaching a peak in the afternoon of the 12th (but in orb for days), Jupiter 1/7 Pluto spreads an influence which could be conceptualized as "widespread multiplicity". Anything that relates to that concept is brought into focus under this influence -- viruses, war, multifaceted competitiveness, etc. (Item: Please realize that astrological influences originate at levels of existence higher than the gross planetary levels, and so describing them verbally is inevitably limited by the constraints of language and the human mind. That is one of the reasons why some people find it so difficult to comprehend astrology.)
In the morning of the 13th, Mars 1/3 Jupiter establishes a nice climate for working on big projects of all kinds, either physical or ideological. Jupiter is in the sign of Aquarius and Mars is in the sign of Gemini, and so the concept of "new ideas" is included as an ingredient in this influence. However, Sun 1/2 Jupiter peaks the next day (14th) at about midday followed by the peak of Saturn 3/7 Neptune early in the afternoon, and so this should be taken into account -- such as by not working on the project very long after the peak of the Mars-Jupiter trine. In practical terms, this actually means that the latter two aspects will tend to put a damper on the otherwise nice Mars-Jupiter trine.
By the way, Jupiter and Neptune are at perigee in mid-August (peaking on the 14th and 17th, respectively) -- meaning that they are closest to the Earth at this time. Another way of saying this is that both planets are stationary in geocentric distance. The reason this is mentioned here is that when a planet goes stationary in either longitude or declination or geocentric distance, its influence is temporarily magnified. So, due to these two perigee aspects, the influences of Jupiter and Neptune should be felt more strongly than usual at this time.
The 17th is a mixed bag. Mercury CON Saturn in the sign of Virgo peaks in the morning, increasing the compatibility for mental concentration. But Sun 1/2 Neptune peaks in the afternoon, increasing the compatibility for confusion and blocked flows of all kinds. Mars 1/3 Neptune peaks in the evening, tending to facilitate flows of all kinds. As indicated, the 17th is a mixed bag, and it is anybody's guess as to how this will all play out. As usual in this kind of thing, what each person experiences will probably depend on his or her personal aspects.
(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for August 17, 2009, can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of July at http://www.newstandardaspectarian.com/.)
Peaking in the evening of the 18th, Mars 1/4 Uranus makes things feel a bit strange. Unusual motions and sounds (including noises) emerge from various sources (including people). Some things may move erratically.
Jupiter 5/12 Saturn peaks in the morning of the 19th, focusing on areas similar to those associated with the Jupiter 3/7 Saturn aspect which peaked on the 1st (namely: health, space, color, and finances) -- except that in this case, the focus will be less harmonious. A "5/12" aspect is generally inharmonious whereas a "3/7" aspect is more nearly neutral.
Peaking in the wee hours of the 21st, Mercury 1/2 Uranus creates a strong tendency to alter communications. Mistakes in talking and writing abound under this influence. Wires come loose in electrical apparatus. Things that are routed are more likely to wind up in the wrong place -- such as mailing materials and telephone calls. If you need to change your mind about something, this is a compatible time for doing so. Appointments are forgotten. Pens and pencils won't write. Things are uncoordinated. Numbrs and wurd spelings are unaccountably jumbled. Dreams are weird.
A really strange set of aspects occurs on the 22nd and 23rd, as follows:
On the 22nd: Sun 3/7 Uranus Venus 1/3 Uranus
On the 23rd: Venus 3/7 Pluto Sun 1/3 Pluto
Please notice the uncanny (if not downright spooky) symmetry involved. This appears to be a case of pure coincidence. If that's what it is, the probability of occurrence must be very close to zero. In terms of aspect interpretation, this period of time will feel fresh and new, due to the two Uranus aspects. And it will feel somewhat competitive and pushy, due to the two Pluto aspects. Still, the outstanding feature of this configuration is its extraordinary symmetry. (Actually there is a coincidence involved. The Sun and Venus are about 34 degrees 17' apart, and that just happens to be very close to the difference, 34 degrees 17'09", between the "1/3" and "3/7" aspect angles -- indeed a highly improbable occurrence.)
The configuration on the 25th and 26th is also interesting though not nearly as spooky. In essence, Mars 1/2 Pluto peaks in the afternoon of the 26th, creating an extremely competitive influence. It could easily give rise to widespread belligerence. Mercury squares that opposition in the evening of the 25th (Mercury 1/4 Mars) and the morning of the 26th (Mercury 1/4 Pluto), generating a very argumentative atmosphere that will set the stage for the belligerence on the 26th. These two days are definitely not compatible with cozy comfort, serenity, and peacemaking.
Saturn 3/11 Pluto, which peaks on the 28th at about midday, does little or nothing to quell the unrest of the previous few days. It just solidifies the general attitude of belligerence and all but shuts out the possibility of negotiation, arbitration, reconciliation, and compromise. Tapping into the feeling of serenity is still not yet in the cards.
The three-terminal configuration peaking on the 29th and 30th won't help either. The Sun, Venus, and Jupiter all aspect each other on these days. Sun 5/11 Jupiter peaks at about midday on the 29th, Venus 5/11 Jupiter peaks in the afternoon, and Sun 1/11 Venus peaks in the wee hours of the 30th. (Reminder: The entire "1/11" family of aspects is inharmonious. This includes "1/11", "2/11", etc.)
In the wee hours of the 31st, Mars goes stationary in declination, motivating us with a sense of purpose and stimulating us to "do something".
Here are some previews regarding September. Mercury is "slowing down", getting ready to go stationary-retrograde (Sept. 6). So it will square Mars and Pluto again (Sept. 3 and 17, respectively). And Pluto will go stationary-direct (Sept. 11). And Venus will oppose Neptune (Sept. 15). Saturn will oppose Uranus again (Sept. 15) -- the third peak in their current cycle of five. And the Sun will align with that opposition by opposing Uranus and conjuncting Saturn (Sept. 17). It looks like the middle part of September promises to be an interesting period of time!
* * *
To subscribe to The New Standard Aspectarian,
go to our website at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.
June 3, 2009
A Guide to Astrological Influences in July 2009
The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of July is: 2 conjunctions, 3 oppositions, 6 trines, 7 squares. Like last time (only a bit more so), we have the battle of the trines and the squares. And, as mentioned last time, we also have influences from the Saturn 3/10 Pluto aspect and the Jupiter CON Neptune aspect.
The Saturn 3/10 Pluto aspect peaked twice in May (due to "planetary tag" between those two planets, as mentioned before), and was still in orb in June, doing a slow fade-out during that month. This aspect will finally fade out completely in July, as follows: It will be almost 3 degrees from exact at the beginning of July, more than 4 degrees from exact in mid-July, and more than 6 degrees from exact at the end of July. So the widespread increased tendency toward being fussy and finicky and "splitting hairs" will finally end its reign during the month of July.
The Jupiter CON Neptune aspect has a much longer life. It has been in 5 degree orb since before mid-April, reached a peak on May 27, peaks again on July 10, moves beyond 5 degree orb in early September, moves back into 5 degree orb in about mid-November, reaches a peak again on December 21, and moves beyond 5 degree orb in about mid-January 2010. So, altogether, this aspect will have exerted its influence for roughly nine months. During all this time, we can expect to have a background tendency of vague fuzzy-mindedness. (A more comprehensive description of the expected tendencies which can be attributed to this aspect appeared in the article for May.)
Do the above-mentioned two aspects align with each other in terms of similar manifestations? No, not really. They manifest independently of each other. For example, one of them tends to make us fussy and the other one tends to make us fuzzy - concentrative versus dispersive. Can they actually manifest at the same time? Oh yes! One of the evidences of this is the swine flu outbreak which first hit the headlines in the latter part of April. Jupiter is associated with health and anything widespread, Neptune is associated with things that are airborne, and Aquarius (the tropical sign in which the Jupiter-Neptune aspect manifests) behaves like Uranus in that it is associated with surprises. Bringing in the Saturn-Pluto aspect: Saturn (in tropical Virgo; health) is associated with tiny things (like viruses), and Pluto (in tropical Capricorn; tiny things) is associated with multiplicities. So, taken together, we have all of the makings of a sudden outbreak of a pandemic due to dangerous airborne viruses. Yup, that's the way it works.
*
Now let's look at some of the planetary influences that peak during the month of July. As mentioned at the end of the previous article in this series, Uranus goes stationary-retrograde in Pisces in the wee hours of the 1st. Newness and surprise are emphasized during this influence. Since an aspect of a planet going stationary in longitude is neither inherently good nor bad but just strong, we can expect to experience newness in the air at this time - things that were not foreseen, both desirable and undesirable. The atmosphere could feel "electric".
As it turns out, July 1 is loaded with astrological aspects. Peaking at almost the same time as the stationary Uranus aspect, Jupiter 4/9 Saturn tends to focus on large solid/stable/serious things, like mountains and buildings, and financial matters of all kinds - personal, national, and international. In the afternoon (1st), Mercury, Venus, and Neptune all aspect each other, as follows: Venus 1/4 Neptune, Mercury 1/3 Neptune, and Mercury 1/12 Venus. Feelings and emotions are under stress, perhaps in a turmoil. The situation is helped (made better) by communication.
The early part of the evening (1st) is primarily influenced by the following four Mercury aspects: Sun parallel Mercury, Mercury 1/3 Jupiter, Mercury 1/4 Uranus, and Mercury 2/9 Saturn. Ideas and communications, old and new, tend to dominate the early evening. Later in the evening, Venus tends to dominate: Venus 1/4 Jupiter and Venus 1/6 Uranus. New feelings may emerge, but they may be impractical and expensive.
By the way, in addition to having an unusually large number of planetary aspects reaching a peak, July 1 is also host to an unusually large number of total aspects (planetary plus lunar). As already mentioned, that day "is loaded with astrological aspects" __ an extremely "busy" day.
(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for July 1, 2009, can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of June at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)
In the morning of the Fourth of July, Mercury 1/2 Pluto tends to make things argumentative in nature. It is possible that the noise made by exploding firecrackers may ignite belligerence in some neighborhoods.
In the morning and afternoon of the 6th, Mars squares the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction, which is only about 12' from exact. "Fiery actions" of all kinds are likely to go awry in one way or another. This may be a good time to keep a low profile and confine our activities to normal duties.
Mercury goes stationary in declination in the wee hours of the 8th, tending to shape our dreams in rational terms: thinking rather than emoting.
The wee hours of the 9th are dominated by Saturnian influences, due to Sun 1/6 Saturn, Venus 2/7 Saturn, and Mercury 2/11 Saturn all reaching peaks within a total time span of less than 4 hours. This period tends to be more-or-less serious, but probably nothing major is involved.
As already mentioned, Jupiter CON Neptune in Aquarius peaks on the 10th. Since the peak occurs in the wee hours, this could create really good "sleeping weather". This influence also increases the compatibility for things like hunches, intuitions, inspirations, and mystical revelations. (As already mentioned, the article about the month of May contained a more comprehensive description of the wider effects of this aspect.) (Note: At about 12:45 pm PDT, the Moon conjuncts Jupiter and Neptune, forming a triple conjunction and temporarily strengthening this already powerful aspect. If a flood or a leaky faucet is "waiting to happen", this lunar complicity could be the final trigger.)
In the evening of the 13th, Sun CON Mercury in the sign of Cancer greatly heightens the tendencies associated with thinking and communication. Face-to-face conversations, telephone calls, letter writing, and e-mails can be expected to manifest much more than usual under this aspect.
In the wee hours of the 16th, Mercury 1/3 Uranus brings fresh new ideas and stimulating conversations. If you have been waiting for a good time to plan how to build a flying saucer (or whatever), this is a compatible period of time for such a project.
In the afternoon/evening of the 18th, Sun 1/3 Uranus creates a sense of newness and adventure. If you wanted to explore a cave (or whatever), this might be the time - depending, of course, on your personal aspects.
As you may have noticed, there is a pattern involved in the influences that peak from the 13th to the 18th. The pattern involves the Sun and Mercury conjuncting each other and then individually trining Uranus. In general, that period of time should feel pretty good to most people.
To an extent, the 20th may feel kind of good also, due to a triple parallel configuration: Sun parallel Venus (in the wee hours), Mercury parallel Venus (in the morning), and Sun parallel Mercury (in the afternoon).
The phrase "to an extent" was used above because a couple of "heavy" aspects show up in the next two days. On the 21st, Venus 1/4 Saturn peaks in the afternoon and brings a "downer" atmosphere with it, making everything feel like insurmountable drudgery or repositories of sadness. And then, peaking the following morning (22nd), Saturn 2/7 Pluto reprises (to some extent) the Saturn 3/10 Pluto aspect described earlier.
Then things improve for a while. A contrasting aspect pair peaks in the evening of the 23rd: Mars 1/5 Uranus and Mercury 1/10 Saturn, which peak only 13 minutes apart (9:57 and 10:10 pm PDT). This could actually be a good time to focus your mind on purchasing (or designing) a new kind of automobile or musical instrument (or whatever).
In the evening of the 26th, Venus 1/3 Jupiter creates a pleasant atmosphere, suitable for relaxing, socializing, or even partying.
In the evening of the 27th, Venus 1/3 Neptune creates another pleasant atmosphere which is likewise suitable for relaxing. (In effect, Venus is trining the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction on the 26th and 27th.)
In the afternoon of the 28th, Venus 1/4 Uranus breaks the recent pattern of comfort, pleasantness, relaxation, and congeniality. The Venus-Uranus square can bring unpleasant surprises and unexpected disagreements.
The 30th features three planetary aspects involving Jupiter, but only one of them could be classified as pleasant. In the wee hours of the 30th, Mercury 1/2 Jupiter creates a kind of dispersive atmosphere that encourages a "think big" attitude but seems to chiefly attract ideas that are either too expensive or too "far out" to be taken seriously - such as, for example, painting Mount Everest. In the morning (30th), Sun 5/11 Jupiter likewise focuses on the negative side of Jupiter's influences. But in the afternoon, Mercury parallel Jupiter encourages bright and potentially doable ideas and long-distance communications.
In the wee hours of the 31st, Mercury 1/2 Neptune creates confusion - definitely not a time to engage in cycles which require clear thinking.
* * *
To subscribe to The New Standard Aspectarian,
go to our website at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.
The Saturn 3/10 Pluto aspect peaked twice in May (due to "planetary tag" between those two planets, as mentioned before), and was still in orb in June, doing a slow fade-out during that month. This aspect will finally fade out completely in July, as follows: It will be almost 3 degrees from exact at the beginning of July, more than 4 degrees from exact in mid-July, and more than 6 degrees from exact at the end of July. So the widespread increased tendency toward being fussy and finicky and "splitting hairs" will finally end its reign during the month of July.
The Jupiter CON Neptune aspect has a much longer life. It has been in 5 degree orb since before mid-April, reached a peak on May 27, peaks again on July 10, moves beyond 5 degree orb in early September, moves back into 5 degree orb in about mid-November, reaches a peak again on December 21, and moves beyond 5 degree orb in about mid-January 2010. So, altogether, this aspect will have exerted its influence for roughly nine months. During all this time, we can expect to have a background tendency of vague fuzzy-mindedness. (A more comprehensive description of the expected tendencies which can be attributed to this aspect appeared in the article for May.)
Do the above-mentioned two aspects align with each other in terms of similar manifestations? No, not really. They manifest independently of each other. For example, one of them tends to make us fussy and the other one tends to make us fuzzy - concentrative versus dispersive. Can they actually manifest at the same time? Oh yes! One of the evidences of this is the swine flu outbreak which first hit the headlines in the latter part of April. Jupiter is associated with health and anything widespread, Neptune is associated with things that are airborne, and Aquarius (the tropical sign in which the Jupiter-Neptune aspect manifests) behaves like Uranus in that it is associated with surprises. Bringing in the Saturn-Pluto aspect: Saturn (in tropical Virgo; health) is associated with tiny things (like viruses), and Pluto (in tropical Capricorn; tiny things) is associated with multiplicities. So, taken together, we have all of the makings of a sudden outbreak of a pandemic due to dangerous airborne viruses. Yup, that's the way it works.
*
Now let's look at some of the planetary influences that peak during the month of July. As mentioned at the end of the previous article in this series, Uranus goes stationary-retrograde in Pisces in the wee hours of the 1st. Newness and surprise are emphasized during this influence. Since an aspect of a planet going stationary in longitude is neither inherently good nor bad but just strong, we can expect to experience newness in the air at this time - things that were not foreseen, both desirable and undesirable. The atmosphere could feel "electric".
As it turns out, July 1 is loaded with astrological aspects. Peaking at almost the same time as the stationary Uranus aspect, Jupiter 4/9 Saturn tends to focus on large solid/stable/serious things, like mountains and buildings, and financial matters of all kinds - personal, national, and international. In the afternoon (1st), Mercury, Venus, and Neptune all aspect each other, as follows: Venus 1/4 Neptune, Mercury 1/3 Neptune, and Mercury 1/12 Venus. Feelings and emotions are under stress, perhaps in a turmoil. The situation is helped (made better) by communication.
The early part of the evening (1st) is primarily influenced by the following four Mercury aspects: Sun parallel Mercury, Mercury 1/3 Jupiter, Mercury 1/4 Uranus, and Mercury 2/9 Saturn. Ideas and communications, old and new, tend to dominate the early evening. Later in the evening, Venus tends to dominate: Venus 1/4 Jupiter and Venus 1/6 Uranus. New feelings may emerge, but they may be impractical and expensive.
By the way, in addition to having an unusually large number of planetary aspects reaching a peak, July 1 is also host to an unusually large number of total aspects (planetary plus lunar). As already mentioned, that day "is loaded with astrological aspects" __ an extremely "busy" day.
(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for July 1, 2009, can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of June at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)
In the morning of the Fourth of July, Mercury 1/2 Pluto tends to make things argumentative in nature. It is possible that the noise made by exploding firecrackers may ignite belligerence in some neighborhoods.
In the morning and afternoon of the 6th, Mars squares the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction, which is only about 12' from exact. "Fiery actions" of all kinds are likely to go awry in one way or another. This may be a good time to keep a low profile and confine our activities to normal duties.
Mercury goes stationary in declination in the wee hours of the 8th, tending to shape our dreams in rational terms: thinking rather than emoting.
The wee hours of the 9th are dominated by Saturnian influences, due to Sun 1/6 Saturn, Venus 2/7 Saturn, and Mercury 2/11 Saturn all reaching peaks within a total time span of less than 4 hours. This period tends to be more-or-less serious, but probably nothing major is involved.
As already mentioned, Jupiter CON Neptune in Aquarius peaks on the 10th. Since the peak occurs in the wee hours, this could create really good "sleeping weather". This influence also increases the compatibility for things like hunches, intuitions, inspirations, and mystical revelations. (As already mentioned, the article about the month of May contained a more comprehensive description of the wider effects of this aspect.) (Note: At about 12:45 pm PDT, the Moon conjuncts Jupiter and Neptune, forming a triple conjunction and temporarily strengthening this already powerful aspect. If a flood or a leaky faucet is "waiting to happen", this lunar complicity could be the final trigger.)
In the evening of the 13th, Sun CON Mercury in the sign of Cancer greatly heightens the tendencies associated with thinking and communication. Face-to-face conversations, telephone calls, letter writing, and e-mails can be expected to manifest much more than usual under this aspect.
In the wee hours of the 16th, Mercury 1/3 Uranus brings fresh new ideas and stimulating conversations. If you have been waiting for a good time to plan how to build a flying saucer (or whatever), this is a compatible period of time for such a project.
In the afternoon/evening of the 18th, Sun 1/3 Uranus creates a sense of newness and adventure. If you wanted to explore a cave (or whatever), this might be the time - depending, of course, on your personal aspects.
As you may have noticed, there is a pattern involved in the influences that peak from the 13th to the 18th. The pattern involves the Sun and Mercury conjuncting each other and then individually trining Uranus. In general, that period of time should feel pretty good to most people.
To an extent, the 20th may feel kind of good also, due to a triple parallel configuration: Sun parallel Venus (in the wee hours), Mercury parallel Venus (in the morning), and Sun parallel Mercury (in the afternoon).
The phrase "to an extent" was used above because a couple of "heavy" aspects show up in the next two days. On the 21st, Venus 1/4 Saturn peaks in the afternoon and brings a "downer" atmosphere with it, making everything feel like insurmountable drudgery or repositories of sadness. And then, peaking the following morning (22nd), Saturn 2/7 Pluto reprises (to some extent) the Saturn 3/10 Pluto aspect described earlier.
Then things improve for a while. A contrasting aspect pair peaks in the evening of the 23rd: Mars 1/5 Uranus and Mercury 1/10 Saturn, which peak only 13 minutes apart (9:57 and 10:10 pm PDT). This could actually be a good time to focus your mind on purchasing (or designing) a new kind of automobile or musical instrument (or whatever).
In the evening of the 26th, Venus 1/3 Jupiter creates a pleasant atmosphere, suitable for relaxing, socializing, or even partying.
In the evening of the 27th, Venus 1/3 Neptune creates another pleasant atmosphere which is likewise suitable for relaxing. (In effect, Venus is trining the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction on the 26th and 27th.)
In the afternoon of the 28th, Venus 1/4 Uranus breaks the recent pattern of comfort, pleasantness, relaxation, and congeniality. The Venus-Uranus square can bring unpleasant surprises and unexpected disagreements.
The 30th features three planetary aspects involving Jupiter, but only one of them could be classified as pleasant. In the wee hours of the 30th, Mercury 1/2 Jupiter creates a kind of dispersive atmosphere that encourages a "think big" attitude but seems to chiefly attract ideas that are either too expensive or too "far out" to be taken seriously - such as, for example, painting Mount Everest. In the morning (30th), Sun 5/11 Jupiter likewise focuses on the negative side of Jupiter's influences. But in the afternoon, Mercury parallel Jupiter encourages bright and potentially doable ideas and long-distance communications.
In the wee hours of the 31st, Mercury 1/2 Neptune creates confusion - definitely not a time to engage in cycles which require clear thinking.
* * *
To subscribe to The New Standard Aspectarian,
go to our website at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.
May 3, 2009
A Guide to Astrological Influences in June 2009
The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of June is: 1 conjunction, 1 opposition, 6 trines, 5 squares. Again we have the battle of the trines and the squares, adding unpredictabilityto the stress index. Also, please be reminded of two planetary aspects which are in orb but do not peak in June. Saturn 3/10 Pluto peaked on May 1 and again on May 13 due to a game of "planetary tag", as mentioned last time. It will still be within less than one degree of exact at thebeginning of June and within less than three degrees of exact at the end of June. It tends to make people "split hairs" and become fussy over trifles. The other aspect is Jupiter CON Neptune in Aquarius. This aspect peaked on May 27 and will remain within roughly half a degree of exact through out the month of June, spreading feelings of fuzziness and out-of-focus hopefulness. It will peak again on July 10 and December 21.
The first significant planetary aspect peaking in June is Mercury going stationary in declination in the afternoon of the 2nd, tending to clear the mind and make things somewhat easier to understand.
The 3rd may well belong to Mars. On this day, Mars forms the following peaks: Mars 2/11 Neptune in the wee hours, causing things and people to be more slippery than usual; Mars 2/11 Jupiter in the afternoon, making things louder and more aggressive; Mars 1/10 Uranus in the afternoon/-evening, stimulating new projects; and Mars 1/3 Pluto in the evening,boosting competitiveness in a harmonious way. An interesting day.
In the afternoon of the 5th, Sun 1/4 Saturn makes things concentrative. On the 8th, Venus 1/3 Pluto brings strong but harmonious feelings.
In the afternoon and evening of the 9th, Mercury 1/6 Uranus brings bright new ideas, Mercury 1/4 Neptune brings confusion, and Uranus 1/12 Neptunebrings hunches and inspiration.
(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for June 9, 2009, can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of May at http://www.newstandardaspectarian.com/.)
In the morning of the 10th, Mercury 1/4 Jupiter brings a tendency to think big. And in the morning of the 11th, Jupiter goes stationary in declination, focusing on expansive topics. The next day (12th) in the afternoon and evening, Venus 1/9 Uranus and Mars 1/5 Jupiter furnish a fitting climate for the official date of the changeover to digital TV.
Jupiter goes stationary-retrograde in Aquarius in the wee hours of the15th, focusing attention on health, wealth, color, and large spaces.
In the wee hours of the 17th, Sun 1/3 Neptune tends to bring good sleep and pleasant dreams. But peaking a few hours later, Sun 1/4 Uranus can introduce weirdness and surprise, messing up (or at least significantly altering) the smooth comfort of the Sun-Neptune trine. In the evening, Sun 1/3 Jupiter brings feelings of abundance and affluence.
The Sun enters the tropical sign of Cancer on the 20th at 10:46 pm PDT, signifying the official beginning of summer.
Venus CON Mars in Taurus peaks early in the morning of the 21st, boosting the probability of romantic interludes. But late the same day, feelings tend toward seriousness and objectivity because of Venus 1/3 Saturn.
Early the next morning (22nd), Mars 1/3 Saturn reinforces the feeling of seriousness and objectivity.
Peeking in the wee hours of the 23rd, Sun 1/2 Pluto brings a negative competitive atmosphere that could easily escalate into belligerence. This is a good time to stay away from crowds.
In the wee hours of the 26th, Mercury 1/4 Saturn brings a concentrative atmosphere good for serious matters, not good for light-hearted humor. Peaking at roughly the same time, Saturn 4/9 Neptune creates a mood that focuses on practical ways to achieve one's hopes and dreams.
Peaking early in the morning of the 29th, Uranus goes stationary in decli-nation, livening the atmosphere by focusing on newness.
In the afternoon/evening of the 30th, Jupiter 1/12 Uranus expands on the Uranus atmosphere of the 29th and adds an ingredient that brings in the factors of money, health, and spaciousness. Inventors will resonate to this influence.
Note: Uranus goes stationary-retrograde in Pisces in the wee hours of July 1. This aspect will have been in orb for many days before hand - which means that it will reinforce the Uranus influences which peak near the end of June.
To subscribe to The New Standard Aspectarian, go to our website at http://www.newstandardaspectarian.com/.
The first significant planetary aspect peaking in June is Mercury going stationary in declination in the afternoon of the 2nd, tending to clear the mind and make things somewhat easier to understand.
The 3rd may well belong to Mars. On this day, Mars forms the following peaks: Mars 2/11 Neptune in the wee hours, causing things and people to be more slippery than usual; Mars 2/11 Jupiter in the afternoon, making things louder and more aggressive; Mars 1/10 Uranus in the afternoon/-evening, stimulating new projects; and Mars 1/3 Pluto in the evening,boosting competitiveness in a harmonious way. An interesting day.
In the afternoon of the 5th, Sun 1/4 Saturn makes things concentrative. On the 8th, Venus 1/3 Pluto brings strong but harmonious feelings.
In the afternoon and evening of the 9th, Mercury 1/6 Uranus brings bright new ideas, Mercury 1/4 Neptune brings confusion, and Uranus 1/12 Neptunebrings hunches and inspiration.
(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for June 9, 2009, can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of May at http://www.newstandardaspectarian.com/.)
In the morning of the 10th, Mercury 1/4 Jupiter brings a tendency to think big. And in the morning of the 11th, Jupiter goes stationary in declination, focusing on expansive topics. The next day (12th) in the afternoon and evening, Venus 1/9 Uranus and Mars 1/5 Jupiter furnish a fitting climate for the official date of the changeover to digital TV.
Jupiter goes stationary-retrograde in Aquarius in the wee hours of the15th, focusing attention on health, wealth, color, and large spaces.
In the wee hours of the 17th, Sun 1/3 Neptune tends to bring good sleep and pleasant dreams. But peaking a few hours later, Sun 1/4 Uranus can introduce weirdness and surprise, messing up (or at least significantly altering) the smooth comfort of the Sun-Neptune trine. In the evening, Sun 1/3 Jupiter brings feelings of abundance and affluence.
The Sun enters the tropical sign of Cancer on the 20th at 10:46 pm PDT, signifying the official beginning of summer.
Venus CON Mars in Taurus peaks early in the morning of the 21st, boosting the probability of romantic interludes. But late the same day, feelings tend toward seriousness and objectivity because of Venus 1/3 Saturn.
Early the next morning (22nd), Mars 1/3 Saturn reinforces the feeling of seriousness and objectivity.
Peeking in the wee hours of the 23rd, Sun 1/2 Pluto brings a negative competitive atmosphere that could easily escalate into belligerence. This is a good time to stay away from crowds.
In the wee hours of the 26th, Mercury 1/4 Saturn brings a concentrative atmosphere good for serious matters, not good for light-hearted humor. Peaking at roughly the same time, Saturn 4/9 Neptune creates a mood that focuses on practical ways to achieve one's hopes and dreams.
Peaking early in the morning of the 29th, Uranus goes stationary in decli-nation, livening the atmosphere by focusing on newness.
In the afternoon/evening of the 30th, Jupiter 1/12 Uranus expands on the Uranus atmosphere of the 29th and adds an ingredient that brings in the factors of money, health, and spaciousness. Inventors will resonate to this influence.
Note: Uranus goes stationary-retrograde in Pisces in the wee hours of July 1. This aspect will have been in orb for many days before hand - which means that it will reinforce the Uranus influences which peak near the end of June.
To subscribe to The New Standard Aspectarian, go to our website at http://www.newstandardaspectarian.com/.
April 2, 2009
A Guide to Astrological Influences in May 2009
The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of May is: 2 conjunctions, 0 oppositions, 1 trine, 5 squares. The preponderance of planetary squares in this profile portends somewhat more stress than usual - although it is certainly not the only factor which correlates with stress. And, of course, not all stresses are created equal. For example, there is the kind which is brought about by some aspects involving interactions between Saturn and Pluto.
The first major planetary aspect of May reaches a peak in the morning of the 1st: Saturn 3/10 Pluto. This one is a real downer, tending to make people "split hairs" in their personal dealings with others - which is not exactly a way to make friends. This aspect sways people in the direction of getting more narrow and shallow and pushy about small things that normally don't deserve that kind of attention. It creates a competitive atmosphere of the kind which is uncomfortable for most people: fussy and finicky over trifles - commonly known as "picky-picky".
Perhaps the least desirable facet of this Saturn 3/10 Pluto aspect is the duration of its influence. It was in orb during most or all of the month of April (yes, it should have been mentioned in connection with the comments about April), will remain in orb throughout the month of May, and will do a slow fade-out during the month of June.
*
As a matter of possible interest, the reason for the unusually long duration of this Saturn-Pluto aspect is that Saturn is retrograde and is in the process of slowing down (as viewed from the Earth, of course), getting ready to go stationary-direct later. Prior to May, Saturn has been moving faster than Pluto (as viewed from the Earth). It then catches up with Pluto to form the "3/10" aspect on May 1. Then Saturn continues to slow down to the point where it is actually moving slower than Pluto, and so Pluto (which is also in retrograde motion) catches up with Saturn and forms another peak of the same "3/10" aspect on May 13. Three days later, on May 16, Saturn ends its retrograde motion and goes stationary-direct. This process is an example of what is called "planetary tag".
Due to the duration of the influence of this Saturn-Pluto aspect, it will have more time than usual to build up its effects on the workings of our society. A "3/10" aspect would not normally exert this much influence, but "planetary tag" is not a commonplace occurrence. Furthermore, most aspectarians don't even list this kind of aspect, but it is included in the set of aspects used in The New Standard Aspectarian.
*
In the morning of May 2, Mercury is stationary in declination, increasing the tendency to communicate. But in that same morning, Venus 1/4 Pluto makes people more sensitive to emotional slights. This would be a good time to be more careful how we treat each other. Small things could be transformed into imagined insults.
In the wee hours of the 5th (and the previous few days), Sun 1/3 Saturn tends to bring some harmonious stability to our moods and attitudes. Peaking a few hours later, Jupiter 1/7 Pluto colors the atmosphere with feelings of large complex patterns stretching in all directions. These two aspects are quite different from each other, nevertheless they can blend and mesh to produce a potentially very productive period of time.
In the evening of the 6th, Mercury goes stationary-retrograde in its own sign of Gemini, greatly magnifying the tendency to communicate. It also contributes significantly to better clearer thinking. Taking short trips (to anywhere) becomes more popular at this time.
Jupiter 4/9 Saturn peaks on the 9th at about midday. This aspect, which is neither good nor bad, tilts the cosmic compatibilities in the direction of combining the qualities of Jupiter and Saturn. So if you want to act in accordance with a cosmic atmosphere which harmonizes with your actions and makes them "feel right", you could choose to do things like take a vacation in the mountains, investigate the theory of "dark matter" in outer space, build a snowman (in May?), or go on a diet.
The 12th is host to magnified influences from Saturn and Pluto, but not because of an aspect that involves both of them (like the one which was described earlier). By sheer coincidence, both Saturn and Pluto are going stationary in declination in the evening of the 12th, with the peaks only two hours apart. These "twinfluences" will add to the already existing influence of their "3/10" aspect - more heaviness and pushiness.
The second peak of the Saturn 3/10 Pluto aspect this month occurs in the evening of the 13th. Since both Saturn and Pluto went stationary in declination the previous evening, the 13th will likely feel just as heavy and pushy as the 12th, maybe even more so.
The 16th is another interesting day. Reaching a peak in the wee hours, Sun 1/4 Jupiter injects a tendency toward philosophical loftiness and just plain dispersal - all this, of course, against a backdrop of the Saturn-Pluto influences, which makes for a really weird mix. But making the mix weirder, Saturn goes stationary-direct in Virgo in the evening, contributing a heavily concentrative influence which works against the dispersive tendency from the Sun-Jupiter square. Then, peaking three hours later, Sun 1/4 Neptune brings confusion (like, we needed that?).
In the wee hours of the 18th, Sun CON Mercury in Taurus boosts the capability (and the tendency) to think and communicate. And the following morning (19th), Jupiter 1/12 Uranus stimulates big new ideas and plans.
The 20th seems to almost belong to Mercury. Reaching a peak in the wee hours, Mercury 1/4 Neptune creates mental confusion. The Sun enters Gemini (the sign associated with Mercury) in the afternoon. Mercury parallel Pluto peaks in the evening (aiding complex thinking and communications), followed by the peaks of Mercury 1/4 Jupiter ("think big" but not necessarily realistically), and Mercury 1/6 Uranus (bright new innovative ideas). On a day like this, it would not be unusual to see a lot more conversations, conferences, long-distance communications, etc.
(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for May 20, 2009, can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of April at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)
Peaking in the evening of the 26th, Neptune goes stationary in declination. This can augment all manner of Neptunian tendencies, including having hunches, dreaminess, sleepiness, people going swimming and sailing (crowded beaches and lakes), people getting drunk, and people seeing ghosts. This aspect will make some people want to just get comfortable. For others, it will make them feel lethargic and blah.
The principal planetary aspect peaking on the 27th covers more territory than might appear at first glance. Jupiter CON Neptune in the sign of Aquarius peaks in the afternoon and creates influences that are somewhat similar to those described above for the 26th only more so. It could bring much more rain than normal, much more drunkenness, more hunches, more swimming and sailing, and more ghost sightings. As hinted here, this aspect covers a greater period of time than one would normally expect. It has been within a 5-degree orb since before mid-April, and it will reach peaks again on July 10 (both planets retrograde) and December 21 (both planets direct). In terms of the planet-wide economic crisis, this aspect will tend to bring more confusion and unrealistic orientations and expectations, but it could also bring more economic stimulus packages and bailouts. The feeling that will be in the air will be that of fuzziness, confusion, and some fear and panic - in other words, the same as what we have already experienced only more so. People's hopes and aspirations will be pinned to (associated with) their monetary situation more than what was previously considered to be normal. One of the primary concepts involved in all this is: imbalances in wealth and personal havingness. Ultimately, it could grow into a test of our current monetary system.
Neptune goes stationary-retrograde in the sign of Aquarius in the evening of the 28th, temporarily adding to what has already been described here for the 26th and 27th. Neptune really dominates the scene during this period of time: stationary in declination on the 26th, conjunct Jupiter on the 27th, and stationary in longitude on the 28th. Quite unusual.
Mercury goes stationary-direct in Taurus in the evening of the 30th, helping people sort out the significance of the recent events.
* * *
To subscribe to The New Standard Aspectarian,
please go to our website at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.
************************
The first major planetary aspect of May reaches a peak in the morning of the 1st: Saturn 3/10 Pluto. This one is a real downer, tending to make people "split hairs" in their personal dealings with others - which is not exactly a way to make friends. This aspect sways people in the direction of getting more narrow and shallow and pushy about small things that normally don't deserve that kind of attention. It creates a competitive atmosphere of the kind which is uncomfortable for most people: fussy and finicky over trifles - commonly known as "picky-picky".
Perhaps the least desirable facet of this Saturn 3/10 Pluto aspect is the duration of its influence. It was in orb during most or all of the month of April (yes, it should have been mentioned in connection with the comments about April), will remain in orb throughout the month of May, and will do a slow fade-out during the month of June.
*
As a matter of possible interest, the reason for the unusually long duration of this Saturn-Pluto aspect is that Saturn is retrograde and is in the process of slowing down (as viewed from the Earth, of course), getting ready to go stationary-direct later. Prior to May, Saturn has been moving faster than Pluto (as viewed from the Earth). It then catches up with Pluto to form the "3/10" aspect on May 1. Then Saturn continues to slow down to the point where it is actually moving slower than Pluto, and so Pluto (which is also in retrograde motion) catches up with Saturn and forms another peak of the same "3/10" aspect on May 13. Three days later, on May 16, Saturn ends its retrograde motion and goes stationary-direct. This process is an example of what is called "planetary tag".
Due to the duration of the influence of this Saturn-Pluto aspect, it will have more time than usual to build up its effects on the workings of our society. A "3/10" aspect would not normally exert this much influence, but "planetary tag" is not a commonplace occurrence. Furthermore, most aspectarians don't even list this kind of aspect, but it is included in the set of aspects used in The New Standard Aspectarian.
*
In the morning of May 2, Mercury is stationary in declination, increasing the tendency to communicate. But in that same morning, Venus 1/4 Pluto makes people more sensitive to emotional slights. This would be a good time to be more careful how we treat each other. Small things could be transformed into imagined insults.
In the wee hours of the 5th (and the previous few days), Sun 1/3 Saturn tends to bring some harmonious stability to our moods and attitudes. Peaking a few hours later, Jupiter 1/7 Pluto colors the atmosphere with feelings of large complex patterns stretching in all directions. These two aspects are quite different from each other, nevertheless they can blend and mesh to produce a potentially very productive period of time.
In the evening of the 6th, Mercury goes stationary-retrograde in its own sign of Gemini, greatly magnifying the tendency to communicate. It also contributes significantly to better clearer thinking. Taking short trips (to anywhere) becomes more popular at this time.
Jupiter 4/9 Saturn peaks on the 9th at about midday. This aspect, which is neither good nor bad, tilts the cosmic compatibilities in the direction of combining the qualities of Jupiter and Saturn. So if you want to act in accordance with a cosmic atmosphere which harmonizes with your actions and makes them "feel right", you could choose to do things like take a vacation in the mountains, investigate the theory of "dark matter" in outer space, build a snowman (in May?), or go on a diet.
The 12th is host to magnified influences from Saturn and Pluto, but not because of an aspect that involves both of them (like the one which was described earlier). By sheer coincidence, both Saturn and Pluto are going stationary in declination in the evening of the 12th, with the peaks only two hours apart. These "twinfluences" will add to the already existing influence of their "3/10" aspect - more heaviness and pushiness.
The second peak of the Saturn 3/10 Pluto aspect this month occurs in the evening of the 13th. Since both Saturn and Pluto went stationary in declination the previous evening, the 13th will likely feel just as heavy and pushy as the 12th, maybe even more so.
The 16th is another interesting day. Reaching a peak in the wee hours, Sun 1/4 Jupiter injects a tendency toward philosophical loftiness and just plain dispersal - all this, of course, against a backdrop of the Saturn-Pluto influences, which makes for a really weird mix. But making the mix weirder, Saturn goes stationary-direct in Virgo in the evening, contributing a heavily concentrative influence which works against the dispersive tendency from the Sun-Jupiter square. Then, peaking three hours later, Sun 1/4 Neptune brings confusion (like, we needed that?).
In the wee hours of the 18th, Sun CON Mercury in Taurus boosts the capability (and the tendency) to think and communicate. And the following morning (19th), Jupiter 1/12 Uranus stimulates big new ideas and plans.
The 20th seems to almost belong to Mercury. Reaching a peak in the wee hours, Mercury 1/4 Neptune creates mental confusion. The Sun enters Gemini (the sign associated with Mercury) in the afternoon. Mercury parallel Pluto peaks in the evening (aiding complex thinking and communications), followed by the peaks of Mercury 1/4 Jupiter ("think big" but not necessarily realistically), and Mercury 1/6 Uranus (bright new innovative ideas). On a day like this, it would not be unusual to see a lot more conversations, conferences, long-distance communications, etc.
(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for May 20, 2009, can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of April at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)
Peaking in the evening of the 26th, Neptune goes stationary in declination. This can augment all manner of Neptunian tendencies, including having hunches, dreaminess, sleepiness, people going swimming and sailing (crowded beaches and lakes), people getting drunk, and people seeing ghosts. This aspect will make some people want to just get comfortable. For others, it will make them feel lethargic and blah.
The principal planetary aspect peaking on the 27th covers more territory than might appear at first glance. Jupiter CON Neptune in the sign of Aquarius peaks in the afternoon and creates influences that are somewhat similar to those described above for the 26th only more so. It could bring much more rain than normal, much more drunkenness, more hunches, more swimming and sailing, and more ghost sightings. As hinted here, this aspect covers a greater period of time than one would normally expect. It has been within a 5-degree orb since before mid-April, and it will reach peaks again on July 10 (both planets retrograde) and December 21 (both planets direct). In terms of the planet-wide economic crisis, this aspect will tend to bring more confusion and unrealistic orientations and expectations, but it could also bring more economic stimulus packages and bailouts. The feeling that will be in the air will be that of fuzziness, confusion, and some fear and panic - in other words, the same as what we have already experienced only more so. People's hopes and aspirations will be pinned to (associated with) their monetary situation more than what was previously considered to be normal. One of the primary concepts involved in all this is: imbalances in wealth and personal havingness. Ultimately, it could grow into a test of our current monetary system.
Neptune goes stationary-retrograde in the sign of Aquarius in the evening of the 28th, temporarily adding to what has already been described here for the 26th and 27th. Neptune really dominates the scene during this period of time: stationary in declination on the 26th, conjunct Jupiter on the 27th, and stationary in longitude on the 28th. Quite unusual.
Mercury goes stationary-direct in Taurus in the evening of the 30th, helping people sort out the significance of the recent events.
* * *
To subscribe to The New Standard Aspectarian,
please go to our website at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.
************************
March 2, 2009
A Guide to Astrological Influences in April 2009
The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of April is: 2 conjunctions, 1 opposition, 3 trines, 4 squares. This is not a particularly outstanding profile -- meaning that it doesn't lean strongly in any specific direction. In the present state of affairs on this planet, that could actually be a good thing.
The first major planetary aspect in April is Venus 1/4 Pluto, which peaks in the wee hours of the 3rd. This tends to add turmoil to the emotions and other personal feelings. In the afternoon and early evening, Mercury and Mars join in, initially in the form of Mercury 1/11 Mars and then as Mercury parallel Mars. As a result, bad feelings could initially lead to shouting matches and then be smoothed out by honest straight talk.
Peaking on the 4th but in orb for days beforehand, Pluto goes stationary-retrograde in Capricorn at about midday and Mars 1/2 Saturn peaks in the afternoon/evening. The Pluto aspect will increase competitiveness and industriousness, but the opposition aspect will tend to slow things down and throw monkey wrenches into the works. Summing it up, the first four days of April should not be expected to be quiet, peaceful, and serene.
Peaking in the wee hours of the 8th, Jupiter 3/7 Saturn emphasizes solid important issues, like health insurance, unemployment, paying the bills.
Peaking late on the 10th, Mercury 1/3 Pluto is fine for announcements, conversations/conferences, group activities of various kinds.
Saturn 4/9 Neptune peaks in the morning of the 12th, focusing on practicality in a kind of foggy way. Clear thinking is a bit more difficult.
To an extent, the 15th-16th seems to be Uranus-oriented. Peaking in the wee hours of the 15th, Mars CON Uranus in Pisces brings weird sounds and actions that may be hard to identify or trace. Peaking in the evening, Jupiter 1/11 Uranus brings big changes and large-size novelties which are not necessarily desirable or good. Peaking at about midday on the 16th, Mars parallel Uranus brings novel actions and bright new sounds.
Peaking at about midday on the 17th, Venus goes stationary-direct in the sign of Pisces, emphasizing feelings and emotions. Then, peaking in the afternoon/evening, Mercury 1/3 Saturn establishes a climate which is good for serious conversations, concentrative mental tasks, and good books.
Venus CON Mars in Pisces peaks in the afternoon/evening of the 21st. The resultant atmosphere emphasizes expressing one's feelings, good or bad.
In the afternoon/evening of the 22nd, Mercury 1/4 Jupiter highlights big ideas, long-range plans/expectancies, and long-distance communications. In the evening, Sun 1/3 Pluto emphasizes harmonious activities/projects.
An interesting Saturn-to-Uranus transition takes place on the 24th. In the wee hours, Sun 4/11 Saturn reaches a peak, and then Mars 5/11 Saturn reaches a peak at about midday. Then Mercury 1/6 Uranus peaks a little over an hour later (at 12:38 pm PDT). The slide from Saturnine feelings to Uranian feelings may be consciously discernible to you.
(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for April 24, 2009, can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of March at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)
In the afternoon/evening of the 25th, Mercury 1/4 Neptune creates the conditions for pure confusion. Thinking, talking, and writing are affected by this influence. If you need to do something that requires you to be clear-headed, this is not the time for it. If you have to be driving a vehicle at this time, it would be helpful to stay off the cell phone and keep all of your attention on your driving. This influence will peak at 5:54 pm PDT (8:54 pm EDT).
In the morning of the 26th, Mars 1/4 Pluto makes people noisy, irritable, and argumentative. It can also create unruly crowds. It would be best to stay out of crowds at this time (unless you like this kind of thing). Road/driving conditions can be unusually dangerous under this influence.
The evening of the 28th will be Saturnine in nature, due to the peaks of Venus 5/11 Saturn and Mars 4/9 Saturn. It could feel icky, crummy.
Venus goes stationary in declination late on the 29th, accentuating subjectivity in all its forms. Balance/imbalance is emphasized.
The first major planetary aspect in April is Venus 1/4 Pluto, which peaks in the wee hours of the 3rd. This tends to add turmoil to the emotions and other personal feelings. In the afternoon and early evening, Mercury and Mars join in, initially in the form of Mercury 1/11 Mars and then as Mercury parallel Mars. As a result, bad feelings could initially lead to shouting matches and then be smoothed out by honest straight talk.
Peaking on the 4th but in orb for days beforehand, Pluto goes stationary-retrograde in Capricorn at about midday and Mars 1/2 Saturn peaks in the afternoon/evening. The Pluto aspect will increase competitiveness and industriousness, but the opposition aspect will tend to slow things down and throw monkey wrenches into the works. Summing it up, the first four days of April should not be expected to be quiet, peaceful, and serene.
Peaking in the wee hours of the 8th, Jupiter 3/7 Saturn emphasizes solid important issues, like health insurance, unemployment, paying the bills.
Peaking late on the 10th, Mercury 1/3 Pluto is fine for announcements, conversations/conferences, group activities of various kinds.
Saturn 4/9 Neptune peaks in the morning of the 12th, focusing on practicality in a kind of foggy way. Clear thinking is a bit more difficult.
To an extent, the 15th-16th seems to be Uranus-oriented. Peaking in the wee hours of the 15th, Mars CON Uranus in Pisces brings weird sounds and actions that may be hard to identify or trace. Peaking in the evening, Jupiter 1/11 Uranus brings big changes and large-size novelties which are not necessarily desirable or good. Peaking at about midday on the 16th, Mars parallel Uranus brings novel actions and bright new sounds.
Peaking at about midday on the 17th, Venus goes stationary-direct in the sign of Pisces, emphasizing feelings and emotions. Then, peaking in the afternoon/evening, Mercury 1/3 Saturn establishes a climate which is good for serious conversations, concentrative mental tasks, and good books.
Venus CON Mars in Pisces peaks in the afternoon/evening of the 21st. The resultant atmosphere emphasizes expressing one's feelings, good or bad.
In the afternoon/evening of the 22nd, Mercury 1/4 Jupiter highlights big ideas, long-range plans/expectancies, and long-distance communications. In the evening, Sun 1/3 Pluto emphasizes harmonious activities/projects.
An interesting Saturn-to-Uranus transition takes place on the 24th. In the wee hours, Sun 4/11 Saturn reaches a peak, and then Mars 5/11 Saturn reaches a peak at about midday. Then Mercury 1/6 Uranus peaks a little over an hour later (at 12:38 pm PDT). The slide from Saturnine feelings to Uranian feelings may be consciously discernible to you.
(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for April 24, 2009, can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of March at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)
In the afternoon/evening of the 25th, Mercury 1/4 Neptune creates the conditions for pure confusion. Thinking, talking, and writing are affected by this influence. If you need to do something that requires you to be clear-headed, this is not the time for it. If you have to be driving a vehicle at this time, it would be helpful to stay off the cell phone and keep all of your attention on your driving. This influence will peak at 5:54 pm PDT (8:54 pm EDT).
In the morning of the 26th, Mars 1/4 Pluto makes people noisy, irritable, and argumentative. It can also create unruly crowds. It would be best to stay out of crowds at this time (unless you like this kind of thing). Road/driving conditions can be unusually dangerous under this influence.
The evening of the 28th will be Saturnine in nature, due to the peaks of Venus 5/11 Saturn and Mars 4/9 Saturn. It could feel icky, crummy.
Venus goes stationary in declination late on the 29th, accentuating subjectivity in all its forms. Balance/imbalance is emphasized.
January 30, 2009
A Guide To Astrological Influences in March 2009
The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of March is: 8 conjunctions, 2 oppositions, 0 trines, 2 squares. This profile is heavy with conjunctions (things coming together) and some oppositions and squares (general stress), but no trines, perhaps indicating that comfort may be harder than usual to find in March. The long-term Saturn-Uranus opposition is within about 3° of exact at the beginning of March and within about 7° of exact at the end of March —— slowing fading during the month but still (barely) within orb at month's end. It won't peak again until September 15.
Jupiter 2/5 Saturn peaks early in the evening of March 1, creating an atmosphere of realism, including the monetary kind, magnifying the focus on fiscal planning and the ongoing widespread financial crisis.
A loose triple conjunction involving Mercury, Mars, and Neptune peaks on the 1st, 5th, and 8th, in the sign of Aquarius, as follows: Mercury CON Mars on the 1st, Mercury CON Neptune on the 5th, and Mars CON Neptune on the 8th. Things could get a little confusing during this period, and all kinds of thieves will "come out of the woodwork" to do their thing: slick scams, tricky deals, swindles, and identity theft will abound. Jupiter 1/9 Pluto on the 2nd could make the tricksters more overt, and Venus stationary-retrograde on the 6th could focus on emotional appeals. Sun 1/2 Saturn on the 8th could tend to magnify personal losses, but it could also lead some people to "turn thumbs down" on some shady deals.
By the way, Daylight Saving Time begins on March 8.
Venus goes stationary in declination in the afternoon/evening of the 12th, emphasizing feelings, emotions, and subjectivity in general. And peaking about an hour later, Sun CON Uranus in the sign of Pisces creates an atmosphere of newness and surprise. This combination of aspects will tend to make the 12th "come alive" more than most other days.
In the afternoon/evening of the 18th, the peak of Mercury parallel Saturn is followed less than 4 hours later by the peak of Mercury 1/2 Saturn. This double-whammy will make this period of time mentally concentrative. Although it won't be good for humor and laughter, it will be good for working on things like a unified field theory or an income tax return.
The Sun crosses the celestial equator and enters Aries on the 20th at 4:44 am PDT (7:44 am EDT), signifying the beginning of spring.
On the 21st, Jupiter 1/10 Uranus peaks at about midday, and Mercury CON Uranus in Pisces peaks late in the evening. This combination of aspects is good for humor and laughter —— and for surprises of various kinds. Additionally, a Mercury-Uranus pairing generally focuses on children.
Peaking late in the morning of the 22nd, Jupiter 5/12 Saturn brushes aside any tendency for humor and emphasizes important serious matters, not necessarily in a harmonious way.
Peaking at about midday on the 23rd, Sun 1/4 Pluto demolishes any residual tendency for humor or harmony and inserts a strong tendency for irritability, belligerence, shouting, and even fisticuffs. This is not a good time for relaxation, comfort, contentment, and serenity.
Uranus 2/9 Pluto peaks in the morning of the 24th (but is in orb for many days), bringing an atmosphere of creative competition. This influence can cut either way, good or bad, depending on how it is utilized.
Early on the 27th, Mercury 1/4 Pluto makes things feel edgy. Casual conversations could easily turn into arguments. It's harder to be nice. Jupiter 1/8 Pluto peaks at about midday, raising issues involving jurisdictions —— like, "Who's in charge?" or "Who's responsible?" Turf wars. Sun CON Venus in Aries peaks a couple of hours later, focusing on emotions and feelings. Don't be surprised if two or three (or more) women start yelling at each other on this day (27th).
In the afternoon and evening of the next day (28th), Mercury CON Venus in Aries encourages communication to smooth out hurt feelings stemming from the influences of the previous day. Sincere heart-to-heart talks can certainly help at this time.
Sun CON Mercury in Aries in the evening of the 30th continues the influence of boosting communications of various kinds.
It should be noticed from the above descriptions that there is a somewhat loose triple conjunction involving Mercury, Venus, and the Sun peaking on the 27th, 28th, and 30th, in the sign of Aries. This kind of influence is often easier to understand when the underlying pattern is seen.
But in addition to that, the 30th is host to a somewhat unusual pattern of its own. Peaking mostly in the evening, the individual aspects are: Sun 1/7 Jupiter, Mercury 1/7 Jupiter, Sun CON Mercury (mentioned above), Mercury 1/8 Neptune, and Sun 1/8 Neptune. Another way of describing it is that the Sun-Mercury conjunction will be forming septile aspects with Jupiter and forming octile aspects with Neptune. The concentration of the peaks of these aspects into a relatively short period of time should make for an interesting evening. The focus will be on communication, money, health, space, air, water, and things related to those factors. Examples: ship-to-ship communication, the health of an astronaut, etc. There is no doubt that this cluster of aspects will manifest. It's just a matter of how.
(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for March 30, 2009, can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of February at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)
Jupiter 2/5 Saturn peaks early in the evening of March 1, creating an atmosphere of realism, including the monetary kind, magnifying the focus on fiscal planning and the ongoing widespread financial crisis.
A loose triple conjunction involving Mercury, Mars, and Neptune peaks on the 1st, 5th, and 8th, in the sign of Aquarius, as follows: Mercury CON Mars on the 1st, Mercury CON Neptune on the 5th, and Mars CON Neptune on the 8th. Things could get a little confusing during this period, and all kinds of thieves will "come out of the woodwork" to do their thing: slick scams, tricky deals, swindles, and identity theft will abound. Jupiter 1/9 Pluto on the 2nd could make the tricksters more overt, and Venus stationary-retrograde on the 6th could focus on emotional appeals. Sun 1/2 Saturn on the 8th could tend to magnify personal losses, but it could also lead some people to "turn thumbs down" on some shady deals.
By the way, Daylight Saving Time begins on March 8.
Venus goes stationary in declination in the afternoon/evening of the 12th, emphasizing feelings, emotions, and subjectivity in general. And peaking about an hour later, Sun CON Uranus in the sign of Pisces creates an atmosphere of newness and surprise. This combination of aspects will tend to make the 12th "come alive" more than most other days.
In the afternoon/evening of the 18th, the peak of Mercury parallel Saturn is followed less than 4 hours later by the peak of Mercury 1/2 Saturn. This double-whammy will make this period of time mentally concentrative. Although it won't be good for humor and laughter, it will be good for working on things like a unified field theory or an income tax return.
The Sun crosses the celestial equator and enters Aries on the 20th at 4:44 am PDT (7:44 am EDT), signifying the beginning of spring.
On the 21st, Jupiter 1/10 Uranus peaks at about midday, and Mercury CON Uranus in Pisces peaks late in the evening. This combination of aspects is good for humor and laughter —— and for surprises of various kinds. Additionally, a Mercury-Uranus pairing generally focuses on children.
Peaking late in the morning of the 22nd, Jupiter 5/12 Saturn brushes aside any tendency for humor and emphasizes important serious matters, not necessarily in a harmonious way.
Peaking at about midday on the 23rd, Sun 1/4 Pluto demolishes any residual tendency for humor or harmony and inserts a strong tendency for irritability, belligerence, shouting, and even fisticuffs. This is not a good time for relaxation, comfort, contentment, and serenity.
Uranus 2/9 Pluto peaks in the morning of the 24th (but is in orb for many days), bringing an atmosphere of creative competition. This influence can cut either way, good or bad, depending on how it is utilized.
Early on the 27th, Mercury 1/4 Pluto makes things feel edgy. Casual conversations could easily turn into arguments. It's harder to be nice. Jupiter 1/8 Pluto peaks at about midday, raising issues involving jurisdictions —— like, "Who's in charge?" or "Who's responsible?" Turf wars. Sun CON Venus in Aries peaks a couple of hours later, focusing on emotions and feelings. Don't be surprised if two or three (or more) women start yelling at each other on this day (27th).
In the afternoon and evening of the next day (28th), Mercury CON Venus in Aries encourages communication to smooth out hurt feelings stemming from the influences of the previous day. Sincere heart-to-heart talks can certainly help at this time.
Sun CON Mercury in Aries in the evening of the 30th continues the influence of boosting communications of various kinds.
It should be noticed from the above descriptions that there is a somewhat loose triple conjunction involving Mercury, Venus, and the Sun peaking on the 27th, 28th, and 30th, in the sign of Aries. This kind of influence is often easier to understand when the underlying pattern is seen.
But in addition to that, the 30th is host to a somewhat unusual pattern of its own. Peaking mostly in the evening, the individual aspects are: Sun 1/7 Jupiter, Mercury 1/7 Jupiter, Sun CON Mercury (mentioned above), Mercury 1/8 Neptune, and Sun 1/8 Neptune. Another way of describing it is that the Sun-Mercury conjunction will be forming septile aspects with Jupiter and forming octile aspects with Neptune. The concentration of the peaks of these aspects into a relatively short period of time should make for an interesting evening. The focus will be on communication, money, health, space, air, water, and things related to those factors. Examples: ship-to-ship communication, the health of an astronaut, etc. There is no doubt that this cluster of aspects will manifest. It's just a matter of how.
(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for March 30, 2009, can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of February at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)
January 2, 2009
A Guide to Astrological Influences in February 2009
The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of February is: 3 conjunctions, 1 opposition, 0 trines, 1 square. This profile is relatively low key, and might indicate a ho-hum month if it were not for the Saturn-Uranus opposition, which remains in close orb (less than 3°) all month. And let us not forget the very-long-term Neptune-Pluto septile, which reaches another peak this month (February).
There is a contrasting aspect pair peaking in the wee hours of the 3rd: Sun 2/5 Saturn and Mars 1/7 Uranus. The former aspect tends to bring a serious concentrative atmosphere, whereas the latter aspect tends to bring adventurous and/or surprising events. The actual outcome of a contrasting aspect pair is usually difficult to predict, often depending largely on personal aspects.
Saturn (in Virgo) 1/2 Uranus (in Pisces) is the first major planetary aspect peaking in the month of February. It peaks in the wee hours of the 5th and will unquestionably continue to intermittently dominate the scene for some time to come —— intermittently because it will not stay in orb throughout its string of five peaks, which began on 11/4/08. Its fifth (last) peak will be on 7/26/10, so we might as well get used to the unsavory conditions which it is helping to support. The world-wide economic woes are a big part of this manifestation, but they are not the only part. We can expect a plethora of unexpected endings associated with many of the institutions which we routinely count on as part of our normal existence. Earthly society is going through a major change of phase which will leave many aspects of our society permanently changed. Stress is the name of the game. Some of it can be expected to be tolerable but distasteful —— but some of it will probably ultimately leave a significantly reduced human population. As you may have noticed, our society is in the process of flushing itself down the cosmic toilet. Fixing the situation will be costly and dangerous, analogous to major surgery: disruptive and messy during the procedure, but considered to be well worth it when it is over and recuperation is complete. We just need to be patient and tolerant. Things will eventually get better.
Peaking in the evening of the 5th, Venus 1/4 Pluto tends to make feelings run high. Emotional tantrums are more probable at this time.
Another contrasting aspect pair occurs in the morning of the 6th. This one involves Mars 4/11 Saturn and Sun 1/11 Uranus, peaking about an hour apart. The former aspect dictates moving slowly and carefully, whereas the latter aspect creates an atmosphere of newness and surprise. Since the "1/11" family of aspects (1/11, 2/11, etc.) is uniformly inharmonious, clashes can be expected to occur between the tendencies spawned by the two aforementioned aspects.
In the afternoon/evening of the 10th, Jupiter 1/10 Pluto emphasizes a multiplicity of Jupiter-type factors, such as light, space, health, etc.
Mercury goes stationary in declination on the 11th at about midday, emphasizing Mercury-type factors, such as thinking and connecting.
Early in the morning of the 12th (but in orb for a few days beforehand), Sun CON Neptune in the sign of Aquarius spreads a dispersive and vaguely confusing atmosphere which reflects concepts of originality and change.
Early in the morning of the 17th (but in orb for a few days beforehand), Mars CON Jupiter in the sign of Aquarius spreads an atmosphere of expanding forcefulness. Big projects feel (and are) compatible at this time.
The 17th is also host to Saturn 2/7 Pluto and Saturn 3/7 Neptune. In other words, Saturn is forming aspects with the Neptune 1/7 Pluto aspect which peaks in the wee hours of the 20th and which is the sixteenth peak of the very-long-term Neptune-Pluto septile. As explained some time ago, the Neptune-Pluto septile seems to be the timing base for the type of terrorist warfare being conducted in the Middle East. The Twin Towers airplane crashes on 9/11/01 highlighted the time period when this series of septiles reached its first peak. The twentieth (last) peak will be on 2/7/11, but the aspect will remain in orb long after that.
Mercury CON Jupiter in the sign of Aquarius reaches a peak on the night of the 23rd, tending to make people "think big". Long conversations, long letters, long-distance communications, and long-range plans are all emphasized at this time. Mercury 1/9 Uranus peaks less than an hour later, tending to make thoughts and communications more original. Then, peaking in the wee hours of the next day (24th), Jupiter 1/9 Uranus boosts the probability of big surprises. (Another way of looking at these three aspects is that Uranus is forming a "1/9" aspect with the Mercury-Jupiter conjunction.) And peaking in the wee hours of the 25th, Jupiter parallel Pluto emphasizes such things as competitive activities, health issues, and large complex projects.
There are no major planetary aspects reaching a peak during the remaining days of February.
There is a contrasting aspect pair peaking in the wee hours of the 3rd: Sun 2/5 Saturn and Mars 1/7 Uranus. The former aspect tends to bring a serious concentrative atmosphere, whereas the latter aspect tends to bring adventurous and/or surprising events. The actual outcome of a contrasting aspect pair is usually difficult to predict, often depending largely on personal aspects.
Saturn (in Virgo) 1/2 Uranus (in Pisces) is the first major planetary aspect peaking in the month of February. It peaks in the wee hours of the 5th and will unquestionably continue to intermittently dominate the scene for some time to come —— intermittently because it will not stay in orb throughout its string of five peaks, which began on 11/4/08. Its fifth (last) peak will be on 7/26/10, so we might as well get used to the unsavory conditions which it is helping to support. The world-wide economic woes are a big part of this manifestation, but they are not the only part. We can expect a plethora of unexpected endings associated with many of the institutions which we routinely count on as part of our normal existence. Earthly society is going through a major change of phase which will leave many aspects of our society permanently changed. Stress is the name of the game. Some of it can be expected to be tolerable but distasteful —— but some of it will probably ultimately leave a significantly reduced human population. As you may have noticed, our society is in the process of flushing itself down the cosmic toilet. Fixing the situation will be costly and dangerous, analogous to major surgery: disruptive and messy during the procedure, but considered to be well worth it when it is over and recuperation is complete. We just need to be patient and tolerant. Things will eventually get better.
Peaking in the evening of the 5th, Venus 1/4 Pluto tends to make feelings run high. Emotional tantrums are more probable at this time.
Another contrasting aspect pair occurs in the morning of the 6th. This one involves Mars 4/11 Saturn and Sun 1/11 Uranus, peaking about an hour apart. The former aspect dictates moving slowly and carefully, whereas the latter aspect creates an atmosphere of newness and surprise. Since the "1/11" family of aspects (1/11, 2/11, etc.) is uniformly inharmonious, clashes can be expected to occur between the tendencies spawned by the two aforementioned aspects.
In the afternoon/evening of the 10th, Jupiter 1/10 Pluto emphasizes a multiplicity of Jupiter-type factors, such as light, space, health, etc.
Mercury goes stationary in declination on the 11th at about midday, emphasizing Mercury-type factors, such as thinking and connecting.
Early in the morning of the 12th (but in orb for a few days beforehand), Sun CON Neptune in the sign of Aquarius spreads a dispersive and vaguely confusing atmosphere which reflects concepts of originality and change.
Early in the morning of the 17th (but in orb for a few days beforehand), Mars CON Jupiter in the sign of Aquarius spreads an atmosphere of expanding forcefulness. Big projects feel (and are) compatible at this time.
The 17th is also host to Saturn 2/7 Pluto and Saturn 3/7 Neptune. In other words, Saturn is forming aspects with the Neptune 1/7 Pluto aspect which peaks in the wee hours of the 20th and which is the sixteenth peak of the very-long-term Neptune-Pluto septile. As explained some time ago, the Neptune-Pluto septile seems to be the timing base for the type of terrorist warfare being conducted in the Middle East. The Twin Towers airplane crashes on 9/11/01 highlighted the time period when this series of septiles reached its first peak. The twentieth (last) peak will be on 2/7/11, but the aspect will remain in orb long after that.
Mercury CON Jupiter in the sign of Aquarius reaches a peak on the night of the 23rd, tending to make people "think big". Long conversations, long letters, long-distance communications, and long-range plans are all emphasized at this time. Mercury 1/9 Uranus peaks less than an hour later, tending to make thoughts and communications more original. Then, peaking in the wee hours of the next day (24th), Jupiter 1/9 Uranus boosts the probability of big surprises. (Another way of looking at these three aspects is that Uranus is forming a "1/9" aspect with the Mercury-Jupiter conjunction.) And peaking in the wee hours of the 25th, Jupiter parallel Pluto emphasizes such things as competitive activities, health issues, and large complex projects.
There are no major planetary aspects reaching a peak during the remaining days of February.
December 2, 2008
A Guide to Astrological Influences in January 2009
Saturn went stationary-retrograde on December 31, and this was stated: "By the way, the stationary Saturn is only about 2.5° from an exact opposition to Uranus at the end of 2008. That opposition peaked on November 4, but it has been in orb since September. ... The aspect will still be in orb as we enter the year 2009." This means not only that the early part of January will be under the spell of the stationary Saturn aspect that peaked at the end of 2008 but also that the entirety of January will be affected by the Saturn-Uranus opposition. Yes, that opposition will be in orb throughout the month of January. But in case you think that it will drift out of orb after that, think again. That aspect will reach four more peaks before it finally gives up. For reference, the dates of the five peaks of Saturn 1/2 Uranus are as follows:
Based on the far-reaching events that manifested during the last few months, we should probably not expect everything to be "comfy and cozy" in the general vicinity of the remaining four peaks —— any more than they were in the general vicinity of the first peak.
Other than the influences that were mentioned above, the first major astrological event in the month of January is Jupiter entering the sign of Aquarius, which occurs in the morning of the 5th. Jupiter has been in the sign of Capricorn since December 18, 2007, where it has been doing things like bolstering the prominence of serious economic conditions in our society. (You're probably thinking, "Yeah, tell me about it!") Jupiter will remain in Aquarius until January 17, 2010, doing things such as bolstering the importance of individual differences and self-reliance, and magnifying the spread of fancier and more capable electronic gadgets and systems.
The afternoon/evening of the 9th has a tight pile-up of minor planetary aspects: Venus 2/11 Pluto, Sun 1/11 Neptune, and Venus 1/10 Jupiter. The first of the three peaks is at 6:48 pm PST and the last peak is only 8 minutes later. The individual contributions from these three aspects would probably not be noteworthy, but the three of them together might cause something significant. The tight timing is what gives it impetus.
Mercury goes stationary-retrograde in the sign of Aquarius in the morning of the 11th, emphasizing clear thinking and communication. Not long afterwards comes the peak of Sun 1/3 Saturn, adding a note of harmonious practicality. Conferences at this time will tend to be fruitful. Peaking the next day (12th) at about midday, Jupiter 1/12 Pluto adds another note to the astrological chord: motivation to accomplish great things.
The evening of the 14th hosts a situation which is somewhat similar to that of the 9th, though not identical. Three minor planetary aspects reach a peak within about an hour of each other: Venus 1/9 Jupiter, Mars 2/11 Uranus, and Mercury 3/8 Saturn. This could be considered to be a contrasting aspect trio, the contrasts embodied within the Jupiter-Saturn and Uranus-Saturn components. Furthermore, the second and third aspects peak only a minute apart, starting at 8:11 pm PST. The general comments for the tight pile-up on the 9th are mostly applicable here.
Pluto goes stationary in declination in the wee hours of the 15th, giving the atmosphere a component of added motivation and competitiveness. In the evening, Jupiter 4/11 Saturn tries to combine expansiveness and frugality, liberalism and conservatism —— most likely without success. Taking into account the Pluto influence, there could be budget squabbles.
Mercury goes stationary in declination on the 17th at about midday, emphasizing communication. And then on the 18th at about midday, Mercury CON Jupiter in Aquarius nudges the communications to be of the long-distance kind, perhaps even involving outer space. The mental climate encourages us to think big. Adding to all that, Sun CON Mercury in Aquarius peaks in the morning of the 20th, boosting the tendency to think and communicate clearly. Libraries might experience more traffic than usual.
In the afternoon/evening of the 22nd, Venus CON Uranus in Pisces fosters feelings which are clearer (better defined; less muddled) and more nearly based on present-time situations and less on considerations based on past conditions. Technically, there would be an increased probability of meeting a lady electrician with a fish in her hand, but this is not likely.
In the evening of the 23rd, Sun CON Jupiter in Aquarius brings thoughts of faraway vacations and large-screen television sets.
Note: Taking into account the above-mentioned conjunctions of the 18th, 20th, and 23rd, it becomes apparent that there was a triple conjunction involving Mercury, Jupiter, and the Sun. But with the peaks spread out over about five days, it was not a tight configuration, and so it could easily escape our notice as a joint astrological manifestation. Sometimes it is a lot easier to "get a handle" on the ongoing march of complex astrological influences and conditions if we can identify specific actions as being tied together in some way —— like triple conjunctions, multiple occurrences ("planetary tag") of the same basic aspect between two planets (such as the long-term Saturn-Uranus opposition, and the ultra-long-term Neptune-Pluto septile), and other configurations whose individual manifestations are relatively far apart in the time-stream.
Understanding astrology is not just a matter of learning the characteristics of planets and signs and aspect mechanisms. It is far more complex than that. Nobody ever said that learning astrology is easy. But if anybody did say that, they shouldn't have. It is an ongoing learning process which is seemingly without end.
In the evening of the 25th, Jupiter 1/11 Pluto brings an atmosphere of magnified competition, pushiness, and perhaps belligerence. Territorial disputes of all kinds are more likely at this time, including national border disputes. Since the signs of Aquarius and Capricorn are involved, the disputes could involve disagreements which are based on old and new considerations —— such as ancient versus modern conditions.
In the evening of the 26th, Mercury CON Mars in Capricorn tends to make things happen "in slow motion": deliberately. In the afternoon of the 27th, Jupiter 1/8 Uranus emphasizes big surprises that are more trouble than they are worth. In the afternoon of the 30th, Jupiter 3/8 Saturn creates stress between big and small, expensive and cheap. Late on the 31st, Mercury goes stationary-direct in Capricorn, emphasizing slow deliberate communication and thinking.
The next peak of the Saturn-Uranus opposition is on February 5. At the end of January, that opposition is within only half a degree of exact.
November 3, 2008
A Guide to Astrological Influences in December 2008
The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of December is: 7 conjunctions, 0 oppositions, 1 trine, 6 squares. This is definitely not the usual battle between the trines and the squares. The plethora of conjunctions represents a coming together of cycles or diverse expressions, and those squares represent stresses. This could be a very interesting (though not very comfortable) month.
December begins with a conjunction between Venus and Jupiter in the sign of Capricorn in the wee hours of the 1st. One of its potential expressions is that a rich and powerful authoritarian woman may dominate the news —— such as the Queen of England. This aspect could also signify the death of such a person.
In the evening of the 4th, Mercury 1/4 Uranus causes errors and miscommunications. In the afternoon of the 5th, Sun CON Mars in Sagittarius creates an energetic atmosphere, perhaps with the emphasis on health. On the 6th at midday, Mercury 1/4 Saturn sets up a climate of concentrative thinking and communication. Paying attention to detail is easier.
The 8th is host to the fifteenth peak of the long-term Neptune 1/7 Pluto influence. (The first peak was in December 2001, and the twentieth peak will be in February 2011.) This momentous far-reaching septile is exerting control over Earthly affairs in many ways, not the least of which is creating the climate for the seemingly endless wars in the Middle East.
In the wee hours of the 10th, Sun 1/4 Uranus makes things seem weird. Mars 1/4 Uranus echoes this atmosphere in the night of the 11th.
Peaking on the 12th at about midday, Mercury CON Pluto in Capricorn creates a compatible atmosphere for the dissemination of serious thoughts. In the afternoon/evening, Sun 1/4 Saturn deepens the feeling of seriousness. Mercury goes stationary in declination in the morning of the 14th, boosting the compatibility for communication. Mars 1/4 Saturn in the afternoon of the 15th further deepens the serious atmosphere.
On the 21st at 4:04 am PST, the Sun enters Capricorn and simultaneously goes stationary in declination, signifying the beginning of winter.
In the wee hours of the 22nd, Sun CON Pluto in Capricorn creates an atmosphere of seriously pushy competition.
On the 24th, Mercury 1/6 Uranus peaks in the morning, creating a pleasant atmosphere for socializing. At a position in longitude halfway between them, Venus semisextiles (1/12) both of them and adds to the pleasant atmosphere —— helping to make things feel nice on Christmas Eve.
In the afternoon/evening of the 25th (Christmas Day), Saturn goes stationary in declination and Sun 2/7 Saturn reaches a peak, adding a serious note to the day —— but Mars 2/9 Uranus contributes an opposite feeling, perhaps in the form of Christmas music or some kind of surprise.
The wee hours of the 26th are host to the near-simultaneous peaks of a contrasting aspect pair: Jupiter 1/7 Uranus and Mercury 1/3 Saturn, peaking only 2 minutes apart. Though their influences contrast each other, both aspects are pleasant and can support each other. For example, there could be a serious well-focused conversation about an expensive gift.
In the night of the 26th, Mars enters the sign of Capricorn, which will tend to slow down actions of any kind. (This influence will continue until 2/4/09, when Mars will leave Capricorn and enter Aquarius.)
Venus CON Neptune in the sign of Aquarius peaks in the wee hours of the 27th, sensitizing the feelings and emotions.
Mars CON Pluto in the sign of Capricorn peaks at about midday on the 28th, tending to emphasize financial competition and group action.
Mars goes stationary in declination in the wee hours of the 29th, tending to bring out the qualities of Mars in a generally nondestructive way. Some people may choose to work on their car in the garage (probably the previous night), whereas others may choose to watch a prize fight on TV.
The atmosphere changes as Mercury CON Jupiter in Capricorn peaks in the wee hours of the 31st. This influence is good for conferences (in this case, probably the previous day) involving such things as health, money, painting the house, or redesigning a rocket booster for a spacecraft.
The number of different ways that an astrological influence can manifest is almost unlimited, which makes it difficult to predict any specifics about the results of any particular aspect or set of aspects. That is why it is so important for a person to learn the characteristics of the planets and signs and configurations —— so that he can do his own interpreting in terms of pure concepts (i.e., wordless pictureless thoughts). Bringing words into the process always makes it much more difficult, since words generally can't handle pure concepts very well.
Saturn goes stationary-retrograde in the sign of Virgo at about midday on the 31st, making things feel very serious and concentrative. This will be a good time to take stock of your life —— where you have been, where you are going, and what you really want to do with your life. Most people don't do this very much, partly because they are preoccupied with a steady stream of mundane activities of varying importances, and partly because the astrological atmosphere is not always compatible with serious introspection. That's one of the reasons to learn the fundamentals of astrology and learn how to work with the knowledge. And you won't be at the mercy of so-called "chance" so much.
As indicated above, the month and the year end on a serious note. By the way, the stationary Saturn is only about 2.5° from an exact opposition to Uranus at the end of 2008. That opposition peaked on November 4, but it has been in orb since September. In particular, it was only 5° from exact on September 29 when the stock market dropped by 777.68 points, its largest drop in history! And the aspect was less than 4.5° from exact on October 3 when the U.S. economic bailout/rescue package was voted into law. The aspect will still be in orb as we enter the year 2009.
December begins with a conjunction between Venus and Jupiter in the sign of Capricorn in the wee hours of the 1st. One of its potential expressions is that a rich and powerful authoritarian woman may dominate the news —— such as the Queen of England. This aspect could also signify the death of such a person.
In the evening of the 4th, Mercury 1/4 Uranus causes errors and miscommunications. In the afternoon of the 5th, Sun CON Mars in Sagittarius creates an energetic atmosphere, perhaps with the emphasis on health. On the 6th at midday, Mercury 1/4 Saturn sets up a climate of concentrative thinking and communication. Paying attention to detail is easier.
The 8th is host to the fifteenth peak of the long-term Neptune 1/7 Pluto influence. (The first peak was in December 2001, and the twentieth peak will be in February 2011.) This momentous far-reaching septile is exerting control over Earthly affairs in many ways, not the least of which is creating the climate for the seemingly endless wars in the Middle East.
In the wee hours of the 10th, Sun 1/4 Uranus makes things seem weird. Mars 1/4 Uranus echoes this atmosphere in the night of the 11th.
Peaking on the 12th at about midday, Mercury CON Pluto in Capricorn creates a compatible atmosphere for the dissemination of serious thoughts. In the afternoon/evening, Sun 1/4 Saturn deepens the feeling of seriousness. Mercury goes stationary in declination in the morning of the 14th, boosting the compatibility for communication. Mars 1/4 Saturn in the afternoon of the 15th further deepens the serious atmosphere.
On the 21st at 4:04 am PST, the Sun enters Capricorn and simultaneously goes stationary in declination, signifying the beginning of winter.
In the wee hours of the 22nd, Sun CON Pluto in Capricorn creates an atmosphere of seriously pushy competition.
On the 24th, Mercury 1/6 Uranus peaks in the morning, creating a pleasant atmosphere for socializing. At a position in longitude halfway between them, Venus semisextiles (1/12) both of them and adds to the pleasant atmosphere —— helping to make things feel nice on Christmas Eve.
In the afternoon/evening of the 25th (Christmas Day), Saturn goes stationary in declination and Sun 2/7 Saturn reaches a peak, adding a serious note to the day —— but Mars 2/9 Uranus contributes an opposite feeling, perhaps in the form of Christmas music or some kind of surprise.
The wee hours of the 26th are host to the near-simultaneous peaks of a contrasting aspect pair: Jupiter 1/7 Uranus and Mercury 1/3 Saturn, peaking only 2 minutes apart. Though their influences contrast each other, both aspects are pleasant and can support each other. For example, there could be a serious well-focused conversation about an expensive gift.
In the night of the 26th, Mars enters the sign of Capricorn, which will tend to slow down actions of any kind. (This influence will continue until 2/4/09, when Mars will leave Capricorn and enter Aquarius.)
Venus CON Neptune in the sign of Aquarius peaks in the wee hours of the 27th, sensitizing the feelings and emotions.
Mars CON Pluto in the sign of Capricorn peaks at about midday on the 28th, tending to emphasize financial competition and group action.
Mars goes stationary in declination in the wee hours of the 29th, tending to bring out the qualities of Mars in a generally nondestructive way. Some people may choose to work on their car in the garage (probably the previous night), whereas others may choose to watch a prize fight on TV.
The atmosphere changes as Mercury CON Jupiter in Capricorn peaks in the wee hours of the 31st. This influence is good for conferences (in this case, probably the previous day) involving such things as health, money, painting the house, or redesigning a rocket booster for a spacecraft.
The number of different ways that an astrological influence can manifest is almost unlimited, which makes it difficult to predict any specifics about the results of any particular aspect or set of aspects. That is why it is so important for a person to learn the characteristics of the planets and signs and configurations —— so that he can do his own interpreting in terms of pure concepts (i.e., wordless pictureless thoughts). Bringing words into the process always makes it much more difficult, since words generally can't handle pure concepts very well.
Saturn goes stationary-retrograde in the sign of Virgo at about midday on the 31st, making things feel very serious and concentrative. This will be a good time to take stock of your life —— where you have been, where you are going, and what you really want to do with your life. Most people don't do this very much, partly because they are preoccupied with a steady stream of mundane activities of varying importances, and partly because the astrological atmosphere is not always compatible with serious introspection. That's one of the reasons to learn the fundamentals of astrology and learn how to work with the knowledge. And you won't be at the mercy of so-called "chance" so much.
As indicated above, the month and the year end on a serious note. By the way, the stationary Saturn is only about 2.5° from an exact opposition to Uranus at the end of 2008. That opposition peaked on November 4, but it has been in orb since September. In particular, it was only 5° from exact on September 29 when the stock market dropped by 777.68 points, its largest drop in history! And the aspect was less than 4.5° from exact on October 3 when the U.S. economic bailout/rescue package was voted into law. The aspect will still be in orb as we enter the year 2009.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
