Mars Retrograde - How Will it Affect Us?

On December 20th 2009, Mars reaches its retrograde station at 19 degrees Leo. This lasts until March 10th and will continue to be felt until Mars goes into direct motion on May 17th 2010. The fixed signs will probably feel this the most: Taurus, Scorpio, Leo and Aquarius – but for those of you who are familiar with your own charts, look at any of the personal planets in fixed signs: the Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars – if they fall around 19 degrees, they too will be affected by this upcoming Mars retrograde. Mars goes retrograde every two years and two months.

That’s the technical part. Now let’s take a look at how this might affect you on a personal level. During a Mars retrograde people’s thought patterns tend to become more introspective. Because Mars in Leo is generally fearless, independent, generous and honest in any dealings with other people, we can expect some dependence or even trickery and people in positions of responsibility or authority had better watch their backs during this period.

You may be required to draw on your strengths to assert yourself in some area where you have been reluctant or reserved in the past. You might need to find new ways to become empowered. During the retrograde you may be hyper-sensitive to disagreements, conflict and power issues. You may need to examine how you deal with aggression and power in your life. It is a great time to explore the issues that trigger a knee-jerk emotional reaction inside of you. It is about learning a healthy way to integrate and respond to aggression and fear.

If you do find yourself overwhelmed by powerful feelings of anger and aggression, it can be important to have a trusted person in whom you can confide. Don’t let your price or embarrassment stand in the way of reaching out for help and support if you are having a challenging time.

While Mars is retrograde it is a wonderful time to go within yourself and to plot out a course of action from where you are now to where you want to be, and then start to move towards it when Mars goes direct. During the retrograde, is it best to research, plan and go beneath the surface of whatever your situation is, before you actually take concrete steps in your new direction.

To summarise, here are the issues to examine:
How do you deal with aggression? Are you assertive enough? What are you afraid of? How can you move out of your comfort zone and feel empowered at the same time?

Saturn Square Pluto and other aspects - how will they affect us?

Do not expect security, consistency, and predictability during this time. Not only is Saturn coming to square Pluto, but Uranus will move into Aries, Saturn is still opposite Uranus, Jupiter is conjunct Neptune..... Your reality will change rapidly, so it is better to go with the flow, while staying aware of what is going on around you. Flexibility is one of the most important assets during this period. Imagine a huge wave forming…you can ride on that wave and go farther than you ever expected and experience a powerful transformation that can elevate you to new levels. But this wave can also destroy much of what you are currently attached to.

You may wish to redefine yourself in different fields. I have many clients who come to me who are dissatisfied with their current job and are looking to change vocation. There are those who know they need to move on in their relationships, others want to move location, to name but a few. New people will move into your life, current ones may leave. New ideas and projects will develop and you may feel inspired to completely reinvent yourself. This is an awakening: both globally and internally for everyone.

From November 2009 until August 2010, nothing will stay still. Try not to force everything to be “just right.” One thing is for sure, you will have to let go of your security during this time. It is a time for risk, reinvention, new ideas, new concepts, new vision, and the impetus to make it happen. Marriages may break, jobs and possessions may be lost, people may get sick, and at the same time, new relationships may be struck, new passions may be stirred, a completely new lifestyle is in the making...You are embarking on an adventure whether you know it or not, whether you like it or not. My suggestion: make peace with the idea, don’t resist the adventure. If you are accepting it, you will make the best of it. If you fight and resist it, you won’t come out on top.

Risking does not succumbing to every little possibility, it is about hearing a calling for truth…things you have denied, postponed, avoided, feared, but things you know are true. This is a time to be more truthful with yourself and listen to your inner voice.

More scandals will hit the news, corruption will be unearthed and brought out to the surface. Natural events will continue to shake the earth. On a personal level, last night, I was rudely awakened from a deep sleep by the sound of a truck driving into my house – it was a small earthquake about 40km away. At worst, a war may break during summer 2010 or later because these sudden changes can bring fear and conflict.

As you go through these changes, it is vital to take good care of your immune system. Try to eat healthily, avoid alcohol and mood-altering drugs, take exercise and don’t allow yourself to become negative. Be an ambassador of good and avoid wasting time in the weeds.

The world economy is unlikely to settle any time soon. The same will be true of your life – don’t get too concerned if you don’t get immediate answers. Be patient and keep on doing your best. You cannot rush these changes. This period is a great time for us to restructure our lives on both a personal and collective level.

The Aspects December 2009 - 2010

The two key aspects that are going to affect us all in one way or another are the Mercury retrograde from December 26th 2009 until January 14th 2010 and also the Mars retrograde from December 20th 2009 until March 10th 2010. Forewarned is forearmed so I thought I’d write about the possible effects of these retrogrades.

I have spoken at length about Mercury retrograde in the past but to summarise:

What to avoid during Mercury retrograde:
Signing legal documents
Closing big deals
Launching new projects
Scheduling meetings to make a big decision
Backup your hard drive before the retrograde
Avoid installing new computer software during the retrograde
Do needed repairs on machinery before the retrograde

It’s a good time to:
Do follow ups on a project already started
Complete a project already started
Research a new project thoroughly
Catch up on paperwork
Hold an information-sharing meeting

While Mercury goes retrograde between 3 and 4 times every year, Mars only goes retrograde on average every 2 years and 2 months. During this time, our approach to conflict, anger, assertiveness and taking action often requires rethinking and reassessing.

You may be required to draw on your strengths to assert yourself in some area where you have been reticent or cautious. The weakest links in your life may break apart or need to be repaired. You might need to find new ways in which to feel empowered. During the retrograde we tend to be much more sensitive to disagreement, conflict and power issues around us. For those of you who are already very sensitive to this – dear Librans and Pisceans in particular – you will feel this retrograde even more keenly.

You will need to examine what you do when you feel frightened – what are your automatic responses? Do you immediately run for cover or do you face your fears? Mars retrograde is a great opportunity to explore the deeper dynamics and issues that trigger intense reactions inside you.

The idea is to learn a healthy way to integrate and respond to aggression and fear. If you find yourself overwhelmed by feelings, passion or anger, it can be important to have a trusted person or mentor to whom you can confide in. Don’t let your pride, embarrassment or guilt get in the way of reaching out for support if you find you are having a hard time.

You may, on the other hand, find yourself inspired and motivated in new ways. Don’t let yourself be held back by inhibitions, expectations of others or past history. Mars motivation is a gift. However, don’t expect immediate results. Mars energy tends to move fast and gets frustrated easily if things don’t move along as quickly as they are planned. Find ways to keep your Mars energy occupied – either by physical activity or multi-tasking.

It’s a great time to plan a course from where you are now to where you want to be, and then start to move toward it when you feel ready. For new or long-term projects this is often best done after Mars goes direct. During the retrograde it’s best to research, plan and delve under the surface of whatever situation you are in before you actually take steps in your new direction.

This is a wonderful time for discovery and exploration of uncharted territory in your life. Think of yourself as a warrior, setting out to new horizons and experiences. It may be dangerous at times, but it sure is exciting!

Saturn square Pluto - what does it mean?

On November 15th, Saturn makes its first square with Pluto at 0 degrees Libra and Capricorn.
What does this mean?
We are going to see more power struggles around the world especially governments wanting to take control of the economic and financial status in their countries. We will see upheavals in taxation - the laws will change considerably and it is important to keep yourself abreast of changes and how they may affect you on a personal level. I mean taxes from all angles: personal tax, property tax, goods and services taxes, and many more new taxes that will be imposed on the people. Those who are good with mathematics and accounting will fare well during this recession/depression. People are going to need help understanding the new laws and those who are true professionals in this area will make money.
Libra is connected with anything concerning relationships - Saturn is exalted in Libra which means that it has the potential to be used very beneficially for everyone. However, with the square to Pluto this can result in secret liaisons, undercover agreements, hidden agendas - so in your personal life, make sure that you are dealing with people and organisations that are open about their activities, that are telling the truth and that are honourable. Integrity will be a keyword in the months and years to come. Already the bankers are being berated about their lack of integrity as they have had huge bailouts from taxpayers and yet they are still paying themselves enormous bonuses.
Watch out for this not only on the macro scale, but also in your personal life. Is someone taking advantage of you?
Is your bank a safe one?
Is your insurance cover adequate or have you got too much cover and are you over-paying? These are a few of the questions that you may want to ask yourself.
The fact that the planets are in cardinal signs gives them more potency and more action. While in mutable signs there is a lot of talking, discussion, changing of minds and uncertainty - but once in cardinal signs we will see more action - for better or for worse. And you will also be taking more action in your own life. You will not be satisfied to sit on the sidelines and watch - you will want to participate.
There will certainly be more turbulence - but remember that the conjunction of Jupiter and Neptune takes place on 21st December 2009 and this brings great hope and belief. It is about the masses wanting to believe that everything is going well - that the worst is behind us and we are moving forward with confidence. So we will still be seeing the "irrational exuberance" to quote Alan Greenspan and many will be unsure as to whether we are in a serious depression or not.
The squares to Pluto and Saturn continue into 2010 and by the middle of 2010 when Uranus goes into Aries, we will likely see more military action and strife, more terrorism, more earthquakes and possibly with Pluto in Capricorn, some kind of catastrophe involving tunnels or something underground.
Squares are not always pleasant, but they do indicate change. So be ready for change in your own life - and with Pluto in Capricorn - don't hold onto things or people that are past their sell-by date. You will need to look at your relationships in the cold light of day and be really honest with yourself.
Saturn in Libra either breaks up relationships that are unhealthy or it strengthens those that are willing to be honest, to be fair and to make sure that there is balance and cooperation between the parties.

Mercury Retrograde - some interesting tales

We are about halfway through this Mercury retrograde and it's very interesting to see what's been happening around the world:
Firstly, the u-turn from the White House announcing its intention scrap its missile-defense plans. There are those who claim this a huge step backwards that will jeopardize the USA safety and that of its closest allies. But, true to form, with Mercury retrograde, this is a major change in policy.
With Mercury retrograding back into Virgo now, expect some reversals to be announced with respect to the Obama's health care proposals.

On a lighter note, in the UK, an assistant in a medal shop was very pleased with herself for selling some medals while her boss was out at lunch. He, however, was not so pleased as she had misread the price. She had sold the precious metals for GBP18.50, instead of GBP1850.00!! Another case of Mercury retrograde causing our mental accuracy into question.

On a personal level, I bought a very expensive software a couple of months ago. It has always had various niggly problems that the engineer has been unable to sort out. However, this week, he came out and sorted everything easily and quickly. Again, Mercury retrograde helping to complete a problem that had been ongoing for several weeks.

A student of mine lost her keys just prior to Mercury going retrograde. She lost them somewhere in my Astrology class. We looked high and low to try to find those keys - she must have had them to drive to school and open up the classroom - but to no avail. I kept on insisting that they would turn up when Mercury went retrograde. And, yes, in the most unlikely place, they had fallen behind a pile of books and papers, we found them a couple of days ago!!

So Mercury retrograde works on lots of different levels. You can use it positively to help you with your life, but if you go against it, beware of the consequences! Enjoy the rest of the retrograde!

Saturn opposing Uranus yet again

This week, Saturn and Uranus oppose one another. Once again, we are going to see the battle between the old and the new, the conservatives and the radicals and the possibility of a total paradigm shift. With Saturn being in Virgo, it is not surprising that the focus in the US is on the health care reform - with Obama receiving much resistance from his own party let alone the Republicans. It is important that Obama does not try to push through his reforms too hard at the moment as his Mars is being transited by Saturn - so he will have to be extremely patient, tolerant and not too forceful. Otherwise, he risks the whole thing backfiring on him and he will not achieve what he wants to do. Within two to three weeks, this conjunction will be behind him and if he can hold out until then, he will be more likely to achieve success in his goals with healthcare.

The last two oppositions of Saturn and Uranus were very powerful with stock markets around the world plummeting about three to four weeks after the opposition. So I would expect some dips and falls to occur within the next month or so.

Gold is at $1005 an ounce at the end of this week, as I predicted in October 2008 that it would go over $1000 an ounce and would go up to at least $1500 an ounce.

Watch this space!

Death in Astrology

I am often asked about whether I can see a long or short life in an astrology chart. Let me give you some pointers as to what one would look for:

Eighth House
The eighth house rules all things usually hidden which include, sex, death, and taxes. As it rules "other people’s money" it rules inheritances, insurance, and joint monies between spouses and/or business partners. If there are no planets in your natal eighth house, you look to the ruler of the cusp of your 8th house and note its condition by aspect, sign, and house placement in your chart.

Sun and Moon Aspects
If the Sun and Moon, are very harshly aspected by Mars, Saturn, Uranus, or Pluto, this can indicate a short life. Others with less threatening aspects will likely have a life of medium length. A well aspected Saturn is an indicator of a long life. But there have to be other supporting aspects to fulfill this promise. It is important to remember that length of a life does not necessarily correlate with soul advancement. Some people start out being unpleasant and they become more unpleasant as they get older.

Saturn
Before the three outer planets, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto were discovered, Saturn was the indicator of death. Saturn constricts and restrains (remember there are a lot of constricting rings around it). Saturn rules the religions that are full of a lot of "Thy shalt nots...". There are lots of rules of what you can’t do but there is very little emphasis on what is good to do for soul development.
Saturn slows down any process, especially the process of the use of energy by your physical body. Therefore if Saturn is involved, it usually indicates a slow death due to a long illness. The soul usually has time to prepare for the exit. This is normally an expected death, therefore the native has time to say good-bye and to better prepare for the soul’s journey. The sign Saturn is in your natal chart indicates what part of the body is the weakest. The parts of the body that rule the signs in square and opposition to your natal Saturn will also cause health problems. The movement of the planets through the sky (transits) and how they aspect the planets in your natal chart are very important in matters of health.

Mars
Mars poorly aspected in the chart can indicate accidents and wounds by gunfire, knives, or any sharp instrument.
Mars is most dangerous when in difficult aspect (conjunct, square, or opposition) to Uranus. Uranus is sudden events, like lightning striking. Uranus is unexpected and often involves cars, planes, and trains. The soul exits the body very quickly and suddenly when Uranus is involved.

Neptune
Poorly aspected Neptune often indicates alcoholism or damage by drugs. Neptune is associated with a slowly wasting disease or condition as Neptune dissolves. It can indicate the wrong medicine given by a doctor. It is the planet associated with the sea, therefore death by drowning. Neptune is also prominently aspected during earthquakes.

Pluto
Pluto harshly aspected indicates a conflict concerning power. Pluto rules the underground, figuratively and symbolically. Pluto ruled Enron’s abuse of other people’s money. Mining, ruled by Pluto, is regarded as the most dangerous job on this planet. Mining is usually underground and it is also messing with "Mother Nature" and she usually gets her own back.