It’s a good week to get grounded by gathering practical tools that will help you cope with the fluctuations of the New Year. Uranus Direct continues to dominate the airwaves, demonstrating its influence through an erratic rhythm and even more surprising plot twists. These startling developments are intensified by a Jupiter/Mars conjunction, in Scorpio, which stirs the waters of deep emotional reactions and secrets, personal and political, that some would rather remain at the bottom of the sea. The pace is so uneven and so charged that I’m actually grateful that four planets—Saturn, Pluto, the Sun, and Venus (in that order)—are lined up in the uber responsible Sign of Capricorn, and by tomorrow, January 11, when Mercury moves into Capricorn, it will be five planets tethering the routines of daily life to the sobriety of Capricorn’s common sense. We need a lot of Earth at this moment in time and space, especially Capricornian Earth, if only because that solid, stable lens has the potential to structure and organize a view of the world that doesn’t seem quite as random, chaotic and cynical as the one unfolding on the Internet, TV or myriad other media outlets. Capricornian Earth is also the perfect balance for the Fire and the Fury of recent Uranian revelations and the ensuing upheaval.
Saturn moved into Capricorn, its Home Sign, on December 20, and stays there until March 22, 2020, when it enters Aquarius (the Sign that follows Capricorn). But just to be clear: Saturn is also the co-ruler of Aquarius, so as it moves from Capricorn into Aquarius in March 2020, we will move into yet another octave of Saturn’s sobering influence; its transit through Aquarius end on March 7, 2023. You could say that Saturn’s journey through Capricorn is the overdue invoice we knew would eventually arrive—the sobering tally of all the areas in need of Saturn’s serious and sagacious discernment. And we’ve got a nice long time—nearly six years—to identify the lessons that need to be learned.
Saturn is, after all, the voice of reality, and with that in mind, its transit through Capricorn delineates what’s working and what isn’t, and when it finally moves into Aquarius a renaissance begins, as Aquarius provides the innovative impulse to create innovative solutions—new systems and new directions capable of revolutionizing what Saturn’s transit through Capricorn has revealed to longer serve.
Saturn symbolizes the ability to distill wisdom from experience: it is how we learn and grow. As a wise friend once said to me when talking about Saturn: Let’s face it—on this planet, it’s grow or die. And this is why I have come to see Saturn as a force for growth. For while it represents rules, regulations, boundaries, and traditions, it also signifies the bones of things—the essential structures of life—and it’s through Saturn that we identify the principles that ripen into wisdom. Saturn always strips away what is superfluous to reveal what is true. When we organize our choices around the essence of things—surrendering desire and focusing instead on necessity—we tend to make wiser decisions.
Sometimes Saturn’s revelatory process is cold, severe and maybe just a tad too detached. But its current journey through Capricorn is certain to be more messy than precise because Pluto is also in Capricorn, and Pluto’s presence in the Sign that symbolizes governments, corporations, and other major structures that hold the world order together is wreaking havoc with all sorts of systems. One way to best contextualize the current cultural chaos is to view it through a Plutonian perspective: Pluto, the planet of death and rebirth, demands authenticity, and that insistence annihilates all that’s inauthentic. The problem is that the death throes of the false and fake often suck the life force out of the true and genuine.
Plenty of people have been aware for a long time that corporations control politics, but now the very structure of their power is laid bare—no one is even bothering to hide it anymore. Fake news is also not new news—Hitler used the very same idea. News packaged as entertainment and TV viewers being exploited emotionally for profit are also not new. Paddy Chayefsky’s Network portrayed just such a scenario—and I can’t help but think that Fox News is something far worse than even he imagined. www.washingtonpost.com/news/made-by-history/wp/2017/09/05/the-anti-semitic-origins-of-the-war-on-fake-news/
The good but nonetheless painful news is that so much has been revealed—and all at once—that vast numbers of people are waking up to their responsibilities as planetary citizens—that’s Pluto, in Capricorn—and as Saturn intensifies that journey it will fuel the need to take action. The bad news is that there’s still resistance to remedying what needs to be healed. The death throes of the false can take a long time to run their course.
Uranus, in Aries, squares Venus, Pluto and the Sun this week and the sparks from those fractious interactions ignite rebellion everywhere, intensifying the need to be free, even in places where that struggle is already intense. From a personal perspective, these squares fuel the fire for personal independence, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself aching to break free from people, places or ideas keeping you enslaved to habits that are no longer meaningful. Use the potency of these squares to clear the air, but also realize that some of those old patterns are likely to be emotionally charged, which will make letting go a little more difficult. As Mercury moves into Capricorn it forms a conjunction to Saturn, and when they share the same space it’s possible to think deeply about any number of subjects—just be careful not to fall into a brood—Saturn sometimes overwhelms Mercury, turning it a bit depressive.
Saturn has often been called The Lord of Karma because it signifies the principle of cause and effect, or put simply: Saturn equals consequences, negative and positive. Recently I decided to make karma neutral my personal challenge for navigating Saturn transits during the next several years. Much like going carbon neutral—adding no additional damaging waste to the environment—I am setting an intention do the same with karma: cause no additional harm, realize when I am being reactive and then do something about it, take responsibility for what I put in motion as well as what’s already in motion and coming my way. For those of you who think this might stop me from writing about Mr. Trump and his Gang of Hungry Ghosts—don’t be silly. I perceive it as a responsibility of consciousness to point out their egregious behavior lest we become inured to it or afraid to take a stand.
While I have been highly critical of Mr. Trump and his followers, I’ve tried not to call him names or make fun of him. And I think it might be time for all of us to give up the name calling because unless you are a comedian, making fun of someone only diminishes the dialogue, and we need all our very smart minds to create a powerful awareness that elevates the conversation as it simultaneously combats the mendacious acts of his administration. Acceptance is not an option, but finding ways to hold the evolutionary ground of love without stooping to ignorance is important. As you move through this week and the coming weeks, consider the idea of what karma neutral would look like for you. Name calling isn’t likely to be part of the practice. One thing I know for sure, kindness and compassion have the power to create a karma neutral footprint.
Sun Bursts: If you know your Ascendant and/or your Moon Sign, read that too.
Aries March 21-April 19
You’re definitely feeling the urge to rage against the machine, but it might be wiser to figure out how you can go around bureaucratic obstacles rather than collide with them head on. This isn’t about being a wuss—it’s about applying common sense: you’ll catch more bees with honey….
Taurus April 20-May 20
Doubt, while uncomfortable, can often be fertilizer for growth, especially if you’re willing to dig down and uncover the roots of your misgivings. Don’t be afraid to question the tried and true—if they still offer viable ways of understanding the bigger picture, your inquiry will make that quite clear.
Gemini May 21-June 21
It’s a lot of change all at once and that’s never easy, even for someone as facile as you, so take a deep breath—as many as necessary—and rely on your innate flexibility to handle the overwhelm. You may not be able to get it all done easily, but you will be able to neutralize your anxiety.
Cancer June 22-July 22
Yes, there could be power struggles with partners, personal, professional, or both, but those interactions don’t have to have harmful consequences. They key to making it a win/win for all is the ability to identify the common ground and then support those shared interests enthusiastically.
Leo July 23-August 22
There’s a lot of support for getting truly serious about your health—taking care of all the details that need attending to: diet, exercise, meditation, and a good attitude. Rather than moan about just how much you’ve let certain things go, rely on your natural enthusiasm to keep you motivated.
Virgo August 23-September 22
People seldom think of Saturn as a primary creative force, but it is. And its creativity is available to you for the next several years. Spend as much time as you like contemplating what it is you would like to create—to bring into being—and then focus your determination on realizing those goals.
Libra September 23-October 22
Honor the deep need you’re experiencing to create solid ground, inside and out, and as you explore how to do this, don’t hesitate to hunker down at home and spend as much quiet, contemplative time as possible. You don’t have to become a homebody, but you also won’t regret it if you do.
Scorpio October 23-November 21
There’s a lot to be said for stimulating conversation, and there’s even more to be said for dialogue that provides actual, tangible information that enables opportunities to make informed choices. Don’t be surprised if you’re craving information—just be sure to be discerning about what constitutes reality.
Sagittarius November 22-December 21
You’re definitely thinking about money and its role in your life. I like to think of money as the circulatory system of the world, sending energy to where it is needed, even if it doesn’t always get delivered to where it is needed most. Think about how you would define it and how you spend it.
Capricorn December 22-January 19
I know you would prefer to be on the giving rather than the receiving end of need. You’re seldom happy needing anything, especially if you have to ask for help. But needs aren’t necessarily bad and asking for assistance isn’t either. It would be very helpful to contemplate how you can create a better balance.
Aquarius January 20-February 18
Saturn is guiding you through a deeply internal process, and while it may seem a little heavy-handed at first, you’ll eventually find your stride. Anticipate that part of this phase includes powerful dreams that deliver new information. You may also feel inclined to either start meditating or to deepen your existing practice.
Pisces February 19-March 20
Pay attention to your inclination to increase your participation in community activities, and don’t be surprised if you feel like volunteering or joining a group that makes a physical, tangible contribution to a favorite cause. The world changes one person at a time, and you could be the one who tips the balance.
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