A word of thanks to all those readers who sent in positive stories about what’s going on in the world—stories that aren’t likely to make the evening news but that nevertheless demonstrate the strong, positive undercurrents that are forming everywhere. One reader touched a deep chord when she shared the following information: her daughter, who teaches at two colleges in Minnesota, one with a diverse student body and the other with a more conservative and mostly white, privileged student body, reports that the students are not divided in their concerns about the future of the country. Rather, they are united in their fury at the greed and graft policies of the Trump administration. This reader added that most of the students will be voting in 2020 for the first time and they plan to make sure their vote counts. May this sentiment be repeated a million times over throughout the world where corrupt and cruel governments are grabbing for power. I also found an article in the New York Times about the citizens of Dayton, Ohio, uniting against hate; it’s an inspiriting story of people standing together to express their intolerance for the detrimental effects of hatred.
Saturn/Pluto: Part 2
To fully understand the effect of the ongoing Saturn/Pluto conjunction, exact on January 12, 2020, and to distill positive attributes from this powerful contractive force, it’s important to place it in context. While we tend to only define astrology as the daily, weekly, and monthly horoscopes that spit out, as Mary Chapin Carpenter sings, “a daily dose of destiny,” nothing in astrology happens in isolation. To make any sense at all of the mess we are currently mired in, from climate change to cruelty to the conscious dismantling of law and order, it might help to contextualize current dynamics through several astrological cycles that have contributed to the issues we are facing.
On November 4, 2008, a Saturn/Uranus opposition was exact. The astral signature of this potent combination is the dissolution of the status quo. Certainly, America electing its first black president was the perfect manifestation of that interaction. That opposition was exact five times over the next two years; the final exact opposition was July 26, 2010. Saturn/Uranus interactions also tend to signal the disruption of the financial status quo, and certainly those two years of oppositions laid bare the fault lines of the global banking system. The problem is that except in isolated cases, very little was done to right the ship and correct the practices that gave rise to so much suffering. The banks didn’t suffer—they were repaid. But people suffered, and continue to suffer the consequences of that financial collapse because nothing changed. Wall Street is a yardstick for rich people, not for poor people.
Which brings us to the next cycle that contributed to our current reality: a series of seven Uranus/Pluto squares that occurred between June 2012 and 2015. Uranus/Pluto contacts are always about issues of social justice, and certainly that’s what we witnessed during those years. While President Obama tried to make progress in many areas, he was met with huge congressional resistance, a resistance that coalesced into the Tea Party and its inherent racism; a resistance that also hampered the appointment of liberal judges in the justice system.
The agenda of the religious right made change almost impossible. Their insistence on an America rooted in racism, coupled with a fundamentalist or an evangelical Christianity, solidified into Mr. Trump’s presidency. And because they will stop at nothing to forward their agenda, they sanction Mr. Trump’s amoral behavior of lying, cheating, and stealing so they can get their way and put their religious beliefs above all others. Their resistance to progress over the course of all these decades is evident in the result: Mr. Trump may be amoral, but he is a perfect foil for their agenda. As long as he is fodder for the late-night comedians or a reality TV hero, the forces working behind him can continue to put their plans into motion.
The question is: what are we going to do about it, especially as Saturn and Pluto continue to tighten their grip? Saturn symbolizes structure; Pluto represents transformation. Their conjunction signifies the destruction of systems, personal and collective, social and psychological, corporate and financial, that simply no longer work. While the extremes of this process are evident through the daily news, what about those of us in the middle? How do we find and harness the creative aspect of Saturn/Pluto? How do we grasp the possibility of applying wisdom to the current shifts, of learning from our mistakes and allowing for new systems to appear—healthier systems that are the coalescence of what we’ve learned through the last ten years of powerful astral cycles?
There are more people in favor of social justice than there are in favor of segregation and subjugation, but those of us in favor of change need positive plans and options. We create our reality through whatever we focus our attention on. Many have learned to do this through popular spiritual leaders committed to helping people embrace spiritual principles that apply no matter what religion they practice. Now we need to learn that we can co-create abundance for everyone. No one is free to fully enjoy personal abundance if others are suffering. This is the next step of the spiritual movement: actualizing those principles on a massive scale. This is the magic of spiritual adepts: the realization that nothing separates us—nothing—and that together, we can transcend the forces of cruelty and constriction to construct a better world.
Sun Bursts: If you know your Ascendant and/or your Moon Sign, read that too.
Aries March 21-April 19
The best response to the intensity is spontaneity. Of course that means you have to trust yourself and risk being impulsive—something I know you’ve worked on. If you’re committed to being in the moment, your spontaneous response will cut through the old system and clear a path for a new one.
Taurus April 20-May 20.
Rather than taking the high road or the low one, find the middle way—it will keep you from going to extremes and that would be a good thing, especially in this current climate of polarization. I’m not suggesting you wimp out; I’m simply advising you to hold fast to moderation in all things.
Gemini May 21-June 21
Despite–or maybe even because of—the current intensity being so dynamic, you’re opening up creative channels that haven’t been accessed in a while. Seize this moment and use its power to break free from stagnant habits. This breakthrough requires confidence, but also the willingness to just get unstuck.
Cancer June 22-July 22
It’s not too bad this week, but over the coming weeks, you’ll need to hold your tongue (bite it until it bleeds if necessary) until you’ve collected your composure and can respond skillfully without setting off alarms. This may not be easy, but if you’re easygoing, the going won’t be as rough—and that’s a good thing.
Leo July 23-August 22
You’re at risk of getting attacked by a brain worm whose only goal is to keep you compulsively chewing on the same information while it steals your precious mental energy. Judgments are a brain worm’s bread and butter, so rather than focus how things should be, do you best to stay neutral and nonreactive.
Virgo August 23-September 22
There are money matters that require your attention and while you’re not really that interested in dealing with any of it, you’re also reticent to ignore the situation. Here’s the thing: Just do what’s necessary to be a responsible citizen—the no muss, no fuss approach will yield the best dividends.
Libra September 23-October 22
You’re concocting a blend between home life, and all that means to you, and work, with all of its many obligations but also many joys. This isn’t an easy synthesis, because it involves trying to please other people, all of whom have their own desires. So take a deep breath and as you exhale, be determined to find the solid ground of positive compromise.
Scorpio October 23-November 21
There’s a lot you want to say and there’s a lot you need to say—and you’ve got more than your fair share of anxiety about what’s gonna happen if you say it all. Well… the first thing is that as soon as you say it, you’ll know whether your assessment of the situation is right or wrong. Then you can take it from there.
Sagittarius November 22-December 21
If you focus on teamwork, you’ll have a much better time managing the intensities of the week. I’m not suggesting you burden your partner(s) or friend(s) with finding the solution. I’m simply advising you that putting more than one head together to find a good solution will prove productive and satisfying.
Capricorn December 22-January 19
I know you’re hoping for a little break in just how many responsibilities you’re shouldering, but the planets aren’t providing a lot of spare time. Rather than resenting the energy demands of others, prioritize the things you need to do for you, and when others ask for time, make it clear that your time is limited.
Aquarius January 20-February 18
You’ll be tempted to come out charging but that wouldn’t necessarily be the best stance to assume—whatever you or anyone puts in motion these days seems to have the half-life of plutonium. So take a deep breath, choose your words wisely, and be determined to be a peacemaker.
Pisces February 19-March 20
Yes, it has been difficult figuring out how to have a little fun in the midst of so much polarization—especially for you because you so want to please everyone, even if you don’t think you do. Be willing to be just a little disappointing or disappointed and stake out what you need to find your joy.