Gotta love those planets: Saturn went direct on September 18, took a couple of days to gather momentum and adjust to its “course correction,” and seven days later, Speaker Pelosi announced a formal impeachment inquiry into Mr. Trump; Saturn, who some call the Lord of Karma, is the planetary slow poke. Pluto Direct begins today, late in the evening Pacific Time (early in the morning Eastern Time), and because Pluto is the master of power and control, who knows what we’ll be talking about tomorrow or seven days from now—I only hope it is not about Hillary Clinton’s emails. We’re traversing the wild terrain of profound planetary shift and there’s no reversing or stopping the process, and absolutely no telling where it’s going to take us. But you don’t need me to tell you that; daily life is a brilliant and often unbelievable living tableau of the turbulence of change. So set your inner compass on your true north—what matters most to you—and do whatever is necessary to stay steady on your course.
The turbulence of the next few days is mostly brought to you by the Moon, which conjuncts Jupiter today and by the weekend moves into a conjunction with Saturn and Pluto, once again illuminating the emotional underpinnings of the Saturn/Pluto conjunction. Add to that the Sun in Libra squaring both Saturn and Pluto and you’ve got a rollercoaster of power struggles, personal and political, some of which reach back to the beginning of the entire Trump debacle. Pay careful attention to what unfolds during the impeachment inquiry and see if you can connect the dots to dates that go as far back as January 2017, when we were midway through the Jupiter/Uranus oppositions that defined so much of the initial Trump madness. The events of the last several years will intensify as Saturn and Pluto close ranks for the next couple of months, culminating in their exact contact on January 12, 2020. But don’t expect any easy resolution; the consequences of those events have the half-life of plutonium.
One of the first acts of Mr. Trump’s administration was to dismantle the State Department, through Tillerson, by letting go of a great many career experts. At the time it may not have registered that Trump and one of his Hungry Ghosts were stripping the State Department of its expertise; in hindsight, one can only assume they were making sure that no one would notice what they were up to. Then Trump and his Gang attacked the Justice Department and the FBI, undermining the gravitas and efficacy of those institutions by firing or maligning experts who had the experience to detect what might be going on and put the pieces together. Those who did persevere were targeted and their reputations besmirched. Once you clear the field of almost everyone who can raise a red flag and question what’s going on, you’re free to do what you like undetected and without interference. But fortunately for the country, there were and still are enough people who believe in the principles of the Constitution to question these blatant abuses of power.
Sadly, that same dedication to constitution principles has yet to be brought to bear on the detention centers—really, concentration camps—on our borders. The flagrant, despicable bigotry that has surfaced still needs to be remedied and it’s a process that will likely go on and on and on; again, the half-life of plutonium. Mr. Trump, as we know, isn’t the entire problem. The people who support him and delight in his coarse belligerence are going to echo his values for quite some time because those are shared values—something he capitalizes on repeatedly.
Which leads us to Uranus, currently retrograde in Taurus and not planning to turn direct until January 10, 2020, two days before the exact Saturn/Pluto conjunction—ain’t that gonna be a blast. The transit of Uranus through Taurus is fundamentally a phase during which we get to question our values. And we certainly seem to be doing just that. Of course it can be argued that the clash between the 1% and the rest of us is an ongoing values struggle that has persisted for centuries. But what’s different when Uranus highlights the clash is that there is no escaping it—those Uranian lightning bolts illuminate whatever is stagnant. Because we have worshipped capitalism and the mighty dollar above all other gods, we have exploited and extinguished almost every resource on the planet; Uranus in Taurus combined with the Saturn/Pluto conjunction seems to be our moment of cosmic reckoning for the greed underpinning this unsustainable imbalance.
Finding a wholesome path through the ups and downs of the week will take a strong sense of right and wrong, or what will ultimately be seen as the primary dividing line of our times. For some of our fellow travelers that line is quite clear: cause no harm to any sentient being—animal, mineral or vegetable. To others that distinction is not as clear. Do your best to be kind to others less certain about what the “right thing” is, but don’t abandon your principles.
Sun Bursts: If you know your Ascendant and/or your Moon Sign, read that too.
Aries March 21-April 19
While the wild ride continues to turn your external life upside down, you can still find your peaceful place within and stay centered in that calm. Increase your meditation or yoga practice and do whatever it is you do to maintain awareness. Yes, there is a lot to deal with, but you have the strength to handle what comes your way.
Taurus April 20-May 20.
You are busier than you thought you would be and while you like the challenge of a full schedule, you may have to rearrange a few too many events. So take a deep breath, acknowledge that the next couple of days may be a wild ride, and do your best to handle the flux. After all, Uranus is in your Sign and its instability is certain to rattle your steady steps.
Gemini May 21-June 21
The emotional emphasis is on significant others and how to manage their “unruly” behavior. Don’t misunderstand; you’re not always the most organized person on the planet and you have a lot of sympathy for those who stray from the plan. But there are times when you need the routines of daily life to be stable and reliable.
Cancer June 22-July 22
The focus is on significant others and how you can handle their needs and still meet your own. Yes, that is an ongoing conundrum, but this week it’s more prevalent, especially when it comes to satisfying everyone’s requirements for safety and security. You can put in an alarm system but you still won’t be able to be all things to all those you love.
Leo July 23-August 22
The challenge is figuring out how to express your needs without sounding as if you are criticizing others whose needs may be different. Be clear and concise about your plans and your requirements and then ask others to do the same. If you join forces and create a shared strategy, figuring out how to please everyone will be a lot easier.
Virgo August 23-September 22
Try not to let financial turbulence devolve into a worried mind or heart. You’ve got the tools to manage the flux and if you apply those tools without anxiety, you’re sure to emerge on a stronger financial foundation. I’m not suggesting something awful is going to happen. I’m simply advising you not to be thrown into an internal tizzy by external demands.
Libra September 23-October 22
Mars moves into your Sign on Friday, thrusting you into a leadership role and pinning the spotlight on almost every move you make. (And no, I am not going to start quoting Sting.) There’s no escaping this influence, so rather than resent the added intensity and/or responsibility, embrace it by gracefully accepting the role and doing your best to lead with excellence.
Scorpio October 23-November 21
Mercury moves into your Sign tomorrow, October 3, and because the Winged Messenger likes to talk, you’re likely to be yakking it up with lots of people, from friends to absolute strangers. It’s not like you to be superficially chatty (unless you have a strong Gemini or Sagittarius influence in your chart), but every once in a while, it’s good to just talk.
Sagittarius November 22-December 21
The challenge is figuring out how to stay steady in the midst of the external turbulence and still make forward progress. This won’t be an easy task, but you can maintain your equilibrium if you manage to deflect negative information. So turn off the news and don’t let conversations about current events turn your world upside down. I’m not advising denial; I’m simply suggesting self-care.
Capricorn December 22-January 19
The emphasis is on work as Mars moves into your Solar House of career, so even if you aren’t working, there’s going to be a lot to do. As you move through this busy time, try to notice what upsets your internal balance and then figure out how you can handle those influences without relinquishing or sacrificing what matters to you.
Aquarius January 20-February 18
There is a lot to negotiate, internally and externally. From an internal perspective, you’re trying to figure out what you need to stay firmly on your path toward specific goals. From an external perspective, there are a lot of conversations and interactions with significant others, personal and professional, that need to be handled with awareness, skill, and grace.
Pisces February 19-March 20
This week’s turbulence affects you internally as well as externally and while it will be easier to handle the internal ups and downs, do your best not to neglect the external flux. Hidden in these erratic fluctuations are opportunities to stretch the boundaries of your world and widen your horizons. It won’t be easy handling the stretch but it will be worth it.