Sun enters Taurus – the heart of spring

The sun moves into the constellation of Taurus today, moving us to the heart of spring.  Each season has a beginning, a middle and an end.  You can see this clearly in nature.  If you live in the northern hemisphere, you really KNOW it is  winter in February.  Similarly, you can’t miss the heat of summer in August.  May is the analogous ‘heart of the season’ for spring.

The sign of Taurus is associated with the planet Venus and she is associated with love, beauty, art, money, fecundity, the earth, gardens.  It’s a time of lushness and fertility.  Remember the song from Camelot?  “Tra la, it’s here, the lusty time of year!”  May is that – just look at how nature is seductively decking herself out and using the flowers and trees to bat her eyelashes at us.  It’s almost embarrassing, this glut of beauty and splendor.

And – like all of life – it’s ephemeral.

So take a moment today, as we officially move into the heart of spring to drink in the splendor of nature:  the blooming flowers and trees, the greening grass, the birdchirp and that crazy beautiful spring light, especially at sunrise and sunset.  Mother Nature is waking up – and we can, too!

What are YOU doing to celebrate the lushness of spring?  As ever, I really want to know!

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New moon in Aries – seize the day!

“The future may be scary, but holding onto the past is futile, and the opportunity to invent a better tomorrow is here right now.” – The Mountain Astrologer (Jeff Jawer)

Though astrology is my lifelong hobby, I don’t write about it much in this blog – it has seemed to me that perhaps that’s a different audience.  However, today’s new moon in Aries is so very potent, I felt I had to alert you all to “seize the day.”

Each month there is a new moon (an astronomical event when the sun and the moon are in the same area of the sky – thus both  the sun and the moon are in the same zodiacal sign).   New moons always signify new beginnings – we each get a ‘restart’ button every month, but in a different area of life.

Aries is the beginning of the zodiac, so Aries in and of itself also has ‘restart’ energies.  So the annual new moon in Aries is always a big, double burst of “begin anew, let’s get going!” energy

However, this year the Arian new moon also connects to the explosive, surprising “where did THAT come from?” energies of the planet Uranus and the powerful, rumbling, “this changes everything” transformative energies of the planet Pluto.

Uranus and Pluto are dancing together this year – as they did in the mid 60s – but the energy of this dance makes the 60s look more like a waltz.  Expect change.  Big change.  Transformative change.

And today’s new moon provides us a preview of that.

Also, in the Mountain Astrologer, Stephanie Austin writes “Each one of us, along with the human race and Gaia herself, is progressing into uncharted territory. We have not been here before; we are learning as we go.”

One of my mantras has been “act – or be acted upon.”  This is a great day to meditate on what you wish to change in your own world and in the greater world as well.  I believe this day is the seed for the year that’s coming – let’s envision big, helpful, sweeping PEACEFUL changes.

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The Astrology of Family Dynamics by Erin Sullivan

Tuesdays are Ideas Day here at Taking it to the Streets

Calling Erin Sullivan “my favorite astrologer” or even “my favorite astrological author” does her a disservice.  She’s a truly amazing, insightful astrologer – of that there is no doubt.  But it is her vast knowledge of psychology, mythology, archetypes and all things associated with the more numinous realms that make her truly one of a kind.

Two years ago I found myself in a new (and, as it turned out, fleeting) romance and I was seeking some direction – trying to get a bit grounded.  Hoping to “get it right this time”.  I sought Erin’s services as an astrologer.  I ended up being so blown away (in a good way) by our initial session that I hired her for two more.  Three sessions with Erin Sullivan was more insightful and helpful that years of psychotherapy.  I was in awe of her depth of knowledge, her keen insights – and her kindness.

I had read two of her other books – Saturn in Transit and The Astrology of Midlife and Aging and found both of them fascinating and helpful.  But this book - The Astrology of Family Dynamics – has continued to reverberate within me in some surprising (and private) ways.

Astrology has been my hobby for several decades and I’ve done a few astrology posts in this blog – and have thought at times of doing a blog just on astrology (decided not to – there’s plenty of really great ones out there already).  If this were a book of interest only to astrologers I wouldn’t review it here – but I believe anyone could glean insights into their own families and family dynamics in general with this far-ranging book. 

The book is divided into 3 parts:

1. The Big Picture: The Organic Family

2. Family Dynamics

3. Dynasty

Her insights into how family systems work are thought-provoking. I had never thought of the importance of boundaries – not in the psychological sense, but more in the sense of providing borders – in defining families, for instance.

And if, like me, you are interested in astrology and happen to have the natal horoscopes of your family members at the ready, you can really get some great ‘ahas!’.  It was very clear to me that we had a very strong sign influence in my family of origin (4 of the 6 of us have either sun, moon or Ascendant in Libra).  And it was fascinating to see who connected to who and in what way.

As my Uranus conjunct my Gemini ascendant would say, I’m not one to sit still and focus much.  But this book had me pulling out family horoscopes, and creating all sorts of charts. 

As I said, it still reverberates and gives me new perspectives on my own family and on families in general.  As with any typology (Meyers-Briggs, enneagram, etc.) astrology is useful when it helps us to understand ourselves and others, and not useful when it is used to typecast people. 

Besides her wealth of astrological, mythological, historical and philosophical/religious knowledge, Erin has a huge vocabulary.  it’s rare for me to learn even one new word when I read a book – having grown up with a mother who was in love with words and from whom I caught the bug. But I ALWAYS learn new words from Erin.

Read the book.  Visit her website – www.erinsullivan.com .  And if you really want to be flat-out amazed, have an astrology reading with her. You’ll thank me.

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Autumn Equinox – ushering in autumn, focusing on balance

This past Wednesday was Autumn Equinox – the moment when the Sun enters the sign of Libra ushers in the autumn as we stop for a moment with equal day/equal night (thus ‘equi’ ‘nox’).  The days, getting shorter since Summer Solstice, are now getting WAY shorter – each day a bit darker than the one before. 

But on that day (and its counterpart in the spring) the days and nights are of equal length.

Perhaps that’s why the ancient astrologers assigned to Libra the scales, and the quality of balance.

It’s been such a subterranean theme for me just lately as I stand poised between my old job and my new one, between one daily routine and a new one that seems like it will be quite different. 

I’ve noted that my normally very extroverted self seems to be requiring more solitude, more meditation, more just BE-ing, and less DO-ing than I am normally about (my brother has referred to me, aptly, as “the doer of all things”). 

In the past I would have had some judgements about my seeming indolence.  Chided myself to “get off yer ass and get to work!” or other non-helpful ‘motivations’.  Now I observe.  Ah, I say, Self seems to want to just sit and play computer games and zone out – hmmm.  Ah, now it seems to be time for a flurry of chores.  Oh, I see, it’s time to connect with a friend.

I think we all have rhythms and more of them than we purportedly rational beings would like to acknowledge, are driven by our animal-selves.  The changing of the light, the strong signalling the Earth gives us in the transitional seasons, alerts our Inner Animal that change is required.  While I’m far from a hibernating bear I have long observed that I sleep a bit more in the winter than in summer.  I noticed I wanted soup, not salad, for lunch yesterday. 

So I look to honor this balancing time by listening to my body/soul and also attending to my commitments – to myself and to others. 

I wrote a book called Be Your Own Life Coach : Dream it! Plan it! Do it! (now out of print) – a personal growth book focused on helping people clarify and achieve their goals.  My favorite part of the book though is a few pages on which I acknowledge the dance between DO-ing and BE-ing and how important it is to honor what  IS, not just plow ahead mindlessly.

There’s as much danger in the plowing ahead mindlessly, I believe as in the equally dangerous habit of indolence and just “letting it all hang out.”

I think it’s all about consciousness.

Quick tip of the hat to my new friend Sara McIntosh and her fabulous blog My Dispenza Days (noted here before) which focuses on consciousness and has me thinking lots on that topic.

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Cardinal T-Square – Part 2 – Uranus and Jupiter

So we talked over the last couple of weeks about what Pluto is up to and how it impacts all of us as it dances in the big Cardinal T-Square/Cross. To ‘revisit the bidding’ as they say in bridge:

<< – all the huge energy afoot as Uranus and Jupiter in Aries Oppose Saturn in Libra with all of them making a 90 degree angle (thus, the “T”) to Pluto in Capricorn.

All of this is occurring from about 0-3 of the aforementioned Cardinal signs. So if you have planets or points at 0-3 degrees of Aries, Libra or Capricorn you’re being directly impacted. What about the 4th cardinal sign, Cancer? Yer not off the hook – all those planets will be making stressful angles to YOUR planets too.>>

So now we’re looking at Uranus.

Uranus, ruler of Aquarius (thus near and dear to my heart) is the Change Agent. The Wild card in the deck. Akin to The Fool in Tarot, or Kokopelli - it’s Trickster energy. Uranus talks about where we are Uniquely ourselves – our own genius/quirkiness/rebelliousness. It’s the lightning bolt that you didn’t see coming. Is that “good” or “bad” – it is either! In my life
it was the divorce that was so far out of left field that 20 years later I’m still scratching my head (Uranus transiting the 8th). But it was also the book deal that fell into my lap out of left field (Uranus straddling the 9th/10th).

Uranus has been dancing between late Pisces and early Aries – it’s now drifted back to Pisces (28.41 Pisces today) and will continue retrograde til early next year.

As you know Aries is the beginning of the zodiac. It take Uranus 84 years to lope through all 12 signs. So Uranus starting a new cycle in Aries is a BFD. Expect big changes.

And friends, Uranus is a big enough change agent left to his own devices – but he’s got a pal in this venture – Jupiter! So I kinda sorta have to talk about them together as they are bosom buddies right now. As we speak Jupiter is at 28.29 Pisces. They’ve already conjuncted once at 0 Aries, now they’re both retrograde and they will be meeting again soon in Aries. They’re gonna rock this joint is what I think.

Jupiter is the planet the ancient astrologers called “The Great Benefic” – means “The major good guy”. Old Jove expands all he touches. So when he’s hanging with Uranus – the Change Bringer – expect BIG, EXPANDED change. Jupiter rules the collective, society, business – our walking around life in many ways – expect changes there. He’s the natural ruler of Sagittarius which relates also to the 9th house – so changes in publishing, law, religion could be more prominent now.

This conjunction which has been going on for awhile and will continue awhile longer is an odd one. Like Kokopelli hanging out with the Pope – they’re odd bedfellows. To my mind THIS is the part of the Cardinal Cross that will be ushering in the new age. Pluto and Saturn are clearing the path and sweeping up the detritus of the old order, but it’s Jupiter conjunct Uranus that’s gonna rock this joint and usher in the true New Age. And it’s upon us!

So now that you’ve met Quirky Uranus and Jolly Jove – where are they hanging out in YOUR chart right now??

How can you tell? Get your chart. Now find where 28 degrees of Pisces is. Find it?

HOUSE: The house Uranus and Jupiter are in will tell you what in your life needs to be totally transformed (for me, they’re in the tail end of the 10th  house – career, public standing). 

And – ‘bonus points’ if Uranus/Jupiter are going through the angles – the 1st, 4th, 7th or 10th houses -those are the major areas of life and when an outer planet transits those houses one expects to see big changes manifesting in the world (1= me; 4-=home ; 7 = partner; 10 = career).

PLANETS: What planets in your chart are at 28 Pisces, Gemini, Virgo or Sagittarius? The Pisces planets are being conjuncted by Uranus/Jupiter, the Gemini and Sagittarius planets are being squared by the duo and the Virgo planets are being opposed by them. I have natal Uranus at 26 Gemini, so these guys are just past that – they’ll retrograde back over the next little bit so that my natal Uranus is being squared by these guys. Squares are thought to be the most stressful angles – so what does this mean? I look to
the meaning of Uranus (our need to be unique, our own genius, our rebelliousness) and it’s house placement (1st, conjunct the ASC) – 1st is our self – body, sense of self. And I look at the sign placement of my natal Uranus – Gemini = Communications, short journeys, school, writing. So with transiting Jupiter/Uranus in the 10th house affecting my natal Uranus in the 1st I can expect changes in my work that affect my life. Which is exactly what I have right now – a new job that will mean commuting to the city, and a job that is likely to be somewhat stressful, though lucrative.

POINTS: If Pluto is making an aspect to your Ascendant (aka ‘rising sign) or Midheaven (called M.C.) you can similarly expect big changes. Ascendant is personality, appearance, YOU. Midheaven is your public standing, your reputation, your place in the world, the gateway to your career house. Right now Uranus and Jupiter are too far to be squaring my 23 Gemini ASC but it’s close! So look in YOUR chart – any connections there?

As we go through the rest of this whole lineup, we’ll want to also see how these guys blend together. What did you note in our last lesson on Pluto? Now what do you see with Uranus and Jupiter? Any overlap? How many planet and points in your chart are being affected thus far? Remember – we still have Saturn in our roll call – it ain’t over yet!

Okay – over to you – how about a roll-call, check. Ally-ally-in-free? Who is being affected now by transiting Uranus and Jupiter at 28 (more or less)Pisces? Anything from 26-30 mutable really counts on this one. Speak up!

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Astrology: Cardinal T-Square, Part 1 – Pluto

So y’all have heard of the big Cardinal T-Square/Cross (mostly it’s a T-square, but inner planets create the missing link turning it into a cardinal cross) this summer – all the huge energy afoot as Uranus and Jupiter in Aries Oppose Saturn in Libra with all of them making a 90 degree angle (thus, the “T”) to Pluto in Capricorn.

All of this is occurring from about 0-3 of the aforementioned Cardinal signs. So if you have planets or points at 0-3 degrees of Aries, Libra or Capricorn you’re being directly impacted. What about the 4th cardinal sign, Cancer? Yer not off the hook – all those planets will be making stressful angles to YOUR planets too.

This is a lot to think about, especially for those of you for whom astrology is new – so let’s start with the outermost planet and work our way in, shall we?

Pluto – lord of the underworld – this is the energy of death/rebirth; transformation, depth, sex, money, what is hidden. My take on Pluto is Basho’s poem: “MY barn having burned to the ground, now I can better see the moon.” It’s not the easier, softer planet – but the death/rebirth, Durga/Kali-like energy is energy we need to renew.

Pluto is now going through the sign of Capricorn: the mountain goat, the achiever, corporate self, Respect, dignity, public institutions, governments, and where we need authority in our own lives.

So now that you & Pluto have been properly introduced – where is the Lord of the Underworld hanging out in YOUR chart right now?

How can you tell? Get your chart. Now find where 3 degrees of Capricorn is. Find it?

HOUSE: The house Pluto is in will tell you what in your life needs to be totally transformed (for me, marriage/partnership – the 7th house). And – ‘bonus points’ if Pluto is going through the angles – the 1st, 4th, 7th or 10th houses -those are the major areas of life and when an outer planet transits those houses one expects to see big changes manifesting in the world (1= me; 4-=home ; 7 = partner; 10 = career).

PLANETS: What planets in your chart are at 0-3 Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn? The Aries planets are being squared by Pluto; the Cancer planets are being opposed by Pluto; the Libra planets are being squared and the Capricorn planets are being conjuncted. I have moon at 0 Libra – so my natal moon is being squared by Pluto. Squares are thought to be the most stressful angles – so what does this mean? I look to the meaning of the moon (my emotions, soul, needs, mom, nurturing) and it’s house placement
(4th, but almost in the 5th) – 4th – is “deep heart’s core”, home, family; 5th is lovers, children, creativity. And I look at the sign placement of my natal moon – Libra. Partnership, harmony, balance, relational. So with transiting Pluto in the 7th affecting my moon in the 4th/5th, I might expect my relational life to change.

POINTS: If Pluto is making an aspect to your Ascendant (aka ‘rising sign) or Midheaven (called M.C.) you can similarly expect big changes. Ascendant is personality, appearance, YOU. Midheaven is your public standing, your reputation, your place in the world, the gateway to your career house.

As we go through the rest of this whole lineup, we’ll want to also see how these guys blend together (for instance, for me Saturn is conjuncting my Libra moon, and Jupiter/Uranus are opposing it at the same time Pluto is squaring it – gee, do you think the Universe wants me to change my habits (another key moon word) or underlying emotions? I’m thinking yes.

Over to you – how about a roll-call, check. Ally-ally-in-free? Who is being affected now by transiting moon at 2.48 (more or less) Capricorn? Anything from 0-4 cardinal really counts on this one. Speak up!

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A new day IS dawning ~ and collectively we can expedite the goodness and beauty

For those of us who “lean left” to quote a friend of mine, it’s been an amazing 24 hours:  Proposition 8 overturned in California, only to be followed in mere hours by the seeming certainty of Elena Kagan being appointed to the Supreme Court.  Wow!

My dad, who will turn 87 in the fall, tells me “Diane, you never know what will happen in life. That’s why I get out of bed each morning – to see what will happen next.”

As noted here before, the astrology blogsophere has been more full of doom and gloom this summer than a Tea Party convention.  “The sky is falling! The sky is falling!”

What’s happening, I think is that the sun is setting and a new day is dawning.  We can keep looking longingly at the setting sun, wringing our hands and saying “ain’t it awful…” or we can wait, breathlessly and in prayerful, hopeful anticipation as the new day dawns and like my dad say “I wonder what will happen next?”

Whether you’re reading/listening to/watching the news and/or watching “the stars” or (best) meditating and tuning in to the Cosmos, you must surely see that “we’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto”.  And yet, we’re not in Oz yet either.  We are most assuredly “on the road to findout” as Cat Stevens used to sing.

And if it’s true (as I believe it is) that what we focus on expands, then whatever our opinion of the current zeitgeist we’re best served by constantly looking for the good, looking for the just, looking for the beautiful and focusing on that.

Yesterday was President Obama’s birthday.  Tomorrow the Cardinal Grand Cross/T-Square has a big finale.  I must admit, even positive me had some not so positive fears as I looked at those juxtapositions and what the planetary ‘weather map’ seemed to be telling me (as I studied it months in advance).

But (for those who speak my language) Uranus is not only the Great Awakener, but also the Bringer of Big Surprises.  Teaming up as he is with Jupiter (the Big Expander) – well, that’s code for Big Surprises and Big Changes.

So I will continue to envision Big Goodness unfolding in surprising ways – not just “out there” but “in here”.  And the more of us that get on the Polar Express and BELIEVE – believe in the good, in God’s grace, in a beautiful world – the more quickly that goodness will manifest. 

Will you help us all to birth this new age?  I do believe it’s time.

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And for my astro readers – on the current Cardinal T-square

I just wrote about how our view of life – puppets on a string? masters of our fate? – affects our experiences.  For my readers who are of the astrological persuasion, here’s something I posted elsewhere on the current Cardinal T-Square (Grand Cross for a day when Moon is in Cancer on August 6):

Transits are simply current energy afoot. Just as in life – we respond to what is presented to us partially in response to the stimulus (in this case, the transits) and partially due to our own patterns, predilections and ‘way of being’. So I have the Cardinal grand cross (when the moon is in Cancer on the 6th the current T-square will become (for 24 hours) a grand cross) right on top of my 0.38 Libra moon.

If I didn’t know much about astrology (been studying 35 years or so) or life (been studying that a lot of  years) I might totally flip out.  Moon is in 4th which exacerbates it all. Oh no! the sky is falling!

But back in the real world, how I am responding to all this pressure on my moon (mom, emotions, nurturing, the Deep Feminine, habits, women, the public) is to change (Uranus opposing it) my habits (moon itself) in a structured (Saturn conjunct it) active (mars conjunct) and big (Jupiter opposed) way that will transform (Pluto) not only my body (moon) and life, but also my relationships to others, especially potential partners (Pluto transiting the 7th) and my ability to stay employed in the workplace (Uranus & Jupiter transiting  the 10th).

Why am I reacting this way instead of the 10,000 other ways one could respond to the same aspects? I think it’s due to my natal Mars/MC/Sun conjunction – I tend towards action. I also think my Saturn in the 4th gives me an advantage of feeling routines and structures/restrictions to be grounding in some very deep way.

Of course my natal placements could play out totally different – Uranus conj ASC & Trine Sun = an extremely rebellious me.

My point isn’t “Me! Me! Me!” but to give an example that the planets aren’t “the deciders” to quote the ever so quotable George Bush – WE ARE. If you know astrology you can look at what is going on and make some choices.

I get that life will also choose for you – my friends recently diagnosed or re-diagnosed with cancer or friends losing parents, et al – but in that case we CHOOSE how to respond.

We are NOT helpless puppets, though, in a more spiritual cosmic way there are forces at play and we are both more able to respond and also more powerless than we ever imagine.

As Mary Oliver says “What do you want to do with your one wild and precious life?”

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Puppet on a string? Master of your own fate?

Are we puppets on a string, swayed by world events?  Are we minions of God, directed by some Big Producer in the Sky?  Are we self-made women and men, boldly reciting “I am the captain of my soul….”?  Do we soldier on through life with the belief “If it’s going to be, it’s up to me”?

Right now in my astrological communities there is a lot of sturm und drang about the Cardinal T-Square energy that is afoot these days.  This post isn’t about that per se (sorry astro fans!) but rather the response I see.  People who are in the first camp (we really are puppets on a string – in this case ruled by planets – a view I most definitely DO NOT share) are frightened. 

Just as in the current political arena (which is exemplifying said energy beautifully – a textbook case of the Uranus/Saturn part of it all) there is much heated rhetoric and a lot of “the sky is falling!”  The most extreme example of this that I have heard of was the billboard put up by a Tea Party group in Nebraska comparing Obama to Hitler. Oh my!  But lest my family & friends on the right think I’m saying that extremism and dire views of the current zeitgeist are limited to one side of the political spectrum – I’m not. 

And this post isn’t about politics.

It’s about how our view of the world colors all that we do, feel and yes, experience.

Individually how we respond to the challenges, opportunities, joys and sorrows that life hands us will determine much about the content and character of our life.  And I think, our happiness.

And collectively how we as a group (family, religious body, school, workplace, company, or governmental body or nation) respond to what happens will affect our place in the world, too.

And it occurs on the theatre not only of space, but time.

In my BigGirl Corporate career I used to complain to my patient father about the transgressions of others or how unfair BigCo was – some corporate political maneuvering that struck me as particularly egregious.  My grew-up-as-a-farmer Dad (who later became a sales executive at Johnson & Johnson) would remind me “Cream rises to the top.  Just do YOUR best and ignore all the distractions – it will work out in the end.”  That seemed absurd when I was flailing. But my Dad is one of the people I’ve admired the most and so I would follow his advice. Darned if he wasn’t right on that one, too!

I’m seeing that right now in the results I’m getting from the changes I’m implementing with the big energy afoot.  As an aside, one of the reasons I have studied astrology for over 35 years is that it’s a good barometer/clock – it describes energy that is afoot.  Doesn’t create it – but like a good weather map let’s you know what is on the horizon).  So, seeing the energy afoot and how it affects me I sprang into action.  As I used to tell my colleague Marc at BigCo – “Act or be acted upon!”

So i’m making these very big (to me) changes in how I feed and move my body. And while the end game is health and strength one of the side effects I’m most eager to see is weight loss. 

So I plug away each day and see little result, tiny result —– and then, all of a piece  – “wow!” – big result.  As an aside, I noticed this years ago when I did a Weight Watchers plan – it seems to be how my body changes itself – holds on tight to each ounce til the last possible second and then drops 3 lbs seemingly overnight.  Up and down and quite erratic, when the effort applied is slow (VERY slow it seems on some days!) and steady.

My corporate career was like that.  Seemingly big promotions “out of the blue” when in reality there had been years in the making.

With work and money I have always had the underlying belief that I am and will be successful. So as the waves roll in and the chaos “out there” continues swirling I “do the next right thing” and trust God/the Universe/my Self/my own efforts that as Bob Marley says “Every little thing is gonna be alright”

As I noted on my post about hope – I am seeing that I can do that same thing – change my beliefs, change my mind, change my expectations on all the rest of life.

Einstein said: “ There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.”

I vote for option B.  You?

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Saturn opposed Uranus for the final time

My non astrologically inclined readers (those with no interest)  – go talk amongst yourselves for a bit.  Because today we had a doozy of an aspect in the heavenly dance and I wanted to write a bit about it for my astrologically inclined readers.

Imagine this.  The upstart young skateboard dude, covered in tats, his very demeanor showing his total disregard for any social conventions (“rules? we don’t need no stinking rules”) has been going up against The Man – the banker, the priest, the Corporate mogul.

Or better – legions of us who played by the rules – put off that European vacation to pump up the 401k, only to see it go careening – nosedive down, chug back up, churn and drop – where’s it gonna go?  And what happens if the bottom drops out again?  All of a sudden, perfectly “normal” middle class people are saying “Hey! We’re not gonna take it anymore!”

And meanwhile – the bankers, the priests, the corporate moguls, the politicians, the generals – as we said back in my day “the Establishment” – are being exposed on a daily (hourly?) basis.  It’s just a man behind that curtain and a very flawed man at that.

Suddenly you’re driving down a pretty normal road and – whoa? what is that in the Illinois cornfield? That would be a big industrial strength windmill.

Bob was right - the times they ARE a changing.

And these two Titans (for they were that in Greek mythology, as I recall) – Uranus and Saturn have been duking it out for a while now.

Saturn – Father Time; The Grim Reaper; The Great Teacher – the ancient astrologers referred to him as “the Great Malefic” (the major bad guy).  Saturn isn’t bad – he just wants a little order.  Some respect.  A solid (and serious foundation).

And you know what?  We need him – in our world, in our own charts, in our lives.  Ruling teeth and bones and corporations and establishment type values.  Structure.

Now, Uranus – The Change Agent; The Great Awakener; the Bolt of Lightning – in the Tarot it’s The Fool.  Uranus is that bolt out of the blue that changes everything.  The book deal that falls into your lap abruptly; the lover who walks in and says she’s leaving and takes your breath away with the surprise, the man who comes home from his wife’s funeral and lies down to rest and just dies.  Shocking.  Surprising. Unexpected. And sometimes – just the jolt that is needed.  The Awakener, to be sure, and just as needed as Saturn.

So these two have had 5 rounds in the ring since the fall of 2008.  Today is ‘last call’ – at least for a while. 

As Lynn Hayes says in her post on Saturn-Uranus “Saturn and Uranus have opposed each other twice in the past 100 years: between 1917 and 1920, and between 1964 and 1967.” – Lynn Hayes.

If you look at the other years when these two have danced – sitting uncomfortably next to each other on the couch in 1942 and 1988, and squaring off (not outright throwing punches, but taking jabs) in 1909, 1930, 1951, 1975 and 1999 you can recognize some times of big change in the culture (and for those of who’ve been around awhile, in our own lives).

Last year, looking at the planetary configurations for this summer I thought – wow, it’s going to be 1968 all over again.  I have remained shocked that the Great Robbery by the Rich in 2008/2009 did NOT result in mass demonstrations and upheaval. 

I’m hoping that the current zeitgeist will lead to an Awakening about the Establishment (why people don’t get that we are in a Plutocracy is way beyond me), will lead to a Revolution of the Heart about our values and the structures we’ve built and will lead us to a positive radical change.

It’s just terrible that so many turtles and fish and people in the Gulf have had to suffer and so many men, women, children and soldiers have had to die needlessly in Afghanistan to help expedite the awakening.

May they not die in vain. May we be jolted into consciousness - that we really really ARE the ones we’ve been waiting for.

The planets don’t proscribe, they describe. They don’t cause anything – like a clock, they describe.  Uranus (who is hanging out with Jupiter – the Great Benefic – the expander of things) is in Aries – the Child, the Pioneer, the Adventurer.  A fire sign.  Saturn is in Libra, which is all about relationships. 

Lots of energy afoot.  Me?  I’m betting on the young dude.  I AM betting on hope and change and optimism. 

And I’m hoping it will be gentle.  That’s my hope.

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