Planet Weather for the Week of February 22, 2009

 

NewsBits: March and the US Economy! On March 2, 2009, Pluto reaches 3 degrees of Capricorn for the first time in 248 years. [2009 – 248 = 1761] This is significant for several reasons. First, Pluto will make a station retrograde (Rx) at that degree on 4/4/09. All told, it sits at 3 degrees from 3/2 – 5/10/09. Secondly, Pluto exactly opposes (180 deg.) the USA Venus @ 3 Cancer during that cycle, and the implications are many. Venus at its very basic understanding is our money and our valuables, and Pluto is forcing a change in this arena – our primary relationships with money, all that we find valuable, including in our relationships with others. Pluto signifies debt and, in fact, all that we hold on to for whatever reason. It represents the prevailing psychological climate and the shadow-side of things. In the case of Capricorn it’s systems, habits, and consistent historical action taken that bring us face to face with the current prevailing pattern. Pluto prods at the foundation and whatever is weak, or at the end of its organic cycle, will break down. Pluto is accumulation and amassing. We, in the US, through the government, are spending huge sums of money to alleviate economic woes. Cancer/Capricorn, the axis that’s in focus, is our general comfort with the status quo of our daily life and whether we feel safe, secure, and content. Of course, many of us don’t feel that these days due to Pluto forcing the issue and exposing the underbelly of systems that were not built on solid foundations, or whose foundations have become weak.

 

This is Phase #1 and #2 (of 5 Phases) of Pluto opposing the USA Venus because it retrogrades at the same degree.  It’s important to understand that the Pluto energy describes two sides of the same coin – life and death and is therefore very powerful in its impact. It is equally capable of healing and creating as it is of destroying. With this Pluto transit, one of life’s most dynamic processes, we will experience loss as well as create more energetic opportunity and openings for healing and renewal to take place. A Pluto transit asks us to uncover latent power, empowerment, and resourcefulness through various pressures and challenges that are presented during that time.

 

Phase #3 (of 5) of Pluto’s opposition to the USA Venus commences on 12/22/09, when it reaches 3 degrees again, and this phase lasts until 1/21/10. Other planetary conditions enter in and play a role during all of these phases, which we will discuss as time goes on, but Pluto is not done with the USA Venus until the end of November 2010. Astrologically, it looks as though economic recovery will be more apparent, (after much stimulus) in about 18 months from now. We are not stagnant, but many changes and rebuilding have to take place, along with the formulation of new patterns of operation and organization. However, there is something positive and satisfying about reassessing one’s foundation and making it stronger and more durable and reviewing priorities.

 

SkyWatch: Moon phase of the week: 2/24 -- The Moon enters Her New cycle at 8:35 PM EST, at six degrees of Pisces. Watch for Her slender crescent in the West in a couple of days, just after sunset. Skywatching events of the week: Towards the end of the week, all five "classical" planets (those visible to the unaided eye) should be visible, with Venus and Saturn gracing the evening sky, and Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter all rising together in the eastern sky shortly before dawn.  2/27 -- One of the more spectacular Venus-Moon conjunctions of recent months occurs. As these two brightnesses set together not long after sunset, Venus will be less than two degrees above and to the right of the Moon's silvery sickle. Space news of the week: When Satellites Collide! Last week, an unprecedented space collision between a commercial comsat and a defunct Russian Cosmos satellite happened over northern Siberia, creating a cloud of wreckage that may prove a major hazard to future space missions. Scientists are still evaluating the debris cloud's potential space danger. Go out! Look up!

 

 Knowing when VOC Moons occur is key to planning your successful week!

 

The Void-of-course (VOC) Moon is a kind of limbo. As it reaches the end of a sign, the Moon makes no major aspect to another planet before it enters the next sign. VOC is best for less outcome-oriented activity, since VOC often means detours, distractions, drifting, or delays. If you want specific outcomes, or if timeliness is critical, don’t use a VOC Moon time. VOC is best for processing, imagining, creating, and open-ended activities, like parties, research, or cleaning your desk/closet for instance! It is said that when a new action is initiated during VOC, “nothing will come of it,” or energies go in unplanned directions, which may not necessarily be negative.

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Week of 2/22/09 – Sunday (easy), Monday (electric), Tuesday (connecting), Wednesday (drifting into reality-check), Thursday, (awareness to brooding), Friday (active – productive) and Saturday (mixed). Friday is the most active energetically and potentially very productive day – more Moon or planetary aspects for engagement with others or projects, and/or producing results. On 2/23/09, the Moon is VOC/Aquarius from 9:09PM to 8AM EST (next day)! – On 2/26/09, the Moon is VOC/Pisces from 1:09AM to 4:24PM EST. – On 2/28/09, the Moon is VOC/Aries from 12:52PM to 10:33PM EST.

 

Planet Patterns & Cosmic Headlines:

 

*Currently Active – Mercury/Aquarius is Direct in Motion and completes its wider retrograde phase by passing its shadow degree on 2/21/09. The “shadow degree” is the degree, 7 Aquarius, at which it turned retrograde on 1/11/09. We are now in new thinking territory having completed this first Mercury retrograde of 2009.

 

Venus Retrograde (Rx) alert! Venus entered cardinal, fire Aries on 2/2/09 - Venus/Aries turns Rx on 3/6/09. We’re eager to make plans and move ahead with projects but there are delays all around us and that is frustrating! Take a cue from the cosmos and review your plans more carefully to make sure they meet your values, that they will be valuable, and assess the costs involved – not only financial but your time and energy. Although it’s a good time to meet new people, the impending Venus Rx may bring uncertainty over compatibility and various other relationship issues. Again, the message is to come to terms with what you value most in relationships, friendships, and all your important associations.

 

Mercury in fixed, air Aquarius conjunct Jupiter/Aquarius @ 11deg on 2/24/09. This combination offers an abundance of ideas and the opportunity for some fantastic creative thinking. Place yourself in a setting with other creative minds and think outside the box. The basic message is expansion and can also  apply to an exaggeration of a negative circumstance if this pattern forms difficult angles with other planets in a person’s or country’s chart. Overdoing, misjudgment and saying things you might regret are other possible negative outcomes.

 

*Currently Active Paradigm-Shift Pattern:  Part 2 of 5 – Saturn in mutable, earth Virgo opposite (180 deg. angle) Uranus in mutable, water Pisces on 2/5/09 @ 20 deg.  – Preview: Part 3 of 5 is exact on 9/15/09 @ 24degrees. We’ve previously stated that this combination points to dismantling and reconstruction, and involves the workforce and the military. Let’s go deeper and understand the signs involved – Virgo/Pisces, which I like to call the Functional Axis. With the opposition something is NOT functioning and is clearly out of balance. What may be ailing is a lack of meaning and a spiritual lack in your daily schedule and habit patterns. Does your routine allow for reflection and do your daily habits coincide with your life intention and what you want to produce?