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Planet Weather for the Week of May 24,
2009
NewsBits: Economic Signposts and the Obama Presidency! The hoopla of the First One Hundred Days of the Obama Presidency is behind us and we have much to show for the early days of this administration. Here are a few of Obama’s initiatives: Seeking to make peace with the Arab world, surely to lay the groundwork for a Middle-East solution and potentially to clear up some of the resentments and clash of ideologies between the US and the Arab-world, closing Guantanimo prison, and overtures to Iran – plus a decidedly green direction within his budget, supporting energy solutions and environmental concerns at home and globally, and economic stimulus, cleaning up banking, auto-company bailouts, subsidies for homeowners to stay in their homes, universal health care, and immigration reform. So where to next?
From last week’s PlanetWeather: “A more serious and potentially difficult moment in Obama’s Presidency in the near future is likely to happen when Saturn/Virgo reaches Obama’s Mars @ 22 Virgo – at peak from 8/16-9/10/09. Saturn creates a dampening effect, a contraction or a challenge to action when combined with Mars. This will likely be a time when a tough decision needs to be made and criticism will be abundant. Since this time band is close to the anniversary of 911, some of the criticism will surely focus on the decisions Obama has made regarding relationships with the Arab world.”
As Obama becomes a more experienced President, his challenges and the criticism leveled at him will increase. I mentioned Saturn’s contact to his birth Mars last week. This aspect was close on US Election Day but this is the first time it will exactly contact his Mars. Remember that Saturn opposite Uranus are traveling together, and it is on 9/15/09, that these two make their third exact opposition @ 24 deg. (See below for more info on this aspect). We can expect the time band between 8/16-9/15/09 to bring some serious challenge to Obama.
Shortly after that, the next condition to watch out for is Saturn’s first entrance into a new sign, Libra, on 10/29/09, after which it heads immediately into range of a square to Obama’s Venus @ 1 Cancer. Pluto having retrograded will be opposite Obama’s Venus again from 10/18 – 11/25. Obama came to power under this magnetic Pluto/Venus aspect but also lost his grandmother days before the election as part of this pattern. When Saturn reaches his Venus, a challenge to performance and/or policy is sure to arise. Saturn in Libra is also the beginning of the Saturn return for the USA, exact when Saturn reaches 14deg. by November 2010.
But let’s back up. Saturn’s entrance into Libra and its first movement to 4deg. (before retrograding for the first time) is a critical time for the USA chart as well, since the US has Venus @ 3deg. and Jupiter @ 5deg. Cancer. Pluto remains strongly in the picture, squaring Saturn during the same time and makes its next Rx station @ 5deg., exactly opposite the USA Jupiter. The upshot of all this is more reform and major structural adjustments between the end of October 2009 and the end of April 2010. With Saturn in Virgo, we saw where the problems were and patched as best we could on an emergency basis because, frankly, it was an abrupt crisis that the powers that be never saw coming. With Saturn in Libra, serious adjustments and rebalancing need to be made and more solid regulations be put in place as we’ve observed what has worked and what hasn’t with the early patterns initiated. Additionally, Saturn in Libra will bring our focus more to our allies and our relationships with the rest of the world including shifts in trade relations and immigration changes. Balance and fairness will be put to the test and scrutinized.
SkyWatch: Moon phase of the week: 5/24 -- The Moon
enters Her New cycle at 8:11 AM EDT, at 3 degrees of Gemini. Watch for Her
slender crescent low in the Western sky after sunset a couple of days later. Skywatching events of the week: All week -- Venus and Mars
continue their dance in the early morning sky, rising
close together a couple of hours before sunrise. The Crescent Moon will be
passing through an area of the sky that is void of planets but is always a
beautiful sight even in Her lonely splendor. 5/30 --
Mercury turns stationary direct, meaning that He has reached His Greatest
Western Elongation for this particular trip back and forth past the Sun (from
our view) and so is positioned for best viewing as a "morning star"
low in the East before sunrise. Space news of the week: By the end of last
week, the Space Shuttle Atlantis should have landed after a highly successful
repair mission to the Hubble Space Telescope which should extend this
remarkable instrument's useful life anywhere from five to ten years. This is
the only Shuttle flight since the Columbia disaster in 2002 that has NOT
rendezvoused with the International Space Station (ISS) and will probably be
the last such flight before the Space Shuttle retires from service at the end
of 2010. 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 5/24/09 – Sunday (renewal),
Monday (active/social), Tuesday (pressures), Wednesday (emotional/surprises), Thursday,
(steady), Friday (dreamy/unfocused) and Saturday (distracted). Monday, Wednesday,
and Saturday are the most active energetically and potentially very productive days
– more Moon or planetary aspects for engagement with others or projects, and/or
producing results. On 5/25/09, the Moon is VOC/Gemini from 9:18PM to 2:58AM EDT
(next day!) – On 5/27/09, the Moon is VOC/Cancer from 11:06PM to 3:44AM EDT
(next day!) – On 5/30/09, the Moon is VOC/Leo from 4:18AM to 6:17AM.
Planet Patterns & Cosmic Headlines:
Jupiter in
fixed air, Aquarius conjunct (0deg.) Neptune/Aquarius @ 26 deg. on 5/27/09. This is
the first of three conjunctions (meeting at the same sign and degree) between
these two planets. It’s a spiritual infusion and an inspirational exultation.
It’s big and joyous in its expectations and those same expectations can cause
you to come crashing down, if you are pushing the envelope to extremes or don’t
have some contact with reality. In Aquarius we’re talking about the realm of
ideas, of air or aviation, of the heights and the vast perspective bestowed by
the skies. Aquarius is the truth and a big truth may come at you when you least
expect it from a direction you didn’t anticipate. Neptune works in mysterious
ways such as odd and magical coincidences and synchronicity. Be sure you hold
open the space for this energy to play out in your life and bring hope,
compassion, forgiveness, and a refreshing understanding of human frailty, as
well as big doses of inspiration and creativity.
Neptune Stationary Retrograde @ 26 deg.
on 5/29/09 until 11/5/09. Let’s
just say this is a BIG Neptunian week! Neptune turns retrograde a few days
after the Jupiter/Neptune conjunction, so Neptune is definitely foreground in consciousness at this time. However, Neptune’s
nature is fog and mist, magic, and smoke and mirrors. You may find yourself
mightily confused about something but by stepping back from excess stimulation
– in quieter moments, you can become quite illuminated and find a way out of
your conundrum. Neptune is the dream, imagining, and reaching for something
desired that has not manifested yet. It is the poetic, artistic milieu where
all things are possible and every possibility exists. Sometimes when we dream
strongly enough, coincidences and synchronicity show up in our lives, That is the faith and belief of Neptune working.
**Currently Active: Mercury turns Direct
@ 22deg. Taurus on 5/30/09. Mercury
turned retrograde (Rx) @ 1deg. Gemini on 5/7/09. Mercury slipped back into
Taurus on 5/13/09. Previously, we discussed how this Mercury Rx cycle would
form squares with Jupiter and Neptune, both in Aquarius. The first ones took
place on 4/22 and 4/25/09. The second squares took place on 5/20/09. The third
and final squares take place on 6/9 and 6/10/09. Mercury passes its shadow (degree
at which it turned retrograde) on 6/15/09 and then moves into new mental
clarity (hopefully) and renewed inspiration/understanding, after passing
through some foggy and confusing conditions and various other mental complexities
during its contact with Jupiter and Neptune.
Mars enters fixed, earth Taurus on
5/31/09 until 7/11/09. OK, it’s
time to get real. Mars in a fixed, earth sign may move more slowly but it has a
deliberate intent and is practical about its desires. Taking an adversarial
position with Mars in Taurus will usually not yield very much. Being patient,
kind, and considerate may take longer but yield more of the result you want.
Remember the bull! Mars in Taurus extends the values theme (ruled by Venus)
that has been predominant for most of the year so far. We had a long Venus
retrograde in Aries (ruled by Mars). Mars will make a potent trine (120deg.) to
Pluto early in its 6-week cycle, on 6/4/09, and conjunct Venus/Taurus on
6/21/09, possibly for some conclusions about values and relationships that
began strongly when Venus first entered Aries on 2/2/09.
*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. The first four oppositions between these two
planets take place in the signs Virgo/Pisces, and the last one is in
Aries/Libra. The first opposition took place on 11/4/08! We’re in a
construction zone! Where are you working in your life and what are you tearing
down and rebuilding? Look to see where this opposition takes place in your
chart. Consult with your astrologer for a professional analysis.
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