Planet Weather for the Week of September 6, 2009

NewsBits: Outlook for the Last Quarter 2009 – There are big changes afoot for the last quarter of this year. The most potent is Saturn’s first entry into a new sign: cardinal air Libra on 10/29/09. Saturn is exalted in Libra, which means that it acts as an honored guest in that sign and so has an overall positive influence there. The influence is expressed in the discipline of an applied balance, meaning in part - fairness and right relationship, a honing of cherished values, and values worth committing to. Saturn demands accountability wherever it is found, and an assessment of the structure or framework that supports a specific area of life. The air sign Libra is concerned with initiating, developing and maintaining relationships that are fair and equitable and a balanced exchange of equal value. We’ll continue to explore the attributes of Saturn in Libra in future PW’s. It’s important to note however, that with Saturn’s entry into Libra, we are commencing a new 2.5-year area of focus. Collectively we are shifting, and this shift will present the first very powerful challenge to Pluto’s early position in Capricorn (since 1/08). As Saturn enters Libra, it will form a square to Pluto/Capricorn on 11/15/09. Any combination of Saturn and Pluto creates a high-level impact on the environment and on the collective. It is a test of viability. The procedures and decisions put into place to secure the economy will most likely face a very serious challenge, or another systemic weakness will present itself. In short, we are not finished with the problems or the repairs needed to our economy and our structural/governmental, even global system.

Libra, ruled by Venus, also concerns valuables, and the US crushing debt load could have a severe effect on our value and that of the dollar on the world stage. Direct impact is indicated as Saturn in early Libra squares both Obama’s Venus and that of the United States, and it is the beginning of a Saturn return Cycle for the US, since it was born with Saturn in this sign. Personally, those with a Libra Sun will be tested on the viability of their life direction, and are sure to make important decisions and major life shifts during this cycle. All those with planets in early cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) will feel this pressure from Saturn to assess the prevailing conditions and anything that has been ignored or taken for granted.

SkyWatch:  Moon phase of the week: 9/11 -- The Moon enters her Last (aka Third) Quarter phase on the eighth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001. For anyone into omens, occultists consider the Last Quarter phase to be inauspicious for any sorts of rituals or workings. Traditionally, this is the so-called "dark of the Moon," especially the latter part of this phase. This phase is exact at 10:16 PM EDT, at 19 degrees of Gemini. Skywatching events of the week: 9/10 -- The waning Moon passes just North of the Pleiades or "Seven Sisters" star cluster. Their point of closest approach occurs around noon EDT, just as the Moon is setting and when the Pleiades won't be visible, but you can watch the Moon approach the Pleiades the previous night starting about an hour before midnight, EDT, so that by dawn the Moon will have moved within a few degrees of the mythic star cluster. (A star cluster is a kind of mini-galaxy orbiting our main Milky Way galaxy.) Space news of the week: The Space Shuttle Discovery successfully lifted off and rendezvoused with the International Space Station (ISS) last week. This was mainly a resupply mission, with Discovery delivering a large cargo capsule of goodies, plus astronauts' performing some routine external repairs and maintenance on the ISS. 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 9/6/09 – Monday, Friday 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. Friday and Saturday have the most difficult or challenging energies. On 9/7/09, the Moon is VOC/Aries from 8:13PM to 6:18AM EDT (next day!)  – On 9/10/09, the Moon is VOC/Taurus from 3:17AM to 12:17PM EDT – On 9/12/09, the Moon is VOC/Gemini from 7:30AM  to 4:20PM EDT.

 

Planet Patterns & Cosmic Headlines for the next few weeks:

 

Summary:  Expect a topsy-turvy week with Mercury making its Retrograde Station at the beginning of the week, and Pluto making a Station Direct at the end of the week. These bookends of planetary conditions may create quite a bit of frustration and/or intensity. The news will tell the global stories or responses to these planet conditions.

 

*Mercury turns Stationary Retrograde (Rx) @ 6 Libra on 9/7/09, and turns Stationary Direct on 9/29/09 @ 21 Virgo. This is the third full Mercury retrograde of 2009. The next one begins on 12/26/09 and completes itself in January 2010. Mercury Rx is a natural slowing down, although we often experience it as agitated or problematic with various glitches around connections, scheduling, or communication. Once you get into the rhythm of the cycle, it’s easier to find the value in re-doing something, revisiting an issue, going deeper into the details and, in general, discovering nuances and insights that were lost in the first pass over the same degrees. Remember, a retrograde means that the planet passes over the same set of degrees three separate times, to provide a thorough understanding of that area of your chart or those issues you are dealing with. It’s true a retrograde has some confusion built into it, but it is in unraveling those confusions and contradictions that greater understanding can be achieved. I call it the necessary “cosmic pause”, in an otherwise fast forward pace. In its essence it is a time to reflect on what you are doing and why. The issues that need to be reworked have likely already appeared in the shoulder part of the Rx cycle.

 

 Mercury passed the first so-called “shadow point” 21 Virgo on 8/17/09, the degree at which it turns direct again after its retrogradation, and this is often called the “shoulder” part of the retrograde cycle, bracketed by the two shadow points (Rx and Direct) occurring but before the actual (technical) retrograde begins. The full retrograde cycle lasts until 10/14/09, when Mercury in direct motion again, passes its retrograde (second) shadow point @ 6 Libra.

 

Venus in fixed, fire Leo opposite (180deg.) Jupiter Rx in fixed, air Aquarius @ 18deg. on 9/11/09. Venus opposing Jupiter can suggest exaggeration, overindulgence, excesses of various kinds. It can be an overabundance of enthusiasm or even misjudgment. Decide how you want to use this energy – you could apply it to creative expression, being part of a large gathering with friends or an event; being outdoors, in wide open spaces is another good option for this aspect, since its nature is width and breadth, or larger perspectives. In mundane terms because it takes place on the eigth anniversary of the terrorist attack and on the same day as Pluto’s station (see below), energies are also applied to remembering the large numbers of people who died and those who were indelibly affected by what happened on 9/11/01, in New York City.

 

Pluto in cardinal, earth Capricorn turns Stationary Direct @ 0 degrees on 9/11/09 until 4/13/10. When Pluto makes a Station Retrograde or Direct, there’s always a huge amount of energy released – and not always in the best possible way. Pluto is a powerful force for creation or destruction. Its Station pinpoints and focuses the intrinsic energy of the planet, and it will express itself in some big way on the world stage. Pluto has the habit of forcing indelible change and imprints and is therefore associated with both the life and death processes. For instance, Pluto’s discovery in 1930 coincided with the discovery of nuclear fission that ultimately led to the development of the atomic bomb over a decade later.  If you have planets or points in your chart that are within a few degrees of any sign, of Pluto’s station of 0 degree, you feel this impact on a more personal and intimate level. Check in with your astrologer.

 

Currently Active Paradigm-Shift Patterns:

* Preview: Part 3 of 5 is exact on 9/15/09 @ 24degrees. Saturn in mutable, earth Virgo opposite (180 deg. angle) Uranus in mutable, water Pisces, Part 2 took place on 2/5/09 @ 20 deg.  – The first four oppositions between these two planets takes place in the signs Virgo/Pisces, and the last one in the sign pair Aries/Libra, July of 2010. The first opposition took place on 11/4/08! It’s important to understand where this is taking place in your chart, because clearly adjustments are required of you, and how you will reconstruct habits in that specific arena of your life. This is a pattern of adaptation and analysis of what works and what does not.  This challenging and often stressful aspect breaks things into their component parts in order to rebuild them on a more solid, foundation. Personally, some of your systems/habits/patterns may fracture, so that you can put them back together in a more workable and updated fashion. Ask your astrologer to further clarify this important pattern and how and where it is operating in your life.

 

*Jupiter in fixed air Aquarius conjoined (0deg.) Neptune/Aquarius for the second time @ 26 deg. on 7/10/09. Jupiter and Neptune are still in the throes of their second conjunction – still very close by degree. The first of three conjunctions (meeting in the same sign and at the same degree) between these two planets took place on 5/27/09, and the third and last takes place on 12/21/09. As noted in previous issues of PW, it is rare (and important) to have these two planets that meet by conjunction about every 12 years, make this aspect three separate times in their single cycle. The last triple occurrence of this kind was in 1919-1920, marking the end of World War 1. The next time will be in 2047 –2048! This conjunction is meant to bring hope and to inspire us to a wider understanding of what the meaning is of the lives we have lived and wish to continue to live. It also speaks to our false hope and pet illusions that we must understand with greater internal or soul wisdom. Expect some amazing synchronicity to appear in your life. Be aware of all meetings with others, events and involvements, and what these may evoke in you, and if these meetings and events support the purpose and/or direction and overall dream you have for your life.