Saturn square Pluto

[Rhonda]

Here is the latest Astrology newsletter from my friend Virginia Bell.
We will cover all of this in the Astrology class starting Sept 30th,
but wanted to share it with you now. What caught my eye initially, was
Aug 21 - saturn square Pluto - the date of our next weekend workshop.
Chaos giving birth to creativity.

Interesting.

Enjoy,
Rhonda


August 2010
By Virginia Bell

The temperature isn’t the only thing that’s sizzling this summer; the
planets are heating up as well! We’ve already experienced two powerful
eclipses: a Full Moon eclipse on June 26 and a New Moon eclipse on
July 11. On July 21 Saturn reentered Libra just in time to oppose
Uranus for the final time on July 26. Then, on July 29 pushy Mars
joined buzz-kill Saturn in Libra. And just in case things weren’t
stressful enough, on July 30 the Moon entered Aries to rendezvous with
Jupiter and Uranus; all three (in Aries) were opposite Mars and Saturn
(in Libra) and the whole gang went up against uncompromising Pluto in
Capricorn. If you got through that (and you’re still dressing yourself
and eating solid foods) then August is a piece of cake. Here’s a
brief overview of what’s ahead.

First let’s talk about Saturn: All together now Virgos; exhale! Drill
sergeant Saturn has finally left your sign and won’t be back for 29
years! Now Libras can get ready for some heavy lifting; at some point
over the next two years (it will remain in Libra until October 5,
2012) Saturn will conjunct your Sun. Time to challenge yourself by
taking on a big commitment, project, or more responsibility. Work hard
and this no-nonsense planet will rewards you with increased stature,
maturity, dignity and wisdom. Saturn is said to be “exalted” (well
placed) in the sign of peace and love and encourages us all to take
our relationships seriously. Some relationships may end during this
period but new, long lasting ones will be formed. “Choose your friends
carefully; your enemies will come from the same list.”

Wedding bells! Chelsea Clinton gets married! Libra is the ancient sign
of marriage and Saturn’s placement here usually brings news of a royal
or high profile wedding. The last time Saturn was in Libra (from
September 1980 - August 1983) Lady Diana Spencer married Prince
Charles - on July 29, 1981. Prince William will most likely wed his
long time girlfriend while Saturn is in Libra.

On August 3 the t-square between Mars-Pluto-Jupiter becomes exact (at
03 degrees of cardinal). We can expect more extreme weather, sudden
changes in the economy, and power struggles. On a personal level
relationship issues surface; be aware of narcissistic behavior and
short fuses. It’s easy to project and blame others during this time;
just look at Mel Gibson - the poster boy for this t-square! We laugh
at him and feel superior but he’s just an extreme version of our own
shadow. The key is to take responsibility, work on ourselves, and
don’t judge others. Remember, “Whatever you condemn you’re also
capable of.” On a positive note (yes, there’s an up side) there’s a
lot of energy available; channel it into something productive. Become
obsessed about a creative or professional project, volunteering,
improving your health, or getting your life together; breakthroughs
(artistic, scientific, technical, political, and personal) are highly
possible. A reminder: we’re all feeling these aspects but those of you
with planets (or angles) in early Aries, Libra, Cancer, & Capricorn
are feeling them more intensely. Like the weather, it will cool down
late August.

August 6-7 the moon is in Cancer and the t-square becomes a grand
cross – an even more stressful aspect. This echoes back to the June 26
Full Moon eclipse, a particularly tense period. Venus moves into Libra
and makes an edgy opposition to Uranus – expect the unexpected –
especially in matters of the heart!

The Leo New Moon on August 9-10: Venus reaches 03 Libra and makes a
tight square to Pluto bringing money, property, and relationship
issues into the equation. Old wounds can rise to the surface making us
painfully aware of our inability to relate intimately. Yet honesty and
courage can bring deep healing. Don’t forget this is a Leo New Moon
and this colorful and creative sign asks us to say YES to life, to
ourselves, and to our calling. “In Leo, this New Moon draws us to
fully embody the soul blueprints encoded in our birth charts. Why are
you here? What were you born to do?” –Stephanie Austin, the Mountain
Astrologer (Aug./Sept.2010)

August 13 that maverick Uranus slips back into watery Pisces until
March 11, 2011 when it reenters Aries. High-voltage Uranus in the
inspirational Pisces can awaken a spiritual longing and a desire to
connect with like-minded people. It’s interesting that the movie Eat,
Pray, Love opens the same day. Based on the best selling book, by Liz
Gilbert, it speaks to all of us about the eternal quest for self
discovery and enlightenment; its debut is a fitting metaphor for
Uranus in the last degree of Pisces. “I thought about one of my
favorite Sufi poems, which says that God long ago drew a circle in the
sand exactly around the spot where you are standing right now. I was
never not coming here. This was never not going to happen." –Elizabeth
Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love)

On August 16 excessive Jupiter opposes frugal Saturn. Jupiter in fiery
Aries says “go, go go.” Saturn in discerning Libra says “not so fast.”
Saturn always slows us down for a reason; move forward but do so
carefully and wisely, especially with Mercury about to turn
retrograde.

“God is in the details.” – Miles van der Rohn

August 20 Mercury goes retrograde in picky Virgo. It’s always wise to
redo, recheck, revise, and revisit during Mercury retro times but
especially when it’s in its home sign of detail-oriented Virgo.
Remember, Mercury is associated with computers, ground travel, and all
types of communication (from snail mail to email) so be especially
conscious when dealing with those areas. In the meantime, be flexible
and open to change. Mercury retro can bring magic and (delightful)
mischief as well as mishaps. It turns direct on September 12. Keep in
mind that it slows down before entering or leaving the retrograde so
allow at least a week before you make any major moves or decisions.

“Ring the bell that still can ring; forget your perfect offering;
there is a crack in everything; that’s how the light gets in.” –
Leonard Cohen

August 21 Saturn makes its final square to Pluto. The first two took
place on November 15, 2009 and January 31, 2010. This high stakes
aspect between these two unforgiving planets can represent a shrinking
economy, scarcity, and dwindling resources. It could rattle Wall
Street and the housing market - again. Old structures are crumbling
now, resources are disappearing. But so are old habits, fears, and
prejudices. This aspect can give birth to a genuine desire to
restructure and regenerate our lives and make significant changes.
It’s when things break down and fall apart that new openings appear
amidst the rubble; walls become windows, chaos gives birth to
creativity, and darkness turns to light.

Defying Gravity

Lat week I was watching a rerun of the TV show Glee – I confess; can’t
get enough of it! Rachel and Kurt were competing for the chance to
sing Defying Gravity (from the Broadway show Wicked.). What an amazing
and inspiring song! (Check it out on youtube.) I actually got excited
about these challenging planetary aspects we’re experiencing now and
the kind of attitude, energy, and spirit we need to take advantage of
them. Are they easy? No. Are thy fun? Hell, no! Can they help us grow?
Absolutely! It’s the difficult aspects (and life’s crises) that
stretch us, push us, and break us of our addictions so we are free to
soar. The planets are not asking us to back down, play small, or give
up; they’re asking us to wake up, move beyond our fears and be the
best that we can be. Don’t be afraid to defy your past, your
programming, and your old expectations. Don’t be afraid of Defying
Gravity!

“Something has changed within me/Something is not the same
I’m through with playing by the rules/Of someone else’s game
Too late for second-guessing/Too late to go back to sleep
It’s time to trust my instincts/Close my eyes and leap.”



“It's time to try defying gravity/I think I'll try defying gravity/and
you can’t pull me down” –Stephen Schwartz



It’s summer, it’s lush, and it’s Leo!