Secrets, Power Trips, and Self-Deception--Oh My!

We are approaching two challenging aspects that already have manifested in a political scandal that could be called "Big Brother Is Watching You, Part XLIV." I am referring, of course to the phone companies in bed with the Obama administration, since apparently everyone is a potential terrorist. Yet we should all be comforted to learn that, unlike various invasions of privacy during the Bush II regime, this one has been sanctioned by the courts. There, don't you feel much better about it now?

The Mercury-Pluto opposition (exact 6:01pm ET) cautions us that communications are neither open nor transparent at the moment. You may be keeping a huge secret, or you may be deliberately kept in the dark about something important. Either circumstance will lead to paranoia and an imbalance of power. It is also possible that you will blow the lid off very sensitive information if the price is right or the pressure to spill the beans is too intense. If you run with a particular type of crowd, you may find yourself at the bottom of the bay, feeding the fish. Even if you run with no crowd at all, you may have an unpleasant interaction with a neighbor or sibling. Even if you are alone, you may wind up arguing with yourself. This will be a fun time for snipers and vipers.

The Mars-Neptune square (exact 7:58pm ET) unfortunately will not assist you in terms of intuition and timing. Self-deception is very likely, as is the desire to tie one on. If you insist on hitting the bars, try to wait till after the square -- Happy Hour will be more like Crappy Hour. If you have another type of poison, you may not react well to it. This is definitely not the right evening to go out for sushi and sake.

Pluto Rising Privacy Paradox

As you may have surmised by now, I have Pluto Rising. I do not shy away from the so-called dark side of existence, engage in a fair amount of profanity and perversity, and try to bring order out of chaos.

Pluto on the Ascendant is supposed to be the signature of a Highly Private Person. If the Ascendant is one's front door, mine presumably should lack a "Welcome" mat; more fitting would be a sign that reads "I'd Turn Back if I Were You" or simply "Go the Fuck Away."

However, I tend to get highly personal in many of my posts. While part of this self-exposure may have been due to Neptune's fourteen-year transit of Aquarius (see my first post of today), it's still perplexing to me. After all, I have a journal. I could write my deepest, darkest, dorkiest thoughts in it instead of here.

Here is what I have realized: I am not "above it all," and do not pretend to be. I definitely have a mystical streak; I have embraced the art of astrology for over twenty years. But I do not live in a cave apart from humanity (though sometimes I would like to do just that). I am an introvert, yet still crave meaningful connections with people, whether face-to-face or via this blog or a published poem or a performance. Planetary transits affect me just as profoundly as they do you. So my sharing may go against the Pluto Rising grain (and let's not even get into my Moon in Scorpio desire for secrecy and mystery), but if even one person reading one of my sad, mad, bad posts feels less alone or freaky as a result, I am doing part of my job as an astrological healer.

For astrology is indeed healing. As screwed up as I can feel, I know that I'd be much worse off if I didn't know my natal chart and the current transits. One of the most important tenets of astrology (which separates astrologers from astronomers) is "As above, so below." Astrology is not a crutch; it's an ever-changing map or blueprint. Knowing that I have Pluto Rising does not give me a license to be a lawless, ruthless asshole; it does, however, give me an excellent opportunity to study all traits associated with Pluto and become the best Plutonian possible. If it takes me the rest of this incarnation, that is what I intend to do. The examined life truly is the only one worth living.

Pardon my multiple postings of today, but Plutonians can get a bit obsessive at times....

Peace.