Bullies, Enemies, Frenemies: Sun Opposing Mars

If you're feeling a bit bellicose today, you're right on schedule: the Sun is opposing Mars (exact 2:43 p.m. EST). Take a step back and count to ten before becoming embroiled in a confrontation that could lead to the sort of physical violence that used to sell newspapers before the Internet made it possible to receive a free, constant flow of newsworthy bloodshed.

The Sun/Mars opposition might not be as stressful if you decide not to let your ego (Sun) be steamrolled over by a bully (Mars) who knows just which buttons to press. This opposition could be considered a follow-up to the Venus/Mars opposition earlier this week, in which many hearts were broken. The ego now may want to lash out (Mars) at the one who done you wrong (poor syntax totally intended).

An opposition always indicates a challenge in a relationship (that need not be a romantic one); often the issue is one of projecting your perceptions onto another person. When Mars is involved, aggression and the desire to win are more important than maintaining or reinstating harmony. Given that we are coming up on the Full Moon in Leo (exact 1/30 at 1:18 a.m. EST), emotions are already running at a fever pitch.

I for one am going to embrace my Cancerian nature and stay out of the fray if at all possible, though I may fight for my right to party.

Oh yes, that baleful bundle called the Saturn/Pluto square is exact on Sunday (exact 5:07 p.m.) with the Moon in Virgo. You may be less inclined to laze around and more inclined to work, worry, or resolve to become a hermit.

Sorry for the joyless nature of this post, but I'm sure you can find many other astrologers who will give you a more optimistic view of these tough planetary aspects. I just can't put a smiley face on any of the ones I've mentioned here.

Baby, It's Cold Outside: Mercury Retrograde in Capricorn

As I warned in my last post, which was posted on the last day of 2009, we are collectively entering 2010 looking backward. Mercury is still Retrograde in Capricorn, and at least on the East Coast, we have been in a deep-freeze unit. As I remarked to a friend last week: "My gloves need gloves." Yesterday, I finally cracked and dug out a pair of itchy woolen mittens. I have given up all pretense of stylishness until the mercury (as opposed to the planet Mercury) rises above 35 (on second thought, make that 40) degrees.

Although Mercury turns Direct on the New Moon and Solar Eclipse this Friday, 1/15, Mars remains Retrograde until 3/11. If only I could petition the Powers that Be and explain that no one should be expected to perform up to standard as long as the planet that is most responsible for determining one's personal drive is Retrograde in the sign that is all about ego (in the sense of "I am," not necessarily a bad thing and in fact a requirement for a healthy sense of self) and performance. If only I could pass an emergency law, effective for the rest of the winter, that is sort of an anti-stimulus plan: one that would encourage mass hibernation, with brief excursions for food (unless you prefer home delivery).

Rather than give an entire overview of 2010 in one post, I'd like to concentrate on a "biggie" aspect that we experienced back in November 2009, which will repeat at the end of January: the Saturn/Pluto square. Any lessons learned, or not, back in November will have to be repeated again at this time. I already posted details about the meaning of this square the first time around, but it's worth repeating here: any issues of resentment and rigidity will become heightened. This is a time in which skeletons (Saturn) will come out of the closet (Pluto). Various political (Saturn) and sex scandals (Pluto) are likely, all involving abuse of power. But so too is the ability to slam the brakes on a painful situation. A square between these two heavies of the solar system can indeed bring a lot of pain, but again, if you reach your personal breaking point, it may force you to say "never again," and really mean it this time. We will be getting yet a third Saturn/Pluto square this July, giving us all yet another opportunity to say "never again." (Third time's the charm, right?)

On 2/17 Jupiter ingresses into the emotional, visionary, compassionate sign of Pisces, and I hope this means that some of the friends we have found with Jupiter transiting through Aquarius will blossom into soul mates. If you find that you need to spend more time in solitary reflection and meditation in the coming months, though, you're right on schedule. Also, this Jupiter placement should benefit creative writers and artists, especially those working in the medium of film (both movies and photography).

More to come, and in the meantime, keep warm!

Saturn Square Pluto: Tear Down the Wall!

This has been an unusually dark Dark of the Moon in Scorpio; Pluto, ruler of this capital-I intense sign, has been squaring Saturn. If this were a boxing match, it would be the heavyweight division: Pluto, Lord of the Underworld vs. Saturn, Lord of Karma.

Although the square is officially over (exact 11/15 at 9:42 a.m. EST), and I don't think either planet "won," I have found that aspects involving Saturn reverberate for quite some time, possibly because Saturn's action delays.

A prime example of this would be the Saturn/Pluto conjunction of August 2001, which culminated in the events and long, bloody, morally bankrupt aftermath of 9/11.

Planets are more powerful than the signs they inhabit, yet it is always important to consider the signs of an aspect. Saturn entered Libra just before Halloween; for the next two and a half years, all legal, contractual relationships will take on more structure and grave importance, and require greater maturity in order to survive. It is worth remembering that the last time Saturn was in Libra, the early 1980s, the divorce rate peaked in the U.S. Big business, which ushered in the "greed is good" decade, was also on the rise, and not coincidentally, in 1982/83 was a Saturn/Pluto conjunction...solidifying plutocracy, anyone?

Certainly, with Saturn squaring Pluto in early Capricorn, there is much pressure within relationships that are unbalanced in some way. One person, party, or group has been abusing the other person, party, or group for far too long, and something's got to give. Libra, the sign of the scales, is all about justice; the law ideally should mete out justice to any and all who have abused their power and goodwill. (Of course, this is no guarantee of what actually occurs.)

On a personal level I can speak for no one but myself; just a few weeks ago I placed far too much trust in someone who had done nothing to earn any of it, and I am still dealing with the fallout.

On a national level, we have been dealing with disturbing developments in our long-awaited, hopelessly bogged-down health-care plan, in which women's rights are taking a backseat to the status quo (in this case, the male-dominated Congress and the Roman Catholic Church). Americans are divided about the swine flu vaccine, and there's also a vaccine shortage. We have also been hearing all about the end of the recession even though unemployment is up, because Wall Street (Pluto in Capricorn?) is doing so well that bankers are using $100 bills as toilet paper. On a global level--well, to expect world peace may be a naive pipe dream, but issues involving the environment and pandemics (of which the swine flu is just the beginning) are just as important as all the futile, costly wars being fought.

About forty years ago, John Lennon and Yoko Ono advised people to "think globally and act locally." This seems like more timely advice than ever. Instead of only focusing on national or global problems, take a good, hard look at your own relationships, within your own environment. If you don't like what you see or feel, there is no better time to be honest about your perceptions and act. If you try to renegotiate the dynamics of your unhealthy, unsatisfying relationships in a reasonable way and it doesn't work, it may be time to leave such relationships behind entirely. It's possible that you have literally become sick of them; the mind-body connection is not a myth. Far better to tear down (Pluto) the wall (Saturn) of oppression keeping you from your true self and desires, even if doing so leaves you vulnerable and alone, than stay in any contractual relationship, whether it's a marriage (Libra) or professionally based (Capricorn), that is doing you harm. Otherwise you run the very real likelihood of becoming increasingly resentful (Pluto), rigid, depressed, numb, and ill (all Saturn specialties).

They say that whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I say, screw that puritanical crap and take a stand for yourself, because even though Saturn is now in the sign of justice, life just isn't fair, and you may have to be your own judge, jury, and executioner.