“I have a large seashell collection which I keep scattered on beaches all over the world.” Steven Wright

Jupiter, the planet of expansion and growth, brings us the most positive energy in the Universe in different areas of ourselves and life over a twelve-year cycle as he changes sign every year. And, because we’re all microcosms of the macrocosm, or as the ancient Vedic seers said, “When we go to sleep at night, we swallow the Universe . . . and when we awake we spit it back out,” to the degree that we can internalize and own our capacity for expansion and growth, to this degree will we make the most of our Jupiter transits.

We contain all the planets in the solar system within us, and their energies—once embraced and owned whole-heartedly (yes, even Saturn)—their wonders we’ll behold. In mythology, Neptune rules the seas, Pluto the underworld, and Jupiter the heavens. And, truly, once we’ve claimed Jupiter’s heavenly energies in our beings as our birthright, then infinite abundance—on all levels—can begin to flow in.

My definition of abundance includes financial and material wealth, but certainly not exclusively. It’s similar to the way I view power as just neutral cocreative energy, in which right use or misuse is determined by our intentions. The energy of power runs through the full range of chakra functioning—from physical power to creative, from personal power to heart power to psychic and spiritual power and beyond.

So too, with abundance, we have: Physical, mental and emotional health, sense pleasure and creative abundance, abundance on the heart levels—which I call the gold standard, as it is what we are all truly seeking—and spiritual abundance where we commune with the Divine and tap into the infinite.

Jupiter is the planet of good fortune, called the Great Benefic, and wherever we find it in our birth charts is where the Universe innately bestows on us our greatest bounty—especially if he has harmonious aspects with Saturn, Venus or the Moon.

But, every planet (and sign) has its shadow side, and when our Jupiter placement is afflicted (and remember, all souls choose their birth circumstances perfectly for karmic lessons, healing and growth—for more on this see: LEELA)—we may experience a tendency to waste our resources through self-indulgence and hedonism, or misuse any of Jupiter’s positive qualities by taking them to extremes.

For example, since Jupiter, our biggest planet, rules expansion, we can experience this as an expansion of our consciousness, through our philosophy of life, search for the truth, and meaningful travels to foreign lands—all focuses of the ninth house, which is Jupiter’s natural domain. But, if an undeveloped soul doesn’t have a higher purpose for his travels, he may become a lifelong wanderer, endlessly seeking externally that which eludes him—instead of finally looking within—in other words, continually gathering more knowledge, without putting it to good use experientially.

Another example is, with many individuals who have a prominent Jupiter or Sagittarian influence (which is the sign he rules), a tendency to have expanding bodies through having too much of a good time with food. This is especially so, I’ve noticed, with Jupiter (or Sag) on the ascendant, as our rising sign governs our external persona through our appearance. Jupiter in the sixth house of diet and health, especially if conjoined with the Moon, can also be a signal that might indicate emotional over-eating.

Another way that Jupiter’s shadow comes out is through greed and avarice in an unevolved soul, rather than being a naturally altruistic giver.

At this point, it might be good to quote one of my favorite astrologers and teachers, Alan Oken, who said:

“The relative level of consciousness and state of the soul is not revealed in the chart and it is only a psychically-oriented astrologer’s intuition which can determine this factor.”

Most astrologers would agree that it’s impossible to determine from a cold reading of a birth chart whether an individual is a psychopath or a saint. For example, both Gandhi and Osama Bin Laden have Jupiter square the Moon—look at that range!

When Jupiter conjuncts the Moon (our personal emotional nature), it’s considered one of the best combinations to have as it gives one optimism, enthusiasm, emotional buoyancy and the capacity to fulfill one’s own needs for happiness from within. Characteristics of a Moon/Jupiter conjunction include inspiration, generosity and a naturally nurturing nature.

But, the shadow side of this very same Jupiter/Moon conjunction may manifest as being self-destructive, moody, lazy, conceited, smothering or, at its worst, fanatical—one of the best examples of this being Hitler.

Examples of variations of the shadow side of Jupiter/Moon conjunct are: Whitney Houston, Robert Downey Jr., Jimmy Hendrix, Van Gogh and Edgar Allen Poe.

Of course, keep in mind with all examples of Jupiter aspects, many other considerations in the chart feed into the overall karmic and personality predisposition.

The positive attributes above are also true with the flowing aspects of the sextile and trine, a bit more challenging to keep under control and in balance with the square and opposition aspects, and more of an alternating current with the inconjunct aspect. This will also be the case with all the Jupiter aspects listed below.

But we all get to experience transiting Jupiter conjunct our Moon once every twelve years (and many times more if we include all the other transiting aspects) when we can experience the most marvelous feelings of emotional wellbeing and happiness, even with no external triggers. This gives us a taste of what those lucky consciously evolved souls feel like, who are born with this sunny aspect, as it naturally tends to radiate out from them most of the time.

When we look at Jupiter conjunct Pluto in the birth chart, which is relatively common, it brings expansion and growth to our transformational power potentials, one of the best examples is Bill Gates, in the 2nd house of material resources, of course! But no slouches with Jupiter/Pluto conjunct are: Warren Buffet, Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, Pablo Picasso and Descartes.

The shadow side of this can manifest as a zealot like Jim Jones with the conjunction or a tyrant like Saddam Hussein with an exact Jupiter/Pluto opposition.

But we all get to experience transiting Jupiter/Pluto aspects when we feel empowered to take risks and make our mark on the world in our own unique way. And even though this transit only happens once in a twelve-year cycle, in hindsight we can see how Jupiter laid the foundation and put things in motion for our transformation.

This is true with all Jupiter transits, as they light up our life through the signs, houses and planets of our life and being—like a string of Christmas tree lights that can stay lit once ignited—with our conscious cooperation, of course.

For more on Pluto:

Owning Our Inner Pluto before It Eats Us for Lunch

When Jupiter Conjuncts Uranus (our higher intuitive mind), which is also quite common, some of the characteristics may include: Spontaneous strokes of genius, innovative ideas, aspiration, humanitarianism, generosity, eccentricity, rebelliousness and originality.

When the shadow side of this aspect comes out, it may be expressed as over-confidence, pomposity, over-impulsiveness, conceit and even fanaticism.

Some examples of those with this aspect include: Amy Winehouse, Steve Jobs, Nietzsche, Blavatsky, Gurdjieff and Wes Anderson.

When transiting Jupiter hits Uranus, the Universe gives us spontaneous downloads of brilliance and sudden windfalls, sometimes in disguise and not immediately apparent, but they’re there! Remember Uranus is Cosmic Trickster energy.

For more on Uranus: Embracing the Unexpected

When Jupiter conjuncts Love Planet Venus we find souls that are naturally benevolent, kind, sympathetic and generous. But with the shadow side of this most marvelous aspect—which can attract great wealth through charm and personal magnetism (which is also true with Sun/Jupiter and Sun/Venus aspects)—we may find over-extravagance, over-confidence, pomposity, over-ambition, laziness, conceit, vanity, self-indulgence and fanaticism (always possible when the darkest side of Jupiter is expressed.)

So, here we have the range from Mother Teresa to Ted Bundy. Remember, psychopaths and saints can literally have the same chart and aspects—it all depends on the level of conscious evolution!

Others with Jupiter/Venus conjunct are: Drew Barrymore, John Belushi, Jeff Bridges, Garth Brooks, Dick Cavett, Patty Duke, Don Johnson, Jerry Lewis, George Nader, Joe Namath, Paul Newman, Roman Polanski and Steven Spielberg.

The good news is that we all have transiting Jupiter activating our Venus by conjunction once every twelve years, bringing us a cornucopia of heart level abundance.

When I think about Jupiter/Mars (ruler of our physical vitality) conjunct the first thing that comes to mind is how many powerful healers I’ve personally known with this aspect. In fact, if I’m thinking of seeing some form of healer and have access to their birth chart, this is the aspect I’m looking for to confirm their healing capabilities. Edgar Cayce and Mother Teresa have this in their birth charts.

Some of the other characteristics are: Courageous,adventurous, generous, determined, ambitious and inspirational.The shadow may come out as: Stubborn, conceited, extravagant, destructive, cruel, violent and fanatical (there it is again!)

Some examples of Jupiter/Mars conjunct are: Stephen Arroyo, John F. Kennedy, Hugh Hefner, Winston Churchill, Krishnamurti, Angelina Jolie and Ray Charles.

And the trine: Elton John, Whitney Houston, Prince, Malcolm X, Adolf Hitler, Sean Penn, O.J Simpson, Donald Trump (why did I know he’d be on this list?:)), Ernest Hemingway and the Dalai Lama.

And some Sun Square Jupiter Celebrities: Martin Luther King, Nicholas Cage, Edith Piaf, George Lucas, Chris Rock, Ted Turner, Paramahansa Yogananda, Dane Rudhyar, Andy Warhol, Tiger Woods, Edgar Cayce and Hugh Grant.

Jupiter/Saturn conjunct—when Saturn, our karmic teacher, conjoins in a balanced way with expansive Jupiter, we get: Expansion, discipline, success, completion and wealth. Other characteristics are: Generosity, optimism, endurance, stability and humility.

And the shadow: Over-confidence, false humility, close-mindedness, envy, greed, fear, rigidity and fanaticism, of course, the type that wants to keep self and especially everyone else from having too good a time for too long—as “it is not allowed.”

Some celebs with Jupiter/Saturn are: John Lennon, Carl Lewis, Barack Obama, George Clooney, Eddie Murphy, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Tom Jones ,Natalie Portman, Richard Pryor and Bruce Lee.

Jupiter conjunct the Midheaven usually means one has the potential to become famous through one’s vocation, for good or ill: Martin Luther King, Johnny Depp, Michael Jackson, John Dillinger, Lee Harvey Oswald, Angelina Jolie, Al Pacino, Andy Warhol, Harrison Ford and Pope John Paul II.

And when we experience Jupiter at the MC by transit, we get the opportunity for that one year out of twelve to really shine through our vocations and public persona—so it’s important to make the most of it!

When Jupiter conjuncts the South Node of our karmic past, we may have karmic delusions of greatness or that everything should come easy to us—as it many times does. A more detailed analysis is determined by the sign and house position to determine the karmic details.

And when Jupiter conjoins the North Node of our future destiny or dharmic direction in this life, it means one is here to expand and grow through the development of the higher mind, philosophy of life, as well as one’s heart qualities and spirituality.

If one has a retrograde Jupiter in the birth chart, it indicates karmic misuse of the energies of Jupiter in past lives—through overindulgence or denial and asceticism—or both.

When Jupiter goes direct by secondary progress, there is a karmic release of the full bounty of one’s capacity for enjoyment of life in a more balanced way.

In summation, the position of Jupiter by sign in our birth charts reveals how we express our generosity and love of life. And while, in traditional astrology, Jupiter is exalted in the sign of Cancer, in its fall in the sign of Capricorn (opposite the sign of exaltation); and is in its signs of detriment in Gemini and Virgo (opposite the ruling signs of Sagittarius and Pisces)—in my opinion, whatever sign we have our Jupiter in has the potential to give us many blessings, as long as we don’t over-indulge and get carried away by over-optimism or naiveté from our shadow side.

So too, is the position of Jupiter by house an unerring guide to which areas of our lives will we innately benefit the most from these most positive energies.

In closing, I’ve always said that you don’t need an astrology reading to feel the energies of the planets affecting you—just like we feel the full moon and eclipses, whether the sky is clear enough to see them or not. Therefore, whether we’re consciously aware of it or not, the energies of Jupiter are always with us—supporting our enjoyment of life and our growth.

The best news—and perhaps the most important information to glean from this paean to Jupiter is that: We all have Jupiter RIGHT NOW transiting in some area of our life—shining its magnanimous light on all we survey. And knowing this, and feeling this, and owning this, opens the inner doors to infinite abundance pouring in to the degree of our capacity to graciously receive it.

And while some may partake more easily of the gifts of their Jupiter transits based on their natal predisposition, let’s not forget that, no matter how challenging some Saturn and Pluto transits can be, if we’re having some major Jupiter transits concurrently (like Jupiter on the ascendant or personal planet), I can predict that it bodes well for softening those rough transits, as Jupiter is always an ameliorating influence.

Remember: Infinite abundance means there’s always enough to go around for everyone—all the time—on all levels.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been consciously working on cultivating more capacity and tolerance for pleasure, joy and bliss—-three aspects of abundance—for many lifetimes. How about you?

For more on this: On Pleasure, Joy and Bliss

I couldn’t close without a brief karmic warning label on the potentials for misuse of the energies of Jupiter through excess, hubris and entitlement. If we don’t utilize these most wondrous energies with gratitude for all the gifts of abundance given on so many levels, but instead are always greedy for more or different—we can be sure that at some point—in this incarnation or a future one—we will get the opportunity for a karmic do-ever with perhaps a little less easy access to Jupiter’s wonders to help us get the lesson.

Other links to explore: (these are all in newsletter archives)

JUPITER IN SCORPIO: “It’s Not Personal, It’s Just Business” (Karmic Business, That Is)

JUPITER in LIBRA: “And in the End, the Love You Take Is Equal to the Love You Make”

JUPITER in VIRGO: “It’s Time to Clean Out ALL Your Closets!”

Jupiter Exalted: The Trip to Bountiful

It’s Showtime: Jupiter in Leo — Claiming Your Crown

To understand the “astrologese” in this article in a general way:
Astrological Basics

And in a much more detailed and comprehensive form:
Alan Oken: Complete Astrology

To get your birth chart for free: Astro.com

I offer Astrology Readings from my unique perspective as a psychic therapist—from the birth chart through to the Jupiter transits for the coming year and beyond:

 ASTROLOGICAL SERVICES

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR 2011 and Beyond ADDENDUMS

On December 1st, 2009, Uranus, the Trickster planet of Transformation, stations direct and races through the final degrees of Pisces before entering Aries on May 29th, 2010. From then through August 15th, (as he won’t fully enter Aries until March, 2011), we’ll be receiving the coming attractions of what this entirely new eighty-four-year cycle of revolutionary renovations will be about.

Similarly to the Great Tsunami of December 26th, 2004, when Uranus was just barely peeking into Pisces at 3°, our preparation for what is to come needs to be a primarily internal process of stabilizing at our core of Being.

To understand Uranian energies, I looked up the word in the dictionary that most astrologers agree usually comes in Uranus’s wake. Chaos is defined as: utter confusion, pandemonium, bedlam, havoc, mayhem, Babel, turmoil, disarray, disorder and disorganization. Chaotic is defined as: formless, shapeless, incoherent, disordered, jumbled, turbulent, and tumultuous.

If any of these words turns you on in a non-rational, scary but excited in the pit of your stomach feeling of being more fully alive─then you’re tapping into that part of you that’s Uranian in nature. We all have it in us somewhere. But, if these words make you veeery nervous, then this topic is really tailor-made to prepare you for what is to come.

We can’t all be true Uranians, (meaning having a prominent Uranus, or lots of Aquarius in our charts), but we can all claim our share. It could be hidden, repressed, afflicted or drowned out by Saturn but, I promise you, it’s there somewhere. For us to claim, “I’m Plutonian by nature,” (or Venusian, Jupiterian, Martian, Mercurial, or Neptunian), is alright as a way to identify personality predispositions, just as long as we don’t get overly attached to any particular planetary energy as our true identity.

In Vedic philosophy the ideal is to be balanced in the three lingas or spheres of activity─in other words, the lower, middle, and higher chakras. So too, with planetary energies, the ideal is to own all of these energies as part of our operating systems.

Furthermore, unless we can learn to enjoy our Uranian energy and allow it to work in us and through us consciously, we’re much more likely to get whacked by Uranus transits, as we’re denying this component in us and projecting it onto others or life itself. Uranian transits can be quite shocking and are usually unpredictable, thus astrologers know not to predict specifics for just this reason─”if you name it, it won’t come.”

However, if we’ve been working our Uranus piece, we can learn how to bend and not break. Just because Uranus, the planet, wasn’t discovered until 1781, you and I know that this energy has been around since the beginning of time.

Here are some different ways of wrapping our minds around the power of Uranus:
The physicists and mathematicians call it Chaos Theory, which is the study of apparently random behavior of deterministic systems. The ancient Persians knew this and always sewed one thread a little “off” in their otherwise perfect rugs, to mimic the chaos and imperfection of creation and so as not offend the gods.
Crazy wisdom Buddhist teacher Chogyam Trungpa called it orderly chaos. Do you believe in magic? He defined magic as the total appreciation of chance.
Or maybe you can identify more with the Jungian term of synchronicity, lucky coincidences, happy accidents, or going with the flow. The Hindus call it Leela─cosmic play.
 
My proposition is that accidents─happy or no─reveal the will of the gods, our fate or destiny or, in other words, our karma playing out. Free will is in how we choose to respond. And while our appreciation of what appears to be random chance usually only becomes clear in 20-20 hindsight, that’s only because our vision isn’t operating from a high enough perspective in the moment.

I’m sure we all have stories illustrating this fact. If we review the most shocking, unexpected events in our lives in hindsight, (many triggered by outer planet transits, especially Uranus), we can begin to see the workings of the divine plan thru the orderly chaos that Uranian energies bring.

From the perspective of the trickster Uranian archetype─any change in circumstance presented on the path is “lucky.” It’s not about loss or gain; it’s about being loose enough to go with whatever is presented in the moment─and then the next moment, and the next, without attachment.

The Greek philosopher, Heraclites, said you can’t step in the same river twice, and most spiritual teachers advise not to become attached to any experience, even a blissful spiritual one or an orgasmic pleasurable one. Why? Because it’s impossible to ever duplicate it─and it’s our attachment that creates the suffering.

Just as Neptune is the higher octave of Venus: personal love at a higher frequency becomes Divine Love. So too is Uranus the higher octave of Mercury: lower mind at a higher frequency becomes higher mind, which is our personal conduit to Divine Mind, if you will.

The god Mercurius in Rome, (called Hermes in Greece), was called many-sided, a shape-shifter, changeable, deceitful, a go-between, a mediator, charming, playful, eternally childlike and, last but not least, a troublemaker. It is said of Hermes: He leads the way or he leads astray.

Carl Jung said of Mercurius: “The trickster is the forerunner of the savior. He mediates in the space between heaven and earth, humans and gods. And because he lives on the borderline between planes, like a tightrope walker, he contains all conceivable opposites.” (Jung had Uranus in his 7th house opposing Saturn in his 1st house and square his Moon in the 4th.)

The Uranian trickster archetype was known as Coyote or Raven in American Indian myths, Loki in Nordic tales, the Monkey King in China, Legba and Eshu in African tribal lore, and Krishna the butter thief in Hindu mythology.
 
What does this trickster energy do in all of these different cultures? He steals, he crosses boundaries, he opens the road between heaven and earth thru his antics, he confuses distinctions between sacred and profane, male and female, right and wrong, living and dead. He’s the original story teller of “Who’s on first”─not Abbot and Costello─they just stole his routine.

There is a saying in Taoism, as well as in Vedic philosophy: pleasure or pain, loss or gain, praise or blame─all the same. This is trickster’s domain. Trickster’s good works are done by mischief, by stirring the pot, by deceit, contradiction, ambiguity, trouble-making, gossip─whatever it takes to shake things up, loosens things up that have become too safe, too secure, too rigid, too stagnant. I’m sure we all know some people like that─and love ’em or not, they’re never boring.

Chance and accident are intrinsic parts of the primeval chaos of creation. What this means for us is that embracing chaos as part of the divine order is the optimal stance for accelerated transformation.

Louis Pasture said: “Chance favors the prepared mind.” We could call it “smart luck.” An open, flexible, agile presence of mind makes meaning out of unlikely coincidences─for example, penicillin. Pasteur had a stellium of Uranus/Sun/Mercury/Neptune in Capricorn in his 3rd house trine Saturn/part of fortune in Taurus in his 7th house (signifying his working partnership with his wife, Marie).

The mystic, Meister Elkhart, said: “We are made perfect by what happens to us, not by what we do.” In other words, our readiness to let our mind change as contingency demands is a prerequisite to a happy life.

Here’s a quote of someone with Uranus/north node/MC in Cancer (i.e. Uranian karmic direction and public image) square Mercury at the ascendant. Let’s see if you can guess who it is: “Only God knows absolute truth─I’m human, I know only relative truth and that changes from day to day. My commitment must be to truth, not to consistency.” Spoken like a true Uranian trickster: Mahatma Gandhi.

Trickster energy rules thresholds, crossings, boundaries between different planes of existence, different paths, and different lives. It embodies ambivalence. Just listening to all of these descriptions of Uranian energy with an open mind can loosen up psychic boundaries and enliven our mindset─if we allow it to.

The Hindu god Krishna steals butter from his household cupboard as a child. Why? Because he can. And because stolen food is sweeter. When his mother catches him─he says, smooth as butter─”I didn’t steal it─besides wasn’t it ours anyway?”

It’s sweeter to steal because it disrupts Saturnian structure and rules. The adult Krishna steals the hearts of 16,000 young maidens, and then steals himself away. Why? Because he can. And because it awakens divine yearning and shakes off the complacency and conditioning of society.

Tricksters know no shame, no tact and no silence. They love to see how many plates they can spin at the same time. So, what if they all might come crashing down. That’s the thrill. What would life be like without this energy? BORING.

What’s the difference between being a trickster and being sociopathic? One needs to examine the motive first. True tricksters love to make mischief to get things moving that have become stale, stuck or stagnant─but not just for selfish reasons at the expense of others.

Please note: Since this article was adapted from an astrology lecture, the following examples of Uranian energy may be a bit challenging to digest but, if you skip over the “astrologese” portions, (unless it’s your second language), you’ll still be able to catch the gist.

And, even more importantly, by the time you finish reading this, you might want to have your birth chart and transits updated for the coming year, so you can be prepared psychologically for what parts of you or your life to expect the unexpected in.

For more info on your personal astrological forecast, please click here: ASTROLOGY

To get more of a taste of how Uranian trickster energy can express thru personality, (and remember, the level of consciousness always determines the level of expression as well as the ability to integrate it positively), here are some examples:

Who liked to shake things up with Uranus on the ascendant in Libra? Hitler or Monica Lewinsky? Both. Different levels, obviously, and Hitler’s was in a grand cross, with Uranus retrograde in the 12th. But remember, Uranus, or any planet in the 12th house could mean much more secretive or solitary Uranian energy than one who would flash it more openly in the 1st house. T.S. Eliot had Uranus/Venus in his 12th house in Libra conjunct his ascendant with Mercury rising.

Bill Gates has Uranus on the ascendant from the 12th house in Cancer trine the Moon at his MC.
Allan Ginsberg, the poet of “Howl” fame, had his Moon in the 12th house conjunct his ascendant with Uranus in Pisces rising.
Sartre─the French philosopher who said “Hell is the other “─had Uranus in his 1st house opposing Sun/Neptune/Mercury in his 7th house.

Here’s some examples of what I call “foot in mouth,” usually meaning any personal planet in hard aspect with Uranus─causing impulsive actions that can get you into trouble:

Mel Gibson’s Uranus in 1st in Leo opposing Mercury in 7th.
Vanessa Redgrave’s ”Uranus at the MC in Taurus opposing Mars and square her Sun─remember her at the Oscars?
Then of course, there’s always Rosie O’Donnell with a Jupiter/Uranus opposition and Mike Tyson with Uranus/Pluto in a T-square with his Mars and Moon─making him quite explosive and easily combustible.

Here are some examples of Uranus in the 7th house of committed partnership, which means being easily bored or smothered, or having a preference for unconventional relationships:
Jack Kerouac, always on the road with Uranus/Sun/Venus in Pisces in his 7th house, opposing his Moon on the Ascendant─so he could let it all hang out through his writing.
Isabella Rossellini, who hooked up with David Lynch during the making of the movie, Blue Velvet─Uranus/Mercury in 7th in Cancer with the Sun/Venus in Gemini also in the 7th.
Yoko Ono─Uranus in 7th in Aries square Pluto/MC in Cancer
Sean Young─Uranus in 7th square Sun/Mars in Scorpio
Angelica Huston─Uranus/Sun/Mars in Cancer in 7th.

As for Feminist writers risking to write outside of the box: Sylvia Plath and Virginia Woolf─both had Uranus quincunx Mercury, and an ambivalence about life, which was written about and lived (both committed suicide).
Anais Nin─erotic memoirs─Uranus/Moon at her nadir square Venus in Pisces on descendant.
Betty Freidan─Uranus/Mercury in the 2ndhouse, indicating a revolutionary value system.
Erica Jong─Venus/MC in Aquarius square Uranus/Mercury/Mars in 12th.
Dorothy Parker─Uranus in 2nd square Mercury in 4th.

Here’s someone with a restless core at odds with a responsible-mother persona: Angelina Jolie─Uranus at 28° Libra at the nadir, square Saturn/Venus at 28° Cancer in the 12th on the ascendant.

And, of course, there are lots of celebrities and public figures with Uranus at their midheaven (MC), ruling their public image through their vocation:
Tracy Ullman─of the many faces, Uranus/MC in Gemini.
Michael Jackson─Venus/Uranus/Sun in Leo in 10th, signifying an eccentric but fame-loving charisma.
Jack Nicholson and Al Pacino─both with Uranus in 10th with Sun/Venus/Mercury/Saturn.
Yasser Arafat─Uranus/MC in Aries,
Jerry Lewis─Uranus/Sun/MC in Pisces,
Deborah Harry─Uranus/MC in Gemini,
 Judy Garland─Uranus/MC in Pisces.

Now for some guilty pleasures: celebrities with Uranus in the 8th house of sex (and metaphysics.) Remember: wherever Uranus is, there’s the potential for some kinks or at least a low boredom threshold.
Michael Douglas has Uranus in the 8th in Gemini (sex addiction), but can still function because it is trine Mars in Libra, and square Mercury/Jupiter in Virgo in 10th.
Leonard Cohen─famous for “Death of a Lady’s Man”─Uranus in 8th in Taurus.
Warren Beatty─Uranus/Venus/part of fortune in 8th in Taurus, with Saturn on the descendant in Pisces, and his Sun/Mercury in Aries in 7th.
Andy Warhol─Uranus in 8th in Aries trine Mercury/Sun in Leo in 12th.
Robin Williams─Mars/Uranus in Cancer in 8th.
Marilyn Monroe─Uranus/Mars in 8th in Pisces.
Ava Gardner─Uranus/Mars/Moon/South Node in Pisces in the 8th house.
As for erratic behavior: Naomi Campbell─Venus square Uranus in 8th conjunct Pluto─how could she not have a low threshold for exploding?
And just for some pure wackiness:
Anne Heche─Moon/Pluto/Jupiter/Uranus/south node in Virgo in 12th opposing Chiron/North Node in Pisces in 7th.

Then there are the creative innovators, or creatively eclectic with Uranus in the 5th house:
Dennis Hopper─Uranus/Venus in the 5th.
Elvis─Uranus in Aries in the 5th square Venus/Mercury/Sun in Capricorn.
Vivian Westwood─the fashion designer, with Uranus/Saturn/Jupiter in 5th in Taurus.
Bob Dylan─Saturn/Moon/Jupiter/Uranus/Saturn in Taurus in 5th trine Neptune (Gemini Sun in 6th conjunct his stellium).

Uranus in 11th─for some movers and shakers:
Mayor Bloomberg─Mars/Uranus/Saturn in Taurus in the 11th squaring his Sun and Neptune for drive and vision.
Donald Trump─Sun/Uranus in Gemini in 11th opposing Moon trine Jupiter in his 3rd house, indicating a propensity for communicating his wealth status with almost every breath.

How about some evolved souls:
Meher Baba─Uranus/Moon/MC in Scorpio─called the “Avatar of this Age.”
Ramakrishna─in love with the Divine, with Mars/Sun/Uranus/Mercury in his 1st house.
Krishnamurti─Uranus/MC in Scorpio in an exact trine with his north node in the 2nd house of personal value system.
Eva Periokkos─the Pathwork channel─Uranus/Venus in 8th.
Thomas Merton─a Catholic monk who wrote about Eastern spiritual paths, with Mars/Uranus/Sun/Mercury/Jupiter in Aquarius in the 12th house opposing Moon in Leo.

From my own case studies and personal experience, I’ve found that Uranus’s influence is always felt by others as never bashful─even if the person acting out from these energies is unconscious of them. People with Uranus in the career house have some of the longest resumes─at least every two years they get itchy to try something new. You can almost time how long it will take them in a new job before they find things to complain about and begin planning their next prison break. It’s the same with those who have Uranus in the 7th house of committed partnership. They find it very challenging to stay in a long-term relationship unless it’s open, unconventional and structure-less enough for them to breath. And they need a lot of breathing room.

This can also be the case with Uranus conjunct the karmic South Node, which creates a predisposition to be easily bored or smothered in whatever house or area of the life this conjunction is in. And those with a North Node/Uranus conjunction need to loosen up and take more risks as part of their soul assignment (focused in the area of the life or house this aspect is in).

I knew of a NSA senior career officer─who operated throughout his life as a spy and assassin─-with Uranus/Venus in his 12th house on his Ascendant, all in Gemini. I called him the man of a thousand faces─all of them a disguise, but quite a charmer nonetheless.

And when there is a Uranus opposition to a personal planet─such as the Moon, for example─there is usually an alternating current emotionally. Sometimes they’re one way─then they switch unpredictably to a diametrically opposed way. It’s like watching a continual tennis match within one being─which is true of many oppositions, but more erratically so when Uranus is involved.

If you know your own natal chart, think about the placement of your Uranus. Where are you the most rebellious? Where do you find structure imposed the most chafing? How do you deal with it? If your Uranus is challenged by being in a t-square or grand-cross─there’s even more of a need to find an expression and outlet for it. Of course, also look to where you have Aquarius by house or any planets in Aquarius for this same energy potential.

If the South Node is conjunct Uranus, one needs to consciously own one’s karmic need for excitement or low boredom threshold by house, before one can transmute it through mature choices. If you try to deny or repress these energies─they will be projected out and come at you as Uranian people or events to force you to move. Or these energies will eventually implode and come at you as sudden physical symptoms that force you to change.

Now, let’s look at how Uranus by transit can affect us as it moves through each house in our chart, in other words, each part of our beings and lives. And, of course, this also applies to the natal predisposition of where one needs to shake things up the most.

When Uranus is in the:
1st house: there’s always a need to loosen up, develop flexibility in the flow and let go of attachment to a fixed identity.
2nd house: security issues and personal value system need to be revolutionized.
3rd house: loosening our tongue, watching what comes out of our mouth and finding more skillful means of communicating is called for.
 4th house: letting go of attachments to identity through home or childhood memories. Ask yourself─who would you be without the baggage of these memories for identity? That’s a trickster question!
5th house: expanding our attitudes towards children, creativity, and romance is triggered, internally and externally.
6th house: health/work/service─letting new ideas in or these areas become stagnant.
7th house: one needs to refresh one’s view in a committed partnership─to practice seeing one’s mate as if for the very first time. A fresh eye is needed. If not in a committed relationship─there’s a need for freedom or an unconventional arrangement.
 8th house: trying new things sexually, open-mindedness, rigidity is in inverse proportion to potentials for pleasure, using sexual energies for spiritual development, such as Tantric or Taoist practices.
9th house: being open to exotic travel that is mind-expanding, or taking advanced courses that will open up the higher mind.
10th house: creates a lack of perseverance or low-boredom threshold on any single career path. There is a continuous need to expand and try stretching into new fields.
11th house: being open to new groups, new friends, new dreams and visions.
12th house: trying spiritual practices, therapies and retreats to unearth unconscious or karmic layers and unwind and dissolve them.

In my own case studies, I’ve counseled clients (who were stuck in untenable marriages, for instance), to make a break from their karmic prison when Uranus transits their Moon, or any personal planet, in fact. If they’re really stuck (especially if their Sun or Moon is in Capricorn or Taurus, or another fixed sign like Scorpio), I encourage them to use the energies of a Uranian transit to move through the two-year tunnel of unwinding, as that’s how long a typical Uranus transit lasts.

Many times, I’ve seen loved ones and clients become completely metamorphosized as Uranus transits their Sun, Moon, Mercury or even Venus and Mars. In my own case as well, I survived a near-death experience as Uranus backed over my Ascendant─and came out the other side more resilient and less afraid of death than ever before. Uranian transits (as with any trans-Saturnian planet) are always a major life-changer─especially over an angle of the chart. We may initiate the changes ourselves─or they can come at us from unexpected people or events.

Uranian transits, whether by conjunction, square or opposition, teach us how to have flexibility in the Flow. We all get whacked by Uranus sooner or later, but if we’re adaptable and loose, rather than rigid, we’ll bend and not break. It’s like getting caught in a riptide─we need to surrender and move sideways, rather than fight the current. Or like falling off a galloping horse─we need to roll gently. If we are too inflexible, there’s much more potential for damage.

When we look at all the examples of celebrities and other case studies, we can feel their Uranian energy on the different levels of their conscious evolution. This can help us to recognize that we have a choice to consciously activate our Uranian energies internally now by loosening up, so that when Uranus hits by transit, we’re much less likely to get seriously upset or injured.

In closing, if we can accept that the orderly chaos the Cosmic Trickster brings is a natural part of life then, instead of dreading the other shoe dropping, (when and where and how we least expect it, because it always will with Uranus), we can choose to cultivate the faith that whatever is coming down the pike is divine will and our karmuppance. In my book, they’re a matched set.

So where does free will come in? The only free will we truly have is to choose to use whatever Uranus brings for transformation and growth. My definition of free will has always been: You can do it now, or you can do it later. In the broadest karmic perspective, this means: If not in this life, then in some future one.
 
Hopefully, even if we can’t go for the growth in the exact instant we get whacked by an unexpected turn of events, then, at least as soon as we get over the initial shock─we’ll remember to go for the lessons inherent in any situation.
 
My mantra, whenever trauma and crisis are thrown my way, is to repeat to myself, “I’m stable at the core”─ even if it takes me a few moments (or hours) to calm down completely. We’re all potentially at our absolute best in emergencies, as shock blows the safety seals off our third eyes in those of us still being protected from seeing psychically all the time. Then, we can see more clearly what needs to be done and how calm we need to remain to do it. After all, it’s an emerging-see!

It’s Uranus’s function to awaken us from “deep cover” and help us remember what our soul assignment is. He uses the shock of crisis, chaos and emergency situations to “encourage” us to remember who we really are and why we’re really here.

It’s the opportunity of a lifetime─coming to a live theater near you very soon!

ADDENDUM I: MARCH 28, 2011

In the Spring of 2010, we received a taste of the coming attractions of Uranus’s revolutionary new 84-year cycle as he zoomed into Aries for a few months before returning to Pisces. And what occurred on the exact day of Uranus’s entry into Aries on May 29th? An Icelandic volcano erupted, bringing all air travel in Europe to a standstill for almost a week. During this same week, we also witnessed the Gulf oil rig explosion and subsequent oil spill. Both fire and water events involving nature-made and man-made elements and both were eerily prescient of what was to come when Uranus fully moved into Aries on March 11th, 2011. 

And what arrived exactly on March 11th? The ongoing disaster in Japan, which was a combination of earth changes and the explosion and disintegration of man-made structures that followed in their wake. Witnessing the aftermath of these events as they all continue to unfold on the news─from the initial earthquake and tsunami to the ongoing nuclear meltdown with worldwide implications─has been called “disaster porn” by some comedians. But from Uranus’s perspective, he’s just doing his job as he always has─of shaking us and waking us out of our sleep of complacency like never before. Are you awake and alert yet for what is coming next?

Uranus is just getting started in his 7-year cycle in Aries. Ratcheting up the (divine order-ly) chaos exponentially, he is forming an ongoing challenge (square) to Pluto the Transformer in structure-ruling Capricorn through 2015. This means, without doubt, that we will be witnessing a lot more toppling and disintegration of man-made structures─some courtesy of Mother Earth─but not all.

In fact, if we are keeping tabs on the domino effect of regime change explosively coming to multiple heads (literally) in the Middle East, we might be asking ourselves: “Where will it all end?” And Uranus is smiling from a job well-done that he doesn’t plan on retiring from any time soon. Six countries have become destabilized or have undergone regime change so far─in only two months─starting with Tunisia in mid-January.

So, the real questions we need to be asking ourselves are: Have we been awakened from our sleep of complacency as we witness the old order of things on Planet Earth falling away? Do we feel more alive and grateful for what is─just the way it is─than ever before? And if not─what’s it going to take?

ADDENDUM II: JULY 15, 2011

Uranus went retrograde just a few short days ago on July 9th, kicking off a review cycle of all that he has wrought as a catalytic agent of the Higher Forces, since he first went into Aries in the Spring of 2010.

This review will continue until December 9th, 2011, when Uranus stations direct and begins the next level of creating Divine Order-ly Chaos as he begins forming a series of exact squares or challenges to Pluto from 2012 through 2015.

In the last week or so, as Uranus was stationing, we’ve had the fires near Los Alamos, a 7.8 earthquake in New Zealand and, on the exact day of the station, a 7.0 aftershock in Japan in the exact same area of the March 11th disaster. While I’m sure there were many more destabilizing Earth events going on during this time than on average, since I’m not a CNN habitué, I’m choosing not to keep track of them all.

What I am sure of though is that destabilizing Earth events during this period between now and December are giving us a preview of the “new normal”─in terms of an ever-expanding frequency of Earth changes causing destruction of outmoded man-made structures to allow for new growth to eventually replace what has fallen away.

Uranus’s retrograde cycle may bring up review, repair or re-ignition themes in some of the very same areas we’ve already experienced, such as more political unrest in the Middle East, most recently, Syria and Libya. I’m hesitant to make more precise predictions, because Uranus is the Cosmic Trickster of Awakening and rules the realms of the unexpected. Therefore, if we predict it, it won’t come─at least not in that exact space and time.

We need to prepare ourselves psychologically to acclimate to the more frequent and bigger Earth changes that are coming: earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanoes and tsunamis─as well as man-made disasters─oil rig explosions, nuclear meltdowns and structural disintegration and combinations of the two. And, we need to ask ourselves the big question: “How can we use all of this Divine Order-ly Chaos for the evolution of consciousness on the planet?”

My suggestion would be to buckle our seatbelts, raise our hands up high and enjoy the ride. Developing a taste for wild and wooly, death defying and exhilarating, edge of our seats and ultimately life changing is the only way to go. This is easier said than done unless we can simultaneously remember our True Nature which is eternal. For more on this please read: LEELA

And, of course, since we’re all microcosms of the Universe, any parts of our personal reality and ego structures that have become outmoded and no longer serve our highest good will also be falling away. We can either loosen our grip and let them dissolve or have them ripped from us by “circumstances.” Have you noticed this theme playing out in your own life yet?

Pay attention, because we’re still in the coming attractions phase . . . but not for long!

In closing, here’s a Uranian koan: How many earthquakes does it take to change one human consciousness?

PS 2020: I know that I’m WAY overdue in updating this article on Uranus, now that he’s in Taurus from 2019 until 2026. But I have written quite a bit about this transit in my newsletters. Here’s a good taste:

SPRING 2019 PSYCHIC PREVIEW: All Your Stagnate Comfort Zones Are Going, Going, Gone

Pluto, the planet of transformation, was discovered in 1930, coinciding with the birth of Fascism and the rise of the third Reich in Germany. Its name is synonymous with Hades, God of the Underworld, and, if one believes in synchronicity, represents the transpersonal force of our collective shadow or dark side.

Then, when Transiting Saturn, the Lord of Karma, was at 18 degrees Cancer conjunct Pluto’s discovery point in 1945─BOOM! We dropped the first atomic bombs or should I say plutonian bombs. Dropping a not so subtle hint that the power of Pluto, especially when it conjoins with the energies of the planet of structure, Saturn, packs a punch that is explosive, annihilating and destroys everything in its path down to dust . . . before anything new can arise from the ashes.

Now that Pluto is transiting the Saturnian and structure-ruling sign of Capricorn, between 2008 and 2024, we can expect to see a lot of structures on the Earth plane undergoing a similar process of transformation through cycles of death and rebirth. The last time Pluto was in Capricorn, we had the American Revolution, so that will give you some idea of the energies we’re dealing with.

Added to this, Uranus, the trickster planet of change, is forming an ongoing series of seven squares or challenges to Pluto through 2015, beginning in June and September of 2012. So, we can expect times of explosive dissolving of structure just about everywhere and just about at any time.

The last time Uranus and Pluto squared off was in the beginning years of the Great Depression of the 1930’s when Uranus was last in Aries. Then, tens of thousands of homeless veterans camped out in Washington DC demanding a fair deal inspiring the New Deal to be launched. Sound familiar? And the last conjunction occurred in the 60’s when “power to the people” became the rallying cry for a generation followed by anti-war protests. Now, with the closing square, we’re experiencing the beginnings of the next level of this theme arising.

So, if we can imagine a breakdown in financial systems causing a revolution in our political structures that is a pretty good prediction of what’s coming up, based on our most recent historical occurrences with similar planetary alignments.

That’s why buckling our seat belt for this ride is such a good idea. But what else can we do? I’m so glad you asked. We can own our inner Plutonian energies, as well as our Uranian (for more on this, please read:

Embracing the Unexpected: Everything You Wanted to Know about Uranus but were Afraid to Ask).

To integrate these energies in us as consciously as possible we need to accept the philosophy: as above, so below, as without, so within, or, in other words, we’re all microcosms of the Universe. Furthermore, to the degree that we can own and integrate our dark transformational power and shadow side within, to that degree will we not project it out onto the world or others. Judgment always creates separation, with which there is no possibility of unity consciousness. And the judgment starts with the disowning of our own Plutonian natures.

We all do have a shadow side in us─some a lot more than others─as humans have had since the beginnings of time. But, since Pluto’s discovery in 1930, perhaps its more than a sign from the Higher Forces that it’s time to start owning all that we are rather than projecting what we judge as not “all right” out into the world. As we at least try to find a balance of owning some of our Plutonian power, we’ll find that we won’t need to see the world projected on as too terrifying a place to ever feel safe in.

Some of us are born true Plutonians. This means we have active contacts with Pluto and the angles in our chart or personal planets: Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, or Mars─or that we have one or more of our personal planets in Scorpio. Others manifest their Pluto energy with a loaded up or Scorpio-ruled 8th house which covers the realms from sex and death to metaphysics.

Those of us who have innate Plutonian energy─whether it be through the Sun, Moon or Ascendant in Scorpio or conjunct Pluto─will be less likely to be OK with having a calm relatively simple on the surface life and relationships. Pluto and Scorpio-types like to go as deep below the surface of everything as possible.

For those of us who have a less active Plutonian profile natally─not to worry! We ALL get our Pluto and Scorpio natures activated sooner or later by progression and transit.

The truth is that power, in and of itself, is neither light nor dark─it’s just energy. And we all have a free will choice as to how to use this energy. Based on the chakra system, there are seven levels of power: spiritual power, psychic power, communication power, heart power, ego power, sensual and creative power, and survival power.

The sign of Scorpio, ruled by Pluto, has three evolutionary stages: the scorpion, the eagle and the dove. We learn right use of power through misuse in the lower chakras/scorpion phase. Then, we learn to practice this right use of power by the development of the personal will expressed through the heart center in the eagle phase. Ultimately, we can evolve to a place where the ego is transmuted completely through the higher centers and we become a channel for the Divine to use us as a transformational power for good as the dove.

  To give you a taste of Plutonian energy, here are some examples of just how strong a Scorpio rising or Pluto on the ascendant or in the 1^st house can be. All will have some degree of a “don’t mess with me” energy and piercing eyes emanating dark power that see beneath the surface. (And for those of you not fluent in “astrologese”─here’s a link for some: Astrology Basics)

Greta Garbo, with Pluto on the ascendant in Gemini: mysterious, hypnotic, secretive and craving solitude (except on her terms).

Mario Napoli─four-time international martial arts champion─with Pluto on the Ascendant in Leo, who said of himself─”I’m king of the world!” HA!

Mae West, with Pluto and Neptune in the 1^st house, could not just walk her talk, she could give you a running commentary: “Is that a banana in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?” If Mars is the sexual act, then Pluto is the orgasm, the “little death” bringing up fear of annihilation. Powerfully sexual women can be terrifying─epitomized perfectly by the archetypal Plutonian energies of the Goddess, Kali, known as the Devourer (of men, among other things).

Elizabeth Clare Prophet, with Pluto on the ascendant: “Armageddon is coming!” Oh, pleeze

Jack Nicholson, with Pluto on the ascendant, “You want the truth, but you can’t handle the truth!”

Bernard Kerik, with Pluto on the ascendant from the 12th house of secrets, was the potential director of homeland security? NOT! Too many dark secrets there.

Uma Thurman, with Pluto conjunct the south node in the 1st house, starring in Kill Bill, perfectly karmically cast as an assassin.

Truman Capote, with Pluto on the ascendant from the 12th house and with Mars conjunct the south node in the 8th house, exploring dark themes like In Cold Blood, writing eerily like he had been present at the scene.

Yasser Arafat, with Pluto and Venus conjunct the ascendant in Cancer: “I come bearing an olive branch in one hand, and the freedom fighter’s gun in the other. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand.”

Madame Blavatsky, with Pluto on the Midheaven, ruling her public image through the teachings of theosophy.

 What about Pluto when it’s on the descendant or in the 7th house of partnership? Jim Morrison, with Pluto conjunct the north node in Leo on the descendant, “Come on Baby Light my Fire.”

What about Pluto/Sun contacts?

There’s Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, with Pluto/Sun/North Node in Cancer in the 10th house of vocation. Her mission was to create a whole new way of working with mourning, dying and death consciously and without fear.

Mick Jagger, with Pluto/Sun/Jupiter/Mercury/North Node all in Leo at the nadir of the chart─the core of his being, singing: “Under My Thumb” and “Sympathy for the Devil.”

Madonna, with Pluto/Sun/Mercury in Leo in the 12th house of secrets, conjunct the moon in Virgo on the ascendant from the 1sthouse: Non-disclosure clauses and perfectionism for sure!

What about if Pluto is squared or in opposition to the Sun? There’s Martin Luther King, with the opposition fighting the dark forces of segregation epitomized by the KKK with the power of his will.

And with Pluto square the Sun? There’s President Jimmy Carter fighting Khomeini in Iran, Louis Pasteur fighting germs, and the investigative reporter, Seymour Hirsh, fighting to find out the truth.

Can you feel the difference when Pluto is square or opposed one’s Sun? It’s like there’s something outside of oneself one needs to fight against. This is how it can feel when one has transiting Pluto challenging one’s personal planets as well as in the natal chart. Finding out what transits are coming up helps us consciously prepare for going with the Flow and not feeling powerless or victimized, but rather empowered and inspired. (For more on this, please check out: ASTROLOGICAL SERVICES)

What about Pluto/Moon contacts and the potentials for the emotions to be a vehicle for transformation? If these powerful energies remain unevolved there can be an unconscious infantile pattern of emotional hunger and being around people like this feels like being around a bottomless pit of emotional/psychic vampire drainage saying feedmefeedmefeedme. If this energy is unresolved, being pissed off at having no power to get fed can be expressed through regression, aggression or a mix of the two.

For example, Milosevic has Pluto/Moon and Chiron, the wounded part of himself, in the 4th house of his childhood. So, if he’s pissed off and wounded, he’s going to make sure you are too. Then there’s Larry Flynt, with a Pluto/Moon conjunction in his 3rd house of communication. Enough said.

Here are some examples of more evolved Pluto/Moon contacts:

Mozart, with Pluto/Moon in Sagittarius.

Bjork, with Pluto/Moon/Sun in the 12th house.

The poet, Shelley, with Pluto/Moon in the 12th house.

Edgar Cayce, the sleeping prophet, with Pluto/Moon/Neptune in Taurus in the 10th house.

Bette Davis, with Pluto/Moon in Gemini in the 7th house, saying, with those eyes, “It’s going to be a bumpy ride” and you better believe it!

Carl Jung, with Pluto/Moon/Neptune in Taurus in the 3rd house, says: “My life has been permeated by one goal: to penetrate the secrets of personality.”

And with Pluto and an Aries moon in the 8th house in opposition, everyone’s against him─in this case the church, but he must first be true to himself: Martin Luther.

Then there are Pluto/Mercury contacts. Here’s some examples of transformation ways of communicating:

Isadora Duncan, with Pluto/Mercury/Neptune/Sun conjunct in the 1st house, created a new school of dance.

Otto Von Bismarck, with Pluto/Mercury in Pisces in the 8th house.

Van Gogh, with Pluto/Mercury/Uranus/Saturn in the 11th house.

Marianne Williamson, with Pluto/Mercury in the 9th house of philosophy and higher truths.

And with Pluto square Mercury, feel the power of their words: Jesse Jackson and Machiavelli, with his Pluto in the 8th house squaring Mercury and opposing Mars.

Now for some examples of my favorite Pluto aspect: contacts with Venus, the Planet of love. When these two planetary energies synergize positively there is the potential for great transformational power through the sexual act. The astrologer Jeanne Avery called this the courtesan/high priestess axis which could also be activated through Pluto in the 7th or 8th houses or having Scorpio ruling there.

Catherine Zeta-Jones and Antonio Banderas have this Pluto/Venus conjunction. Hothothot! Then there’s Starhawk with the conjunction in the 11th house for some good witchy goddess energy. Xaviara Hollander, the Happy Hooker, has this conjunct the North Node of destiny in the 3rd house so she was really being true to herself through her vocation, as was the Sydney Biddle, the Mayflower Madam, with this conjunction in the 9th house of publishing, so she wrote about her experiences too!

Casanova had Pluto opposing Venus and Mercury in the 5th house of romance, with Uranus rising on a Scorpio ascendant─how could he not be the archetypal master seducer, a man with 1000 faces, all of them wanting to seduce his next conquest?

Frank Sinatra had Pluto in the 9st house opposing Venus in the 3rd house, along with Scorpio rising, and you can bet that crooning was one of his methods of seduction.

Clyde Barrow, of Bonnie and Clyde fame, had Pluto/North Node on the Ascendant square Venus in the 10th house and became famous for the intermingling of sex and violence.

Jack Nicholson again, for Pluto in the 1st house square Venus in the 10th, known for being a legendary love ‘em and leave ’em type.

If expressed positively, the Pluto/Venus contacts can be experienced as transcendental through using the sexual energies─especially through Taoist or Tantric practices as a vehicle for spiritual transformation. With this aspect there can be a desire for annihilation of the little self through sexual union. And from this losing of self─this dispersal─there can then be experienced the finding of self, re-formed, renewed and made whole through this alchemical union─but with less attachment to the individual ego identity.

If the powerful erotic energy of Venus/Pluto contacts is not owned by one who has it, it’s very common for it to be projected on to partners who then emanate this perhaps dangerous sexual power. An example of this is only being attracted to bad boys (or girls), assassins, sociopaths, outlaws, criminals, etc. Then, especially if these Pluto/Venus contacts are combined with Neptunian energies that, if unevolved, can create a fog of delusion─there can be power struggles, romantic abuse, violent patterns and a desire to be taken out or owned by the partner. And if one’s Plutonian/Venusian/Neptunian energies are completely denied and unconscious, the desire to be possessed or annihilated can become quite literal.

Here are some examples of Pluto/Jupiter contacts and you can decide for yourself whether the creative power of transformation is operating at a level of misuse, (including being overly excessive), right use, or transcendent use:

Napoleon Bonaparte, with Jupiter in Scorpio rising, and Pluto opposing Venus in the 8th house of sex and metaphysics.

Picasso, a Scorpio, with Pluto/Jupiter/Neptune /Saturn in Taurus in the 10th house of his vocation.

Edgar Allan Poe, with Pluto/Jupiter/Moon/Venus in Pisces.

Sean Connery, with Pluto/Jupiter in the 7th house square Venus.

Robert DeNiro, with Pluto/Jupiter/Sun/North Node in Leo, the actor’s sign: “You talkin to me?”

Martha Graham, with Pluto/Jupiter/Neptune in the 1st^t house, creating a new school of dance.

Ram Dass, with Pluto and Jupiter on the ascendant in Aries: “Be Here Now.”

Mel Gibson, with Pluto/Jupiter square Mars/Saturn in the 5th house─creative drive at odds with explosive internal pressures.

Marlon Brando, with Pluto opposing Jupiter in the 1st house (can tend to make one larger or larger than life) square Sun/Moon in Aries in the 5th house of creativity.

Albert Einstein, with Pluto square Jupiter, trine Mars.

Billy Graham, with Pluto/Jupiter opposing Moon/Mars.

Warren Beatty, with Pluto in 10th house opposing Jupiter.

Ava Gardner, with Pluto in 12^th trine Jupiter and Mars─a grand trine in water.

Bill Gates, with Jupiter/Pluto in the 2nd house of financial resources.

And for some egregious misuse: Jim Jones, of the Kool-Aid cult, Pluto/Jupiter in the 7th house.

And Saddam Hussein with Pluto opposing Moon/Jupiter.

Now, for some examples of the potentially most scary contacts: Pluto and Mars, the planet of War and Aggression:

Harry Houdini, with Mars/Pluto at the nadir─famous for his death defying stunts.

Nureyev, with Pluto square Mars in the fifth house of creativity and romance trine his sun─famous for his dancing and romancing.

Arnold Swarzenegger, with Pluto in the 12th house of secrets opposing his Sun and Moon and squaring Mars.

Muhammad Ali, with Pluto in the 12th house in a grand cross with a square to Mars in the 6^th house of health (Parkinson’s), a square to Jupiter in the 10th, winning the world championship, and opposing the Sun and Moon.

Malcolm X, with Pluto/Mars in the 7th house.

Angelina Jolie, with Pluto opposing her Moon/Jupiter/Mars in the 9th house of film in Aries, trine her Sun─and we can’t take our eyes off of her─but also sense her dangerous quality which is perhaps why she is so mesmerizing.

Machiavelli, with Pluto square Mercury, Pluto opposing Mars in the 2nd house of the personal value system, writer of political books such as The Prince and seven volumes on The Art of War.

And last, but certainly not least in this category, Osama Bin Laden, with Mars/Ascendant/South Node in Taurus square a retrograde Pluto, indicating past life issues with violence that he is attached to for his identity as well as karmic misuse of power.

Pluto/Neptune contacts indicate a strong ability to reach the masses for good or ill. Hitler and Speer are examples of the latter.

And finally, let’s look at some Pluto/North Node of destiny contacts, signifying that the person is here in this life to come into their transformational power as part of their karmic direction and that the path of least resistance would be to give their power away.

Allan Ginsberg, with Pluto/North Node in Cancer in the 5th house of creativity─he wrote the poem, “Howl.”

Marilyn Monroe, with Pluto/North Node in Cancer in the 12^th house of secrets.

Catherine Denueve, with Pluto/Moon/North node in the 7th house of relationships, she was “The Face of France.”

Sigmund Freud, with Scorpio rising, and Pluto/North Node/Venus in the 6th house of the mind/body connection. How could his life’s work not revolve around Eros being at the root of human behavior?

I hope these examples give you a feel for Pluto/Scorpio energy in the birth chart. And what’s most important to remember is that we ALL have Pluto in our charts, meaning we all have a dark/shadow side. And sooner or later, we will ALL have Pluto transits that activate our Plutonian transformational power. When that happens, the more prepared we are to choose right use of this power, the less potential for incurring karma against ourselves and others. We do this by doing conscious work to own and transmute all parts of our being─including the most secret─through the heart and into the Light.

When Pluto transits oppose or square our personal planets, it can feel as if it is all outside forces that are ganging up on us. But, even if it is not all truly projection─at least in the smaller picture in this plane of duality─it is still betterto try to use all the situations seemingly against us as a form of spiritual resistance training, pushing us to use challenging circumstances for our growth and thus strengthen our commitment to the next level of our evolution.

For example, in my case, I never really felt my Pluto fully, i.e., my dark transformational power, until I was 38. That’s because in my birth chart, my Pluto in Leo is intercepted in the 7th house of committed partnership, and not only is it my only planet in fire, but it is also my only planet in an intercepted sign. This means that it’s hard for me to access the energies of Pluto and that this placement is karmic. I call intercepted planets as well as retrogrades in the natal chart, “safety sealed” for our own protection . . . until the time is right.

When transiting Pluto hit my midheaven and entered into my career house, the time was right to own ALL my power, as it squared my natal Pluto and trined Uranus for a “go with the flow of change” push. At that point, I had to choose between coming into my own power through my vocation or staying in a committed relationship which had begun to plateau and where I would need to dim my light to sustain its viability.

Well, Pluto won─as it always does! I chose to come into my power and make a clean break from a relationship that was becoming subtly disempowering. Ever since then, I have felt my Plutonian energies as an integral part of my being and as part of my authentic voice in the world.

For several years preceding this Pluto transit, I’d done a lot of deep past-life regression work to own my dark power, accept it without judgment and then choose to transmute this energy through the heart center into the Light of right action. Since then, I have also helped hundreds of clients do similar work in psychic therapy to own their cut-off dark side, and transform these Plutonian energies to serve their and other’s highest good.

For more on this period in my life, please check out my memoir: COSMIC SUGAR, written under my pen name, Leela Jones.

If one has a relatively unaspected (referred to as a singleton) Pluto, there’s a danger that one can project all their dark power out into the world. And don’t forget that our souls choose our birth charts as perfect vehicles for our karmic healing. (For more on this, see: LEELA) Taken to its extreme, one can then feel absolutely powerless against this projection. This sets up an unconscious victim mentality, which manifests as external events to re-entrench the limiting beliefs of powerlessness.

Many Neptunian and Piscean types tend to go this route and believe that they’re made up of only light energy and that dark power has nothing to do with them. I had one psychic therapy client, a Jungian psychoanalyst, who was writing a dissertation on “the shadow” but denied she had any darkness in her!

After we accessed her dark side through past-life regression therapy, she was able to own ALL of her power and consciously transmute her shadowy Plutonian energies through the heart and commit to right use. Then, she became more whole and integrated─with no parts repressed, denied and compartmentalized. This process enables us to experience unity consciousness─”as without, so within”─with no judgment or separation and no need to project inner darkness out and experience it coming back at us.

In closing, cultivating a taste for intensity has many levels. The ultimate intensity being absolute reality which can be terrifying, but at the same time makes us feel the most fully alive. Sexual orgasm, the little death, gives us a taste of this annihilation of the little self in the Void, as do many other Tantric and Taoist practices. (for more on this: Tantric and Taoist Practices)

When Pluto activates us, whether through inner owning or outer transits, if we have already cultivated a taste for living on the razor’s edge between life and death─fear and excitement─then we can begin to feel like the ruler of our own internal underworld. Then Pluto can’t devour us by feeling like the forces of darkness are coming at one or the Void is rising up around one’s feet, because the Void and the darkness are already owned and residing within.

Pluto is the God of the underworld and, as we become the god or goddess of our own internal underworld, we’ll find that this is the only path to true wholeness and integration. When we can dissolve duality and projection from the screen of our perception, we no longer need to fear Pluto eating us for lunch. But rather, we can enjoy knowing that we contain the whole Universe inside of us—arising out of the inner Void spontaneously in each moment—and that this Universe contains all that we have ever feared and all that we have been seeking.

PS The decision to downgrade Pluto to less than full planet status in 2006 will more than likely be overturned by 2015 when NASA’s investigation will be complete. In the meantime, all that this man-made error in judgment did (only 5% of astronomers voted for this demotion) was piss Pluto off. And we wouldn’t want that to go on indefinitely, would we?

PPS as of 2020, Pluto has remained relegated to the “dwarf planet” category. So, he’s still plenty pissed off:).

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” CARL JUNG

Scroll down for an Addendum on Saturn in Capricorn 

Attention, seekers: Saturn is moving into Sagittarius on December 23rd, 2014! This means we are entering a new two-and-a-half to three-year-cycle that is most positive and interesting—as Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter, planet of our most abundantly buoyant energies and the natural ruler of the ninth house of becoming a seeker of the truth through higher teachings which expand the consciousness. YAY!

And, since Mind is the builder of all we create and perceive—over the next few years we will be having a golden opportunity to reboot the screen of our perceptions and recreate our personal realities in a direct equation based on how positive or negative our belief structures about ourselves and our lives are.

This will be especially apparent in whatever houses we have Sagittarius in natally.

To set up your birth chart for free: Astro.com

For a brief description of the houses: Astrological Symbols

For a more thorough view: Alan Complete Astrology

When I do astrological readings, one of the most common laments I hear is: “But why does Saturn have to be transiting there?” And my smiling response is always, “Well, Saturn has to be somewhere.”

Why? Because, if we look at the earth plane as a school for soul growth and each incarnation as a different class, than the role of the transits of Saturn is in defining the curriculum as we move through the cycles and seasons of our lives.

The planet Saturn is traditionally known as the Lord of Karma and in ancient Greece was known as Kronos, who ruled over the Earth in his role as Father Time. And, since we contain the Universe and all planetary energies inside of us as microcosms of the macrocosm, Saturn is that part in each of us that is the inner guru—or spiritual teacher—whose lessons are learnt through embracing the structure and rules of the Earth Game—including working with the tools of linear space and time.

So, we all have an inner Saturn or karmic teacher that we’re born with, as expressed through the placement of Saturn in our birth charts. In addition, we have the activation of our pre-loaded karmic lessons for this incarnation through the movement of Saturn by transit through the various areas of ourselves and our lives.

Our karmic lessons occur in 28-30 year Saturn-return cycles, as that’s how long Saturn takes to return to the exact position he was in when we were born and, in each of these cycles, we get to experience specific lessons as Saturn transits through the twelve houses (i.e. parts of ourselves and our lives) in approximately two-and-a-half year increments.

The first Saturn-return cycle activates the karma we took incarnation to heal. That’s why, through our teens and twenties, it’s so important to have a multitude of adventures and scenic side-trips as well as a diversity of relationships and creative/vocational trial runs—before we lock in irreversible major life decisions.

That’s because our second Saturn-return cycle from ages 30-60 is when our karma begins to ripen. So, after age thirty is the optimal time to lock into what will become the major pathways in work and love through which we will develop the right use of our will as we learn to be cocreators through manifesting in our personal realities.

Then, by our Uranian opposition cycle, age 38-42, traditionally called the mid-life crisis, we’ll get many opportunities to consciously choose differently than just reacting from our habitual karmic patterns of identity. This will allow us to heal any karmic patterns that offer little or no further soul growth by taking risks and expanding our range—rather than sticking with what is known, safe and secure . . . and has become stagnate.

By age 58-60 as we enter the review of our 2nd Saturn-return cycle and are poised on the edge of our 3rd Saturn cycle, we can look back on the spiritual gains we’ve made and the soul lessons we’ve learnt, as we gather our forces to enter what I call “the victory round” from ages 60-90.

Because our longevity probabilities have expanded from living to a ripe old age of 50 or so just a century ago to 80-90-100 years and more in the 21st century, our 3rd Saturn cycle is more about creating a balance between focusing our energies on earthly matters and spending more and more time communing with Spirit, whereas in the good old days astrologers told their clients—if they made it to age 60—that it was time to start moving back towards the Light. HA!

To read more about how life expectancy in the 21st century can be affected by our body karma:

Why is This Happening to Me? Body Karma Explained

If we haven’t done the work that we took incarnation to do and feel so much regret by age 60 that we can’t seem to muster the life-force energy that we’ll need for another 30-year Saturn cycle, many of us choose to wrap up this incarnation and check out of our bodies—sometimes consciously but usually only semi-consciously.

And if we don’t consciously choose to recommit to the life-force in our physical vessels by realizing we have more we wish to do in this incarnation, than the vacillation of not committing to another karmic cycle carries into our relationship with the life-force and our bodies, and we start developing more and more physical symptoms as an expression of this deep ambivalence. Many sink back into old self-destructive behaviors as a way of sub-consciously feeding the death urge.

In fact, in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), until about age 40, it is viewed that most of us get a free ride because we are operating off of our storehouse of pre-birth chi (i.e. life force energy or prana). But after age forty, we start tapping into this storehouse and draining it if we don’t start doing mind/body spirit practices such as chi gung, yoga, breathing and meditation to replenish our chi.

By our fifties, in the TCM model, if we haven’t started taking better care of our life-force energies, we can start to experience a slow steady decline of our chi which naturally leads over decades too illness, old age and death. That’s why the ending of the 2nd Saturn cycle at 58-60 is so crucial in consciously recommitting to this incarnation and doing what it takes to get our bodies replenished and stabilized.

For more on this: Taoist Practices MP3s

I always say that every decade the physical body requires more maintenance, and as we hit our 40’s, 50’s, and especially 60’s this is especially important to implement consciously. I can personally attest to this truth as I am in my 60’s now as are so many of the clients I work with, who’ve been with me since we were all in our 20’s and 30’s.

Making Saturn our friend is crucial if we want to learn how to enjoy playing the earth game skillfully. Then, we can choose to embrace the clean sharp growing pain of going for the lessons and growth in any situation Life throws at us as an opportunity to get on with our dharma, or karmic path in life.

But, if we don’t embrace the rules of the game governed by Saturn then, to paraphrase Jung, we may feel powerlessness over our habitual patterns and external circumstances, thus setting ourselves up for a lot of chronic low grade suffering that, over time, will add up to more pain than if we just metaphorically ripped the Band-Aid off and got on with our karmic healing.

I consider challenging external events a form of spiritual resistance training, as the energies of the outer planets—especially Saturn, Uranus and Pluto—push us to grow in the areas we’re weakest in karmically to make us stronger. And that’s also why I call the most onerous external circumstances triggered by the transits of the outer planet: “FGO’S—f**kin growth opportunities!”

Embracing the pain of growing up emotionally and spiritually is easier said than done, especially until we reach our first Saturn-return cycle when we begin to karmically come into our maturity. Before this, for most of us, the dirtiest words in the English language are: “Discipline, hard work, patience and delayed gratification.” And, yet, these are the exact soul qualities that Saturn encourages us to develop in our character to play the Earth Game well.

For me personally, this was certainly true, as I was quite the party girl in my twenties until my first Saturn-return-cycle when I cleaned up my act. In fact, most of us have little desire to get on with healing our karma, which is represented in the birth chart by the Moon’s North Node of our dharma, or life’s path, at least until we feel the rumblings of our first Saturn return at around age 27-28 and the hear the voice of our inner guru whispering: “The jig is up”.

So, even though I have a very strongly placed and generally well-aspected Saturn in my chart:

1. I have Capricorn rising conjunct the north node, which means that Saturn rules my chart, (as the ruling planet of our ascendant rules our charts and gives it more weight).

2. Saturn is most elevated in my chart, (again giving it more weight) and in Libra, the sign of his exaltation—or best expression.

3. Saturn conjuncts my pars of fortune (i.e. greatest joy), and Mercury and Neptune on the cusp of the 8^th (psychic healing) and 9^th (teaching) houses.

I still kicked and screamed throughout my twenties about getting on with my Saturn lessons.

I remember doing a reading for myself at age 24 when I asked how to be the best trance channel I could be—as I had been working as one since age 19. My guides said, “Practice, practice, practice! The more readings you do, the better you’ll get. And you better clean up your party girl act (i.e. daily pot smoking etc.) or you might “go out” and not come back as you’re not grounded at all in your body yet.”

Well, guess what? Even with all the strong positive influence of Saturn in my chart, my response was still unequivocally to quit doing readings for almost three years so I could continue to party.

It wasn’t until age 28, when I bottomed out on my mood-altering substance addictions, that I surrendered to following my reading and developing Saturn’s designated soul qualities that I had resisted for so long. Looking back, I have a feeling that if I hadn’t chosen to finally clean up my act when I had my first Saturn-return-cycle, I might have become so self-destructive through my addictions that I could have checked out or ended up in some sort of mental institution . . . as happens to many souls.

So, embracing these Saturnian character-building qualities are exactly the type of karmic lessons we get to have—as Saturn transits through each of our twelve houses over every 28-30-year-cycle—and we can either choose to go for the growth—which does include growing pains of course—or continue to suffer.

If we don’t own our circumstances as preloaded karmically and just come to someone like me with a litany of woe and ask, “When is it ever going to end?” My, response, and yes, I have actually said this, is “NEVER! Until you stop fighting with Saturn and make him you friend.”

And the best way to make peace with Saturn is to reboot the screen of our perspective to the soul-level and be open to exploring: “What are the lessons of this transit and how do I embrace and get on with them?”

The challenge is always, of course, that Saturn requires that we grow up and become emotionally mature human beings by developing the character traits that go with this soul growth upgrade, when many times, during a particularly onerous Saturn transit, all we want to do is lie around and eat bonbons, and say to Saturn: “Haven’t I done enough already?” and, of course, Saturn always replies, “There’s always room for more.” I call it cultivating a taste for eating our spiritual Brussels sprouts.

As a karmic astrologer, one of the first things I look at in a birth chart, (after the moon’s nodes which signify one’s karmic direction or dharma and one’s karmic past), is the position of Saturn. For, as the traditional Lord of Karma, a strongly placed Saturn without major afflictions indicates an easier time of embracing Saturn’s rules of the game more gracefully—with less kicking and screaming, projection or self-judgment. At least, after the first Saturn-return cycle, that is.

When I see in someone’s birth chart that their Saturn is sitting on their ascendant, their Sun or Moon, their Venus, Mercury or Mars—with no major ameliorating factors, my initial response is always “OUCH!”, as it means there may be a karmic predisposition of being very critical, judgmental and hard on themselves, expressed through which personal planet is oppressed by Saturn’s cool and at times harsh gaze, and especially in the area of life or house in which Saturn and the personal planet affect resides and with the tone of the sign the conjunction is in.

For example, I know someone with Saturn sitting exactly on their ascendant, or personal persona, in perfectionistic Virgo, and they always look like they’re on their way to their own funeral and have a low tolerance for sustaining joy in Being for very long durations, as they don’t’ feel comfortable or worthy of it, especially around others.

This is also the case with Saturn on one’s Sun; one feels like Life has its thumb on them, holding them down from flowering. Or, with the Moon, one can feel oppressed in expressing emotions with spontaneity. With Saturn on one’s Venus, one can feel alone even in the midst of the most intimate moments with a partner. And with Mars, it can feel as if their ambition, drive and actions have a brake on them when they try to accelerate, I always call Saturn/Mars conjunct: “Full speed ahead with the breaks on”—especially in a fire sign. And with Mercury, there can be a tendency to see the glass as half full.

When I do synastry (i.e. relationship) charts for prospective couples, Saturn plays a significantly important part. As it is considered good, if not imperative, to have some Saturn squares or challenges to each other’s personal planets to signify a potential growth relationship, rather than just a love affair.

However, when I see one person’s Saturn sitting exactly on another person’s ascendant, sun, moon, mercury, mars or Venus—I do feel obligated to inform them that the one sitting under the thumb of the other’s Saturn might feel oppressed or judged, and over time have a hard time breathing freely or feel the need to walk on eggshells etc., as time goes on—so they can work with this aspect consciously and transmute it.

When clients have ignored these warnings, some of them have come back to me and reported that they have had to flee the marriage or partnership as they felt as if they were being stifled by it. I too have ignored these warning signs and gotten involved with a few men with Saturn on my Venus or Mercury in the past. And, let’s just say I’ve learnt the lesson that a man’s Saturn on one of my personal planets is a definite red flag and, if exactly conjunct, a deal breaker.

For me personally, with natal Saturn on my Mercury, I work diligently on a daily basis to always reboot my perspective and focus on the glass as half full in any situation. It helps that I have Neptune and the pars of fortune as part of this stellium, and that it is in Libra (where Saturn is in exaltation), and finally that my stellium is trine my Jupiter in Gemini in the fifth house of creativity and play. This means that I have an innate way to enjoy and play with all the lessons and rules of the earth game expressed by Saturn, which I try to express through my work with others.

We can also work with a natal or transiting Saturn/Mars conjunct in a positive way—as what I call focused action:

This is also the case with Saturn on the Moon natally. When I work with clients that have this, I encourage them to embrace the fact that they might always feel a sad or melancholy undertone in their emotional bodies, rather than stuff this feeling down or project it out by accumulating sad or depressed people in their lives that they keep trying unsuccessfully to heal. They can work with this sad part of themselves, integrate it without judgment, as part of their karmic legacy, as sadness is NOT a toxic emotion, and work on cultivating other emotional tones such as peace and equanimity, out of which pleasure, joy and bliss can spontaneously arise.

So too, with Saturn/Venus, can one feel a form of anehodia, or lack of pleasure through the senses and/or joy through the heart. And again, to work positively with this aspect, spiritual practices to cultivate neutral emotions such as peace and equanimity are the key, as then neutral becomes quite pleasant, and this lays the foundation for more upbeat positive sensations and emotions to spontaneously arise.

For more on how to do this: On Pleasure, Joy and Bliss

And

Transformation and Healing by Thich Nhat Hanh

For those with Saturn on the ascendant or Sun, it’s especially important to make a daily gratitude list as well as a list of assets and gains made by self, not just loses and personal liabilities.

For those with Saturn natally opposed to any of the personal planets, there is more of a tendency to project out negative Saturnian qualities such as repression, oppression, or judgment onto others or onto Life itself as the perennial opponent. But at least, with the opposition, there tends to be more conscious awareness that one is doing this.

With Saturn squaring the personal planets, these projections can be more unconscious and thus insidious. That’s why I look for the squares Saturn makes in the birth chart—especially to the personal planets, ascendant or midheaven—as indications of some of the most significant karmic factors that the soul took incarnation to work on and heal. The major karmic work is in bringing these unconscious projections to consciousness, owning them and working with them in a positive way, thus transmuting any negative predispositions in their expression.

Special consideration needs to be given when interpreting a T-square aspect pattern in the birth chart, especially when it involves Saturn. A T-square is formed when planets in opposition also form a square with another planet (or angle). The pattern resembles the letter T when viewed in the chart. A T-square stimulates drive and courage, but can also indicate internal and external tension and conflict.

I have a cardinal T-square in my chart, involving my Ascendant/North node in Capricorn, opposing My Uranus/South Node/ Descendant, and both squaring my Saturn/Mercury/Neptune stellium in Libra. And I can attest to the fact that this T-square energy gives me drive and ambition, as long as I don’t fall back into my south node laziness and addiction patterns. So while those of us with T-squares involving Saturn can be very active and achievement-oriented, especially if this aspect pattern falls in cardinal or fixed signs, we need to watch out to not squander our energy through acting out habitual karmic patterns that can cause needless conflicts and frustrations, especially if exacerbated by the karmic nodes being part of the T-square.

Cardinal T-squares can be very impatient, but also enterprising and initiating. Fixed T-squares can be persevering, but also stubborn, unyielding, or they can hold on to problems and frustrations for too long. Mutable T-squares can produce much restlessness, frequent whims, and frequent changes of mind, but can be very adept at adapting to circumstances.

The middle leg or focal planet of the T-square (in my case Saturn/Mercury/Neptune) is the point of great activity, overcompensation and activation. It’s where one seeks to solve or resolve the conflict set up by the opposition, especially through consciously focusing on the unoccupied area opposite the focal planet(s). That’s why I work on releasing the tension of my T-square through the missing leg in Aries in the 3rd house, by expressing myself through communication in my own unique way.

It can be revealing to note the transits through the area of the missing leg of the T-square—as during these periods there may be important life events.

The T-square aspect epitomizes the character of Saturn as this configuration gives certain obstacles and the necessity of overcoming them and also a strong, vigorous, ambitious aspiration to act. Pressure and an appreciation of challenges and conflict(internal or external) are necessary here for resolving the energy of the T-square so that it can lead to significant achievements and success.

As a whole, the T-square is a dynamic configuration from which we can derive a driving strength. If the T-square is in cardinal signs, we can be is dynamic, quick, and start to act instantly, even if the situation is extremely dangerous, and is inclined to interfere with other people’s affairs. When the T-square is in fixed signs we can tend to operate more slowly, but is resolute; as a preliminary, one will always find out all the possible problems before taking action. A mutable T-square usually indicates obstacles of indecision causing immobility.

But overall, especially with Saturn involved, we can be grateful for the “push” that a natal T-square gives us, as can be witnessed in the charts of just about every successful person I’ve ever studied. The T-square with Saturn appears to be integral to the fulfillment of ambition.

I rarely see clients for astrology readings with just sextiles and grand trines (easy and smooth aspects) in their charts unless a friend or relative sends them to me, as they lack the motivation to get off their couches. People without many squares, and especially without at least one T-square in their charts, tend to not have any internal drive or capacity to push themselves out into the world. So, while those with grand trines may have very pleasant lives and good things come easily to them with little effort, it is those of us with T-squares involving Saturn who innately become the movers and shakers in the manifest world as we grow and develop new soul qualities and strength of character.

One of the most challenging aspect patterns in the birth chart, and thus one that offers even more growth potentials if it is worked with consciously and overcome, is the Grand Cross, especially with Saturn involved. If a Grand Cross (four or more planets all square or opposing each other) is present in the natal chart, one is capable of surprising efforts and vigorous activity. The direction of these efforts and actions depends on the signs and houses in which the points of the Grand Cross are located.

The cardinal cross always indicates speed of action, the fixed cross strongly pronounced resoluteness when acting, while the mutable cross in many respects depends on the actions and reactions of other people.

Any attempts to solve a problem associated with one planet of the Grand Cross burdens the other planets connected in the configuration with problems. One is thus compelled to hasten from one crisis situation to another, unable to concentrate on any one situation for long enough to truly find a constructive resolution. The key is in consciously working with the planet of a Grand Cross which has the greatest number of harmonious aspects to planets not involved in the Grand Cross as this will enable one to redirect energy for easier advancement.

Many people can feel struck or in a rut that immobilizes them with a natal grand cross, and simultaneously assaulted by life events as, when transiting planets hit one leg of the Grand Cross, all the planets involved in this aspect pattern also get activated. It can feel as if one’s personality is a pinball machine that is constantly at the mercy of changing circumstances.

That’s why it can be so helpful to know through an astrology reading, especially with this type of configuration, the best outlets to release these potentially immobilizing energies, through trines and sextiles to planets that are part of the Grand Cross. Then one has a way out that can be focused on and worked with through conscious empowering actions.

It is so important to remember, especially with Saturn, that our souls choose all the circumstances of our birth, including out birth charts, as perfect vehicles for activating, bottoming out and healing the karma we took incarnation for as a foundation level of our soul assignment, so that our true soul purposes can fully flower. And those of us who choose to come in with Saturn T-squares, and especially grand-crosses, are definitely not taking this lifetime off! For more on this, see: LEELA

The journey towards the north node of our karmic destiny is a lifelong journey with infinite layers of depth, so it’s important not to be goal oriented, but yet, at the same time to get on with it.

When I am teaching karmic astrology, I always start by saying that even if you never have your chart interpreted, all you need to do is think of where in life you least want to go and want qualities in yourself you have the most resistance or fear of developing, and that is probably exactly where your north node is. HA! And this is especially true before our first Saturn-return cycle ends at age thirty as the first cycle is for the activation and playing out of the karma we’re here to heal.

In fact, for most souls, it takes until our Uranian-opposition-cycle at age 38-42 to fully bottom out on our old karma, until age 50 with our Chiron return, to be willing to move into all the dark nooks and crannies where we still need healing, and until our 2^nd Saturn-return at age 58-60 to embrace ALL OUR KARMIC LESSONS gracefully—rather than grudgingly.

Everything I just mentioned about the effects of Saturn on our personal planets in our birth charts is equally true when we experience these aspects by transit. The good news is that when we have Saturn transiting our ascendant or personal planets, the effects usually only last at most a year or so (every 28-30 years), rather than something we have to work with throughout our lifetimes as part of our preloaded karma.

For example, I remember in 2004 when I had the last transit of Saturn over my Moon in Cancer. Even though I worked with this transit veeery consciously, I still couldn’t help feeling very depressed, sad, blue and melancholy—even though everything in my life externally on all levels had never been better! This was especially surprising to experience as I have a natal Jupiter in late Gemini conjunct my early Cancer Moon, so tend to be more emotionally upbeat than depressed as my natural predisposition.

This experience confirmed for me, without doubt, the power of a Saturn transit and has helped me even more work with those that have this natally, to help them embrace and work with their Saturn/personal planet challenges in the most positive way possible. I have even had clients with a natal Saturn/Moon conjunct bring their loved ones and business partners in for consults, so that I could explain to them why my client always had a melancholy or sad undertone, so they would stop trying to cheer them up! This is especially true with Jupiterian or sag rising cheerleader types.

In closing, here’s a metaphor for the benefits of embracing the rules of the earth game with gusto and making Saturn our friend which comes from one of my favorite spiritual teachers, Ram Dass.

To paraphrase, he says that before he started on his conscious spiritual journey at age thirty, he felt as if he were trapped in solitary confinement in a very tiny karmic prison cell with only his neuroses and defects of character for company.

But, by the time he hit sixty, while his neuroses hadn’t disappeared, his prison cell had expanded to the size of a large playing field or stadium, and he had achieved a level of non-attachment with his neuroses so that he could just play with them. He called them his “schmoos.”

So, once he had embraced and befriended all these previously repressed or judged parts of himself, he began to experience and enjoy Life much more enthusiastically from a place of Unity consciousness. In other words, he learnt how to be freer within his conditions.

One of the ways that I’ve learnt how to look at owning my Inner Guru or Karmic Teacher, which Saturn represents, is to do what I call the “Greatest Hits” meditation, which I’ve done regularly for many years and teach to my therapy clients.

In this practice, I viscerally summon all of the highest most evolved incarnations that I can remember—and we ALL have these in the cellular memory of our psychic bodies, we just forgot. That is, until we reactivate the memories through past-life regression therapy, soul readings, dreams or inner journeying.

When I string together all of my “greatest hits” in my mind and tune into their level of consciousness when they are meditating, the place I come to is the same: A complete merging or Oneness with Source.

And it is to this place of no separation with All That Is that communing with our inner Guru will lead us.

Then, we can experience the higher Truth that:

I. The Universe is made up of energy

II. All energy is CONSCIOUS

III. There is ultimately only ONE Being . . . with billions of faces

IV. There is only ONE inner teacher . . . And he resides within each of us.

For more on my karmic journey of awakening, please check out my memoir, written under the pen name, Leela Jones:

Cosmic Sugar

If you’re ready to become One with your inner guru and make Saturn your friend, please consider having a karmic astrology reading with me.

For details: Astrology Services

ADDENDUM

Saturn transited into Capricorn in December 2017. I wrote all about it here:

Fall 2017’s Saturn in Sagittarius Swansong: “LOVE IS ALWAYS MORE PRECIOUS THAN MONEY”

On March 21, 2020, Saturn will move into Aquarius, which I will be writing about in my Spring newsletter. STAY TUNED!

Neptune, the planet named for the God of the Sea, has now fully entered his home sign of Pisces until 2024. Our Neptunian energies govern a range of consciousness from illusion to illumination, delusion to enlightenment. Neptune’s transit of Pisces means that we can expect everything associated with Neptune’s scope of rulership to be experienced more powerfully than in any other sign AND, in terms of the mass consciousness, the dichotomy between the highest levels of Neptune’s range and the lowest may become increasingly more pronounced.

Neptunian energies at their loftiest can be experienced as a state of non-dual or unity consciousness, where we’re at one with All That Is and simultaneously aware of our individual souls as waves within the cosmic ocean of becoming, also known as the causal plane. In other words: One Being===billions of faces.

These energies allow us to experience a sense of boundarylessness, where everything is energy, all energy has innate consciousness and everything flows into everything else. If you’ve ever taken hallucinogens─you’ve probably had a taste of this. Choosing to work with our psychic/intuitive/mystical Neptunian energies until they become naturally integrated into our world view allows us to viscerally merge with Life as the ultimate hallucinogen with no mood-altering substances ever required. In this state, the space/time continuum dissolves and all planes of consciousness are experienced simultaneously, right here and right now. This is the opportunity that Neptune’s transit through Pisces gives us─if we choose to take the high road.

And the other road?

Neptune also governs illusion and delusion, especially when our psychic and intuitive abilities are not developed in a grounded, structured and methodical way, with objective reality-checking from trusted guides and a healthy functioning ego structure to allow for safe lift-off into higher frequency dimensions.

However, many Neptunian and Piscean-types skip this step because we think we’re ready to fly higher than our nervous system and psychic circuitry can handle. This self-delusion creates the danger of potential burn-out. I’ve seen it happen many times─and it happened to me in my early 30’s, before I discovered how to ground my psychic wiring with Taoist practices.

Neptune is also connected to all levels of addiction─from medication to meditation. As we search for ways to connect with Source, many of us get stuck at a lower-level with our drugs of choice: food, alcohol, power, sex, love and romance, to name a few. While all of these might give us an initial momentary taste of the high of Divine communion, no ephemeral finite source can ultimately fill the infinite Void in each of us in a sustainable way. Some of us die trying─or, at least, anesthetize and immobilize ourselves in a holding pattern, much like a living death. For more on this, please read:

The Nature of Addiction:It’s Only Human

Neptune is considered the higher octave of Venus, planet of personal love, beauty, aesthetics and creativity. So, with Neptune now in Pisces as the highest potential manifestation of divine love, beauty and creativity, we should hopefully see more of this filtering into the mass consciousness over time and manifesting as a more selfless desire to be of service to others in need. Can you imagine how the evolution of consciousness could be accelerated if we channeled our collective creative energies into a genuine compassionate desire to help those who suffer? If there were enough food and holistic health care for all, how could there not be more joy in Being and heaven on earth?

Did I neglect to mention that our Neptunian energies express through idealism─as well as escapism?

To determine how this transit of Neptune will affect each of us individually, we need to look to our birth charts for our karmic Neptunian predisposition as well as to which parts of us and our lives the transit of Neptune in Pisces will affect. Many people with a strong natal Neptunian or Piscean influence, especially if associated with the eighth or twelfth houses (of metaphysics and karma) or if conjunct the ascendant, mid-heaven, or personal planet─Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars─become creative artists, mediums, healers, psychics and mystics.

Those with transits to these houses, cusps or personal planets will experience an activation and deeper interest in these areas without doubt. But, rest assured, that whatever house Neptune in Pisces is transiting in your chart, it will have the potential to become a vehicle for spiritual transformation in your life and in you like never before.

For example, if I see Neptune or a lot of planets in Pisces in the 6^th house of health and service in the birth chart of someone who is considering becoming a hands-on healer, and if there are other corroborating factors that increase the innate propensity for sensitivity and porous boundaries, I might recommend they find a modality of service that doesn’t involve actual physical touch. Why? Because it would be a continuous challenge to keep sick or negative energies from backing up into them. Most hands-on healers have some good earth energies for grounding their channel and, in my experience, a strong and positive Mars/Jupiter aspect to balance out their Neptunian/Piscean/watery side.

If I see a strong Neptune/Sun in a creative artist with other reinforcing predispositions, I will encourage them to pursue their art as a vocation─but also advise them to get someone else to handle the business aspects and bookkeeping, as that might not be their forte. Edgar Cayce, the great psychic, called the “sleeping prophet,” had a Moon/Neptune/Pluto conjunction in Taurus at the mid-heaven and a stellium in Pisces in the 7^th/8th houses of the Sun/Venus/Saturn/Mercury/North Node. But even though Cayce did have a very strong and grounded Mars/Jupiter in Capricorn, he still overused his gifts out of his desire to help those in need bringing on an early demise from exhaustion.

So, fellow psychics and healers be aware! Healthy boundaries, grounding and stabilizing the frequencies we work with, and learning how to take care of ourselves first are an ongoing challenge for any in the psychic vocations, especially now, with Neptune in Pisces.

For more on this, please see:

Psychic Empowerment Practices

For me personally, just as Neptune flowed into Pisces on Feb 3^rd, 2012, I started receiving more client calls than usual with the presenting symptoms of sleepiness, brain fog, and what I’ve come to call the “psychic flu.” I wasn’t able to get back as promptly as usual as I myself was in a deep sleep for up to 10-12 hours at a time and while the dream states were incredibly rich and fruitful, I was moving through waking reality without my usually reasonably sharp focus. It was almost as if I was sleepwalking . . . and still am, as I write this, which has taken months longer than usual to complete.

I learnt to identity the symptoms of the “psychic flu” several decades ago. Whenever I am being downloaded with new higher frequency psychic, cosmic and galactic energies─I always feel as if I’m literally getting sick with fatigue, body aches, etc. Then, I have to remind myself─”OOOH, you’re being downloaded─ and cut myself a break from any type A running around. Instead, I choose to play “in-valid”─ especially on the left brain and physical vitality levels, and rest a lot until it passes. But with Neptune’s move into Pisces, it doesn’t feel like it’s going to pass anytime soon.

In fact, when an outer planet moves into a new sign or house, it can take up to year to acclimate to the change in tone or focus. The same holds true for the last year before an outer planet leaves a sign or house─only then it feels more like a review of the themes that were originally presented.

In my case, Neptune is currently transiting through the first fifteen degrees of Pisces in my 1^st house. (I have 28 degrees Capricorn rising conjunct my north node of destiny and the sign of Aquarius intercepted in the Placidus house system.) Consequently, it almost feels as if Neptune is crossing my ascendant again in terms of the power of its impact.

For ALL OF US, this downloading is exponentially multiplied as the galactic energies that are bombarding the earth plane (to assist in the quickening that is heralding in the next Great Age in the evolution of consciousness) are higher frequency than I have ever felt before and thus can be very destabilizing if counter-measures aren’t taken.

Whew! So we all need to cut ourselves a bit of a break, and stop asking ourselves: “Am I sick or What’s the deal here?” The deal here is: we’ve officially entered the dreamtime in waking reality and might as well enjoy the ride, or swim or float as the case may be. The colors are all much brighter now─ Technicolor in fact─and everything is laden with symbolic meaning. We need to allow ourselves to stop resisting this Neptunian dream state we’re in─aka the Earth Game─slow down and learn to navigate from our inner light and intuition─as this particular fog machine ain’t going nowhere any time soon─especially if Neptune is sitting on one of your personal planets.

In fact, With Neptune turning retrograde on June 4^th, 2012, the same day as a Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Sag, we’ll be getting a taste of this new flavor of Neptune in Pisces as the energies encourage us to go deeply within and focus on spiritual practices to merge with Source, the Divine, the Tao─through November 10^th, 2012. And while the retrograde Neptune cycle will be encouraging us to go within every year through 2024 as a five-month annual event, this is the kick-off year for setting up the themes and tones of all that is to come.

NEPTUNE AND ROMANCE

Venus forms a rare occultation with the Sun on June 6^th, 2012, inspiring us to raise the frequency of our desire to merge with a romantic partner into the ultimate desire of merging with All That Is─directly or through the vehicle of dual spiritual practices with our consort. The next five months are the perfect time to learn practices to make love with all of Life─which is eminently pragmatic, as is holding a veery-long range perspective. That way, we’re always making love with the Cosmos, even after we drop our bodies, whereas partners do tend to come and go in this ephemeral plane of duality called the earth game.

A number of years ago, I did a workshop on Neptune, with a special focus on the traps we tend to get into in our romantic affairs, especially when we have a karmic predisposition for such, delineated in the birth chart by having the Ascendant or these personal planets─Sun, Moon, Mercury and Venus─in hard aspects, such as squares and oppositions, to the planet of illusion and delusion.

I made a list of celebrities and clients I had worked with who had these challenging Neptune aspects, and it was absolutely mind-blowing to see that everyone on this list had a love/drug/romance/sex addiction or karmic rut that had repeatedly gotten them into trouble in the relationship arena.

Neptune rules the imagination and psychic vision, but when it is afflicted or undeveloped, we imagine what we want to see and then project it outward through an idealistic filter. It’s very hard to ever get the fog to clear, (until the other shoe drops), unless we ask for some outside objective feedback on our choices─which most of us choose not to do when we’re in the Neptunian swoon-state─and some of us are almost always in one . . . or want to be.

Optimally, we want to be able to hold a split-screen in our vision. On one side: the higher Neptunian ideal of the soul potentials of our chosen partner. And, on the other side of the screen: The reality in this space and time of the actual level of our potential partner’s development. We need to accept the actual reality─wounds and all─before we choose to merge our fates with them─as the timetable for any healing or change will not be up to us. THAT is another Neptunian/Piscean delusion.

With the challenged Neptune─we only see one side of the screen with the soul’s potential. And while this vision is potentially true as an idealized vision─it has no guarantee of ever being realized in any given incarnation. I have also seen this with clients who have a Neptune/karmic South Node conjunction. They can only see theirs and everyone else’s highest soul potentials as their default karmic predisposition. However, if they don’t choose to develop the capacity to cultivate a more realistic split-screen, some of these souls─while lovely to be around when they are projecting your highest vision─can be very self-delusional and grandiose when it comes to their own and everyone else’s level and capacity of development in linear space and time.

Even a seasoned astrologer/psychic like me can lose the split-screen during the powerful force of a Neptune transit. I fell into a two-year Neptunian swoon in the mid-90’s when Neptune transited over my Ascendant─although I had seen it coming and duly noted what it might manifest as when I studied my yearly forecast. I even knew it when it was happening─that I was only seeing the soul potentials. But it was sooo sweet! I just fell into the endorphin rush of being in love. The early stages of the romance were more blissful than ever before and it did indeed transmute into being in love with All of life. And, yes, all the colors of the world do get brighter. Even when we were separated─as it was a bi-coastal affair─the love poetry I wrote was the most mystical ever.

That being said, when the Neptune transit passed, as it always does─and it usually takes two years to fully pass─I was able, once again, to regain the split screen. (I’ll skip the pain of disillusionment part.) Then, over five years, the relationship naturally unwound on the heart levels and we are still the best of friends today.

Consequently, when clients are having a transit of Neptune to the ascendant or one of the personal planets─by conjunction, square or opposition─while I encourage them to enjoy the ride, (how could I not say that after I did it myself!) but to be aware of the Neptunian swoon-state. And to remember that, when the fog clears, they will actually be seeing their partner from the other side of the split screen clearly as the reality of “what is” for the first time.

When I do readings for clients with natal Neptune square or opposite Venus or the Moon, as an example─I encourage them to get second opinions from objective sources─before plunging into their default romantic pattern of giving away the store─emotionally and otherwise way too soon─with bad boys, addicts, married liars, emotionally unavailable partners of every stripe, sociopaths and the like. Also, it’s much more common, especially with the opposition, for their partner to perform a “bait and switch” on them, meaning that, while they’re only seeing what they want to see, their partner is also actively leading with and reinforcing this higher vision and hiding the rest until the lovelock of the karmic crazy glue is fully in place.

So, if you’ve just met what you think is your soul mate─and you’re a Neptunian type, (meaning Neptune conjunct a personal planet or ascendant or have a lot of Pisces in your chart or are a Neptunian challenged type─meaning an opposition or square─OR having a Neptune transit), remember: It’s Ok to fully enjoy the ride─because I know that it’s SO STRONG AND SO SWEET it’s irresistible─LIKE the best drug high one can ever have. BUT, pleeze remember not to merge your assets or real estate─or give away your heart with plans for the rest of this incarnation─until the transit passes─usually two years. Or, at least, get some outside objective feedback and guidance first.

Personally, I have Neptune conjunct Mercury and Saturn and my pars of fortune on the cusp of the 8^th/9^th houses. So, if you’re a Neptunian-type from birth like me as your default karmic predisposition─what’s a Neptune gal or guy to do when a Neptune transit hits?

I’m SO glad you asked me that! Because now with Neptune in Pisces, and the cosmic, galactic and planetary energies picking up speed─we have a golden opportunity to learn mind/heart/body spiritual practices to merge with the Divine as our primary relationship. For most of us, this is a taste that we need to learn how to cultivate. As it’s human nature to prefer to be fed by the tangible fruits of merging with a partner─through the senses and the personal emotions─rather than through the higher frequency of transpersonal or universal love, which are the intangible fruits that the energies of Neptune provide.

It wasn’t until my mid-thirties that I seriously became a student of Taoist and Tantric practices, and it wasn’t until my mid-40’s, after more than a decade of daily practice, that the balance truly shifted so that I could enjoy merging with the Tao equally as much as merging with a partner. Now in my late 50’s (and currently in-between any serious romantic engagements), the balance has naturally and fully tipped towards my primary relationship being a blissful merging with all of Life on a daily basis.

And since we teach what we need to learn or remember, I now offer sessions in the Taoist and Tantric practices that I love so much, as well as MP3s and a spiritual practice reading list to get you started:

Taoist and Tantric Practices Mp3s

Spiritual Practices Reading List

Did you know that in the Tantric tradition there are 112 practices for 112 different personality types utilizing our physical senses, thoughts, emotions and perceptions (not to mention the sexual energies)? This type of spiritual play is Neptune’s domain, and it’s the world that we’ve all got a ticket to now. It means that not only can we experience Life as the ultimate mood-altering substance, but that our merging with the Divine can be experienced viscerally moment to moment of being in heaven─of which there are infinite levels─all the time.

Then Life becomes our cake, if you will, and our mates, lovers and consorts become the icing on our cake─if that is our preference. And who doesn’t like icing? IF it is available. But, if not, we’ll always still have our cake and can eat it too. Feel how empowering that is?

If you’d like an astrological reading with a special focus on your Neptunian love potentials, there couldn’t be a better time:

ASTROLOGICAL SERVICES

In closing, wishing us all an ongoing experience of merging with all of Life as our primary relationship. And remember, Neptune doesn’t just rule delusion and loss of boundaries, perceptual and otherwise, it also rules all forms of addiction. So, after reading this, if you’re still attached to a limiting belief that having a romantic partner or any other external goal is the only way you’re ever going to be truly happy, please read:

On Pleasure, Joy and Bliss

Addiction is a slippery slope─just as much with romance as it is with food, drugs and alcohol─and the higher we’ve evolved─the further we can fall. So, we need to be ever vigilant as we will get tested on more and more subtle levels of word, though and deed as we evolve. This is especially true if we have a 2^nd chakra or sex/love/drugs addiction karmic rut.

For more on this, please check out my story, written under the pen name, Leela Jones, and available at Amazon.com:

Cosmic Sugar: The Amorous Adventures of a Modern Mystic

After reading about Neptune, perhaps you’re finally ready to surrender to the reality that you have karmic addiction challenges. If so, please know that I empathize and specialize in psychic and spiritual counseling in this area. As they say: “Been there, done that, have the T-shirt” and memoir to prove it . . . and then some.

CLICK HERE FOR:

PSYCHIC COUNSELING SERVICES

“The parrots of heaven will be cracking sugar
as we laugh together, you and I.
In one form upon this earth,
and in another form in a timeless sweet land.” RUMI

• Sun: Ruler of the zodiac sign Leo.
• Moon: Ruler of the zodiac sign Cancer
• Mercury: Ruler of the zodiac sign Gemini and Virgo
• Venus: Ruler of the zodiac signs Libra and Taurus
• Mars: Ancient ruler of the zodiac signs Aries and Scorpio
• Jupiter: Ancient ruler of the zodiac sign Sagittarius and Pisces
• Saturn: Ancient ruler of the zodiac sign Capricorn and Aquarius
• Uranus: Modern ruler of the zodiac sign Aquarius.
• Neptune: Modern ruler of the zodiac sign Pisces
• Pluto: Modern ruler of the zodiac sign Scorpio
• North Node: the ruler of Pathways, Choices and future destiny.
• South Node: the ruler of Karma and the Past.

HOUSES Sign Latin motto Translation Modern title of house Interpretation

• 1st Aries Vita Life House of Self Physical appearance, traits and characteristics. First impressions. General outlook into the world. Ego. Beginnings and initiatives.
• 2nd Taurus Lucrum Wealth House of Value Material and immaterial things of certain value. Money. Belongings, property, acquisitions. Cultivation and growth. Substance. Self-Worth.
• 3rd Gemini Fratres Brothers House of Communications Higher education and childhood environment. Communication. Happiness. Intelligence. Achievements. Siblings. Neighborhood matters. Short, local travel and transportations.
• 4th Cancer Genitor Parent House of Home and Family Ancestry, heritage, roots. Early foundation and environment. Mother or mothers as figure. The caretaker of the household. Cyclic end of matters.
• 5th Leo Nati Children House of Pleasure Recreational and leisure activities. Things which makes for enjoyment and entertainment. Games and gambling. Children. Love and sex. Creative self-expression.
• 6th Virgo Valetudo Health House of Health Routine tasks and duties. Skills or training acquired. Jobs and Employments. Health and overall well-being. Service performed for others. Caretaking. Pets and small domestic animals.
• 7th Libra Uxor Spouse House of Partnerships Close, confidante-like relationships. Marriage and business partners. Agreements and treaties. Matters dealing with diplomatic relations of all kinds, including open (known) enemies. Attraction to qualities we admire from the other partner.
• 8th Scorpio Mors Death House of Reincarnation Cycles of Deaths and Rebirth. Sexual relationships and deeply committed relationships of all kinds. Joint funds, finances. Other person’s resource. Occult, psychic and taboo matters. Regeneration. Self-transformation. Metaphysics.
• 9th Sagittarius Iter Journeys House of Philosophy Foreign travel and foreign countries. Culture. Long distance travels and journeys. Religion. Law and ethics. Higher education. Knowledge. Experience through expansion.
• 10th Capricorn Regnum Kingdom House of Social Status Ambitions. Motivations. Career. Status in society. Government. Authority. Father or father figure. The breadwinner of the household. One’s public appearance/impression at large(audience).
• 11th Aquarius Benefacta Friendship House of Friendships Friends and acquaintances of like-minded attitudes. Groups, clubs and societies. Higher associations. Benefits and fortunes from career. One’s hopes and wishes.
• 12th Pisces Carcer Prison House of Self-Undoing Mysticism. Places of seclusion such as hospitals, prisons and institutions, including self-imposed imprisonments. Things which are not apparent to self, yet clearly seen by others. Elusive, clandestine, secretive or unbeknownst matters. Retreat, reflection and self-sacrifice. Unconscious/subconscious. Unknown enemies. Karma.

MAJOR ASPECTS:

• Conjunction 0° (orb 8°). The conjunction is a major point in the chart, giving strong emphasis to the planets involved. The planets will act together to outside stimulus and act on each other
• Opposition 180° (orb 8°). The opposition is indicative of tension, conflict and confrontation, due to the polarity between the two elements involved. Stress arises when one is used over the other, causing an imbalance; but the opposition can work well if the two parts of the aspect are made to complement each other in a synthesis
• Trine 120° (orb 8°). The trine indicates harmony, and ease of expression, with the two elements reinforcing each other. The trine is a source of artistic and creative talent, but can be a ‘line of least resistance’ to a person of weak character
• Square 90° (orb 8°). The square indicates frustration, inhibitions, disruption and inner conflict, but can become a source of energy and activation to a person determined to overcome limitations
• Sextile 60°(orb±6°). The sextile is similar to the trine, but of less significance. It indicates ease of communication between the two elements involved, with compatibility and harmony between them]
• Quincunx 150°(orb±3°). The quincunx indicates difficulty and stress, due to incompatible elements being forced together. It can mean an area of self neglect in a person’s life (especially health), or obligations being forced on a person. The quincunx can vary from minor to quite major in impact. An aspect of ambivalence.
• Retrograde: A planet is retrograde when it appears to move backwards across the sky when seen from the earth. Although it is not an aspect, karmic astrologers believe that it should be included for consideration in the chart as it signifies misuse of the energies of the retrograde planet in past lives by misuse or fear of development. A karmic release of these energies is determined by a direct station in the secondary progressions.
• (Increase orb 2±° with the Sun and Moon)

Sign names English name Element Quality Polarity Planet Period of birth

• Aries The Ram Fire Cardinal Positive Mars March 21 – April 20
• Taurus The Bull Earth Fixed Negative Venus April 21 – May 20
• Gemini The Twins Air Mutable Positive Mercury May 21 – June 20
• Cancer The Crab Water Cardinal Negative Moon June 21 – July 22
• Leo The Lion Fire Fixed Positive Sun July 23 – August 23
• Virgo The Maiden Earth Mutable Negative Mercury August 24 – September 22
• Libra The Scales Air Cardinal Positive Venus September 23 – October 23
• Scorpio The Scorpion Water Fixed Negative Pluto (Traditionally Mars) October 24 – November 21
• Sagittarius The Archer/Centaur Fire Mutable Positive Jupiter November 22 – December 21
• Capricorn The Sea-goat Earth Cardinal Negative Saturn December 22 – January 19
• Aquarius The Water Carrier Air Fixed Positive Uranus (Traditionally Saturn) January 20 – February 19
• Pisces The Two Fish Water Mutable Negative Neptune (Traditionally Jupiter) February 20 – March 20

Sign House Domicile Detriment Exaltation Fall 

• Sign House Domicile Detriment Exaltation Fall 
• Planetary Joy
• Aries 1st House Mars Venus Sun Saturn Jupiter
• Taurus 2nd House Venus Mars Moon N/A Jupiter
• Gemini 3rd House Mercury Jupiter N/A N/A Venus
• Cancer 4th House Moon Saturn Jupiter Mars Mercury
• Leo 5th House Sun Saturn Neptune N/A Mars
• Virgo 6th House Mercury Jupiter Mercury Venus Saturn
• Libra 7th House Venus Mars Saturn Sun Moon
• Scorpio 8th House Mars Venus Uranus Moon Saturn
• Sagittarius 9th House Jupiter Mercury N/A N/A Sun
• Capricorn 10th House Saturn Moon Mars Jupiter Mars
• Aquarius 11th House Saturn Sun N/A N/A Mercury
• Pisces 12th House Jupiter Mercury Venus Mercury Moon

Here’s one of my fave books to learn more:
Alan Oken Complete Astrology

One of the best kept secrets of Presidents, CEOs and billionaires, including Ronald Reagan, Walt Disney and J. P. Morgan, is that they all sought advice from astrologers before making major decisions. They knew that one of the most crucial factors in the success of their endeavors was in choosing the optimal time to make their move.

From a historical perspective, in discussing what he calls “this most ancient Science,” Benjamin Franklin said, “No Prince would make War or Peace, nor any General fight in battle, in short, no important affair was undertaken without first consulting an Astrologer.” In fact, it’s common knowledge that a sizeable number of fund managers, brokers, and savvy investors have used astrology for decades as their secret weapon in riding the crest of market cycles.

In Taoism, it’s called becoming one with the Tao or going with the Flow. By studying how the planetary cycles of energy (i.e. the Flow) will be affecting you personally and professionally, a seasoned astrologer can pinpoint exactly when to launch a new company, campaign, product or website to ensure the most favorable outcome.

In addition, astrology is an exceptionally useful tool for gaining insight into your professional relationships. If you’re considering going into partnership with someone, before signing any contracts, having a relationship chart done, (called Synastry), will illuminate the exact nature of the strengths and challenges of any potential joint venture.

Moreover, if you want to learn the most skillful means for communicating with anyone you’re doing business with, having a Synastry consultation will save you from innumerable possible headaches and the dreaded “foot in mouth” disease which can cause even the most promising of collaborations to founder rather than thrive.

In closing, astrology can help cut through the unexplainable ups and downs of fortune and fate by synchronizing your business strategies with planetary cycles. This allows you to maximize your investment of time, energy and resources. In these challenging economic times, your decision to get an astrologer on-board or, as they’re called on Wall Street, a “business consultant,” may give you the competitive edge that could make all the difference.

“Always be on the lookout for ways to nurture your dream.” Lao Tzu

For more information: Astrology Services

This article originally appeared on the official blog at: gkbrand.com