|
Saturn moved
into Virgo on September 2 and will remain there for
the next two years. He's relatively comfortable
here, a capable task master teaching us how to stay
organized and produce tangible results for our
labors. Picture him as the chief butler for a
well-to-do Victorian family, determined to keep
everything running without disruption or flights of
fancy. His lessons about dedication and
organization may cause some upsetting times,
especially for those with Sun in Pisces,
Sagittarius, or Gemini, but he does have much of
value to offer us in this area, if we are prepared
to listen.
As October
begins, Saturn finds himself with a couple allies
in the cause: Mercury and Mars, both in water
signs. In principle, this arrangement could help
Saturn in his current mission by making his
organizational lessons feel more emotionally
relevant (he knows he comes across as rather dry).
He needs some warm appreciation for his efforts
from the lady of the house (that would be
you).
Saturn looks
to Mercury in Scorpio to help convince us that his
goals touch on something deeply meaningful and
enduring. Mercury, although normally very
supportive of Virgo energies (it's his sign of
rulership, after all), is now feeling rather broody
- he'd rather spend late nights working on his
angst-ridden novel than helping Saturn run the
household on schedule. He's the confidant and
sometime lover of the lady of the house, though, so
he's able to put in a few words on Saturn's behalf,
even though his heart's not in it. Listen for
messages from him about the deeper value of working
efficiently and productively during the first half
of October and again in mid-November. Mercury is
retrograde from October 10 to November 2, and
becomes even less communicative. When he regains
his senses, he finds himself in Libra, and gets a
brief turn at being the helpful diplomat before
returning to his Scorpio broodiness on November
12.
Saturn's
other ally, Mars, is not having a good time at all.
He's just moved into Cancer and finds himself
working as household cook. Now for you or I,
cooking and caretaking for loved ones may be an
opportunity for us to experience our nurturing,
sensitve side. Alas, Mars doesn't have a
nurturing, sensitive side, and he is quite
miserable. He wants to get out and do something
physical and competitive, but he's stuck in the
kitchen and very resentful. Think of the type-A
executive dad having to spend a week at home with
the babies. Saturn would have him demonstrate how a
well-run life contributes to domestic harmony, but
Mars is having almost the opposite effect, turning
our little home into a hotbed of festering
resentments and unexpressed hostility. What's
worse, he's teaming up with Mercury to say the
things he can't say himself, leading to occasional
sideways criticisms or even nasty gossip. The
perfectionism of Saturn in Virgo provides these two
malcontents with ample raw material for
fault-finding. Again, early October and
mid-November are times of potentially malicious
below-the-surface conflict.
A week into
October, Venus joins this dysfunctional cadre, and
she's not helping much either. Slogging through
Virgo in a sulk, she joins Saturn as the newest
member of the household staff, cleaning and
decorating, but without enthusiasm. She feels like
Cinderella, trapped in practical duties when she'd
rather be out shopping and putting the moves on
Prince Charming.
There is a
bright spot at the beginning of October,
though: Jupiter, the happy-go-lucky
adventuring uncle, off touring the Himalayas, sends
a postcard or two about his adventures, which may
actually be helpful in moving us along our life
path. Look for something exotic, either
geographically or spiritually, to present itself
early in October, and consider how to bring it out
in your own life. At the end of October or early in
November, a second postcard arrives, this time
addressed to Venus, highlighting her ambivalence
about the housekeeping duties.
In
mid-November, Mercury, having come out retrograde,
resumes his old habits with Mars and Saturn, made
even worse by Mars going retrograde himself on the
15th.
There is a
shift in energies during the last couple weeks of
November. The Sun moves into Sagittarius on the
23rd, heading off to find Jupiter and join him on
his spiritual excursion, and taking Mercury with
him. Venus leaves her chores behind in Virgo, and
moves to Scorpio, where her daydreaming becomes
more intense and melodramatic. At this time, her
message from Jupiter starts to make sense, and she
ruminates on her options for fulfillment. The Sun
and Saturn square off at this time, highlighting
the apparently incompatible demands of adventure
and routine. This is a theme that will continue to
crop up over the next two years as Saturn works
through his mission in Virgo.
During the
second week of December, Venus and Mars join up and
commiserate. This is reminiscent of the
Mars-Mercury alliance we've been working with
through October and November, but with Venus in
Mercury's place, it is now much less verbal; it's
emotional and even more personal. We may not even
be sure what is going on, but something feels very
unsettled at this time. It may manifest in sexual
issues or lovers' quarrels.
At the end
of December, the Sun, Mercury, and Jupiter come
together for a triple conjunction just after they
enter Capricorn. Jupiter's carefree days in the
orient are over for now, and the three of them turn
to the more practical business of building personal
success, personal reputation, and finding a role in
the community. Saturn is very happy to see this, as
he knows his lessons will now find a more
appreciative reception. Mars and Venus are still
being difficult, but they are becoming less
relevant now, with a new pragmatic direction in
place. Mars, in fact, finds himself in opposition
to the Sun/Mercury/Jupiter contingent at the end of
2007; we may feel the tug to choose between home
and work, and work is the more appealing option, as
long as Mars remains in charge of the
kitchen.
*
An
overarching theme for the last monts of 2007 is the
value of structuring our time and activities and
the impact this has on our emotional life,
particularly our relationships with loved ones and
family members. It may be an unsettled time
emotionally, as resentment, deception, and
moodiness percolate below the surface. We will
naturally want to straighten these things out, but
there are not many good tools available for that
task at this time. It may be best to just ride
things out, and not feed your own energy into them.
If something really needs to be talked out, the
best time is early in December.
A subplot at
this time is reaping the rewards of new ideas that
have buzzed into our awareness this year. You might
want to take some time and review any new
perspectives, spiritual inspirations, or intriguing
people who have caught your attention recently, and
ask yourself how they can improve your career
activities or spiritual practice. Early October
sheds some light on these matters, but the end of
December and the beginning of January will be best
for articulating it all and sorting out in
pragmatic terms. The things we thought of as
immediate goals this year may have been shunted
aside, but it is this year's opportunities and
inspirations, if well nurtured, that will bear
fruit in the future.
|