Current Transits for August 2000 Current Transits for August 2000Here's some of the important astrological news this month ...
Saturn enters Gemini, 8-9
Chiron Direct Station at 11Sa03, 8-12
Full Moon at 22Aq41, 8-15
Pluto Direct Station at 10Sa09, 8-20
Vesta Direct Station at 18Cp05, 8-28
New Moon at 6Vi23, 8-29
An online ephemeris for the month is available.
Except for the 6th to the 15th, August is a fairly quiet month. There's not a lot of "big aspects" and other familiar astrological events to consider, so it's easy to get complacent about this time period. However, the 6th to the 15th is one raging planetary storm, one of the strongest ones all year. At one point, on the 11th, it nearly reaches Koz Quake levels, indicating we're in for quite a roller coaster ride during the middle of this storm. In addition, Saturn is moving into Gemini on the 9th and there are 3 direct stations (Chiron, Pluto, Vesta). Since the Chiron-Pluto conjunction has already been supercharged by the 3 July eclipses, their stations represent an important turning point for us. Stations like these typically represent times when crucial issues come to a head for us (the proverbial "**** hits the fan" times), lingering over our heads until we're finally forced to take action. This probably will not be an easy month, so pace yourself and stay calm if faced with "crisis" -- it's time to make some big changes.
There's not a lot of big news in August. Saturn moves from Taurus into Gemini on the 9th, part of an 9 month transition back and forth across this border. Chiron, Pluto and Vesta are all standing still at various times throughout the month, preparing to resume normal motion.
Saturn enters Gemini on the 9th after a 2 year stay in Taurus. This is an extended 9 month transition, as Saturn reenters Taurus on October 15, and then returns to Gemini for good on 2001-4-20. Swift and changeable Gemini doesn't appear to be a good home for the slow and plodding Saturn, but they can bring out the best of each other if applied properly. Whereas Gemini loves to flit around, gathering facts and experiences indiscriminately, Saturn adds some discipline and grounding to the mental functioning, giving some "stick-to-itiveness" that Gemini sorely lacks. Further, Saturn can sometimes get stuck in ruts, losing his spontaneity and liveliness; Gemini comes along and stirs things up for him. This placement is a good one for prolonged mental work, where large amounts of information need to be organized and connected. The difficult part seems to involve maintaining your mental flexibility over time, as the tendency to fall into habitual modes of thinking or set opinions is hard to resist. If you find things getting boring or non-stimulating, it's a sign to lighten up and look at the situation from a fresh angle. Saturn will stay in Gemini until 2003-6-3.
Chiron is the first body to reach its direct station, 11Sa03 on the 12th. Chiron has been in reverse gear since March 27, when it reached its retrograde station at 17Sa14. Chiron is a planet of healing and redemption, of reclaiming your power that has been denied for too long. We all have parts of our personalities that have been neglected or forgotten, especially those areas that were rejected by others or misunderstood at the time. As we try to hide these shameful parts from view, they recede from our conscious lives and take root as unconscious behavior patterns. This has two main drawbacks, even though the act of hiding is an attempt to protect yourself. First of all, unconcious behaviors have an annoying tendency to undermine or sabotage your conscious plans, the things "I" want to do. It's as though every deed is overshadowed by this dark cloud of unfinished business that prohibits success, but you haven't a clue what it is. And when these behaviors finally surface in later life, you find that the years have left them behind. The woundedness we experienced as a young child is still acting like a kid; the misunderstood teenager still has that rebellious streak that nobody appreciates in an adult. There's a lot of living that this left-behind part needs to catch up on. It may not be pretty at first when you first become aware of these inner wounds, as you have to deal with the shame and guilt you've tried not to feel for so many years. But a strange alchemy happens over time if you persist with the process. Eventually, these old repressed behaviors become less threatening and contrary. An incredible ancient wisdom starts to shine through the tentative immaturity as the deeper parts of your being take control of the emerging process. In time, a long forgotten way of perceiving the world and approaching life awakens from the pain. Chiron tends to "turn on" new states of consciousness in us, bringing out powers of the psyche that we didn't know we even had. And as you gain mastery over these new powers, you can point the way for others to discover them for themselves. What was once your deepest hurt that you wanted nobody to see becomes your greatest strength and gift to offer to the world. At Chiron's station, we are each reaching a turning point of some kind in this healing process. Usually, it's something as simple as recognizing this inner struggle and coming to a state of graceful acceptance of what you find there. Awareness and acceptance are the fuel of this growth process. Be easy with yourself.
The full moon falls at the end of the big planetary storm, so there are some powerful patterns still operating. The T-square of Jupiter, Venus and Pluto-Chiron points to some intriguing social stresses going on. The benefic planets Jupiter and Venus are optimistic and upbeat, outgoing and charming, ready to mix it up with people. So why are Pluto and Chiron in the picture, since they've been busy lately bringing up our worst emotional nightmares to deal with, particularly after the 3 eclipses in July? With Mars going over the July 30 eclipse point (activating the Mystic Rectangle configuration in that chart), we're looking at many of the same issues that were surfacing 2 weeks ago. In a nutshell, what is holding you back from taking on the world? What are the restrictions, emotional, financial, social, etc., that prevent you from reaching out the way you want to? There is a lot of emotional, heart energy in this chart (from Venus and Neptune mostly), so it's important to look at the blockages that keep you from reaching out to others. And while this group expands your enthusiasm and energy no end, be certain you don't overwhelm other people in the process. The 21 degree planets have quite a feminine tilt -- the Moon and all the female asteroids are here. This softer, feeling inspired perspective on things (especially relationships) allows for some important breakthroughs. Look for a more fair-minded, egalitarian approach whenever possible, if you want things to go smoothly with your partners. Emotional issues are pretty convoluted for everyone these days, and it helps if you give others a lot of room to sort out their mess without criticism or judgment. Patience is crucial as we all struggle to redefine the nature of our partnerships. Take things slowly...
Pluto reaches its direct station, 10Sa09, on the 20th. Pluto has been in reverse gear since March 15, when it stood still at 12Sa54. The retrograde cycles of the Dark Lord are an exercise in letting go. His forte is separating our authentic selves from the things we falsely identify with. Ask a person who they are and they usually answer by telling you what they do. We confuse who we are with our work, our hobbies, the things we own, where we live, etc. By basing our identity on these false external facts, we avoid looking inside at who we really are. Pluto has no patience for people that are operating in an inauthentic fashion. He moves to separate us from these external props in our lives. You can usually tell which area he's working on by the house of your birthchart that he's passing through. Pluto's retrograde cycles follow a familiar plot line. Before going retrograde, your life seems to be moving along just fine, though there may be some problem area that feels vaguely off. As Pluto goes retrograde and starts to back up, that problem area becomes increasingly unworkable. Your first instinct is to try and hold on, keeping the old structures intact despite the feeling that something's not working, because you still identify too strongly with them. "I wouldn't be me if I gave that up!" But the more you hold onto this external prop, the more the world puts pressure on it. Finally, around the direct station, the urge to change overcomes your attempt to hold on -- the structure breaks, the situation transmutes, and through it all, you survive. It's time to drop old habits and patterns that aren't serving you, because they never were part of you to begin with. A person that has passed through a Pluto cycle successfully is "leaner and meaner" spiritually, a bit battle weary, but tougher in the long run. There's a sense about them that they are stronger and deeper, because they needed to discover that strength within themselves in order to go to hell and back. It's a crucial time at the direct station -- true freedom consists of letting go, not hanging on. Be honest with yourself and have the courage to change. It's easier than making Pluto force you to change, rarely a pretty sight. As Pluto starts moving forward again, clean up the loose ends and move on. Life has better plans for you...
Vesta is the last body to reach a station, namely 18Cp05 on the 28th. She's been retrograding since her station at 1Aq13 on June 2. Vesta is your sense of security and inner strength, the need to withdraw inside yourself from the world to find your sense of power and belonging. Given her criss-crossing the Capricorn-Aquarius border all summer, it seems our inner foundations are shifting in uncertain directions. Capricorn needs stability and material security, a sense of structure and definite boundaries. Without these areas nailed down, Vesta in Capricorn gets a little nervous. Aquarius, on the other hand, is a mental, idealistic sign. Beliefs and causes become more certain than the material plane. It's as though the twin questions this summer have been "What do I stand for?" and "Can I make a living at it?" Unfortunately, the external answers to these questions may not sound so satisfying. When faced with an unsettled situation like that, Vesta tends to withdraw and find the inner strength to replace the lack of outer security. Just be sure you're not withdrawing in fear or mistrust, because the turning away can become a chronic situation. With nothing to replace the fear, you draw further and further away from the world and never come back. Power must be discovered, then utilized and released; Vesta works by withdrawing and re-engaging. So you may now find yourself in a scary situation, full of uncertainty, as you face a crossroads in life. Take a deep breath and trust in your deeper nature. Don't let the insecurity become a way of life.
Once more, there's a T-Square active in this chart. This time, the new moon joins up with Jupiter and Pluto-Chiron. The Jupiter-Pluto opposition grows increasingly tight (it's exact on 9-4), so this T-Square pattern is growing more important. Note that Mars is going over the degree of the powerful total solar eclipse of 1999-8-11, perhaps triggering a delayed aftershock from that eclipse pattern.
This Jupiter-Pluto connection that we've been looking at all August draws people in 2 directions at once. Jupiter moves us towards the outer, social world, while Pluto takes us for a trip into the inner world of the psyche. These latter tendencies are often "uncivilized" or at odds with our ideas about how people are supposed to behave. It's often a balancing act to bring the inner and outer worlds into harmony, particularly when the social world of culture and convention becomes so sterile that the inner nature needs to break free to stay sane. Sometimes, you simply need to change the established rules and do things your own way if you're going to avoid driving yourself nuts. Just be careful not to step on too many toes in the process, as a Mars-Uranus opposition can cause tempers to flare up unexpectedly. As always with Pluto, the question is what's authentic and what's an unnecessary frill. It's important to be clear about this distinction now, as we try to sort out the leftovers of the month. Don't settle for answers that are too conventional.