Current Transits for November 2001 Current Transits for November 2001Here's some of the important astrological news this month ...
Full Moon at 8Ta52, 11-1
Saturn opposite Pluto, 11-2
Jupiter Retrograde Station at 15Cn41, 11-2
Chiron conjunct Galactic Center at 26Sa51, 11-10
New Moon at 22Sc58, 11-15
Pallas enters Capricorn, 11-21
Jupiter quincunx Pluto, 11-26
Full Moon at 8Gm43
An online ephemeris for the month is available.
The good news -- November is less intense than October was. However, we are still seeing the powerful effects of the Jupiter-Saturn-Pluto pattern that I've nicknamed "the giant" rolling in. There are a couple of good planetary storms coming our way, nothing too intense or long-lived -- they may even turn out to be quite constructive. Remember the "logjam effect" I mentioned last month, where a lot of planets and the situations they affect were all standing still and stagnant? Those planets are now starting to move again, so look for some unexpected breakthroughs in some of these areas. Hopefully, we're starting to understand this wave of energy better, making it easier to navigate it. Keep in mind we're only halfway through -- it goes until May.
There's a moderate amount of important astrological news in November. That includes 3 "big aspects", Jupiter hitting its retrograde station, and the asteroid Pallas moving into Capricorn.
Actually, depending on your time zone and the end of daylight savings, this full moon could be either before or after midnight of Halloween evening (I got caught on this with my astrology software). Either way, it's a powerful time. Despite the somewhat fragmented appearance of the full moon waveform, there's a potent storm a-brewing. The peaks in the graph point to groups of planets around 8, 14, and 20 degrees. Eventually, these various factions coalesce into the storm on the 4th.
First of all, there are strong relationship influences in the full moon chart. It's probably time to have a good talk with your partner before an issue bubbles over or blows up. Impressions of fairness and mutual support are important to communicate now, since Uranus is active in this 20 degree group. Uranus can lead to either insight and resolution or drift towards a situation that quickly gets out of control -- your choice! Just take the high road in your discussions, trying to create understanding and consensus instead of merely trying to "score points" over the other person. It's easy to fall back onto old, stubbornly held positions, which will generate more anger and confusion than anything else. A real test of how you're handling this energy is whether your actions are effective or seem muddled and blunted. Mars is about to conjunct Neptune, which often diffuses his forceful activity, but handled well it can add an element of inspiration and far-sightedness that brings out the best in our impulsive warrior. Of course, all this is in the context of those larger social issues related to Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto, so evaluate whether the personal issues of fairness mirror the bigger patterns. In some cases, a tendency to withdraw or go off by yourself may be evident. Just be sure people who depend on you understand your need for solitude and don't misconstrue it as a slight. Get ready for a busy two weeks!
The first big aspect to consider is the opposition of Saturn and Pluto on the 2nd. The first contact in this series of three was on Aug 5; the last contact is May 25, 2002. Neither of these planets has a reputation as "Mr. Nice Guy" and the opposition is no slouch either. It appears this 3 part aspect is a major player in the unfolding of our national karma that broke loose on Sep 11, so don't underestimate the impact of this current contact. Saturn is many things in our lives: form and structure, responsibility and obligation, authority, limitations, characteristics that outwardly define us. Pluto is the process of deep-seated evolutionary change, the kind that totally remakes us so we more closely reflect who we really are. Oppositions show a conflict between these two forces, literally a head-on collision. Individually and as a nation, we are experiencing the outcomes of past actions and decisions, and it isn't always pretty. Much has changed for us in the last 2-3 months. When you get side-swiped like this in life, it's often useful to examine your own actions first, since so much of one's "karma" is self-generated. The fear and anxiety point to the areas of ourselves that have grown too small and limited, where we need to really open up. Of course, this same fear is also what makes up shut our eyes and run the other way, in effect denying we have anything to do with our problems. Neither Saturn nor Pluto is going to allow you to get away with that for long. It's a good time to eliminate false pretenses and get down to basics about what is truly important and representative of you -- what do you stand for? What are you prepared to defend and what are you willing to let go of? This is probably a good time for some honest, hard work. Just don't expect quick results, because your efforts must be "tested" first. You may find yourself getting serious about things that didn't matter before (and vice versa), a very natural response to these energies. Don't get stuck in a rut or become too emotionally paralyzed to move -- that means stagnation (Saturn) is winning out over growth (Pluto). Keep making baby steps towards your goals.
Also on the 2nd, Jupiter reaches its retrograde station at 15Cn41 and starts 4 months of reverse motion. Jupiter in reverse gear is a time when your normal connections to the rest of the world seem to become less rewarding. Particularly if you're in business for yourself, you may find the usual support you count on is drying up. It means you're on your own more than you're used to and you need to make your resources stretch further. This entire retrograde zone lies in Cancer, so if you're generally reliant on family members for help (emotional or financial), you may be disappointed. These times are useful for learning self-sufficiency and how to manage your resources on your own. If you can come through successfully during the lean times, you'll have no problems when things get back to normal. Jupiter goes direct on 2002-3-1 at 5Cn37.
The 10th is the final conjunction of Chiron with the Galactic Center at 26Sa51. The previous contacts were Feb 14 and June 1st (with Mars assisting). During this last contact, Chiron is also conjunct the asteroid Pallas and nearing the South Node of the Moon, so we have a pretty complicated picture going on here. First of all, the GC itself is a very subtle influence, one that only more advanced souls can really tune into. This 9 month period has been a time for some deep changes in direction, even if its hard to say exactly what changed. It's been more of a shift in attitude or approach to living rather than anything tangible. The "sacred warrior" motif has become more important (especially with the Mars involvement last summer), learning how to stand up for your deeper beliefs. As we near this last contact, we can see we still fall short of our spiritual potentials, but at least we can see a path to get us to the next level. Part of what's holding us back is simply the fears and concerns of the past, all our old habits that prevent us from acting at the level we need to move to next. Look for any areas in your life where you feel cut off or estranged somehow from your own roots -- there's some work there for you. For most people, this influence may go completely unnoticed (though it may still act at deeper levels). See what you pick up...
The T-square in this new moon chart is quite intriguing. The new moon is square Uranus on one side and Juno on the other. Due to Juno's upcoming retrograde cycle (which starts on Christmas Day), this Uranus-Juno opposition will be with us a long time. It's an influence that can really shake up partnerships, for better or worse, as Juno demands fairness and a sense of "we're in this together" and Uranus just likes to knock situations out of their ruts. If you find yourselves arguing often and hunkering down into old, established positions, step back a bit and see if a fresh approach is needed. It's real easy for egos to jump in and positions to harden. The faster planets joining the Jupiter-Saturn-Pluto crowd include Mercury, Venus and Mars. In fact, as these contacts mature in the next few days, we head back into Koz Alert country for the next planetary storm. Venus and Mars are the two big planets where romantic affairs are concerned, but since they are also in a square aspect, the course of love may be bumpy. The trouble seems to be that people are operating at two separate levels, emotional and mental, which makes for some very screwed up communications (especially when unconscious material muddies the issues). Clarity is very important everytime you open your mouth. It may be difficult to bridge the gaps and mixed points of view the next few weeks, but keep trying anyway.
P.S. -- The new moon (22Sc58) is directly opposite the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction point of 2000-5-28 at 22Ta43. This may trigger more national or international news stories shortly. Israel may be a major focal point.
Pallas moves forward from this conjunction and heads into Capricorn on the 21st. Capricorn is about form, order, perfecting concrete reality. Pallas has many facets to her personality. On a mental level, she's a planner, forging a path from where she is now to where she wishes to go. In this regard, her vision is very down to earth in coming months, wishing to put her affairs in a practical, workable order. It's a good time to evaluate finances and make plans to bring about improvements. Pallas is also an artisan, turning her attention to more earthy arts and crafts, more for their practical outcomes than for mere pleasure. This may be a good period to look after your health at a structural level (bones, skin, teeth especially) and make some changes here. Above all, focus on the simple things in your life and get them humming properly. Pallas will shift into Aquarius on 2002-2-8.
Jupiter is quincunx Pluto for the second time on the 26th. The first contact was Sep 19 and the final one is 2002-5-31. Like Saturn, Jupiter is known as a "social planet", meaning they govern the give-and-take of our relations with the world at large. Both of these planets are currently affected by Pluto (as they've been for months), so there is intense pressure to make some changes in these social areas. Jupiter is how we reach out to the world, take in new ideas and experiences, share our resources for our common benefit. It means learning to "play the game" properly so these interchanges can go smoothly. The question raised by this aspect is how much of yourself you're willing to compromise or "stuff" in order to get along with others. Pluto doesn't believe in playing any games, unless he's trying to manipulate and subvert the situation to his advantage (which frequently backfires on him eventually). He represents an inner calling that can't be denied, even if it means withdrawing from the "social smorgasbord" and doing without the goodies in life. When pulled in two directions like this, the challenge is to find the new point of balance that will be your next stand in life. Adjustments must be made, not only in how much of a social mask you wish to wear in order to get along, but in how much personal integrity you can afford to hold onto. There is much room for personal choice here, just no easy answers. Only you can decide where you feel most comfortable.
There are 3 Sagittarius planets (Mercury, Sun, Pluto) tightly opposing 3 Gemini planets (Vesta, Moon, Saturn), a sign that some intense pressures are building up in people and will blow out in coming weeks. I've noticed over the years that the Sun going over Pluto often seems to trigger a big emotional meltdown for people anyway, and this year is bigger than most. People are short on coping skills these days and have been under incredible stress, both in their private lives and whenever they turn on the news. I'm not saying you have to tip-toe around people all the time, but do realize that you may need to be calmer and more diplomatic than usual. Realize that your issues may be coming up at the same time -- this is your stuff, so be responsible and don't take it out on others. With a little patience, we'll get through this period in fine shape. See you in December...