Current Transits for November 2009 Current Transits for November 2009Here's some of the important astrological news this month ...
Full Moon at 10Ta30, 11-2
Juno Direct Station at 21Pi32, 11-3
Neptune Direct Station at 23Aq41, 11-4
Saturn Square Pluto, 11-15
New Moon at 24Sc34, 11-16
Vesta enters Virgo, 11-19
An online ephemeris for the month is available.
There's not a lot going on during November, but it's likely to make quite an impression on you none the less. The first big event of the month is Neptune's direct station on the 4th, highlighting the "Neptune knot" phenomenon that I've been discussing since last spring. Granted, the knot is currently only a shadow of the powerful picture it presented last summer. In fact, it's down to mainly Neptune, Chiron and Uranus right now, with help from some of the faster moving planets from time to time. However, with Neptune ending its retrograde cycle of the last 5 months, the issues of how to relate to the deeper parts of the psyche are reaching another climax. Life has been strange and rather overwhelming for many people this year, especially since "the way things were" no longer applies and we haven't learned how to adjust yet. It's time to refocus our expectations in a more realistic fashion, downsizing "the good life" to something a bit more sustainable. The other big event is the one that concerns me the most, the first square of Saturn and Pluto on the 15th. Jupiter and Saturn were both aligned with the Neptune knot back in August and September, but now they are on Pluto's team. In fact, Neptune and Pluto (both deep unconscious powers) are pretty evenly matched for the first time in many months. This Saturn-Pluto square is repeatedly triggered by faster moving planets during November, including Mars. That makes 3 bad-ass planets connected by difficult aspects -- not much to cheer about at first glance. It takes some digging to find the silver lining in this pattern and I presume many people will resonate to the dissonant expressions of this energy mainly out of lack of imagination. Life needs a thorough overhaul, so get in the mood for a housecleaning period. As I said, "the way things were" no longer works. Don't act surprised when change happens...
There's not a lot of astrological news in November. Juno and Neptune both reach their direct stations early in the month. The "big aspect" is that imposing square between Saturn and Pluto that colors much of the month. And Vesta starts a long dance back and forth across the Leo-Virgo border that lasts until next spring.
The Alert on the 1st is over by the full moon on the 2nd, but many of the planetary patterns are still in place. The chart appears to break down into 3 main groups of planets. The star of the show is a prominent fixed sign T-square: Sun, Ceres and Mercury opposite the Moon and square Mars, all in the 7-10 degree range. Uranus aspects all the T-square planets by annoying 45 degree (H8) style aspects, which brings in a second group of planets in the 21-25 degree region: Vesta, Venus, Chiron, Neptune, Juno, Uranus. In a third corner are Saturn, Pluto and Jupiter, again in an H8 pattern. Considering all the cross currents here, this chart packs a fair amount of "oomph!"
First of all, this is a time for patience and understanding. There's a lot of stubbornness and ego in that T-square, so people are quite ready to stand their ground. Don't make an issue out of topics that really don't matter, because it's ridiculously easy to trigger someone's temper over trifles. You might actually get more done if you work alone, where power issues can't come up, particularly if your task somehow combines mental and physical effort. Uranus also accentuates working alone, since you can do things your way and don't have to explain it to anyone else. If you must cooperate, tap into the lighter side of Juno (direct tomorrow) for help. Uranus is also good for taking a novel look at your current approach to life and trying something new. Quirky approaches probably work pretty good right now, so be willing to follow your hunches and experiment some. Keep in mind that new ideas generally first appear in a half-baked form. Give yourself some time to play with them before deciding whether an idea is useful or not. As for Saturn and Pluto, they haven't really checked in yet. Don't worry, you'll know when they kick in. If you handle your tasks in a calm, dispassionate and creative manner the next two weeks, you can get much accomplished. Don't get sidetracked by unimportant details and misunderstandings...
Juno reaches her direct station of 21Pi32 on the 3rd and resumes normal motion. She's been in reverse gear since her retrograde station at 4Ar36 back on Aug 9. Juno is the Queen of Relationships that are based on mutual respect, equality and true love. With high standards like that, she's also easily disappointed and tends to express her disapproval via covert rage and manipulation. It's best to stay on her best side. When Juno is going through a retrograde cycle like the last few months, it's time to look carefully at relationship issues and clear up the disagreements. There are two more complicating details to take into account. This cycle takes Juno back and forth across the Pisces-Aries border, two zodiac signs that about as opposite as you can get. Aries is a powerful, me-first kind of influence that naturally looks out for number one and is rather oblivious to others. Pisces is more the retiring, easily swayed type that is so accommodating to others that she practically disappears. The tendency during this cycle has been to flip back and forth between these extreme approaches to relating instead of trying to find a more moderate path. This has probably led to confusion and distrust more than anything, as partners don't know from day to day what to expect from Juno. Plus Juno's cycle is intimately tied up with Uranus' cycle, also in late Pisces. Uranus is a disruptive influence, promoting a freedom loving urge that tends to upset more conventional partnerships. It's helpful to give people a wide berth these days, as it's all too easy to fall into "that suffocating feeling" that overcomes relationships from time to time. In short, this station is a challenging time for you and your significant other. Admit that problem areas exist (instead of hiding them in the closet), talk them over, let go of preconceptions that box people in. Stand up for yourself -- and for your partner. Direct stations are typically periods when long standing issues come to the surface to be resolved, so take care of them and move on instead of letting them simmer and stew, as Juno is prone to do. Getting the love she wants is really more important to Juno than getting even -- keep that in mind.
Neptune goes direct at 23Aq41 on the 4th, ending 5 months of reverse motion. He's been backing up since his retrograde station at 26Aq28 on May 28. Where to start with this complicated cycle that has dominated 2009 so far? First of all, Neptune is an Idealist and a Dreamer. In philosophy, Idealism refers to the belief in archetypes and ideal forms in some non-material realm that act as the blueprints for life down here on the material plane. In psychological terms, this archetypal realm lies in the unconscious psyche and forms the background for all our behavior and perceptions of the world. Curiously, this mental realm appears to be intimately intertwined with the outer world, contrary to our very limited common sense ideas of how the world works. (Modern science long ago gave up the Newtonian universe and joined forces with the mystics -- common sense has yet to catch up.) So when the Neptune mind is seized by an archetype, myth or vision of the way things should be, the world mysteriously mirrors this vision back to us, warts and all. Of course, since all this goes on unconsciously, under the radar, so to speak, the ego is often baffled at the results. The ego is the conscious part of the psyche that calls itself "I", a tiny island within the entire psyche. So when you look at this mirror, the tendency is to exclaim "I didn't cause that!" or "That's not what I wanted to happen!" We all tend to ignore and disown the rest of the psyche beyond the "I" -- "That's not who I am!" Well, yes and no, like so many things Neptunian. There are no clear-cut boundaries or distinctions in the world of Neptune, where everything blurs into everything else, and that includes the illusion that egos are separate. Of course, the Neptune mind is always in the grip of some idea or another, so we are always creating the world around us. During Neptune's retrograde cycles, this process just becomes more obvious and the results more influential, especially at the direct station. And while these cycles occur every year, this year is special. First there's the Neptune knot effect I've talked about all year. Neptune is closely aligned with Chiron, Jupiter, Uranus and Saturn at various times this year, making the unconscious more blatant than usual. Further, we're in the middle of a Neptune Return, when the planet returns to its discovery position (25Aq52) back in 1846. There's 3 contacts total of this return (2009-4-11, 2009-7-17 , 2010-2-7), so we're in the midst of discovering the role of Neptune in our lives at a whole new level, coming up to the final contact. This has all the marks of a major spiritual breakthrough for people who are prepared to handle it and a major crisis for the unprepared. Notice how off-the-dial the gross national paranoia levels are lately? How crazed and on edge people seem recently? How the problem is always some "they" trying to ruin things for "us"? These are all signs of a psyche in turmoil. It may sound counterintuitive, but much of the solution in coming months involves going within and owning up to ourselves. Neptune's message is that the world around us is pretty much who we are, so where best to start working. I'll admit that all this sounds like ungrounded magical thinking and may be hard to swallow. But if you're honest with yourself -- all of yourself! -- you'll see the wisdom in it.
Saturn is square Pluto on the 15th for the first of 3 such contacts. The next contacts are on 2010-1-31 and 2010-8-21. Let me say right away, this is a tough aspect. The question is how to deal with it more constructively. Saturn is the planet of form and structure, all the details of our lives that flesh out who we are. At the psychological level, this includes the rules and roles we assume in order to live smoothly with others. It's the status quo that we face when we get out of bed each morning. Pluto works more like a force of evolutionary change, that deep-seated inner power that overhauls things when life becomes too cozy and unchallenging. Anything that diverts you from being true to your inner nature is fair game to Pluto when it comes time to let go and move on. Obviously, these two planetary forces have a contentious relation even in the best of times. And squares are generally open conflict. I suspect that some area of your life will be under intense stress in coming months. (Check where these planets fall in your birthchart for some clues about what area is being influenced.) The old ways, although comfortable and familiar, don't work very well now and become increasingly difficult to maintain. You can spend a lot of effort holding something together that is best left to collapse under its own weight. This includes not only things in the usual outer world sense, but also the stories and beliefs we tell ourselves about what is real. Reality becomes a slippery concept when the outer planets are active. However, let Saturn display his tenacity. He can help keep you calm and grounded while Pluto is wielding his wrecking ball. This aspect is an opportunity to make a clean break with situations that have been a drain on your resources, as long as you can keep your ego concerns out of the way. This ego alert is particularly important as Mars (another rough planet) joins the square -- it's easy to fall into power games with people. When you feel a sense of restriction, see if that area needs change. In my experience, Saturn-Pluto aspects sometimes play out on the world stage in spectacular fashion, so watch for these same themes on a broader scale on the evening news. It's a time to get serious about life and stop ignoring your problems. Life's like that sometimes...
The new moon point is a close square to Neptune and trine Uranus, so it's not hard to tell where the focus of this chart might be. Mercury is in tight aspect to the Saturn-Pluto square which was exact yesterday. Venus, Mars and Jupiter form a very weak T-square among themselves, but are otherwise on the sidelines.
The Sun and Moon generally represent the core of one's identity, typically what I've been calling the ego. It appears something about your conscious attitude is at cross-purposes with your deeper nature, represented here by Neptune. Given Neptune's recent station, we're sensitized to influences coming up from the unconscious anyway, but the fallout from this latest outbreak is apt to be spectacular. Be on the lookout for situations that have a weird, out of the ordinary feeling to them -- that mood is the clue you're looking in your own mental mirror. On the bright side, Uranus is assisting you to have one of those insightful "aha!" moments if you recognize what's going on. The Saturn-Pluto square is in full swing as well. So far, the only fast moving planet to pick up on them is Mercury, the thinking mind. There's a vague intellectual understanding that change and letting go is needed, but that's about as far as it goes. The true gravity of the situation has yet to sink in (Venus and Mars will soon provide that perspective). As for that weak T-square, it looks like it could toss a few monkey wrenches into the works between lovers or close friends -- nothing serious, however. Again, it's probably your mental mirror kicking in. The problem areas are more imaginary than real anyway, which doesn't rob them of their intensity in any way. But they are worth laughing about more than arguing over, so don't get too bent out of shape about them. This is an intriguing time psychologically. You can either have a breakthrough or continue to make life difficult for yourself. Good luck -- actual results are a bit of a crap shoot these days, even for the best of us.
Vesta enters Virgo on the 19th. Due to an upcoming retrograde cycle, she will reenter Leo on 2010-2-15 and then pass through Virgo one more time between 2010-5-26 and 2010-8-9. Once again, we have an asteroid dancing back and forth across a zodiacal boundary line due to a retrograde cycle. Vesta is an interesting character. The thing to remember about her is that she's an introvert, gaining her strength and support from the inner world. She doesn't exactly dislike people, in fact, she can be quite sociable, but she does find putting her energy in other people or external situations to be rather draining. When she feels run down, she goes within, either literally by retreating into her home and castle, or figuratively by going inward into her own concerns. This disappearing act can be especially common during retrograde periods, when the balance between inner and outer worlds seems too demanding for her. The zodiac signs involved here are kind of strange. You wouldn't think flamboyant Leo would fit reclusive Vesta very well, although you do need a strong sense of identity and inner core to face up to the inner world. Virgo sounds more like her, quiet and sensible. Vesta in Virgo is often a good period to focus on some work that you find compelling and fulfilling in its own right. This isn't the kind of chore that you do just to make a buck. It's something more personal that is its own reward, an opus that reflects who you are in your own private world. Practice some new skills that you will need going forward until it becomes second nature. It's also a good time to make some changes with regards to your health, such as cleaning up your diet or getting out for a walk more often. You'll probably not reach a tipping point with such changes until after Vesta goes retrograde. The return to Leo in February may be difficult, as it's harder for Vesta to get the privacy she desires under this showier sign. Anyway, give yourself permission to check out if life gets too demanding. Just make sure you're doing something for yourself during this retreat and not just zoning out in front of the TV. It's the encounter with her inner self that revives Vesta, not the solitude per se. Vesta is not for everyone and many people won't respond well to this influence, but for the introverts of the world, Vesta is their goddess. Be still within and get to know her!