Current Transits for November 2014 Current Transits for November 2014Here's some of the important astrological news this month ...
Election Day, 11-4
Full Moon at 14Ta25, 11-6
Chiron Semisextile Uranus, 11-14
Neptune Direct Station at 4Pi48, 11-16
New Moon at 0Sa07, 11-22
Chiron Direct Station at 13Pi05, 11-23
Saturn Octile Pluto, 11-27
Hindsight
An online ephemeris for the month is available.
It seems lately that every time we get a head of steam going astrologically, it poops out just as quickly. October was some of the most active energy we've seen since last May, but November looks like we're back in the doldrums. The Grand Hangover, as I've been calling it, continues. The trouble is the outer planets are scattering their energies all over the zodiac rather than working together, so there's little chance to build up much momentum recently. If anything, these outer planets are more scattered than ever, splitting up into 3 separate groups with only the most tenuous of connections. There are a couple of mild-mannered, somewhat disorganized storm patterns coming up, typically of only a few days duration, but none of them muster much strength, let alone come up to Koz Alert standards. That's not necessarily a negative, since milder storms tend to be less disruptive to our lives and are more easily harnessed for your own purposes. In more traditional terms, the big news items are the direct stations of Neptune and Chiron, with Jupiter, Juno and Uranus all standing still in December. In other words, this is another Logjam period. Whenever you have a lot of bodies standing still more or less at the same time, there's a sluggish, hard to shift quality in the world. It's as if ongoing events simply have to play out their end results until all their inertia is dissipated. Don't get too worried if "old business" dominates your plate these days -- logjams eventually move on. The "big aspect" I'd be most concerned is the pesky octile of the heavies Saturn and Pluto on the 27th. Generally, an aspect like this creates breakdowns in the basic patterns and structures that form the backbones of our everyday lives. This can be an uncomfortable time, as your comfy status quo is challenged and you are forced to fall back to a more basic level of living. This is just the start of a long process that lasts until next August, so the challenges are fairly minimal at this point in the cycle. This is on top of the square of Uranus and Pluto, which is slowly coming together again for their 6th contact on Dec 15. This square has been a disruptive force for over 2 years now, throwing things into chaos and breakdown on a global scale. Much of this chaos may be triggered into action early when Mars goes over Pluto on the 10th. Keep your cool during this time and don't let your ego get the best of you. It's a good time to buckle down and put some elbow grease into projects that have been hanging around, but all that ego gamesmanship makes it tough to interact with other people. Don't let push come to shove. Otherwise, this is another long, aimless month. Settle down and take care of the daily chores, but don't expect amazing results. I hope the elections aren't too disappointing...
There are two "big aspects" and a pair of direct stations to discuss this month.
I must admit I've been unengaged with the elections this year, reaching for the mute button whenever a political ad comes on the TV. As for the astrology of election day, I'm not too optimistic about the results. For starters, the US chart continues to be plagued by Pluto's passage through Capricorn, opposite the all important Cancer planets in the US chart. In particular, Pluto is opposite the US Sun, the presidency itself, in 2014-5 (we've only seen 2 of these 5 contacts so far!), putting a lot of pressure and criticism on Obama. The GOP is doing its best to make the elections a referendum on everything Obama, whether he has anything to do with the problem or not, even on issues that aren't a problem at all, objectively speaking. So far, they seem unusually effective in this smear tactic. The US solar return chart last July 4 looked rather bleak, with a Grand Cross (starring Pluto and Uranus) locked across the angles of the chart. Classically speaking, it's a chart that has little upside. Both Obama's personal chart and the one for his 2013 inauguration are under stress from several planets, including the Sun and Pluto. The big story line this year is whether the GOP will take control of both houses of Congress, setting the country up for two years of fearsome deadlock and infighting. Granted, Obama has been amazing over the years for handling Pluto energies well, but I have my doubts whether the presidency survives unscathed this time. Both demographics and the mood of the country are against the Democrats holding onto the Senate this year. There are billions of campaign dollars flowing into the slush funds, mostly from a handful of wealthy and powerful donors calling the shots -- there's a reason we call them "plutocrats". On the plus side, one of the important aspects going off during the voting period is the Moon going over Uranus, the planet of surprises. Maybe there will be some upsets at the last minute that alter this basic narrative. Some of the Senate races are tighter (and weirder) than they should be. And unlike 2000 and 2012, Mercury is not retrograde this year. It'll be a long evening in front of the tube...
The full moon checks in just as the first storm is falling apart. You can still see the vestiges of this storm pattern at work in this chart. On one side of the full moon axis lies Mars, Pluto, Chiron and Uranus in a sextile fan. Mars is conjunct Pluto on the 10th. On the other side of the axis lie Juno and Jupiter, forming a very wide T-Square. Scorpio is a busy place these days, with Pallas, the Sun, Venus and Saturn all in a row. The remaining planets are pretty weak.
Even though emotional Scorpio is loaded, the Moon is in Taurus, a very calming influence. She helps anchor and ground all the disturbing energies that are going around these days. Watch out for that Mars-Pluto conjunction, a mixture of big egos and power games. At its worst, this is a "stay out of dark alleys" aspect, but it can cause some blown tempers for even the best of us. That T-Square with Juno and Jupiter (or in the Greek mythology, Hera and Zeus) is a classic recipe for relationship problems between lovers or partners. He wants to get the most out of life with no strings to tie him down, while she is looking for love, respect and fidelity in all situations. Both partners are likely to be disappointed by the other's shortcomings. This is where it's important to listen to that calm Taurus Moon instead of the easily excited Scorpio crowd. Being willing to step back from an argument and assume the best in your loved one rather than give in to righteous indignation can be the saving grace in a relationship. If you have to indulge in your Scorpio side, use it to probe your own motivations -- many of the "problems with others" actually start within yourself. Take some consolation in that this chart is rather weak and low key. It's not hard to turn situations around and make them more positive.
Chiron is semisextile Uranus on the 14th, the 13th of 31 such contacts in this strange aspect that stretches from 2009 to 2038. The 12th contact of this series was on Aug 23. Even though we are 5 years into this 3 decade process, I can't really say I have a firm understanding of what this cycle is about. I have a few guesses, but I may be as far off as the next person. Uranus is the planet of change-makers in the world, those creative people who see life from a totally new perspective and somehow manage to bring that new understanding to the everyday world. These people need to do their work, often in the privacy of their own minds, free from the constraints and limitations of the mundane world if they are to succeed. Slowly, quietly, they are creating a new narrative of what life is all about. Living outside the mainstream like this is not easy, however. With few exceptions, most of these pioneers get little recognition or reward for their efforts. Many are actively discouraged from their endeavors by the need to fit into a society that doesn't comprehend them and the need to earn a living on the side. I've often noticed the role of Chiron in such people's charts, since Chiron is often indicative of this socialization process and how we are coerced to be more "normal" for the sake of others around us. The early part of this long cycle is crucial, as this is when the new vision emerges in embryo form and needs to be nurtured quietly. It's only after such ideas take form and can be expressed in a manner suitable for the masses that they can spread and have their effect on the world. Explorers like these people are part shaman, part artist, part mirror for the foibles of the greater culture. They bear the brunt of all the craziness in our world that remains unacknowledged and unhealed. Unlike the way Uranus works most of the time, changing things in the blink of an eye, this is a long, drawn out process that goes deeper than most. Like Prometheus bringing fire to humanity, these brave folk are bringing new understanding and light into the world, changing everything in time. Let's hope they get a better reward than ol' Prometheus did...
Neptune reaches his direct station at 4Pi48 on the 16th, ending a retrograde cycle that started with his retrograde station at 7Pi36 back on Jun 9. Neptune is one of the most difficult planets to discuss because his effects are so subtle, tenuous and other worldly. This is even more the case since he set up shop in Pisces in 2012, his home sign, which brings out the dreamy, emotional qualities of this planet even more. Nonetheless, this is a planet of immense spiritual potentials, so it's important we figure it out as best we can. First of all, you contact Neptune in Pisces primarily through the heart center. The quality of your close relationships with loved ones around you and how open your heart can become is the big clue on how well you are handling these energies. Neptune (and Pisces, too) recognizes no distinctions between one person and the next. We all blend together into The One, so there is no one to love or hate another person. This is compassion at its highest expression. Another quality of Neptune is his tendency to mirror your inner world through events and people in the outer world. If you are confused, uncertain or just plain wrong in your most deeply held beliefs, it's funny how you will encounter situations in your outer life that reflect back to you these beliefs and their consequences. By living through these events, you see what it means to structure your world according to these beliefs and maybe, just maybe, you may decide to do things differently in the future. Neptune also brings up the problem of Glamour, those irresistible attractions and repulsions to people and things. Glamour is actually a property of the unconscious mind, a way of grabbing your attention towards new ideas or traits emerging from your deep self. Unfortunately, due to that mirroring effect, we often think the thing we're attracted to is out there, not inside. You fall in love with the wrong person, believing they are the embodiment of your inner process, sometimes with painful or hilarious results. It's important to recognize the trap of Glamour for what it is, a hint from your soul. Finally, there's always the problem of self-delusion with Neptune. The only glasses he uses are the rose-colored kind, so don't assume you are seeing the world clearly and realistically these days. It's a good time to question your assumptions, especially if they seem too good to be true -- they probably are. Neptune is a master of self-deception. The first few years of Neptune's 14 year passage through Pisces is a lot of emotional work, clearing out all the hurt and wounded feelings that cripple your expression in this world. Only after that work is complete can you move on to the higher spiritual potentials of this planet. We're at the direct station now, so the latest lessons in this process are coming to a head. Look at those situations that leave you inspired and those that make you wonder what the heck you were thinking in the first place. It's a time to separate lessons learned from situations where you don't have a clue yet. Disappointment and misunderstanding are hints of work yet to accomplish. Yet slowly but surely, we are discovering what it means to be a spiritual being. Keep your eyes and heart open...
With such a noisy waveform, dominated by the 48th harmonic, my usual technique of analyzing a chart via groups of planets doesn't work well. There's really not much in the way of groups to work with. You can find hints of the octile fan around still ( Uranus, Juno, Saturn, , Chiron, with the Sun and Moon on the fringes), while Jupiter, Mercury and Mars form another small pattern. Jupiter and Juno are on one half of the chart, with everything else in the other half, hemmed in by the Moon's nodes, a pattern astrologers call a Bucket. Half the planets are in just 2 signs, Scorpio and Sagittarius.
By virtue of being the Bucket handle planets, Juno and Jupiter have a special place in this chart. Generally, these two point to relationship issues. This pair of god and goddess, especially in their Greek version of Hera and Zeus, had the archetypal bad marriage of antiquity, fighting and bickering endlessly. She wanted a stable, loving, respectful marriage, while he (in his role of a fertility god and force of nature) wanted to run around. If you're in a relationship, be extra mindful of the difficulties this brings up. It's easy to be self-centered at this time, valuing freedom over commitment. It's also hard to speak honestly about emotions and matters of the heart, especially if you're not clear about your own feelings to begin with. Given the unconscious nature of many of the octile fan planets, it's easy to be unaware of your true motivations. Essentially this is a call to wake up and be more aware of your behavior. Of course, the less you heed such advice, the more the universe will remind you by posing messy situations in your path. Pay attention! Just because this is a light hearted Sag new moon doesn't mean you can get away with playing a bimbo.
Chiron goes direct at 13Pi05 on the 23rd. This ends a cycle that began with his retrograde station at 17Pi45 on Jun 20. The flip side of this kind of spiritual evolution is how well you're adapting to the real world just as it is, warts and all. It would be so much easier to pursue the spiritual path if the world were perfect and made few demands on you, but without such challenges, there is no real growth. Besides the need to just be "normal" and fit in, there's a deeper reason for the hardships in this world. You may feel it necessary to hide your higher nature from the people around you and their criticisms, but you always have the option of persisting in expressing this part of yourself in spite of the negative feedback. These challenges cause you to test and refine your gifts and bring them to fruition in a way that would never happen if you got no flack for being different and unique. Chiron is full of wisdom and spiritual gifts of learning and skills that few people pursue. For all too many people, this wisdom is shamed out of them early in life and they never get back to being who they were originally. Realize that the shame and guilt attached to your gifts belong to others, not to yourself, and that when you show the courage to reclaim your true nature, it's a sign of strength, not a failing. As Chiron reaches his direct station, you may be feeling these emotions of shame bubbling up, a sense that the world has let you down somehow. Don't give in -- be yourself, whoever that may be. Courage in the face of adversity is indispensable in this game. Leave the negativity behind and move on.
Saturn is octile Pluto on the 27th, the 1st of 3 such contacts. Their upcoming contacts will be on 2015-6-20 and 2015-8-13. This is the start of what could be 9 months of change and turmoil. Saturn rules over the structures that govern our lives and thinking. He's the sense of responsibility for your actions, your reason for getting up in the morning and getting on with life. Pluto is the deep unconscious mind or perhaps the higher self that guides your soul's development, that sense of what it means to be true to yourself come what may. The problem arises when these two tendencies are at odds with each other. Saturn and Pluto are both generally considered malefic planets, bodies that are hard to master, demanding in their claims on our lives, and quite likely to cause results that are painful or undesirable. As far as normal ego consciousness is concerned, they are the usual suspects when things go bad in your life. It doesn't help that this is an octile aspect. While not as overtly nasty as a square or opposition, octiles tend to bring two planets together in a manner where they grate on each other or create tension. They just work at cross purposes with each other. As rough as this may be in our personal lives, I'm curious as to how this aspect will play out on the world stage. This Saturn-Pluto cycle has been a harsh one in the grand scheme of things. Their conjunction in 1982 brought the death of the Soviet leader at the time, eventually leading to the rise of Gorbachev and the demise of the USSR a few years later. The opposition in 2001 is indelibly linked with the 9-11 attacks and the war on terror that lingers on. The square in 2009-2010 coincides with the depths of the Great Recession and the government meltdowns in Washington. Perhaps the octile will be somewhat milder, but I can't imagine we'll get through it unscathed. (Their next conjunction in 2020, the start of the next cycle, is a spectacular chart with 6 bodies in Capricorn opposing the Cancer planets in the US chart.) As we wind up this cycle in the next 5 years, there are a lot of messes in the world to clean up and put on a firmer basis. I hope we're up to the task.
First of all, the October eclipses were beautiful and the energies quite powerful. They set the stage for much of the month. Pluto seemed to be helping, following his direct station on Sep 22 -- hence some of the extreme emotional reactions.
The new topic of paranoia and hysteria in this country is the Ebola virus. Despite having only a handful of cases and just one death in the entire US, all of a sudden everyone is going crazy. The politicians and media types are the worst offenders, ramping up the insanity to a fever pitch. Meanwhile, the real problem over in West Africa is practically ignored, both by the US and the international community at large. We're so self-absorbed.
The last week in October saw explosive crashes of two commercial space vehicles and at least one small aircraft. A string of accidents like this usually spells some trouble with Uranus, the ruler of air and space travel, though the Mercury station may have provided an "oops" somewhere. I haven't had time to track this trend down.