Planet Weather for the Weeks of 7/25 and 8/1/10

 NewsBits:  The Cardinal Climax is here!  You may have heard this term floating about in the past few years, and now the time is upon us to experience it. It happens in bits and pieces – one aspect added to the next until the pattern is in full volume. The definition of the Cardinal Climax consists of three planets, Pluto, Uranus and Saturn all connected in a challenging aspect in the early degrees of cardinal signs. The cardinal signs are all about action and courage and forward momentum – each in their own distinct way. The challenging aspect is called a T-square – which means that Saturn/Libra is opposite Uranus/Aries and both square Pluto/Capricorn. If you draw lines between these planets you get a T-formation.

In the past we’ve discussed some of the meaning of this pattern and we’ve dismantled the patterns and discussed its relevant parts. So, let’s review and start with the opposition (re-balancing and opposing forces at work) – Saturn/Libra is opposite Uranus/Aries – in spring and fall, and sunrise/sunset signs. This opposition is the fifth and final one between these two planets and the only occurrence of this aspect in this sign pair. There is tension between the old, familiar pattern of doing things (Saturn) and the innovative or modern, updated way (Uranus). We’ve seen this tension play out in the most obvious way when Obama was elected President (the first opposition between these two planets took place on US Election Day). The upshot of this is that a tremendous amount is expected of this President. He ran on a platform of “change” and even though some think it is too slow – the process is taking hold. One major condition, universal healthcare, has begun for the United States during the Saturn/Virgo and Uranus/Pisces oppositions.

We are already in the midst of the Cardinal Climax – the essence of which takes place between 5/26/10 and 10/5/12 when all three planets we mentioned are positioned in cardinal signs and are in what are called “hard” aspect to each other (opposition or square). Steps leading up to the Capricorn Climax began with our outermost planet Pluto entering cardinal Capricorn on 1/24/08, then Saturn entering cardinal Libra on 10/29/09, next Uranus entering cardinal Aries on 5/26/10. Five oppositions (180deg. angles) form between Saturn/Uranus (see full detail below) between 11/4/08 and 7/26/10. Three Saturn/Pluto squares (90deg. angles) take place between 11/15/09 – 8/21/10. Jupiter added energy to this volatile cocktail when it entered Aries on 6/6/10 and conjoined Uranus/Aries on 6/8/10.

Two major parts of the cardinal climax take place after 2010:  Uranus/Aries square Pluto/Capricorn is exact 7 times starting on 6/24/12 and ending 3/17/15! On 12/20/17, Saturn enters cardinal Capricorn and the three planets are in cardinal signs once again until 3/6/19. During that time segment Saturn/Capricorn conjuncts Pluto Capricorn on 1/12/20.

The high point of this phase of major shift and passage in human culture takes place on 8/1/10. It is at that time that Mars/Libra and Jupiter/Aries also join the tableau and add emphasis and ignition to what we’ve described before. We are entering a new season, even though this may not be immediately apparent – energies have to integrate, and yet, something big is brewing. We’ve seen a horrific preview of what neglect and greed has wrought with the Gulf Oil Spill that has rippling effects (so to speak) for years to come. We cannot afford to be so short-sighted. Will we learn from this monumental disaster? Cardinal signs represent renewal and change on fundamental levels. We can only change the culture by raising our own consciousness of how to live on this overcrowded planet with such diverse ideas and opinions. How can we protect the resources that we all need to live and thrive? We do have much more control over the management of our personal lives. So, the questions are – what do you want to change and why? Where is the tension between old and familiar habits and the need to adapt to new knowledge, understanding, and patterns that are healthier for growth?

The last time we had a configuration of this type – the same three planets in early cardinal signs, was between 1929-1934, the time of the US Great Depression. History never repeats exactly but we can be sure that huge change is upon us, and the exact result is not always immediately apparent. Watch the signals and signs and stay alert to your own inner needs and changes. We’ll continue to discuss these patterns in future issues of PW.

SkyWatch: 7/25/10 -- The Moon reaches perfect Fullness at 9:37 PM EDT, at 3 degrees of Aquarius. In Native American and folk traditions, this is the Sturgeon Moon when this large fish of the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water like Lake Champlain is most readily caught. Skywatching events of the week: 7/30 -- The Moon and Jupiter will rise together, with their point of closest approach occurring just after Moonrise in mid-evening, perfect for viewing. 7/31 -- Mars makes a close pass by Saturn in an event that is considered an astrological planetary conjunction -- not auspicious when the two planets are the so-called "malefics". Hard aspects of these two planets (squares, oppositions, and sometimes conjunctions) are prominent in the charts of serial killers. Hopefully, this conjunction is not a harbinger of violence this time around. At any rate, this Mars-Saturn conjunction is exact when the two are well below the horizon but since both move very slowly, they will set almost as close together earlier the previous evening, making for an interesting sight – Mars being the rust-colored point of light and Saturn the yellowish one nearby, with the two planets setting together just about the time the Moon and Jupiter are rising together.

 

Moon phase for the week of 8/1: 8/3 -- The Moon enters her Last (aka Third) Quarter at 12:59 AM at 10 degrees of Taurus. This Moon rises late (just before midnight at the start of the phase) and sets early (around noon). This is the "daylight Moon" that people often see riding down the western sky in the morning with washes of sky blue where Her darker portions (the so-called “lunar maria" or “seas” – actually ancient lava beds) usually display themselves at night. Skywatching events of the week -- As they were last week, all five planets visible to the unaided eye continue to be visible at various times during the night. Mercury is becoming progressively easier to spot low in the West after sunset as it continues to trail farther and farther behind the Sun, followed by Venus, and then Mars and Saturn together and finally, much later, Jupiter and the Moon. And stay tuned. The following week promises exciting celestial fireworks, including the Perseid meteor shower, one of the more spectacular skywatching events of the year!

 

Space News and Weather:  Surely everyone has heard of Google Earth by now. You can practically spy on your neighbor (if that's your inclination) using the satellite imagery available via Google Earth to peer into virtually every corner of our planet with magnifications that let you discriminate objects down to just a few feet in size. But did you know you can also Google Mars? Imagery from the numerous planetary probes that have orbited (and are currently orbiting) our planetary neighbor gives the armchair astronaut virtually complete coverage of Mars with progressive magnification enabling you to zero in on stunning surface details such as, well, let's Face it....Go out! Look up!

Knowing when VOC Moons occur is key to planning your successful week!

The Void-of-course (VOC) Moon is a kind of limbo. As it reaches the end of a sign, the Moon makes no major aspect to another planet before it enters the next sign. VOC is best for less outcome-oriented activity, since VOC often means detours, distractions, drifting, or delays. If you want specific outcomes, or if timeliness is critical, don’t use a VOC Moon time. VOC is best for processing, imagining, creating, and open-ended activities, like parties, research, or cleaning your desk/closet for instance! It is said that when a new action is initiated during VOC, “nothing will come of it,” or energies go in unplanned directions, which may not necessarily be negative.

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Week of 7/25/10 – Sunday (Full Moon), Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday are the most active or important days energetically – more Moon or planetary aspects for engagement with other or projects, and stimulation for producing results. On 7/25/10, the Moon is VOC/Capricorn from 10:20AM to 3:38PM EDT – On 7/27/10, the Moon is VOC/Aquarius from 11:47PM to 4AM EDT (next morning!) – On 7/29/10, the Moon is VOC/Pisces from 11:44PM to 4:42PM EDT (next day!)

Week of 8/1/10 – Wednesday, and Friday are the most active or important days energetically – more Moon or planetary aspects for engagement with other or projects, and stimulation for producing results. On 8/1/10, the Moon is VOC/Aries from 11:55PM to 4:13AM EDT (next morning!) – On 8/4/10, the Moon is VOC/Taurus from 8:45AM to 12:54PM EDT – On 8/6/10, the Moon is VOC/Gemini from 5:22PM to 5:50PM EDT. – On 8/7/10, the Moon is VOC @ 2:46PM to 7:23PM EDT (next day!)

Summary: This is one of those power-packed planetary weeks with lots of action. See below!

Quote of Note: “Steep thyself in a bowl of summertime.” – Virgil

Saturn in cardinal, air Libra opposite (180deg.) Uranus Rx in cardinal, fire Aries @ 0deg. on 7/26/10. This is Part 5 of 5 exact meetings between these two planets in a 180degree aspect. The previous four times the aspect took place in the signs Virgo/Pisces but now it ends in the signs Libra/Aries. In brief, structural tension begins with systems analysis and breakdowns and moves into relationship questions of balance and healthy functioning. With whom and what are we allied and is there equitable give and take?

Saturn in mutable, earth Virgo opposite (180 deg. angle) Uranus in mutable, water Pisces, Part 4 of 5 was exact on 4/26/10 @ 28degrees. This lengthy (background cultural shift) cycle began on 11/4/08. Technically, it ends on 7/26/10, the fifth in the series but with both planets in another sign pair, Aries/Libra @ 0degrees – focused on the balance of needs in all relationships. This powerful five-part confrontation between the past (Saturn) and the future (Uranus) is disintegrative, after tension and struggle, between the old pattern and the new consciousness that wants to arise. As you’ve noted in the news and surely also in your own lives, it’s not an easy transition. It is a powerfully challenging series of cosmic combinations. The sign pair, Virgo/Pisces, I call the functional axis – meaning that if this place in the chart (yours or a country’s) has a problem, the whole system has a problem. Virgo/Pisces is the health of the body and soul – one’s work and the meaning (or not) attached to your work or career. Or, put another way, this pairing symbolizes the mundane and the spiritual (soul) aspects of life. These two parts must find a balance or else there is stress and tension. The most obvious example in the news is the passing of the US healthcare legislation. It’s also about the accumulation of little things, the endless irritations that pile up and eventually break the smooth functioning of a system. Part Two of this combination took place on 2/5/09 @ 20 deg. The first four oppositions between these two planets took place in the signs Virgo/Pisces. Part three was exact on 9/15/09 @ 24 Virgo/Pisces. All systems are under scrutiny including the Catholic Church sweeping scandals/misdeeds under the rug. Housecleaning is in order.

** Mercury Retrograde alert! Mercury enters mutable, earth Virgo on 7/27/10 until 10/3/10. This is the sign of Mercury’s next retrograde cycle. Picky, picky, picky and details, details, details – get ready for an extra dose of scrutiny and minute detail parades. This retrograde is extra long in Virgo because it never leaves Virgo during its retracing backward movement. So, we will experience 9 weeks of our minds focused on productivity and where the systems in our life are functioning and where they are failing. Mercury makes a trine (easier contact) with Pluto/Capricorn early in the cycle (7/30/10) which sets the tone of the whole cycle. It indicates in-depth research and analysis of where the flaws and problems are in the smooth functioning of the various parts of our lives. It can also indicate obsessiveness, or simply not giving up until the solution is found, which is much more likely to happen after the processing of the actual retrograde is done.  Additionally, Mercury rules Virgo, so every effect it has while retrograde in this sign will be strengthened by this fact.

Mercury reaches its “shadow point” on 7/31/10 @ 5deg. – that is the degree at which it will turn direct on 9/12/10. Mercury clears the full retrograde cycle on 9/26/10 when it passes the degree, 19, at which it will turn retrograde on 8/20/10. After that, the process of integration fully begins.

Mercury Rx makes a conjunction with the Sun/Virgo on 9/3/10 and that may offer some clarity in the midst of processing. Its final major aspect is an inconjunct (150deg. aspect) with Neptune Rx/Aquarius on 10/3/10, that one is after it has turned direct again and is near the end of its transit through Virgo. This final aspect can be a confusing one, or an illumination of some truth that was previously elusive. Still, this type of aspect contains the stress of adjusting disparate energies, thoughts or ideas. The antidote to lots of Virgo and the need to work overtime to get things done the “right” way is to yield and practice flowing and letting go and simply doing your best, while getting your needed rest. Worry creates illness. Discovering the problem and alleviating stress by action is the better alternative. Patience with the idiosyncratic nature of life and people is also an important factor.

Mars enters cardinal, air Libra on 7/29/10 until 9/14/10. To assist Saturn’s recent re-entry into Libra (7/21/10), Mars joins Saturn and the two mean business and want a balanced and harmonious system. There’s more of course! With Mars’ entry into Libra, it becomes the trigger that brings the Cardinal Climax to fruition (see above). Mars is always the initiator, the ignition, the spark in any situation. In Libra, Mars is concerned with allies and partnerships and the status quo of those alliances. Are things fair and equitable and is there room for negotiation or is it necessary to draw the line in the sand and hold the bottom line? Mars has lots to juggle and to balance as it meets in tough aspect with Saturn/Libra, Uranus and Jupiter/Aries, and Pluto/Capricorn.

Currently Active Paradigm-Shift Patterns:

Jupiter entered mutable, water Pisces on 1/17/10 (until 6/6/10 when it enters Aries – and then it re-enters Pisces again on 9/9/10, after retrograding back from Aries). Jupiter moves swiftly into and through Pisces without stopping for a breath and heads right into fiery Aries to 3 degrees before it stops and makes its first retrograde station on 7/23/10 @ 3 Aries – whew! Jupiter changes signs annually and is the traditional ruler of Pisces (before Neptune was discovered). The expansion characteristic of Jupiter applies to the network of life itself and the fact that somehow we are all interconnected – the concept of the living, breathing sea of humanity. We are all in the same boat (the Ship of Fools) on that vast sea, and all in our own way are searching for meaning. What then does it all mean? – This will be a question that occurs more frequently with Jupiter traveling through Pisces. Although possessing a strong spiritual and idealistic component and the urge to seek or undertake a vision-quest, this same energy can lead to confusion and deception – whether self-deception or through others. Jupiter in Pisces plays on human nature’s desire to believe in something good, something bigger and better than oneself – whatever that may be. In that sense, it is also connected to glamour, the arts, and all that serves to inspire, beguile, or seduce us away from the harsh realities of the mundane. In that vein – drugs, alcohol, and other dissipating adventures also beckon. Do seek inspiration during this time of the sort that does not destroy body or soul, but instead uplifts and offers compassionate understanding to the plight of being human that we all must endure. Find a way to give back or to volunteer to make something better for someone or something through your own benevolence.

Saturn entered cardinal, air Libra on 10/29/09. The full cycle lasts until 10/6/12. Saturn retrogrades back into the last three degrees of the previous sign, Virgo, from 4/8/10-7/22/10. What can we expect? Possibly not much until the energy starts to merge with the collective. But let’s speak to the greater implications of a new 2.5-year Saturn-sign cycle. Saturn is exalted in Libra. This so-called “essential dignity” means there’s more of a commitment to cooperation and harmony among equals. Or, we can say, that is the primary striving in this combination. The collective will be more focused on what is fair and equitable and what is not. Generally, the message is to find the imbalances and rebalance as needed. Where are you giving your commitment and attention? Are the returns you receive what you really want? If not, then adjust those commitments and relationships for greater equality and fairness. Saturn in Libra also asks – what matters and what is valuable? When there is real value, it is easier to make a commitment for a longer time and with greater attention and intention. All major relationships and, in particular, those with Libra/Aries Sun, Moon, or Ascendant, will be put to a greater test. Saturn in a cardinal sign is much more proactive than in other signs, and you may find that you seek order from recent chaos and productivity from prior stress and mess.

Saturn in cardinal, air Libra square (90deg.) Pluto in cardinal, earth Capricorn. This aspect takes place three separate times and continues the theme of systems breaking down, which is also defined in Pluto’s entry into Saturn’s sign of Capricorn. Part 1 took place on 11/15/09, part 2 on 1/31/10, and the final square lands on 8/21/10. Besides the breakdown of systems or habits, this aspect places focus on a resource we wish to develop or that needs repair. It does ask for commitment to a deep desire or need and is rarely an easy path to tread.

Copyright 1997-2010 Dorothy Oja -- All rights reserved ? General editing and science editor, John Flagg.

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MINDWORKS services include: Timing and Electional work (dates for surgery, weddings, business openings etc.), Composite/Davison Relationship and Couples analysis, Children's Profiles and private tutoring. Meta-Coaching sessions involve eliciting the astrological and sacred dynamics of your chart to empower realization of your goals and find satisfaction in self-expression. An active writer for national magazines and online sites, collections of Dorothy's articles are available. upon request. Dorothy writes a free, weekly ezine, Planet Weather, published for the past 12 years for enthusiastic subscribers, which includes social, cultural and political commentary. Dorothy has frequently appeared as a guest on TV, hosted her own radio shows and has been interviewed in the print media. In October 2000, Dorothy published her text, Compatibility & Conflict for Romantic Relationships, as a computer interpretive report, followed by Compatibility & Conflict for Friendship and Business in October 2002. Dorothy currently serves the community as Chair of the ISAR Ethics Committee including Ethics Awareness Training.