Dear Friend and Reader:

My phone rang at 7:30 this morning. I was up making breakfast for my canines. It was a potential client, planning a career move at about age 50. He has his Sun in Aquarius, and was talking about his plans for late 2020. He knew that there was about to be big activity in his sign around that time.

Saturn-Pluto conjunction of Jan. 12, 2020, is a more complex alignment, additionally involving Mercury, Ceres, the Sun, Jupiter, the South Node and Pholus. Mars in Sagittarius is involved. Link to full chart.

As he described his various plans and preparations, he kept saying, “Everything is happening so fast” — as in his new career was engaging before he had completed his commitments to his current one. I was curious about that, and checked when Saturn (which has been in Capricorn since late 2017) would enter Aquarius, and was reminded that it makes its first ingress on March 21, 2020, just after the Aries equinox.

I forgot it was so soon; 2020 ends with a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in the first degree of Aquarius, which is one of the brightest astrological beacons we’ve had in a long time. The two largest planets get together every 20 years. The last was in May 2000.

Let’s go back to the Capricorn side of the year — the one that’s coming right up. As you probably know, Saturn and Pluto will form a conjunction on Jan. 12, 2020. This is the kind of thing that might get two or three covers of The Mountain Astrologer, which only comes out six times a year. We keep writing about it. You can read the deeper background in an article called The Singularity Point, and another called The Long View.

In astrology, the rarity of an event is its currency (it’s a measure of potency, or at least of significance). The last conjunction of these two planets was in 1982, which seems like last week. That took place in Libra. Then the conjunction in Capricorn happens in January 2020. The next is in 2053. So this is really a once-per-generation event (an actual generation being closer to 30 years than to 20 years). Then the same year we have a once-per-20-year event — two history-changing conjunctions the same year, at no ordinary time in history.

What makes Saturn conjunct Pluto daunting is that over the past decade, we’ve already seen plenty of shakeup associated with Pluto in Capricorn, starting with the “subprime mortgage crisis” which became the Great Recession. Now this will be combined with Saturn, one of Capricorn’s rulers.

It looks, on its face, like some imminent wide-scale structural change at a time when society seems to be stranded in an earthquake zone. Trump will be running for reelection against long odds. That worries me, because all politicians want is to stay in office. Usually, it does not matter what it takes to get there.

Take a look at the Jan. 12 alignment, in the chart section above. It’s not just Saturn conjunct Pluto. Stuffed into one and a quarter degrees of the zodiac are Mercury, the Sun, Ceres, Saturn and Pluto — with Jupiter right nearby (by some readings, close enough to be considered part of the conjunction). The South Node is there, as is Pholus. Astrology is unlikely to work based on gravitational force — it seems to be more about mathematics — but there’s a heck of a lot of gravity in one direction with this event.

The somewhat less dramatic looking meeting of Jupiter and Saturn, the two largest planets, on Dec. 21, 2020. Note, there is a third major conjunction, that of Jupiter and Pluto, on Nov. 12, 2020, a week or so after the 2020 election (meaning the conjunction is taking shape while the election happens). Jupiter-Pluto is the epicenter astrology of the election itself. I will come back to it when I cover the election. Link to full chart.

Speaking of math, Mars makes a semi-square (45 degrees, or half a square) to the whole arrangement. Mars is a hot, energetic influence, especially in Sagittarius. The semi-square is considered a trigger aspect, meaning a kind of detonator. In a sense, Mars is driving the scenario, and in Sagittarius, Mars is all about ideology.

This whole pattern vibrates with caution and the need for awareness. Yet it’s impressive the extent to which society seems to embrace any element of the future except maybe what’s for lunch and the next iPhone.

Whatever condition, event or series of events this may represent, the next major phase of astrology engages fairly quickly, around the time of the 2020 spring equinox. Saturn makes its first ingress into Aquarius (due to a retrograde, it still spends from July 1 through Dec. 17 in Capricorn). But we will get a taste of the Saturn in Aquarius era (which lasts till 2023) for a little while next (Northern Hemisphere) spring.

I think of these short previews of long transits as a kind of energy check and period of adaptation. The event for which this would be the preview is Saturn in Aquarius and also the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in the very first degree of Aquarius. This takes place on the (Northern Hemisphere) winter solstice of 2020.

Does anyone remember the fuss around 2012? The predictions of the “end of the world,” the books, the workshops, the expert panels, the commentaries on the Mayan calendar, the discussions of ascension, the movie with jet liners doing cartwheels, and so on — with a 25-year lead up beginning with the Harmonic Convergence in 1987?

There was nothing outstanding about the astrology of 2012. After looking at the chart of that year’s winter solstice for approximately 18 years, the best I could come up with was the Sun-Juno conjunction. I wrote an article saying that the path to the future involved rethinking the way we do relationships.
And after many years of observation and discussion, I also considered the Mayan long count calendar system the best I was able.

I wonder — was the lack of movement or progress a missed opportunity? Is modern society immune to changes in an ancient calendar? Did we miss the message?

Are we listening now?

With love,

Saturn Direct and Jupiter square Neptune — Or: What You’ve Learned Over Summer Vacation

Dear Friend and Reader:

Saturn is now in direct motion in Capricorn, as of Wednesday; this begins the final approach to its conjunction with Pluto in January. On Saturday, Jupiter in Sagittarius and Neptune in Pisces will complete their last of three exact squares this year. Both of these events seem to ask: what have you been learning about yourself?

Sansevieria blossom; photo by Amanda Painter.

Take the case of Saturn, for starters. The lord of structure, boundaries, responsibility and time, it’s likely coming through with extra emphasis now: partly thanks to being in the sign it rules, and partly due to being stationary.

If getting Saturn in a concentrated form feels intimidating or frustrating, a shift in perspective might help to incorporate its lessons.

For example: even if you don’t know your birth chart info, has there been a particular facet of your daily life where you feel like you’re running up against a wall of some kind? Or where you’ve felt compelled to clear out or restructure things in the last few months? Are you recognizing a need to take greater responsibility or set clearer boundaries?

Saturn stationed retrograde back at the end of April, making that a worthwhile phase of time to reflect upon, in terms of changes you’ve been making or resisting. Some of these messages may be arriving via partners, colleagues, your community, or some other facet of your environment — in addition to the more internal parts of your psyche and experience.

Yet no matter how Saturn is trying to get your attention, or through whom it seems to be operating, one thing is certain: these messages are about you. That is, they are about facing the consequences of things you have done or avoided doing; they’re about where you’re being called to step into greater authority in your life; they’re about where you are in the process of individuating, and how you’re owning your ‘baggage’ and projections when they’re shown to you. Saturn wants us to step up. And until we do, it can often feel like we only ever get stepped on.

Note that Saturn stationed direct in a conjunction to the lunar South Node (a point in space related to the orbits of the Moon and Earth, and where they intersect). Symbolically, the South Node describes old habits that hold us back, karma, what is familiar but no longer useful. This would seem to emphasize Saturn’s message: we’ve had a few months to review, clear space, and reorganize; now it’s time to jettison whatever still remains that would get in the way of building a more solid, functional structure in our lives.

Continue reading…

If You Needed to Take a Little Weight Off

By Amanda Painter

Jupiter and Sagittarius relate to expansion and a sort of global mindset; Neptune and Pisces relate to ideals and the arts, especially music. And Saturn? Well, for all its bad rap, it offers the structure we need to get anything worthwhile, with Capricorn bringing in the idea of leadership.

All three of those planets, in signs they rule, constitute the main features of this week’s astrology. We can see their themes playing out in the latest Song Around the World from the organization Playing for Change.

You’ve probably seen their videos before: a popular song gets covered by musicians and singers all over the world, often using their native instruments; then their various recordings get spliced together into a seamless, beautiful, uplifting whole. On Wednesday, the famous song “The Weight,” originally recorded by The Band, was released on YouTube — featuring The Band’s Robbie Robertson. This project also celebrates that song’s 50th anniversary.

According to the YouTube page:

Playing For Change is a movement created to inspire and connect the world through music, born from the shared belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. Our primary focus is to record and film musicians performing in their natural environments and combine their talents and cultural power in innovative videos we call Songs Around the World.

Creating these videos motivated us to form the Playing For Change Band –a tangible, traveling representation of our mission, featuring musicians met along our journey; and establish the Playing For Change Foundation — a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to building music and art schools for children around the world. Through these efforts, we aim to create hope and inspiration for the future of our planet.”

Be sure to have the sound turned up when you start the video — you don’t want to miss Ringo’s goofy (but double-layered) musician joke. That would be Mercury’s domain — and it’s in Libra, another artistic sign, trine Saturn right now… getting by with a little help from its friends.

Planet Waves FM: The Self-Actualization Edition

Dear Friend and Listener:

In this week’s edition of Planet Waves FM [play episode here], I focus on Chiron in Aries and the question of self-actualization. What is it? Where did it go, and how do I get in on the action?

I tell the story of my visit to the KTD Monastery in Woodstock (I say ‘DK’ in the program), and what I’ve been learning about the idea of dharma (this teaching is the basis of In These Times, my recent 12-sign reading). This episode includes lots of songs about daddy, and a new edition of Tantra Studio.

As promised, here is a link to the newly revamped Vision Quest music stream. And here is another link to the newly revamped astrology readings channel.

Planet Waves FM is sponsored entirely by your memberships and contributions. If you listen to the program regularly, remember how much love, attention and resources go into its creation every week, and please do your bit. Thank you.

Thank you for tuning in.

With love,

Monthly Horoscopes and Publishing Schedule Notes

Your extended monthly horoscope for September was published on Thursday, Aug. 29 We published your extended monthly horoscope for August on Thursday, July 25.  Please note: we normally publish the extended monthly horoscope after the Sun has entered a new sign.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — If things are a little tense just now between you and someone close, take care to separate out facts from speculation. That is, treat what has actually been said and done as distinct from anything you might be guessing at. Figuring out where the line is drawn isn’t always easy, especially when strong emotions are involved, so use caution. In particular, notice when you could be projecting certain thoughts or motives, for which you have no clear evidence, onto a partner. Consider where this might ultimately come from.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — You’re in a busier frame of mind than usual, and appear to be especially focused on one specific purpose. Your first port of call is likely to involve preparing the ground. Consider what needs to be done, plan out as far as possible the details of how you’ll arrive at your goal, and start getting organized. It’s useful to make sure your path is cleared of any foreseeable snags that might otherwise trip you up. That includes arranging your time and surroundings so as to make the work you want to do more accessible.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Early next week, the Sun will enter the sector of your chart most closely linked with creativity and fun. You may find you are gaining in confidence, and thus more comfortable with the idea of taking your mind in a new direction. If you’re up for an adventure, seizing that particular opportunity may well be of enormous benefit to you. You’ve recently put in a lot of hours, and could probably use a change of scene. To begin with, try experimenting with moving routines around, or going to different places. Follow where your instincts lead.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Remember that you are not merely a product of past events in your life, nor of the people you’ve encountered, beneficial or otherwise. Your character is informed by the choices you make. Understanding how you have been influenced by your history is certainly useful, in helping you rise above it; just as recognizing how you’ve reacted previously, and why, can assist you to make any changes that are necessary. However, your past does not define you nearly so much as your actions and decisions in the present moment.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Your mind is a fertile ground in which a variety of interesting ideas can be induced to blossom and grow. You seem to be in the mood to take the seed of a thought and run with it, letting it develop as it will, and following the trail of curiosity like a child on a treasure hunt. This is likely to be an excellent time to pursue a new course of study, or just inspire yourself by experiencing people and scenes. Wherever you happen to be, practice soaking in the environment and being alive to what is going on around you, and keep a notepad handy.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Pay close attention to the state of your body and mind, in order to understand how you’re truly feeling. You may need to expend some effort to prevent old mental habits from reasserting themselves, or certain doubts from imposing on you. If you stay actively in tune with yourself, the chances are you’ll have a much more accurate picture of what is really the case, and where you are in the here and now. Your hard-won gains are still your own, and thanks largely to your grit in previous trials, you contain the strength of giants.

How do we confront this dual problem of premeditated decay of society, and the inner issue of needing the strength to take some meaningful action? Where do we start? As in few other times, this calls for a response from a spiritual place: of deep caring and responsibility; the quest for honest connection above all else.

It has called forth all of my knowledge, experience and wisdom to do this work. I have proceeded in the spirit of therapy, knowing that most people do not or will not go. That spirit first involves seeking refuge, becoming aware of your situation, ordering your priorities, and then making choices. But the single most important factor of therapy — and of old school spiritual mentorship — is not giving answers, but helping the client find them for themselves. What I have to offer you are 12 readings of approximately one hour each, which use astrology to address the matter: the one about how to orient yourself to make the most of the difficult and challenging times we are in.

All 12 signs are currently $111. I am keeping that price low to encourage having access to all of the work. Individual readings are $44 for the first and $22 for each additional.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — As we prepare to enter your birthday season, you may be feeling somewhat raw with the potency of recent experiences. Yet your newfound sensitivity is a useful gift amid the coolness and indifference in our present surroundings. The flame of your compassion burns brightly and draws toward it many who are hungry for warmth. One of the greatest joys of sharing your own is that the heat and light can only multiply. Another is the nourishing effect on you, as you connect with others at the heart-level.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) –During this week, at least, you are likely to come up against the question of what comprises your most fundamental and personal spiritual tenets. This is on a plane far removed from those gushy memes frequently shared on social media. It’s also unlikely to be what prompts you to attend religious services or yoga class. Rather, it pertains to the deeply held faith you rarely, if at all, share publicly; the principles you cleave to in all weathers. What is the ultimate truth of who you are, when all the masks and layers come off?

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Your friends are a vital part of your existence. Everyone’s friendship group is unique, and can represent many different facets of that person. Each pairing within it has its own history and reasons for developing. These may not be the disproportionately hallowed bonds of a monogamous partnership; yet their worth is incalculable. Cherish every member of your circle both as an individual, with all their depth and beauty, and as a reflection of yourself. Take opportunities to spend time with them, and to show them what they mean to you.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Keep consolidating the progress you’ve made in recent weeks by handling your decisions with maturity, and recognizing what you have gained. You are to your former self much as a generation to its ancestors: you look at your environment with fresh eyes, and have almost an innate comprehension of what you need to do in order to move things forward. You can respect your past experiences and choices for having helped you reach the wisdom you now possess. Now it’s time to focus on the future, and altogether new territory.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Given the judgments often laid on us throughout our lives, it is understandable if we sometimes think of ourselves as less than we really are. This can include feeling as if there’s little point to working on our growth. Yet in truth the human mind is astonishingly flexible, and yours is no exception. You contain the capacity, as everyone else does, to develop your potential, expand your horizons and become the best version of yourself. These gifts are within everyone’s reach, however long the journey takes. Count yourself in.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Regardless of what other people expect of you, or however much they try to mold you into their rigid categories, they cannot change or shape who you are. Your personal integrity belongs to you. If you’re feeling any self-doubt, therefore, take comfort: you remain the sole scriptwriter for your character, and the only expert on all its richness, complexity and wonder. Those around you will see what they see, though remember this is a reflection of themselves. The center of your being is guarded by the light of the Divine as well as by you. Nobody else can reach it.