Astrology rarely tracks with the civil calendar. Take the concept of a New Year for one example. You seldom see a substantial astrological cycle beginning on Jan. 1. For astrologers, New Year’s Day is more like the Sun entering Aries on (or about) March 21 to start another cycle of the 12 signs.
So it happens that today and tomorrow, while of little note on the civil calendar, do represent a significant turning point for astrologers. Earlier today, Jupiter left its year-plus in Virgo behind, and started anew for about 13 months in Libra.
Tomorrow, Saturn in Sagittarius and Neptune in Pisces reach 90 degrees of separation (what astrologers call a ‘square’ aspect) for the third and final time. This begins closure on a pattern that started late last year.
The pattern referred to here is the mutable T-square that distinguished at least some of the deep background astrology for 2016. Broadly, but appropriately speaking, Jupiter’s tenure in mutable Virgo found it opposing Neptune in mutable Pisces to form what one might call the upper part of the ‘T’ configuration. The ‘leg’ of the motif was Saturn, widely squaring both Jupiter and Neptune from mutable Sagittarius.
As combined aspects go, the mutable T-square of 2016 was as informative as it was challenging. Of course, some of the biggest challenges this year were more fairly related to Mars, oscillating between Scorpio and Sagittarius for its first retrograde involving two signs in almost a decade. Neither should we forget the ongoing Aries conjunction from Uranus to Eris. One might also mention that echoes of the period during which Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn exchanged seven square aspects (roughly 2012 to 2015) have not yet faded.
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All that being said, it is likely that we will look back on the mutable T-square of 2016 as a time when the term ‘this changes everything’ really was something more than hype. With time, the full effect will become more clear.
Even so, you can see some of the results already. It would be reasonable to say that presidential elections in the U.S. have passed a point from which they are unlikely to return. An even larger and probably more historically significant turning point came with the passage of a British referendum to separate from the European Union.
Now, as Jupiter moves on, so do each and all of us. Don’t be mistaken. This is not an entirely abrupt point of departure. Saturn and Neptune still have some alchemy to work during the year to come. Even if the shocks that arrived with Mars retrograde are not soon repeated, we are almost certainly in for some more awe.
To make the most of what’s ahead (and not just for yourself), think of yourself as a champion golfer. Nearly a decade ago you emerged from a clubhouse of the ages to start this round. Now, you have reached the halfway point, turning onto the back nine. As awesome as the course has been, what’s distinguished this round most of all are the players. While some have turned back, and others have disappeared into the rough, you are still in the running — perhaps even on the leader board. That is no accident.
You are not moving to tee off onto the tenth fairway now by chance; you are here because you are worthy. You made the cut. Now it’s time to put on a charge and let the gallery know what you are made of. Strike the ball firmly. Walk with confidence. Combine strength and suppleness to drive for show. Steady your nerves and putt for dough. You were born to be the awe in this tournament and return to the clubhouse with satisfaction.
As is the case with golf, this is not really a contest between you and other people. You are contending only with yourself. The game is within. The trees, bunkers, ponds, sand traps and putting greens are but a representation of your inner terrain. By now you know that. Show what you know, and you will have at least achieved on par with anybody and everybody else.
Offered In Service
Lovely analogies and great message, Len.
I feel as though the last six months I’ve been in an “oven” curing like a piece of ceramic green ware, ready for the next phase of glazing and deep firing for completion. The byword: READY.
Fe: Thank you for returning the metaphor with added value.
There certainly has been an air of ‘This changes everything’ recently, Len. The British ‘Brexit’ referendum and the rise of Trumpism are two distinctly worrying neo-Nazi-like occurrences.
It might seem dreadful to have to cope with such a backlash against the ideals of the 60s, but it is only right that the opposition should be given an opportunity to express its disagreement with our righteousness. Only in this way can we win over public opinion and be certain that we are right. Keep the faith.
Not everything is bad news. Here, today, is the latest from Friends of the Earth about a proposed coal mine due to be established in Druridge Bay, an area of outstanding natural beauty in the U.K.
http://us6.campaign-archive1.com/?u=2025520aace5b8eab03720707&id=1dd6c61fd0&e=a2a85373ed
Small steps, regularly taken, positions solidified, gains made in perpetuity. It can be done.
Geoff: Thank you for the wise perspective and for the good news.
Thanks Len for putting the Saturn-Neptune square into a context with Jupiter’s entry into the sign of Libra. I looked back at the origins of the Saturn-Neptune cycle, circa 1989. The chart for that cycle mesmerized me with it’s rather stark message for the USA, a centaur conjunct each of two outer planets found in the U.S. Sibly birth chart. So little else has gotten my attention from that cycle’s chart.
However, your piece today made me curious as to where Jupiter was at that time and I found it conjunct Mars in Taurus when the 1st Saturn-Neptune conjunction on March 3, 1989 took place. Jupiter and Mars were trine the U.S. Sibly chart Pluto in Capricorn and square the U.S.
Aquarius Moon in the Sibly chart. Of course when transiting planets ingress a new sign or conjunct another planet to start a cycle, those energies generated apply to all countries and all people in the world.
However, this particular cycle between Saturn and Neptune seems to have had a special message for the USA. The cycle’s chart placement of Nessus conjunct the U.S. Sibly Neptune and the cycle’s Pholus conjunct the U.S. Sibly Uranus looked pretty prophetic when I became aware of it, and so it has proved to be. Now that I see that the cycle’s Jupiter-Mars conjunction, in the sign associated with accumulation of wealth, is in a trine with the U.S. Pluto but in a square with the symbol for the U.S. People (U.S. Moon), some of the events associated with the times at the Neptune-Saturn opposition you alluded to, back in 2006-07, take on new meaning.
For example the financial collapse that cost many citizens their jobs, homes and savings (the cycle’s Jupiter-Mars square the U.S. Moon) but somehow benefited the banks that caused the collapse (the cycle’s Jupiter-Mars trine the U.S. Pluto) it becomes obvious what the cycle’s Nessus placement (conjunct U.S. Neptune) and Pholus placement (conjunct the U.S. Uranus) had in mind.
Safe to say that this final set of squares in that cycle between Saturn and Neptune holds special meaning for the U.S., what with it’s involvement with the U.S. Sibly ascendant (transiting Saturn conjuncts it while Neptune squares it). Embedded in this cycle is the centaurs’ profound messaging ability to talk to the outer planets (in this case the U.S. natal outer planets Uranus and Neptune) and commute that message to us mortals.
Why then we might wonder would U.S. political types be confounded by the anger of their constituents. It’s because they are still pissed off about how the banks were bailed out but not the citizens who were wiped out, you dumb-butts.
So now I must consider that square between transiting Neptune to transiting Saturn embodying the power and energy of the centaur Pholus (in the Saturn-Neptune cycle) combined with the power and energy of the U.S. Uranus. I must also consider that transiting square with the additional influence of its cycle’s Nessus-conjunct-U.S. Neptune and that really does expand on the scope of the Saturn-square-Neptune meaning.
Remember that the Saturn-Neptune cycle holds a Jupiter that squares the U.S. Moon (challenging) while it trines the U.S. Pluto (facilitating). The People (Moon) are getting the short end of the stick while the Powers that Be – the Banks, never lose any sleep and just keep on with their cheating ways. If Nessus and Pholus symbolize the sins from previous generations which now need to be reckoned with (conjunct U.S. outer planets) then transiting Neptune and transiting Saturn in square symbolize that reckoning.
And we wonder why Donald Trump is beloved by some and feared by others. Again, thanks Len for pointing out the path to understanding. Yours and truly,
be
Barbara: Thank you for sharing both the fruit of your research and your expertise on the U.S. “natal” (Sibly) chart once again. i’m gratified that you think that my effort to sort things out makes some sense after processing it through your erudite, compassionate and wise perspective.
Len… YES!!
puma pink: you are most welcome.