The Jupiter-Saturn Opposition and the potent relationship brew

The stagnation of the past several weeks eases up as the wheel begins to turn at a faster pace, bringing Jupiter at 27’52 Pisces into his first of three oppositions with the old Sea Goat Saturn at 27’52 Virgo on May 23, 2010 at 1:04 am US EDT. This is a powerful confrontation marking the culmination of a ten year build up in intensity, which began at the last Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Taurus at 22’42 degrees on May 28, 2000. On a personal level, think about what began in your life around that time and how it has changed your life. For me, personally, the conjunction took place on my Saturn-Juno conjunction in the 8th house…this was my first Saturn return and brought the gift of astrology more vividly into my world (trine my Mercury/Pluto conjunction on the 12th house cusp, sesquiquadrate my Uranus). Throughout the past ten years I have been studying and working hard, indulging myself thoroughly in this love and turning it outward to help others understand their lives and personalities on a deeper level. What did this energy do for you personally? What have you been developing and working on since that time?

As the series of oppositions unfold in your world – the 2nd opposition takes place on August 16, 2010 and the 3rd on March 28, 2011 - think about what is changing or what you’d like to change regarding what you began back in May 2000. Once this time period passes, we will begin to integrate all that has gone before, entering into a period marked more by reflection and relaxation as we come to terms with all that has changed in our lives. The oppositions represent an opportunity to reorganize our long term goals so we can continue to grow and develop anything of lasting value brought into our lives in May 2000 at a somewhat slower pace. The time of experimentation may fade into a time period of confidence as we share what we’ve learned on a broader scale. For me this coincides with the desire to step back a little and do deeper astrological studies and writing behind the scenes, so that I may disseminate what I’ve learned through my own experiments, research, and trial and error over the past 10 years. Saturn will remain in his retrograde motion at the first opposition, giving us time to finish cleaning up anything that is necessary so that we can prepare for the future. It’s good to begin developing a new strategy at this time as old fears can interfere with progress. Jupiter will help you to confront any challenges head on, urging you to deal with those old demons symbolized by transiting Saturn’s placement in your chart at 27’52 Virgo. Let go of anything that is harmful, painful, or inhibiting that came about through the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in May 2000 at this time and you will feel freer and better able to embrace hope for a positive, inspiring future.

Being not only an astrologer but very much a relationship astrologer, I cannot talk about a major astrological event without discussing how it may potentially affect us in our relationships. As always, it depends on your personal chart and current relational circumstance, but if we take a closer look at the exact opposition chart, there are several tense relationship markers. Lovely Venus is caught up in Pluto’s intense gaze as she enters into an opposition aspect with the Dark Lord, shortly after having important, perhaps secretive, discussions with bombastic Uranus on May 19th. Pluto wants to know what is going on; what insight did Venus gain from her rendezvous with Uranus? With Venus making recent Neptune and Chiron connections as well, it is a clear message that many of us have been concerned about our relationships and their direction. We see support for this conclusion with Venus in contact with our Mother dwarf planet Ceres, asteroid Hygeia, and her approaching trine to Pallas at the time of the Jupiter-Saturn opposition. Uranus may have filled her head with very vivid and fantastic ideas about how to improve her love life, whether that means leaving a relationship for greener fields or making the most of what is available in a present relationship in order to revitalize it. With the background of the Uranus-Saturn opposition lingering, many of us are unsatisfied with how our relationships are progressing. The old ways no longer work. As Jupiter opposes Saturn and we look back over the past ten years, we may realize that a relationship begun (or one that changed) around the time of the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in 2000 simply is not what we need any longer. If this is true for you, take the positive memories and developments (especially any children born during the past 10 years), and let go of what isn’t working. This may mean that you and your partner need to revitalize the entire connection from the ground up. Or it may mean that it is literally time to let go, move on, and heal. Chiron and Hygeia in connection to Venus are present for a reason. Healing is needed, whatever that means for you in your personal circumstances. Pluto and Pallas are waiting in the wings to help Venus transform her situation and find happiness for who she is becoming now. Pluto in Capricorn will help to transform old relationship structures while Pallas in Scorpio will dig, dig, dig for the truth, enabling Venus to find her way around obstacles and transform her vision of what she is capable of. With Venus in the sign of home-loving, nurturing Cancer, children may be the primary concern and focus…they may also be used as an ‘obstacle’ or excuse to stay in a miserable relationship situation. Pallas’ presence will help Venus figure out how to make the most of any situation, protecting her own needs as well as her children’s. One of the primary questions we may ask ourselves at this time is, who do we belong with? Who is part of our natural ‘tribe?’ Who do we truly resonate with, and is our current home truly our ‘home?’ We need deep bonds to others like ourselves when Venus is in Cancer, but many of us tend to confuse bloodlines and ancestry with tribal connections. Not everyone in our ‘family’ is really our family; not everyone we live with really resonates with who we are. Pluto and Pallas together will make us very aware of this at this time.

We are in the tail end of the First Quarter Moon phase during the Jupiter-Saturn opposition. With the Moon in Libra, we see, again, that the focus is on relationships. There is a need for harmonious communication but that may be impossible with all the tension she is under, indeed, in square to Venus herself. At the same time she is separating from a conjunction to sober Saturn, an opposition to expansive Jupiter and wild Uranus, and approaching a square to Pluto and Mother Ceres, as well as a semisquare to Hygeia and a quincunx to Chiron. Her recent trine to Vulcan brings even greater resonating sensitivity and intuition into the mix. The Sun is supportive, but his links to Uranus, Neptune, and the Black Moon Lilith may only serve to heighten any underlying anxiety felt by the Moon. Mercury in Taurus will try to hold back and contain his thoughts, but this may only serve to create more tension. Mars may be overly dramatic and confident in Leo, as he contacts Neptune, Cupido, and the Black Moon. Used positively, this energy makes for a time when Mars can be a powerful leader, cutting through the crap and helping those caught up in unfair predicaments to make necessary changes. Used arrogantly, and he can upset the applecart and then lash out in anger as he is super sensitive right now.

May 22nd – 23rd may be quite dramatic days for many of us as the tension that is brewing beneath the surface may become uncontainable. Unexpected expression of dissatisfaction in relationships is possible, and this opening can create positive change if you are able to talk things out with a partner and come to an understanding or fair agreement. It can be time of renewal, for you personally or for a partnership. Keep in mind, however, that once the talk begins, it will be very easy to express more than you ever intended and not only that, but whatever is said now may not sink in immediately, leaving you feeling unheard and potentially frustrated. Mercury in Taurus is too busy holding onto the past to truly allow the future thought-waves to penetrate too deeply. It could take some time, perhaps until the next Jupiter-Saturn opposition on August 16th. Or it may be sooner, when Mercury enters Gemini on June 10th. It truly depends on your individual state of affairs. Saturn turns forward on May 30th and this can help to speed situations along as we will be more eager to begin establishing new foundations – but honestly, there will be no true stability or foundation building at this time. Don’t expect it. Saturn will have the final face-off with Uranus on July 26th. Only after this time will we have the ability to truly sink the concrete or establish the roots for anything of permanence in our relationships. Between May 22nd and July 26th, we all have some serious clearing out to do. First we must find the way, and this is what the planetary energy of May 22nd – May 23rd will help us discover.

Below are the charts for the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction of May 28, 2000 and the Jupiter-Opposition of May 23, 2010

Connections...Using Astrological threads to create deeper understanding and intimacy in our relationships

Ahhh, yes...I've been asked to 'teach' so many times in the past year so I have decided to put up an article that was originally published in 2007 in the Australian WellBeing Astrology Guide. It explores three of my own personal relationships and what I've learned through the experiences, along with astrological information and charts to study. Have fun! LOL

Actually I was setting up several in-depth teaching sessions in 2005 when I was torn apart in a serious car accident (May 2005), which I am still being treated for and likely will be for many, many years. I can show the chart for the accident here:



So we will see...perhaps later this year I will get back to the teaching point. Notice how far away Uranus was from my Mars/North Node at the time of the accident. I had been dealing with that transit for almost 3 years and had started to think I'd make it through as I was so careful and aware. Guess Mar/Uranus opposition the Sun wasn't much better, not with the naughty transiting SN on my Ascendent too. Nope...was struck from behind by an idiot doing 55 mph as I was coming to a stop at a redlight. He was looking down doing paperwork and talking on a cell phone and 'thought' he was in the right turn lane. The man never even BRAKED! I somehow managed to stop my car and his full sized truck, barely tapping the one in front of me while knocked unconscious. Lucky to be here, I know it. I could go on a rant here, but I won't. Suffice it to say that due to Florida NO FAULT laws, even with him admitting full responsibility, I received less than a grand in my lawsuit and have to pay out of pocket weekly for my care and can't have needed surgery. All those flocking down here really have no idea what they are getting themselves into. But this is, more or less, an astrology blog so here is the beginning of the Connections article, lol:

Relationships, particularly love and sexual relationships, offer some of our most challenging and yet rewarding experiences in life. Have you ever felt the deep, silent sadness that creeps upon you when a partner grows cold or indifferent? Felt the sharp sting of bitter words during a quarrel? Most, if not all, of us have. I have, but I have also felt the pure solid bliss of understanding, acceptance and mutual love. Without love in our lives we would wither and fade away physically, spiritually, and emotionally. We all need love to grow and evolve; we also need to experience loving relationships in order to understand and really get to know ourselves. Enjoying and exploring our connection to our partner enables us to experience who we are and discover the greater potential within our self.

The intricate connections between two people can be traced by using a compatibility method known as Synastry. Synastry is the study of a relationship between two people and shows the relationship from the perspective of each individual involved rather than simply their combined energy (which is shown with a Composite Chart). To use Synastry we draw up two natal charts (also called nativities or birth charts) and then combine the charts from each individual’s perspective. This gives us a clear picture of how each person views the partner and shows us the intricate interactions and reactions to one another as well as the energy created within the relationship itself.

When working with Synastry we are working with four charts at once, each individual natal chart and two dual wheel charts. The dual wheels are created by placing the partner’s natal chart around the outside of the person’s chart, and then the other dual wheel is created by reversing the order (the partner’s natal chart is used as the focus, with the other person’s natal chart plotted around it). By combining the houses, signs, and planets of two individuals in this manner we can determine the more problematic or smooth areas operating in a relationship. As energy is neutral, even the ‘worst’ aspects between two people can be used positively. Negative or ‘hard’ aspects are the most dynamic and growth-oriented. Without these types of aspects in a relationship things would be quite boring. The aspects often given this dark spin are the conjunction (0 degrees), the opposition (180 degrees), the square (90 degrees), the quincunx (150 degrees), the semisquare (45 degrees), the sesquiquadrate (135 degrees), and sometimes others depending on each individual astrologer’s practice. I prefer to think of these aspects as challenging rather than ‘bad,’ and therefore I consider them transformative in nature. Without enough of these transformative, growth-related aspects in a relationship it is unlikely two people would be interested in forming much of a relationship at all, let alone an intimate, sexual bond.

If two people love, honour and respect one another they will want to make the effort to improve and develop the connection even if they have difficulties between them others may not understand. With this in mind, it must also be noted that the couple must desire the same type of relationship and both must want to make it work if it is to become a long-term union. It isn’t always easy to see how things will work out between two people from the Synastry chart alone, but it does provide a good solid base with which to begin.

Relationships require fine-tuning, lots of practice, compassion, and the ability to laugh even in the darkest moments... Read the rest!

Love and Saturn Retrograde ~ Understanding the anxiety and getting past the fear of intimacy

“A man who has not passed through the inferno of his passions has never overcome them.” CG Jung

We all have our share of intimacy fears that develop during our childhood and difficult early relationship experiences, but for most of us, our desire to be with another - to open our Self and share our inner being with someone - is much stronger than our fears. Because our inherent drive to be with someone is so powerful, we put ourselves out there and hope for the best. Through connecting with and interacting with others romantically, we get to know ourselves and learn about our own needs and desires when it comes to relating.

For a person with Saturn retrograde in the natal chart, intimacy fears are enormous. They may have an easy time connecting with others (depending on other factors in their chart) and could be very friendly and seemingly outgoing, but if you take a closer look you will soon realize that the Saturn retrograde person gets along fabulously with strangers or ‘new’ friends but tends to shut off - castrate - those who grow to love him or her or anyone who gets close enough to notice the fine cracks in the façade the native presents to others. There is a very tender and vulnerable emotional infant lurking within the Saturn retrograde native…this may be a very small aspect of the soul, or it could be a huge part of the personality, but beneath the strongly contained ego that appears to have it all together, there is a child wanting to be loved for who he or she is… an infant wanting to be nurtured and cherished and most of all, understood and appreciated. The fear of not being good enough, not being what is expected, of being weak and vulnerable to others or worse, superseded or totally unneeded by anyone, drives the Soul with Saturn retrograde deeper and deeper into a cocoon of their own making…an isolated and lonely place to be, a stranger in the shadows watching others and wondering why he (or she) feels so horribly alone.

The Saturn retrograde individual is like a sponge that absorbs all of the energy around him (her) and intuitively knows what is going on and how to protect the self within that atmosphere…he may also take on the beliefs or thought patterns of others, especially in youth, without even being aware that these beliefs aren’t really his own but were absorbed from the family or society/culture he was raised in. There is a (karmic) distortion in the personality that allows the external world to permeate the Soul, rendering the Saturn retrograde native’s early attempts at constructing boundaries ineffective. As the ego develops, it learns to construct higher and thicker emotional walls, extremely defensive barriers, and a reserve with others that says, “Do NOT approach.” Of course those superficially involved with the native may not sense or feel any of this because the fears aren’t activated until the Saturn retro individual grows closer or more involved with a person. Let him (or her) fall in Love and Bam…the fear floods in and the walls come up. The worries that the loved one will not love the ‘true’ self can be so strong that they distance themselves or sever the relationship in order to protect the loved one…and the Self.

Ironically, if they would move toward the lover, open to the lover, and find a way to let down the barriers...

Read the rest of my article, Love and Saturn Retrograde

Currently reading: Women Who Run With the Wolves ~ Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph. D. Highly recommend...I already AM a Wild Woman, LOL