COSMIC WEATHER
The beginning of something has significance, and what happens in the sky relates to what happens on Earth. The process of individuation involves working with the personal planets, moving through the asteroid belt, then on to the trends of the social planets, with Saturn as the first level of boundary. Balancing the benefits of these key ingredients, and moving through the acculturated limitations allows the crossing of the Centaur bridge where Chiron leads to the transpersonal planets, with Pluto as the second level boundary. These are challenging bodies, requiring awakening, flow, and presence before integration and groundedness push out to the new level boundary, Sedna. Understanding these dynamic energies, as demonstrated through the ever-changing cosmic weather, allows a greater ability to live connected to purpose and meaning.
The Sun is the Invincible Spirit. So great is this universal wonder that it must come in small doses, distributed as it travels around the Zodiac over the course of a year. The Sun's position symbolizes the active presence of the Divine. The Sun entered Gemini on May 20, 2020. Gemini represents the curiosity needed to explore the immediate world. Gemini, symbolized by the twins, depicts duality through communication, socializing, and exploring ideas.
The Moon is the Receiver. As the Sun energizes her, she receives and moves through her angular relationship with him over the course of the month. She delights in shape-shifting. She delights in the repetitive ebb and flow from night to day, from New to Full in predictable sequence. She delights in being able to portray the Sun's invincible spirit through her silver light. We see this dance every month, beginning at the New Moon, timed for the Moon's alignment with the Sun. The soul connects with spirit. The May New Moon occurred on May 22, 2020 at 2 + Gemini. The Sabian Symbol reads as follows: Louis IV's court in the gardens of the Tuileries. This New Moon joins Venus, Mercury and North Node in Gemini, to firm up one end of the bowl pattern formed by the current planetary positions.
HIGHLIGHTS 2020-2023
Saturn and Pluto joined with the Sun on Jan. 13, 2020 at 22 degrees Capricorn on the node of Saturn, with Jupiter not far behind. 2020 took off. On a mundane level, the pressure (applied to the US Pluto position of 27 + Capricorn) brought forth an immediate need to build transcendent structures socio-politically, as well as personally. Whirling into an evolutionary vortex the call to action required a review of endurance with the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, which emerged out of the Jupiter-Neptune last quarter square of 2019 (achieving results). These two major events (the Jupiter-Neptune square and the Saturn-Pluto conjunction) are made more intense by the most recent and upcoming eclipses.
THE ECLIPSE SEASONS
Eclipses occur in pairs or trios, and the effect can be felt two weeks prior to the first one as things heat up, the weeks between, and two weeks after the last one. This is called the Eclipse Season. In 2020, we have three Eclipse Seasons. The energies can be touched off at various times before or after the actual event, by transit of the Moon's nodal axis, or by the Sun, Moon, or Mars. Solar eclipses occur at New Moons, where the Moon blocks the Sun, and the Moon's shadow crosses the Earth's surface. Lunar eclipses occur at Full Moons, where the Earth blocks the Sun, and the Earth's shadow is entered by the Moon. The exactitude of the alignment defines the type (total, partial, etc.) Eclipses resonate at different levels of consciousness. Solar eclipses suggest beginnings; Lunar eclipses suggest endings. Because they involve the Moon's nodal axis, they have a "destiny" quality to them. The position in the zodiac will determine the domain. The dates for 2020 are listed below:
- December 26, 2019 Annular Solar 4 CP 07 Impact felt after: March 22, 2020.
- January 10, 2020 Appulse Lunar 20 CN 00 Impact felt before: May 4-5, 2019
- June 5, 2020 Appulse Lunar 15 SG 34 Impact felt after: March 1, 2021
- June 21, 2020 Annular Solar 00 CN 22 Impact felt before: April 25-26, 2020
- July 5, 2020 Appulse Lunar 13 CP 38 Impact felt before: Sept. 30-Oct. 1, 2019
- November 30, 2020 Appulse Lunar 8 GE 38 Impact felt after: August 6, 2021
- December 14, 2020 Total Solar 23 SG 08 Impact felt before: Sept. 30-Oct. 1, 2020
PLANETARY LOCATIONS
Mercury has 3-4 Retrograde (Rx) cycles every year, each lasting approximately 3 weeks, and each offering a period of reflection, recalibration, revision, and resolution, as Mercury and the Sun exchange the message of a particular degree of the Zodiac. Mercury's remaining Rx periods for 2020 are: June 17 (14 + Cancer)-July 11 and October 13 (11 + Scorpio)-November 3. At this New Moon, Mercury is Direct at 20 + Gemini, busy gathering data, and heading for the Rx on June 17.
The Venus cycle is complex and mysterious, beginning while Retrograde as an Evening Star, moving through conjunctions with the Sun, and shifting from Evening Star to Morning Star, and back. It allows Venus to recalibrate her relationship to the Sun. When an Evening Star--calm, mature, settled, and knowing her brilliance, as Venus is best seen outside the clutch of the Sun--she begins her new cycle. Venus began her new cycle on May 13, 2020, with a turn Rx at 21 + Gemini. This Rx period gives her an opportunity to recalibrate her relationship with the Sun. The Rx degree is near her heliocentric planetary node position (16 Gemini/Sagittarius), which is also close to that of Uranus (13 Gemini/Sagittarius). Relationships, extravagance, and artistic talents are sourced from a place of clever inventiveness and determined self-will. At this time, Venus is out of bounds (and will remain so through June 2). Perigrine in Gemini, she will find her outlets through Mercury during this cycle. Communication with loved ones will be challenged, as both planets are Rx between June 17 and June 24. Venus is currently visible as an Evening Star and she will station Direct on June 24.
Mars will also have a Rx cycle this year, while at 28 + Aries, September-November. At this New Moon, Mars is now at 6 + Pisces, perigrine and working through Neptune. Mars, compassionate, perhaps a bit confused, and growing impatient, Mars is the warrior in action during the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Jupiter is currently at 27+ Capricorn, "besieged" by the clustered energy of Pluto and Saturn, and Rx since May 15. Having aligned with Pluto on April 4, Jupiter will make another contact on June 30, and again on November 2, before joining Saturn in Aquarius at the Winter Solstice, 2020. In its fall in Capricorn, Jupiter, too, is working very hard on expanding the changes. Jupiter will be Rx all summer, and will turn Direct on September 12.
Saturn entered the sign of Aquarius on March 21, 2020, just after the Equinox. This significant ingress at the significant degree seeds the developments we can expect in the upcoming 3 years. Saturn turned Rx on May 11, 2020. Saturn's job is to put necessary controls in place. Saturn will join with Jupiter at the Winter Solstice, 2020. Currently, Saturn is Rx at 1+Aquarius.
URANUS, NEPTUNE, PLUTO, and the NORTH NODE: Twists and Turns
The outer planets push us toward the transpersonal realm of consciousness. The twists and turns of these bodies facilitate our evolution, sometimes disturbing peace of mind. Uranus, the Awakener, is currently Direct at 8 +Taurus. Uranus will remain in the sign of Taurus for the next 7 years, pointing out the practicalities and resources. Active players in the shift in consciousness, Uranus and Saturn in their 7 degree fixed square (Taurus-Aquarius) in early 2021 will break traditions, control revolutionary ideas, and emerge with new solutions. This is a time of potential brilliance. A saying from the Upanishads comes to mind: "Lead me from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, from death to immortality." Bring in the Light! Uranus turns Rx on August 15 at 10 + Taurus.
Nebulous Neptune, bringing the vicissitudes of the tides forward, is currently Direct at 20 + Pisces, and happily in its own sign. Neptune is diving further into the oceanic fog, chaos, and confusion of social distancing. With germs, viruses, hospitalizations, service, and suffering a focal point, Neptune's ethereal nature continues to dissolve and deliver the surreal dreamlike kaleidoscope of reality. Neptune is slowing down to turn Rx on June 23.
Unequivocal Pluto turned Rx on April 25. Transcendent structures are being formulated in the perspective shift from "before" to "after". Still clustered with Jupiter and Saturn, Pluto currently stands at 24 + Capricorn, and will remain Rx until October 4.
Rudhyar described the nodal line as a fateful space. The transiting Nodal Axis has begun its Rx travel through the polarity of Gemini-Sagittarius. The various plays of the outer planets have been driving home the need to review the past, release enmeshed patterns, and to approach structural revision. This is seeping in on the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and transpersonal levels. Working to generate awareness of social and global impact, the Nodal Axis is currently at 29 Gemini-Sagittarius. The Nodal Axis forms the boundaries of the bowl containing all the planets at this time.
SEDNA lies beyond Saturn's Chaldean boundary, and beyond Pluto's transpersonal boundary. Considered by some to be the new outermost planet in our solar system, Sedna represents a new boundary, one related to a spiritual evolutionary consciousness. Sedna is moving Rx at 27+ Taurus, at the Pleiades/Seven Weeping Sisters Fixed Star Cluster (29 degrees of Taurus). The Seven Sisters have something to cry about--the way we live, our use of resources, our vulnerability despite the bluster. Slow moving, Sedna moves into Gemini in 2024.
