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 Aries at the Spring/Vernal Equinox on March 19, 2020 at 11:50 PM EDT. Aries is the beginning. Aries is refreshing. Aries is outward action. Aries is assertion. As one person put it: Don't be a sheep, be a ram!
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 March New Moon occurred on Tuesday March 24, 2020 at 5:28 AM EDT at 4 + Aries. The Sabian Symbol reads as follows: A white triangle with golden wings on its upper sides. This moon is a strong one, as it is squaring the Lunar Nodes. Experiences shared with others or the public become important, and these experiences hold emotion.
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. On a mundane level, the pressure is being applied to the US Pluto position of 27 + Capricorn. Opportunities for change abound as the business of leadership and the socio-political-economic structures whirl into the vortex of evolution. On a personal level, the body, soul, and spirit require endurance, as the emphasis is on building transcendent structures, however this manifests internally or externally. Obviously, the Coronavirus (Covid-19) which emerged out of the Jupiter-Neptune last quarter square of 2019 (achieving results), is the most immediate manifestation. The intensity of this pandemic is the culmination of an accumulation of energy. In addition to these two major events (Jupiter Neptune square and Saturn-Pluto conjunction), the most recent and upcoming eclipses and their activation are significant.
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; if you have planetary placements at the degrees, you will be called to growth. 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 Rx periods for 2020 are: February 16 (12 + Pisces-March 9; June 17 (14 + Cancer)-July 11; and October 13 (11 + Scorpio)-November 3. Currently Mercury is Direct at 7 Pisces, moving towards the shadow of the February Rx. Mercury's message right now is one of metamorphosis.
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. We are currently in the Venus cycle that began at the retrograde October 5, 2018 at 10 Scorpio 50. Here Venus is at her detriment, not particularly social, but diving deep to weigh out the work of Jupiter's journey through Scorpio in 2018. Currently, Venus is a Direct Evening Star. When the Sun sets, Venus becomes visible, shining brilliantly for the next few months. She will begin her new cycle on May 13, 2020, when she turns Rx at 21 + Gemini until she stations Direct on June 24. Venus is perigrine in Gemini, and will therefore work through Mercury; messaging become the goal. Both of these planets will both be Rx between June 17-June 24. Currently, Venus is at 20 Taurus, where she is very comfortable gathering resources, as she prepares for her recalibration journey.
Mars will also have a Rx cycle this year, while at 28 + AR September-November. Mars is now at at 25 Capricorn, having set up the firestorms when out of bounds, then aligning with the Nodal axis, the December Solar Eclipse degree, Jupiter, Pluto, and soon Saturn. Mars is exalted in Capricorn, and will be Rx in its own sign. The warrior Mars is fierce in his glory now.
Jupiter is currently at 23+ Capricorn, clustered with Pluto, Mars, and Saturn. Jupiter aligns with Pluto three times (in early April, at the end of June, and the end of November), and will be held between Pluto and Saturn from April-June and again in November-December, before joining Saturn in Aquarius at the Winter Solstice, 2020. In its fall in Capricorn, Jupiter, too, is working very hard on the permanent changes. Jupiter turns Rx to take a bit of a rest on May 15 at 27 +.
Saturn is at home now, in the earthy, grounded sign of Capricorn. Saturn reveals the cracks in the foundation, which require repair through effort, and karmic resolution. Direct, Saturn dips its toes into the Aquarian water pool 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 will Rx back into Capricorn on May 11 (just before Venus and Jupiter on the 13th and 14th of May). As we awaken to the new reality, Saturn's job is to put necessary controls in place. Get ready--the future is now. Saturn will join with Jupiter at the Winter Solstice, 2020.
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 the peace of mind. Uranus, the Awakener, is currently Direct at 4 +Taurus. Uranus will remain in the sign of Taurus for the next 7 years. We are waking up now to practicalities, and will need resourcefulness. Active players in the shift in consciousness, Uranus and Saturn will square off as traditions are broken, as revolutionary ideas are controlled, and new solutions emerge. We have done so much work to prepare for this 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 in August.
Nebulous Neptune, bringing the vicissitudes of the tides forward, is Direct at 19 + Pisces, is own sign. Oceanic, Neptune brings fog, chaos, and confusion, as well as rhythm and depth. One manifestation of Neptune in Pisces involves germs, viruses, hospitalizations, service and suffering. Neptune's ethereal nature continues to dissolve and deliver the surreal dreamlike kaleidoscope of reality. Neptune turns Rx April 26.
Unequivocal Pluto is currently Direct at 24 + Capricorn. Changes will continue to take form in transcendent structures that serve to shift perspectives into a sense of before and after. As Saturn starts to pull away, Pluto will join with Jupiter three times (early April, end of June, end of November). Pluto will Rx at the end of April.
Rudhyar described the nodal line as a fateful space. The transiting Nodal Axis continues its Rx motion on the Cancer-Capricorn polarity. The North Node is currently at 3+ degrees Cancer. The various plays of the outer planets have been driving home the need to review the past, release entrenched, enmeshed patterns, and to approach a spiritual awareness of the emotional basis of our structures--on the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and transpersonal levels. These energies are working together to purify all that is not truly authentic. The Nodal Axis moves into Gemini-Sagittarius in early May.
SEDNA lies beyond Saturn's Chaldean boundary, and beyond Pluto's transpersonal boundary. As the new outermost planet in our solar system, Sedna represents a new boundary, a new world order, 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. Sedna moves into Gemini in 2024.
