Sky Log Chart Data ForName: Bette MidlerDate: Dec 05, 1945 Time: 02:19:00 PM HST +10:30 Place: Honolulu,HI Traditional astrologers "make predictions." Often they are correct. But right or wrong, "predictions" turn you into a marionette, with the planets holding your strings. And in my opinion, that is not a very inspiring description of the way the cosmos works, nor a very accurate one. You are vastly more powerful than that. You can, to a great extent, shape your own life. That at least is my belief. The future isn't crystallized. It's a wavering, quivering web of possibilities. How will they manifest? Much depends upon how you wield the magical wild card we call your freedom. So, what's the use of astrology? In a nutshell, it can help you make better choices. The planets never give a definitive answer to the question "What will happen to me?" Instead, they ask the question. But they ask the question in a very specific way: "Given everything you are, all the bridges you've crossed, all the contracts you've signed, there are several possibilities for what you might do next..." In other words, "Here's the menu. What are you having?" Question mark. And the question mark is the most important part of the whole inquiry, because that's where the uncertainty -- and your freedom -- lies. But the planets do even more. They offer advice. In a sense, they recommend certain choices over others. They seem biased toward your evolution. They often suggest that you take the less familiar path, the one that moves you into richer fields of your own potentiality. The planets express this rather philosophical bias in a very concrete way. Typically, when you make a less energetic response to a planetary question, the results, while initially comfortable, rapidly turn painful. Sometimes the pain is immediate and dramatic, as in the collapse of an important relationship. Other times, it's more subtle, as in the degeneration of life into deadening boredom and ritual. Either way, sooner or later we know you made a wrong turn somewhere. In the pages that follow, we will be exploring the coming months of your life from this planetary perspective. There are three parts to the report, and any or all of them may be included here, depending on which have been requested. First, the big questions. In the part of the report called THE INVITATION, we try to get that "mountain-top" perspective that enables us to make sense of the details. In THE MEANS, we turn our attention to some secondary factors that offer suggestions, help, and support in responding to those big questions. And finally, we'll look at the report period month-by-month, day-by-day, to get some ground-level insight into THE DETAILS. Your report may be for three, six, nine, or twelve months and may include any or all three sections just described. For this reason, and because some years in your life are astrologically more active than others, report length can vary quite a bit. Throughout the following text, I'll be endeavoring to write in plain English, but if you're unfamiliar with the jargon of astrology, you'll encounter a few words that may require definition. A "transiting" planet, for example, refers to the actual, current position of that planet in the sky. Sometimes the transiting planets form critical geometric angles with the "natal" planets in the birthchart, triggering developmental questions in your life. These critical angles are called "aspects." The "progressed" planets function in much the same way as the transiting planets, but we approach them a little differently. They're like a script that's been built into your birthchart. Just as we know that an oak tree will emerge from an acorn and bring forth its leaves in season, similarly each person's birthchart contains within it the seeds of certain predictable developmental stages. Progressions spell out those stages. So sit back, open your mind, and engage your heart. It's time to consider...
The InvitationSome years loom large in our memories decades down the road; others are blurry, easily forgotten. That universal human reality is reflected in the movements of the planets -- astrologically speaking, one year is often far more significant than another, just as in life. Most of the really important celestial factors move rather slowly; thus, it's not unusual to experience a time in which none of them have gone critical, when we can calmly keep on putting one foot after the other, on "cruise control."Well, for you this is definitely not that kind of year. Something truly pivotal is occurring...
Tr. Saturn is Sextile Ascendant The planet Saturn is currently casting a gray light on your circumstances -- but is it the bleak gray of sorrow or the clear, comforting gray of wisdom and digested experience? That's the choice. Saturn is classically viewed as the "bad" planet, the "Greater Malefic." Don't believe it! Used correctly, its transits can bring dignity and self-respect. Essentially, Saturn is about maturity. The part of your life that's being touched by the Saturnian energies needs to grow up...which, despite the lies we're all told, is not a process one mysteriously completes on one's twenty-first birthday. There is an area of your life where you have simply outgrown yourself, at least inwardly. The task now is to adjust your outward circumstances to reflect the maturity you've already attained psychically and invisibly. It is a material problem, not fundamentally a psychological one. To succeed, there is first a need to face reality squarely, even if it's unsavory. Then to make a hard choice...that is, to reach an emotional bottom line and not be crippled by your awareness of the ambiguities in your situation. And finally, in a spirit of commitment, persistence, and self-discipline, to claim those circumstances in your life which reflect the hard inner work you've been doing over the last few years. That's Saturn in general. Specifically, Saturn is sextile your natal Ascendant: Jul 27, 2002. Let's first consider that the action and the developmental pressures are rooted in the Third House, for that's where Saturn is currently located in your chart. And what does that mean? That new information is coming your way, and that it may be somewhat shocking, unexpected, or at least fresh. It will modify your plans and make you aware of new possibilities. The news may come to you through any of the media or through a messenger, either of which may possess the tone of Saturn, as we just described it. But what's the issue? What part of your own life is scheduled to be impacted most strongly by this new data? To answer that, we turn our attention to the Ascendant, which is being invited into development by this flood of input. Like the rest of us, you are a complicated, paradoxical individual, full of contradictions and undercurrents. That's human. But another part of being human is that, like the rest of us, you need to get out of bed in the morning and put on a streamlined, simplified social mask that allows you to function in the social beehive. There's no way that you can have a truly intimate relationship with every face you see in your daily life, nor would you likely want such connections. So we all keep much of what we really are behind our astrological Ascendant, which symbolizes that mask. Physically, it is simply the sign that was dawning in the east at the instant of your birth...and symbolically it represents how you "dawn" on people who don't know you very well. When triggered by a passing transit or progression, the Ascendant signals the need to make some adjustments in the way you present yourself in the social world, so that your outer appearance remains reasonably aligned with who you have become inwardly. The work is superficial; which is not to say unimportant. Often it has to do with changing how you hold your body, the way you speak, and the clothes you wear. The aspect pervading the event we've just considered is, as we observed, a sextile. Technically, that refers to a geometric angle of 60 degrees between the natal planet and the moving one. Sextiles are traditionally viewed as "good" aspects. Certainly, they're exciting. There is a mood of eagerness regarding the process we're exploring here -- and that's glorious, provided you're wary of the excessive impulsiveness that sextiles sometimes breed. In any case, the spinning wheel of circumstances can be counted on to provide some fortuitous, unexpected opportunities for you during this period. You'll have to be quick to seize them, though. They're real, but they're short-lived.
Tr. Uranus is Sextile Moon
In effect: in progress - Aug 24, 2002 The planet Uranus is presently stirring the pot of your life, and that always promises a tumultuous passage, peppered with unexpected developments and encounters. Outwardly, Uranus is the wild card, bringing unpredictable and unforeseen events into the picture. Inwardly, it signals a time of accelerated individuation...that is, a time in which who you really are and what you truly want are rapidly emerging and defining themselves. A portion of what you imagined to be your identity has, in fact, little to do with you; it is a side-effect of your social training, nothing more. And, like training wheels on a kid's bike, you are now ready to dump it. This has an unsettling effect upon not only yourself, but also those around you. Often during Uranian periods there is a distinct "changing of the guard" in our social circles; old relationships end, new ones appear. Claim your right to be yourself -- that's the essence of the transiting Uranus. Whatever it touches, changes. Trust the changes! Like a hard wind blowing the sand off a buried city, they are revealing who you actually have been all along. That's Uranus in general. Specifically, Uranus is sextile your natal Moon: Jul 29, 2002. Currently Uranus is navigating your Eleventh House, suggesting that your own circumstances and possibilities are currently tied into larger developments involving organizations, committees, or your "crowd." This inevitably involves the use of a certain political adroitness on your part and the capacity to forge and nurture coalitions and alliances, even if they're just among three or four people. But behind the group dynamics, there's a deeper layer. What are your priorities? What do you really want? Certainly, those desires are currently evolving and their motion is in the direction of Uranus, as we just described it. In a nutshell: know what you want and choose your allies accordingly. But what's the core issue? What part of your own life is at stake? To answer that, we turn our attention to the Moon, which is being invited into development by these strategic alliances. Astrology is the basic "programming language" of human consciousness. That may seem like a bold claim, but it's easily tested and proven. Pick someone who imagines he or she knows nothing at all about astrology. Ask them what the Moon means. After an initially dumbfounded look, you'll probably get an answer such as, "I dunno...feelings?" Which is quite correct. The mind naturally associates the Moon with darkness, with moonlight...and therefore with ghosts and romance, magic and tears, vulnerability and exhilaration: emotions. Deep inside us all is a subjective realm. Love and hate, joy and sorrow, dwell there. So do our daydreams and our creativity. If we could "average" a person's mood over a lifetime, we'd have an excellent profile of his or her Moon. When the Moon is triggered into development by a passing transit or progression, your inner life is stimulated. You feel stirred up. Powerful currents of emotional energy, for weal or woe, are released into your psyche. The very basis of happiness for you is evolving. How does all that relate to your present circumstances? Recognize that the Moon occupies the Ninth House of your natal chart, an area which refers to the human need for adventure, variety, and escape from the ordinary. Periodically in your life it becomes necessary to "throw a monkey wrench" into your daily routines, to flee the scene and thereby gain the kind of "mountain-top" philosophical perspective necessary to keep your biography on a meaningful course. Under this current aspect, you have entered such a period. One final hint: those ventures, vacations, and journeys work best for you if they invoke the tone of the Moon, as we just encountered it. The two factors, as we mentioned, are linked by a sextile -- traditionally seen as a "harmonious" or "mutually enhancing" aspect, often full of fast-paced events and emotional stimulation.
Tr. Saturn is Opposite Moon Saturn played a role earlier in this account. Now it emerges again, in a new way. To refresh your memory, Saturn is ultimately the planet of maturity. It always places a strong emphasis upon hard work, decisive choices, and persistence. Saturn currently is opposite your natal Moon. The energies crest Sep 1, 2002. Let's first consider that the action is in the Third House, for that's where Saturn is currently located in your chart. This is familiar territory. New information is coming your way. It may be somewhat startling or unanticipated, and it will most likely come to you through a messenger whose nature or mood is in accord with the tone of Saturn, as we just described it. But what are the core questions? What part of you is most profoundly impacted by this new knowledge? The answer lies with the Moon, which is being invited into development during this information-intensive period in your life. The natal Moon -- that, as we have seen, represents your inner life, your emotions, moods, and attitudes. Your Ninth House engaged us previously in the report. Now we see it turned on again, indicating that your natural adventuresomeness and philosophical curiosity are at the heart of the present situation. Sometimes chances must be taken and leaps of faith made. This is such a time. Learn something new. Take a vacation to somewhere you've never been. In the spirit of the Moon, blow out the cobwebs. The geometric angle or "aspect" involved in the process we are studying is, as we said, the opposition. Not surprisingly, this suggests that the natal planet and the moving one are 180 degrees apart. Tension is thus woven into the spirit of this period of your life. The two forces we described are polarized, which often translates emotionally into a feeling of being damned if you do, and damned if you don't. How can you break the logjam? Recognize that any impossibilities you are experiencing in this area probably arise from an incomplete or biased perspective. The opposition aspect always calls for a leap into a new, more accepting level of consciousness. Something is missing in your view of the problem -- and that missing link (here's the corker...) lies in the wisdom embodied by those people or situations that are now antagonizing you. It's not that they're right and you're wrong; only that the truth that can carry you beyond this impasse lies somewhere between the two positions. What we've considered above is the underpinning of this phase of your life. It's truly elemental material -- the stuff of which milestones are made. There's no guarantee that astrological forces of such magnitude will be activated for everyone all the time. What follows is an analysis of some slightly less portentous dimensions of your astrological picture...less portentous, but still powerful enough to qualify as part of this year's "Invitation." Try to see what follows in the light of all that's gone before...
Tr. Pluto is Opposite Uranus The planet Pluto is shading the spirit of your life nowadays, and in a nutshell that means that you are being challenged to heal. Pluto, as you probably know, is the lord of the underworld...or to put it more succinctly, the God of Hell. And it is disquieting, to say the least, to imagine that this deity is currently dining at your table. But take heart! The "hell" inside you needs airing out, and that is essentially what this transit is about. You've been hurt. You've been used, abused, rejected, exploited, lied to...the whole sad litany. And, like the rest of us, you've sometimes had to keep the proverbial stiff upper lip and simply get on with your life. But where does all that hurt go? Down deep into the unconscious mind, where it stays until you're clear enough and strong enough to handle resurrecting it and really going beyond it. Pluto's action is to bring up buried emotions. Its tone is intense. It often feels moody and confrontative. It can destabilize and disrupt the areas of your life that it's touching. The best course is to resolve to go deeper and deeper, truth above kindness and resolution over comfort. It's not easy, but in the end the energizing and empowering of the psyche make the process worthwhile. What is Pluto actually doing? Currently it is opposite your natal Uranus. Although Pluto is a slow-moving planet and usually unfolds its story over a period of two or three years, during the period of this report the action peaks Jul 7, 2002. Let's start unraveling the symbolism by recognizing that the action and developmental invitation are most evident in that part of your life we call the Eighth House, for that's the region of your birthchart through which Pluto is currently passing. Typically, such an astrological event suggests a period of moody intensity as old hurt feelings come up for healing and regeneration. It is probable that you have someone in your life now, be it a bed partner or a dear friend, with whom you can speak frankly about difficult emotional topics...and can do so in the spirit of Pluto, as we just described it. Often the person is himself or herself of that same planetary nature, or is at least going through a time in which that kind of force is making itself felt. What is less certain is whether you will cast politeness aside and actually broach the sensitive subjects. But what's the core issue? What part of your own life is being affected by these unconscious biases? To answer that, we turn our attention to Uranus, which is being invited into development as these inner pressures mount. There's a wild card in everyone, a rebellious, independent, free-spirited force that hates neckties and phony courtesies and all the slick moves that keep corporations and families from splitting apart. Astrologers call it Uranus. Stripped to its essence, this part of your astrological psyche is concerned primarily with the process of individuation, which boils down to whittling away all the parts of yourself which have arisen almost accidentally as side effects of your social background. When stimulated by transits or progressions, Uranus triggers your rebellions. It asks you to shed something unauthentic, unreal, or limiting in your life. Often it brings lightning-quick developments and unexpected circumstances. Almost always, there is a confrontation between you and some figure of authority, past or present. Good things in general come your way when you make a positive response to Uranus. But one area has always been prominent in that regard -- the Second House, where Uranus lies in your birthchart. There, in the area of providing yourself with a real basis for self-confidence, the optimal use of that energy is most critical. Sometimes it comes down to seeing to it that you have enough money. Other times, provisions, proper tools, or even skills are the focus. Always the key here is to recognize the intimate link between personal resources and personal assurance. When explosive Uranus collides with unsettling Pluto, secrets long-concealed are brought to light, while unexpected, irresistible forces enter your circumstances. What one might call the "Hand of Fate" makes itself felt, sweeping away, often with frightening speed, situations which have outlived their evolutionary usefulness. The challenge to you here lies in adapting to a radically new perspective on your life. The two factors, as we mentioned, are linked by an opposition, which suggests some kind of tension or tug-of-war between them. You are asked to adjust your position, to adapt to the demands of the world around you, and to find a middle-ground between the various opposing needs and values.
The MeansIf you happen to have a cold on the day you win the lottery, will that taint your memory of the big event? Probably not. Ten years later, you will have forgotten your runny nose. Ten minutes later, more likely. Life and memory work that way. We prioritize certain kinds of events, experiencing them more vividly and remembering them far longer than the trivial and the predictable. The details of a typical Monday morning aren't going to last as long in the memory banks as images of your moment of glory or your darkest hour. In exactly the same way, not all astrological events have the same impact. What we have considered so far are all first-string milestones in your life. The rest of what we'll be considering is less central -- but that's not to say unimportant. What follows is a set of supplementary transits and progressions, presented chronologically. They're not quite as profound in their implications as what we've seen, but they're not without emotional and existential consequences. If what we have explored in the previous pages can be viewed as an evolutionary invitation, then, to that lofty end, what follows is.... "The Means" As you'll see, each of these events stands as significant in its own right. But their deepest meanings lie in the way they interact with what we've considered in the pages above, enhancing and sometimes complicating the broader developmental patterns. Cards on the table: you can skim the next several pages and, I think, learn some things about the coming months that will prove prophetic...and more importantly, helpful. But the real magic lies in putting all the pieces together, synthesizing them in your heart into an emotional whole -- just like you've done with, say, memories of a special summer long ago. No computer can do that for you. Your own creativity, your own reflections on the material we're covering, your own translations, additions, corrections, amendments, and meditations -- these are what make the difference. Let's continue.
Tr. Jupiter is Conjunct Saturn The planet Jupiter is currently coloring your circumstances. Before we say exactly how, let's attempt to understand the more general significance of any Jupiter event. Essentially, this is a call to recognize an opportunity. Traditional astrologers view it more starkly -- to them, it is simply the planet of luck. And that is often the case: the toast does tend to land butter-side up when Jupiter is crossing sensitive territories. But the real, evolutionary meaning lies deeper. One key is that Jupiter is future-oriented...it is concerned with bright, unexplored possibilities. Stripped to its bones, Jupiter always asks one primary question: how have you been underestimating yourself? Its transits signal a time when new opportunities come into existence, but to seize them you must recognize that you deserve them, that you are capable of rising to them, and that old deals and compromises are finished. Trust yourself, have faith in life, and go for it: that's the spirit of Jupiter. How is it affecting you? Jupiter is conjunct your natal Saturn: Jul 6, 2002. First we must recognize that the action and the developmental pressures are rooted in the Fourth House, for that's the region of your birthchart through which Jupiter is currently passing. Immediately that realization places our attention on two fundamental areas: The first is your home and family, which may well be making their needs felt now in the "key" of Jupiter. And the second, often confused by the first, is your own happiness and that deep soul-feeling inside yourself to which you must be true if your life is to stay on course. Under this kind of stimulation, a person often benefits from considering his or her deepest beliefs and attitudes from a conventional psycho-therapeutic perspective -- which in essence is to say, "Figure out what mom and dad taught you," and drop what is no longer consistent with your own course. But what's the issue? What part of your own life is at stake? To answer that, we turn our attention to Saturn, which is being invited into development by these familial and emotional pressures. Getting kicked out of the nest, one way or another, is an elemental part of life. Faced with the stark, unyielding actualities of the "real world," you either die then and there or get on with the cunning, calculating business of staying alive. To accomplish either of those ends, you activate the energies of your natal Saturn: your self-discipline, your patience, and your practicality...if you choose survival. And if you choose to give up, you withdraw into fear and probably get into a mood of despair and defeat. When Saturn is triggered by passing transits or progressions, it signals a time in which hard work is appropriate, necessary, and the best insurance for happiness. Often it suggests that the circumstances or even people who have been a significant part of your past must now be left behind, making way for a more mature expression of your identity. Maintaining a healthy relationship with the force of Saturn is particularly central to your well-being in one key area: the Fourth House, which is where Saturn happened to be located when you took your first breath in Honolulu,HI. There, in the domain of home and hearth and also of emotional and psychological processes, a strong response to this planet forges in you a clear sense of who you are and what you want. Happiness has different sources for different people. For you, much of it comes from experiences connected to Saturn, as we just portrayed it. Claim them! Always sound advice -- but how you go about claiming them is currently evolving, partly as a result of changing external circumstances. When Jupiter interacts with Saturn, you experience an odd confluence of providential fortune (Jupiter) and daunting impediments (Saturn). Essentially, something very good is available to you now, but to attain it you must undertake a herculean effort. More profoundly, that effort itself will crystallize a very specific transformation in you: it will grant you the dignity of your advancing maturity. As we mentioned, the aspect involved in the event we just described is the conjunction, which refers to a precise alignment between the natal planet and the moving trigger. Thus, the process emphasizes fusion, integration, and synthesis. Of all the possible aspects, the conjunction is the most intense. The explosion rattles your outward circumstances; but it originates inside you, and puts you in the driver's seat. It is appropriate for you to claim some new level of power, of self-expression, and of autonomy. If you don't, no one will do it for you; and the opportunity will evaporate.
Tr. Jupiter is Square Ascendant Jupiter figured earlier in this analysis. Now we meet it again. As you may recall, this is the planet of possibilities and the seizing of opportunities. Jupiter currently is square your natal Ascendant. The action peaks Jul 7, 2002. First let's note that the action and the developmental pressures are rooted in the Fourth House, a dimension of your birthchart we've encountered before, for that's the house through which Jupiter is currently passing. Two areas are immediately focalized: your domestic or familial environment (which is now likely to make its presence felt in the spirit and mood of Jupiter) and that deep soul-feeling inside yourself to which you must be true if your life is to stay on course. We could call it your personal myth, or more simply your bliss. And again, in staying true to those levels of your being, you must now stay true to Jupiter. But what are the core questions? What area of your life is most affected by these domestic or psychological developments? The answer lies with the Ascendant, which is being invited into development during this long talk with yourself and the resultant sorting out of your real essence from your family training. The natal Ascendant -- that, as we have seen, represents your style, how you go about translating your inner worlds into the two-dimensional framework of daily social interactions. The aspect connected with the astrological process we're investigating here is the square, as we have seen. The square, traditionally characterized as an unfortunate aspect, describes a geometric angle of 90 degrees between the natal planet and the moving trigger. To call squares "bad" is misleading. More accurately, they are compelling. In the area of your life we're considering, a terrific friction has arisen. It's not comfortable, but it is an extremely effective motivator. The trick in using the energy creatively lies in moving decisively -- determining precisely what you want, claiming it, and letting the rest go. A season of tough choices is upon you. Regarding the process we described in the previous paragraphs, there are costs involved in all the courses available to you...the most costly, for all concerned, being the course of indecision.
Pr. Moon is Square Jupiter You don't need to be an astrologer to know what the Moon means. Just engage your imagination. Immediately, the mind free-associates. Moon: night...feelings...falling in love...seeing a ghost... And that's pretty much what astrologers throughout history have said: the Moon represents your interior life, your "heart." Like all astrological factors, the Moon progresses, taking a little over a quarter of a century to make one circuit around the chart. It typically spends a couple of years in each sign or house, and eventually forms aspects with all the planets. How do we read it? Simple: at any given moment the progressed Moon tells us where your heart is. Or, to be a little less schmaltzy about it, the Moon says where your attention is. What is concerning you. Where your growth experiences are unfolding -- which is often to say where you're experiencing challenges, upsets, or opportunities to regroup and express yourself in new ways. Being an emotional factor, the progressed Moon always refers to areas of heightened sensitivity. Intuition comes to the forefront. Instincts must be followed. Somehow the unconscious mind has gotten ahead of conscious awareness, and now conscious awareness is catching up, following the trail of intuitive clues and impulses laid down by the wise, dark interior of your spirit. Currently the Moon is steering a course through your Tenth House. That's the traditional "House of Career," and any planet passing through that part of your natal chart suggests that external developmental pressures are now arising which have the effect of modifying your place in the world. Something is brewing in your profession or vocation, or in your social status -- the way you look to people who don't really know you very well. What is it? We can't say exactly, but to respond optimally to the potentials and challenges built into this event, you'll need to act according to the spirit of the Moon, as we just described it. But what's the core issue? What part of your own life is at stake? To answer that, we turn our attention to Jupiter, which is being invited into development by these professional or social openings. How is the progressed Moon currently impacting on you? It is square your natal Jupiter: sometime before the report period.. In thinking about this, remember that progressions are slow-motion events, and that this event simply peaks then; it will be affecting your mood for a period of two or three months on either side of that date. Hope and faith are essential to sanity. Without at least a few bright dreams and expansive goals, a person grows flat and dull...becomes a time-server. The same can be said for self-confidence: we need it. And even if such assurance sometimes crosses the line into a sprinkle of arrogance, that's less troubling and limiting than sitting around afraid to take any risks at all. There is a gambler's circuit in your psyche that understands these notions perfectly well. Astrologers call it Jupiter. When stimulated by a passing transit or progression, it encourages you to extend yourself further into your world, to bet on yourself, and to recognize emerging opportunities. Be wary at the same time that you don't settle for glitter when gold may be just around the corner. Sustaining steady contact with the energy of Jupiter, always good for you, now figures especially prominently in one critical dimension of your life: the Sixth House, which is where Jupiter lies in your birthchart. What themes or issues come to the fore here? Responsibilities, duties, and the fulfillment of your commitments. But before we start sounding too much like the Boy Scout Handbook, let's remember that the pivotal issue of the Sixth House lies in recognizing the exact nature of your proper obligations, and not letting yourself be cowed into signing up for boring, self-sacrificial martyrdoms that are none of your business anyway. Clarifying the exact location of the thin line between humility and humiliation is on the front burner for you now. One rule of thumb: when your duties have the flavor of Jupiter, you're on the right track. When the Moon interacts with Jupiter, the mood of life generally turns jovial and optimistic. There is an attitude of hopefulness and an alertness to possibility. It is a season of enhanced imagination, especially about your own potential future. In general, the best policy is to be bold in your dreaming, but cautious about signing on the dotted line. What you envision creatively now is probably quite sound, but it will want some editing in the cold light of dawn. The two factors, as we mentioned, are linked by a square -- traditionally seen as a "bad" aspect, but more accurately seen as simply frictional. Squares generally suggest tough choices, external pressures, and at least some stress.
Tr. Saturn is Trine Jupiter Saturn played a role earlier in this account. Now it emerges again, in a new way. To refresh your memory, Saturn is ultimately the planet of maturity. It always places a strong emphasis upon hard work, decisive choices, and persistence. Saturn currently is trine your natal Jupiter. The energies crest sometime before the report period. Let's first understand that the action is in the Second House, for that's where Saturn is currently passing through your chart. And what does that signify? That the circumstances driving your development, at least in terms of this particular configuration, have to do with self-confidence...but not simply in the conventional psychological way. Here the self-confidence -- or lack of it -- is rooted in the quality and appropriateness of your resource-base. To use this time well, act in the spirit of Saturn, as we just described it, and claim what you need for your journey, whether this be money, connections, equipment, or skills. But what's the deeper issue? What part of your own life now hinges on your gathering the right tools, funds, and skills? To answer that, we turn our attention to Jupiter, which is being invited into development by this quickening of your dignity, self-reliance, and aplomb. The natal Jupiter -- that, as we have seen, symbolizes your capacity for positive thinking and abundance. More deeply, Jupiter is about your faith in life and in yourself. Your Sixth House held our attention for a while earlier in these pages; now we see it making itself felt again. You have an inherent desire to be helpful and competent, and you express it best when you find ways to give people around you "gifts" of the nature of Jupiter, as we just described it. That part of your nature is currently in the spotlight, so offer yourself and your gifts to those who need them. You'll grow wiser, and they'll be happier. When Jupiter interacts with Saturn, you experience an odd confluence of providential fortune (Jupiter) and daunting impediments (Saturn). Essentially, something very good is available to you now, but to attain it you must undertake a herculean effort. More profoundly, that effort itself will crystallize a very specific transformation in you: it will grant you the dignity of your advancing maturity. As we said, the aspect involved in the event we just described is the trine, which refers to a 120 degree angle between the natal planet and the moving one. Trines are traditionally viewed as positive aspects, and in fact they generally do correlate with opportunities. Additionally, their existence implies that support is available to you, if you are willing to move to claim it. And therein lies the rub with the so-called "good" aspects. They're not very dynamic. Just as pain is a more powerful motivator than contentment, the trick with trines lies in taking advantage of them before the wheel turns and their potential vanishes. With regard to the developments we described in the previous few paragraphs: a door is now open, a red carpet rolled out...but don't count on everything remaining that way forever. (17 more planetary aspects defined in detail…taken out for brevity of the example)
The DetailsIn the mood for Mardi Gras? If you live in Chicago, it helps to know that New Orleans lies to the south. Head west or east and you'll never arrive . . .What we've done in the previous pages is to show you the direction to New Orleans. We've looked at the big astrological themes that are affecting you this year . . . As a reminder, at the beginning of our analysis of each month's events we'll make reference to any major configurations covered previously which happen to be reaching peaks of intensity then -- and please recall that some of them will have more than a single peak during the report period. There won't be any more analysis; just an allusion to the events so you can go back and review the earlier material, and see the patterns of the month in the light of the year's heavier transits and progressions. Please remember that the fleeting, often forgettable influences we discuss in the following pages must always draw their real meaning from the far more monumental events we've already described. A "discussion with the boss," for example, is going to take on particular significance during a month when your whole career is up for grabs! These minor transits unfold quickly. It's a rare week that doesn't contain at least a few. A report that discussed them all in the kind of microscopic detail we've applied to the major events would be several inches thick. In order to cover the daily astrological kaleidoscope within the practical limitations of the space available, we've resorted to producing capsulized one-sentence nuggets that compress a lot of information into a few words. So, slow down, shift gears, and let them wash over you. Think of these images more as daily meditations than as the kind of full-blown explanations to which you've gotten accustomed in the previous sections of SKYLOG. One brief reminder: remember that many astrological events have not one but several peaks of intensity, so you may find a given "Invitation" or "Means" coming up several times in the pages that follow. Even minor astrological events commonly have an impact over several days. In the following month-by-month analysis, configurations are listed chronologically according to the days they "peak" -- but don't take that date narrowly. The most colorful events and profoundest realizations might easily occur a day or two later or earlier.
July Invitation Peaks
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