Fast-forward another year; as usual, the general write up is long, and the individual horoscopes have a separate page each. The contents listing is presented first, as many readers return to review the column throughout the year. (Note I will be presenting a talk on this topic January 10, 2008; see details.
Images are so important, and I like to include both a literary quote and an image, this year I combined the two. It is comprised of patches, symbols and planetary imagery. As I write this year's column Mars is retrograde in Cancer and much to my friends' surprise and my own, I took up quilting with this planetary transit. Writing a generalized column is similar to piecing together a quilt, except measuring the impact of another astrological configuration or placement is impossible without the actual birth chart. I wrote an article about the Mars transit earlier this Autumn, click here to read it. There are many stellar changes this year. The more changes in the stars equates to more potential changes in our lives. This column addresses some of the major ones, each section includes astrological terminology for the benefit of the students of astrology and the second part is an analysis of the meaning and influence in our lives.
General Comments
Venus becomes the Evening Star June 8, 2008
The needle of the Compass—Nodes and Eclipses: Aquarius & Leo
Tackle Life Differently — Mars regresses into Gemini
Jupiter in Capricorn since December 18, 2007 until January 2009
Saturn opposition Uranus in 2008
Neptune in Aquarius since since 1996
Horoscopes for the 12 signs: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces.
I have been writing an annual column for the past sixteen years. The way I look at planetary energy has changed along the way. Since 2001, my prognostications and thoughts for the year have been posted on my website. While this column has Astro-factors in it, the conclusions are still in plain English, but as many students of astrology read the column I am leaving some of the technical jargon in it. If you are only interested in the predictions by sign, click on the links above to be 'transported' to the write up for your sign.
The adjacent graphic shows the major astrological events for the year. This at a glance graphic readily shows where the emphasis by sign is for the year. Life just kicked up a notch for Gemini, Libra, Capricorn, and Aquarius; Virgo and Pisces continue to experience changes.
There are many significant shifts this year. The more shifts in the stars the more shifts in our lives. The big changes are when an outer planet changes signs, because this happens rather seldom. The retrograde motion of the inner planets is most important in our personal lives. The inner planets are the personal ones. Last year it was all three: Mercury, Venus and Mars. This year Venus does not retrograde. Mars started its backward motion mid-November and this influence continues into 2008.
The elements of Air and Earth hold the centre stage this year. Air is associated with intellect, thoughts and ideas; the air signs are Gemini, Libra and Aquarius. Earth is practical application and work; the earth signs are Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn.
I put together a year at a glance laminate in both Pacific and Eastern Time Zones, and have one also available in Finnish in -2h GMT. It is a double-sided page, which lists the planetary stations, Mercury Calendar, and more, check it out
The year begins with Mars of action moving backwards in the Zodiac. On New Year's Eve Mars regressed back to Gemini, which affords us time to develop and think of different kinds of solutions in reference to our personal issues. I wrote about Mars earlier in 2007 ; click here to read it. See Astro-data. When planets regress, move backward against the natural order of the Zodiac, we feel the energy they represent more personally—it becomes 'in your face' energy. Mars can be the aggressor or the extreme opposite, the one who refuses to act.
"Doing things the same way 'over and over again' and expecting different results is insanity."
Since mid-November, Mars has been retrograde in Cancer, in which sign he feels uncomfortable. Mars is a planet of battle and action and Cancer—the natural home of the Moon—is associated with home, family, empathy and nostalgia. The two energies are not very comfortable together. Most people report being busier than ever, finding that they no longer want to do something having done it far too often. During Mars retrograde times, we also have a hard time starting something new, because we already have far too many things on the go. Moreover, out of those, there are an inordinate number of 'must do items' and little time to do what we'd rather be doing. At the end of the year, on New Year's Eve, Mars returns to Gemini for two months. This gives us the opportunity to find intellectual tools to deal with our personal issues—we all have them. On an advisory note, Mars dances opposite Pluto, this can spell 'danger', therefore 'don't drink and drive', don't think you can get away with something or chance it by taking foolish short cuts (no matter what the task).
We have been on an emotional rollercoaster since mid-November; actually make it about end of September. Many of us have made statements such as 'I no longer want to do that or I REFUSE. This energy can be over reactive, meaning that we get upset over little things that aren't worth the effort of losing our control.
Until early March, we have the opportunity to find intellectual, rational, logical choices to set on a different course through the maze of life. During January, we need to revisit past ideas, talk to family and familiar people and to reconnect with the past, but this time with an intellectual mindset.
The feelings we have been having for the past 2-3 months need to be addressed. If something is making you feel unhappy, emotionally alone or alienated, you need to speak up. There is that saying: Doing the same thing 'over and over again' and expecting the same results is insanity.
Mars reverses for seven weeks at a time and spends six months in the same sign. This time the cycle is almost nine months. It began in August 6, 2007, when Mars entered Gemini and ends when Mars moves to Leo in May 2008. Because Mars cycles repeat seldom in the same sign, we don't recall how we coped with the previous one some 15-17 years earlier. The last time Mars did the same thing in these two signs was in 1975-76. Those of us who are older may recall what happened or changed with us back then, but 32 years is a long time.
During the first two weeks of January pick your battles with care; taking the defensive or offensive stance without just cause only brings about alienation. The same applies to the mid-weeks of April, 2008. Obstinate Pluto and trigger-happy Mars are at loggerheads. Think of a rope pull, your hands get chafed and you have to apply all of your weight in order to emerge the victor. What if you didn't pick a good cause?
Mars and Pluto oppose one another January 3 and April 24, 2008. This repeats from September 21 and December 26; thus we have had our preview! The pair at this point of their cycle can represent a power struggle. The two will begin a new cycle at the end of the year, December 28, 2008. This one began at the beginning of 2007. Mars roams around the Zodiac in approximately two years. (On average 780 days).
Pluto, defined as a dwarf planet, will enter the sign of business, Capricorn, January 25 and returns to Sagittarius June 13 for six months to travel through to the final degree of Sagittarius one more time, which makes it personal for those born in the final four days of the Sun in Sagittarius and in the first few days of Sun in Capricorn (21-24 December). See Astro-data More about Pluto below
Jupiter has a twelve-year cycle around the Zodiac. On December 19, 2007, Jupiter left his own sign, Sagittarius and moved into Capricorn, the home of Saturn. Jupiter is the planet we associate with luck and gifts—a celestial Santa Claus. Well, Santa has now taken up residence for about 13 months in the sign of reality, practicality, boundaries and doing things according to societal norms. This curbs the natural enthusiasm and buoyancy of Jupiter and keeps us strongly founded in REALITY. Optimism is reined into what is possible with effort on our part; it is harder to believe in luck falling onto our laps with this influence. Rather we can see potential, provided of course that we are willing to roll up our sleeves and work toward realizing our expectations. Jupiter is grand expectations, when Jupiter was in Sagittarius in 2007; we might have stated ‘when I win the lottery' now with the Capricorn influence it becomes if I play my cards right I will earn my rewards—no short cuts. Jupiter represents ethics and doubly so in Capricorn, which is associated with societal rules, regulations and our collective ethics and laws.
In the course of 2006-2007, right and wrong became a pronounced theme in our private lives and in the public opinion. Jupiter and Pluto formed a conjunction in December 2007. This was in Sagittarius of ethics, writing and formulating laws and societal guidelines.
This particular phenomenon repeats seldom and begins a cycle that lasts a quarter of a millennium. Many long cycles influence the history of humankind. This is one of them. To add to the significance of the union of the two planets, the position in the Zodiac coincided with the Galactic Centre, which incidentally is expanding. The centre of our Universe housed this rare ‘meeting', which I consider the centre of our collective consciousness.
Those of us born in Those born May 1931, July-August 1943, October-November 1955, February and June 1956, October 1968, November 1981, and November-December 1994, have this in their horoscopes. If you were born during or near one of these months, the energy is something that you tap into naturally; thus this marks a turning point in your life; and are feeling a strong pull to use this energy more effectively.
The two planets align once every twelve years (sometimes three within a year as in the mid-1950s and 1869-70) but in the same sign only once in 250 years.
Pluto follows Jupiter into Capricorn January 25, 2008. Pluto is the god of the Underworld, associated with both wealth and transformation. As a cute aside, transformers (the animated robots) first entered the TV screens in 1996 when Pluto last changed signs and now at the tail end a spectacular special effects movie bearing the same name was recently released on DVDs. Back then, it was VHS tapes. Technological advances have moved at lightning speed over the past decade or so. The speed continues, but with the Capricorn influence, our structures and reality are going to be altered over the next 14.5 years that Pluto spends in Capricorn.
In the 1930's Pluto was in Cancer and now we have an opposition to that by sign. During the Pluto in Cancer years, the structure of family and our world map were changed radically. The big family structures crumbled and we began to loose the connection to our own genetic lineage. Pluto was in Leo from about the Second World War to about 1956-57. During those years the ‘selfish' baby boomers were born. This generation refuses to grow old, retire into the shadows, insists on being able to play, and expects to have a wealth of resources at their disposal. The boomers are actually the wealthiest generation thus far. Notice how, now that the youngest boomers are fifty years of age, we have so many products available to us that help us stay ever-young and defy living in harmony with the natural cycle of life. Everyone knows what Botox and Viagra are. Many of us further have resources to use these. Actually, the biggest payouts by medical insurance companies go for reimbursement for sexual enhancement drugs for men; during the Pluto in Sagittarius years, ours became an ‘on demand' world. We want to be virile, so there is a pill for that; we want to be young, there are pills and procedures for that…
In the late 50s and 1960s, Pluto was in Virgo and our food and health care changed. Fast food chains began gaining ground, by the 1970s these were cropping up everywhere, like mushrooms. Virgo is about purity and now that Saturn is in Virgo, that generation X is personally involved in debunking dietary and health myths, we don't need eight glasses of water a day, we also get hydration from food, juices, fruit, etc.
Pluto was in Libra from mid-seventies through mid-eighties. This was the period when relationships changed; divorce became commonplace as did de facto relationships (common law). The youngest in this generation are about 23 years of age and the oldest in their early 30s. Once this group reaches midlife, we will begin to see higher acceptance of all kinds of relationships.
During the time the Pluto in Scorpio generation, from mid-80s to 1996, was born, we became aware of AIDS, assisted suicide, and a variety of issues that deal with death, transformation and the human psyche. New Age phenomena became everyday phenomena. To these kids reincarnation is a given…
There are still kids being born to the Pluto in Sagittarius generation. The gist of this era simplified: justice and law, magic and faith! During these years that conclude next year, we saw Law and Order, Criminal Intent, CSI, and a whole array of reality shows on TV. Harry Potter was 'born', at the time of the Jupiter-Pluto conjunction; a JK Rowling handwritten manuscript fetched over a million pounds at an auction. Her books have sold millions of copies, only second to the bible…Maybe we should call this the Harry Potter generation! The author belongs to the Pluto in Virgo generation.
Pluto will be in Capricorn for fourteen years, the preview is playing now , and the intensity picks up at the end of January. Pay attention to the headlines during the last week o f January for your preview to what this planetary shifts spells out for the world.
Opening the newspaper or turning on the News early December revealed news about sentences handed down by the courts. During these days, Jupiter and Pluto aligned at the Galactic Centre. There will more of this type of 'judgment' throughout the early part of 2008, and in 2008 when Pluto moves into Capricorn, our laws will likely be changed into tougher ones. We are in a major transition time…
Pluto, defined as a dwarf planet, will enter the sign of business, Capricorn, January 25, 2007. Pluto returns to Sagittarius for one last hurrah June 13 for six months, to revisit the final degree of Sagittarius. This makes it personal for those born in the final four days of the Sun in Sagittarius and in the first few days of Sun in Capricorn (21-24 December). See Astro-data
The headlines for the 250-year period ahead could be abolishing statutory parole, enforcement of the laws, and stricter 'punishment' for breaking the law. The rights of the collective vs. the rights of the individual begin to emerge in all areas of life. You are responsible for your actions; maybe some of those 'silly' defenses are removed from the legal system.
When planets move into cardinal signs, they cause action! Just think back a few short weeks. What action did you naturally take around the 18-22 of December? What fell into place as the LOGICAL thing to do?
We might not know what needs to change, but do know that there are things not to our liking. Over the past dozen years, one area of our lives has changed. With Pluto in Capricorn we become more aware of own mortality. Life is short, what do you plan to get out of life from here on out. Now that Pluto of change, elimination, rebirth and 'fate' is shifting gradually into the sign of business, societal norms and ambition, Capricorn we need to become the architect of our own fate. If we observe, what people are busy doing every year while many planets are in Capricorn we get strong clues as to what the planetary influence is most likely to bring us.
Every year when many planets are in Capricorn (Dec 21-Jan 20), people seem to do a big purge around their homes—in with the new at Christmas and out with the old after Boxing Day. When the planet known for its ability to eliminate, to make redundant moves in Capricorn, purging things and people, who have outlived their usefulness can become a strong theme.
Naturally, this influence is stronger at times when planetary influences touch our personal planetary influences. For the four Cardinal signs—Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn—the dates when Pluto crosses into the sign, January 25 and November 26 are potentially climactic. It isn't just the exact date rather at least a month around for the initial impetus for change. For Capricorn it is now personal, becoming acutely aware of mortality. A few Capricorn astrologers I have spoken to, have discussed their own potential longevity; very pragmatically, I might add. Not to become all morbid, while the ruler of Pluto is associated with death and destruction, it isn't all doom and gloom.
During the past 12 years, reality TV, Law and Order, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Viagra, Botox, and War on Terrorism, various shows on ghosts, mediums and similar otherworldly phenomena entered our reality. Sagittarians became more serious about life. During the next 14 years, Capricorns are faced with REALITY at a completely new level. Pluto's intent is to eliminate all that is not viable! I have discussed the potential for each sign in the individual write-ups. For those interested in mundane events, I recommend reading the headlines on and around the ingress dates give above.
Saturn the planet of responsibility, obligations, limitations and lessons in life moved into Virgo September 2, 2007 for a two-year stint. Read about Saturn in Virgo.
2008 begins with the three outer planets in the transpersonal signs. It has been this way for a few years now. Uranus is in Pisces (since 2003) and Neptune in Aquarius (since 1996), the two will continue to be in mutual reception until Uranus moves onto Aries at the end of the decade. What does this mean? Simplistically, the two share resources and have access to their own kind of energy. It is akin to sisters sharing clothes, lending money to each other and seeing the other's point of view. The similar themes we are experiencing now echo the 1920's but also the beginning of the industrial era.
This energy has the potential for great shifts in our consciousness, which may propel us to make big changes in our lives. We can harness this energy by applying it something in our lives. Unharnessed this energy can create power struggles. Naturally, this kind of rare energy—the previous occurrence in Sagittarius was back in 1758, the time of the Industrial Revolution. Machines were invented to make fabric, energy and factories began to sprout in Europe . The alignments launch eras that last about a quarter of a century; could those sci-fi writers be right about space travel for the common man, inhabiting and mining another planet... One alignment occurred at the time of the crucifixion, another in 1023 preceding the medieval Crusades (1095-1291)—these planetary cycles are fascinating. In 1023, first paper money was printed in China ; Pluto is the planet associated with immense wealth.
The two planets align once every twelve years, but in the same once (sometimes three within a year as in the mid-1950s and 1869-70) every 250 years. Those born May 1931, July-August 1943, October-November 1955, February and June 1956, October 1968, November 1981, and November-December 1994, have this in their horoscopes. If you were born during or near one of these months, the energy is something that you tap into naturally; thus this marks a turning point in your life.
We have felt this energy building up all year long, what conscious choices are you making in the present?
Just after the Winter Solstice 2007, the Nodes of the Moon changed signs. The Nodal Axis is akin to the Needle on the compass with a North and a South one. The North as in the compass is our guiding direction. This axis moves from Pisces-Virgo to Aquarius-Leo. The next shift takes place mid-2009. Each of the individual horoscopes addresses the influence for the twelve signs of the Zodiac.
Aquarius is the sign associated with the collective, societal issues and causes. Aquarius is an intellectual, rational air sign, interested in the underlying causes and seeks the truth and equality for all. Leo is the sign associated with individuals/egos, and with me first; Aquarius places the needs of others ahead of personal ones.
The nodal axis shows where the eclipses will occur and has the role of showing us where we need to be headed. You will find that most astrologers use the words Dharma and Karma to illustrate the basic meaning of each end of this axis. I often see luck and obstacles also assigned to this pair. The Nodes are always an axis of two opposing signs and until mid-2009 the pair is in Aquarius and Leo. Oppositions are closely linked to relationships, two polarized views and to the concept of compromise. The eclipses last a moment, but two areas in our charts will be illuminated by this axis for another year.
I like to refer to these as the needle of the compass; we each have a pair in our natal charts. As with the compass the one pointing to North shows us the direction in which we ought to be headed; we can stay focused on one guiding direction and find our way home. Our natal charts are a snapshot of the heavens at our birth, but the motion of the planets does not stop. The nodes are reflective of the path of the Sun, which astrologically represents our ego, our identity and show us how we need to be or become in order to live to our full potential. The Sun is a rational and logical facet of our identity. The other part of the nodes is linked to the Moon, which astrologically speaking, represents our instinctive reactions, emotions, memories and our innate habits. From this perspective, the North Node is linked to the Sun and the South Node to the Moon. Karma, which means action (reaction) of the South Node, simply shows us that if we keep on doing what we have always done we cannot move forward. Life hands us issues whether we are prepared for them or not, and we cannot solve problems by using the same approach we did in order to create the issues in the first place.
At age 18.5, 37, 55.5 and 74 the nodes in transit (planets in the ever-changing sky) return to the same position as they were at birth. These are the years when we re-evaluate our direction in life. As we begin our adult lives around our 18th birthday, we need to decide what we are going to do with our lives. At 37, the question is am I still headed in the right direction. At 55.5, we are reviewing what we have done thus far and wondering if we are personally, feeling fulfilled with our efforts as we are in our elder years period. What do we need to give back, what have learned that we could share with our community?
At age 9, 27.7, 46.5, and 64.7 we have the transit North Node on our natal South Node. The order is reversed. These are like the mid-terms of the previous set, we can quite clearly see what we have done so far, and this helps us reconnect with our direction. We can never go back, so regrets are wasted; we can only return to a changed set of circumstances. These tend to be turning point years, naturally there are other planetary configurations helping nudge us toward the right direction.
© Anne Massey 2007 All Rights Reserved
Banner Graphic by, Warwick J. Massey, www.silentw.com
is a certified astrological professional. who has maintained an astrological practise since 1988. To learn more about Anne read her bio and to learn about consultations click here. To book a consultation with Anne call her office at 1.604.888-9552 or send an email.
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Photograph: Ritva Sillanmäki August 2007
Anne is the the founding president of the Fraser Valley Astrological Guild, an International VP for ISAR in Western Canada (International Society for Astrological Research), a member of the Finnish Astrological Association, and a member of the Canadian Association for Astrological Education and of the National Council for Geocosmic Research
