Astrologically Speaking

December 2002 edition ...

lotus In the early sixties I sat at the sandbox listening to "She loves you, yeah, yeah" and "Michelle ma belle", at the time we didn't understand the words only the music. You see I grew up in Finland and English isn't the language of the land. Tonight I was watching Entertainment Tonight play tribute to the quiet Beatle, George Harrison. Almost forty years have passed since I sat listening to Michelle on the radio.

My generation, the generations after ours grew up influenced by the music and lives of the four Beatles. I have wondered for days what to write about for my December edition of astrologically speaking. These are definitely interesting times we live in but sometimes when living it - it is so easy to loose focus on what we are doing vs. what we ought to be doing with our lives.

What caught my attention in the piece on Entertainment tonight was the quote George Harrison gave in a 1992 interview - after having discovered his health problem. "Life is so fragile - like a rain drop on a lotus blossom".

"He left this world as he lived in it, conscious of God, fearless of death, and at peace, surrounded by family and friends," the Harrison family said in a statement. "He often said, 'Everything else can wait but the search for God cannot wait,' and 'love one another.'

George Harrison was born February 24, 1943 at 11:42 PM in Liverpool, England. (Source referenced is Harrison and classification C.) A Pisces Sun with Moon at 0° Scorpio conjunct his Libra Ascendant. See chart. He had his Jupiter at 15°Cancer Retrograde, which is where Jupiter stationed last month. He just had that "lucky" Jupiter return. His south node was at 25°Aquarius, which is where Transiting Mars and Uranus are at the moment. He completed his journey, left a legacy of his music and by the way he introduced eastern beliefs to a wide audience. His life cycle was complete.

What that has to do with current transits? You may have read many references to the still active Saturn Pluto opposition. One side is about structures and the other about abolishing and eliminating structures that no longer serve a useful purpose. There are also a lot of references made to holy wars and religion in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the attack on terrorism that followed October 7, 2001 and still continues with one stronghold left standing - for now. George Harrison had a strong sextile aspect between his personal Saturn and Pluto, which was in aspect to both his Sun and Moon, Mercury and Neptune. The structures of religion, the opening of people's eyes to looking at other faiths with an open mind - didn't he open one of those doors?

At the moment Pluto is the planet getting the transits from the inner planets travelling through the zodiacal sign of Sagittarius. Pluto is more active in bringing focus to what cannot thrive, that which needs to be let go. Is there someone out there showing us the way? Is it internal? Was George Harrison's passing a reminder about the importance of faith without judging that of someone else? We often think that one person doesn't make a difference or cannot implement change, but are we mistaken?

I think we shouldn't focus on the fragility of life in terms of the limited years we have, but we should focus on the fragility of life in terms of embracing every opportunity we have to implement positive change.

Change is inevitable, the planetary energies are focused on big changes at the moment, the more we resist going with the flow, and the harder it becomes. Sagittarius at its best is about optimism, faith, conviction, broadening our perspective and investigating the truth for ourselves. Saturn in Gemini is open to rewriting the rules, revising the boundaries and discussion about compromise. Opposition aspects are tugs of war - nobody wins, unless a compromise is reached. This stressful aspect culminates for the third time in May of 2002.

We have six months to embrace change, the change is coming and by accepting and greeting change with open arms we are making life easier for ourselves. Do nothing with the urges and changing will no longer be an option but something that life hands to us and not necessarily on a silver platter.

What needs to change? I cannot give a preemptive answer those do not exist. Astrologically speaking I can look at Pluto who is extremely active at the moment and tell you that you look for clues dating back to mid-March, mid-May and note the activity at the end July as well. What has been the theme for you? In March the question would have been - what are your priorities, what is important and what is worth it? In May and throughout the summer the quandary may have been what can you do about it, what is it you want and desire more than anything else that is also worth the effort and/or sacrifice. And now your convictions about those wants and desires are once again brought to the forefront for inner contemplation. Sagittarius rules things like religion, foreign travel, higher learning, laws, expansion - it is the testing ground for convictions. It is about generosity of not only worldly but generosity of spirit. It is Santa Claus or St. Nick, who actually was a living man who did good deeds.

What would you like your epitaph to say? How would you like to be remembered? Sagittarius is one of the homes of Jupiter - the planet of grandness, think big and do big. You do have a lifetime to make a difference, to leave a legacy, not all of us are going to be famous but we all leave an imprint.

You do not need to change the world just make changes for the better in you, and the world around you will become a better place. High ideals - I don't think so - because the simple message is 'Everything else can wait but the search for God cannot wait,' and 'love one another.' I am not going to explore the concept of God other than state that it is a simple belief that there is purpose to our lives and something greater than our individual selves at play here. Even if you accomplished one of these - loving another you would have lead a successful life.

Wishing every one Merry Christmas and a prosperous new year.

Astrologically Speaking

December 2002 edition ...

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