"To finish the moment, to find the journey’s end in every step of the road, to live the greatest number of good hours, is wisdom." Ralph Waldo Emerson
The Sun is in the sign of Sagittarius November 22, 2002 3:54 A.M. - December 21, 2002 5:14 P.M. (As the month launches we have Sun, Mercury, South Node and Pluto all in this sign.)
‘Truth or consequences' (dare) just has to be a Sagittarius game. Every
year tons of movies are launched on the day that Sun moves into Sagittarius.
Sagittarius is adventure - the latest Bond flick, and Harry Potter are about
to be released. Jupiter the ruler of Sagittarius is a benevolent force, the
greater benefic astrologically speaking. I like to associate Jupiter with Santa
Claus, who incidentally is associated with a saint. He was a saint who did good
deeds, yes, it is ultimately about giving not receiving. One good turn deserves
another, and that is where luck truly originates - with our good deeds.
To skip intro just read signs: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces.
Hollywood seems to reflect our reality by creating temporary, new ‘mythology' to reflect the heavens down here onto the big screen. This year (happens every year) we Santa Claus II and an animated show with Adam Sandler is coming out. One facet of Sagittarius is jovial, comic and about laughter. An optimistic vision of the future, always seeing ‘the silver lining' and a philosophical outlook on the minor obstacles or details along the way. The focus is on the big picture, let the details take care of themselves. Laugh and clown around, crying is private activity. Life is an adventure, i.e. it is a journey not a destination.
Sagittarius and its associated house, the 9th, represents expansive, jovial and philosophical energy. This sign is focused on the future, not on nitty-gritty details, but the big picture. This is the area of life where we encounter adventure and where we form our opinions. When there is lots of activity in these areas we get into debates about law, politics, religion and other such controversial topics.
Pluto has been in Sagittarius since 1996 (continues through 2008). Have you noticed how many shows are about law, crime and investigation of crime? We have intense shows with equally intense actors playing the parts. Have you watched CSI Miami, the latest Law and Order spin-off? Mr. and Ms. Intensity are so deep, profound and driven by their inner demons, that I find it a bit hard to take. The rumour has it that they are eliminating Ms. Intensity from future episodes, what a Plutonian twist. The lighter side of Sagittarius, the laugh so you won't have to cry - such few comedies on the airways now, other than the seasonal. Pluto is midway through the sign and has taken us to an extreme.
All the planets have extremes but I think Pluto still appears to have the ‘monopoly' here. Pluto has earned his stripes with his uncanny ability to eliminate issues and possessions from our lives. Pluto, we must remember, does not wipe out anything that is thriving, it simply weeds out dead wood. At the time Pluto is doing clean up we may not be exactly rejoicing, but when all is said and done, we typically feel ‘it' needed to change. Where Pluto is in your chart is where your life is going through a lot of changes.
Before we can eliminate, however, we need to identify. The media is a powerful reflection of the world around us. Reality shows, and shows about crime have taken over prime time. The war on terrorism rules the news broadcasts.
Astrology divides the zodiac into twelve houses. Last month I talked about how the Sun or any planet travelling through an area of an astrological chart is akin to turning on a powerful spot light to highlight one character in your lives play or a set in your play. You always have the lead role. Each house relates to issues, people and facets of our lives. Over a period of twelve years 1996-2008 these are destined to change. Once a year the inner planets come into the same area and the associated issues and people come under inevitable scrutiny. This is that month. Jovial may take a back seat to a more philosophical and fatalistic attitude.
In addition, on December 3, 2002 we have a solar eclipse at 12° Sagittarius (a new Moon). The Solar Eclipse represents a strong impetus for you to work on your future by understanding what did and didn't pan out in the past. People from the past tend to reappear to remind you of you skills and talents, and those important goals you once had. Your agenda in 1983-4 can offer additional insight, that is the time the eclipses took place in the same span of the zodiac. Eclipses are celestial timers - the buzzer is ringing! Whatever it is calling your attention to, didn't just happen. It has been on your mind for a few years now. Do not repeat history now. Use what you have learned and contemplated in the past month or so, to clear a new, better path to your goals. The eclipse falls in the area of major planetary activity right now, further emphasizing the need to create something new - this is after all about creating the right journey for our lives.
Jupiter is currently in the sign of Leo, which forms harmonious aspects to the Sagittarius line up, Jupiter is trine Pluto! Remember that at the very least the connection is about more, but on the same token this configuration is in force for a few months making it more powerful. Jupiter is the benefactor of the zodiac, bringing us things, but remember, be careful what you wish for you just might get. Everything in life has a price or a cost, but more on Jupiter in a future issue of the column.
Venus stationed direct at 0°Scorpio 5' early yesterday morning PST. During the retrograde phase Venus changes from an evening star to a morning star. This happens once every 18 months. Venus has been visible in the sky as the morning star since November 9. She remains in the morning sky until August 18, 2003 when she moves ahead of the Sun and becomes the evening star visible around the 26th of August.
Venus stations slowly so for the first few days she barely moves, and we cannot see her. This is the time to birth something into the world. Launch new projects, put in your bid - the yield can be remarkable.
The evening star, that concluded on Halloween, is contemplative, wise and considered. The morning star is feisty, quick, akin to a female warrior, ready to right any wrongs, and to place claim on what is rightfully hers. Morning star Venus is associated with war, and while she is in Scorpio, all bets are off on that front.
Let's take a quick tour through the Sagittarius houses for each sign or ascending sign. This represents events now on an immediate scale but more so the back drop for the period 1996-2008. Remember that in the few sentences it is impossible to address all of the issues, and in essence the write up is a "caricature" drawing upon the strongest extremes. The other transiting planets are also involved, but not specifically addressed and in addition the information needs to be blended with the natal chart.
For Aries this is the 9th house, the natural house for Sagittarius is where we have long distance travel, religion, philosophy and advanced studies as well as law. This is where are opinions become convictions, and during the twelve year period these will inevitably change. Once a year the message is driven home further, the slow moving planets represent slower change. When the Sun and the inner planets move onto this stage, activity increases. We tend to go to excesses and react to events more profoundly than is the norm. Little daily happenings seem trivial, your view may be that unless it matters 5 years from now it is not that important or relevant. We could be talking about fundamental beliefs that you have always known no longer satisfying you. You might decide to explore comparative religion in order to find one that agrees with your changing opinions, or ultimately discover spirituality as a replacement to religious dogma.
For Taurus the Sagittarius themes occur in the 8th house of death, taxes, joint assets and commitment. On this stage in the play of our lives we not only have sexual relationships but the most intimate of encounters with others. This symbolically represents where we seek to become one with another. On a physical level the people we know this closely are often referred to as soul mates. Ultimately this is where we seek our own un-manifested side - our true complementary half, the other side of our soul. The eight house is called the one of death and rebirth, this is our doorway to unity with our soul and on a grander scale with all of creation. Twelve years is a long time to look at these issues, and fortunately the associated events do not unfold fast and furious. This is a very private area of your life, not to be shared with just anyone. This time frame can place a lot of pressure on your partner and your relationship, if you choose to place the pressure on them to be your complementary half without doing the internal work this stellar influence is asking you to do.
For Gemini this is the 7th house of relationships, all of them, not just the romantic kind. The relationships formed here are by bond, contract or agreement. Yes, marriage falls into this ‘stage', but so do your relationships with your doctor, lawyer, accountant and even that used car salesman. The people we attract to our lives are a reflection of ourselves. The good, the bad and the indifferent. Traits and characteristics you encounter in others, are those that you have, wish to have or have chosen not to even acknowledge yet. We need others in order to understand ourselves, when we are meeting people that we don't like or who make us uncomfortable, we are meeting the side in ourselves we are not comfortable with. Astrology offers us cycles to help us navigate but also brings us relationships to help us live our lives more fully by embracing all the different facets of our persona. Changes happening here, right? As if you needed to be reminded, but hey, with this little insight, you might decide to look at your issues in the mirror of relationships.
For Cancer this is the house of work, every day chores, routines, health and the issue of how we are of assistance to people around us. When we fall out of our routines, we tend to feel lost and have a harder time focusing on what to do with any of the issues that pertain to this area of our lives. Lots of health issues may be urging you to take charge of your own well being. You may feel pushed to help others, to learn a skill that will make the lives of others better, thus improving yours. Your workplace or co-workers may be challenging, and quitting is not really an option, adjusting to the situation with an outlook that you can make a difference is. If you have taken on too much, now is the annual time for prioritizing. The stage you need to take your skills is never bigger than what you feel comfortable with, you are naturally nurturing and just being true to yourself is all that is asked of you here.
For Leo this is the house of romance, children and creativity. This house represents relationships where want someone to love us. We want to create something to leave our mark. In our need for love we want to be wooed, praised and recognized for our uniqueness. Our children are a part of us, it is seen as a way for part of us to continue to live, when our time here is over. Creative efforts are the same, writing, composing a song or inventing a gadget, we want to leave our mark. The prolonged stay of Pluto and the annual transits by inner planets symbolically describe the transformation occurring in this area of our lives. Pluto is also a very controlling influence, needing to impose the transformation on others, such as our children. We need to learn to let our loved ones lead their own lives, while continuing to support them. Whenever we veer off course, life has an uncanny knack of bringing us face to face with the issue with an associated event. Some of our attitudes with these issues and people need to change, and that is all the planets are reflecting.
For Virgo this is the 4th house of home, family, roots and the past. We are not talking quick changes, but a process of growth and change. Preparation for the next phase in our lives, and the letting go of issues and people that no longer help us along the way. In order to let go we always need to identify the issues and the deeper causes of these. The relationships in this area always change and become different, it is like getting reacquainted with your children or parent on a new level. It is acknowledging that your 30 year old son is no longer the teenager who is rebelling but someone who is looking up to you as an elder. This may be a time to reacquaint yourself with those in your family, whom you haven't seen in a while, but on a different level. This can represent the time when mother becomes a friend, or father the teacher.
For Libra it is about communication, daily schedules, studying and learning. When we go to school we learn basics, but now it is time to learn the basics differently. Philosophies change, convictions change, life is change, that is the only thing we can count on, when all is said and done, we are no longer the same. It is not about how you say it, as much what you say, shallow cocktail talk is not you anymore - your concepts of life and human nature are more important. You have always been perceptive, but now you have x-ray vision. Cutting through superficiality to understand your motivation and that of others. Learning to live in the moment, and decisions about what those moments need to be.
For Scorpio this is money, possessions, the value of things, priorities and self-worth. I have a Scorpio friend who had this wonderful statement about what belongs to Scorpio (do not know who coined it) - "What ever is not bolted down in mine and whatever I can pry loose is mine." So now the question is in all honesty what have you truly earned, and can without hesitation claim as yours. Are you worth the money you are earning, are you giving it your all? What has become important and what has faded away. Time to let go of those old values and priorities, they are no longer a part of you. Do you like who you have become? Are you sharing your values or preaching them. Are you judging others by your standards or accepting that their journey is not yours?
For Sagittarius the scope is self, attitude and approach to life and your own physical well-being. Fortunately this is not a high daily priority, it is a 12-year process. You are becoming aware of who you are and who you want to be, which is changing your approach to everything. Values of others are irrelevant, you'll listen but the choices you make for yourself are private, based on a lot of soul searching. If you are under 30, this can feel overwhelming but you chose this time to be born. The superficial and shallow holds no allure, you need to go deep regardless whether is your career choice or relationship that is the issue. You need to stay true to yourself, and you are slowly discovering what that means to you. Your view of the world not just self is changing.
For Capricorn this is the 12th house of the subconscious, isolation and fears. During these times we would prefer to be the hermit meditating upon the meaning of life, but that is not in the ‘stars', the luxury of escaping that is. This is often the time the world beckons the loudest, urging you to take what you are discovering and share it with others. It is a balancing act between solitude and activity. You come face to face with your fears, doubts and the fragility of life, which will ultimately make you strong within, but while you live through this period, you may not always feel that certain. This in an excellent time to learn about the rich symbolism of dreams, or explore the so called ‘occult', the word simply means hidden. Knowledge is power and when it is withheld the power is retained used to be the belief of the learned in the past. The knowledge you gain is better shared.
For Aquarius this area is the 11th house of aspirations, acquaintances and rewards from worldly pursuits. We all set ourselves goals we want, some more realistic than others. This particular transit pattern won't repeat with this kind of force again, but while it is full-force, some of those cherished desires will fall by the wayside. The platitude that in the end things always work out for the best, may sound a little hollow, but we always end up where we were intended to, it is our attitude we have total control over. You may not make quick decisions now, just continue to ponder, evaluate and note which goals no longer hold allure. Look toward the future, and let go of the past, and the same applies to ‘friendships' that have become stale and unsatisfying, time to move on.
For Pisces this is the 10th house of career, and similar worldly pursuits. Being a full-time mother is just as much a career as is being the CEO of large corporation or volunteering at the animal shelter on a continuous basis. We do not always get paid in money, there are other more valuable rewards and incentives that we desire. This isn't about a choice between two jobs, rather it is a push to do something worthwhile utilizing the talents, skills and gifts you have. We all have these, we sometimes ignore the value of them. Everything we learn no matter how trivial serves a purpose, we don't leap from an opportunity to a better opportunity, rather we take a lot of little steps. This is an excellent time to recognize what you have to offer, and do not sell yourself short. If you don't recognize your own assets, how can others?
© Anne Massey October 2002
Questions or comments, do send me e-mail Anne@astrologicallyspeaking.com
Archived Columns:
Scorpio 2002 - Oct. 23, 2002
Libra 2002 - Sept. 23, 02
Virgo 2002 - Aug 22, 02
Leo 2002 - July 22, 02