2011 -2012 preview



courtesey of arlenew.com

 I saw some signs in downtown DC a few months ago telling me to repent because the world was ending in May 2011. Apparently the Lord is returning and he is still pissed. Then, of course, the New Agers are telling me we have all the way until December 2012. If I thought either were correct I would daily eating my way through a bathtub of chocolate chip ice cream.

While I can’t see the end of the world coming, I do see some hum dinger of planetary changes coming in the next few years.

Neptune will be moving into Pisces on April 4, 2011 and will remain there until 2026. Pisces is ruled by Neptune so this will be a time when Neptune will be felt particularly if it makes a strong aspect to Neptune, Pisces or their aspects in your personal chart.

Remember Pisces is a sign of duality. Look at the two fish, one swimming upstream toward the God-source and the other stuck in the illusion of life.

The last time Neptune was in Pisces (1848 – 1860), we saw the growth and flourishing of the Transcendalist Movement. These were people like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Louisa May Alcott who believed in spirituality, and humanitarianism. Utopian societies sprang up and around the country and spiritualism was in favor. Impressionism, the style of painting characterized by flowing and visible brush strokes became popular. Sigmund Freud, the father of dream therapy was born. Charles Darwin published the “Origin of the Species” and Marx the “Communist Manifesto.”

All of these are very Piscean qualities – a rejection of the traditional religious dogmas for a spiritual outlook, a belief that we all must find our own path to God, a dreamy quality and a rejection of the individual for the good of all.

Pisces is also the sign of the martyr and throughout Europe tens of thousands of died in Peasant Revolutions that raged from France to Sicily and Hungary to Poland. Desperate people banded together to try to change entrenched political systems that favored only the nobility.

The shadow of Pisces is illusion, disillusionment, giving into addictions and ennui. Pisces is that great ocean of cosmic consciousness but it has a hard time deal with the nastiness of Earthly reality. Be aware of people following false gurus. Sadly, we might see more people martyring themselves in hope of furthering a bigger cause. We will see more pathetic and dangerous violent outbursts. Those people who are upset and disillusioned will have a hard time getting on course.

We are seeing signs of this with the self-immolations in Tunisia and the job riots in Spain. If you have the ability both financial and innate to grow spiritually it is a wonderful time. However, anyone stuck in desperation – even those who aren’t forced into those situations by governmental of money issues; people who keep themselves stuck – will be that swirling pool of illusion for a long time.

What is it with April?

The “shot heard around the world” which started the Revolutionary War was fired on April 19, 1775. The shots at Fort Sumter which started the Civil War were fired on April 12, 1861. Does April 19 ring another bell to you? Well, that was the day of the final attack at the Branch Davidian Ranch in Waco in 1993 and it was also the day of the Columbine High School massacre in 1999. The Falkland’s War started in April. Abraham Lincoln was shot in April. Heck, Adolph Hitler was born – and died – in April. For a month of new life and new beginnings it can be a bit on the violent side. Why? Blame in on Mars, the ancient god of war.

Mars is the ruler of Aries, the constellation in which the Sun enters at the Vernal Equinox, March 20th. So April is the time when the Mars archetype of male, aggressive warrior energy is at its peak. This year, I am particularly concerned with the march on the D.C. area by the radical right wing. These people are announcing that they are coming with their “guns loaded but they won’t shoot first.” Gee thanks. With the increase of right wing violence and the threat of more, what we do not need is a gun march anywhere!

Here is a biwheel – the chart of the United States combined with the transiting planets over Washington, DC on April 19 – at high noon. I figured that would be a good time. At the time of the its’ birth, America’s Mars was in Gemini in the 7th house – no wonder we can’t help getting involved in other people’s business – 7th house is the house of partnerships. At the time of the March – the Moon will be opposite Pluto – a time when hidden emotions will come to the surface. These two planets are making a square to the US’s Neptune – so reality won’t be the order of the day. Neptune is all about illusion and confusion.

So this will be a highly charged – electric day but what about Mars? Mars will be in Leo in the 8th house – the Sign of Fire and “me first” in the house of power. More importantly, this year Mars is moving VERY SLOWLY – and is in retrograde. (A planet is retrograde when it appears to be going backwards in the sky.) A retrograde slow Mars in Leo – a fire sign…..Can you see the scenario? Rising emotions, illusion, confusion -and Mars surrounding by fiery power . It could get tense.

Fortunately, there is little to intersect with the major planets in the chart of the U.S. so it doesn’t appear to be destined to be a memorable date in history – any more than it already is.

Just everyone please remember, we don’t need any fuel added to any fires in April – Mars is taking care of that himself quite well.

More to come on the outlook for the rest of the year for the US and President Obama,

Pluto – Dark and Light

As I mentioned in an earlier entry, Pluto moved into Capricorn late last year. Pluto, that cold, distant – sort-of planet, makes a huge impact on society. Because it is so far away from the Sun, it takes a long, long time to transit the solar system and stays in each sign for a good, long while. Pluto rules change and transformation and as it grinds through the solar system it makes deep changes in the areas of our lives influenced by that sign.

For example, when we baby boomers were born, Pluto was in Leo. Ruled by the Sun, Leo people want the spot light on them – they want everyone to see them shine. What better sign to birth a generation of self absorbed whiners (remember “30 Something”?) than Leo? In the early ’60’s Pluto moved into Virgo and we saw the rise of the environmental movement and huge changes in the workplace. Its recent foray into Sagittarius saw the rise of spiritualism – as well as its shadow, fundamentalism.

Capricorn rules the very structures that hold society together – our government, our banking system. The last time Pluto was in Capricorn was 1762 – 1777 – a time of great revolution here in America and abroad. The most obvious sign of Pluto Capricorn this time around was the election of our first African American President. However, for every positive there is a shadow. Right now we see that play out in the tea-baggers and those people who wish to blame our current economic woes and “government take over” of business not on the guy they supported who created this mess, but on said first African American President.

A more frightening development was the death of the 51 year old census worker who was found with “FED” on his chest. That is anger at it’s worst, most irrational and tragic. Anger among people short on facts and shorter on judgement – fueled by vested interests who are out to keep their piece of the pie safe – can create situations where vigilantism and domestic terrorism reigns.

Pluto will remain in Capricorn for another 10 years – that is a long time to stir up anger. With a wise leader, we will come out the other side with great reforms to make these “big guys” more amenable to the needs of those they are to serve. With fools in charge all bets are off and uncontrolled anger can lead to many tragic circumstances like the death of the census worker, Bill Sparkman, or worse.

Let’s hope that we remain as smart as we were at the polls as we were in November 2008.