Saturn trine Neptune: Drifting Toward Dream Manifestation

Early this week, the Sun forms a sextile to Saturn followed by a sextile to Neptune. This essentially introduces the long-term trine aspect between Saturn and Neptune as the Sun 'lights up' the midpoint between these outer planets. This trine between Saturn and Neptune gets close enough to be within a 1' orb later this week and these planets will continue to be in and out of this aspect with each other through the summer of 2013.

This cycle actually initiated between mid-February and late November 1989 when these planets formed a conjunction in Capricorn. This initiated a new cycle related to merging dreams (Neptune) with reality (Saturn) and merging truth (Neptune) with structure (Saturn). Other key turning points for this cycle were from late March through mid-April 1999 when Saturn squared Neptune and again from late August 2006 through early July 2007 when Saturn opposed Neptune.

If you can think of the themes in your own life around these dates related to the perceived disparity between dreams/truth and reality/structure then you may be able to have a clue as to what the next 18 months will gradually and effortlessly bring your way. Hopefully you took advantage of these key time periods because this trine acts like a snowball coming down the mountain! Whatever you have 'built' will be implementing itself for better or for worse. It might be easiest to just look back to late 2006 through early 2007 to see how life was unfolding as this was a time when we perceived that our dreams were distant from what was realistic. If you 'gave up' on yourself then, expect it to be VERY tempting and almost impossible to stop that momentum now. However, if you channeled your perceived doubt into creative energy and worked to bridge the gap between your dreams and your perceived reality at that time, then expect your dreams to begin almost to 'effortlessly' manifest themselves over the next 18 months.

Don't believe me? Give it a conscious try ;)...

Below is an example from my own life regarding these key dates as well as some more collective-level (US policy and Northern CA disaster preparedness) experiences of these energies at work:

Saturn conjunct Neptune: Mid-February through late November 1989 - Birth of the new cycle

I was a 10 yr old who had just finished up a special extra-curricular course which covered the science of Meteorology (i.e. weather & forecasting) from where I would go on to major in Meteorology (i.e. dreams into reality) a decade later. I also had my 6th and final ear surgery which was supposed to 'fix' (Saturn) my perforated eardrums for good. However, the surgery was not a success for unknown reasons (Neptune) and a perforated ear drum in my left ear remained.

Collectively, this is when the Montreal Protocol occurred which rose the awareness of 'climate change' in terms of human-related activities. Also, more locally, this is when the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake occurred in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 'truth' was out regarding current 'structures' that needed adjustments.

Saturn square Neptune: Late March through mid-April 1999 - First

tensions & adjustments of the cycle

I was a sophomore Meteorology major who was preparing to spend a good chunk of my summer at basic training with the Air Force ROTC program where I was to become an Air Force Meteorologist. However, in April of that year, I received a phone call after a routine physical for the ROTC program through which I was informed that I was disqualified for the program due to my still unresolved perforated eardrum!

At this time, many scientific studies were being conducted related to human influences on climate change which made it a political hot topic for the first time during the 2000 election with Al Gore running for president. In Northern CA, the Bay Bridge retrofits were also a hot topic with lots of contention regarding costs and tax payer money etc.

Saturn opposite Neptune: Late August 2006 through early July 2007 - Culmination and unfolding

After my opportunity with the Air Force fell through I started to realize that I had only majored in Meteorology because my mom mentioned to me in passing as a teen that I 'really liked that course' I took when I was 10! I had to then start from scratch in terms of my plans for the future in the late 1990's which led me down many paths including where I ended up by late 2006 into 2007. I found myself living 3,000 miles away from home in Sacramento, CA pushing my ambitious goals that I never would have had if I had stayed with the Air Force. I also got laid off for the first time during this time period and I fully experienced the sense of an 'unpredictable future' which was, in retrospect, the point of the life lesson of being released by the predictable future promised through the Air Force. This was perhaps a time of disillusionment for me but also a time where, by the summer of 2007, I felt like an approach to life without too much predictability (Saturn) was in favor of my dreams (Neptune) rather than a deterrent from them.

At this time, Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" came out which brought the collective awareness of the climate change issue (whether you personally trust the information or not) to the public. Also, most of the retrofits of bridges in the San Francisco Bay were either being finished or finalized in terms of plans.

Saturn trine Neptune: Late December 2011 through late July 2013 - Momentum from the unfolding

So what does the next 18 months bring? For me, I assume that I will be further challenged to live 'unpredictably'. Since I feel that I came through the recent opposition (2006-2007) with a positive outlook and a sense of possibility for the future, this time just may reflect that momentum. I'll keep my fingers crossed and just keep on steering toward structuring my dreams regardless of the currents I have created ;).

In terms of climate change, I am guessing that by mid-2013 there will be solid legislation related to human-related emissions OR that the 'truth' about the human influence comes out in one form or another and coincides with the unveiling of FREE energy which negates the need for legislation in the first place. For the Bay Area, I think there will be a MAJOR earthquake between now and the summer of 2013 and the level of damage will reflect the degree of the efforts for the retrofits that were put into place. My guess is that the earthquake

will be larger in magnitude than the 1989 Loma Prieta quake but that the damage and death toll will be far less because of the retrofits. Lets hope so :).

Regardless of whether you 'gave up' on your dreams or you pushed forward to 'make them real' back in late 2006 through early 2007, you now have a chance to 'ride the wave' of your creations over the next 18 months. Even if the momentum is not in your favor due to your previous choices, that doesn't mean you cannot steer in the direction you want to go. It just makes it a little more difficult to steer out of the current. If you created a favorable current relative to your present intentions, you will experience the more 'effortless' flow of the manifestation of your dreams over this period. Otherwise, it will just take more work but the result can still be the same...

I'd love to hear YOUR personal stories regarding these themes over the next 18 months!!

-Christopher Robert Taylor

Sovereign Harmony

Saturn Return: Time For The United States To "Get Real"

For centuries, the planet Saturn was thought to be the outermost planet in our solar system. But actually, this planet is just the outermost planet that we can observe with the naked eye. Astrologically, Saturn represents our perceived 'limits' and boundaries. It's symbolic of 'reality', structure, and of slow but steady development. It is perhaps the most sobering of the planetary archetypes. However, just as the process of sobering up can be an uncomfortable experience, it is ultimately a slow but steady transition to a more productive and useful state of being. In short, through the use of the school of hard knocks, Saturn is associated with getting 'real'.

This stern, parental figure of a planet takes approximately 29-1/2 Earth years to complete one trip around the Sun and through the 12 signs of the zodiac. After this long trip is complete, Saturn 'returns' to the location that it occupied at the start of its journey. In an individual's Natal Chart, this time of the 'Saturn Return' is a defining moment that reveals whether we are on the proper path for our intended journey. It is a wake up call that reveals to us the shortcomings of following a path that is not our own.

On the positive side, it is a time of ratcheting up to a new level of mastery. The degree to which we are diverted from our intended path is inversely correlated to the ease of which this mastery can reveal itself. In other words, the more conscious we are of our intended path, the more these periods will enhance our mastery on some level as depicted through the Natal Chart.

The significance of these Saturn Return periods applies to both individuals as well as to larger entities such as nations. Currently, Saturn is traveling through the sign of Libra which is where Saturn was transiting when the United States of America was formulated (See US Natal Chart below).

United States of America Natal Chart (Sibley)
(click to enlarge)

The period from around Thanksgiving 2010 through around Labor Day 2011 marks the eighth (8th) Saturn Return for the United States of America. The exact dates for when transiting Saturn crosses the point where Saturn resides in the chart of the US (~14 degrees Libra) are shown below:

December 3, 2010
March 22, 2011
August 27, 2011

This whole 9-month period is a time of readjustment within the scope of the house in which Saturn resides (the 10th house in this case). In the chart of a nation, the 10th house represents the reputation and public standing of the entity with regards to entities outside of itself (i.e. other nations). As a nation, it is a 'make or break' time for setting clear boundaries and readjusting our level of openness and /or resistance in regards to other nations. Over the previous seven (7) Saturn Returns (most recent ~early 1980's) for the US, there have traditionally been key decisions made with regards to immigration policy. In the current time, we are again faced with immigration policy issues that need attention one way or another. See below for a brief historical summation of immigration decision activities that occurred through the previous US Saturn Returns:

1st Saturn Return (1804-1805)

The Louisiana Purchase vastly expands the young nation's boundaries which precipitated the Lewis & Clark expedition to seed the ideas of a 'manifest destiny' in the long term game-plan of the United States. President Jefferson also attempted to block trade with Europe through the "Peaceable Coercion" policy. Finally, in 1804, the widows and children of aliens who died prior to filing final papers were granted citizenship (i.e. "anchor babies").

2nd Saturn Return (1834)

A narrative of the Life of David Crockett was published. The book contained tales, tall stories, and yarns which augmented the myth of the great hunter, Indian fighter, and congressman. The Texas Revolution took place and led to its succession from Mexico which readjusted the US borders again. Also, the first assassination attempt on a US president occurred against Andrew Jackson.

3rd Saturn Return (1863-1864)

The Civil War was the dominant theme of this time which included Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. This time also marked the beginning of the end of slavery and the first successful assassination of a US president. Finally, a policy that encouraged immigration into the US for economic stimulus purposes was enacted in July 1864.

4th Saturn Return (1893)

Chinese legally in the United States were required to apply to collectors of internal revenue for certificates of residence or be removed. Also, the Immigration Act of 1893 created Boards of Special Inquiry to examine excluded immigrants at ports of entry, and provided for appeals of the Board decisions.

5th Saturn Return (1922-1923)

Through the Cable Act of 1922, women's citizenship was made independent of marriage and alien wives of U.S. citizens were allowed to file for citizenship after one year of residency. Also, a strong anti-immigrant movement spearheaded by the Ku Klux Klan reached peak strength. Finally, alien land laws prevented property ownership for Asian immigrants.

6th Saturn Return (1951-1952)

The Immigration and Naturalization Act brought into one comprehensive statute the multiple laws which governed immigration and naturalization to date: reaffirmed the national origins quota system; limited immigration from the Eastern Hemisphere while leaving the Western Hemisphere unrestricted; established preferences for skilled workers and relatives of U.S. citizens and permanent resident aliens; tightened security and screening standards and procedures; and lowered the age requirement for naturalization to eighteen years. Also, the McCarran-Walter Immigration and Naturalization Act extended token immigration quotas to Asian countries. Finally, this was the era of McCarthyism hunts for suspected communists.

7th Saturn Return (1981-1982)

Plyler vs. Doe struck down a state statute denying funding for education to children who were illegal immigrants and simultaneously struck down a municipal school district's attempt to charge illegal immigrants an annual $1,000 tuition fee for each undocumented student to compensate for the lost state funding. There was also a failed attempted assassination on then President Ronald Reagan.

8th Saturn Return (2010-2011)

The current period sees immigration into the US through countries like Mexico as a perceived threat to national security in the eyes of some political leaders. The TSA X-ray and 'groping' controversy is also at the top of the list of national security issues. Is it really a time to put up fences around our borders and inappropriately grope people in the name of national security? Or is it a time to get real about immigration and take more practical but productive steps to address national security threats?

Conclusion

With Saturn in its natal 10th house, one of the potential higher expressions of the United States is to serve as a solid example to the rest of the world with regards to how it regulates its borders and how it acts as an authority in the greater world. In the eyes of the rest of the world, the US has the paradoxical and conflicting images for being both a welcoming beacon of hope as well as being harsh and overprotective with its immigration policies. And every time Saturn comes back around it has apparently represented a time to readjust this global image in some way. The current time appears to be consistent with this theme. But for the first time in almost 30 years, the US has a chance to consciously redirect its attitudes and policies toward enlightened ends in these regards.

But just how will the United States readjust its attitudes and policies this time around? I guess we will have to wait and see...

And so it is...

To find out where these energies will be working in your own life contact me for a consultation! -

www.myastrochris.com

Jupiter Opposite Saturn: “Growing Inside the Flower Pot”

From May 2010 through March 2011, the outer planets Jupiter and Saturn are forming an opposition (180°) with one another for the first time since the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. This pits the planet representing form, structure, rules, resistance, and fear (Saturn) at odds with the planet representing freedom, growth, exaggeration, fortune, and confidence (Jupiter).

Just like with the Moon’s phases, the other planetary bodies go through their own phases relative to the Earth. Like a New Moon, the start of any coupled planetary cycle begins with their conjunction (same location in the sky). As the faster planet moves away from the slower planet, eventually it comes to a 90° angle (waxing square) to it, followed by the 180° opposition (like a Full Moon), the second 90° angle (waning square), and then the cycle finishes when a new cycle between the planets is born at the next conjunction. See below for the basic outline of the process including the associated energy of each of these important climax points in the planetary cycles:

Conjunction (0°) – Birth and creation.
Waxing Square (90°) – Tension due to growth.
Oppostion (180°) – Culmination and results.
Waning Square (270°) – Tension due to decay.

The Jupiter/Saturn cycle takes approximately 20 years to complete and represents a social and financial cycle as the resistant energies of Saturn seemingly oppose the freedom-seeking growth energy of Jupiter. This cycle represents things like finances, social order, and laws for example. Usually, at the start of these cycles, regulatory decisions (especially financial) tend to be hatched and these decisions and values are reflected in how money is invested and distributed during these times.

As time moves on, there is usually some tension related to those decisions that come up for review around 5 years later when Jupiter and Saturn make their first (waxing) square to each other. Then another 5 years goes by and Jupiter makes an opposition to Saturn. Just like our current period, this is the time where the culmination or results of those ideas and of the decision making that started at the conjunction bear their fruit. Then the second (waning) square represents a time of decay and last minute decisions related to the same energies birthed at the start of the cycle.

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Jupiter/Saturn Cycle (May 2000 – December 2020)

Jupiter conjunct Saturn (May 2000)

The conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn is often referred to as a ‘Grand Conjunction’ and the most recent one ushered in the present US economic situation which included the bursting of the dot.com bubble in the spring of 2000 as the NASDAQ crashed. Unsustainable real-estate speculation also started around this time with the obvious consequences easily seen in the present time.

Jupiter waxing square to Saturn (December 2005 - October 2006)

This period represented the peak of the real-estate market which had been growing rapidly since the beginning of the decade. But it was only growing rapidly due to unsustainable banking decisions which put people in situations where they were destined to foreclose. The waxing square marked the period when the growth (Jupiter) of the market was strained by the reality (Saturn) of the situation.

*Jupiter opposite Saturn (May 2010 - March 2011)*

What are we in for here? This period marks the culmination of these poor real-estate decisions. If you thought the worst of the foreclosures and the dropping prices of homes were over, think again. Watch for the foreclosure problem to break into the commercial real-estate market which will lead to a re-structuring of how business is done due to the lack of office space and traditional structures. Fortunately the internet era will offer more technological options to help businesses grow but in a new way.

Jupiter waning square to Saturn (August 2015 - June 2016)

Perhaps regulations are put into places that ensure unsustainable schemes for real-estate cannot be developed. Or this could represent a time when people change the way they live and work (i.e. more communal and telecommuting situations) in response to the inability to own a home or a business in the traditional sense.

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The themes for the most recent previous Jupiter/Saturn cycle (1980’s and 1990’s) on a world-wide scale appear to have involved a heavy emphasis on a changing of the guard in terms of social orders. During the Jupiter/Saturn opposition (culmination phase) of that cycle from September 1989 through May 1991, we saw both the fall of the Berlin Wall as well as the dissolution of the Soviet Union. This culmination phase certainly bared some fruit.

Regardless of what actually occurs during this current time period, the Jupiter/Saturn opposition of which we are currently in the midst is about the battle or tension between growth (Jupiter) and reality (Saturn). In the US, this ‘coming to terms with the reality of growth’ period is likely to reveal the true consequences of unsustainable real-estate growth schemes established a decade ago. Watch the time periods within a week or two of the following dates for indicators of these kinds of revelations.

Jupiter/Saturn EXACT oppositions for the current phase

May 23, 2010
August 16, 2010
March 28, 2011

Advice

When Jupiter and Saturn oppose one another it is time for assessing how and where we are trying to grow (Jupiter) while recognizing the realities (Saturn) of that growth. This is true personally in our own lives as well as on a larger scale. Realty is abundantly clear during these times and the level of tension due to the growth we are trying to attain is directly related to how willing we are to look reality in the face and adjust our growth accordingly. There is no 'right' or 'wrong' side in this case. There is just a beneficial approach or a harmful approach to growth at this time.

The beneficial way to approach this time period is to redirect growth relative to the newly revealed boundaries. But if we continue to expand in certain ways without regard to reality then we will experience a harsh resistance.

Remember that the ultimate intention of this time period is embracing much needed boundaries to create growth (Jupiter) that better reflect these new realities (Saturn). Laying our frustration with restrictions to rest is the first step in the process.

How might this be reflected in someone’s personal life?

From May 2010 through March 2011 expect to feel this battle between growth and resistance in your own life as well. Where this finds its way into your life depends on what part of your natal birth chart that this opposition falls.

In my own chart, Jupiter is traveling through my 7th house of relationships, partners, and clients while opposing Saturn in my 1st house of self-definition, personality, and sovereignty. I have recently done a lot of personal work on defining my own space both professionally and personally by establishing my own independent contracting business (actually more than one) while I have worked to consciously remove codependents from my personal life as well.

On a business level, I expect to encounter a growth in clientele that will require me to more firmly establish my own boundaries of operation so that I can handle the volume of work. On a personal level, I have been single for some time now as I have been developing a better sense of boundaries. I can see this time period bringing the growth of a new serious relationship that will challenge my recent self-development as I try to maintain the growth of a relationship while keeping my boundaries defined so that I am not drained in the way that I have been with past relationships.


And so it is…



Are you interested in where this opposition between Jupiter and Saturn will fall in your natal birth chart and what it may mean for you?

If so, contact me through my website (www.myastrochris.com) and we can set up a consultation.

Also, if you enjoyed the content of this type of article, please check back as I will be posting articles soon related to other planetary cycles which are at major turning points over the next few years as well. Stay tuned!

Saturn Square Pluto: “Secrets, Power, & Terrorism”

From November 2009 through August 2010, the outer planets Saturn and Pluto are forming a waning square (90°) with one another for the first time since the early 1970’s. This pits the planet representing form, structure, rules, resistance, and fear (Saturn) at odds with the planet representing transformation, secrets, power, regeneration, and deep healing (Pluto).

Just like with the Moon’s phases, the other planetary bodies go through their own phases relative to the Earth. Like a New Moon, the start of any coupled planetary cycle begins with their conjunction (same location in the sky). As the faster planet moves away from the slower planet, eventually it comes to a 90° angle (waxing square) to it, followed by the 180° opposition (like a Full Moon), the second 90° angle (waning square), and then the cycle finishes when a new cycle between the planets is born at the next conjunction. See below for the basic outline of the process including the associated energy of each of these important climax points in the planetary cycles:

Conjunction (0°) – Birth and creation.

Waxing Square (90°) – Tension due to growth.

Oppostion (180°) – Culmination and results.

Waning Square (270°) – Tension due to decay.

The Saturn/Pluto cycle takes approximately 33-38 years to complete and represents a war-like cycle of social/cultural transformation and secret powers as the structural energies of Saturn reform the powerful energy of Pluto. This cycle represents things like terrorism, natural resources, and power shifts for example. Usually, at the start of these cycles, new power structures are hatched. As time moves on, there is usually some tension related to those decisions that come up for review around 8-9 years later when Saturn and Pluto make their first (waxing) square to each other. Then another 8-9 years goes later Saturn makes an opposition to Pluto. This opposition is the time where the culmination or results of those ideas and of the decision making that started at the conjunction bear their fruit. Then the second (waning) square represents a time of decay and last minute decisions related to the same energies birthed at the start of the cycle (like this current part of the cycle).

Below is a look at the current Saturn/Pluto cycle relative to US issues and concerns, followed by a look at where we are in the current Saturn/Pluto cycle. I also include a few tidbits of information regarding those periods in terms of the US that I will discuss later.

Saturn/Pluto Cycle (early 1980’s – 2020)

Saturn conjunct Pluto (October 1982 – June 1983)

US military support of the Taliban was provided when the CIA provided arms to Afghans resisting the Soviet invasion. Radical Muslims were recruited and Osama Bin Laden was one of the key organizers of training camps for foreign Muslim volunteers. The US poured funds and arms into Afghanistan, and by 1987, 65,000 tons of US-made weapons and ammunition a year were entering the war. FBI translator Sibel Edmonds, who has been fired from the agency for disclosing sensitive information, has claimed the US was on intimate terms with Taliban and Al-Qaeda, using them to further certain goals in Central Asia.

Saturn waxing square to Pluto (March 1993 - January 1994)

Just two weeks before this time period, a car bomb was detonated below the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. The attack was planned by a group of conspirators including Ramzi Yousef, Mahmud Abouhalima, Mohammad Salameh, Nidal Ayyad, Abdul Rahman Yasin and Ahmad Ajaj. They received financing from Khaled Shaikh Mohammed, Yousef's uncle. Ramzi Yousef, who was born as Abdul Basit Mahmoud Abdul Karim in Kuwait, spent time at Al-Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan, before beginning in 1991 to plan a bombing attack within the United States. Yousef's uncle Khalid Shaikh Mohammed Ali Fadden, who later was considered the principal architect of the September 11 attacks, gave him advice and tips over the phone, and funded him with a US$660 wire transfer. This waxing square period was a time to make adjustments to that which was initiated during the conjunction period in the early 1980’s.

Saturn opposite Pluto (July 2001 - June 2002)

This was the period of the 911 attacks and the ensuing reactions including the PATRIOT Act. This was the culmination of all previous activity leading up to this time. The results of this time were a reflection of what was birthed in the early 1980s and what was not sufficiently dealt with and adjusted in the early 1990’s.

**Saturn waning square to Pluto (November 2009 - August 2010) **

The Fort Hood attack in early November was just the beginning of this period. Was it a case of terrorism? Expect the issue of terrorism to be back on the front burner for awhile. Also, expect the truth about complete involvement concerning the fallout (culmination) of this current cycle (i.e. 911) to be revealed by late summer 2010. My speculation is that the trial of Khaled Shaikh Mohammed will reveal some pretty interesting information about US involvement over the last 30 years of fundamentalist Islamic terrorism.

It appears that the themes for this cycle related mostly to a focus on global terrorism and the abuse of power and resources. The decisions to send more weapons and money to Islamic Fundamentalists in the early 1980’s lead to retaliation on the US with the 1993 and 2001 terrorist attacks on US soil. In the early 1990’s there was an opportunity to make adjustments (waxing square) with regards to this issue. But the 911 attacks during the opposition phase reveal that not enough was done to avert the culmination of the escalating problem.

Regardless of what actually occurs during this current waning square time period, the Saturn/Pluto square of which we are currently in the midst is about the tension and decay between the power (Pluto) and structures (Saturn) (i.e. terrorism) that originated in the early 1980’s.

Saturn/Pluto EXACT Squares

November 15, 2009

Fort Hood attacks lead to questions about whether it was an attack of terrorism and questions loom with regards to how to approach the situation in Afghanistan.

January 31, 2010

?

August 21, 2010

?

Advice for American Leaders and the People

When Saturn and Pluto are in a waning square it is time to accept the restructuring (Saturn) of power (Pluto). Change and restructuring are eminent during these times and the level of tension due to the decay and change are directly related to the level of acceptance of that change versus the level of resistance to that change. There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ approach but just a beneficial approach or a harmful approach.

The beneficial way to approach this time period is to allow the truth to be revealed and to create new structures (Saturn) related to enlightened power and resource distribution (Pluto) rather than related to the underhanded power of terrorism. If we recognize that change is necessary and then engage in the solution process to form (Saturn) a plan that incorporates much needed transformation (Pluto), then this time period would be utilized to its optimal potential.

Remember that the ultimate intention of this time period is embracing much needed transformation to create structures (Saturn) that better reflect enlightened power and resource optimization (Pluto). Laying our fear of deep transformation to rest is the first step in the process.

For this particular time period perhaps Howie Day said it best in his song, “Collide”, when he said, “even the best fall down sometimes…” If we can accept that, then we can accept the benefits of this time period.

And so it is…

Readers, if you enjoyed the content of this type of article, please check back as I will be posting articles related to other planetary cycles which are at major turning points over the next few years as well. Stay tuned!

www.myastrochris.com

Saturn/Pluto & the USA’s Economy: “Transforming Value Structures”

The USA’s economy is struggling lately. From growing unemployment to sagging retirement funds, this is truly a testing period for the nation. In addition to this, financial scandals like Bernie Madoff and other risky lending practices are coming to light now. Astrologically we can look at a nation’s finances and economic conditions and assess the significance of the current times.

Venus is the planet that for a nation represents its resources and values. Note its location in the birth chart for the USA (see chart below) at 3° Cancer in the 7^th house (circled planet on right side). As a nation this indicates an overall sentimentality toward security as well as a tendency to project our value and our resources outside of us. The general trend of the USA toward imports of natural resources and exports for manufacturing/labor are consistent with this general description. Also, on a personal level we prefer to outsource our retirement (i.e. security) to banks and other investments in the form of the stock market.

As the planets move through space they eventually form connections, or aspects, to this Venus point for the USA. These times indicate significant turning points with regards to the nation’s finances and economy.

Saturn (circled planet near top of chart in Libra) and Pluto (circled planet near left side of the chart in Capricorn) are both currently making significant aspects to this Venus point suggesting a very important time period for these issues in the USA. Saturn makes one complete cycle around the zodiac approximately every 29 years while Pluto makes one complete cycle approximately every 248 years. These two slow-moving outer planets are about to form a square (90°) with each other from November 2009 through August 2010 (check back in November for my article on this configuration). It just so happens that while forming this square with each other in the early degrees of Libra (Saturn) and Capricorn (Pluto) that they will both be forming aspects to the USA natal Venus in Cancer. Saturn will be forming a square (90°) to Venus and Pluto is forming an opposition (180°) to Venus.

USA Natal Chart (Sibley) (click to enlarge)

Just like with the Moon’s phases, the other planetary bodies go through their own phases relative to the Earth. Like a New Moon, the start of any coupled planetary transit cycle begins with their conjunction (same location in the sky). As the transiting planet moves away from the natal planet, eventually it comes to a 90° angle (waxing square) to it, followed by the 180° opposition (like a Full Moon), the second 90° angle (waning square), and then the cycle finishes when a new cycle between the planets is born at the next conjunction. See below for the basic outline of the process including the associated energy of each of these important climax points in the planetary cycles:

Conjunction (0°) – Birth and creation.

Waxing Square (90°) – Tension due to growth.

Oppostion (180°) – Culmination and results.

Waning Square (270°) – Tension due to decay.

Both Saturn and Pluto are now at significant turning points in their respective cycles with the USA’s natal Venus. Below is a look at the most recent Saturn/Venus and Pluto/Venus cycles for the USA. I will discuss where we are now in these cycles and how we could use this information as an opportunity to move beyond our current financial paradigms and any transgressions which have revealed themselves during this period.

Current Saturn/USA Natal Venus Cycle

Saturn conjunct Venus (June 20, 2003-July 5, 2003)

This was a brief transit that initiated a new cycle with regards to security (Saturn) and our finances/economy (Venus). The Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 (i.e. the Bush tax cut) was finalized just a few weeks before this period. This lowered tax on income from dividends and capital gains (i.e. retirement security). Also during this period, after a general rise in the stock market, this period in late June/early July 2003 yielded a stock market stall with a slight dip especially seen in the SP-500 (see graph below).

SP-500 Graph (click to enlarge)

*Saturn waxing square to Venus (November 2009 - August 2010)*

We are now entering this period which represents ‘growing pains’ associated with what was initiated in the summer of 2003. Could the Bush tax cuts reveal problems as the middle class feels the burden taken from the wealthy? Could the stock market stall or dip for this extended period like it did in 2003 causing citizens to question their long-term security?

Saturn opposite Venus (January 2018 - October 2018)

??

Saturn waning square to Venus (March 2026)

??

Current Pluto/USA Natal Venus Cycle

Pluto conjunct Venus (September 1914 - May 1918)

This time period initiated a new cycle with regards to power/resources (Pluto) and our finances/economy (Venus). This was the general period of WWI and a time when the USA was discovering and creating the mechanisms of the oil business. Out of this period came US Code Title 19 Section 1332(c) which gave the US International Trade Commission the ‘power to investigate the Paris Economy Pact and similar organizations and arrangements in Europe’. The Punitive Expedition in Mexico also occurred between 1916 & 1917 where the USA invaded Mexico to suppress an uprising during the Mexican Revolution. This border invasion created tension between the USA and Mexico.

Pluto waxing square to Venus (September 1972 – June 1974)

This period represented ‘growing pains’ associated with what was initiated from 1914-1918. During this time there was a large recession as well as an oil crisis. This was also the end of the Vietnam War and when the Watergate scandal surfaced. Note that these occurrences during the waxing square phase represent the warning signs or indicators of that which was initiated during the conjunction. Oil/resource issues, questionable foreign occupation, and unethical investigations are what occurred during this time period. These actions are easily relatable to those conditions introduced in the above paragraph on the initiation of this cycle.

*Pluto opposite Venus (January 2009 - November 2010)*

We are now right in the middle of the culmination period for this cycle. We are reaping what we have sown in the beginning of the cycle as well as reap what we saw and allowed to continue to grow during the waxing square period. Yet again we find ourselves involved in an issue of questionable foreign occupation and dealing with resource issues including oil. Will we finally get our troops out of Iraq or find it is in our best interest to cross over someone else’s borders? Could we be finally dealing with the side effects of peak oil and oil’s inevitable depletion? Could the ‘global warming’ issue and other environmental factors force us to seriously explore alternative energy options? Could there be an all out investigation (i.e. a 9/11 investigation or more financial scandals) that yields truths we are not prepared to hear and which challenge our values as a nation?

Pluto waning square to Venus (June 2067 – February 2072)

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Discussion

Saturn/Venus cycles are ideally about tightening up economic security. Decisions made at the start of the period regarding these issues have a lasting effect. The waxing square period of the Saturn/Venus cycle that we will encounter from November 2009-August 2010 will introduce us to any benefits and/or shortcomings brought about by the direction we started to head in the summer of 2003.

For example, if our retirement accounts start to show promise during this period due to lowered taxes on dividends and capital gains in the 2003 tax cuts then we will know that this was a good move in retrospect and that we should encourage similar practices to improve our financial portfolios.

However, if the market hiccup during the brief initiation period in the summer of 2003 repeats itself but only for a longer period, people may panic and begin removing their money in droves causing widespread financial collapse by the end of August 2010. In this case we would know that perhaps ‘top-down’ economics isn’t working so well. It would then be our responsibility to make adjustments during this period to ensure that there isn’t a collapse of the market.

We can use the Saturn/Venus waxing square period to make quality adjustments to the security of our nation’s finances by seeing what reveals itself with regards to what was started in the summer of 2003. If we recognize the shortcomings and make solid tangible adjustments we may well ensure our financial security and see the results of these adjustments revealed in 2018 during the opposition period.

Pluto/Venus cycles are ideally about transforming the way that we value things to truly reflect our image. Decisions made at the start of the period regarding these issues have a lasting effect. The opposition period of the Pluto/Venus cycle that is occurring from January 2009-November 2010 is revealing to us what we have sown back at the start of the period (September 1914-May 1918) and what we had allowed to continue during the waxing square period (September 1972-June 1974).

We are undoubtedly dealing with the results of decisions long ago to create a society so heavily dependent on oil from foreign countries. Our sense of entitlement in terms of national borders has also revealed itself. Over the next year we may very well find that the price of oil skyrockets and that we just aren’t in a position to sustain our energy demands domestically. This could lead to our continued intrusion of other countries to claim our perceived ‘rightful’ ownership of resources.

In the early 1970’s, during the waxing square period, we had opportunities to adjust our sense of entitlement after the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War and to adjust our dependence on foreign oil during the oil crisis. In many ways we have not learned from these experiences and we are now reaping the results of failed adjustments from that important decision making period.

We can use the Pluto/Venus opposition period to accept the effects of potentially harmful decisions regarding the use of natural resources and the ethical dilemma of entitlement over other’s borders. If we humble ourselves we may realize that we could have done things differently and then decide to head in a new direction from there. But this requires us to actually admit that we were shortsighted and that we are willing to transform our values system to better reflect what we believe our true image to be as a nation. So far, the USA has yet to display any form or humble regret for actions of the past. But this does not mean that it is not possible in the future.

And so it is…

Readers, if you enjoyed the content of this type of article, please check back as I will be posting articles soon related to other planetary cycles which are at major turning points over the next few years as well. Check back soon and visit www.myastrochris.com!