Our world is on the cusp of change, according to the Astrological markers. Right now, as of the end of July 2010 we have the following planets on the edge or going over the edge of one sign in to another: Saturn, Chiron, Uranus, Neptune, Jupiter and Mars.

People are often confused about the cusp of a sign. We think that we are a ‘watered down’ version of the sign if we are born on the cusp. For example, one woman I met said “Oh, I’m two signs.” “Oh really?” I pressed her for clarification, she said that since she was born on November 22nd she was both Scorpio and Sagittarius. I had to clarify for her that this isn’t really how it works. I explained to her that it is necessary to actually examine your NATAL CHART in order to know which sign you were really born under – since this changes a bit from year to year – those general guidelines you find in books aren’t really accurate. On top of this, I had to also explain to her that at the end and the beginning of each sign is when it is MOST INTENSE. There is no such thing as a watered down hybrid between the two. Other planets in your NATAL CHART may modify this – but not the Sun. The Sun for her was either intensely Scorpio or intensely Sagittarius – not both and not half of each! After speaking to her for 2 minutes it was pretty obvious to me that she was a SAGITTARIUS and not a Scorpio. She was just too bubbly and lighthearted to be an intense Scorpio type, but she was an intense Sag type.

The world is experiencing something very similar right now. With so MANY planets changing costumes, as it were, this year, we are under nothing less than an entire RE-casting of the world players in our lives. The changes are radical, they are dramatic and even though it happens gradually, like the waves changing from High tide to low tide – it is still both unstoppable and irreversible. You see, when a planet changes from one sign to the next, it often turns around and revisits the past sign again through it’s retrograde motion. Most people are familiar with Retrograde Mercury, but ALL planets turn retrograde at some point or another – except the Sun and the Moon.

Right now, Saturn is finally RETURNING to Libra, he entered Libra last year, then changed directions and went back into Virgo, and now is making his final and permanent change into the Libra energy. The other cusp planets – Uranus, Neptune, Jupiter and Chiron – are or will go through something similar. These are also ALL planets that effect group and social level dynamics, including family. None of them are personal planets. What this means is that society is going through a revision. It will not be the same when we come out the other side (about 12-18 months from now).

These changes started back in 2009 – remember the stock market crash? This was just one of a series of deep-level changes that are taking place. The short version of what these changes are about and what they mean at the big picture level is that the post-modern society is changing radically. Many people still don’t see this (although I find it hard to understand HOW people can cling to illusions of the past when change is so obvious to me).

People will need to work together in groups. We are getting ready to experience disruptions to the flow of goods. Local will be better. Teams will be better (and necessary). More earth disruptions are happening. It will different in different places, but being closer to nature will be hugely important.

Specifics for each person are as individual as you are, and can’t be addressed in this article. These are just guidelines to help people think towards the future and plan for it. Individual forecasts must be looked at privately. In the meantime, be ready to make a new kind of life, and embrace a deeper level of connection to your environment and community – because this is where things are headed.

Aura
Don’t forget that I accurately predicted the crash of the housing market at least 4 years before it happened.
Private readings are available by appointment
(626) 872-0336

Financial Astrology is the real truth of this planet, and yet, the debate over Pluto rages on; Is it a planet, isn’t it a planet, is it a ‘dwarf’ planet, is it smaller than Eris, is it bigger than Eris. OK guys (Astronomers I mean), we know you all want to compare the size of what’s in your pants, but leave the Solar System out of it will ya.

Financial Astrology and Pluto

Pluto - Financial Astrology

Financial Astrology makes use of the Dwarf Planet.

It doesn’t really matter who has a bigger package – or what the Astronomers of the world want to call Pluto. None of us like to be labeled. And if you interview 100 women you will find that 90 out of 100 will agree that size isn’t the most important thing. The finances on the other hand, are more important which is where the financial Astrology of Pluto comes into play. Wikipedia has a good definition here. Which is a nice overview of what financial astrology is all about.

In financial Astrology we make use of the planets to predict trends, changes and find opportunities for ourselves. Finacial Astrology can also provide amazing insight into how we share what we have with other people – and why. Astrologically speaking, Pluto is the planet of subconscious “ID” desires as Freud would like to describe it. In true Freudian fashion, Pluto is all about the sex drives as well as the desire for power, control and domination – which often translates into the world of finances and Financial Astrology. Pluto is no lightweight by any measure – and even though he may be light compared to the other objects in our solar system, he packs a pretty good punch.

Pluto is also responsible for our collective unconscious and the drives that effect it as well as the merging of ourselves with others in not just the sex act, but also how we work together to get our needs met. He governs things like stocks, bonds and the use of money as well as shared resources, which is why he is useful in financial astrology. He’s a pretty important player on the stage of life, and right now, with our current financial world woes, I would have to say he’s most definitely making his presence felt. It is probably the movement of Pluto more than any other planet that has had a huge impact on the world finances – thus proving his usefulness in Financial Astrology.

So, when all is said and done, the Pluto in your Astrology Chart doesn’t really care if he’s a planet, a dwarf, an Oort belt object or a pink cupcake with frosting. He just makes sure that you know all about power, passion and the depths of your unconscious mind. He also has a major impact on ALL financial matters (financial astrology), and this current debate about weather or not he exists seems to make a perfect metaphor for what is taking place in the world finances right now, and Financial Astrology gives a good glimpse into how that will play out. So Pluto is useful, no matter how much macho size posturing the Astronomers of the world like to do, which is why he is the first thing I look at when doing a Financial Astrology Reading for a client.

Yes, the Election is coming up. This is true, and most people are worked up about it. The Uranus – Saturn opposition that becomes EXACT on Nov 4th – Election Day, will make sure to stir up plenty of controversy and TROUBLE. The old Guard (Saturn) is pitted against the New Guard and nobody will give an inch. More than any other aspect present at this time this one is a sign of more trouble in already troubled waters. This Election Day has transits that create LONG-TERM turbulence with the US chart – no matter who is elected. It is a dramatic time. I expect the results of this election will be very challenging and cause turmoil (Uranus) for a lot of Americans.

IT’S BASIC ECONOMICS: The current financial crises we are facing is a basic lesson in ‘spend less than you make,’ but on a huge governmental scale. This crisis and the fact that world stock markets (Uranus) are continuing to crumble(Saturn) today is all related to this Saturn-Uranus opposition.  Here is a very clear article that lays it out in simple economic terms:

Economic Principles

I never took trigonometry, but Astrology actually uses plenty of this kind of math! So the same laws apply.
The election isn’t going to solve any of our problems, sorry folks. I wish it were that simple. Of course, we still need to go and vote, but the US is in for some real bashing by Saturn and Uranus over the next year, and there is just no way to avoid this.

Saturn and Uranus in Opposition also create unpredictable Human Behavior and Hate crimes.

Last night I saw a play about racism at The Actors Gang. This is Tim Robbin’s theater, and he was there. We spoke briefly about the upcoming election and he was concerned about disenfranchised voters. I mentioned that PBS had a YouTube station set up for people to video tape their voting experiences. He’s on Bill Maher tonight, and will be giving out the link, but here it is for you now

Record your Vote

Seeing that play sure made me feel white, while at the same time reminding me that I am Jewish. I was sitting next to one of my closest friends who is Palestinian. Under different circumstances we should hate each other, but neither of us sees ourselves purely through race identity. The GIFT of Saturn combined with Uranus is the ability for us to ‘get past’ our tribal/survival thinking. Indeed thinking from a perspective of vision instead of fear and us against them survival is the ONLY remedy for Saturn opposed to Uranus woes. It’s time to remember that we’re all in this together.

Anyway, feelings about color is a major issue and concern in this presidential ‘race’. Maybe this gives is all a chance to look inwards and see where we have a victim/victimizer inner drama taking place (Saturn opposed to Uranus). One of the most powerful moments in the play was when an actress pointed out that seeing what the effects of man’s inhumanity to man really ARE, she realized that she could do this. We all could. This issue is on the surface for us to collectively address, heal and move to a new level. My intention is for this to be easy and for us to collectively move to a higher state of awareness. But I still think it’s a good idea to be prepared (but armed with courage and loving action).

Of course, the only answer to racial tension is to create a community and identity that transcends the borders of skin color – a wholeness. The only way to really do this is for us to see ourselves as all part of the whole – all connected to the one planet we share our earth walk with. Really, if we think about it, we can’t ever get away from our connection to oneness. Simply by virtue of our feet being connected to the ground through gravity, that ground connects us to every other living thing on the planet. In the truest, most real sense of it: we are all ONE.  One Planet.

Saturn Opposed to Uranus wakes us up to the possibility that it could take a crisis that threatens the planet itself, Is this what it takes for us to pull together and see this?
I hope not, but looking at the Astrology for next year, I fear yes.
I am merely the thunder (Saturn) that warns of the approaching lightning (Uranus).

Talking about Saturn we need to remember that it is the ASPECTS that have the power, not simply the presence of a planet in one sign or another.

WHAT’S A TRANSIT? I’m glad you asked. A transit is when a planet moving through the sky makes an aspect or a pattern with the planets in your own Natal Chart.

WHAT’S AN ASPECT? A mathematical degree used by Astrologers to see what planet in your Natal Chart is being ‘touched’ and how it’s being touched, ie: caressed or throttled? and for how long this ‘touching’ will continue to go on.

WHAT ARE PATTERNS? These are shapes made by a few planets together, like squares and triangles and long stretchy triangles. Remember art class? See, that stuff was useful after all.

WHAT’S A NATAL CHART? It is the snapshot of the heavens at the moment when YOU were born. It is a lot like a snowflake or a fingerprint. It is unique. Most Natal Charts only refer to a flat view of the heavens. But there are at least 3 more dimensions to see than this. You will learn about this in the FREE ASTROLOGY SECRETS REPORT that you get when you subscribe to my WEEKLY NEWSLETTER. You can learn more about the 4-D NATAL CHART by going HERE.

Saturn WILL ONLY BE IN EFFECT when he is within a ASPECT of a Natal Planet (A planet in YOUR birth chart.) During those windows of time THE ASPECT will trigger events in your life. I consider it in effect when within 3 degrees – no more.

DON’T FORGET THAT THE ENTIRE GEN X is getting major Saturn Transits sometime in the next 2 years.

Saturn is no pick-nick by any stretch – regardless of what others have said. Here are some types of Saturn experiences:

LAWSUITS
DIVORCES
ILLNES
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITY
FATHER FIGURE PROBLEMS
BOSS PROBLEMS
PARKING TICKETS – TAXES – IRS
BANKING RED TAPE (yes foreclosure!)

and YES, when I was having bad Saturn transits – several people in my life died.

Additionally: It is the Patters that are triggered that suggest if you will come out on the winning (or losing) end of tangles with Saturn.

FOR EXAMPLE: If Saturn made a conjunction to your URANUS IN VIRGO – and you also had a GRAND TRINE in your own Natal Chart with say URANUS – SUN – JUPITER all in EARTH signs, then the hard work that Saturn triggers might put you in charge of your own business, or get you organized to open your own massage school. This is exactly what a client who has a Grand Trine being triggered by Transiting Saturn, is doing.

clearly this is NOT bad for her!

But that’s not all: HARD PATTERNS triggered by Saturn = tough times. Hard patterns are: Squares, oppositions, quincunx, T-squares, Grand Crosses, Yods and a variety of others. Not to mention the Saturn midpoints and the challenges that they can unleash!

It can be difficult for those of us pros who want to look a the WHOLE PICTURE to boil it down to one small sound bite or another.

For your sake: Here’s my best effort at a sound-bite on Saturn IN VIRGO:
**by the way Saturn rules the anus**

The bean counters have taken over the world! Death by a thousand paper cuts!

IE: Camera traffic cops are enforcing every intersection in the major cities. Seems like no way to win against those bean counters.

The only way to fight beans is with beans!

Details, details, details, hair-splitting and a puckered behind, especially with laws. This is how you can win in the end. In other words: got an electronic traffic ticket for $400? Well, you DO have the right to face your accuser.

Huh? Face a camera? Not exactly, but you can demand to know if it was functioning right, you can demand paperwork. If they can’t produce it – or if no cop shows up, you win. Technicality. A shell game for cash.

Don’t be the dupe, have your facts screwed on nice and tight.

REMEMBER: he or she who has the tightest behind WINS all Saturn battles!

Want to know what Saturn has in store for you? Then order a NATAL CHART and instead of entering info for your partner, just type in SATURN!

Please note that this information will be good for a range of about 6 weeks from the date of delivery. For the first 5 people I will also include a list of SATURN WARNING DATES when you must avoid contracts, starting a new job, moving, or other important beginning – the trouble this could save you is priceless!

Don’t wait to get your 4D-NATAL CHART, once Saturn is in your back yard, it’s too late to get prepared.

Talking about Saturn we need to remember that it is the ASPECTS that have the power, not simply the presence of a planet in one sign or another.

WHAT’S A TRANSIT? I’m glad you asked. A transit is when a planet moving through the sky makes an aspect or a pattern with the planets in your own Natal Chart.

WHAT’S AN ASPECT? A mathematical degree used by Astrologers to see what planet in your Natal Chart is being ‘touched’ and how it’s being touched, ie: caressed or throttled? and for how long this ‘touching’ will continue to go on.

WHAT ARE PATTERNS? These are shapes made by a few planets together, like squares and triangles and long stretchy triangles. Remember art class? See, that stuff was useful after all.

WHAT’S A NATAL CHART? It is the snapshot of the heavens at the moment when YOU were born. It is a lot like a snowflake or a fingerprint. It is unique. Most Natal Charts only refer to a flat view of the heavens. But there are at least 3 more dimensions to see than this. You will learn about this in the FREE ASTROLOGY SECRETS REPORT that you get when you subscribe to my WEEKLY NEWSLETTER.  You can learn more about the 4-D NATAL CHART by going HERE.

Saturn WILL ONLY BE IN EFFECT when he is within a ASPECT of a Natal Planet (A planet in YOUR birth chart.) During those windows of time THE ASPECT will trigger events in your life. I consider it in effect when within 3 degrees – no more.

DON’T FORGET THAT THE ENTIRE GEN X is getting major Saturn Transits sometime in the next 2 years.

Saturn is no pick-nick by any stretch – regardless of what others have said.  Here are some types of Saturn experiences:

LAWSUITS
DIVORCES
ILLNES
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITY
FATHER FIGURE PROBLEMS
BOSS PROBLEMS
PARKING TICKETS – TAXES – IRS
BANKING RED TAPE (yes foreclosure!)

and YES, when I was having bad Saturn transits – several people in my life died.

Additionally: It is the Patters that are triggered that suggest if you will come out on the winning (or losing) end of tangles with Saturn.

FOR EXAMPLE: If Saturn made a conjunction to your URANUS IN VIRGO – and you also had a GRAND TRINE in your own Natal Chart with say URANUS – SUN – JUPITER all in EARTH signs, then the hard work that Saturn triggers might put you in charge of your own business, or get you organized to open your own massage school. This is exactly what a client who has a Grand Trine being triggered by Transiting Saturn, is doing.

clearly this is NOT bad for her!

But that’s not all: HARD PATTERNS triggered by Saturn = tough times. Hard patterns are: Squares, oppositions, quincunx, T-squares, Grand Crosses, Yods and a variety of others. Not to mention the Saturn midpoints and the challenges that they can unleash!

It can be difficult for those of us pros who want to look a the WHOLE  PICTURE to boil it down to one small sound bite or another.

For your sake: Here’s my best effort at a sound-bite on Saturn IN VIRGO:
**by the way Saturn rules the anus**

The bean counters have taken over the world! Death by a thousand paper cuts!

IE: Camera traffic cops are enforcing every intersection in the major cities. Seems like no way to win against those bean counters.

The only way to fight beans is with beans!

Details, details, details, hair-splitting and a puckered behind, especially with laws. This is how you can win in the end. In other words: got an electronic traffic ticket for $400? Well, you DO have the right to face your accuser.

Huh? Face a camera? Not exactly, but you can demand to know if it was functioning right, you can demand paperwork. If they can’t produce it – or if no cop shows up, you win. Technicality. A shell game for cash.

Don’t be the dupe, have your facts screwed on nice and tight.

REMEMBER: he or she who has the tightest behind WINS all Saturn battles!

Want to know what Saturn has in store for you? Then order a NATAL CHART and instead of entering info for your partner, just type in SATURN!

Please note that this information will be good for a range of about 6 weeks from the date of delivery. For the first 5 people I will also include a list of SATURN WARNING DATES when you must avoid contracts, starting a new job, moving, or other important beginning – the trouble this could save you is priceless!

Don’t wait to get your 4D-NATAL CHART, once Saturn is in your back yard, it’s too late to get prepared.

You’ve been asking for an update on my Astrology Presidential prediction article and finally, at long last, here it is.

Here’s the deal, we are entering a Mercury Retrograde on May 26th in Gemini (the sign of words, reporters and speech givers).

That same week, May 25th Chiron turns Retrogade, then on the 26th Neptune Turns Retrograde TOGETHER AT ALMOST THE SAME DEGREE in Aquarius (the sign of the masses and politics).

Then in August – just before the Democratic Convention – we have a pair of Eclpses; one Solar Eclipse and One Lunar Eclipse. Each of these things means something. But TOGETHER they paint a picture.

People keep saying that the Democratic race has race as it’s core issue. But I disagree. The conflict is NOT about Black V White, it is about Blue V White (collar that is). In other words Obama is the White candidate – he represents the white collar segment of the population. Clinton is Blue – she represents the Blue collar worker. McCain is Red – he represents the status quo and conservatism. OH, look America is red, white and blue after all. Just not all at the same time.

I personally think that if we must spend the next 4 or 8 years discussing race and reverend Wright I will have to shoot myself. If all we can talk about is race, this means we are all racist! The opposite of that conversation is not more of the same, it is something completely different and new. I want us all to get PAST the race consciousness. I may be dreaming, I know that. But still, I am tired of this.

THE BOTTOM LINE: I look at the three remaining candidates as representing different planets. This has NOTHING to do with their Horoscopes or Sun Signs. When someone becomes a public figure they represent one of the Archetypes of the human mind (these archetypes are also the planets of the solar system). These are the ones that the 3 remaining candidates represent.

McCain: The Red (collar) candidate is SATURN - he’s all about the rules, the status quo and the idea of being ‘conservative’. It remains to be seen weather he can beat the red (ink) that the current admin is leaving behind. Pro war (red) McCain wants to follow through on the Republican agenda. He’s the Daddy figure, rule maker, authority figure, expected style of candidate that Saturn loves. He is the classic, the standard and the traditional. Fighting is always a staple of the ‘red collar’ idealogy.

Obama: The White (collar) candidate is JUPITER – he’s all about philosophy, big expansive speeches and the notion of sweeping change. Can he deliver what he promises? Who knows. Jupiter sometimes makes empty promises, just how far can good intentions get us? Obama’s an unproven quantity. His popularity among college students is again a very Jupiter theme. He is about advantage, opportunity and success.

Clinton: The Blue (collar) candidate is URANUS – she is an innovation, she speaks about the needs of the masses and those who work for a living. Her core message is about unions and programs that serve large numbers of people, like health care – all of which are subjects of Uranus. Complicated, contradictory, unpredictable and revolutionary are all Uranus qualities, so we never know what to expect with her.

The August Eclipse’s WILL UPSET THE APPLECART. Get ready for a heated season because the fight is ON. Eclipse’s will reveal secrets in AUGUST and remove powerful figureheads from the picture. All of this makes for some great NEWS HEADLINES.

RIGHT NOW and into mid JUNE: Lies and manipulations of words are EVERYWHERE. News is distorted and we would be smart NOT TO BELIEVE WHAT WE’RE BEING TOLD. The picture is not clear until September.

The wild card is always the people themselves. Candidates can slit their own throats (the way that Guiluini did), the public is often manipulated by the media. These things cannot be predicted by Astrology. Free Will always exists. These are the trends, the rest remains to be seen. What do you think?

The Saturn Station Direct happened today at 2′ degrees Virgo.

This will have the strongest effect on Capricorns (who are ruled by Saturn) Aquarius’s (also ruled by Saturn in Ancient Astrology) and Virgo’s – since Saturn is actually IN Virgo.

Saturn in Virgo – What does it mean?
Saturn represents hardship and difficulty. Many times Astrologers try to candy coat him and say he has something to do with responsibilities that we must take on, either by choice or necessity. I disagree. I say it is rarely by choice and almost always filled with hardship and challenge. Saturn rules the collective shadow we face at any given time, or if you prefer he represents the dark shadows of the world. Remember, all bullies – Saturn included – work very hard to HIDE their smallness and meanness. If we hope to defeat him, we must look into the darkness and try to heal it.  This isn’t for the fearful or the faint of heart.

“He pointed at the Sun and said, the Sun’s not yellow, it’s chicken.” – Bob Dylan

That doesn’t mean we can’t do something good with Saturn’s energy. It’s just always hard. The best we can make of it is to get really organized and disciplined in the area he is focusing on. Right now that means the area of Virgo. Virgo rules health, habits, routines, employees and pets. Take extra care of your wee little critters, their health is precarious now. The same is true for us, we need to eat extra well. I’ve been saying for years that it’s getting harder and harder to find real food in the stores. We need to pay attention.

It also rules service industries, especially those where someone wears a uniform, as well as details, paperwork, filing systems and bureaucracy.

I was in the store the other day and overheard a man talking about going to court for a traffic ticket. It was an electronic ticket he’d gotten from a camera at a stop sign. He lost his case because he hadn’t stopped for the full 3 seconds before moving forward. He said that the court was filled with people in the exact same situation. They all lost.  Saturn loves to go to court, and these kinds of no-win details are the sorts of hair splitting (and hair pulling) scenario’s Saturn will just love to heap on the world for the next 2-3 years. Oh yes, the hall monitors of the world are about to get their revenge. Consider yourself warned!

In the near future, we have until New Years Eve 2008 while he will be in Direct motion again. For the past 6 months he’s been Retrograde – which means he’s been underground and in hiding (just like the chicken he is). Now he leaves the shadow and moves forward and won’t start to gain new ground until Mid-August. Basically what that means is that he’s been laying little booby traps all over the place, mostly physical ones (Virgo is a physical sign) and we will all start to get bitten by them over the course of the next few months – up until mid August. Watch those electronic traffic cash machines – they’re getting ready to take a collective bite out of our wallets.

Booby traps are everywhere – just like this crazy sounding traffic rule. So be extra, extra, extra careful. When Saturn is in Virgo the bean counters of the world rule us all – they know it – and they laugh at us for not being able to do anything about it. It is the very definition of petty.

Saturn in Virgo can be really mean. So if you want to take revenge on someone, you can be equally mean and trap them in some meaningless detail. Tell them that they have 2 oz. too much body fat, treat her as if having a pimple is a felony worthy of prison time, hide his car keys or re-arrange your co-workers desk while they are in the other room. This should succeed in making steam come out of at least one ear. To complete the picture shred some important identity documents or even better, sell them to some guy in Russia named Vlad. (Obviously I am joking).

Honestly, I’m not a paranoid person, but the other day when I got a phone call from my merchant account asking me to fax them my statement red flags went up all over the place. If they are my Merchant account – why don’t they already HAVE my statement?? Hmm, I don’t think so.

“Fools rush in where angels fear to tread” must have been written when Saturn was in Virgo. For this cycle caution is the operative word.

SATURN in mythology is the old man, paternal figure. He’s the guy that tells you to get serious, buckle down and do some real work. He is stooped and bent over, cranky and severe. He has high standards and he holds himself and other people to them. SATURN could be considered the king of the old adage ‘all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.’ Saturn is the lord of discipline, time and limitations. On the good side he represents the limitations and discipline we impose upon ourselves in order to achieve goals and earn the freedom this can give us. Limitations are a part of life. SATURN represents the rules we either willingly live by and make a part of out lives or he represents the rules that others will impose upon us in order to meet societal expectations. He rules the reputation we garner for ourselves, our relationship to his demands either gives us a ‘good name’ or a ‘bad reputation’. He rarely thinks for himself, and so he is the great keeper of the world order as it stands. He is the rules of mans game, and he punishes those who make up new ones. He also rewards those who work hard, giving them positions of authority and responsibility-two of his favorite things. But he is a drone, disliking change, independent thought or anything that breaks the routine.

SATURN rules Capricorn and Aquarius by my standard. But don’t get depressed by this, if you are a Capricorn you already have too much of that tendency to begin with. Yes Capricorn is serious and hard working. They get very upset if their image is slurred and they want to be seen as doing ‘good.’ You see the truth underneath all that orderliness and perfect behavior is that the Capricorn is desperately afraid of failure, and they are way too hard on themselves. They just don’t feel right about letting loose and having fun if everything and I mean everything isn’t taken care of. Unless of course the prevailing value of the environment they are in is too have fun, in that case they’ll make sure that they have fun absolutely perfectly, gosh darn it. But only if you can convince them that there’s a good reason for all that fun. Perhaps this is because they are afraid that they will sink back to the Baccanalian excesses from which they emerged.

In ancient Greece the Baccian festivals were attributed to SATURN. Perhaps as a way to offset his severity and the struggle he represents, these festivals were all about revelry, drunken excess and just plain cutting loose. In these festivities a young man was chosen to run around, have a great time, sleep with all the babes for a year and then he was sacrificed to the Gods at the end of that year. Perhaps this is where we get the idea to ,”live fast, die young and leave a beautiful corpse.” Regardless, there is always a price to pay, and the ancient Greeks reminded themselves of this through these Festivals.

Aquarius is also ruled by SATURN, and here the influence is the opposite. Aquarius throws off the burdens imposed by SATURN and seeks to break free and overthrow his constraints. This often leads to innovation, genius and sudden breakthroughs. On the other hand it can lead to pain and broken bones – after all Gravity is a rule and breaking it hurts!

We are each influenced by SATURN energy in a unique way. SATURN can bring pain, loss, grief, lawsuits, hard work and struggle. The placement of SATURN in the Natal Chart indicates how we would respond to the rules imposed on us by parental figures and society as a whole. It also indicates the rules by which we live our own life, and may wish to impose on other people. SATURN in the individual Natal Chart would represent the ways in which we may secretly wish to go to excesses or rebel against someone’s rules but are afraid to, because of what other people would think.

I am CAPRICORN: Honor me – Ruled by Saturn

Standing tall, shoulders back, solemn look on his face our CAPRICORN friends long to achieve the pinnacle of their profession, drawing the esteem and respect of their peers. Awards, medals, trophies, status symbols, titles and other distinctions of honor are coveted, and usually achieved by the rugged mountain GOAT.

Trouble is, that mountain is really tall, and really, really rocky, with icy peaks, and even, shudder, avalanches. No matter, the tougher the challenge, the more interested our patient planner is in reaching that highest pinnacle. You see he seeks to view the world from lofty heights, and by gum, he’ll get there, no matter who or what he has to kill to do it. Not that all CAP’S have a heartless streak, it’s just that many of them can’t understand other people’s weepy sentimentality. ‘Life is hard,’ your local GOAT snorts, ‘let’s get on with it.’ And she bounds effortlessly up a 90-degree incline, leaving you shaking in your hiking boots.

You see the goal is the thing for these people. He can be guilty of valuing the idea of the thing more than the thing or the process itself. And they want evidence, solid tangible proof of their successes. Because without that, he or she fears that they will not exist. So, so serious, the CAPRICORN is yoked with his own impossibly high standards, and has little interest in all that namby-pamby self-help hooey. Chin up, onward the good soldier marches. Above all else he feels the need to leave a legacy behind him, something to prove she was there after she is dead and gone. Just to prove to the world that they could, would, and in fact did accomplish what they set out to.

But where did all this self-doubt come from in the first place? Why such a strong need to make a mark on the world? To be sure, most people just look at their GOAT friends and marvel at their wonderful cheekbones, physical agility and apparent ability to get younger as time marches unforgivingly onward, not to mention their determined ability to just plain ‘get the job done.’

The legacy of such a strict SATURNIAN planetary ruler cannot be ignored though. And brings to our CAP natives an inner fear, insecurity and stoic acceptance of life as challenge and pain. But the news is not all bad, oh no. Many of our CAPPY friends have learned to find the wry irony in life, and these are the ones who will have you rolling on the floor with a dry, unexpected delivery of some of the funniest one liners you have ever heard. But don’t forget the tears of the clown. Often this humor is born of common pain and a deep understanding of human suffering.

The watery depths of CANCER compliment the CAPRICORN temperament, and through its lessons of human connection, feeling, bonding and loss the GOAT ultimately learns to slow down and smell the flowers along the way (as he chews on one for nourishment). The ones who have learned this lesson in life are the ones who share the humor and joy with the rest of us and work for a deeper purpose. Ultimately he can actually learn to enjoy and share his inner burdens with others, and maybe even get a break or two from that relentless inner driving force. And breaking through her Chanel-clad image, you find a remarkably practical, no-nonsense gold-hearted soul, who knows exactly how to make things happen in the world. CAP’S are amazingly effective when they set their minds to something, and know just how to deal with bureaucracy and red tape. They just need to learn to enjoy the process and connect with their fellow souls on the journey. They are more loved than they think.

If you love one of these serious people, give them a massage. Have a trophy made at the local trophy shop commending them just for being them – NOT for what they can, have, or will accomplish. Love her, tell her she is wonderful, and approve of him for his human qualities, and more and more of them will be revealed to you. The talented person who knows how to pull this CAPRICORN out of their shell will be rewarded with randy and inventive sex, and beautiful trinkets and jewels as evidence of your CAP’S feelings for you, so what if she has trouble actually saying it.