News

by Dena DeCastro

Uranus dips back into Pisces on August 13th, after a start into Aries which began on May 27th. I wrote an article in my May Newsletter about the meaning of Uranus into Aries in your individual chart. Its last months in Pisces are from now until March of 2011, when it then re-enters Aries for the duration of its transit through that sign. Uranus passes through one sign in about 6-8 years. Wherever it is transiting, it points us toward what strategies we need in order to reinvent ourselves as a species, and to break away from the past. Uranus is also the “Great Awakener.” As Jessica Murray puts it in her writings on the current Uranus/Pluto square: “Uranus’ job is to jolt humanity into alertness, jettisoning stale material like a wet dog shaking its fur.” During the final months of a planet’s transit through a sign, it seems to be tying up any unfinished business in that realm, and the themes of that sign/planet combination are intensified.

by Frederick Woodruff

“For each age is a dream that is dying,
Or one that is coming into birth.” – Arthur O’Shaughnessy

A week after the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion I scanned the above emblem of the swimming King, added the black blotches of ‘oil’ and printed the picture on paper to prop on my desk and contemplate. The illustration is from the legendary Atalanta fugiens series, by the 16th century alchemist Michael Maier, and like most alchemical imagery, the scene seems lifted from a dream or nightmare. A forlorn king, removed from his throne, floundering and bellowing for help. How does his story end?

by Dena DeCastro

There has been a TON of discussion about the “Cardinal Event” of 2010…aka, the Cardinal Climax or the Cardinal T-Square. You can find great discussion threads about this on FB at TMA’s page, and investigate any number of astrological blogs on the topic. It is a big event, but I think it’s important not to scare ourselves about it. I remember when I had Ed Welsh on my podcast to talk about the Uranus/Saturn Opposition at its outset, and he said something I thought was so wise: “Let’s not scare ourselves with this transit.” That transit is nearly over, and we have survived, although it has indeed been a tumultuous time for the country, the economy, and the planet. More to come? It’s pretty likely, but we don’t need astrology to tell us that. Just look around you. As Shon Clark said in his recent interview, 2012 is already here…just look around.

by Maurice Fernandez

The planets Uranus and Jupiter have entered the first sign of the zodiac Aries and will stay there for three months, only to return next year 2011. The sign of Aries represents the effort to breakthrough, just like a baby finding his or her way out through the birth canal—it embodies strength, action towards change, and creativity. Needless to say that these two planets visiting Aries cause a great deal of restlessness because the desire to take a new direction is felt ever more pressingly. Have you felt a need to reinvent yourself or embark on new ventures? If so, you are in tune with what is going on…yet, the evolutionary incentive here is to learn proper action and not simply burst forward.

Your fearless editor, Tony Howard, is participating in The 1st International Astrology Day Blog-A-Thon! This special online event brings together a collection of helpful, insightful and informative articles on handling the challenges of Saturn, Uranus, Pluto in the 2010 cardinal t-square. This astrological event has lead to much debate, angst, worry, and hot air. This collection of blog articles will present many perspectives on the matter so you can find out where you stand.

Articles on Pluto are published Friday, Saturn on Saturday, and Uranus on Sunday. For a sneak peak at the Uranus article submitted by FindAnAstrologer's Tony Howard, click here to go to AstroRaven.com.
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December 2009 is a month of very powerful planetary alignments. AstrologerErin Sullivan was recently interviewed by Chris Flisher on his radio show "Turning of the Wheel" to discuss what we might expect as we move forward into the extremely powerful year ahead of us. 2010 will present enormous challenges and opportunities and Erin gives us a sense of the terrain ahead. Listen here.
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EngagedHeart.com has just posted their extensive series of interviews with many top astrologers at NORWAC 2009, and has posted them for free listening and download. Listen to interviews with Richard Tarnas, Steven Forrest, Demetra George, Alan Oken, Jeff Jawer and more! Thanks to EngagedHeart.com for sharing this great work. Stop by the EngagedHeart website for a full list of interviews.

Maurice Fernandez has recently released his book, Astrology and the Evolution of Consciousness. Adding to the genre of beginning astrology texts, this one takes a unique approach by infusing the evolutionary approach into the groundwork of outlining the astrological archetypal patterns. In this way readers are given a way to understand astrology as an spiritual evolution rather than a deterministic fate-based story. Maurice weaves a yogic understanding into the book as well by including a way of understanding the birth chart through 3 spiritual stages of growth. For more information: www.mauricefernandez.com/eng_book2.html
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State of the Skies Report with Jodie Forrest

We are currently (as of October 2009) in a pattern of five oppositions of Saturn and Uranus:

* on 11/04/08 at 19 Virgo (Saturn) -Pisces (Uranus)

* on 2/5/09 at 20 Virgo-Pisces

* on 09/15/09 at 25 Virgo-Pisces

* on 4/24/2010 at 29 Virgo-Pisces

* on 7/26/2010 at 1 Libra-Capricorn

Transiting Uranus galvanizes whatever planet or point it is aspecting, and whatever house it is passing through in your birthchart. It asks you to overhaul and transform these areas, particularly where you may have been clinging to traditions, habits, fears and restrictive conservatism about them. The more "trapped" you have felt here, the more acutely you may feel this Uranian call to progress and freedom. To work well with these transits, you must use the Uranian virtue of *being fully yourself*--not someone else's idea of you, and not a living symbol of "the Revolution" at the expense of your own identity. Transiting Saturn asks you for a realistic and objective assessment of what is and is not working about whatever planet or point it is aspecting, and about whatever house it is passing through in your birthchart. It asks you to use the Saturnian virtues of good reality-testing and shrewd consistent effort to make a concrete, practical change of whatever isn't working for you.

Eros and Risk
by Jodie Forrest
September 2009

Recently I've been thinking about Mars a lot. Why? Partly because I'm teaching an astrological apprenticeship/mentoring program on Venus and Mars in Oakland, CA on October 3rd and 4th (see the Creative Juices Arts studio website), and partly because it's transiting over my Ascendant just now, and will be in my first house until mid October. Mars transits over our Ascendants about every two years. Last time it went over my Ascendant, I spoke at UAC, the major astrology conference that happens every 3 or 4 years. I was psyched for the lecture and it was well received. Later in the conference, I caught both a cold and a stomach bug and, because of a hotel key malfunction, I got locked out of my room while I was sick. The red planet does seem to bring challenges and stress! Yet it brings excitement and adventure, too. Which will it bring? The choice is really up to you.

Where Mars is in your chart, natally and by transit, you will need to develop your willpower (Mars). You will face a kind of cosmic assertiveness training (Mars).