Midlife Transits

Things have been busy around here and they are likely to get busier as the summer heats up astrologically. Eclipse season is already upon us. I’ve had several clients report eclipse events already, which is about on target as the first one of the summer season occurs in a month, on June 26 (lunar eclipse in Capricorn). If you experience a jolting surprise over the next week or so,  the eclipse may be at work. Check your monthly horoscope for a brief description for what it may entail. The second one occurs on the weekend of July 10, a solar eclipse in Cancer. The first one is more about endings, the second one more about new beginnings.

Uranus also enters Aries on the 27th of May, a hot, new beginning-y type of influence that will rev up the energy. Jupiter will follow Uranus into Aries. This is probably good for the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in the sense of taking pressure off the signs that deal with oceans and oil, but it may add to the busyness factor in our lives, and it will eventually lead to a cardinal sign  showdown later this summer. Things could get kind of tense.

Meanwhile, I’ll be giving another workshop on June 6 in Culver City, CA as not everyone who wanted to come to the first one could attend. Below is a brief description:

Spend a fun afternoon learning about your astrology chart and life purpose.

The workshop will:

• introduce participants to astrology and how it relates to one’s path in life.

• give attendees tools and techniques to take home and use immediately.

• tell participants how to identify their current ‘life tasks’

• help participants identify the things they should be working on right now to further soul growth

No prior knowledge of astrology needed. A free personalized chart will be offered to all participants as well as handouts explaining the symbols. By the end of the workshop, you will understand the symbols of astrology and be able to interpret your own and other people’s charts.

Attendees of the first one had a lot of fun. Warning: you may come away addicted to astrology.

For more information or to sign up, click here.

Lots of shifts in June. Eclipse season starts with a lunar eclipse in Capricorn on June 26. Mars moves into Virgo after spending about 8 months in Leo. Jupiter joins Uranus in Aries. Basically, the summer heats things up in an astrological sense. So let’s go over what some of this might mean for you.

First off, the eclipse: This eclipse series, which started last summer, has been more powerful than the one before it, in 2007 and 2008. You may remember the craziness of last summer. This eclipse happens to fall in your deep and mysterious 8th house, where the deep and mysterious Pluto is currently traveling. Sometimes that means that something surprisingly deep and mysterious will happen. Usually, however, it doesn’t. What it usually means is that something not all that deep or mysterious will happen that will later prove to have surprisingly deep and long-lasting effects. Example: woman got into a minor car wreck. Decided she got into it because she was going out to get cigarettes, decided to quit smoking, which had, of course, long lasting effects. Man finds out he needs minor surgery for intestinal polyps, which leads him to change his eating habits for the long term. Woman gets her purse snatched walking her dog, which leads her to move to a new neighborhood. Small things that end up having big effects.

Mars in Virgo can also be kind of deep because it’s at the bottom of your chart, hanging out with the relatively deep Saturn in the same sign. Strangely, they also like to focus on  the small stuff. These two planets would be digging around for problems and/or opportunities in your home and family life. As in small stuff that bugs you deeply. Or small stuff that could be corrected for big gain.

Jupiter and Uranus in Aries–not so deep. They are making more of a lateral move out of your outwardly focused career house into your also outwardly focused  sector of social life and community participation. The real change that they are making is that they don’t care quite so much what other people think about your career or reputation any more. They care more about what you want. If you want to put lampshades on your head and dance around on tables til dawn, they will pretty much support you. Their motto is that while you may only be young once, you can be immature forever. Your job will be to figure out what kind of immaturity suits you best at this stage of your life.

As for the rest of the year, the energy of this month will be in play for much of the next 12 months, with a big exception. Energy will shift away from home and family and toward love, creativity and children. As it shifts toward love, creativity, and children, the deepness aspect gets depthier and depthier. Layers and layers of creative emotion will be there to be explored if you care to explore them. This is not exactly supposed to be easy, in the sense that the aspects are supposed to be difficult for all the signs over the next 12 months. However, your particular isn’t scheduled to be hit especially hard, and nothing especially negative is likely to happen based on your sun sign. It really is just a matter of how much exploring you want to do.

Big month for Aries. First, I’ll mention the lunar eclipse in Capricorn on June 26. Lunar eclipses are supposed to signal endings. Briefly, Capricorn represents your 10th house of career. Therefore, a lunar eclipse in super shorthand terms would represent an ending in your career. It’s a bit more complicated in real life. Pluto’s already in your solar 10th house, trying to figure out what exactly the 10th house of career really means to you in your life.  So an eclipse could represent an adjustment in the direction of matching up reality with meaning, or with your true desires. Or it could mean nothing at all. Sometimes the universe decides ‘ah, let’s sit this one out.’ You never know with eclipses. But at least you have a head’s up.

Second I’ll mention that Jupiter is joining Uranus in your sign this month. Now you’ve got a big thought-oriented planet in your sign (Uranus) and a more feeling or instinct based planet (Jupiter) in your sign. Or you might say that Jupiter is faith-based. Basically, Jupiter just bounces around doing what it wants to do. It will be bouncing around with Uranus during the 2nd week of June. A rough translation of this might be that you personally could feel that you are bouncing off the walls. Or your thoughts may be bouncing off the walls. You could be super-revved up. Those who are not as sensitive may be a little revved up or gently energized. What you decide to do with the energy is your free choice–your sign, your choice.

Next, Mars, your ruler, enters Virgo on the 7th. Hasn’t been there for awhile. Mars is your action planet. Well, okay, he’s everyone’s action planet. Action in this case would be oriented around work or health. Go for it.

June 26 sees a lunar eclipse in Capricorn. Lunar eclipses are little more introspective than solar eclipses. That is, they are more about feeling something than doing something or having something happen. That’s usually especially true when it’s in the 9th house, like this one is for your sign. Most likely, nothing too noticeable will happen outwardly, but you may want to observe your own emotional state or even your mental state around that time because you may feel a shift. The 9th house governs intellectual processes and beliefs, and sometimes we let an outdated belief go during a lunar eclipse in this sector.

Jupiter also moves into Aries during June. There it joins Uranus, which entered Aries in late May. These two placements also affect your mental processes and your psychological processes. The most beneficial thing they can do is help you understand yourself so that you can get rid of ideas or habits that cause you pain. Over the next few years, a clash is scheduled between any rigid beliefs you have from the past  (represented by Pluto in Capricorn) and any new ideas you are attempting to incorporate into your life (represented by Uranus in Aries). There will be quite a struggle for personal growth in your chart. This is a struggle you want to win. The more work you can do on yourself voluntarily, the better. That will make things much easier when the more difficult aspects come into play. Set aside some time for reflection this month if at all possible.

Finally, Mars moves into Virgo this month. That’s just an excuse to have some fun. So have some.

June’s a potentially big month for Cancer. It starts off eclipse season with an eclipse in Capricorn on the 26th. There’s a solar eclipse in your sign on July 11. You could essentially feel either one at any time, since eclipses are the sort of astrological event that promise they’ll be at the party at 10 and then show up anywhere from 8 to midnight. These eclipses fall along the self/relationships axis. Eclipses along this line most frequently demand honesty. They’re sort of a test of integrity in a way. They can cause upsets, but things fall into place in time if you are true to yourself. Sounds cliched, but so far as I have observed, it seems to be true. This probably goes double now that Cancers are dealing with Pluto in Capricorn in their 7th house of relationships. Pluto almost always demands honesty anyway. It’s useless to lie to Pluto and just as useless to hope he’ll be nice and lie to you either. Might as well get practice in being truthful with yourself and others now.

As if Pluto and eclipses aren’t enough to deal with, you also now have two outer planets in your career sector. Jupiter joins Uranus in your 10th house of career this month. This is an interesting combination. Interesting is a code word for potentially difficult but not necessarily doomed. While Pluto is demanding uprightness and rooting out corruption and dishonesty in your dealings with others, Uranus and perhaps Jupiter are racing toward shortcuts that will get you to the top ASAP, no questions asked. Uranus in particular does not really care about honesty or proper behavior or your reputation or following the rules or any of the things that Pluto and Capricorn would care about. And to make things just a teeny bit more complicated, Neptune is sneaking around in a hidden part of your chart, tip-toeing around with the clandestine knowledge that it carries the subconscious desire of parts of your chart to ditch the integrity thing altogether and take the easy way out–partly because it thinks that’s what other people want you to do.

In other words, there’s a clash brewing. Over the next few years, you are going to need to figure out how to handle the competing desires in your chart to ‘act right’ and to ‘get to the top super-fast.’ You don’t need to figure it all out in June, but it would help to be aware that a mighty impatience in your chart with slow career progress is bursting out like the sun after a cloudburst.

On a more temporary note, Mars enters Virgo in June. Mars is on Pluto’s side in the act right/move fast debate. It is also tired of having been in good-time Leo for 8 months and it is feeling kind of persnickety. It may feel like telling everyone you know about that in June. If you find yourself saying persnickety things to people for no reason, it is okay to apologize to people and tell them it is a mood that will pass eventually.

Eclipse this month; Jupiter leaves Pisces; Mars leaves your sign; and Chiron stations. So, let’s get down to brass tacks. There’s a lunar eclipse in Capricorn on June 26 in your solar 6th house of work and health. Pluto is already traveling in this sector of your chart. Lunar eclipses are sometimes characterized as moody little puppies that bring emotional upsets. Sometimes they do. Sometimes, however, they bring emotional celebrations. It partly depends on how much effect Pluto is already having on this area of your life. For example, if you have really been working hard to get a job and been really gloomy and depressed–well, a lunar eclipse can bring a joyous surprise and an end to your job search. If this sort of thing (or any health-related matters) aren’t even on your radar, the chances of an event go down.

Jupiter moving from Pisces to Aries is less ambiguous. This is likely to be a positive event. Aries is a more compatible sign with Leo than Pisces is, and Jupiter is moving from the rather dark 8th house of your chart to the brighter-humored 9th house of travel, education, and philosophy. This is likely to perk you up. Jupiter will join Uranus in Aries. Although neither planet may signal big changes in your life right away (unless you were born at the very beginning of the sign), both can boost your mood.

Chiron will also station in your 8th house of healing this month. The healing may be physical or psychological. Sometimes a planet stationing coincides with a ‘healing crisis.’ In other words, things get worse before they get better, or things come to a head. This will only apply to a certain percentage of you, but may provide an explanation if things take a sudden turn.

Finally, Mars leaves your sign after 8 months on the 7th. Here it will join Saturn for awhile. The combined effect of Mars and Saturn in Virgo may a) have you focusing a bit more on finances than usual and b) may you feel a bit less outgoing and chatty than you might otherwise feel. The sun will be in Gemini in your socializing 11th house for the first part of the month, so you won’t necessarily be a wallflower, but the overall aspects aren’t quite as exuberant as they have been for Leo over the past 8 months. As the month winds to a close, more planets will be in Cancer, the part of your chart where they need to take a rest. So it might actually be helpful to withdraw a little.

Wow, June is a heavy month astrologically. By this I do not mean that you will gain weight, because you probably won’t. Not with Saturn in your sign. Saturn disapproves of weight gain. You may even lose some. No, I mean psychologically heavy.

First, there’s an eclipse in Capricorn on June 26, a lunar eclipse. It’s another indication that the stars are taking your love life very seriously this year. Pluto’s already taking your love life seriously, and between Pluto and the eclipse, if someone doesn’t fit the bill in June–out he or she is likely to go. You may or may not agree with the assessment of Pluto and the eclipse as to the worthiness of individual that gets the heave-ho, but the track record of the stars on these things is pretty good. That doesn’t mean that you are pre-ordained for a sudden break-up in June, just that the skies are in a scrutinizing mood. They are also taking your children and your creative projects seriously too. If there’s something in either of these areas that needs your attention, they will probably try to point it out to you.

Next, we have Jupiter joining Uranus in your psychologically heavy 8th house. What this will actually mean in your life is ambiguous, other than that a lot of energy is massing in one particular spot in your chart. The most likely guess (and it’s just a guess) is that you will feel that something is out of balance, that there is a tug pulling you toward dealing with something that’s still difficult to resolve. For some people, the issue will be obvious–debt, financial problems, a divorce, a particular physical problem that needs to be healed, etc. Jupiter will theoretically both help bring the issue to a crisis point and help you get some relief more speedily. What makes it psychologically heavy is that although Uranus and Jupiter will only be in this area of your chart for a couple of months this time around, Uranus will actually spend about 7 years there starting 2011. Subconsciously at least, your chart knows this is the beginning of an ongoing issue that you’ll need to deal with. I suppose the smart Virgo thing to do would be to put on your detective hat and see what clues you can gather from this month’s circumstances, so you can be prepared for the future.

Last but not least, you are carrying two planets in your sign this month. Mars enters Virgo on the 7th, joining Saturn. Both leave in July. A few short weeks and you will be released from the burden of Saturn, a burden that won’t return for almost 30 years. Things are about to lighten up!

Gosh, so much is happening in June. Let’s start with Jupiter moving into Aries on the 6th. Jupiter is supposed to be the planet that brings understanding to the area that he visits, as well as expansion and sometimes good fortune. He’ll be paired up with Uranus, a planet that frequently brings insight as well as change. They’ll both be visiting your solar sector of relationships. Boom! In theory, you get greater comprehension of relationships (or perhaps a particular relationship). Libra loves to understand relationships! So this is seemingly a good turn of events for Libra, playing to the sign’s strong suit. Libras who are not currently in a relationship may get opportunities to enter into one.

This is also an airy month, because there’s lot of Gemini energy going on. Libra’s an air sign, so that’s good, too. Gemini’s a pretty smart sign, and it gets along with the Aries energy. Again, theoretically, you get Libra understanding cheerfully expanding. The Gemini energy is strong through the 24th. Another good way to use the energy is to go on vacation or go on an adventure or explore new experiences.

So far, so good for an upbeat month for Libra. There is one potential glitch around the 26th. A lunar eclipse in Capricorn on the 26th falls in the sector that governs home and family. If the eclipse affects you (not all eclipses affect all people), it would seemingly indicate some sort of ending or upset in this area of your life.

First on the agenda for June: Jupiter moving into Aries on the 6th. Be on the lookout for sudden, unexpected job opportunities. Jupiter joins Uranus in the job sector of your chart, so most of the opportunities are likely to come in the form of short-term, temporary, free-lance, or independent contractor work. Jobs that require you to be outgoing, independent, show initiative or even aggression or a competitive spirit are the most promising.  Other areas job-hunting Scorpios can investigate are those in Mars-ruled industries like those involving metals, tools and instruments, the military, energy, and heating and cooling. Jupiter is all about expansion, so if you already have a job, even part-time or free-lance work, look for ways to increase the extent of it. Finally, if you are looking to get experience in a new field, Jupiter will help you try to get it. Keep your eyes peeled for opportunities.

Travel may also be on the agenda for some Scorpios. Long-distance travel energy hovers around most of the month. The only week that does not have long-distance travel energy is the week of the 14th through the 20th. Scorpios without funds for travel may do some armchair traveling via books or even web-surfing. Learning about your family may appeal.

There may be a sudden short trip on the agenda around the 26th, or, alternatively, a planned short trip may be canceled at the last minute. Finally, the pace of your social life may also pick up after the 7th, as Mars tries to increase the volume of your social contacts.

On June 6, your ruler moves into Aries. Here it will be eager to plunge itself into a new area of activity. This area could be simply having fun. It could be a brand new love affair. It could be greater involvement with your children and their activities. It could be a brand new creative project. Whatever it is, it will want to jump right in, like a kid cannonballing into a summer swimming pool. Go ahead, make a splash.

In a way, this transition of Jupiter into Aries keeps the excitement in your chart going. For about 8 months, Mars in Leo has been in an adventurous part of your chart. Whether you’ve listened to its urgings or not, it has been eager to explore, to expose you to new things, and challenge you. It’s been in recreation mode. Now Mars gets back to business, moving into your career sector on the 7th. Here it joins Saturn. This is much more serious stuff. Whenever the pressure heats up at work, remember that you have fun-loving Jupiter at your side.

Take heart in knowing also that Venus will move into your vacation sector on the 14th and stay there through the end of the month. In fact, the 14th and 15th are really great days for a fun family vacation with the kids. If school is out, treat them to a day at the amusement park.

Around the 26th, you may experience a temporary financial setback. Although perhaps upsetting, it is unlikely to be permanent. Guard your valuables while traveling.

Jupiter and Mars change signs this month and there’s a lunar eclipse in your sign. First, let’s talk about Jupiter moving into Aries and your solar sector of house and home. Here he joins Uranus, which entered this same sector on May 27. Together, these two planets in Aries stand for the antithesis of everything that Capricorn is supposed to be about.

They hate forethought. They hate caution. They want to do things impulsively without thinking them through, without regard for the consequences, without patience, without preparation. Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead. This puts your sign in something of a dilemma.

Is their approach a good one? Could you use a little of that verve, courage and boldness in your life? Or are they trying to ruin everything you’ve worked for? Are they insane? Or crazy like a fox? You’re going to have to figure that out over the next couple of months, especially if you were born at the very beginning of your sign. (If you were born at the very beginning of your sign, you may be mighty tired of having to figure things out, I’ll grant you.) This is a tough question, because the answer depends on your own circumstances. The energy is neither good nor bad. It is different from the energy of your sign’s reputation, but it is neutral in and of itself. It is how you choose to integrate it that determines whether you like it or not. It’s all in how you look at it.

Mars also changes signs this month. It moves from Leo, where it’s been hanging out in your mysterious 8th house into Virgo, where it joins Saturn in your 9th house. Here we have another strange juxtaposition. Mars is an Aries planet, lacking caution and forethought. Saturn is your ruling planet, and is the patron saint of caution and forethought. It’s the same conflict repeated–because the 9th house is the house of beliefs or perspective. Which is the right way to look at it? The Mars way or the Saturn way? A combination way? Calculated risk? Boldness with backup? Courage with Plan B? Stuff to think about.

Then we have a lunar eclipse in your sign on June 26. This may or may not affect you. If it does, it will usually signify the universe’s attempt to rattle you and get you to make a decision really quickly. (As if the universe wasn’t already trying to rattle you.) It’s the universe’s version of “Quick, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind?” It’s trying to get a spontaneous answer from you to some sort of a question, so it can get your true feelings. The question could be anything of personal significance to you. Often the answer will surprise you, or sometimes just the question will.

All in all, an interesting month.

On June 6, Jupiter joins Uranus in Aries in your solar 3rd house of communications. This is an extreme combination and it’s hard to say how it will play out given the other influences of the month. Normally, Aries is a very enthusiastic sign and Jupiter is a very enthusiastic planet, so enthusiastic that their zeal knows no bounds. Put them together with Aquarius and I suppose one of you could suddenly start a new religion (Jupiter represents establishing religions) and start trying to convert the entire world–with goodness knows what consequences.

On the other hand, we have a lunar eclipse in Capricorn this month on the 26th, and that could be churning up chunks of lava from your subconscious mind that prevent you from going all the way off the deep end regarding whatever it is that Jupiter and Uranus in Aries are so enthusiastic about. You may have other things to deal with. Also, this volatile combination of enthusiasm and zeal are taking place in your solar 3rd house, and typically whatever planets land here are subject to Aquarian scrutiny before natives start letting them throw wild pitches. Furthermore, Mars enters Virgo this month (on the 7th), which means Aquarians have to start paying attention to their finances and their health again and have to remain at least somewhat focused on practical matters.

Still, in spite of all the factors that take away from the focus on Jupiter and Uranus, the underlying fact is that the universe seems to be encouraging Aquarius to speak up with a certain amount of energy. Uranus and Jupiter both look at the big picture and social issues, so the guessing money indicates that Aquarians are being prodded to express their opinions on issues like religion, politics, and so on. Bottom line: if you can find someone or something to support, it seems you can make a contribution to the world now.

There’s a lunar eclipse in Capricorn this month, on the 26th. Capricorn represents the part of the Pisces chart dealing with ultimate aspirations, hopes and wishes, big dreams, grand schemes, great works, and so on. All very appropriate for the sign of Capricorn.

Pluto is already circulating through this part of your chart. Pluto’s the most powerful planet in astrology (sorry, astronomers, Pluto’s still a planet to me), which indicates that large transformations are eventually indicated for you in this area of your life. The lunar eclipse represents one step in that ongoing process of transformation. This series started last year and wraps up next year. Once this cycle ends in 2011, you won’t see eclipses dealing with your aspirations for about another 10 years.

So…this month, you need to make sure yours are realistic. Make adjustments as needed. Your hopes and dreams are part of your long-term guidance system–make sure it’s calibrated.

Meanwhile, good news on the work front. Although Mars is leaving your work sector on the 7th, Venus enters it on the 14th. Meanwhile, Jupiter enters your income sector on the 6th. Translation: money. Your finances may be unstable in the years ahead, but right now, if you exert some effort, you could make some money while there are good aspects between money planets in your income and job sectors. Go for it.

Finally, when Mars leaves your work sector, he enters your relationship sector. There he joins Saturn. The idea seems to be that you want some sort of tangible result for all the effort you put into your relationship or relationships. You may try to finally nail down some sort of a commitment before the end of July.

I’m conducting this workshop in Culver City tomorrow. It combines an introduction to astrology with the Life Phases system that I’ve been developing over the past 7 years.