Midlife Transits

This is the time of year when all the planetary power is scheduled to belong to other people. That’s because planets are massing in the sign of Capricorn, which represents in your chart–well, other people. This year, Mercury gets all grumpy in Capricorn. He gets so grumpy, in fact, that he starts retrograding in the sign on the 10th and travels all the way back into Sagittarius and your work sector on the 18th, where he’ll spend the rest of the month.

Mars is in Capricorn also, starting on the 7th. His presence there is yet another indication that you could run into some surly folks this month, in spite of the general social pressure for holiday cheer. All is not lost, however. Venus is in your love life sector and Pluto’s in Capricorn, too.

Pluto has a ruthless reputation so it may not seem like a good thing to have him in Capricorn. And for Cancers born in June, it may not seem like such a blessing right now. But Pluto is a champion schemer and planner for your future. When he hooks up with Venus in Scorpio, as he does this month, he can scheme and plot his way toward some excellent romantic prospects.

If Pluto doesn’t make romance magically appear this December, that doesn’t mean that you can’t do some plotting and planning of your own. If you want a partner, spouse or best friend–figure out how to get one!

There’s also a lunar eclipse in Gemini this month, on the 21st. An eclipse in this part of your chart most commonly indicates that you’ll find out something you didn’t expect about someone you work with. The news isn’t likely to make you happy exactly, but it could prove very enlightening.

Flirt at home! Yeah, that’s right. Invite some people over for a party and play the coquette or the seducer. Venus retrograde in Scorpio and Libra, going direct on the 18th in Libra, will help you in your amorous adventures this month. Meanwhile, Saturn, also in Libra, is marching briskly through your domestic sector. Saturn in this spot is the defender of your home and he doesn’t want to leave it. Thus, if you want to lure people with your charms, you’ve got to get them into your abode somehow.

For those of you in committed relationships, the story is similar yet different. Pluto in Capricorn is the defender in this case, and a fierce defender he can be. When Pluto’s in the sign opposite yours, dilemmas can develop in relationships. This is because the sign of Capricorn on your Descendant (marriage line) wants to defend your marriage at all costs, while Pluto wants to eliminate anything that doesn’t work. Often the question becomes–does this relationship work or can it work enough to be worth defending? In my limited experience with this transit, the answer is that your most important relationships can be defended and fortified while Pluto is in this sign. Things may be a little tough at times, but relationships worth preserving make it through. The most powerful time for making peace in a committed relationship comes during the first week of the month, while Venus is in Scorpio.

By the way, you also have a lot of job-related energy this month, although relationships should probably take precedence.

Everything’s in your solar 4th house this month. Okay, not everything. Just the sun, Mercury, Saturn, and a new moon on the 7th. This is superb if you want to withdraw from the world, hide out at home, lay low and stay out of sight. It’s also good if you feel like being bossy, because the sign that represents your solar 4th house is Libra, a cardinal sign that loves to direct things. Time to be king or queen of your castle. This is particularly true because you’ve got Saturn there. Saturn is the planet of authority and it may be time for you to exercise some with regard to your home and family. Carve out a domain for yourself.

Or…. you could go inward and do some deep soul-searching. Lots of choices with abundant 4th house energy.

The other major energy of the month is Scorpionic. The sun, Mercury, Venus and Mars will all spend some time in this sign. The most potent energy is Mars in Scorpio, which lasts almost all month long. Mars in Scorpio is a get things done kind of energy. It can perform miracles for your love life if you execute a carefully crafted plan to energize it this area of your life. No shyness or wimping out! Mars loves adventure dating, even if you don’t. Of course, your idea of an adventure doesn’t have to be rugged; it could be a trip to Vegas, a night dancing or clubbing, etc.

All the Scorpio energy is also good for creative projects or for just clowning around, taking the kids on fun outings, and so on.

The choice is yours–hang around the house or go out and have fun. Or a little bit of both.

Jupiter starts the month in your 10th house of career and profession. Jupiter is the law and learning planet, so you may find yourself either dealing with legal matters or learning in relation to your career. On the 9th, he moves back into Pisces and your solar 9th house, where he feels happy and at home. More learning, perhaps less law. He’ll be partnering with Uranus in your 9th house, so you could get a lightbulb moment this month.

Meanwhile, Mars moves out of your solar 4th house of family and home on the 14th. Mars in the 4th house is traditionally not considered a super-happy spot because Mars’s emphasis on recklessness and daring seemingly doesn’t mix with the 4th house emphasis on the home as a sanctuary. It’s not fatal by any means, but it’s the sort of time when Mars could suddenly decide you need to replace your traditional & comfy living room sofa with one that’s not only too expensive but swathed in a bold animal print that doesn’t wear well over time. Perhaps you could make Mars happy by doing a bit of reckless redecorating or the like on a smaller scale.

Mars in Scorpio from the 14th on is a bit more exciting. Bold creative ventures, bold moves in your love life, recreational daredeviltry (skydiving anyone?), all of these could work out well. Try to use the energy for a bit of fun. Otherwise, if you have kids, it could simply expend itself in having you schlep your darling ones to all their sports events.

August is kind of a crazy mixed-up month. The good news is that Uranus moves back into Pisces by the 14th. This takes energy out of your career sector and puts it back into your travel sector, so if you can take a week’s vacation go for it. The time before the 14th, however, continues to see quite a bit of action in the part of your chart that deals with your professional life, as Uranus and Jupiter will both be there.

During the first week or so of August, there is a clash between Jupiter in the 10th and Pluto in your 7th house of relationships. In fact, Jupiter will actually make difficult aspects with 4 planets this month–Pluto, plus Mars, Venus, and Saturn in Libra in your solar 4th house of hearth and home. What Jupiter in the 10th is supposed to do is help prepare you for the future by encouraging you to develop intellectually through education or training. He’s supposed to help you grow up a little bit professionally. Sometimes people will also find themselves in a more public or visible role while Jupiter is in their 10th, or they will take on the role of teaching and training others. Getting a promotion or becoming a supervisor are not uncommon.

During the first half of the month, though, all these other planets seem to want to interfere with Jupiter’s agenda and force you to pay attention to other things that come up regarding your career or personal life. That subsides after the 16th, so if you can make it through to then, then you can use the time later to get away and perhaps deal with whatever personal life issues seem to have the planets all roiled up.

Wow, what’s a Cancer to do in July 2010? The planets are lining up on all four angles of your solar chart (translation: strong sectors of your chart), and there’s no escaping the energy now. There’s so much going on, we’re going to have to break it down.

Part 1: The sun’s in your sign from June 21 through July 21. Mercury’s also in your sign from June 25 to July 9. There’s also a new moon solar eclipse in your sign on July 11. All of these factors put an emphasis on your personality, on your unique collection of qualities. Whatever is Cancerian in you gets emphasized (an appreciation for food perhaps?). The eclipse is potentially significant, and it represents a new beginning for you in some way. But what that new beginning might relate to depends completely on your own particular life and circumstances. It’s an astrological wild card that gets its meaning from the hand you’ve already been dealt lately by circumstance.

Then there’s Uranus in Aries at the top of your chart, opposing Saturn in Libra at the bottom of your chart. Uranus in Aries can relate to your career. More broadly, it relates to your personal style–how you appear to others from a distance–your reputation. Uranus in Aries tries to make you more distinct, more visible, easy to distinguish from others. Saturn in Libra at the bottom of your chart tries to do something of the opposite, make you conform, blend in, get along, be more private.

Jupiter in Aries is also at the top of your chart in July. It sides with Uranus in Aries and has roughly the same goals. It is being squared by Pluto in Capricorn, the sign opposite yours. Pluto sides with Saturn in Libra, although it has a tendency to play out more in terms of close relationships with mates or partners.

All of these influences agree that you need to make the ultimate decisions about your life, but they disagree strongly as to whether you should be emphasizing the ways you differ from others or the ways in which you are the same.

No one influence is exactly right or exactly wrong, which may be why the main players (Capricorn, Uranus, and Saturn) are scheduled to continue arguing about this for the next 12 months and beyond. The planets will pause to take breaks from the argument and regroup (which is good for you), but they’re not letting you off the ultimate hook for a good long time.

There’s no standard cheat sheet for navigating these competing impulses, which is why the planets insist you’ll need to make up your own mind based on your own situation. But I will say that the strongest influence is Pluto–and he is demanding, one way or another, that you get your relationships with others straightened out. Perhaps if you can focus on that, you can figure out how much to conform and how much to break free of conformity.

I’m not saying this will be easy, but you cannot complain that the planets aren’t paying any attention to you!

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.

Potentially a lot of things going on in May for Cancer, although some of them are subtle. Uranus will move into Aries at the end of the month, signaling a shift in energy this summer toward eventual changes in your career or reputation. Venus enters your sign on the 19th, offering you a nice soothing dose of helpful energy. And Jupiter moves quickly toward the end of Pisces before it joins Uranus in Aries next month.

May therefore represents a last good chance for several months to make beneficial use of your faith, religion, and belief systems to improve your life or even your health. In other words, for the moment anyway, faith heals. There are also some nice healing aspects from Venus in Gemini before the 19th to Neptune in your solar sector of healing. Psychological soothing is on tap every which way you look at things.

If talk of psychological healing sounds too abstract, simply concentrate on nurturing yourself and others in May. Your chart is gearing up toward a big, potentially exciting and/or potentially stressful run at success this summer, and it wants to take the time now to get refreshed, restored, and in a happy place before taking the big leap.

A couple of other notes. Mars is close to finishing its long tour through your solar 2nd house of finances–earn money or spend it as you see fit. And have a little fun while you’re at it. Saturn in Virgo is back in the part of your chart that governs writing tasks–polish your prose!

The outer planets start acting up again in April. As Saturn moves back into Virgo this month, he’s likely to get all depressed again, just as he was from late 2007 til late 2009. He also gets into another fight with Uranus and attempts to hog up the planetary spotlight with his super blocking action. He knows he’s going to lose against the forces of change, but it’s not in his nature to give up without getting in every last ounce of complaining he can muster.

What does this mean for Cancer? Well, it’s not fatal, and it may even represent a bit of a break from the pressure Saturn in Libra has been putting on your sign. On the other hand, the replay of Saturn in Virgo energy may pull down your spirits a bit, because Saturn will be in your sector of daily mood again. The opposition between outer planets could also mean that it’s hard to get answers from authority figures and officials (Saturn rules both), as they’re likely to be busy resisting whatever it is Saturn wants them to resist.

You may also find that it is hard for you to give answers or responses as situations may seem ambiguous or unresolved. Mercury going retrograde doesn’t really help the stuckness ofthe month, although in reality it probably doesn’t hurt much either.

Meanwhile, you’ve got a bit of career energy during the first 3 weeks of the month, and you may be able to slip in some progress on that front while the other planets aren’t looking.

Every year, as spring begins, Cancers have their annual career month. It’s time for yours this year, Cancer, but this is not your typical career month. This year, Saturn in Libra is annoyed at the very thought of you having a career month, and Pluto in Capricorn wants to hog up all the attention in your relationships sector. The bottom line is that major parts of your chart are more concerned with what they perceive to be restrictions on your love life (or involving your loved ones) than they are with whether or not you get ahead.

That’ll change somewhat in a couple of months because Uranus will suddenly decide that he’s very interested in your career, and he’ll be duking it out with Pluto and Saturn over what constitutes the most important element of your life. (A hint regarding the future: brace for a very interesting and impactful summer.) But for the time being, you’re simply going to have to sneak in whatever attention you can spare for your career over Saturn’s opposition. This gets easier after the 21st, so keep that in mind.

Another possibility is the various energies of the month will all mush up with each other so that you end up attracting some sort of relationship through your career, maybe even one that you think you need to keep secret. Because, for the moment, your chart simply cannot keep its mind off the subject of love or the lack thereof.

There’s a bit of a dust-up in your financial houses this month, as planets in Aquarius face off against Mars in Leo. The trend actually starts in mid-January and intensifies around the Valentine’s Day/President’s Day weekend. For the moment, the better part of financial valor comes through saving and paying off debts. Venus in Aquarius can help ease the financial pinch, as long as you don’t go off and buy yourself some delicious but unnecessary new shoes at Mars’s urgings (Mars in Leo does love to spend on the luxury items, and who can blame him?)

Joint or marital finances also come into the spotlight around this time, as there’s a new moon in Aquarius on the 13th. With Neptune in Aquarius making many aspects this month, somehow or another monetary and sentimental values get all mushed up together. I’m thinking it would not be wise to make investments this month, as your judgment could be clouded by emotional factors.

At the start of the month, Mercury is in the sign of Capricorn, the sign that represents your committed relationships. You may need to talk something through with a partner. After the 10th, there’s also energy in your intellectual 9th house. Venus and Jupiter will be there, which could mean, I suppose, that your VD gifts will tend more toward the bookish than the romantic. Let’s hope not. Perhaps your significant other will spring for a nice little getaway instead (the 9th house also relates to travel).

It is what it is. 2010 is a year of changes for Cancer, changes that will happen on their own timetable. Let’s take a look at some of them. Jupiter will move from Aquarius to Pisces this year on the 17th, although sun in Aquarius will keep the Aquarian theme going into February. This heralds changes in joint or marital finances.

On the 15th, there’ll be an eclipse in Capricorn, the sign opposite yours. There was an eclipse in Cancer at the very end of December. This pair suggests changes in relationships, perhaps major changes, such as getting married or engaged. Mercury is also in your relationships sector all month. He goes from retrograde to direct motion right around the time of the eclipse. If things do not seem all that promising when it comes to relationships at the beginning of the month, take heart. That can change quickly at mid-month.

The other moon event of the month is a full moon in Leo, the sign of children, at the very end of January. This could bring minor changes in personal finances or matters relating to your own children.

The big themes of the year have to do with those aforementioned relationships, which are scheduled for something of a transformation, and an emphasis on your solar sector of travel abroad and then changes in your career. The emphasis on travel begins right away. Stay tuned for developments on the career front in the summer.

Every year, the job sector in the Cancer solar chart heats up around Thanksgiving and stays hot until just before Christmas. Maybe you have a job where the holiday season is especially important. Regardless of what industry you work in or what kind of occupational hat you wear, this year is no exception to the busy-on-the-job trend, although I will admit that this year we’re not looking at the best economy we’ve ever had. Still, your job related new moon occurs on the 16th of December, a perfect time to turn over a new leaf in that area. If that doesn’t sound appealing, you could turn over a new leaf in the area of your health and fitness routines.

At the 21st of the December, the focus traditionally shifts to your relationship sector. This is an intense sector of your chart these days (and for many days to come) because Pluto is traveling through it with the intent of gradually transforming your relations with others.

Another annual tradition, your ‘I need a day of rest’ full moon, occurs on the 2nd of December this year. Behave accordingly.

Last but not least, there’s a full moon eclipse in your sign at the very end of December. Since not all eclipses affect all individuals, it is possible nothing will happen. If something does happen, it will affect you directly and will help you define yourself. Greater self-definition often comes from dropping something unnecessary from your life, so that may happen. People are not always pleased to let something go, but what goes at this time was not part of your true essence and has likely been getting in your way.

Okay, let’s start off with the good stuff in what’s overall a rather weird and overloaded astrological month. The sun’s in your job and health sector from the 22nd on. No issues there. In fact, it’s a good time to start healthy new habits to keep from gaining weight during the holidays. (Tip: Eat an apple before heading out to a holiday party. It’s very filling and reduces the urge to munch on everything in sight.)

Speaking of parties, there’s a full moon in your party sector on November 2nd. No issues there. You could host one yourself in fact.

No, it’s right around the middle of the month when everything gets wacko. There’s a new moon in your solar house of falling in love on the 16th, but it’s surrounded by confusing, surprising and downright ugly aspects. It is impossible to say how this will affect your particular situation, but issues are scheduled to arise. In fact, if any sign is likely to be affected by all that’s going on, it’s yours, as you are a cardinal water sign.

There’s a fight between planets in cardinal signs (Pluto in Capricorn and Saturn in Libra) and a happy trine between planets in water signs (sun in Scorpio and Uranus in Pisces). Not only that, Neptune, Jupiter and Chiron in Aquarius have to square the Scorpio planets, just to make everything more unpredictable. It’s like the good, the bad, and the incomprehensible.

That’s why we’re looking forward to that November 22nd date, when the sun moves into Sagittarius. Things will mostly calm down by then. Mostly.