Midlife Transits

May looks like a fast-moving month with lots of different kinds of astrological energy. Uranus in Aries clashes with Pluto in Capricorn. There are two eclipses, a solar eclipse in Taurus and a lunar eclipse in Sagittarius. The Uranus/Pluto square may not affect you that directly, but in case it does, let’s talk about it because it’s rather nasty.

Pluto in Capricorn is the kind of placement that forces the affected individual (or nation, because it’s a global aspect) to face failure in some endeavor. Whatever it is that Uranus in Aries wants, it is Pluto’s job to see that it does not get it. In some ways, we can be glad of that because sometimes what Uranus in Aries wants is disruptive or potentially harmful. (more…)

April has energy in your travel sector from day 1 through day 30. If you like to travel, grab those suitcases and don’t forget the camera. If you’re single and on the hunt for love, keep your eyes open for prospects as you journey.

You also have career energy during the second half of the month, so you may travel for career purposes as well vacation or pleasure purposes. Travel with friends, family, or solo. (more…)

Mercury starts the month retrograde in Pisces, and goes direct on the 17th. Things that seemed to be going one way as the month begins will often open up when Mercury goes direct, and you’ll be able to see that you have alternatives in the handling of life’s little dilemmas. Until then, things may seem a little clumsy, as though they are not quite falling into place. If you feel foggy, you’ll probably regain your mental dexterity as Mercury moves forward again.

Pisces is a sign where things go to germinate underground, hiding themselves from view until they’re ready to bloom. (more…)

Every February, planets gather in Aquarius and talk directly to you. What they typically say is “Hey, relax and enjoy life for a while. Don’t push anything, because it won’t get you anywhere anyway.” You may or may not get the message loud and clear, but at this time of year, other people hold the cards in your solar chart and it’s their turn to lead. This may be a shocking concept for your Leo sun, but it’s also a mighty good chance to rest your Leo locks on a comfy pillow and let someone else carry the load for awhile. (more…)

Happy New Year, Leo. January may see you thinking about taking some sort of a trip with a loved one, spouse, friend or group, because Mercury, Mars, and the sun will be resonating with Uranus in Aries. Uranus is in your sector of long-distance and foreign travel. The sun, Mercury, and Mars will be in Aquarius, the sign of friendships and groups, which is also your 7th house of loved ones and partnerships. As is so happens, both Mars in Aquarius and Uranus in Aries are planets associated with sexual activity, so a wild romantic foreign fling suits them just fine. (more…)

December sees energy in your solar 4th house throughout the month. What’s the solar 4th house you ask? It’s the sector of the Leo chart that relates to residence, family, your personal life, your roots, your private thoughts and feelings. It’s your home base sector. The month starts with Mercury, Venus, and Saturn in this part of your chart.

Mercury would be the planet to advise you that this is a good month to do a little journaling, to write down your personal thoughts, to put your deep dark feelings into words. Venus would be the planet that would encourage you to explore the visual aspect of your personal world with photographs, drawings, or whatever catches your fancy.

Both planets like songs and sounds and would support any musical efforts you made. Saturn would be the planet that wants you to be of service or to do something useful. It’s okay with that journaling and musical stuff, but it’s more concerned with having you cook nutritious meals for your family.

Scorpio, the sign all these planets are in, would be the sign that encourages intense focus on whatever you’re doing. If you’re journaling, it expects you to be journaling. If you’re cooking, it expects you to be cooking. It does not get the concept of multi-tasking.

You’ll probably like one of the other major sign energies of the month: happy-go-lucky Sagittarius. Sagittarius is your sign of individuality, play, and short-term romance. There is Sagittarius energy at your disposal all month.

The third major sign energy of the month is almost opposite in tone from Sagittarius. I’m talking about the energy of Capricorn, your sign of work and even drudgery. Mars is in Capricorn until after Christmas and the sun is in Capricorn from the winter solstice on the 21st on. Capricorn energy can get a little monotonous, so be sure to spend at least some time soaking up the Sagittarian happy vibes.

Mars enters the sign opposite yours, Aquarius, at the end of the month. Mars in the sign opposite one’s own can get a little trying, especially in the dead of winter, which it will be in the Northern Hemisphere. You might be able to counteract the winter doldrums by taking care to spend some time with friends or perhaps a particular friend that always puts you in a good mood.

If there’s anything the Leo solar chart believes in, it’s relationships. So your chart should be happy that the sun, Mercury, and Mars transit through your love life house (represented by the sign of Sagittarius) this month. True, there are about 4 days in November when you don’t have relationship energy (the 17th through the 20th), but the planets have got you covered for most of the month.

The other major sign energy of the month comes from Scorpio. There’s even a solar eclipse in Scorpio this month, and Mercury moves retrograde into this sign on the 14th. Plus, the sun, Venus, and Saturn move through Scorpio this month. Scorpio represents your solar 4th house. Energy in Scorpio can be quite subtle for you or quite dramatic.

The 4th house relates to your domestic life. If the energy is going to be subtle, then it will mostly be mental or emotional, and may possibly relate to your core beliefs about yourself. If it’s going to be dramatic, then there will be a visible change in your home life, or a visible change affecting one of your family members.

The 4th house is also the house of endings, and Scorpio can be a sign of endings as well. Endings are not necessarily bad; they can actually be good beginnings in disguise. All things being equal, this eclipse time (the new moon eclipse itself is on the 13th) will probably be good for you.

At the end of the month, there’s another eclipse, a lunar eclipse in Gemini on the 28th. This eclipse should bring closure to some matter, typically one involving groups or your friendships.

There’s also a bit of job and health energy in your solar chart this month beginning when Mars moves into Capricorn on the 16th. Mars may bring a bit of clarity to these areas during the second half of the month. Writing activities are also favored for Leo during the first three weeks of the month, especially writing (or speaking) about artsy, intellectual or leisure activities.

Many people travel during November, and the good news for your sign is that travel (whether for business, vacation or to see family members) may be a bit easier than it has been during other parts of the year.

Finally, finances appear stagnant in November. Neptune in your solar house of expenses and payments is stuck at 0 degrees Pisces all month. Don’t expect much change on that front.

The month of October tries to bring a bit of light and superficial energy to the party, thanks to the sun and Mercury in Libra. There’s a planetary attempt to counteract some of the heavy energy that’s been inundating the skies, an energy concentrated most strongly for Leos in the job and employment sector. But the Libra planets don’t get too much traction, for a wave of Scorpio energy rolls in, and Scorpio is not a light and superficial sign. Nope, Scorpio is the type of sign that tells Leos things like “Look within; all the answers you seek are inside.” This is not the sort of news Leo likes to hear because the sign is specifically calibrated to look outside, not inside.

Some Leos, depending on their birth charts, may not even be entirely sure exactly how one does look inside, or how one goes about that kind of a task. Such Leos are about to learn, because Saturn in Scorpio as of October 5 doesn’t really care about anything in the outer world; it’s all about the inner. Saturn in Scorpio will spend about 2 1/2 years caring about your interior life, even obsessing about it perhaps. Whatever aspect of your inner life catches its interest (your love life perhaps?), will completely catch its interest. Scorpio does everything in excess and cannot be persuaded that there is any other way to do things.

You will value Saturn’s work in Scorpio, even if you don’t always enjoy it. That’s because Leos value the truth, and they also value efficiency, integrity and good principles. Saturn in Scorpio values all these things too, and tries to figure out how to bring them to your inner functioning, the functioning you may not always have been aware of. This is part of an ongoing planetary process that began a couple of years ago.

When the sign of Leo is functioning properly, it thinks by talking, by interacting with others, by appearing authoritative. This has many benefits, and Saturn in Libra has been trying to help you hone your verbal skills (spoken and/or written). One problem is (and every strength has an associated problem), that this system doesn’t allow for much silence. Some things can only be learned in silence, by shutting off the inner story of drama and relating. Some things can only be learned by hearing and not by speaking. Saturn will attempt to introduce the principle of silence to your life. You’ll come out stronger and smarter than ever.

Finally, and fortunately, we’ve also got a bit of fun energy coursing through October’s veins. Mars in Sagittarius from the 7th on is very fun, and so is Mercury in Sagittarius from the 29th on.

September is Virgo month and Leo’s annual time to focus on possessions and money. More specifically, perhaps, this is your month to focus on keeping your material goods and resources, and not giving them away accidentally in a typically Leo-like generous fashion. A prudent saving plan might be just the thing you need to institute this month. Be sure to do your Virgo-approved best to focus carefully on the particulars of your budget and avoid vague categories like ‘Impulse Spending.’ Best day to put your budget into action is the 15th, date of your yearly financial new moon.

You may need your sense of humor in September as well. Why? Because Mars is making his once every two years visit to your home sector. When Mars in Scorpio spends a month in your home sector, his idea of a rollicking good time can include things like messing with your plumbing, exposing cracks in your foundation, or surprising you with the occasional burst hot water heater. Now that I’ve frightened you, none of these things will probably happen, but if an appliance or some other home item goes kaput – well, figure Mars only does this every couple of years.

On a more abstract note, your intuition and your faculties are likely to be sharp this month. Your powers of observation are good, if you choose to use them. It’s a good month to take a test, such as a professional examination or certification test. Your language abilities are also highlighted, including with foreign languages, although this is not the month to travel to some exotic location.

With Venus in your sign from the 7th on, you may also very well be the object of romantic interest to others. This is not the month to get swept off your feet either, though, so be a bit cautious when approached by that gorgeous stranger. Or even that moderately attractive person you’ve kind of seen around but don’t know all that well. You may not be seeing everything important there is to see about the person in question. Just something to keep in mind.

Now on to why this isn’t such a good month to hop on a plane with that romantic stranger and fly to Paris. Uranus is in your travel sector, and Uranus is once again in a very bad mood with Pluto throughout September. This is the sort of influence that gets a person bumped off flights and subject to delays, and booked on travel conveyances that suddenly have to turn around and start over. Of course, this sort of thing may not happen, but if you have a choice as to when to travel, you should consider whether you’re in the sort of mood that embraces the imperfection of human endeavor, or if you’re in the sort of mood that is going to go into a towering rage when confronted with human stupidity and/or forces beyond your control.

Happy Birthday Leo! The sun’s in your sign until August 22 and Mercury’s in your sign all month. This is the time of year when you are able to get things done. Your annual birthday wish new moon takes place on the 17th, so wish away! Mercury’s an intellectual and word-oriented planet, so you may find that you’re focusing on mental activities this month.

One possibility is taking some sort of a class or learning something in a group context. Mercury likes stimulation and will want to keep you busy. Mercury is also a big fan of humor and keeping things light, so it’s time to look on the sunny side of any situation. After the sun leaves your sign and enters Virgo, the overall vibe changes. Virgo is a Mercury-ruled planet, so the emphasis on language and words remains, but other things kick into gear as well.

Pluto in Capricorn will be mad at Uranus in Aries again. Pluto’s in the part of your solar chart that relates to health. Uranus in Aries is also in an intellectual sector of your chart. It may be that you will have to put some effort into figuring out some sort of health issue. Talk to others and get their input if you are having difficulty understanding what’s going on with your body.

Capricorn also represents your job, so the emphasis may be less on health and more on your work toward the end of the month. There may be a lot of talk of change in your workplace or perhaps more likely resistance to change. Pluto seems very focused on you keeping your job (or maintaining your health if that’s the issue) and may be very disapproving of anything that upsets the status quo.

Throughout the potential drama, you’ll be expected to be your normal productive self. The upside is that you’re likely to be able to see things clearly and deal with them in a reasonable manner. Although it may run counter to your instincts, discretion is likely to be the better part of valor toward month’s end. Look at the big picture when in doubt. It might also be good to remember that although your sign tends to naturally rise to the top, Saturn in Libra emphasizes that you’ll likely get better results if you resolutely treat others as your equals–even if they’re not!

Now, for a bit about the year ahead. Most of you will be dodging a bullet in your new solar year. Or perhaps more accurately, you will be dodging plenty of bullets and coming out ahead of many other signs. There’s a lot of turnover in planetary influences over the next 12 months. The main ones to affect you are the movement of Jupiter into Gemini, which already happened, the movement of Saturn in Scorpio in October, and the shift in eclipse energy to Taurus and Scorpio.

The Gemini influence favors change or perhaps changeability, and in their own way, the other influences do too. Jupiter in Gemini rewards observation, attentiveness and precision. More than most placements of Jupiter, it will require balancing looking at the particulars of every situation and the big picture at the same time. It is an outward sort of influence for Leo, in contrast to the upcoming Scorpio influences which are inward and hidden.

Your sign normally likes to see and be seen, but Saturn in Scorpio will want to conceal and look for what others are concealing. Saturn in Scorpio also focuses on your home life, which will be in contrast to other, more outgoing elements of your solar chart. You may see surprising developments in your home life toward the end of 2012, in November or December.

Uranus in Aries will continue to put a potential focus on travel, perhaps sudden and unexpected long-distance travel. Travel with friends to exotic locations you wouldn’t normally consider visiting seems to be a real possibility. You may get more adventure than you bargained for if you’re not careful though, so take reasonable precautions at all times.

Group travel also looks like it could be very rewarding for you. If you don’t live in a big metropolis, then short trips to the city also look to be a good idea throughout the coming year.

Neptune in Pisces will continue to affect your solar 8th house of outside funding and joint financial endeavors. Neptune is one of those planets that can go either way in its influence. You may be awash in funds from non-traditional sources or you may find yourself having to postpone endeavors due to lack of funding. Pay close attention to your finances in either case.

Pluto, as I mentioned before, is in your solar house of health and will continue to battle with Uranus. Make sure to get your exercise and some recreation time throughout the year. But also make sure to guard against any sports or workout injuries and don’t overdo it if you haven’t been active before.

Last but not least, in about a year (around May or June), you may see some dramatic new developments in your career. Overall, it’s a year that will call for dodging and weaving your way through changing circumstances, with plenty of shifts and no one consistent theme. Variety and adaptability will be the spices of life.

Mercury is in your sign all month, Leo, going retrograde on the 14th, to be joined by the sun on the 22nd. This influence puts the emphasis on your conscious mind and increases your charisma. The vibe is fun and playful. The spotlight is on you and your awareness. The month is right up your alley, all the more so because Venus continues to light up your popularity sector all month. (more…)

Welcome to the year of living Gemini, Leo. Jupiter moves into Gemini this month and the universe throws him a gigantic party with all kinds of excess Gemini energy swirling around the skies. Gemini is the sign of things like thinking a lot, talking a lot, curiosity, learning, reading, teaching, details, and restless movement of all kinds. It’s a mental energy that encourages a person to be in her or his head, rather than in the emotions or practical world. For you, this energy centers around the house of friendship. (more…)

May is something of a laugh-a-holic month for Leo. It starts with Mercury (a humor planet) in your laughter-loving solar 9th house until the 9th of the month. That’s nice, but nothing special. Later, though, the skies start exploding with giggly Gemini energy, an energy that won’t subside for a long time. Beautiful! We could sure use a few laughs these days. (more…)

You may want to travel in April, Leo. April is Aries month, and Aries is your solar travel sign. Aries likes to travel to explore, to discover, for adventure, rather than for any practical purpose.

Meanwhile, Jupiter, the travel planet, is in your career house right now, and we have a new moon in your career sector on the 21st. So, some of you might like to combine business or professional travel with recreational or adventure travel this month if you can. (more…)