Midlife Transits

Work, work, work. And play, play, play. The playing comes courtesy of Sagittarius energy; the work comes courtesy of Capricorn energy. There’s plenty of both this month. Capricorn’s a bit of a stingy sign, so I suppose that means you shouldn’t expect the company to be springing for any expensive holiday parties, and perhaps the bonuses will be slim to non-existent too this year. That’s not too much of a surprise. The news is full of stories about corporations hoarding cash while expecting more from their employees.

In a sense, that’s okay. Capricorn energy does have some good points. When you’re not out partying thanks to Sag energy, you can spend your nose-to-the-grindstone time at work polishing up your skills.

Mars in Capricorn from the 8th will also encourage you to be devising a plan of action to follow if you want a new job or a better situation. Next month’s eclipse in Capricorn can actually bring you the opportunity for that job if you keep your eyes peeled for any chance at a fresh start in terms of employment. In the big picture, the planets are aiming to make you see that you have the capability to accomplish something meaningful in your work and they hope you do so.

In the meantime, there’s a lunar eclipse in Gemini this month on the 21st. Indications are that it could be a powerful one. A lunar eclipse in this sector often means the universe is giving you the ability to dump a friend that you’ve outgrown. No guilt-tripping over it. You’ll make new friends and it’ll be good for both of you in the long run.

Venus retrogrades back into Libra this month, the same sign where Saturn is hanging out for the next couple of years. Venus is a lazy planet, content to sit back and watch people, defending its lack of ambition with the argument that sometimes people-watching is the best entertainment of all. Saturn, on the other hand, is more ambitious. In your solar 3rd house, where it currently resides, it is interested in cultivating the right people in your environment.

You can combine the two energies through the fine art of cultivation by observing other people’s habits, interests, and mannerisms and then imitating them if you want to get into their good graces. You may think this is too manipulative; Saturn doesn’t. Saturn thinks it’s good common sense to advance socially by adopting the practices of people who are already successful in the circles in which you want to travel. Many Leos have successfully used some form of this tactic; perhaps you will be one of them.

Meanwhile, Neptune stations and then goes direct in Aquarius in your solar 7th house. People born during the 3rd week of August will likely feel the effects most strongly. Neptune is especially prone to slavish admiration of someone or infatuation in a relationship. Some will find out that their admiration was justified; others that an infatuation was just an illusion. Either development represents a turning point in a positive direction.

Last but not least, there’s plenty of energy in your home sector this month, and the first week of November is good for hosting an informal party or getting together on your home turf.

The signs of the month are Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius. Libra represents your solar 3rd house of wanting to dominate the conversation. Normally, successful Leos are pretty good about not doing that. They may toot their own horns more readily than most, but they know that a big part of charm is letting the other guy talk. Listening shows confidence and Leo is big on confidence.

But these days, Saturn has muscled his way in to your third house and Saturn likes to dominate everything. Pair him up with the sun, Mercury, and a new moon, and you’ve got an unusual amalgamation. Saturn is insecure by nature and can never figure out whether to talk too much or too little, Mercury likes to chatter, while the sun is the planet of confidence. Meanwhile, the new moon just wants a fresh start, and you can’t blame her.

The trick is to figure out how Saturn can pursue his agenda of letting your voice shine with more authority than you’ve had before without letting him go accidentally overboard by making pompous pronouncements or getting all shy because he wants to impress people and doesn’t know how to do it. Translation: think before you speak, but do speak up.

The Scorpio energy is represented by the sun after the 22nd, and by Mercury, Venus, and Mars. This energy is about getting your house in order, literally and metaphorically. It’s also about hanging out at home with your partner, spooning and honeymooning if circumstances allow.

Finally, Mars enters Sagittarius on the 28th. This ushers in about 6 weeks of energy that is about entertainment, fun, outrageousness, getting dressed up and going out, donning costumes for Halloween, exaggeration, laughter, performing and a bunch of other delicious Leo-compatible stuff.

Jupiter starts the month in Aries, in your solar house of travel and adventure. Jupiter in Aries is not afraid of anything, and he would probably greatly enjoy a daring vacation. You probably would too; it could be a refreshing treat for your Leo soul. Jupiter is only in Aries until the 9th though, so book your getaway quickly. After the 9th, Jupiter joins Uranus in Pisces, where they are both a bit more on the wet blanket side.

If you can’t get away by the 9th, you do have Mars in Libra until the 14th. Mars here is in your other travel, the sector of shorter trips. The same basic energy still holds, though.  Mars would enjoy a trip to some place you’ve never been before. A weekend getaway to some rough terrain, a bit of backcountry, or anything new and exciting. Just visiting a museum you’ve never been to could do the trick. Your chart just needs a bit of new input to keep it humming along and keep it from getting into a rut.

In the second half of the month, Mars burrows into your home sector. Mars, energetic planet that he is, would probably love a brisk round of decluttering. Mars is also up for other work that might need to be done in your house. If you own rental units, this is a good time to get work done on those too. Since Venus will also be in Scorpio during this time, one nice idea might be to get your home all spruced up and invite some people over. Venus does like to be the gracious hostess, and your sun sign energy is not opposed to that either.

The biggest astrological news for Leo in August is probably the movement of Uranus from Aries back into Pisces mid-month. Uranus in Aries is a reasonably happy placement for Leo, Pisces not so much. Uranus in Pisces has been dogging you for about 7 years and now it’s time for his farewell tour. The farewell tour lasts about 7 months, until mid-March 2011. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to totally and permanently get rid of whatever problems Uranus in Pisces may have caused you so that you can be clean and fresh and ready for the vital energy of Uranus in Aries for 7 years.

What kind of problem could that be? Well, the 8th house is complicated so it’s hard to give a blanket answer for all Leos. Uranus is impulsive, so you might look to see what kind of longstanding impulses have not been working out for you during the last 7 years that need to be thoroughly changed or deleted (since Uranus is about change and the 8th house is often about removing something). You could also look to see how you’ve been reacting to Pluto in Capricorn in your 6th house of health and employment, as Pluto echoes similar themes. Health patterns in particular may need to be changed. This final confrontation with Uranus in Pisces eats up more than half of the coming year for your sign. It will be a real relief to put it behind you. In the meantime, concentrate on physical and psychological health.

Speaking of Pluto, he spends much of the month fighting with Jupiter and then Saturn.  He evens briefly squares off with Venus and Mars. Oy vey! Co-workers may be a real pain and management perhaps even more so. The good news is that they get over it by September and everyone retreats to their various corners for awhile. You’ve also got a birthday new moon wish day this month on the 9th. That’s a good thing.

There’s a lot of action in your sun sign this month, Leo. The sun enters Leo on the 22nd. Mercury enters your sign on the 9th and stays until the 27th. Venus is in your sign until the 10th. In other words, there’s at least one planet in Leo all month long.

Thank goodness for that, because it’s a tense month for most signs. The Venus influence during the first 10 days should allow you to present a pleasant face to the world, even as others are starting to become more and more agitated.

The Mercury in Leo-dominated period from the 9th to the 27th may not be quite as easy, for the aspects are frankly scary for most of the signs. Jupiter will be squaring Pluto, and Saturn will move into another opposition with Uranus. Things aren’t quite as bad for your sign as they are for many others, but don’t count on being able to take a vacation. You may also want to practice pretending to be sympathetic when other people start complaining or getting irritated about goodness knows what.

By the time the sun moves into your sign on the 22nd, the difficult aspects are in full swing. Fortunately, your chart provides an outlet for the tensions in the sky–vigorous exercise. Head to the Y and swim any frustrations away while you beat the summer heat.

You’ve also got some good news this month–Saturn is leaving your solar 2nd house of money problems–not to return for decades. Yay to that. Finally, there’s a solar eclipse in Cancer. This eclipse is in such a weak part of your chart that most of you won’t notice any effects. All in all, count your blessings–your sign is getting off easy this month.

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.

The inner planets present a range of topics in May. The sun and Mercury are more interested in your career and outer life than your family these days, and if you let them, they’ll encourage you to forgo caring for yourself while you baby along your professional status or reputation in the community. This emphasis on career over family may not go over too well on Mother’s Day, so see if you can strike a balance.

Venus spends the first part of the month encouraging you to seek support from others and then on the 19th tries to slip into invisibility, as it slides into Cancer and the part of your solar chart where planets snooze. Of course, planets in the invisibility zone do have their advantages, and one of them is that they allow a temporary escape into pleasant fantasy. Feel free to take advantage of it by indulging in a mental vacation whenever you get a chance.

Meanwhile, Mars is still trucking energetically along in your sign, encouraging you to nix a gentle approach and just go for things with both barrels loaded. Finally, Uranus moves into your solar sector of beliefs and religion at the end of the month. He’ll be there through most of the summer.  You may not feel anything from Uranus at first, but eventually some with this placement will feel that they have suddenly and unexpectedly been awakened to the role of God in their lives. Exciting stuff!

2009 all over again. Uranus and Saturn cannot seem to stop picking on each other. Saturn has even moved back into Virgo so that he can pick a fight with Uranus yet again, much as he did through big chunks of last year. What does this mean for Leo?

Basically, just when you’re ready to ready to file your taxes or come clean with the IRS or get your bills and debts straightened out or get your joint finances all ship-shape–the planets try to make them all confusing again. Oh well. You lived through 2009, you’ll live through April. Things will eventually get better.

For some Leos, the position of Uranus has coincided with a divorce or the breakup of a business partnership. In these cases, the standoff between Uranus and Saturn has to do with Uranus knowing that you need to be independent and strike out on your own, while Saturn has been worrying about your emotional or financial security.  In the long run, your chart’s need for you to be free will prevail, but in the short run negotiations will probably have to continue for some time. You just need to keep plugging away at things when the opportunity arises.

If you are in negotiations with the government or a corporation over debt, a similar principle applies. See if you can find out what the other party really needs to settle the matter.

Meanwhile, you have some favorable travel energy this month. Get away!

There’s a lot of energy in your solar 9th house this month, and that’s a house that typically loves learning, knowledge and all that intellectual stuff. It’s possible that you will love all that stuff too in March, but it’s just as likely that you’ll have love of a distinctly more physical kind on your mind instead. On the 15th, you get your annual new moon of carnal love, of rejuvenating your sex life, renewing intimacy, and establishing intimacy through good old-fashioned physical contact. Since man does not live by thoughts alone, perhaps it would be a good idea to invest some time in getting your groove back if you’ve lost it temporarily or simply getting it on if you know exactly where to find it. Your chart really is feeling quite passionate this month.

If the mere thought of passion scares you right now, well, then we go back to the intellectual. You can discharge some of your chart’s energy by interacting (maybe even flirting) through debate, discussion, the exchange of opinions with your peers and so on. If that sounds too abrasive for you, then you’ll need to at least vent some energy through writing, speaking, or doing something creative. If you do have some sort of a writing project you can throw yourself into, aim to wrap it up by the full moon on the 29th.

Last but maybe not least, if money’s on your mind, use the first week of the month to try to scare up some dollars through a joint project with someone you admire.

Half the month’s energy is centered around money, expenses, and work, and half the month’s energy is centered around your significant other. At the new moon in your 7th house on the 13th, if you want attention from your sweetheart this weekend (and you do), be sure to give it as well. For best results in terms of intimate encounters (sometimes known as getting lucky), think through your seduction plan before Valentine’s Day. Do something fancy or quintessentially romantic. A little over-the-topness might not hurt.

On the financial side of the equation, you can solve a money problem around the full moon on the 28th. During the first part of the month (until the 10th), you may need to play politics at work, and make sure you are seen doing a good job. You know how to do this, although it may not be your strongest skill normally.

With Mars still in your own sign, it’s possible that you will want to spend money on yourself as well. If you want to get yourself something for your wardrobe (energy in your own sign often relates to desires to upgrade one’s appearance), do try to get something practical as well as luxurious, such as a winter coat or jacket on sale. A good time to do so might be during the President’s Day sales.

Finally, Saturn is the part of your chart that relates to ideas. You may get a breakthrough good idea during the President’s Day weekend.

How to get a job or how to keep a job. Those are the questions for January. There’s an eclipse in your job sector on January 15th. Eclipses can work so quickly that you end up saying to yourself ‘how did that happen?’ This is a new moon solar eclipse, good news for those of you who have been job-hunting for awhile. You may finally get the job you need.

Mercury is in this same job sector of your chart all month, and he switches from retrograde motion to direct right around the time of the eclipse. If things feel like they are going south at the beginning of the month, take heart, they can turn around on a dime in the middle.

But wait, there’s more. Venus is also in your job sector until the 18th, increasing the chances that you’ll get some sort of a gift or present from the universe in the job-related sector of your life.

At the end of the month, your annual full moon takes place. This can be a bit depleting, so you may want to stay home on the 30th, especially if mid-month was exciting and fast-paced.

As for the year ahead–well, let’s just talk about the first 6 months for now. You’ve got great energy from Mars in your own sign until June, plus, you’ve got Jupiter in the sector of your chart that deals with non-ordinary income. That means things like benefits, pensions, annuities, insurance payouts, royalties, etc. It seems that you’re about to get some sort of money somehow. That’s pretty good news. In fact, you’ve got one of the best year ahead outlooks of any of the signs. Be glad. I’m sure you deserve it.

This is traditionally one of your most enthusiastic months of the year, thanks to energy in compatible Sagittarius. This December, there’s a bit more energy than normal in Capricorn, which represents your job sector, so there may be a bit less enthusiasm and a bit more work to be done. The month also starts off with a full moon in your friendship sector (on the 2nd), which could bring an ending to a matter regarding a friend.

On the other hand, the annual new moon in Sagittarius takes place on December 16. This is the kind of new moon that could get you enthusiastic again. It’s good for taking up the study of something you find interesting (doubly so with Saturn in your 3rd house), taking up a hobby, starting a project with your kids, engaging in a creative project, or even traveling.

There’s also a lunar eclipse at the end of the month. This could signal a few different things. One would be a need to get off by yourself or with a few friends to go visit nature or otherwise refresh yourself by going on a little retreat. A lot of problems melt away when we take the time to engage our spirits instead of our minds.

Other possibilities include not noticing a dang thing or getting wind of something that relates to your occupation. This is part of a series of eclipses that has to do with your work, and changes may be in store in that area of your life relatively soon.

November starts out with a full moon in your career house that you can use to boost visibility if you want, but the real action of the month is in your solar 1st, 3rd, 4th and 6th houses. Mars in your first house burns hot and urges you to put yourself forward. It’ll keep urging until early June so pace yourself, but don’t hold back.

Saturn is in your 3rd house for its first full month of the transit through Libra.  The third house is the house of relatives like brothers and sisters, and, for some reason, this area of your life is in conflict with Pluto in your job sector. I don’t know if this means you will be working when your siblings think you should be attending to family matters, but it’s not out of the question. The sun in Scorpio is transiting the sector of your chart that deals with your family of origin, and the aspects are kind of muddy there, so maybe something’s going on that you need to deal with.

The new moon in Scorpio takes place on November 16, and it occurs right in the middle of all the wacky aspects of the month. If your family life does not prove to be contentious, perhaps you will simply need to attend to some matters around the home. Of course, there are lots of other possibilities for this rather contrary month. Saturn in the 3rd could mean that you are doing a lot of reading or studying and that this somehow conflicts with your job duties.

For more possibilities, you might want to visit my other website Practical Astrology and look at the keywords for the houses listed above, as well as the planets Mars, Saturn, and Pluto. (Pluto’s the one in your 6th house.)