Astrology by Mary MacLean

When Saturn enters the sign of Libra in October, Mars will do a dance in the house of Leo.  What does that mean for the world?  What does that mean for you personally?  This will become a matter of interpretation and your best source is a good Astrologer.  Let me explain more specifically.  First, Saturn will be entering Libra on October 30^th, 2009.  If you are a Libra, many challenges and new obligations will be put before you.  Your acceptance of these challenges is revealed by your natal Sun and aspects.  For all intents and purposes, the vibration will change from organizing and detailing everything and anything (Saturn in Virgo) to deciding what works and what doesn’t. Saturn will ask you to examine the area that it transits in order to update and revise outworn conditions that weaken this part of your life.  You will use your Libra powers of artistic symmetry, affability, cardinality and social awareness to change the vision of Libra in your personal chart.  Saturn is exalted in Libra and responds well.   Saturn entering Libra will structure where the structure is weak.  Stabilize any discordant situations and restructure, providing the needed structure that has been lost thru the past, to establish a new solid foundation for you to build upon.

Second, if you are another Sun sign, somewhere in your chart the sign of Libra is present.  This will be the area of redefinition.  You may think that this will only affect Libras.  Surprise!  There is an area in all of our charts that is ruled by the constellation of Libra.

Did I hear you say, “Where is it?”  It could be anywhere.  It will totally depend on your exact time of birth and where you were born.  Oh yes, we mustn’t forget the date of birth.  Unless you are a student of Astrology, you will have to confer with an Astrologer to get your correct alignment.  I would like to give you an indication of what Saturn in Libra will be about when we look at the placement in your personal charts. 

Third, at the same time that Saturn enters Libra, Mars will be transiting Leo and go retrograde on December 20^th, 2009 at 19 degrees of Libra.  Mars at this time takes on the vibration of Saturn and redefines the area that it transits in your natal chart.  Mars will retrograde back to 0 degrees of Leo on March 10^th, 2010.  It will be important to note what planets you have in Leo in order to track the transit of Mars in this area.  If there are conjunctions and/or other aspects in this sector, they will produce much stronger and more personal meanings.  One thing I noticed was that Mars went into Leo, a signal of regality and defined determination; however, with the retrograde going all the way back to 0 Leo, to then go direct, I would hasten to say that your first course of action will be modified or delayed before you can actually commit to moving forward on the direct motion.  This will depend on the planets that you have in Leo and/or the aspects that they make from that position.  If that didn’t give you enough of a headache, keep in mind that this Mars will also be making a square to any planets that are transiting a fixed sign.  (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius.)  Now that I have lost you in the realm of transiting planets, I do want to delineate for you the possibilities of this Saturn in Libra sextile Mars in Leo.  The other important transit that I found was transiting Saturn will square transiting Pluto in early degrees of Cardinal signs.  This aspect will eliminate and transform every aspect in 0 degrees to 5 degrees of all Cardinal signs.

  Before I move into that realm, I would like to say that this is a deliberate effort on the side of whoever is in charge to move you in the best direction for you personally.  If you have intercepted houses, you will have to cut and paste to make this work for you.  When the Mars transit is over, you will recognize the genius of it all.

Saturn entering Libra in the 1^st house has a lot of issues.  The most important issue is the start of a whole new Saturn transit thru the chart.  This is a beginning that leaves the last 28 years behind.  Saturn in the 1^st house is all about redefining how you appear to the outside world.  This could mean appearance, or how people perceive you.  Saturn will solidify the traits of Libra in the next 21/2 years.  Libras are masked hippies.  Under all those flowers and artistic acumen lies the heart of a real hippie.  You remember them, don’t you?  Well, they are still with us in the guise of Libras.  They are social butterflies and are the happiest when they are with people.  They love social opportunities as they shine at that time.  If you have Libra on the ascendant, or are a Libra native with planets in the 1^st house, this is a time of new beginnings.  This is the perfect time to reinvent yourself and you will have a lot of help from Saturn.  Your natural Venetian flair will be updated and undergo a restructuring.  You will be the new and improved Libra rising.

Saturn entering Libra in the second house has the distinction of redefining your values.  The classic traits of Libra are given to the second house of values and love.  Values can mean many things to many people and surely, Libra will have his or her very earnest meanings.  The term “values” incorporates the themes of love and money.  A Libra can define love emotionally, physically and psychologically, but it is totally encapsulated in the word “share”.  To a Libran “sharing” is a magic word.  If they can’t share, they don’t feel alive or loved.   Keep in mind the inability of Libra to make decisions and add that to the pot.  Now things start to get interesting because finances will also be redefined with the usual Libra flair.  Libra is ruled by Venus.  So wonderful can be a lovely thought, a jaunting vacation thru the museums of Europe, a dear friendship or just sharing coffee with someone.  This is all about solidification.

Saturn entering Libra in the third house is an indication of solidarity in dealing with communications and community.   Since Libra is a Cardinal sign it automatically feels the urge to initiate communications and be very active in community concerns.  This Saturn transit to the 3^rd house will make you rethink anything that you have to say before you have to say it.  You will learn quickly that you need to cover your butt and only communicate what you know is fact.  Libra in the 3^rd house does make you a bit loquacious, but in a friendly and social way. If you have planets in this house, the urge to orate is also present. This also will open conversations with brothers and sisters and make conversations more compassionate and understanding.  This is a redefining of your immediate environment, communications, and community by adding structure where it is needed to solidify this area of your life.

Saturn in Libra in the 4^th house is all about redefining your core issues.  This is an important house as it is angular and Cardinal.  Libra in this 4^th house screams “designer home.”  Libra screams creativity and artistic acumen.  To be sure, your home is going to be the focus for the next 2 ½ years.  The home is an outward manifestation of who you are deep inside; so if there are any changes to your home there will be definite changes to your inner core issues.  Your motto will be “Is this what I really want?” This question will answer many questions about the “you of today” and the “you of yesterday”.   This is the area of beginnings and endings.  Saturn in this house is open to new beginnings when faced with worn out habits that accomplish nothing.  It is also the house of endings.  There are no new beginnings without endings.  This redefinition will take place in your home and in your deepest core.  Saturn entering any angle will always, and without exception be more personal to the native.

Saturn in Libra in the 5^th house is all about redefining your creativity. After this transit is over, your house of creativity will be totally restructured.  Any areas that were weak or not stable will be up for redefinition. This house has many meanings but they can all fall under creativity.  Children are a main creative accomplishment. Saturn’s transit thru this house refines, develops and structures any dealing with children. Another aspect of the 5^th house is love affairs and Saturn’s transit will solidify or stabilize any relationship that is of benefit to you.  If this is a destructive relationship, Saturn’s transit will terminate it.  Gambling and investments are other avenues of the 5^th house. Saturn’s transit has a tendency to bring reality to the forefront of your mind.

Saturn in Libra in the 6^th house influences the everyday work aspect in your life.  Libra in this house has always promoted a love of people and beauty.  Your respective outlay of energy for this house will always have to do with the elements of beauty, jewelry, cosmetics, home décor, anything with an element of artistry. Dealing with people is a must for you.  Saturn is at its peak in Libra and responds well.  This house is also the house of health.  With Venus ruling this house, your love of gourmet food can leave you a tad bit on the chunky side. Saturn transiting this area of your life will definitely put you on the straight and narrow when it comes to health issues or overindulgence of any kind.

As Saturn transits this house, you will notice your vision of everyday work seems to solidify in front of your eyes.  Saturn will create a structure that is strong and lasting and more efficient for you in the coming years.

Saturn in Libra in the 7^th house has everything to do with partnership, business or personal, and dealing with the public.  We all know that Libras are people who love partnerships, romance, harmony and, of course, sharing.  Wherever Saturn transits, it restructures and redefines.   This is a time when partnerships, business or personal, come into the spotlight.  The questions you are asking yourself are?  “Is this relationship currently fulfilling my needs?  What is missing in my relationship?”  If you are married, or pseudo married you will notice that as Saturn enters this 7^th house, you start to pay more attention to partnership matters.  There is always a tendency to grow apart when your are knee deep in work, rearing children and making a living.  However, most relationships will recognize these situations and try to remedy them the best that they can.  This is a bit different.  If Libra is on your 7^th house cusp, this is a personal reevaluation of the relationship and not a joint one.  In order for Saturn to do its job, you will be questioning everything that your relationship offers and what it does not.  The object of this game is to fill in the blanks with the missing elements of your relationship.  If your relationships are built on weak foundations, you will be asked to strengthen them. 

 Saturn in Libra in the 8^th house of partnership resources, sex, death and taxes, will take a strong look at the structures that have been set up in your life that deal with how people value you.  You may have a tendency to be a little too free with your money, always stating, “That money isn’t everything”.  Your whimsical outlook will take a turn as Saturn enters this area of your life.  Saturn will demand structure and value even if Libra is fond of sharing.  One sided sharing is not conducive to a secure foundation in this house.  Saturn in the 8^th defines monies from others, be it inheritance, partnership finances or institutional monies.  Aspects to and from this 8^th house in your natal chart will have an impact on how you experience this transit.  This is also the house of the occult and deeper and more personal connections to the mysteries of life are in the offing with this transit. 

Saturn in Libra in the 9^th house of philosophy, law, higher education, foreign affairs and writing and publishing are the issues that will be examined during this transit.  My first observation is that this is a mental and/or spiritual house and has a direct connection to how you observe life and live it.  Libra Sun in the 9^th house is the lawyer, the priest or philosopher, the writer and intellectual traveler.  As Saturn enters this house, the beliefs and structures of this house will be challenged.   This can be a time of self-examination and mental strides.  All of this bodes well for you because the next house of examination will be the 10^th house where a life pinnacle will be reached. Expect personal evaluation to color your life thru this transit.  Saturn will answer all your personal questions with renewed more meaningful structures.  This transit will leave you secure within yourself.

Saturn in Libra in the 10^th house of career and how the world sees you is a pinnacle you have reached with many years of dedication to your own personal growth.  This is a high point and you will feel rewarded with achievements. Libra in this house tends to lean towards the arts and artistic endeavors along with dealing on a social level with your career.  Event planners, creators of social affairs and/or artistic careers all fall under the auspices of Libra in the 10^th house.   Saturn entering the 10^th house signals an achievement in your life direction.  The important issue then becomes, “Where can I go from here?”  Now you are faced with redefining career objectives.  Saturn in this 10^th house redefines career and builds a solid foundation to build new goals.  New directions and interests lead you to investigate areas for new opportunities.  The fact that life is in constant transition seems to be of special concern and your willingness to experience that transition enhances your creative imagination.

Saturn in Libra in the 11^th house of goals, hopes, wishes and group affiliations brings your social life into focus.  Libra in this house encourages you to join certain groups that interest you and build goals within this group environment.  You may see yourself as the savior of animals and orphans or longing to share with society the dissolution of some apparent evil that exists in today’s world.  Your love of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is a constant social goal.  Your desires are paramount in this house and the ability to make them a reality is at the core of this transit.  Saturn will test your interest and desire, ultimately to make sure that you have enough structure to ensure success.  Any planets or aspects that originate from this area in your natal chart will increase your attention to whatever occurs.

Saturn in Libra in the 12^th house enters the hidden areas of your past, subconscious, connection to the universal consciousness, institutions and emotional excess baggage.  The Saturn transit will have it’s work cut out for it. In this area we have stored many old tapes on who and what we should be like.  Here we find useless habits that can injure our future and past recriminations of our imperfect nature.  Libra in this house has a tendency to have hidden social fears and a mixture of flights of fancy and a need for privacy and creative endeavors that take place in the background of your life.  As Saturn transits this position, it will be impossible to hang on to any of the old litany.  Saturn will examine every thought, word and action that may be stored in your 12^th house and, if it doesn’t cut the mustard, it will be disposed of.  The object of a Saturn transit is to restructure and lay a solid foundation for the future.  This Saturn transit gets rid of the old, outworn, and useless inhabitants of your psyche and opens the doors to the reinvention of self that happens when Saturn enters the 1^st house.

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Venus Retrograde

I want to thank Mary Maclean for giving me this opportunity to write about the upcoming Venus retrograde in the sign of Aries.  Her confidence in me and my abilities, along with my love and passion for astrology are the motivating factors behind this article, for I certainly wouldn’t have taken it upon myself if she hadn’t asked me to. 

This Venus retrograde really resonates with me, maybe because I have both my Sun and Mars in early degrees Aries.  Therefore, I thoroughly understand its energy and hope to shed some light for all you about its meaning and lessons that will hopefully impart on us when this cycle is complete.  To get the most of this Venus retrograde in Aries, we need to understand two things.  First, we need to understand the energy of Aries and Mars, along with Libra and Venus to see how this energy will manifest.

Let’s talk about Aries.  Aries is the first sign of the zodiac and the natural ruler of the 1^st house. Make no mistake about it, Aries love’s to be first!!!  After all, it’s our birth right.  Sounds a little selfish, doesn’t it!!!  Well, that too I’m afraid is an Aries trait.  It may not be one of our “best” qualities, but hey…someone’s got to be first.  Actually, there are no good or bad qualities…it’s just a matter of perspective and knowing when and how to express the energies inherent in any sign at the appropriate times.  Aries is ruled by the plant Mars and describes how we go about getting what we want!!! Aries can be a little bossy, impatient, impulsive, and aggressive. In Greek mythology, Mars was the God of wars…he’s the knight and shining armor who is courageous, bold, and direct!!! He will go to battle fearlessly and hates to lose…in fact, he loves a challenge!!!  Depending on where, when, and how this energy is expressed can it be seen as either positive or negative.  The trick with any sign is finding middle ground…it’s not healthy to live on either side of the spectrum.   What I mean by spectrum can easily be understood by looking at any sign 180 degrees away, an opposition to.  In this case the sign Libra is the polar opposite of Aries.  Libra is everything Aries is not.  Libra loves to lure and charm the opposite sex…they know just the right thing to say.   In fact, they have a knack for chirping birds out of trees into the palms of their hands.  So diplomatic too!!!  Their mission in life, love and peace at all cost!!!   For them, decision making is probably their hardest tasks and are often seen as sitting on the fence, unable to choose or decide between one thing or another.  Unfortunately, what often happens is that other people decide for them, so they inadvertently give away their power to others, along with lost opportunities they later regret.  I have a friend who is Libra rising with Venus in Aries in the 7^th house.  He is more concerned about the welfare of others then with himself and has totally sacrificed his own needs, wants, and desires for the sake of his relationship…thinking this will make him happy.  He keeps trying to get his needs met by projecting Venus and all its principles on to his partner, while unconsciously disowning what would actually bring him happiness… focusing more on him and being true to his self.  If we live too far on either side of the spectrum, we lose perspective and tend to express some of the not so great qualities inherent to that sign.  How interesting it is to me that Venus is set to retrograde in its opposite sign of Aries on March 6, 2009!!!  Perhaps both signs and planets have a little to teach the other about getting their needs met while still considering others.   

Libra, the natural ruler of the 7^th house, has a whole lot to do with love and relationships. It represents “others” in the birth chart; such as your spouse, partnerships that are legally binding, your best friend, people who represent you; like attorneys, and people you seek advice from.  What most people don’t know is that the 7^th house also represents our shadow…parts of ourselves that remain unconscious, disowned and hidden. It’s where we encounter ourselves through others.  We don’t recognize this energy or its characteristics as being part of ourselves which is why we tend to project it unconsciously on to others.  As the old saying goes, opposites attract…now you know why.  What we are initially attracted to, we eventually repel.  We are attracted to the sign on our 7^th house cusp so that we can heal and become whole through our relationships with others.  

We all know that Venus rules love, relationships, partnerships, legal and binding contracts, values, possessions, self-worth, money, earnings, investments, beauty, art, marriage, divorce, friendships, open enemies, and big ticket luxury items.  With Venus in the sign of impulsive Aries…you may find yourself making impulsive, spontaneous purchases or decisions with far reaching consequences you may later come to regret…like when Venus goes direct!!!  With Venus going retrograde soon, we need to force ourselves to stop, think, and mull things over, before acting just yet. This is not the time to get engaged, marry, or have plastic surgery.  Nor is it the time to sign legal and biding contracts!!!  Do not buy luxury items either…you’ll spend more money than you can really afford.  Make no decisions when it comes to love and romance…do not start or end a relationship while Venus retrogrades…you’ll have seconds thoughts.  Although, I have heard that fated events happen when Venus appears motionless in the sky just days before its reversal and again when she’s just about to go direct.  Perhaps some of us single people will meet someone new, like the love of our lives!!!  Just one word of caution…don’t rush or force things to happen.  The person you meet may be in another relationship which they will need to end first, so be patient.  That’s easier said than done for some of us, especially those with Aries strong in our charts.  In fact, we should all use this Venus retrograde to go back and straighten out any relationships in pearl, and re-evaluate our own needs, wants, and desires, and how we can go about fulfilling them in healthy ways.   It’s not always our relationship to others that needs attention…sometimes it’s our relationship to money; how we acquire it, manage it, and spend it.  Let’s not forget about our morals and values either, these are all up for review now. 

Venus retrograde brings up the past, and since this is a 1^st & 7^th house issue…it may very well bring back a relationship from your past into the present.  Apparently, we all have some unfinished business to attend to before we are able to move freely into the future.  The last time Venus went retrograde was July of 07, in the sign of Virgo and Leo…those were some trying times for everyone!  Many people got divorced and severed relationships without healing or closure.  Venus retrograde, along with the full moon on March 10 at 20 degrees Virgo, says maybe it’s time to bury the hatch, let bygones be bygones, and forgive those who have caused us the most pain and suffering.  It’s not an easy thing to do, that’s for sure, but maybe with Venus in the sign of Aries we can take the first step, be bold and courageous, and be first to say I’m sorry.  It’s time to end the cold war amongst our enemies and time for a little peace and harmony in our relationships.  Lead by example and extend your love to others…even those you love to hate.  Venus retrogrades all the way back into the constellation of Pisces at 29 degrees, the last degree of the last sign of the zodiac…the end of all things.  Again, we need to end something before we can move forward with the new…it isn’t over until the fat lady sings!!!  For those who are still clinging to a relationship that has served its time might see it end now.  Venus in Pisces can be a delusional, unrealistic, and seeing through rose colored glasses.  We go to great lengths to avoid pain and fail to see the writing on the wall. We may even resort to manipulative behaviors to get what we want.  It’s time to take responsibility for our own happiness and quit blaming others for our misery.  My first impression of Venus retrograde in Aries is “conflict resolution through direct confrontation.”  Venus in Pisces along with the sign Libra, avoids direct confrontations whenever possible.  With Venus in Aries avoidance behavior just isn’t going to fly anymore.  Mars will force a confrontation with Venus if necessary…it may be you or someone else who initiates the confrontation, but rest assured, yours and others feelings will be brought to the surface where it can be examined and reviewed.  Maybe you have been stepping on other peoples toes and pushing your weight around with no thought or consideration for others.  Venus is all about cooperation, peace, harmony, balance and diplomacy…and with her appearance in the Aries, she’s not going to tolerate such behavior for long.  She will start considering her own needs and start putting herself first which might trigger a confrontation with her lover, Mars, who is use to being in charge and calling the shots!!!  Mars, you need to give up some control and think about how your actions impact your important relationships. Venus, you need to stop letting everyone walk all over you and take advantage of your good nature.  This is a love affair that needs negotiating and cooperation if differences are to be dissolved and transcended in order to heal and move us forward into the future.

 Catherine Schultz 03/02/2009