Simple Living and High Thinking

September - the time of the harvest. For at least part of the month the Sun, Venus and Mercury each move through Virgo, bringing to fruition that which has been carefully cultivated. It’s a time of sifting, sorting and focussing on essentials.

This year we also have Jupiter continuing its journey through earthy Taurus until June 2012. This brings themes of living simply and enjoying the blessings of the earth. Literally this suggests there is joy and expansion to be found in connecting to the earth and in being practical and grounded.

On the 16^th September Pluto turns direct after being retrograde (moving backwards) since early April, a most welcome development for those of us with an emphasis on Pluto, Scorpio or the 8^th house. This represents power shifts. At a deep level we gain more clarity and sense of what is going on.

Mars leaves the waters of Cancer for the more effective terrain of Leo on the 19^th and we find it easier to assert ourselves and get our needs met.

This year the autumn equinox is on the 23^rd September. Each solstice and equinox sets the scene for the following few months and at this one the Sun in early Libra locks into the on-going challenge between Uranus and Pluto that has been accompanied by such turbulence and deep change over the past few months in particular.

However it’s also characterised by a creative, fiery trine between Mars and Uranus that becomes exact on the same day. Change is afoot, but this suggests it may be easier for it to happen in a more organic and harmonious way.

Rebellion and repression

The challenging alignment between the catalyst Uranus and transformative Pluto now and through to 2015 brings an inevitable force for change. Patterns are being shattered and subterranean forces are breaking out. Around the 9th and 10th August when the riots broke out in London this was ignited by a square from Mars, intensifying these explosive energies.

Uranus in Aries is a rebellious, radical energy and Pluto in Capricorn is about exerting control through maintaining the status quo. The conflict is between rebellion and repression and we will see these themes being lived out in different parts of the world over the coming months and years, sometime with exciting, dramatic results and sometimes with more disturbing consequences.

If this collective picture was the birth chart of a person an astrologer would consider how to help the person integrate these very different energies in a harmonious way and so this is the challenge that faces us all on a collective level. We need to create new ways of living and governing that are more equitable and sustainable. We won't be dictated to any longer, but sometimes this means fighting for our rights and sometimes this means taking a more considered, altruistic view.

Events like the riots in London can bring up a lot of fear, but it is about staying balanced within the tension. Our securities are challenged, but in reality the only security we have is within ourselves.

Later in the month there are some more favourable influences. During the Full Moon of August 14^th at 20 Aquarius the Sun is joined by Venus. This is wild exciting energy as we follow our heart’s desires. It softens the collective energy and brings us into our hearts. Still a Full Moon can be unsettling, as hidden conflicts come to the surface. The Aquarian Moon emphasises the power of collective energy and what people can achieve when they come together with others.

On August 17^th the Sun, Mercury and Venus join at 24 Leo, reiterating the energies of the Full Moon. There’s a grandeur, power and effectiveness to this combination.

The New Moon on the 29^th August marks a new beginning and a time to put decisions, new ideas and regimes into practice, especially as Mercury turned direct on the 26^th. Communication becomes clearer and we can move forward again, freed from some of the forces that have held us back.

Pushing the Boundaries - Summer 2011

The pioneering radical energy of Uranus in Aries clashes with the controlled resistance of Pluto in Capricorn. The old guard stands firm but rocked by the explosive energy of Uranus. We experienced a couple of literal manifestations of this electrical energy ourselves. Just as Uranus moved into Aries in March our electric box was damaged and then recently a bulb exploded, luckily without causing any damage or hurt.

The eclipses of June and early July heightened the energy and brought us into our hearts, pushing us forward sometimes in ways that feel uncomfortable. Saturn in Libra is about working on relationships, finding common ground and focussing on diplomacy and cooperation. Jupiter has been in Taurus since early June. Growth and joy can be found through connecting with the earth and the body as we discover what nourishes us.

Neptune travels through Pisces until August and then after February 2012. This can have a disorientating effect as we struggle to make sense of our world and the illusions contained within it and discover what is true for us. It has a softening and merging quality, breaking down barriers and differences between people. There are a myriad of ways to connect and be in touch with people through visual modes of communication that enable us to project images of our experiences. We can move beyond our separation.