Depth Psychology

The Not So Talked About Lunar Eclipse — and Yes, It’s Important Too

I am still shocked!

I have had a difficult time since the election. It’s been hard to understand the current state of the United States. The division and the backbiting. The derision on social media and people being bitterly antagonistic to any belief and anyone that differs with them is a difficult and bitter pill to swallow.

I disconnected. I pulled back. I had to once again learn about boundaries, limits, and creating my space.

I’ve been angry. REAL ANGRY.

I’ve been depressed, more depressed, and lost interest in everything – even astrology.

I would try to force myself to write; pen on paper, fingers on the keyboard, buying new notebooks and pens that I thought would trigger my desire to write, but words just wouldn’t come out.

I was frozen.

I tried to make sense of it all. It hasn’t been easy, and ultimately, I have had to surrender and just focus on what I am good at – helping other people take control and make the most out of their personal lives.

This eclipse article is going to be a bit different than ones I have written in the past. Yes, I will have to write about collective trends and how those trends have influenced politics, but this is going to be more about people using the energy in productive ways to make the most out of it.

It’s REALLY (and everything) is about you.

Before we get to the eclipse though, we need to look at some of the larger collective currents, which are running the show.

So, get a cup of something, this is going to be a wild ride.

Saturn square Neptune Redux

For the past two years, we have had Saturn in Sagittarius squaring Neptune in Pisces. Saturn is the planet that represents foundation, structure, the rule of law, and our psychic skin. It’s our defense mechanism that protects us (constructively or dysfunctionally) from the outer world. Neptune, on the other hand, is concerned with redemption from ordinary mortal sins and the vision of a perfect world. When you combine these two planets together, you get a whiff of the populist tidal wave that has possessed both the United States and Western Europe and was apparent on both sides of the aisle in the 2016 US Election.

Saturn square Neptune makes us painfully aware of the areas of life where we experience internal disappointment and frustration. It tends to manifest in the belief that things could be so much better if circumstances were different. In many ways, it is a battle of entitlements: Saturn feels entitled to what it possesses because it has worked hard for it, and Neptune feels entitled because certain things should be guaranteed to all humans and seeks a messianic figure to redeem us from suffering. It’s a conundrum, and perhaps, both planets are right from their perspectives.

The current Saturn square Neptune has manifested both of these conflicting ideas. The rich and powerful are seen as the enemy of the people and the general population is seen as crybabies who are petulant and self-indulgent. The 1% believes that people should work a little more and take responsibility for themselves; whereas, the 99% believes that rich people should pay a little more and quit being selfish.

Another manifestation of this aspect has been ‘group think’. You can see across social media platforms people lining up on one side or the other sharing like-minded posts and battling the other side like never before. The need to belong to a familiar collective is highly Neptunian and it allows us to elect our heroes and enemies. It also allows us to be easily duped by information that is not factual and in many ways, is the fantasies and dreams of those caught up in the groups. It also loves a good slogan – a future we can believe in, make America great again, or even stray hashtags such as #fakenews.

All Hail Eris

The other major planetary aspect currently active is Uranus conjunct Eris in the sign of Aries, and both planets have been in square to Pluto in Capricorn.

I have written extensively about Uranus square Pluto over the past 7 years, and I am not going to do so here – but you can read it my other blog posts. Instead, I am going to focus on Uranus conjunct Eris.

I have not written much about Eris up to this point. It is a peculiar planet (dwarf planet) and has not really been part of the astrological toolkit for too long.

Eris in Greek myth is the goddess of strife and discord. She has a rather nasty reputation and is probably one of myths greatest villainesses. But, no archetypal figure lives without necessity, and it is necessary to probe beneath the surface of the Eris myths to understand what she is all about.

The most famous myth that Eris appears in known as the Judgement of Paris. A story that revolves around a young man who is forced to decide a beauty contest between the goddesses Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite and his decision (of Aphrodite) leads to the Trojan War. However, I believe that Eris simply throwing an apple on a table is insufficient in understand her overall purpose in the myth.

The myth begins when an Oracle informs Zeus that if his brothers or he ever impregnate the goddess Thetis, the spawn of this union would eventually overthrow the Olympians. So, being like most gods that want to retain their power, Zeus sets to form an arranged marriage between Thetis and mortal named Peleus. Of course, Thetis resents the marriage and tries to get out of it by transforming herself, but Peleus continues to hold on to her and eventually Thetis relents. Here is the deal: we have a woman who is relinquishing her personal power to satisfy masculine principles and ideals – which like any resentment it builds up over time and eventually seeps out in curious and destructive ways.

The story continues…

Hera agrees to put together the reception for the wedding, and she decides to do it at the full moon. This part of the myth is fascinating because the honored guests at the wedding were the 12 Olympians, and in mythology numbers matter. Twelve reflects the solar calendar of 12 months that is based on the sun moving through the signs of the zodiac. Solar ideals are based on individual destiny, purpose, and meaning. However, Hera schedules the reception during a full moon, which is based on lunar needs – comfort, emotions, security, attachment to family and roots, and survival. And, let us not forget that Hera is the wife of Zeus, who received the Oracle originally, and how many women are going to want to arrange a reception for another woman that their husband may or may not be interested in?

Of course, we know that Eris (the unconscious repressed feminine) bursts through the door and tosses an apple down the table that is inscribed “to the fairest” and all hell breaks loose and you have a rivalry begin between three goddesses that ultimately leads to the Trojan War.

In another myth, there is a wedding between Perithous and Hippodaeia. Perithous invited the Olympians again, except for Aries and Eris – because he remembered the mischief Eris created at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. This reminds me of Einstein’s famous quote, “Insanity is repeating the same mistakes again and again, but expecting different results.” Yet, on a deeper level, we can begin to see that ‘solar’ principles were favored over lunar needs. Of course, Eris retaliates and we end up with the feud between the Lapiths and the Centaurs.

We can get a lot of keywords for Eris through myth – the obvious is strife and discord. But, I think using keywords for Eris that are already part of our planetary pantheon gives great disservice to her (strife and discord are already covered quite well with Mars), and of course, we know Eris will strike back if she is insulted. Instead, I think we need to look deeper and understand what causes strife and what causes discord? Is there a deeper element to the myth?

Let’s dig a bit deeper…

There is something that occurs at the beginning of each of the major Eris myths. Someone has pushed the gods to their limits. It is either through some form of trespass or insult against the gods, but regardless, a slight has occurred and the gods are looking for revenge. This is called hubris.

According to Mr. Webster the definition of hubris is as follows:

Excessive pride towards or defiance of the gods, which leads to Nemesis.

Nemesis is the Greek term for one’s inescapable fate that leads to their downfall. She was also a rather feared goddess.

In many cases, we all commit hubris. We become too big for our britches or we do questionable things to succeed. We push the limits of what is permissible and sometimes blow back occurs. Sometimes we even ignore the warnings of the gods, and one thing they dislike is being ignored. Eris seems to appear at the point in the myth where everything is so blown up that a major event needs to occur to settle scores or level the playing field for things to return to their natural order.

Over the past few years transiting Uranus has been conjoined to Eris in Aries. Uranus is a political vision or plan and Eris is the balance of hubris and the rectification of natural laws. Additionally, the sign of Aries is the need to be independent and get our personal desires met.

Adding all of this together, you can clearly see how it’s been very easy for us to get the point we are at. For far too long, people have been suffering at the hands of governmental structures who have disregarded the will of the people and have been more concerned with their personal careers and donations from special interest groups. There is race inequality, gender inequality, sexual identity inequality, and perhaps most importantly financial inequality. Rebellions and protests have erupted throughout the world, and the will of the people is as elusive as ever. Hubris has been adding up over time as seen through our treatment of resources and the environment. But, perhaps the greatest hubris overall is handing over our personal responsibilities to others – whether that be politicians, our communities, or even our families.

The Lunar Eclipse:

Now that we have put the big picture together, it is time to bring this back down to our personal lives. Yes, most likely we will see large events during this eclipse cycle that could potentially be game changers on the world stage. So, expect some rather heated news over the next few weeks. But, what about how the eclipse is going to affect our personal lives.

Any collective based chart (including eclipse and ingress charts) can be used in understanding the individual – because we are each part of the collective. These charts can be read to show areas of life where we need to be reflective and areas where it may be easy for us to fall prey to collective trends.

The first thing that we are going to look at is the 4^th house of the eclipse chart (since most of my clients live in the US or Canada, I have customized this article more for them, but the general energy of the eclipse is relevant for everyone). Planets in the 4^th house are going to have enormous power because they reflect the current emotional weather within the collective. Neptune and Chiron are in the 4^th and both are retrograde indicating a lot of energy of this eclipse is connected to the past. Further, both rulers of the 4^th house (Saturn and Uranus) are retrograde confirming that the answers are found by deep reflection on how we got into our current situation.

Neptune in the 4^th house implies that the collective is confused and emotionally yearning for redemption. It usually elects people to be messianic figures that will save us from the sins of ordinary living. In this case, we are currently dealing with issues around health care, equal rights, and environmental concerns. Unfortunately, Neptune can often lead us towards charismatic figures that often promise a lot, but deliver very little. This is further amplified by Chiron. Chiron reflects wounds caused by life’s unfairness. Our current economic situation, health care problems, equality issues, and pollution have been caused by many generations of failing to address these potent issues. These wounds can often (especially when partnered with Neptune) take over and practical sensibility is superseded by anger and deep resentments.

The ruler of the 4^th house (Saturn) lands in the 2^nd house of house of personal values. Saturn forms a sextile to the Moon and a trine to the Sun. As lord of the eclipse, Saturn urges us to look at our values, seek our own identities by focusing on our own beliefs and ideals (Saturn also rules the 3^rd house), and find ways to get our needs met.

Are we currently getting our needs met by the group or have we simply fallen into ‘group think’ and catering to others because it’s easier than facing potential conflicts that may occur because of differing opinions? Has our reliance on the group to solve our problems increased them?

The Ascendant of an eclipse chart and planets in the 1^st are considered energies that we need to integrate into our personality. The sign on the 1^st house is Scorpio, which reflects enforced change. Circumstances have reached a point where we can no longer continue the way we have been, which is confirmed by Pluto being in the 2^nd house of values. Pluto in the 2^nd shows how our values may be outdated and we need to let go of beliefs that may not be useful to us and diminish our lives rather than add to them.

Two planets make aspects to Pluto: Mercury and Venus.

Mercury is the planet through which we get ideas and how we understand life. It lands in the 8^th house of the horoscope and forms a beautiful trine to Pluto. Since Mercury is retrograde in the eclipse chart, it gives us the ability to reflect and deeply probe our own nature. This is extremely useful to get to the bottom difficulties you may face, which are often covered up by deep seated issues. It’s also a wonderful time (since the 8^th involves our psychological inheritances) to deal with family of origin issues.

Whereas Mercury rules the mind, Venus rules values and relationships. Pluto forms a sextile (opportunities) to Venus. This provides us the opportunity to really look at our relationships with others and see what we get out of them. If relationships are not working well, Pluto can provide us with the personal power to manage them by dealing with the issues that are causing problems. Venus rules the 7^th, 11^th, and 12^th houses of the chart – all of which deal with relationships with others, on one level or another. This is a great time to explore what are our own values and what values we may have inherited through our relationships (7^th), our friends (11^th), or even our ancestors (12^th). We can then keep what values that we hold dear, and perhaps, release those that are no longer viable or no longer resonate with us.

Since Mars is the co-ruler of Scorpio, we need to analyze his placement and aspects. Mars is located in the 9^th house of the chart. The 9^th house has to do with higher education, beliefs, and the big picture. Mars forms a conjunction with the Sun (ruler of the 10^th) an opposition to the eclipse Moon (ruler of the 9^th), and a sextile to Jupiter (ruler of the 2^nd). This is a powerful combination which puts our own values and beliefs at odds with others. It may be necessary for you to stand your ground and use better negotiation skills to get what you want, but overall, the conjunction with the Sun gives us all a dose of individual potency that lets us go our own path and forge our own destiny.

The striking thing about this eclipse chart is its consistent theme of our personal values. Many of us go through our lives living out other people’s values and the eclipse states that it is time for us to stand on our own two feet and become truly individual. After all, the sign that opposes Aquarius (where the eclipse occurs) is Leo. We may need to value those like-minded individuals who support us and strengthen our personal positions, but the eclipse tells us that those personal values need to be uniquely our own.

Now that we have covered all the collective stuff – which is important. Let’s dive into the personal.

If you know your own chart look at planets that are between 10-20 degrees of a sign and the closer to 15 degrees the stronger the eclipse will be for you – especially if those planets are in the signs of Taurus, Scorpio, Leo, or Aquarius.

An eclipsed planet signifies that the nature of the planet affected will come up through this eclipse cycle. Although, I am giving a guide map of general areas that will be influenced, getting an eclipse reading might help you understand its full impact better.

Here is how the eclipse will affect your personal planets:

The Sun – The Sun reflects our personal destiny and the core of the individuality of the personality. The eclipsed Sun signifies issues that arise that may ultimately change our course and put us on a new path. This can come in either a new vocation, creative or artistic endeavor, and since the Sun is the natural ruler of children, they are not out of the question.

The Moon – The Moon is our emotions, connections to our physical bodies, and our families. She is known as the archetypal mother and like nature itself, she changes constantly. The Eclipsed Moon signifies emotional issues that can either complicate our lives or breakthroughs (in the material and emotional world) can easily occur. This can come through relationship or familial problems, sudden endings and beginnings, and fluctuations within our day to day life. The Moon is the natural ruler of the 4^th house and when she is eclipsed it can signify a change of residence can occur.

Mercury – Mercury is the planet of ideas and helps us understand life. It is the information processing center of the psyche. The eclipsed Mercury can influence how we think about things, change our opinions, and issues with electronic devices or automobiles are common. Since Mercury is the natural ruler of the commerce, issues surrounding business, buying and selling, trade, or our job may arise. If you have an eclipsed Mercury, it’s auspicious for you to consider your health and exercise regime and this energy can be used to effectively break bad habits.

Venus – Venus is the planet of relationships and values. She brings people together – in every sense of the word. The eclipsed Venus can influence how we relate to others. At this time, relationships can either move to the next level or they can suddenly end. Additionally, our values can come under fire and we might find ourselves in circumstances where what we once held dear suddenly comes under fire and forces our values to become more malleable or change. If you have an eclipsed Venus, it’s necessary to view your relationships in an honest light and decide whether it is something you should continue to invest in. You might meet new people and start new relationships that are extremely important over the next 6 months.

Mars – Mars is the planet of desire, warfare, and willpower. He is the planet that goes out into the world and gets us what we want. Of course, any time we use our own will there is the potential of conflict with others. An eclipsed Mars often brings your personal agenda forward, and this could lead to opportunities and complications. It’s always best to be assertive and stay true to your vision while Mars is triggered. Try to avoid arguments and confrontation because they will usually only frustrate you further. Since Mars is the natural ruler of the 1^st house, this eclipse season is all about you – so take advantage of it.

Jupiter – Jupiter is the planet of expansion. He loves to make everything bigger. Everything! Sometimes expansion is not a good thing, especially when it involves our waistline. An eclipsed Jupiter brings expansion into the areas of your life, and it’s a time that traditional astrologers consider ‘lucky’. Now, luck is a pretty tricky word that even the least skeptically minded question, and perhaps what occurs when Jupiter is activated is that we become more attuned to potentials and possibilities. Jupiter gives us a glimpse of what can happen, but it’s up to us to take advantage of it.

Saturn – Saturn is the planet of restriction and fears. Unlike Jupiter, Saturn likes to make everything small and often comes with a dose of depression. Restriction is not necessarily a bad thing because Saturn teaches us how to live within our limits and often is the knee-jerk response to too much Jupiter in our lives. An eclipsed Saturn brings restriction into your life and often is accompanied with roadblocks, frustrations, anxiety, and long-standing fears rise to the surface. Saturn teaches us that we must do things methodically, with careful consideration, and tons of patience. If you have things you need to accomplish and finish, an eclipsed Saturn is the perfect time to get off the couch and do so.

Chiron – Chiron is the planetoid of life’s unfairness. Yep, sh*t happens and sometimes it’s not anyone’s fault and just part of living. Chiron tends to be angry and bitter when it is activated. Why? Well, usually there is no one to blame and it tends to act like an abscess that refuses to heal. It’s painful and tender to the touch. An eclipsed Chiron tends to bring up areas of our life where we have experienced life’s unfairness. The pains of the past come back to haunt us, and many times, it’s the areas of life that we think we have overcome that creep back to the surface. The key to working with Chiron is acceptance. It doesn’t take the hurt away, but it allows us to move on.

Eclipsed Outer Planets:

Uranus – Uranus is the planet of rebellion and sudden changes. He is a generational planet, so you will find that many people in your age group will experience similar issues at the same time. Uranus breaks up things that have remained stagnant and unchanging over lengthy periods of time to create a new scheme or a new plan. This can be extremely difficult for people with a lot of earth and water in their charts. An eclipsed Uranus reflects a period where old ideas and philosophies that you have held dear, come to an abrupt change. This can come in sudden changes in your life – including relationship and career changes. The key with Uranus is that if you hold on too tight to outdated ideas, the more difficult it will be. It’s best to surrender and go with the flow.

Neptune – Neptune is the planet of redemption with a good ole fashion dose of delusion. On one hand, he can bring forth intense artistic creativity, yet on another, he often seeks redeemers to save us from the ills we suffer. Unfortunately, those redeemers end up being human with their own frailties and can lead to feelings of victimization or deception. An eclipsed Neptune augurs a time for you to be cautious about choices and decisions that you make or people that you meet. If it’s too good to be true, then it probably is. The key to an eclipsed Neptune is realizing that the only person that can be your savior is you.

Pluto – Pluto is the planet of death and regeneration. He tends to amputate the things in our life that are past the sell by date and are spoiling on the shelf. This often leads to endings (and new beginnings) in areas of our life that can lead to some rather dark feelings – including depression and rage. An eclipsed Pluto tells us that something in our life needs to change. It needs to be let go of so we can begin to prosper once again. It reminds me of the gardener who has to prune shrubs so that they can continue to grow, and Pluto tends to point out the areas of our life where dead wood exists. The key to an eclipsed Pluto is just giving in and letting go, fighting it is simply futile.

Aspects:

There is a lot of controversy over aspects with eclipses. Some astrologers only use the conjunction and opposition, and others add the squares. Sextiles and trines are usually ignored.

In my experience, nothing in astrology should be ignored. Yes, an eclipse conjoined, opposed, or squared to your natal planet can be felt more strongly and often the more difficult sides of the eclipse can occur. However, sextiles often provide opportunities, if you are willing to work with them, and I have found trines can make things flow relatively easily. For example, a squared Venus could bring forth difficulties in relationships that are hard to manage or bring forth emotional pain, but a trine to Venus could show that those difficulties will be resolved easily and without much effort.

The Houses:

In addition to planets, the house that an eclipse lands in is important. Houses show the area of influence while the eclipse is active.

1^st house: An eclipse in the 1^st hour reflects a changing identity. It might mean that you become more malleable or that you suddenly take a different path in life. Finally, the aspects of femininity might need to be integrated now.

2^nd house: An eclipse in the 2^nd house means that our values and our sense of self-esteem might come under pressure. We will find evidence of this in things we attempt to birth into the physical world.

3^rd house: Siblings, short communication, ideas, and simple communication. An eclipse in the third house might reveal changes in how we understand life.

4^th house: An eclipse in the 4^th house brings changes to our home, family, and sense of security.

5^th house: The 5^th house traditionally is the house of children and recreational activities. However, psychologically we view it as the house where we tend to shine the most. An eclipse in this house can often bring new talents and the experience of joy into our lives.

6^th house: Since the 6^th house is our day to day activities and jobs, it is also the house of what we are working on. This is the spring cleaning house and an eclipse occurring within this house could reflect the need for us to make changes in our life and immediate environment. Health and small pets could also be a concern.

7^th house: Relationships – both romantic and business. Additionally, this is the house of open enemies and issues and conflicts with others can peak while the eclipse is active.

8^th house: In traditional astrology, the 8^th house is the house of death, sex, and regeneration. It’s where circumstances change and when an eclipse occurs within this house, it often reflects that enforced changes happen that are difficult to deal with. Also, issues that have been inherited psychologically become apparent.

9^th house: The 9^th house is our teacher. It’s where we learn things and form our opinions. An eclipse occurring in this house reflects the need for us to learn from our experiences of life and look at the big picture rather than small personal concerns.

10^th house: The 10^th house is our governing principle. It is how we govern ourselves and how we adapt to the outer world. An eclipse occurring in the 10^th could reflect changes in our reputation and position.

11^th house: The 11^th house is the house of the group. It shows where we are influenced by others and how we fit into the larger fabric of society. An eclipse in the 11^th could reflect changes in our network and social circles.

12^th house: The house of retreat. An eclipse in the 12^th house augurs a time where we need to reflect deeply on our lives and make changes accordingly. Self-defeating behaviors could easily come to the surface, but also the change to change them and heal our past.

Storm Cestavani, August 6, 2017

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The Solar Eclipse in Virgo – Removing the Plagues from Your Life

I received a call a few weeks ago, and I heard a breathless voice on the other side of the phone ask me, “Is there an eclipse coming?”

I quickly told her that there was and that I felt the eclipse was extremely important because it conjoins the Midheaven of a Presidential candidate – Hillary Clinton.

She then breathlessly asked me another question, “What sign is it in?”

I told her that it occurs in Virgo.

“Oh, how boring!” she exclaimed with a rather derisive tone.

I went on to tell her a little about the eclipse, but her dismissiveness of the sign of Virgo kept gnawing at me. Why did she just dismiss it to the land of irrelevancy and even when I explained to her what the eclipse meant, you could hear the boredom in her responses? She became distant and uninterested.

I can’t express the importance of this eclipse enough – it activates the very powerful Saturn-Neptune square, and it occurs while the ruler of Virgo – Mercury – is retrograde.

Heed the warning, you should pay close attention to this eclipse and the events that happen in your life throughout the month of September.

So, let’s just get into it!

The Myth of Aristaeus

As most of you know, I love mythology, and there are several characters that are relevant to the sign of Virgo, but I think the most fitting for this eclipse is Aristaeus – the son of the Sun god, Apollo.

Aristaeus is an interesting mythic figure. He does not fight any dragons and doesn’t draw his sword in battle. He is not a traditional hero, and his values towards life are focused more on the earth and her resources. He was given over to the Earth Mother at a very young age and through her and her allies care he learned the arts of making cheese, tending to flocks, building beehives, and mastering the art of hunting. He reflects the side of us that needs to learn basic elements of survival to live productive lives.

In one of his most interesting stories, Aristaeus consulted the oracle at Delphi, which ironically was owned by his father. The oracle told him that he would receive acclaim and respect on the Island of Keos. So, like any good intentioned individual that consults with oracles (psychics), he embarked on his journey only to find that a plague had fallen upon the islanders. Aristaeus, gifted in the arts of healing and prophecy, divined that the plague happened because ‘secret murderers’ had taken refuge on the island. Quickly, Aristaeus put the murderers to death, and the plague dissipated.

Aristaeus’ myth is a powerful story. His story is allegorical and can be used instructively in our day to day lives, which is the case with pretty much any myth.

Let’s get into the meat of how it applies to our lives and the current eclipse.

Throughout our lives, we learn many things to cope and survive in a world that is often less than helpful. We become accustomed to many traditions and habits so that our lives will be effective. For example, everyone ten years old knows that one day he or she is going to grow up and get a job and go to work like mommy and daddy, and that is the purpose of getting up and going to school every morning. He or she learns that they have to brush their teeth, eat properly, exercise, and get good grades.

We then grow older and then learn new things like balancing our checkbooks, learning how to pay our bills, becoming creditworthy, making effective purchases, and how to save. Additionally, we learn about the importance of yearly physicals, protecting ourselves against diseases, and even mundane tasks such as cooking and cleaning.

Yes, it can be boring, but all of the things we learn in childhood and early adulthood are to allow us to be effective in the world and provide us with the ability to cope with any crisis that might occur. The sign of Virgo governs all of this, and in many ways, this is the process Aristaeus goes through at the beginning of his myth.

Like Aristaeus, we all then begin our journey and in the course of our journey calamity can happen. In other words, plagues are allegorical for the ‘difficult’ events that occur in our lives. We have relationship plagues, financial plagues, career plagues, health plagues, in-law plagues, and at times, we have the ‘life sucks’ plague.

However, the myth is instructive of what we need to do because Aristaeus has to search for the cause and he discovers the origin of the plagues – in this case, the murderers on the island. He then goes off and gets rid of them. The myth is telling us very clearly that often the root of our problems is how we are living our lives. Of course, this is sometimes hard to swallow and with Saturn being square to Neptune (and in direct aspect to the eclipse), it is very easy for us to fall into victim mode and attempt to blame everyone and everything around us for our maladies, but in most cases, our problems are self-inflicted. We have made choices in our lives that have become little murderers hiding out on the island. These can be the over spending murderers, the bad fitness murderers, the lazy murderers; the ‘YOLO’ murderers, and the list goes on and on. The myth goes on to explain that we need to get rid of these ‘murderers’ so that the plagues go away.

Who Are Your Murderers?

The good news about this Eclipse is that it happens while Mercury is retrograde. Mercury gives us the ability to reflect and deeply analyze our lives and root out any of our personal plagues. So, the eclipse instructs us to get to work and find the areas of our lives where we might be experiencing self-sabotage.

Action Step:

Get out your pen and paper and write down the areas of your life where you are experiencing problems. Try to get to the root of your problems. If your current plague is financial difficulties, it is best to figure out where these financial problems began to occur and the emotional roots that could have caused them.

Now that you have got your list, it’s time to use the power of VIRGO to fix them. Create your budgets; your exercise plans, your grocery choices, your debt management solutions, and every other day to day habit. Then you can get to work on creating effective strategies to get rid of the murderers.

Self-reflection is not easy. It can often bring up very painful feelings and experiences we would rather regret, yet if something is preventing you from living a healthy, productive, and fulfilling life, then it’s time to fix it. After all, you deserve to live the best life you can create.

Big Picture Stuff (for those that are interested)

I will admit that I decided to wait to write this part of the article as close to the eclipse as I could get, without sacrificing time to edit. (Btw, for all those writers out there, I recently purchased Grammarly, and I love it – I know, how Virgoan) This eclipse triggers the current Saturn-Neptune square in the heavens, and it is easy to see the themes that are currently activated.

I am going to try to avoid any personal secretions of my political flavoring, which on its own is pretty difficult. However, the major theme that seems to be emerging is government corruption – and this whether you lean to the left or the right. I have found that Saturn wants structure and foundation and for things to be fair and right (he is moving through optimistic Sagittarius) and Neptune wants overarching solutions to problems that lean towards group needs rather than individual ones. Group solutions can be very problematic because they tend to limit individual expression, yet in many cases, are often necessary. The difficulty is that many of the visions that are permeating out of the collective are rather utopian in nature, and when Neptune is driving the bus, and we land somewhere we would rather not be, we often feel cheated, lied to, and disenchanted with the establishment. The great irony is that it is often our establishment discord that got us a ticket on the Neptune Express!

There is nothing wrong with a dream of a better tomorrow. It’s part of living and part of the reason that we continue trying to improve things. However, it is also necessary that we take responsibility for our personal part in creating the current system. In many ways, it has been our lack of participation or simple disinterest, yet the reality is that each of us has added to the stew of its creation. It’s also necessary that we accept the cold, harsh reality that however good intentioned that Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump (or any other elected world leader) may be or may not be, they are not going to be able to fix our problems. Hopefully, they can make choices that will allow our personal problem fixing to be a bit easier, but they cannot fix them for us and the more we are seeking a ‘savior’ to resolve individual issues, the more we are going to end up feeling disappointed.

The key here is to stick to the personal.

Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung explained it best, and I will attempt to paraphrase him. He said that if there is something wrong in the world, then there is something wrong with society, and if there is something wrong with society, then there is something wrong with families, and if there is something wrong with families, then there is something with me. Translation – the more that we work on our inner issues and our inner development and remove our plagues and destroy what is murdering our lives, the more the outer world will change on its own.

“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” — George Bernard Shaw

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Saturn in Sagittarius

Saturn in Sagittarius

Is there a missing secret to dealing with Saturn?

The answer is an undeniable ‘yes’!

However, in order to get to Saturn’s secret sauce, it is necessary to ditch the rather two dimensional common interpretations of the planet that is considered ‘the great malefic’ and perhaps approach the planet with more understanding of its actual purpose in the horoscope which is to provide us with experiences and lessons to facilitate our inner growth.

On December 28, 2014, Saturn moves out of Scorpio and into fiery Sagittarius. Scorpio is a water sign and during Saturn’s transit through the sign of the Scorpio, our lessons have centered on issues of survival, security, and the darker side of human nature (and within ourselves) in order for us to learn from our mistakes. Sagittarius, though, is a fire sign which is a completely different ball of wax.

But, before we get into what Saturn traveling through the sign of the centaur means, let’s first try to understand Saturn on its own.

The Astrological Saturn:

Kronos is probably one of the most lopsided figures in Greek Myth. He is most known for devouring his children and ultimately being defeated by his son Zeus. Of course, we get some understanding of Saturn’s darker side – rigidity, control, domination, limitation and fear from this single story. Yet, what often gets lost, is that Kronos himself defeated his own father (Uranus) and ushered in the ‘Golden Age’.

Astrologically, Saturn (the Roman name for Kronos) may need a bit of redemption of his own. After all, there is good to be found in virtually every mythic creature – even the most foul and odious – and it’s often through their toxicity that the quest of life comes alive and the individual journey begins. So, Saturnian lessons and limitation are often a call to action to propel the individual to become more whole and evolved.

Another obvious place to look for Saturnian imagery is in psychology and Carl Jung’s concept of the shadow is a good place to start. According to Jung, the shadow is formed by the unconscious and represents the characteristics of the personality that are malformed and distasteful which the ego has difficulty integrating into conscious life that often evolve into our self-defeating and compulsive behaviors. Because the shadow is unconscious and has adapted to conscious life rather primitively, it appears in dreams and fairytales in a monstrous form – dictators, beasts we are subjugated to, evil father figures or nasty vile fairies. Additionally, the shadow appears in religious iconography as Satan or Lilith and in the mystical kabbalah as the opponent; all of which are viewed as negatively as astrology’s Saturn. Thus, the shadow is connected to the Saturnian issues of fear and limitation and in our chart’s it’s where we are most hidden and the most vulnerable.

The most revealing symbolism for Saturn is found in the ancient art of alchemy. According to alchemical literature, Saturn is referred to as ‘base material’ or the stuff that alchemists wished to transmute into gold. There is much we can learn from the ancient art of alchemy and its connection to astrology. Of course, the traditional interpretations of Saturn still apply, perhaps the ‘base matter’ is most significant here. Alchemists long sought to remove ‘base materials’ of the self in order to achieve wholeness or inner gold. Saturn reflects psychic materials in our unconscious that are ‘base’ or instinctual. They are parts of ourselves that we would rather not let the world see However, where fairy tale and myth allude through complex imagery and symbolism the similarities between the main character and their projected shadow form, alchemy is rather blunt and proclaims that the essence of ‘base matter’ and the essence of the alchemist are the same. So, to state it simply, as the alchemist transmutes ‘base matter’ into gold, they transmute themselves in the process. Saturn is where the inner gold in the chart is to be found and his transits and progressions often bring to the surface the inner gold in other planets.

But, what are base materials and how do we interpret these ancient symbols into modern day language?

Today, we live in a rather sophisticated world in which most of us are not concerned about day to day survival. We no longer scrape the bottom of the barrel to sustain ourselves and metaphors like ‘turning lemons into lemonade’ are inspirational devices rather than actualities. So, the modern individual has to adjust ‘base materials’ into deeper spiritual waters rather than the shallow pool of mundane life. The closest thing we have to ‘base materials’ (besides the obvious) are the feelings and situations we experience – the good, as well as the bad – and these experiences form and craft who we are as individuals – and this psychological process in astrological terms is called Saturn. This is why Saturn in esoteric circles is considered, “the lord of karma,” not because we are paying for crimes in a prior existence, but because our job is to master ordinary mortal life through its many lessons. Hence, why the Sun and Saturn form the spinal cord of the chart – together they create experiences and lessons to foster growth and development within the individual to achieve wholeness.

Now, some of the experiences are pleasant and we feel stable and secure in them. However, other experiences cause us pain that often at its seed level is the inspiration (or a better word may be germination) that ultimately propels us to triumph. In many ways, those that suffer through Saturnian placements, transits, and progressions are forced to deal with the lessons of the real world, its obligations, and its ultimate rewards. Furthermore, they come to understand that the lessons of life – even the most painful ones – are necessary catalysts for inner growth. In the end, it is our job to alchemically transmute our pain into a more worthwhile substance.

Saturn in Sagittarius:

Saturn will spend the next 2 ½ years in Sagittarius (although it will briefly return to Scorpio for a few months in 2015) and I feel rather optimistic about it. On the mundane level, issues regarding laws, political reform, and religious attitudes (along with scandals) will grace the headlines. Further, foreign relations and our interactions with the world at large, crisis in collective beliefs, prevailing attitudes and questioning political correctness may be necessary at this time. However, on the inner level, our lessons will be more spiritual in nature and we will question our inner purpose, our passions, and our individual place in the future.

Sagittarius is a dual sign (as are all the mutable signs) which is perfectly symbolized in the mythic Chiron. Chiron is an earthly deity who dabbles in a bit of everything, yet his major source of reputation was his ability to manipulate life through knowledge of herbs and magic in order to heal the wounded. Moreover, the passionate, fiery, and inspirational motivations of the human condition resulted in him being the teacher of heroic figures whom were all filled with unbridled potential. Chiron reflects the core of Sagittarius which is extremely optimistic and its natural mode of adaptation is to seek the greater meaning in any given situation and view life through the lenses of hope, inspiration, and envisioned possibilities of a bold new world – which can be difficult to see with Saturn transiting the sign.

Saturn can often block the initial impulses of an element when he transits the sign – especially if the sign is not akin to Saturn’s nature – which Sagittarius is not. In the sign of the centaur, this can feel like life has lost its sense of purpose and direction. Living seems to lose its meaning and can ultimately provoke anxiety and depression – both of which are powerful internal motivators. It becomes our responsibility to dig within our own souls, because the lessons of Saturn in Sagittarius are intrinsically spiritual rather than mundane. We, usually through a series of hard lessons, are forced to be true to ourselves.

Saturn’s job in any sign is to help develop a realistic experience; so invariably, a spiritual crisis is likely. We all go through life with aspirations and ambitions, but often we fail to live out our true potential because we lose sight of our inner vision or may lack the ambitions necessary to achieve them. Saturn in fiery Sagittarius (usually after a dose of purposelessness and lack of self-expression) urges us to put our ‘money where our mouth is’ and make something real with our visions which ultimately is our destiny and connection to God. In essence, our lives need to have a purpose. The problems and difficulties that occur while Saturn is in Sagittarius, could be the primal catalyst that ignites inner vision that turns lead (base matter) into gold.

Conclusion:

Every god requires homage based on its nature and failure to pay is an act the ancient Greeks called hubris – a fancy word for spitting in the face of the gods. Ultimately transgressing the gods results in severe consequences and myth is littered with tragic stories that could have been avoided. Failing to pay homage to Saturn can result in lack of vitality, damaged self-esteem, and feelings of an unlived life – after all we all have to make something out of ourselves in order to be whole individuals. While Saturn moves through Sagittarius, it is time for us to envision our futures and take the necessary steps to achieve our dreams. This will rely on getting in touch with our intuitive perceptions and developing inner wisdom. In many ways, Sagittarius is perhaps the only sign that can follow Scorpio, because its nature is to seek understanding and hope after painful experiences. Saturn’s movement through the sign will offer us understanding of the past few years and the wisdom to craft, create, and implement a better and grander tomorrow.

Sagittarius would not have it any other way. Will you?

Storm Cestavani, December, 22, 2014.

Astro 101 — Hemisphere Interpretation

In the last lesson of Astro 101, I introduced the astrological houses. If you missed that blog post then I encourage you to read that before you continue with this lesson. Also, you can read all the lessons from Astro 101 by simply going to the resource page I created to keep everything nice and organized. In this lesson, we are going to move on to something new the hemisphere orientation of the houses.

One of the main things to remember about astrology is that it’s all about numbers. In past lessons we learned that there is one chart, two genders, three modalities, 4 elements and all of this components combine together to become the twelve signs of the zodiac. While we are learning about the astrological houses, you will notice this pattern continues.

Imagine, if you will, that the chart is a pie (who doesn’t like pie). You can divide a pie in two different ways – north to south or east to west. Similarly, we can divide the chart from north to south or from east to west. In earth science, these are considered hemispheres. Astrologically, we refer to them as hemispheres as well. Each hemisphere of the chart has unique qualities or characteristics that are attributed to them. Planets that are placed in hemispheres will express themselves based on the hemisphere they are in. This will modify the way they ‘act’ based on their environment.

Let’s get to the meat and potatoes!

Astro 101 — Introduction to the Astrological Houses

An Introduction to the Astrological Houses

Did you know that every relationship you have or will EVER have is found in your horoscope?

Well, they are!

Your parents are found in your chart, your love relationships, your pet, your doctor, your educators, your friends, your siblings, and even that ONE person you wish wouldn’t be in your chart is THERE. IF you didn’t know this, then this lesson is definitely for you!

In my last teaching series of Astro 101, I explained the astrological signs. We learned about astrological gender, elements, and the modalities that form the 12 signs of the zodiac. In this series, we will explore the astrological houses which will help prepare us for our study of the planets.

If you do not have a copy of your chart, you can get one for free by using the application widget on my site. In addition, I have created an extensive tutorial to help you understand how to read your chart so that you can learn all the various bits and pieces that combine to make up YOU.

The Astrological Houses

I remember when I first started studying astrology (1984) that I found astrological houses confusing. At that time there were few resources a teenage boy could get in upstate New York – just the random books that could be found in the library. I understood the signs as they were descriptors of how the planet is going to perform; yet, the houses were baffling to me. Eventually, I took a high school psychology and learned about projection. Then the houses began to make more sense to me. The houses were areas of our life and our relationship with the outer world from the front porch of our Ascendant (imagine yourself sitting in a chair at your Ascendant look out at the rest of the houses). So, every house has an innate expectation that we have projected upon in since birth.

Claire Martin in her book, “Mapping the Psyche” has a wonderful quote about the difference between houses and signs. She says:

“The signs dictate a temporal cycle and the houses describes a spatial cycle, the two systems can be superimposed upon each other because, in astrology, every cycle has the same intrinsic meaning.”

Simply put, the signs are seasonal in nature, and they occur simply because the earth moves around the Sun and is measured in 30 degree increments. The Sun begins its each year (beginning of spring) in the sign of Aries and ends each year in the sign of Pisces (end of winter). On the psychological level, the sun moving through the signs reflects birth-growth-death-rebirth cycle that is inherent in the seasons and all of life.

The houses, on the other hand, develop spatially because of relationships. In the 1^st house one develops self-awareness in relationship to themselves, the 2^nd house we develop a relationship to money, and around the wheel we go creating relationships with individuals and groups until we experience our larger relationship with the collective in the 12^th house. Additionally, since the houses reflect our relationships with others, they are reflections of who we are ourselves since we will project the contents of our personal chart onto the people around us. The purpose of astrology is to bring our projections back home to the Ascendant, which makes us more well-rounded individuals.

Astrological House Cheat Sheet:

Here is a quick list of the astrological houses and the relationships that exist within them. Of course, I will go through them more thoroughly but this gives you a jumping off point to start playing with your own houses.

1^st house	Relationship to ourselves and the immediate environment
2^nd house	Relationship to our money, values, possessions, and body
3^rd house	Relationship to siblings, neighbors, teachers, and ideas
4^th house	Relationship to father, family, and early environment
5^th house	Relationship to children, love affairs, pleasures, gambling, and risk taking
6^th house	Relationship to work, co-workers, day to day life, routine, health, and pets
7^th house	Relationship to marriage, spouses, partnerships, and open enemies
8^th house	Relationship to sex, death, and shared resources
9^th house	Relationship to travel, higher education, God, religious or spiritual ideas, adventures, and finding a sense of meaning in life
10^th house	Relationship to mother, the public, our career, and our boss
11^th house	Relationship to friends, colleagues, collective society, and political idealisms
12^th house	Relationship to the collective unconscious, dreams, myths, ancestors, and the hidden worlds.

Homework Assignment:

On a piece of paper making a list from 1-12. Write down the sign on each of the houses and any planet that may be in the house. This will give you a bit more grounding in your own chart and an idea of what to look for interpreting your own houses in the sections to come.

Next Lesson: Chart Orientation

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Jupiter In Leo — Discovering the Real You

Jupiter in Leo on July 17, 2014 at 6:30 AM EST / 3:30 AM PST

Grab your charts. If you need a copy of yours, you can get one for free at my website.

Are you living an inspired life or is life a humdrum experience of ‘working 9 to 5 just to stay alive’?

Do you feel like you are existing rather than living?

If so, then I have good news for you – everything is about to change.

On July 16, the planet Jupiter moves out of the watery realm of Cancer and ignites in fiery Leo. In traditional astrology, Jupiter is considered the ‘great benefic’, and is known to bestow luck upon those he favors. In modern astrology, Jupiter is the planet of expansion, inspiration, and our need to believe in something so that the future is viewed with optimism, meaning, and potential — granting vision and hope to everyday life.

The sign Jupiter is in describes how he will operate. In many ways, it’s his ‘cosmic mission’ statement of the year (Jupiter stays in a sign for approximately 1 year). In Leo, Jupiter is concerned with self-expansion, self-expression, and personal uniqueness. In essence, Jupiter in Leo provides us with an opportunity to creatively craft our future and move forward along our individual journey with inner authenticity and inner meaning. Rather than having faith in the outer world (which usually leads to disappointment), we develop faith in ourselves and the vision to pursue our god given potential.

Sounds good, doesn’t it? Well, there is even better news! Jupiter in Leo does not just influence the sign of Leo, it influences everyone. In every single chart the sign of Leo will be connected to one of our astrological houses. The sign tells us about Jupiter’s mission statement, but the house tells us where this will likely occur.

How Jupiter in Leo Will Influence You

Below I give you the tea on how Jupiter will influence all of the astrological signs. This will give you an area of focus on how to work with this energy in your life over the next year. You can read this for your sign and if you know your rising sign, I would suggest you reading that description as well. If you need a copy of your chart you can get one for FREE including a tutorial on how to read the chart.

Aries: Jupiter begins its yearlong transit through your solar 5^th house. The next year for you is going to focus on personal growth and expansion of who you are as an individual. You will begin to understand your life with greater wisdom, and despite past frustrations will perceive the big picture. Your creative juices will flow like never before, and if you are artistically inclined, financial gain is likely through your craft. Since the 5^th house rules children, your relationship with your own (if you have them) will take center stage and a deeper emotional bond will naturally occur. Finally, your relationships with others around you will go through great improvement throughout the year. As you tear down walls and barriers and begin to express yourself with courage and tenacity, you will notice the important people around you responding favorably.

Taurus: Jupiter begins its yearlong transit through your solar 4^th house. The 4^th house is mysterious because it rules our private parts – our innermost self and governs our home, family, personal life, and our past. While Jupiter is transiting your solar 4^th, you may find the need to seek inner peace and meaning. In the outer world this is a year to focus on real estate – whether that is purchasing a new home or doing repairs and renovations. Further, you will find your relationship with your family enhanced and Jupiter’s benefic influence will provide an opportunity for old issues or familial problems to be resolved. On the inner level, Jupiter moving through the 4^th is a cycle of personal focus. It is a natural time to withdraw from the outer world and its trappings and focus on creating a secure future. If we do not have a secure inner world of peace and harmony, it is going to be difficult for you to find happiness in the outer world.

Gemini: Jupiter begins its yearlong transit through your solar 3^rd house of communication. In most textbooks, the 3^rd house is delegated to the house of communication, early education, and siblings. However, after working with charts for the past 25 years, I have come to understand the 3^rd house as the place in the horoscope where we process our experiences. In fact, I believe one of the most undervalued resources we have are the experiences felt via the events, circumstances, and people we have encountered that helps formulate who we are as individuals. While Jupiter is in the 3^rd, the ‘social butterfly’ will emerge and the number of people in your social circle will expand. This transit provokes an enormous urge to learn and express yourself to others in order to formulate your own unique opinions about life. Further, because you need to experience more of the world in order to expand your consciousness, a return to school, taking a trade course, or expanding our education is likely. A mind is a terrible thing to waste, and with Jupiter transiting the 3rd, you are likely to find it working overtime.

Cancer: Jupiter begins its yearlong transit through your value oriented 2^nd house. In traditional astrology, the 2^nd house governs money and resources. In modern astrology, money and resources are viewed as symbols of what you value. I have long believed that the most powerful book of revelation is a checkbook. Your financial ledges provide you with clear and concise information about what you truly value because it is what you spend our money on. This is not to say that Jupiter in the 2^nd house will not expand your resources; it will. In fact, it will expand everything that you give value to – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Since the 2^nd house does involve financial resources, this is a great time for investments. However, you have to be careful with Jupiter in the 2^nd house not to overindulge, overspend, or mismanage our money. This placement can often lead to spending money that you may not have. In the case of the 2^nd house, too much of anything can be as harmful as not enough.

Leo: This is your lucky year Leo because Jupiter will transit through your personal oriented 1^st house. Doors that have been closed and opportunities that have been denied will open up for you with minimal effort throughout the year. The main thing for you to focus on this being a major cycle of growth combined with an opportunity to express who you are by shining (and sharing) your inner light. Further, you will notice that people are drawn to you like never before (or at least since 2002) and are more than willing to help you achieve success. Use your increased self-confidence and charisma to your advantage. Moreover, do not waste this year, Christmas in the astrological world only happens once every 12 years and this year Santa delivers the presents to you.

Virgo: Jupiter begins its yearlong transit through your solar 12^th house. Out of all the houses of the horoscope, the 12^th house may be the most confusing. Traditional astrology has labeled it the house of self-undoing and its association with hospitals and prisons always raise a curious eyebrow or two. In modern astrology, the 12^th house reflects the patterns, drives, and compulsions that operate beneath the level of conscious awareness, but not in the personal sense, yet those habits and dysfunctions which have been passed down from generation to generation. Jupiter in the 12^th can be a blessing or a curse. On one hand, this transit augurs a time when one begins (often for the first time) to see their inner truth. Circumstances, situations, and events begin to have meaning and one begins to acquire insight into their lives. Often this opens the doors to a spiritual journey of self-discoveries. On the other hand, Jupiter’s transit represents where we begin to seek the truth and in the 12^th house the truth lies within oneself. If one does not have the inner courage or current capabilities, one will seek “their” truth through escapism – sex, drugs, alcohol, gambling, food or any other reckless behavior. Simply put, Jupiter in the 12^th house is a year for you to do inner work and access the real you.

Libra: Jupiter begins its yearlong transit through your solar 11^th house. Traditional astrology has described the 11^th house as clubs, friends, hopes and wishes and like the 12^th house these descriptions are often not helpful. In many ways, the 11^th house reflects your need to be bigger than who you are and to strive towards improving your lives. You will do this through becoming involved with individuals beyond your familial structure. Your friends, associates and likeminded individuals fulfill these requirements and assist you by providing networks to encourage your success. Jupiter in the 11^th reflects a cycle where your social circle can assist you in achieving your hopes and wishes for the future. In fact, you will notice the need to change your world for the better with Jupiter transiting this social house. In most cases, the changes you make will also benefit those around you significantly and your goals will be achieved. Finally, Jupiter is the planet of expansion and you will notice your social circle and sphere of influence expand over the next year.

Scorpio: Jupiter begins its yearlong transit through your solar 10^th house. In astrology, the 10^th house describes our careers and position in the world. Jupiter transiting this house is considered favorable, improves and increases your reputation and often prompts you to be all that you can be. During this cycle you can take advantage of Jupiter’s benefic energy to advance your career, begin new businesses, or receive long deserved recognition for your accomplishments. If you have struggled to get to the next level, this year could be your breakthrough. However, it is necessary to avoid being overbearing, dictatorial, and keep your ego in check because problems could occur at the end of the transit if others perceive a haughty attitude. Finally, you can expect to see promotions at work, financial increase, and an inner self-confidence while Jupiter transits this house.

Sagittarius: This year Jupiter begins his yearlong transit through your solar 9^th house. For you, this is a great position because Jupiter is your solar ruler and naturally rules the 9^th house. Your desire to learn will be magnified as Jupiter transits the house normally associated with higher education. Your learning experiences will broaden your mind and your perspective upon things will change and mature. This transit is associated with wisdom because your quest to learn will often give you deep insight into aspects of your life that you have either ignored or found trivial. Often when this transit is active, interest in the arcane sciences, religion or philosophy are typical because interest in esoteric and teleological subjects reflect the new to expand your worldview. Finally, you may find yourself interested in foreign cultures or taking vacations to foreign lands to broaden your experience. The one thing to expect while Jupiter transits your 9^th house is that your view of life will change and always for the better.

Capricorn: This year Jupiter begins its yearlong transit through your solar 8^th house. The 8^th house is similar to the 11^th and the 12^th and has a rather mysterious and confusing aura around it. Traditionally, it is associated with death, inheritance, and taxes and I have seen these descriptions to be relatively true. Jupiter in the 8^th can mean you will receive an inheritance or an unexpected tax refund. But, what does this house really mean? After 25 years of doing astrology, I am convinced that the 8^th house has to do with inheritance, but not just financially; it reflects our psychological inheritance as well. While Jupiter is transiting through the 8^thhouse, issues from the past that may need healing will rise to the surface and the healing of past familial trauma begins. This can come from powerful changes or psychological wounds, yet these changes will be to your ultimate benefit. On the more mundane level (which you Capricorns will love), this is a great time to begin a business partnership or apply for loans because Jupiter in the 8^th makes it easy for people to share their resources with you.

Aquarius: Jupiter begins its yearlong transit through your solar 7^th house. The 7^th house is typically associated with partnerships, marriage, competitors, and legal matters. Perhaps it would be creative to define it as the ‘world out there’ or the ‘not you’ house because it describes your relationship to society in general. Jupiter transits through the 7^th can increase your relationships and expand your experiences of society by widening your sphere of influence. This is great for business alliances in which your partnerships are mutually beneficial. Of course, Jupiter influences your love relationships by being a generally favorable influence. Any difficulties experienced in your relationships should be smoothed out or resolved during this cycle. Finally, the 7^th house also pertains to legal matters. Any legal issues (especially civil cases) should resolve in your favor since Jupiter casts a protective shield over any house he influences.

Pisces: Jupiter begins its yearlong transit through your solar 6^th house. The 6^th house pertains to your job, day to day activities, your rituals, health, and your responsibilities. Of course, this can be rather drab and far from exciting for the king of the gods, yet it is one of the houses we see enormous benefits. Jupiter likes to expand your consciousness and provide a ‘higher’ meaning to the day to day grind of the 6^th house, which on its deepest level refers to your house of personal growth. This is a great year for you to put your life in order and you will notice improvement in your job, satisfaction with your responsibilities and overall good health. In fact, do not be surprised if you take on additional responsibilities because people will be pleased with your performance. Further, Jupiter in the 6^th could signify new job opportunities and promotions for a job well done. However, there is one warning with Jupiter in the 6^th, Jupiter expands the house it transits and since the 6^th house represents your health and the physical world, there could be a tendency to gain weight. It would be a good idea to maintain a regular fitness regime and balanced diet at this time.

Storm Cestavani is the co-host of the top rated metaphysical show “Keep It Magic” and the co-creator of the “Tarot Magic” with Coventry Creations. Storm is available for consultations by setting up an appointment to speak with him. Simply click on Book A Reading with Storm at the top of the page.

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