Criticism and Humility

Mars Saturn in Virgo

With Jupiter and Uranus briefly out of the way in Aries, the end of Saturn in Virgo is Pisces-free bringing a moment of clarity and seriousness as the country contemplates the dark sticky mess she's in. The long Mars retrograde in Leo did not deliver a dashing knight or a sun king. At least not in my neck of the woods.

The environmental catastrophe unfolding is an unusual event, a radical departure from the ordinary news item -- a week or two of blood flying amidst screams of agony as the public does its Dionysian dance with great excitement, relishing someone else's horror on their screens, lovingly described by euphoric pancaked glossed perfectly coiffed media stars. Even torture, a big big crowd favorite is back, but it's finding difficulty stealing the spotlight.
The creeping slow #1 story now is something they'd like to run away from but cannot. It's obvious that the oil disaster is coming from someplace deep in the collective body, and it's humbling. It lacks the circus element so often prevalent in the daily diet. And most of all it's missing the very favorite factor ... speed, followed by the magical disappearing act.
There's a lot more to come. Uranus and Jupiter will be returning shortly as we gradually figure out what to do with our sorrows. They're already drowned so a new approach is on that deep horizon. The event is gigantic and the magnitude still has to be determined.

Virgo is known for its lessons of humility along with necessary criticism. Everyone needs and gets it and Saturn is logical, concerned with the well being of the system, so those miscreants who have skirted around the discerning eye of Virgo are receiving more of it now as Saturn gets down to business and finishes the job.

Gone are the soaring experiences filled with promises and such rhetoric as, "America is back and ready to lead." Do you think so? America is being smeared. The "greatest nation on earth," as the misguided leaders like to shout, is appearing diminished at present. Criticisms are exploding as they should be with Saturn winding his heavy way through the final degrees of Virgo, Mars in tow.

As you might have noticed, the oil erupted at about 29 Pisces where Saturn is headed soon to form an opposition. The degree of the Iraq war chart. There doesn't appear to be any remorse for the acceptance of perpetual war. Quite the contrary. War spending is spinning out of control and the only confusion seems to be where to start the next one. It's as if the sewer dug to the Middle East has backed up in our own yard. Virgo recognizes the breakdown, contamination, and humiliation. And back to the criticism which is lacking when it comes to the act of killing strangers in their own homes. By remote control now. War and gas. Dirty business. Blood is supposed to stay in the veins. Blood spills are the source of countless diseases. Sometimes the stains are permanent.

Criticism is invaluable. It's the best medicine for correction and eventually development of great skill, a Virgo trait. When you include shortcomings with the positive aspects in your analyses you feel better. Waiting for the critical ax to fall is nerve frying and exhausting. A well rounded view can bring noticeable relaxation and relief. There's a sensation of maturity and completion when all angles are considered. Naturally, cold hard Saturn often judges uncomfortably but that leads to greater understanding and substantial pride concerning the objects of devotion and one's own self. Criticism is good. You learn to sift through it separating the wheat from the chaff, another Virgo favorite. A solid self esteem is unafraid of contradiction. And a full emotionally well tempered view has a tendency to be believed by others if that's your desire. Credibility increases with objectivity.

Out of the earth through the ocean floor a purge is underway. There are an infinite number of things spewing, but one collective factor is the Pisces illusion the United States has been clinging too since the change of government. With the planets in Aries for now, the false hopes are getting a chance to be released so a more substantial optimism can come by the time Pluto finishes the transit of US Jupiter. It's nice to think that addiction to oil could show signs of diminishing, and it is, really, but the change people want is going to take a very very long time. Self criticism is an excellent start. Organization (Virgo) of your own thoughts helps too, rather than following the daily attempted articulations of the famous. Sifting through the ego driven drivel to find words meant to honestly be of service to the crowd can be a full time job. But Saturn in Virgo can do it with Mars pushing diligently behind.

And speaking of Virgoan organization, the opposition to the ruling body is in an upswing as resistance to the status quo gets itself together, albeit slowly. We're learning that the Internet might be a helpful tool, but people are discovering that more is needed. The sitting position can be an impediment if not mixed with standing up and moving the feet where that's possible. And some cohesive glue for the progress oriented might come out of the sticky mass as they lift themselves up from being stomped on and flattened.

Virgo is the worker bee and it's not at all surprising that labor unions are suddenly in the news. Jobs have been a major area of concern in the last couple years and as Saturn finishes, the reality of their importance to overall economic health is coming into focus. In the chip is the urge to be useful aside from the greed and maniacal money grab that seems to prevail these days. At least people might be comprehending the value of having a good job as thoughts of a full economic rebound have all but been abandoned for now. The governmental attitude toward job creation and union support has been lax to say the least and this is likely to create response among the commoners as Saturn slips out of Virgo. There are some signs of increased job opportunities, however, and people are eager to have them again. One benefit of recent times is the rethinking of what many people really want to do with their lives workwise. Some smart and fortunate ones have begun to do what they always dreamed of as a result of losing careers. With Aries-Capricorn it's even easier to get motivated in those directions.

Digestion also comes under the auspices of Virgo and with slow steady Saturn the process is ongoing. Little by little people can absorb the information from this catastrophe and purify in some way while the years of correction ahead wind their path through collective experience. Ideally when digestion is complete, health is established, as the body takes what is necessary and discards the rest. Not many can do that well as evidenced by our country's lack of health, but each person who succeeds adds to the possibility that one day the whole society can hum along with precision like the "well-oiled" machine it's meant to be!

Anyway, it's clear that we're stuck in a toxic sludge cream pie with poisons throughout the system, not just in the well. It's not a time for no criticism, that's for sure. You can leap to the future for deliverance if you'd like, but by facing the reality head on, not shying away, rationalizing, finding excuses, covering up, sugar coating and all those pleasant things, the chances for that better future are markedly improved. At the same time the humble Virgo rituals of clean and healthy living can be readied as a replacement. Not to forget that Uranus and Jupiter will be back in Pisces for some last minute escape momentarily. There truly is a lot of work ahead, and when Saturn transits Libra a sense of balanced proportion can be cultivated regarding the good and bad of it all. Everybody owns both.

I used to realize how bad I was so I tried to be good. Then I saw that I was pretty good after all but the bad kept popping up apparently indiscriminately. So I gave up and started playing it by ear. I do lean toward too much self criticism but that's how I got good! If you call it a critique it digests better.