Discoveries in the Deep

Pluto Opposite Venus-Jupiter in Cancer
Pisces and Neptune
Fallen Idols

I've come to think that the planets are neutral and the chemistry created when I interact with them is largely undetermined, although intuitive suppositions can probably be made. An uncommonly large disaster appeared out of the blue precisely when Pluto opposed the US Venus-Jupiter conjunction. Venus-Jupiter? Huh? Not good? Apparently not. Not yet.

By now people are beginning to recognize the magnitude of this event and there is a great deal more to come. Pluto to Jupiter is sometimes indicative of a jackpot but it can also mean the opposite -- bankruptcy. I'll begin with some personal recollection since my Jupiter dominated chart recently received the graces of Pluto by conjunction.

With my great Jupiter placements I was always an incorruptible optimist sometimes even tiptoeing into Pollyannaland. When Pluto approached my Jupiter at the end of my eighth house I lost almost everything of value and by that time my established philosophy of events working out well had been challenged enough to arouse some serious questioning. Jupiter governs world outlook, an important contributing factor to the quality of one's life. Pluto demolishes with the intention of delivering something better plucked from the underworld treasure trove. So ultimately it really is a jackpot.

At the end of the 8th I had relaxed somewhat believing that the worst was over, but I was wrong. Another death blow came exactly when Pluto conjoined Jupiter and the loss was complete. In a sense, I was relieved and accepted the final strike a little more easily than I did the previous disasters. I already knew that something would come to replace these endings. I trusted I would be rewarded, even more so if I embraced my fate and altered accordingly. It did take some fancy footwork.
Now I'm discovering as Pluto ends up in my ninth house that I'm left with a tempered philosophy, much more realistic and tolerant of pessimism and despair when those feelings are called for. The underlying optimism remains without having to dominate entirely, even choking out the less buoyant moments with customary Jupiterian bombast. They're perfect for the circumstances they apply to, these eager downers. I find this an improvement. A big one. Being a realist is refreshing in its newness.

With Pluto opposite USA Jupiter, it's simple to see the extent of loss going on. Its destination is still to be revealed. Considering the hole that opened up in the earth at 29 Pisces I must conclude that illusions are pouring out as a prerequisite to grappling with essential mundane realities during the Capricorn years. Jupiter and Uranus are only in Aries for a brief moment and the return to Pisces provides an opportunity to delve into the situation further. It will be awhile before forward motion is firmly established. What could these illusions be?

Many people are fantasizing about magical shifts in collective consciousness and true to Pisces, Christian philosophy and thoughts about prophecy are in high gear, part and parcel of the coming end of the Age of Pisces when Christianity's power will likely diminish. It's naive to think that big gifts will be bestowed upon humanity without the necessary steps required to earn them, considering all the Saturn in play. I think we can agree that the group as a whole has some more ground to cover. The view that evil people will suffer while the good are automatically redeemed and transported is the kind of attitude that guarantees you'll be left on the other side of paradise. The scarlet E plays tricks with the mind so the executioner's ax must be wielded carefully lest you yourself be judged by another's whim.

The idea that a savior is going to forgive the crowd for being lowly sinners will be antiquated as the Age of Pisces ends. Down in the earth under the sea, the release of some of these beliefs might be in motion and my wild theory combustion engine says that perhaps some of the shame and guilt of Christianity (and the others) is extruding from that sticky hole. You only need so much. If the savior doesn't come then I'll assume we're rid of some of it.

The fear of how big this catastrophe could get is real and Jupiter likes to exaggerate. Pisces likes paranoia and apocalyptic quivers are always exciting, but the chances for complete planetary devastation are probably slim. And if it did happen? It might turn out to be a good thing. We still don't know whether or not paradise is on the other side.

If the release is stopped in the fall as planned then naturally the men will be heroes and humans will feel protected again, but hopefully a thread of real understanding will be needled into the collective psyche. People resist the truth at first, but often after they've had a chance to digest and absorb the information, they keep and even treasure the knowledge and the confidence it imparts. Ideally this gem could be deposited by the crack and mighty extrusion, a startling reminder of cosmic powers, along with a gigantic breath of relief that we made it. This time. The reality of earth changes can't be denied any longer, but as we deal with each crisis one by one a stronger trust in the universe (Jupiter) is a possibility. Or at least a working relationship with it. Fear of annihilation is useless since we end up there anyway one by one.

The suffering and dying animals remind us of our own sorrow and helplessness and reality shows that some are rescued and some are not. There are no human god figures to save the entire species. We're soon to discover that we are more on our own that we thought, the teaching of Venus-Jupiter in Cancer (childhood, dependency, security) opposite Capricorn (adulthood and responsibility for the self), and this event is probably the trigger. The loss of livelihoods, generations of business, depreciation of real estate, and the obliteration of hundreds of years of tradition and decimation of familial roots on the coast are leading the way in this maturing process with the Aries planets illustrating the need to begin anew. Lots of dependencies could be severed in the coming years as the big issue of the time, Homeland Security (Cancer) is worked out. People all over the country are losing their homes and living arrangements are on the way to significant change. Pluto appears to be bent on busting up some nests as people learn to balance home with the world and reality in Capricorn.

So illusions of parental care are going down, part of why FDR references are so popular currently. The man came to the rescue when Pluto conjoined Cancer, but this time "Social Security" is disappearing and all that is implied by this. What new form of social security could be coming? Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe better. New networks of relationship (Venus) could be one. Saturn in Libra is handy for that.

It's hard to imagine the loss of societal safety nets and the impulse is to associate it with lack of caring (Cancer), but the ability to stand on one's own (Capricorn) has equally satisfying aspects as long as those who are unable to do so are covered. They usually are no matter what. Whatever agency pulls back the hand is replaced by another that gives. The competitive killer instinct is equal to the cooperative protective one and they balance themselves successfully as we go. As it's going now, the federal government is unable to provide and protect.

Once the initial insecurity of Cancerian loss is passed, the growth of maturity is sensed as a superior way of navigating the new and seemingly treacherous waters. The skill required to achieve that can bring substantial self esteem and people might eventually stop running helter skelter for someone else to clutch onto in times of trouble. Surfing the Net for parents, for example. Not always the place to find them. But maybe this will encourage an abandonment of the search and a more Libran style of intellectual exchange with Saturn in Libra coming soon. Without excess emotional demand (Venus-Jupiter in Cancer), clarity of thinking can make good information more accessible, and even some solutions. The Cancerian emotional overdo (Jupiter) could be harnessed for better use. Both love and hate sometimes get tiresome, while mere like is highly sustainable, even productive. And always enjoyable.

Another illusion is the success of war in acquiring energy. War takes an astronomical amount of oil and now that its extraction is becoming so hard and expensive, what are we to do? Probably fight harder at first, and toy with exploding the entire planet nuclearly, but humanity does seem to be killing less than it used to, with a sizable decrease in the last 30 years.

I've always thought that television with the escape it provides was the perfect symbol of the Age of Pisces. It's segued into computer screens but something whispers to me that there might be disappointment ahead with all the dependency occurring in that arena and the unbelievably high hope that humanity has at last found its new savior -- final protection from loneliness in the tribal glue of Cancer. Capricorn can make a body shiver sometimes but through that alienation comes a bigger togetherness in the final quadrant of the wheel. Perhaps we've made strides in that direction with these transits in that quadrant, but Aries indicates going out on one's own again and Capricorn suggests taking care of society responsibly after that's accomplished. Leaving the huddle in the cave for the cold cruel world is bound to appeal to a lot of people soon, although I admit that's hard for me to fully visualize.

The illusion of good government is definitely in that cosmic drain. The question of leadership should be addressed when Pluto opposes USA Sun but as a preliminary, the realization that we are without it now is important. Homo Erectus. Straightening up. Caring for the self. Uranus will return next spring but again goes back to 0 Aries at the end of 2011. It might arrive as a series of shocks as the full realization of governmental neglect comes into focus alongside a new found awareness of individual resourcefulness. A fair replacement for our naughty parents.

Perhaps the most important illusion going under is that of the American Dream and the belief that this country is the Promised Land, the greatest place on earth. The Jupiterian jackpot always delivers as the wheel spins merrily around, so the world believes. The land of opportunity where anyone can be a king. We're finding some unusual stops on that wheel again similar to the Great Depression. The difference now is that we don't have the promise we did then. We're depleted, depressed, and diminished in world status. The planet itself is under duress and the pot of gold is more illusive as it must be in these days of resource exhaustion. After the contraction of Pluto in Capricorn a more honest and successful approach to survival could be in our hands if all goes well. It could be, however, that big strides really won't be made until Pluto transits Pisces and the Age of Pisces transitions to the next great age. Pluto through Aries could be particularly strengthening. The replacement of the traditional American Dream with something more attainable, a bit more humble, would probably be a grand stress reducer. Living with less is becoming fashionable and could soon be all the rage. Watch for the books and talk shows. In the end, we'll know how.

If you use the Sibly chart then this transit of Jupiter is especially significant since it rules the Sagittarius ascendant. The ridiculous slapstick Ronald McDonald playland approach to life this country favors could use some deepening with wisdom added. The increase in antidepressants and the weight gain, water retention (Cancer) speak of an underlying sorrow that's hard for this happy go lucky society to wear on the surface. And most of all, if a little Plutonian redemption is possible, the superficial optimism that smiles at us from the magazine covers could be supplanted by a more genuine form allowing despair to breathe if need be, and becoming a little more appreciative of the truly good times. And knowing the difference. An adjustment of values with Pluto transiting Venus and Jupiter is in store. Finding satisfaction (Taurus-Scorpio) is an ongoing challenge. The source of resource. The pot of gold might turn out to be something other than financial success in this nation where historically everything has been judged by its profitability. Always a deal -- big, new, square or otherwise.

So little scary dwarf Pluto is digging into its transit of the United States Cancer stellium. First demolition then a chance to pull from the treasure trove. It's interesting to watch the mood fluctuations and already people are catching themselves, relaxing, and getting ready to deal with it. It's always a good thing when disaster stays outside your own cell wall. It leaves you in a good position to be of service. And the country's got a birthday coming up. What shall I give her?

News Junkie's Blues

The Gemini-Capricorn Lunation

A handful of people are surprised, even distressed, by the sudden shift in attitude of their favorite television journalism stars. Some are delighted. Shall we call it change? There are several astrological factors contributing to this fresh development.

On June 12th the new moon occurred at 21 Gemini (communication, media) conjunct US Mars (attack) square Neptune in Virgo (illusion and criticism). As I wrote about before, Mars and Saturn are also in Virgo, and one of the objects of this criticism has moon in Gemini square Pluto in Virgo, as well as Mars in Virgo. A match made in heaven. Or hell as it feels to some.

The extent of criticism is disquieting to those who are used to The Speeches (Gemini) being sermons on the mount guaranteed to arouse ecstasy. But things are different now and the withdrawal can sometimes mimic a junkie's pain. The country has a disaster of near biblical scope in progress, and a heavy hitting full moon eclipse at 4 Capricorn exactly conjunct Pluto, close to a cardinal cross, is due on the 26th. Hard reality will have its way. And the rebellious wrongdoers will soon show sufficient humility, if only briefly. Then you can catch your breath. May I suggest taking a deep one.

Uranus is the entity often associated with comedy and with Jupiter and Uranus conjunct in Aries, some broadcasters are juiced with speed, vitality, and nerve. They are surpassing their normal boundaries, but lectures are being dispensed and Gemini has a short attention span, so things will calm down and change again, all for the better since Saturn in Virgo demands criticism and will get it.

The ridicule can make some unhappy especially not having built an immunity yet. When I was young we had topical comedians and musicians who mocked the politicians relentlessly. Everyone got it and we loved it. There's been a sad absence of this kind of humor and music in our society lately and it could be that Uranus in Aries will bring a renaissance of social consciousness to the arts. It can be offensive but release in the belly helps one endure the blows of reality. You'll see. Comedy is one of the very best potions for hard times.

For those of you who are stunned and hurt by your sudden twist of fortune, this is a perfect opportunity to consult your own source of confidence and not be so influenced by what others say. Aries. Strength and immunity. The object of devotion will bounce back anyway as shared enthusiasm comes and goes in the rhythm it loves. The rebels are needed.

A Sucker's Rapture

Son of a Beach

Oh you kids. You silly kids are hopeless. For now. You fall for it every time and they count on it. It's fail safe. Too big to fail. It burdens my shoulder blades and the right side of my neck. I found this quote that sums up the latest in a sunflower seed shell.

"The speech was part of a three-day public relations campaign, including a two-day tour of the Gulf and Wednesday’s White House meeting with BP’s chairman and CEO, designed to cover up the preparations for a filthy deal with BP. That deal will likely include a temporary delay by BP in paying out billions in shareholder dividends and the setting up of an escrow fund that will limit the company’s liabilities to a small fraction of the real cost of the disaster for which it is responsible."

Yes. A sweetheart deal for the now extremely famous British Petroleum company, etched into our consciousness by the master engraver. BP. You bet your BP. It's always about money. A 20 billion dollar pacifier just got shoved ceremoniously into your mouths and it really is sweet, isn't it?

Never mind that the hole is spewing more than ever with cracks in the ocean floor, gas bubbles forming, and the well itself approaching ruin. The beaches and coastal areas are a mere speck compared to the deeper destruction occurring under the surface away from the shores. Modern technology has just been registered helpless but there's always money.

Never mind that BP escapes all responsibility for their criminal behavior and gets to return to business as usual paying out spare change that they conveniently just snatched from their shareholders. The BP big shots are celebrating as was predicted. Done deal.

Here's a little quiz. Who's going to pay the real trillion dollar cost of fixing this little blooper? Hmmm? The answer is upside down.

Anyhoo, it'll be all right. It has to be. Now back to that pain in my neck.

Me and Jupiter

I have no recourse but to chuckle sometimes when people tie themselves into anxious knots trying to be positive. It's a sure sign that they are masking their own fears about negativity, which is understandable. Curmudgeons are not always popular.

It is a fact, however, that hanging around unhappiness, sharing misery and what not, can train you to be less overcome by the normally occurring bad experiences of living. Theoretically. The brain is wired toward negativity and some people relish the downside, others run and hide, some sugar coat and wait to be rescued, and the lucky few wise ones take it in stride. Most of us have experienced trauma and completely recovered. Many times. A voice in us knows that it's likely to come again. How often does it take before we have confidence? Before we trust in the overall cosmic mechanism?

Positive is positive and doesn't need proof or dictatorial enforcement. It bubbles naturally. Some are eager to castigate other humans, ejecting them from the inner sacred circle of good dare they defy the ruling. Some look to the planets to bail them out, Jupiter being a traditional favorite. Some become millionaires teaching you how to improve your bad attitude, but most seem to live on a diet of anti-depressants in one form or another, trying valiantly to keep up.
Astrology used to be inclined toward hocus pocus in its strict lines separating good and evil planets, but things are changing and the structured systems of old are being blasted away. Assumptions about positive and negative work best when kept in good ratio. And predictions about outcomes are best grasped with a loose and flexible hand. A moderate investment.

Picture this. I have moon conjunct Jupiter in Sagittarius on the 9th house cusp, the only thing above the horizon, the tip of a kite formation shooting out into the universe. The moon rules my Cancer Sun. I am a leaping fire-breathing embodiment of Jupiter and I'm familiar with the entity's behavior. Depending on when I was slapped, Jupiter seems to be just on the 8th house side meaning arcane information is at my beck and call with a deep feeling connection to the planet's character, added to by the moon placement. I have a good disposition, but man, I can be negative (Jupiter inflates that too). It's usually a passing Cancer mood and doesn't affect my overall philosophy, which is, "So what. I'll figure something out." C-est la vie and Que Sera Sera, as Doris Day sang so pointedly with her good intonation.

"You believe in the goodness of life," they say about my planets. Yes, that's right. But the goodness is not what you think it is. I believe in a benevolent force in the universe that I can easily access, not that experiences are necessarily "good." Upbeat times are a lead-in to unhappy ones and vice versa. So in ways the low ones contain more hope. It never fails to swing. Since I believe that I control very little in the world, and that most of it is in invisible hands, I have no choice but to trust it. I'm kind of stuck.

Experiences are all valuable to me, as long as I don't pass out, and my positivity rests on my view that things make sense. The sequence is just right as it is. Sometimes the terrible things give back the most gain ultimately. It's what you call being an opportunist. I don't demand that life be a certain way since I've discovered that it does what it does, and no matter what, I'm protected on my safe journey to my death. If I sort of dance with it it twirls me around with adequate gentleness, and not being good at leading, I have a tendency to relax into my partner's arms. I'm easy, if a bit too slow.

It's all in the game and my metaphysical position is that I came here and this is what I got. It's not that things are good, because they're not. It's a matter of contrast. Negative is an equal part of it. Plus and minus create energy and electrical flow -- life's movement. Jupiter calls the individual to live fully not tarrying long enough to decide if it's good or bad. Enthusiastic participation is the key, and the Jupiterian knows that one thing begets another. Experience itself is good.

We hook on to externals as a reflection of something going on inside which is why some people feel the pain more than others at any given time. Frightfully negative events are always happening and each individual reacts uniquely, and that can change from minute to minute with fleeting moods. There is no ordered way of behaving. If someone seems too detached to another, then maybe the one who needs emotion is missing sympathy in their own lives. If another is crying copious tears maybe they are feeling a little too sorry for themselves and could use some high and dry separation. And as I said, some who insist on brushing it off with a positive attitude could be afraid of their own negatives. It could be a missed opportunity with a chance to take a little walk through the dark night of the soul for some added feeling. The collective emotion is important but the way it hits is usually a symbol of the personal. It's a perfect road map to self understanding and even directional choices, this personal reaction. Searching for others to rescue you from yourself only works momentarily.

The more the negative is denied, the less likely the positive will flow in for contrast and balance. They actually work well together, with all the angles there are in any situation. The philosophical comprehension of experience works perfectly with Jupiter. Rolling with the punches maintains the identifying joviality and volatile spirit of Jupiter and Sagittarius. Fearing trouble excessively is completely useless. A healthy respect works quite well. It comes to everyone and we're equipped to handle it. Big trouble often comes unannounced anyway. It loves that.

Hope doesn't depend on people or even events. It's a trust in circumstance, good and bad. One knows the wheel is always turning around and things work themselves out. And now Pluto's after more, parking himself on our country's Jupiter as he has been. The trip through Sagittarius didn't fully do it. I agree it was short. Positive is not what you might think it is, but it's always there, often riding bareback on a negative.

You recall Pluto at the end of Sagittarius? Remember the soaring wave of optimism? Heights like that generally follow a path downward. Jupiter also deflates as easily as it inflates and long term positive can go missing. But short term is always available.

Jupiter's ebullience rode itself out nicely and now that Saturn is settling in, the future has taken on a different tone if one cares to speculate. Not quite as nonsensically enthusiastic. Neither pleasant nor malevolent can label the future at this point. You know it's going to be both. We select what we will.

While it's necessary to have a vision of better times, it's equally important to study current realities. And those who believe magic is going to exonerate the crowd could easily feel the same way when they get to the destination -- frustrated, probably depressed, and looking for better times. Future bailouts. And the fact of the matter remains ... things are good enough now in some ways and wisdom suggests banking on the assets already in hand, if I may use the B word. One of those assets is a place for ethical behavior in the human psyche that doesn't ever go away. The ruthless and corrupt have their places, too, but Jupiter lets a lot of it slide. You know Sagittarius. "Water off a duck's back."

In the ninth house, after the deep interpersonal bonding of Scorpio and the eighth, the seeker becomes aware of a broader universe and the source of guidance is questioned. This leads her to god figures quite often, but the idea is to gain perception of so called higher realms. I just call them far out. I think we're led by an intrinsic systemic intelligence, but then again, I have a Moon-Joop in Sag. I've not found individual humans to be accurate personifications of this intelligence as far as guiding humanity is concerned. So I don't follow them, and in some of my "negative" moods, I'm identified as an iconoclast. Yet I think every individual has this intelligence and guides her or himself perfectly as it pans out. The sum total of our individual destinies creates this wild collective experience and it's truly amazing running on automatic pilot like it does. Safety and goodness are relative. We are our own leaders, thankfully.

The reason I bring this up is because of the Pluto transit to US Venus and Jupiter, and the disaster that's occurred whilst the planet is nestled exactly between the two. I recently had Pluto to my Jupiter and in the next part of this discussion I'll tell you about it and why the country is positioned where it is and what possibilities are available.

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.