By Margaret Gray MSW D. Psych. Astrology
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
~ Charles Dickens
Without a doubt, we are all fully aware of the major transformation in all aspects of our planet right now. Let’s consider for a moment the possibility that with the wonderful synchronicity of the universe, those of us on earth at this remarkable time in history have chosen, at a soul level, to play a part in these incredible changes. Let’s also assume that we no longer accept a fatalistic view of the universe where things are ‘done to us’ by powers greater than us, including the planets, the environment, governments, religions, etc. Hence, the ancient astrological concept of ‘as above, so below’ can be understood as ‘all is one’ and therefore inseparable, making ‘as below, so above’ equally valid. This opens the possibility of change becoming a creative, conscious dance between us and the planetary energies as we work together for the greater good of all.
On March 13th, the Promethean planet Uranus finally moved into the fiery sign of Aries for an 8-year visit. This coincided with Earth literally shifting on its axis as Japan faced a major earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster, affecting every corner of our planet in the process. In the Middle East, we saw nation after nation rise, demanding justice and freedom of thought and action. By nature, Uranus in the first sign of the zodiac is a very fast, innovative energy whose purpose is to assist us to increase our awareness of our thoughts and actions, enabling us to release whatever is preventing growth. Hence, on a personal level, we are likely to have experienced a degree of shock at the worldwide occurrences, as well as a speeding up of everything in our life, particularly our thinking.
Early in July, this sudden, impatient and somewhat erratic Uranian energy will appear to slow down, symbolically going backwards in the sky for the following 5 months. In doing so, it offers us the time to take stock of what happened and to make innovative changes on a personal and global level. This is an ideal time to evaluate the choices we have made in science and technology, including the use of nuclear power and the development of alternative, more life enhancing, sources of energy such as solar and wind power. Remembering that the 1949 birth chart of the creation of the Republic of Ireland has Sun in Aries, the transit of Uranus through this sign is a time of potential awakening and innovative, groundbreaking leadership for this country in the years to come.
Staying grounded in our body, to maintain balance in our nervous system, is particularly important during this time. For anyone with Sun, Moon or Ascendant in the early degrees of Aries, Libra, Capricorn and Cancer, you are particularly likely to feel the effect of this Uranian energy, urging you to make necessary changes in your work, emotions and relationships.
In April 2011, Neptune went into Pisces, its natural home, for a brief initial 4-month ‘taster’ visit, before moving there in February 2012 for a 14-year stay. Neptunian energy can assist us to connect with our spirituality and creativity through appearing to dissolve boundaries between dimensions. Joining forces with Chiron, the wounded healer, who has been in Pisces since May 2010, this combination can potentially bring understanding and healing to our planet and beyond. Together they can assist us to release outworn religious beliefs of our own making that have not been in our highest interest, opening our hearts in loving compassion towards others and ourselves. An increasing number of people are also likely to re-awaken to their innate psychic abilities.
Like Uranus, this god of the ocean also goes back on its tracks all Summer, leaving us until November to contemplate the possibility of truly creating Heaven on Earth through a joyful, open hearted, compassionate connection with all. For anyone with Sun, Moon or Ascendant in the early degrees of Pisces, Virgo, Gemini or Sagittarius, you will be more sensitive to these energies. Engaging with your creativity, imagination and spirituality can greatly assist planetary healing at this time.
The above themes are reinforced by the total lunar eclipse on June 15th when planet Earth will block the light of the Sun in Gemini from illuminating the Full Moon in Sagittarius. Symbolically, the usual dance between reason and instinct will be briefly interrupted by Earth acting as an obstacle. Hidden deep in our unconscious, we may struggle to make sense of our emotional realm for a week before and after the eclipse, offering us time to contemplate what has true meaning for us. We will be able to view this eclipse in Ireland if there are few clouds in the sky.
In June, Jupiter leaves Aries after a year of visiting this sign. In moving into earthy Taurus, its naturally expansive energies will illuminate what we most value as humans on this planet. This includes nature and our natural resources, finances, beauty and our sense of security and abundance within our body and on planet Earth. Here at home, our new Taoiseach Enda Kenny will be directly affected by this Jupiter transit. June, July and August are a great time for him to present us with his thoughts on ways of healing our structural foundations.
Mid-June is also when Saturn continues its journey forward in the sign of Libra, encouraging us to use balance in our decisions. Stuck in what felt like a frustrating holding pattern for the past 4 months, we are now invited to apply balance and fairness to our actions, remembering that we can only truly understand a situation if we can give equal value to its opposite side. This allows us to find creative, constructive solutions that include all. The generation who are now in their late 20’s and early 30’s can teach us a lot about the urgent need for fairness in our world, as they strongly resonate with the need to address these issues.
It is worth noticing that between August 3rd and August 25th, Mercury, the planet of communication goes retrograde in the sky once more. The suggestion to ‘not sign important contracts or documents’ during this time derives from traditional Astrology. This is based on the concept that as Mercury appears to be going backwards in the sky, anything initiated at this time related to communication, is unlikely to go forwards into the future. I suggest you have a look at this in your own life. Personally, this is one of the few traditional astrological rules that I do take heed of!
I’ll finish with the wise words of Gerald Benedict in The Mayan Prophecies for 2012, “by the choices we make, we can determine a creative future for our civilization and our planet.”
Enjoy the Summer sunshine.
Margaret Gray offers Psychological Astrology consultations in Ireland, Hawaii and California. She also teaches seminars and workshops. For further information, see: www.astrologypsychological.com
margaret@astrologypsychological.com
