As I write this, we are experiencing a Sun/Mercury conjunction in the picky, nervous, and detail- oriented side of Virgo. A Mars/Venus conjunction is in the fiery and egocentric sign of Leo.  These energies are personal and can definitely add to anxiety levels as well as tension within personal relationships. Given the powerful eclipse patterns along with the nasty summer we’ve experienced, it does feel as if salt is being applied to wounds.  By October 10th these conjunctions will be subsiding. Until then, it is important to take supplements, eat well, and use emotional restraint.

 

The eclipse signs have changed from Leo/Aquarius to Cancer/Capricorn.  The new sign placement should alleviate the determined, egotistic desires of the Leo energy and, at the least, will be a quieter energy.  The focus will be on family matters and finances.  The Moon, ruler of the mind, also rules Cancer.  Since Rahu is currently in Cancer, many of us will find new ways of looking at life under his influence.

 

For those with strong planets in the signs of Cancer and Capricorn, the next eighteen months can see dramatic changes in their daily lives; the parts of life affected will be determined by the houses which have Cancer/Capricorn as rulers.

 

An interesting historical side-note is the fact that the last time the nodal points were in Cancer/Capricorn, President Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives and Newt Gingrich, as Speaker, managed to break the Congress and put us firmly on the path to the non-functional Congress we are witnessing today.

 

Since my last blog, Jupiter has moved into the sign of Libra which he will occupy for the next twelve months.  Those who have strong planets in Libra, Aquarius, Aries and Gemini should find that certain areas of their lives will become more fortunate for the next year.  Jupiter being in a sign of Venus can affect relationships in a positive manner and will give a boost to creative projects.

 

We should have begun to see a better flow of energy once Jupiter moved, but due to the position of Saturn, it seems that Jupiter has not been able to shine very much. In Vedic astrology there is a feature known as “bhava to bhava” which translates as “house to house.” It is a technique whereby planets are assessed by their house positions to one another.  Saturn is currently still in the sign of Scorpio which is second to Libra, and the result is that Saturn is currently blocking the energy of Jupiter.  It’s as if one is driving a really nice car on a one-lane rural road and, right in front of the car, is a tractor which is going 20 miles per hour. The position of the tractor slows down the nice car and, due to the nature of the rural road,  the car cannot pass the tractor which leaves the only sane choice to be one of patience until the tractor eventually reaches its turn-off point.  We are all waiting for Saturn to move out of Jupiter’s way.

Saturn will move “finally” into the sign of Sagittarius where he will reside for approximately two and a half years.  In an earlier blog I had written about Saturn moving back into Scorpio and how it would be like a final exam with regard to the long transit of Saturn being in the sign of Scorpio.  It truly has been a tough test.

 

Scorpio can be considered the heaviest sign of the zodiac, and Saturn is the heaviest planet; these two combined energies have resulted in a burdening of all human beings.  Scorpio is the sign of the subconscious and many people are operating from the impulses and stored emotions of the subconscious. Scorpio is a water sign but, being ruled by Mars, the emotions can be fiery.  Both Saturn and Scorpio are stubborn by nature, so it has not been easy to find light in the darkness.  It will be a relief for Saturn to take up residence in the positive sign of Sagittarius.  I’m not promising a rose garden but, with a little bit of effort, we will be able to see the sunlight breaking through the clouds.

An interesting historical side-note is that the last time Saturn was in Scorpio, America elected our first television personality as president when Ronald Reagan won the election.  Reagan was the man who encouraged people to blame everything on the government.  Donald Trump, another television personality, won with Saturn in Scorpio and, in addition, Trump is an eclipse birth with the eclipse taking place in Scorpio.  The question is, “Will we correct course or not?”

 

In summary, the energy will be improving, and we should begin to feel some of the improvement after October 10th.  It’s important to keep in mind that we continue to live in transitional times, and the only thing we can be sure of is that we do have the ability to choose our thoughts and to take care of ourselves both mentally and physically.  We can’t feel the improved energy if we choose to hang on to the fears and/or the past.