Saturn Semi-Square Pluto, November 27, 2014 – “The Semi-Sweet Life”

The World - tarot's card for Saturn.
From "The Wizard's Tarot"© by
Corrine Kennerand John J. Blumen

Squares are a challenging aspect of ninety degrees between two, or more planets.  Keep in mind that the term,’challenging,’ is a euphemism for, “That’s going to suck.”

Semi-squares, thought of as carrying weaker square energy, are an aspect of forty-five degrees between two planets that causes us more irritation than the bust through, or bust out energy of the traditional square pattern.

On Thursday, November 27th, Saturn goes semi-square with Pluto. Though this isn’t the most idyllic cosmic influence, it does have some pluses.  Saturn is the teaching planet and its lessons come in the form of challenges. Pluto in the planet of transformation, or re-birth.  A Saturn/Pluto semi-square asks us to resolve the conflict within ourselves between duty or, our sense of obligation, and our need to determine our own course in life.

Saturn is the responsible planet – sort of a cosmic hall monitor who wants us to be disciplined and somewhat regimented.  Pluto, on the other hand, likes soul-stirring change that transforms who we are and what we believe.  Saturn is currently in Scorpio, a sign of transformation that is co-ruled by Pluto.  This ups the ante on the Saturn/Pluto semi-square’s influence. Resolution is a requirement of this configuration, but that resolution has to transformative.

The trick with this particular semi-square’s energy is to

Judgement, Pluto's tarot card, from
"Legacy of the Divine Tarot"©
by Ciro Marchetti

acknowledge the frustrations you feel and handle them with patience and persistence.  What does that mean?  Foremost it means that there’s no need to force-feed your philosophies down everyone’s throat, particularly at the Thanksgiving Day table and at the top of your lungs. Remember that your challenge from Saturn during this semi-square is to resolve your feelings of conflict between other people’s version of you and your version of yourself.  You can accomplish this with quiet strength and persistence. Where you owe others respect and need to exercise patience with them, you also owe yourself the type of life you want. 

Also consider that all this transformative energy and challenge from Saturn will stir up some waves from the notorious Uranus/Pluto square (transformative and revolutionary societal change).  This is one of the reasons to let patience and courtesy be your mantra during family gatherings this weekend – more so than normally. When we resolve our inner conflicts our life moves forward at an astonishing pace.  Your life is yours to use as you choose.  It is your responsibility and this is the ultimate lesson from Saturn in Scorpio.  Become who you want to be.  Reach for your goals and dreams because achieving them or not is totally up to you.

LADY ORACLE


Catch Linda Becker and I this Friday, November 28th (yes, Black Friday!) at 8:30 a.m. PST on "The Moment Is Now" on blogtalk radio. this week we're talking about "Gifts of the Spirit." Tune in!

Clearing the Wreckage - Preparing For A Successful November 2012

 It's time to wash the zombie makeup out of the guest towels, take the leftover Halloween candy to the office and stash away the martini shaker.  October's Full Moon in Taurus and Halloween are both over.  What's next, you ask?  Why none other than our old, but dubious friend, Mercury Retrograde.  And here we are still out of breath from chocolate vodka martinis and candy corn.

Sometimes the cosmos doesn't play fair and the Tuesday, November 6th is one of those times.  Does the date November 6th ring a bell with you?  That's right.  The first day of the November Mercury Retrograde is also Election Day in the United States.  Don't worry, I’m not getting political here.  You get enough of that everywhere else.  Still, a Mercury Retrograde that starts on an election day does make you think about hanging chads and mechanical voting machines going haywire, doesn't it?  

Mercury Retrograde occurs three to four times a year.  When we pass the planet Mercury in our orbit, it causes the optical illusion that Mercury is moving backwards in the sky.  (See my blog; “Mercury Retrograde, Tarot and You” for a complete survival guide) During a Mercury Retrograde period, systems and machinery that normally run smoothly tend to snag.  A few web astrologers have cautioned against the election process becoming tangled this year, however most agree, as do I, that we should simply envision everything running smoothly and all votes being counted correctly.  Let’s hear it for collective consciousness.

November’s Retrograde may start a little rougher than most of them do for several reasons.  Last week, we experienced a particularly potent full moon that left many of us with our energy fields ragged at the edges.  There was also the usual dimensional seepage during All Hallows Eve.  Plus, we’ve got some cosmic stumbling blocks going on froms Saturn move in with Scorpio (Saturn is a taskmaster). Let’s also remember that we have a swiftly approaching Winter Solstice season that’s said to be one for the record books in terms of human experience and growth potential.  In short, we need to clear the energetic wreckage from the end of October before we tackle November’s Retrograde.  

It’s not unusual for you to have the sensation of being rushed from one thing to another right now.  The end of the year always winds up for a fevered pitch.  Here are a few suggestions to help you ground yourself before you get swept into the frantic current of year end revels that start in just a little more than two weeks.  

Spend time freeing yourself from distractions.  Clean your physical space.  Box up items you won’t be needing for a while and tuck them away.  If you have too much of anything, give it away or donate it.  Clean you mirrors, light fixtures and candle holders in preparation for the coming holiday season.  The holiday seasons are all about gratitude and the celebration of light returning to the world.  Free your home’s reflective surfaces of dust and clutter.  This will brighten the glow from your Thanksgiving and Holiday candles when it comes time to light them, as well as help you symbolically settle in to enjoy the last two months of the year. 

Performing simple, routine household tasks and making plans for Thanksgiving (if you happen to celebrate it) helps you re-establish your natural rhythm.  Meditate and surround yourself with some of your favorite books and music.  Use your sage smudge or white candles liberally.  Don’t have any?  Get some.  One of my teachers has a glorious meditation room filled with crystals and white tea candles.  The lighting effect is remarkably subtile, even with all the crystals.  And it’s such a treat to be asked to join her there for meditations.

If you are making plans for Thanksgiving (November 22nd in America) that include travel, don’t forget to make allowances for Mercury Retrograde-style hassles.   Remember to review your travel itinerary, recheck your accommodations and plan to arrive at the airport, train station or bus terminal earlier than is recommended.  If traveling by car, have your tires, oil and water checked out well before your travel date and start out for your destination a little earlier to avoid traffic.  Again, the key to successfully navigating Mercury Retrograde is revise, review, recheck, revisit and redesign your plans. Re-words.

Take a couple of hours this Sunday and Monday to unplug the election countdown.  Do a little soul searching as in the Major Arcana’s #9, The Hermit. He goes inside himself to seek his truth.  He lights his own path with the insights he’s gain from his introspection.  Rest and renew your mind as in the Four of Swords.  Seek to balance your inner and outer worlds as depicted in #14, Temperance, #17, Star and Minor Arcana’s 2 of Pentacles.  

Pull all of these cards from your favorite deck and add #8, Strength.  

Sit in a comfortable position where you normally either meditate, or read cards.  Aline the cards in any manner that feels right to you.  Study each of them - their design, their symbolism.  Contemplate their range of meanings.  Close your eyes and envision yourself walking in a forest or by the sea - your choice.  As you walk you will meet each of the figures depicted in the cards.  The order in which you meet them is also your choice.  Angel, Hermit, Knight in Repose (another ‘R’ word!), Star; there’s no wrong order.  Visit with them.  They will give you information during this meditation that will help you integrate your worlds.

Now you’re set to head into a successful month.  Later this week I’ll be posting about the astrological implications we have coming up for the month.  In the meantime, relax and ease into November 2012.

LADY ORACLE 

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