fixed signs

Astro Doings July-August 2021

Margaret Lassiter Leave a comment

Hi Everyone

July

The first half of the month will be dominated by a fixed T-square with Mars and Venus opposing Saturn, which is squaring Uranus. (The Saturn/Uranus square, which began last month and will continue into 2022.) Mars and Venus are in Leo, Saturn is in Aquarius and Uranus is in Taurus. All four planets are in fixed signs. Fixed energy sustains, can be stubborn, and is feminine in nature. The interests of the individual, represented by Mars (planet of war) in Leo, must be balanced against Saturn in Aquarius (the sign of the collective). Saturn, of course, brings restrictions, delays, and fear. Leo is a fire sign and Aquarius is an air sign, so while they may not change their thinking on anything (sound familiar?), the elements work well together. Mars and Saturn must also deal with Venus in Leo, which represents a great need to be loved and to love, and is often the peacemaker. Enter Uranus, ruler of Aquarius, in Taurus, an earth sign and the most stubborn and slow moving of all the signs. Uranus breaks down old, outmoded ways of being and thinking and Taurus doesn’t want to change anything. One way of looking at this is to think of these four planets stuck in an elevator between floors. They each have different points of view (fire, earth and air) but have to figure out a way to work together so they can resolve the problem — not easy since they’re so stubborn. In mid-July Venus and Mars move out of orb (too far away) and the T-square returns to “just” being a square between Saturn and Uranus, which is rather like walking with your shoes tied together – Saturn representing the status quo and Uranus representing change and revolution. However, the Sun enters Leo on the 22nd and by the end of the month through mid-August will again create a fixed T-square with Saturn and Uranus.

The New Moon occurs on July 9th at 9:17. She’ll be at 180 Cancer. The Full Moon occurs on July 23 at 10 Aquarius. And Jupiter retrogrades back into Aquarius on the 28th.

August

The Saturn/Uranus square gets another “tweaking” shortly after the Sun moves out of orb for a T-square. On the 19th Uranus stations retrograde at 9:40 p.m. This means, that from our perspective, he moves from west to east, which is how Saturn is moving. So, maybe, at least they’re moving in the same direction now, instead of one planet going one way and the other going another way. Uranus will remain at 140 Taurus through September. Attention all who have planets or other points on your chart from 10-200 in fixed signs (Taurus, Scorpio, Aquarius, Leo) or in the other air signs (Libra, Gemini). We tend to feel the impact of retrograde planets more inwardly. Uranus rules the higher mind and Taurus doesn’t like change. Perhaps this is a time for inner reflection on patterns that no longer serve you and calling on your higher mind to find creative and innovative suggestions for change.

When the Sun enters Virgo on the 22nd it will join Mercury and Mars, creating a stellium in Virgo. A stellium is three or more planets in the same sign. Virgo is another earth sign and is concerned with harvest – both of plants and of self. Virgo analyzes and categorizes. It can get lost in details and tends to analysis paralysis. But its attention to detail can be most helpful in any kind of planning.

The New Moon occurs on August 8th at 160 Leo. The Full Moon is on August 22 at 290 Aquarius.

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Peace and abundant blessings,

Margaret

Astro Doings January-February 2021

Margaret Lassiter Leave a comment

Hi Everyone,

Happy New Year! I hope you were able to see the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn – the Great Conjunction. It was really quite amazing and marks the beginning of a shift in elements and types of energy that will get stronger in January and February.

We’ve worked with a lot of cardinal energy over the past year, primarily Capricorn. The cardinal signs are Aries, Libra, Cancer and Capricorn. Cardinal energy initiates but doesn’t follow though before it runs off to start something else. It is male in its feel and bores very easily. In January and February, the planets are moving more and more into fixed signs, primarily Aquarius and Taurus. Aquarius is an air sign and Taurus is an earth sign. Of course, the other fixed signs, Leo and Scorpio, will be impacted by this shift as well. Fixed energy moves more slowly, sustains the impetus from cardinal signs, but can be quite stubborn. It is feminine in its feel.

Air is the element of ideas, conversation and relationship. It can have a flighty quality to it, although once Aquarius gets an idea in his/her idea, it’s challenging to get them to see a different point of view. It’s clear that earth (Taurus) will need to work with air (Aquarius) during this period, but I believe it could bring positive, visionary and yet practical results. Taurus is the sign most closely connected with Mother Earth, so we may see visionary ideas being implemented around climate change. Could be a challenge, but I believe the fixed quality of the energy will mean we’ll see new ideas through to their manifestation.  

January

The shift to fixed energy will be gradual but will take place this month. We start out with Sun, Mercury and Pluto in Capricorn. We end the month with Sun, Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn in Aquarius, Mars and Uranus in Taurus. Venus and Pluto are in Capricorn. (Pluto will be in Capricorn until 2024.) The fixed energy will slow the energetic pace down, while Aquarius (the visionary) and Taurus (practical, determined) figure out how to bring new ideas into manifestation.

Interesting that both Mars and Uranus are in Taurus – neither planet is happy in the most Earthbound, stubborn and slow moving of all the signs. Uranus rules Aquarius and lightning bolts, and Mars rules Aries, the god of war. Their placement is a reinforcement of the slowing and calming of energies generally. Speaking of Uranus, he stations direct (i.e., ends his retrograde period) on the 14th at 3:36 a.m. He’ll be a 60 Taurus. Until Mercury retrogrades at the end of the month there will be no retrograde planets, which may mean that, while somewhat slower, things will move forward more easily. The energy will be less inward.

January ends with the first Mercury retrograde of the year. The 3-week retrograde begins on the 30th at10:52 a.m. He’ll be at 260 Aquarius. (He enters Aquarius on January 8th.) You all know the drill about Mercury retrograde – a great time for repose and reflection. . .

The Sun enters Aquarius on the 19th at 3:40 p.m. The New Moon is on January 13th. She’ll be at 230 Capricorn. The Full Moon occurs on January 27th at 2:16 p.m. She’ll be a 90 Leo.

 February

In February, Venus joins the Aquarius club on the 1st. Mercury stations direct on the 20th at 110 Aquarius. For the rest of the month and until the end of April, there will be no planets in retrograde motion – everyone’s going east to west in the heavens by our perception. This can mean that expression of what was learned or understood during retrograde periods is easier.

So, here’s February’s line up: Sun, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn in Aquarius, a fixed, air sign. Mars and Uranus in Taurus (fixed earth), Pluto in Capricorn (cardinal, earth). One lone planet in water – Neptune in Pisces until the Sun joins her on the 18th, and no major planets in fire.

The New Moon occurs on February 11th. She’ll be at 230 Aquarius. The Full Moon occurs on the 27th. She’ll be at 80 Virgo.

Here’s to a great New Year!

Peace and abundant blessings, Margaret

 

 

 

Astro Doings May 2018

Margaret Lassiter Leave a comment

Hi Everyone

We tend to pay more attention when planets change direction in their celestial dance – direct or retrograde, especially when Mercury is involved! This May all the planets continue in the same direction they were in at the end of April. So, in that sense, it’s a pretty quiet month. What we sometimes don’t pay attention to is when planets change dance partners, aka signs. And in May three of them do just that, not including the Sun who changes partners every month or the Moon or Mercury who change them all the time, because they move so quickly through the heavens.

On May 15th Uranus, planet of rebellion, flashes of intuition, inspiration and light, and of the Higher Mind moves into Taurus at 11:23 am EDT. This is a fairly big deal, since he will be in Taurus until July 2025 when he enters Gemini. Of all the signs in the zodiac, Uranus finds Taurus one of the most challenging. Think about driving behind someone going 15 mph on the highway and you’ll get a sense of this. Uranus rules lightning bolts, flashes of insight, destruction of outmoded form. Taurus is the most stubborn sign of the zodiac, rules form, moves glacially (by Uranus’s perspective), and stops all the time to smell the flowers, eat chocolate and just sit. To Taurus, Uranus feels like the proverbial bee that keeps stinging him in the backside to get him to change or that car behind you that keeps flashing its headlights to get you to move over or go faster. So, since we can’t get Taurus to move over, how can we use this energy to our advantage? First, we can realize that Taurus is an earth sign, so all these brilliant flashes of inspiration will need to have a practical application. In addition, unlike Aries which starts but doesn’t finish, Taurus is a fixed sign, which means it holds the energy until the idea/concept/inspiration is brought into form. (It can also mean stubborn, stuck, and unwilling to change.)  There haven’t been many planets in fixed signs recently, which I believe has contributed to the rather frenetic energy across the globe. Those of us with planets in early degrees of Taurus, Scorpio, Leo and Aquarius may feel this entry of Uranus into Taurus more profoundly. And remember, Taurus has his good buds, Saturn and Pluto, in earthy Capricorn to help him deal with this rambunctious Uranus and to keep his flashes of insight on the practical side.

If that isn’t enough fixed energy, Mars enters Aquarius on May 16. This isn’t as challenging a relationship as Uranus in Taurus, but Aquarius, an air sign, can be quite pig-headed and unwilling to change its mind once it makes a decision about something. It also introduces the air element – the element of ideas — into the celestial mix. We haven’t had a lot of air energy recently, so not a lot of new ideas. Mars here can make us more impatient with those who don’t see our point of view or agree with us. Don’t forget, Uranus rules Aquarius, and Uranus just left the sign that Mars rules, Aries, so there is an interesting connection there. Aquarius is the sign of the visionary, primarily concerned with making things better for the group (world), and Mars (god of war) will provide energy and impetus to make change. However, Aquarius can be quite impatient with the status quo and frequently intolerant of those who don’t see the need for change as s/he does. This could mean new ways of using our Mars energy (the warrior) to make change for the benefit of all (Aquarius). Those with planets in fixed signs are going to get a double whammy the second full week of May.

And last, but certainly not least, Venus enters Cancer on May 19 at 9:11 am EDT. Cancer is a water sign, the Moon’s favorite sign. What’s interesting about this is that Venus creates a big triangle (trine) in water with Jupiter in Scorpio and Neptune in Pisces that lasts until mid-June. When planets are in the same element they can communicate with each other easily and understand each other better. Neptune is the higher octave of Venus, both dealing with love and compassion. Venus’s idea of love is more personal – I love you because you love me. Neptune, like the sea, is more vast and universal – I love you because it is in the nature of love to love. Jupiter in Scorpio could provide depth of insight. The water element can make us very emotional and our psychic sense more acute. It also can increase empathy and deep understanding of one another. Emotions could be running very high in the US, which is a Cancer sun-sign country, as is our good neighbor to the north, Canada.

Oh, yeah, the Sun moves into Gemini on May 20 at 10:15 pm EDT. The sign of the twins, Gemini is interested in everything for about five minutes and then wants to move on to something else. An air sign, Gemini is most comfortable in the realm of ideas and is frequently referred to as “the jack of all trades, master of none.”

The New Moon occurs on May 15 at 7:48 am at 240 Taurus and the Full Moon occurs on May 29th at 10:19 am at 80 Sagittarius.

Enjoy the planets dancing!

Peace and abundant blessings,

Margaret

 

 

Astro Doings May 2015

Margaret Lassiter Leave a comment

Hi Everyone

Happy May Day! May promises to be a little quieter than March or April. However, it begins with an intense Full Moon and the second Mercury retrograde for this year starts this month. Let’s take them in order.

Full Moon: Sunday, May 3rd

This Full Moon occurs at 11:42 pm EDT at 130 Scorpio. Full Moons occur when the Sun and Moon are on opposites sides of the zodiac from one another – called, fittingly, an opposition. Oppositions generally present us with something (or someone) that is present within us, but that we don’t want to recognize or “own.” Taurus, where the Sun is, is an earth sign that processes information through the five senses and is said to be the most stubborn sign of the zodiac. It has a tendency to be complacent, and seeks stability and comfort. Ruled by Venus, Taureans respond to beauty, most especially of Mother Earth, and like things that are pleasing to the senses. (Think chocolate, bubble bath, massages. . . ) Scorpio, on the other hand, is a water sign and focuses on a deep, intense understanding of what is around him/her, transformation, and the uncanny ability to see below the surface of everything – including you, which can be rather unnerving. It is a sign of power and when the Moon is in Scorpio, emotions and feelings tend to be very intense and deep. We will also tend to hold on to these emotions/feelings longer than is perhaps good for us or helpful.

What makes this Full Moon so powerful is this opposition is squared (read: growth opportunity, shift in perspective) by Jupiter who’s running around in Leo. This is a called a t-square, because it makes a big T in the chart. Leo is a fire sign and is questing for the divine child within by going through a deep-seated sense of unworthiness. Leo, Taurus and Scorpio are all fixed signs. Fixed signs have the reputation of being stubborn – stuck in wherever they are. However, their spiritual task is focus and persistence. Fixed energy is what holds an idea (cardinal energy) long enough to manifest. Without it, nothing would take form. The “solution” to this T-square lies with the fourth fixed sign, Aquarius, the sign of the recognition that we are all equal and that we need to work together. Aquarius, in its highest expression, reminds us of who we really are. There is a second T-Square operating as well. Mercury will be opposed Saturn (in Sagittarius) and square Neptune (in Pisces). This T-Square provides additional impetus to augment our understanding and compassion of ourselves and each other. The “solution” to this T-Square lies in the sign of integration and harvest of self, Virgo.

New Moon: Monday, May 18th          

The Taurus New Moon occurs at midnight at 260. This new beginning occurs hours before Mercury stations retrograde, and once again it is near the end of the sign. Taurus is the sign of the builder and in its highest expression – detachment. Coupled with Mercury stationing retrograde (see below) this is a time to look at what we’re attached to – especially thoughts and behavior patterns – that have come to the end of their usefulness to us.

 Mercury Retrograde: Monday, May 18th

When he changes direction at 1:26 p.m. EDT, Mercury will be at 130 Gemini and will retrograde until June 11 when he will be at 40 Gemini. Because of its retrograde motion, Mercury will be in the sign it rules until July 8, an extremely long transit. I believe that this retrograde period and the three squares that Mercury will make to Neptune (May 9, May 28 and June 23) provide an opportunity for us to re-group, re-think and re-order our priorities, old thought patterns, and to integrate some of the powerful astrological energies that we’ve experienced in March and April. Between the retrograde motion of Mercury and the fixed energy of the Sun, Moon and Jupiter, we’ll have a chance to slow down a little bit and make substantive changes in how we view our world and how we operate in it.

 Sun Enters Gemini: Thursday, May 21 at 4:45 a.m.

The Sun joins the Gemini team with Mercury and Mars. Communication will be emphasized, but things can feel a little scattered as well.

Have a wonderful May!

Peace and abundant blessings,

Margaret

Astro Doings May 2014

Margaret Lassiter Leave a comment

Hi Everyone

Phew!  Well, April was certainly intense!  Many people whom I’ve talked to and done readings for this spring have not felt the rush of energy that generally comes in the spring – myself included.  I would describe everything as feeling very inward still. I believe it is due to the Cardinal Grand Cross in April, which will continue through May, and the fact that Mars has been retrograde since March 1.  When a planet’s motion is retrograde, we tend to experience its energy more inwardly.  Mars is the planet of getting things moving, war, initiating new projects; he rules Aries, a fire sign. So if you’ve been feeling like your get-up-and-go got up and went, you’re not alone. I believe this will ease a little bit towards when Mars goes direct.  (See below.)

May promises to be a little quieter in that there are no eclipses.  However the Cardinal Grand Cross will still be there:  Pluto in Capricorn square Uranus in Aries (with Venus most of the month), square Mars in Libra, opposed Jupiter in Cancer.  (See April Astro Doings for a full description of this intense configuration.)  Again those with planets in middle degrees (8-20) of cardinal signs may feel this Grand Cross more intensely than others. Continue reading →