T-square

Astro Doings November – December 2022

Margaret Lassiter Leave a comment

Hi Everyone

I can hardly believe that I’m writing the last Astro Doings for 2022. Where has the year gone?

November

November has some challenging planetary placements, most notably a powerful t-square that involves between five and six planets. It also has a total lunar eclipse, on November 8, the date of the US mid-term elections. This is the first time in our history that this has happened.

T-square:  A t-square consists of an opposition and a square in the shape of a T. Hence the name. On one end are the Sun, Mercury and Venus in Scorpio and in opposition (on the other side of the heavens) is Uranus in Taurus and squaring everyone is Saturn in Aquarius. You’ll note that all the signs involved are fixed, which can mean stubborn, entrenched and/or sustaining. At least there is some compatibility in the quality of the signs, but not so much in the elements. Earth (Taurus) and water (Scorpio) work well despite their opposing approaches to things. Air (Aquarius) not so much….. Scorpio gets an addition boost of water with Jupiter and Neptune in Pisces, which they both rule. (Jupiter is the “ancient” ruler of Pisces.) So there is a boat load (ha,ha) of emotional, watery, sensitive, and entrenched energy in this line up. Those with placements in mid-degrees of any of the fixed signs, including Leo, may be more sensitive to this configuration. The T-square dissolves around the 23rd when the Sun, Mercury and Venus move into Sagittarius, a mutable fire sign. Saturn continues to square Uranus however.

Total Lunar Eclipse:  To add to the T-square festivities, on November 8th the Moon will be next to Uranus in Taurus, opposed the Sun, Mercury, and Venus. This eclipse is visible in the US if you’re willing to get up around 3-4 in the morning on the East coast (and assuming the skies are clear). This eclipse occurs on the Moon’s south node, which means that has a lot to do with payback and selfless service. It will last for about 6 hours which means planets around 160 will remain sensitive to any transit over them during the next 6 months.

On November 22nd the Sun moves into Sagittarius and Jupiter ends his retrograde motion in Pisces. He’ll be at 280 and will stay there for the rest of the month. The New Moon occurs the next day and Jupiter changes directions (goes direct) at 6:02 p.m. He’ll be at 280 Pisces.

December

Two planets change direction during December: Neptune and Mercury, and while the month starts with some energy in fire signs, it ends with most planets in earth and only two in air signs.

Neptune: ends its retrograde period on December 3rd at 7:15 p.m. ET. She’ll be at 220 Pisces. after Jupiter moves into Aries on the 21st she’ll be the only planet in a water sign.

Winter Solstice: occurs when the Sun enters Capricorn, a cardinal earth sign, which will occur on December 21st at 4:48 p.m. ET. He’ll be joined by Mercury, Venus, and Pluto in the same sign. Capricorn has to do with the status quo, practicality, and large institutions. Capricorn is considered by some to be the sign of the spiritual initiate, like the sure-footed goat, climbing the mountain of spiritual understanding. Mars and Saturn (the ruler of Capricorn) are in air signs (Gemini and Aquarius, respectively).

Mercury: begins his last retrograde period of 2022 on December 29 at 4:32 a.m. ET. He’ll be at 240 Capricorn. He’ll end his retrograde period in January.

The Full Moon occurs on December 7th at 160 Gemini. The New Moon occurs on the 23rd at 10 Capricorn.

I hope you have wonderful holidays and all the best in the coming year.

Peace and abundant blessings,

Margaret

Astro Doings July-August, 2022

Margaret Lassiter Leave a comment

Hi Everyone

Hope your summer is going well so far. July and August are relatively quiet. Two planets are changing direction in the next two months, so by the end of August five planets will be retrograde, which may slow things down considerably. However, there is something else that may also keep things from moving forward easily.

Saturn/Uranus Square

Undoubtedly, the biggest challenge of this period and into the end of the year is the square between Saturn and Uranus. Saturn is in the fixed (stubborn) air sign, Aquarius and Uranus is in the fixed (very stubborn) earth sign, Taurus. A square occurs when planets are in signs of like quality, in this case fixed or stubborn. On a more positive note, fixed energy sustains and holds until ideas come into fruition. But earth and air, as elements, don’t have a lot in common. Any interaction between Saturn and Uranus is like walking with your shoes tied together. Uranus is the sign of innovation and breaking down of outdated thinking, ways of being, systems. Saturn doesn’t want to change anything – status quo is just great. He represents fear with his rings symbolizing restriction and lack. Saturn is the stronger here, because he is in the sign he used to rule (Aquarius) when astrologers worked only with the seven visible planets. The “modern” ruler of Aquarius is Uranus. A very interesting square. It will continue through December of this year.

Things heat up (ha, ha) when the Sun and Mercury enter Leo in July and Venus enters Leo in August (see below). This will make a fixed t-square in the heavens.

What does it mean? Well, it means that there won’t be a lot of movement and it will feel rather like push me/pull me, or two steps forward and two steps back. Those with planets in late degrees of the fixed signs (Leo, Aquarius, Scorpio and Taurus) may be more impacted by this very powerful and long-lasting square.

July

The Sun enters Leo on July 22nd at 4:07 p.m. EDT. Leo is a fire sign, the sign of the Divine Child within each of us, who can be inspired, petulant, attention-seeking, playful and creative. The Sun is joined by Mercury. Jupiter in Aries adds to the sometimes volatile but inspired nature of the fire element. Of course, one of the best ways to put fire out is earth. And Mars and Uranus in Taurus, coupled with Pluto in Capricorn, can provide that dampening. However, earth can provide a practical perspective to fire’s enthusiasm and occasional reckless abandon. Leo and Taurus are fixed (stubborn, sustaining) signs, as is Aquarius, where Saturn is. So we may not see a lot of movement during this time, but there will be ideas floating around. Whether they come to fruition remains to be seen.

Jupiter stations retrograde on July 28th at 4:37 p.m. He’ll be at 80 Aries, turning the warrior more inwardly. Aries can also represent our quest for High Self. Aries likes to surge ahead, so being slowed down by retrograde motion can be a challenge for this energy.

The Full Moon occurs on July 13th at 210 Capricorn. The New Moon occurs on the 28th at 50 Leo.

August

August continues the energy of July for the first two-thirds of the month. There are four planets in retrograde motion at the start of the month.

On the 22nd the Sun moves into Virgo at 11:16 p.m. EDT. Virgo is an earth sign and flows easily with Uranus in Taurus and Pluto and Capricorn. Virgo is the sign of the harvest, gathering in what we have sown, both personally and collectively. Virgo brings attention to detail, sometimes getting mired in them, and thoughtful consideration of all sides of an issue. She lacks the spur-of-the-moment enthusiasm of Leo and the other fire signs.

On the 24th Uranus, the planet of rebellion and the higher mind, goes retrograde at 180 Taurus. We now have 5 planets moving, by our perception, from west to east in the heavens. It’s a time of introspection, deep consideration, but not a lot of moving forward quickly.

The Full Moon occurs on the 11th at 9:36 p.m. at 190 Aquarius. The New Moon occurs on the 27th at 40 Virgo.

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Peace,

Margaret

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