Astro4Business Intersections

Anonymous Flammarion woodcut (1888). (Source:Wikimedia Commons)

As I’m writing this today, on Sunday December 5, we are experiencing the New Moon and the annual time when Uranus apparently stands still and then begins traveling in direct motion.  Uranus is the last of the outer planets to resume direct motion this year and with its turning, all of the planets are traveling straight forward in the sky.  This signals the yearly period of forward motion, full speed ahead, except Mercury will begin retrograde motion on Friday for three weeks.

Not that there’s anything inherently challenging with Mercury retrograde; it only becomes challenging if we resist the inward pull of our mind.  I’ve outlined several ways to approach Mercury retrograde in the links below but the best way by far is to spend a few minutes each day in meditation, deep breathing, or contemplation.  If there’s a book you’ve been meaning to read, especially a business related book (I’m currently reading The Carrot Principle by Gostick and Elton), this is an excellent time to squirrel away some hours and delve deeply.  With Mercury retrograde there is the potential for information to really take root and become an extremely useful tool in the future.

Signs of Uranus

On this site we often try to observe signs of the planets when they turn direction.  There is an astrological theory that says that at these turning points the power of the planet is intensified and therefore more easily noticed in the material world.  I saw Uranus this morning.

Some of you may know that I’m in England, which was blanketed with two feet of snow earlier this week.  This part of the world shuts down when there is a huge snowfall:  trains stop running, roads are left snowbound, deliveries halt.  Since we are running low on groceries I decided to walk to the village this morning; our car can’t make it up the icy hills but I can.  As I was walking I noticed several groups of neighbors out with shovels and picks cleaning the roads.

Don’t get me wrong – this wasn’t a joyous Jupiter-type block party with hot chocolate and barrel-fires.  This was an earnest group of people, all ages, with their backs bent, cleaning the thoroughfares.  As I passed them the first time I observed them with interest; an hour and a half later on my way back they had proceeded about ten yards and were still hard at it.  This time I recognized with gratitude and respect what they were really accomplishing.

What struck me was they weren’t cleaning the sidewalks in front of their own homes or their own driveways; they were cleaning the streets for everyone’s safety and convenience.  This scene perfectly expresses the energy of Uranus:  people willing to work steadily and hard for the benefit of the community.  Neighbors setting aside personal desire to spend a few hours on Sunday so that everyone can get to work the next day.  People progressing foot by foot until the job is done.   The impulse to service followed by pulling on the boots and hat and heading outdoors with the shovel.

This is a classic scenario inspired by the energy of Uranus within each of us.  How about you?  Did you see signs of Uranus today?

The Week Ahead

Now a quick look at the week ahead…

With the Moon early in its waxing phase we begin to get a glimpse of what we might develop by the Full Moon two weeks from now.  This is the time to get projects started even if we’re uncertain where they might be going.  We should try and test ideas this week so that by next week we can settle into perfecting the best ones.

A strong Saturnian influence will support all of our efforts this week.  Almost every major aspect this week either involves Saturn or Saturn-ruled Capricorn.  Mercury turns retrograde in Capricorn and Mars also enters the sign Capricorn.  This ushers in a few weeks of responsible, methodical effort.

There’s a social aspect between Venus and Pluto midweek, but don’t expect this to be light-hearted holiday fun.  Venus in Pluto’s sign of Scorpio meeting Pluto in serious Capricorn is more likely to be linked to business endeavors and working out the details of shared resources.  This is an extremely beneficial aspect for finances as Venus rules money and Pluto rules hidden sources of wealth.  But we have to respect the intense power of these two to bind and commit us to long-term alliances.  In other words, don’t jump into any financial relationships this week unless you are absolutely sure of the intentions of all parties.  But if you are, then this is an excellent time to commit.

Have a wonderful week and be sure to let us know if you saw signs of Uranus on Sunday or signs of Mercury when it turns retrograde on Friday.

Happy Holidays Reminder

Since I’m traveling and enjoying the holidays, these posts will be more sporadic and spontaneous until the end of December.   I think the best idea is to subscribe via the RSS feed above and then you’ll be notified by email whenever there is a new post.  I don’t want to lose touch with you.

Do you have a question for Ellen? See the “Work with Ellen” tab at the top of this site for my Straight to the Point Response service.

For an overview of the month, see the Astro4Business Month Ahead – December 2010

For tips on how to use Mercury Retrograde to your advantage, see

10 Best Practices for Mercury Retrograde

Mercury Retrograde – 10 Ways to Engage

For more info on the business descriptions of the planets mentioned this week, see

The Moon

Mercury

Venus

Mars

Saturn

Uranus

Pluto