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A4B Today – July 20 Wisdom from Steven Forrest

Jul 19

Posted by Ellen in Astro4Business Today, Cardinal T-square 2010, Jupiter/Uranus conjunction, Pluto in Capricorn, Saturn Uranus Opposition, Saturn in Libra, Saturn/Pluto Square, Uranus in Aries | 4 Comments

Good Day!

This week we really begin to engage in the Cardinal T-square aspect of our summer of transformation.  These aspects unfold over the next four weeks in a series involving Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto, with Mars thrown in there in case it wasn’t hot enough already!

Here is the specific line-up although all of these planets are powerful enough that we will experience the aspect for a few weeks on either side of the exact day.  In other words, their conflicting energies will mix and mash and morph each other throughout the next few weeks.

Jupiter(Expansion) in Aries Square Pluto(Transformation) in Capricorn     Jul 24 2010

Saturn(Contraction) in Libra Opposes Uranus(Revolution) in Aries        Jul 26 2010

Mars(Force) in Libra Opposes Uranus(Revolution) in Aries          Jul 30 2010

Mars(Force) in Libra Conjunct Saturn(Contraction) in Libra          Jul 31 2010

Jupiter(Expansion) in Aries Square Pluto(Transformation) in Capricorn     Aug 2 2010

Mars(Force) in Libra Opposes Jupiter(Expansion) in Aries         Aug 3 2010

Mars(Force) in Libra Square Pluto(Transformation) in Capricorn        Aug 3 2010

Jupiter(Expansion) in Aries Opposes Saturn(Contraction) in Libra        Aug 16 2010

Saturn(Contraction) in Libra Square Pluto(Transformation) in Capricorn      Aug 21 2010

The video below is by Steven Forrest, one of the most respected astrologers today.  He explains the upcoming time with wisdom and balance.  I hope you enjoy it.

For an overview of the week, see the Astro4Business Weekly Forecast – July 19-25

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

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

Mars

Jupiter

Saturn

Uranus

Pluto

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What to do about Pluto in Capricorn (Redux)

May 4

Posted by Ellen in Long-term Planning, Philosophy, Pluto in Capricorn, Saturn in Libra, Saturn/Pluto Square | 1 Comment

Dear Readers – this is a reprint of an earlier article published on this site.  As I’m travelling this week, and in keeping with Mercury Retrograde, I’ll be posting articles of interest from the archives each day this week. 

You may be thinking, OK, very interesting theories, but what should I do about this trend of Pluto in Capricorn?  That depends on how this trend is affecting you; where you and your business stand in relation to the cycle.

To a certain extent, your individual horoscope will determine the timing of the impact of Pluto in Capricorn on your business life.  And for a more personalized and specific answer to this question you can visit an astrologer that you trust and discuss the cycle as it relates to your chart.  (Or you can contact me for a consultation.)  But there are a few general comments that apply to all of us, because whether or not this cycle is affecting us personally yet, it may be affecting our customers, colleagues, and employees.  And our turn will come soon enough, so we may as well prepare now.

Since Pluto hastens and intensifies the processes of endings and new beginnings, it will bring about the ending of our business pursuits that are no longer suited to our growth and personal evolution.  Whatever has been slowly leaking vitality will go ahead and die at this time, including old business models, practices, and products.  (Note:  the U.S. auto industry)  But an interesting clue regarding Pluto comes from its link with the mythological phoenix, the bird that periodically goes up in flames and then is reborn from its own ashes. 

If you’re undergoing the very dramatic death of a cherished business idea or idea of yourself as a successful businessperson, start digging through the ashes for your next incarnation.  Remember, the phoenix is resurrected from the ashes of its former self.  (One of my clients had been a very successful plumbing and heating contractor who, through no fault of his own, found himself in a bankruptcy situation because of a client’s bankruptcy.  He renamed his business Phoenix Mechanical and built an even bigger and more successful business that was on much more solid footing because of the lessons he had learned.)

So dig in those ashes.  What was valid from the past?  What were the strengths you and your key employees brought to the process?  What innovations did you make that really worked?  Don’t assume that everything about the endeavor should be scrapped.  There are valuable resources in that scrapheap.  While the next new idea will not look exactly like the old one, it may bear more similarities than you expect.

Even if nothing so dramatic is happening now, it’s a great time to work with these energies to remove dead wood.  Believe it or not, old ideas and structures that you may have abandoned but not gotten rid of can absorb a great deal of psychic energy and seep decay into the environment.  Clean out those closets!  Rearrange files.  Close bank accounts that are inactive.  Sell those vehicles you no longer use.  Preempt the Pluto in Capricorn lesson.

On the positive side, write a long-term business plan.  Have a succession plan in place.  Save money!  Work toward a business structure that will outlast your own involvement.  Improve your management skills.  Empower and promote the deserving.  Invest your time and energy in a fair work environment that offers advancement for your best people.  All these things take advantage of the times and let the universe know that you intend to glide with the current, rather than try to swim against it.

Let me know what you’re going to do in the comments section below.

For another article on Pluto in Capricorn, see the link below.  This was written when Saturn was in Libra, which it will return to after retrograde motion on July 24.

Are you Irrationally Pessimistic?

 

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The Bank of Facebook

Apr 5

Posted by Ellen in Neptune in Aquarius, Pluto in Capricorn, Signs of our Times, Uranus in Pisces | 3 Comments

Hello, everyone.

This is really interesting. For the week ending March 13, Facebook surpassed Google in the US to become the most visited website for the week.

We’ve been talking about the breakdown of the banking industry coincident with Pluto in Capricorn and the rise of social media coincident with Uranus in Pisces and Neptune in Aquarius. In the short video below, Thomas Power of Eacademy.com posits that Facebook is a prime platform for peer-to-peer banking. With over a billion users expected by 2012, the capacity for all of us to invest in, loan to, and borrow from each other could annihilate the current banking industry business model. Have a look and let me know what you think.

For more information on Neptune in Aquarius, Uranus in Pisces, or Pluto in Capricorn, see the categories at the right.

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Pluto Day at the International Astrology Blog Carnival

Mar 19

Posted by Ellen in Pluto in Capricorn | 1 Comment

Symbol of Pluto

Symbol of Pluto

Hello, everyone.

All day today I’ve been feeling really strange, so I looked at the stars, of course.  Sure enough, Pluto was making aspects to the Moon, Mercury, Mars, and Saturn.  And….

The International Astrology Day Blog Carnival has begun!  Check it out –today is Pluto day.  I just scanned the titles and there are definitely articles I will return to read.

Our business and personal lives aren’t really that separate, are they?  By examining the many different facets of Pluto in Capricorn through these articles, I’m sure we’ll pick up a few gems for both.  If you find titles you particularly think apply to business life, let us all know in the comments.

To review my posts on the business aspects of Pluto in Capricorn, see the articles in the sidebar at the right.  Here are a few to get you started.

Saturn/Pluto Strategy #1
Saturn/Pluto Strategy #2
Saturn/Pluto Strategy #3

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Michael Lutin – short video on Pluto in Capricorn

Mar 14

Posted by Ellen in Pluto in Capricorn | 2 Comments

Hi, everyone. For more exploration on Pluto in Capricorn, check out this short video by Michael Lutin.

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Signs of the Times – the for-profit nonprofit

Mar 12

Posted by Ellen in Introduction to Astrology for Business, Neptune in Aquarius, Pluto in Capricorn, Saturn in Libra, Signs of our Times, Uranus in Pisces | No Comments

Hello, everyone. 

Have you heard about the new “low-profit limited liability company?”  This new form of organization, enacted in Vermont, blends elements of for-profit and nonprofit corporations. 

Ben and Jerry’s 

The plight of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream is an example of why this is needed.  When a small business gets to the point where additional investors are needed for expansion, one way of raising capital is to become a public corporation.  However, once a public corporation, the key goal of the business becomes maximizing shareholder value.  In other words, anything that can be done to increase the value of the stock, must be done. 

When a European corporation, Unilever, stepped in with an unsolicited bid to buy Ben and Jerry’s for far more than the current value of their stock, the Board was forced to sell or face a potential lawsuit from the shareholders. 

This case highlighted several issues.  Ben and Jerry’s, as well as many other small businesses, had a philanthropic purpose as well as a financial purpose.  However, once a business takes on outside capital, the shareholders can decide whether or not the philanthropic goals can be pursued.  Yes, Unilever agreed to continue to give 7.5% of Ben and Jerry’s profits and to fund the Ben and Jerry Foundation with an upfront $5MM as part of the deal.  But what happened to the other social principles, like BHT-free milk and fair trade practices with Mexican and Brazilian farmers? 

Vermont steps in 

Vermont, the home state of Ben and Jerry’s, recognized the need for a form of organization that would meet the current social enterprise trend in the business world: philanthro-capitalism, venture philanthropy, green technology, and fair-trade practices, to name a few examples of this trend.  This hybrid model, the L3C, applies to companies formed for charitable or educational purposes, but it can generate profits for the owners as long as those profits are not “a significant purpose” of the company.  

However, there is no sanction against profits, even significant profits.  And since it is based on the Limited Liability Company model rather than corporate law, there are no stringent laws pertaining to the buy/sell decisions of the owners. 

It remains to be seen how this initial statute will morph as other states take it up and as the public begins to use it.  There is also the issue of the IRS and how they will regard the entity.  But I think it is an interesting example of the times: 

  1. With Pluto in Capricorn, traditional forms of business that no longer serve are breaking down, and new forms are emerging.
  2. With Neptune in Aquarius, the rights of people to transact business as they wish without interference from government or shareholders, has gained strength.  Connections between for-profit and not-for-profit organizations are being formed and distinctions between the entities are blurring and merging.  And entrepreneurs are recognizing more and more their individual responsibility to the whole.
  3. With Uranus in Pisces, we see innovation to overcome the mature stage in the business life cycle where shareholders and the public have more power than the original owners.  We see a movement toward collaboration with other forms of business, such as foundations and non-profit entities.
  4. With Saturn in Libra, we see the support of the law to implement structures of partnership, fairness, and balance.  Saturn in Libra bridges two independent entities, making a stronger prototype through a hybrid entity. 

A step in the right direction, I’d say.  What do you think? 

For further reading on this subject, check out the Neptune in Aquarius, Saturn in Libra, and Uranus in Pisces categories at the right.  Here are some other related posts:

Business life cycle – mature stage

The Globalization of Ben and Jerry’s

Vermont Secretary State – L3C

Don’t forget. If you have an astrology-related business question (or a business-related astrology question) send it to me at ellen@astro4business.com. I’ll answer it in these posts, anonymously of course, and we can all learn from each other’s experiences. I look forward to it! Have a question now? Email it and let’s get started!

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Birthing a revolution – Pluto in Capricorn

Feb 23

Posted by Ellen in Philosophy, Pluto in Capricorn | 7 Comments

Hello, everyone.

This is the second part of a series examining the current position of Pluto in Capricorn and comparing it to the time of the American Revolution, the last time Pluto was in Capricorn.

We’re not to the point of revolution yet.  If we compare the actual position of Pluto now to that historical period it is related to the years 1762 to 1765.  During those years Pluto was transiting back and forth from about 0 degrees Capricorn to 5 degrees Capricorn, just like it is now.  When the actual Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, Pluto was at 27 degrees of Capricorn, which it will reach again in 2022.

 

Political cartoon by Benjamin Franklin

Political cartoon by Benjamin Franklin

Birthing a revolution

 

 

 

The years between 1762 and 1765 were called by John Adams, an American statesman, when “American independence was then and there born.”  Great Britain had just concluded what American historians refer to as The French and Indian War.  While Great Britain did not expect the American colonists to pay for all of the costs of the war, it did begin to require them to pay for ongoing colonial defense.  It also began to enforce certain mercantile laws that were in place already but had not been enforced strictly until this time.

These laws with their additional taxes were met with great resistance in Americans who believed that monarchs could tax people only with their consent.  The resistance to this tax created a loose coalition among the various colonies in the region, colonies with fundamental differences and mistrust of each other, but a common goal to resist what they deemed as unfair practices by the British government. 

Civic and religious duty

During the years leading up to the Revolution there was a fervor developing for “Republicanism.”  In those days, Republicanism meant that men were required to put civic duty ahead of personal desires – that people should develop “a positive passion for the public good”, in the words of John Adams.  And as Thomas Payne expounded in “Common Sense”, a very popular pamphlet that circulated just before the Revolution, it was also a part of every man’s religious duty to fight tyranny.  He based this on the Bible’s exposition that men are equal to each other at creation; therefore there is no distinction between kings and subjects.

Revolution today

What are the correspondences to the Pluto in Capricorn of today?

I’ll name three that I see and I hope you’ll add to the list:

  1. We are at the very beginning of this Pluto in Capricorn cycle.  The American Revolution occurred at the end of the prior one.  Already we are witnessing the stirrings of a global overthrow of governmental and business structures.  The Tea Party movement is an example of a similar sentiment to the colonists prior to the Revolution.
  2. Coalitions of people are forming who are historically distrustful of each other, yet united in their fervor to fundamentally restructure some aspect of society.  This can be seen in some of the unlikely alliances in the Republican Party today.
  3. The religious duty to overthrow tyranny forms the basis of some of the most important global movements in our time.

Will this be BIG?

Are you wondering whether there will be an enormous societal change with this passage of Pluto in Capricorn like there was in the last?  Yes, I think so.  Capricorn as a cardinal sign wants to initiate something big and concrete, and Pluto is always birthing the evolution we need to progress as a whole. 

What will it be?  I’m not sure yet.  John Adams didn’t recognize the birth point of the revolution until many years later.  And this is a feature of Pluto, whether it is operating in a birth chart, a business chart, or the times as a whole.  Pluto’s transformations are so massive it takes many years before we can look at what happened and say, yes, I understand it.  Right now we’re deeply immersed in the throes of its activity – like the American colonists about twelve years before declaring independence.

If you see other correspondences between those times and now, let us know in the Comments section.

For more posts on Pluto in Capricorn, see the category at the right.

Don’t forget. If you have an astrology-related business question (or a business-related astrology question) send it to me at ellen@astro4business.com. I’ll answer it in these posts, anonymously of course, and we can all learn from each other’s experiences. I look forward to it! Have a question now? Email it and let’s get started! 

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Happy Anniversary, Pluto

Feb 22

Posted by Ellen in Pluto in Capricorn, The Planets | 1 Comment

Hello, everyone.

Happy 80th Anniversary, Pluto, a few days late.  Pluto was discovered on February 18, 1930.   I don’t say Happy Birthday, because of course he existed long before.  But astronomer Clyde W. Tombaugh first sighted him in 1930.

Pluto’s been on my mind a lot lately, as it has been for many astrologers, because of its prominence this year.  For much of the year there will be a square between Pluto and Saturn, and when Uranus moves into Aries in June, a pattern begins to develop called a Cardinal T-Square.  This pattern has Saturn opposing Uranus, and Pluto forms a square aspect to both of them. 

Reorientation

Computer-generated map of Pluto from Hubble images

Computer-generated map of Pluto from Hubble images

But for today I want to just talk about Pluto.  Pluto is not a personal planet like Venus or Mars; it doesn’t concern individual business success or your leadership style.  It is not about your relationship with your employees or coworkers.  Because Pluto is so far from the Sun and its orbit is very long, many, many people are born under the same placement of Pluto and its sign defines a whole generation.  

In the same way, Pluto reflects the broad impersonal movements in society and the reorienting of our global compass.  In its current sign Capricorn, it is reorganizing the fundamental power structures of our lives:  government, business, religion, and the global resources it takes to keep these structures in place.  Pluto overthrows whatever is old, stagnant and decaying in these realms to make room for something more vital to take its place.

In the Course of human events

The American Revolution was born when Pluto was in Capricorn.  The U. S. Declaration of Independence, written under Pluto in Capricorn and addressing its challenges, is still one of the most influential documents ever written.  Even in the opening line in the Declaration of Independence, “When in the Course of human events”, you can sense the author’s intuitive grasp that this was not about one country versus another but something larger that transcended the current time. 

The writer, Thomas Jefferson, goes on to state that the new country would “assume among the powers of the earth” its separate and equal station and that “Governments are instituted among men, and that they derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.”  This is the radical viewpoint of Pluto in Capricorn, that men have power that they grant to their creations, such as governments, churches, and corporations.  If the particular system men have created is not working for their safety and happiness, then they can abolish it.  And in conservative Capricornian fashion, he says that men should structure a new government with a new foundation based on the principles and powers they believe in.

Current events

Do you see any correspondences between the Revolutionary time and now?  Remember, in those times, corporations had not yet emerged as a competitor to government and church as a form of manmade power. 

If you see correspondences to today, please add them to the comments section.  The Tea Party Movement comes to my mind.  Tomorrow I’ll cite several others I’ve been thinking about.

For more posts on Pluto in Capricorn, see the category at the right.

For an excellent analysis of the impact of Pluto in Capricorn on our economy today see this post from Wall Street Weather.

Don’t forget. If you have an astrology-related business question (or a business-related astrology question) send it to me at ellen@astro4business.com. I’ll answer it in these posts, anonymously of course, and we can all learn from each other’s experiences. I look forward to it! Have a question now? Email it and let’s get started!

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Are you “irrationally pessimistic”?

Jan 12

Posted by Ellen in Pluto in Capricorn, Saturn in Libra, Signs of our Times | 3 Comments

Hello, everyone.

Remember “irrational exuberance”?  This afternoon I was listening to “Talk of the Nation” on NPR and I heard the term “irrational pessimism”.

Irrational exuberance – Fire signs

(Source:Wikimedia Commons)

(Source:Wikimedia Commons)

When Alan Greenspan, then Chairman of the Federal Reserve, coined the term “irrational exuberance”, the planet Pluto had just entered the Fire sign Sagittarius where it was to stay for the next twelve years.  Pluto reflects the grand movements in society and the evolution of life on earth.  Sagittarius is nothing if not exuberant.  Pluto entering Sagittarius heralded an era of unregulated prosperity fueled by a frenzy of optimism.

At the time of Greenspan’s speech in 1996, Saturn was in Fire sign Aries in trine aspect to Pluto.  Unlike our current Saturn in Libra transit, where Saturn is particularly strong, Saturn is weakened when in Aries.  The passion and entrepreneurial attitude of Aries is at odds with conservative Saturn and Saturn becomes fairly ineffective. A weak Saturn in Aries combined with Pluto in Sagittarius was perfectly reflected in the phrase “irrational exuberance.”

Irrational pessimism – Saturn and Capricorn

Now we hear “irrational pessimism” – Pluto in Capricorn squaring a much stronger Saturn in Libra.  Capricorn, and its ruler Saturn, are known for pessimism – they see the glass half empty.  Saturn’s role is to contract, conserve, and limit. Capricorn is the part of the cycle that makes things real, brings ideas into the material plane, and builds structures to secure our belongings – serious business! 

With Pluto in Capricorn until the mid-2020s this pessimistic, nose-to-the-grindstone attitude could be here to stay.  There was an article in Newsweek this week that spoke about how “even one really tough year experienced in early adulthood is enough to fundamentally change people’s core values and behaviors”.  Even though the economy is improving, Americans are still not spending, which potentially increases the downward spiral.  Americans have quadrupled their savings rate and hope to save 15% of their income going forward.  This seems rational, but those dollars tied up in banks allow the banks to make money, not small business owners who are the engine of the economy and provide the most jobs.

We all understand where “irrational exuberance” led us.  Do we understand what will happen if we succumb to “irrational pessimism”?

Habituating to pessimism?

What do you think?  As for myself, as an exuberant Sagittarius, I can’t live with pessimism and depression too long.  I don’t care much about what’s “real”, I care about my spirit and greeting each day with enthusiasm.  I learned many years ago that we create our reality from the habitual thoughts in our minds.  Are we all habituating to “irrational pessimism”? 

Please weigh in:  do you think this pessimism is rational or irrational?  And what do you think we should do about it?

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Saturn/Pluto Strategy #3 – Act!

Nov 19

Posted by Ellen in Current Events, Pluto in Capricorn, Saturn in Libra, Saturn/Pluto Square, What to do now | 2 Comments

AUDIO VERSION: Saturn Pluto Strategy 3

Hello, everyone.

We’re outlining the strategies to use the current Saturn/Pluto square effectively in business.  So far we have:

Strategy #1 – Alignment , and

Strategy #2 – Identify the challenge

Now we’re ready for

Strategy #3 – Act!

To review where we are so far:  when we have a planet in air (Saturn in Libra) squaring a planet in earth (Pluto in Capricorn) one party, one part of ourselves, one part of our world is focusing on physical structures and material security and another is focusing on the ideas and relationships that provide meaning in our lives.  They are each vying for attention and with these two planets there’s no subtlety involved. 

Trumbull's Declaration of Independence (Source:Wikipedia)

Trumbull's Declaration of Independence (Source:Wikipedia)

If you really think about it you will recognize this conflict in the atmosphere of your business – a new idea or relationship that is competing with the need for material security and structures.  But the good news is that planets in square aspect to each other carry the energy to solve the problem.  So much tension is generated that we are forced to take action.  Cardinal squares are resolved through action.

What actions should we take?

With Pluto in Capricorn, the proper action is to align ourselves with the energy of endings and renewal.  Let something go, let something die, and rebirth will follow.  With Saturn in Libra the proper action is to open ourselves to other people, especially the older and wiser, to listen to advice and implement. 

The cardinal square is not the time to stand by and see how things unfold.  It’s also not the time to take small steps, doggedly pursuing some course of action.  Often a square presents us with a choice and too much energy gets dissipated if we stand at the crossroads too long.  It’s time to take action:  powwow with the best people around you, seize the best idea, and put in into practice.  Try new tactics, it’s time to be bold. 

The Silver Lining

And there’s a silver lining to all this.  Pluto is in Capricorn, the sign ruled by Saturn.  Saturn is in Libra, the sign of its exaltation.  While a square aspect is always stressful, these planets recognize and understand each other.  Saturn likes to build structures, and in Libra likes to build structures of communication and relationship.  Pluto in Capricorn is forcing us to come to terms with the past structures we’ve created, especially in business and government.  Finding and working with the common ground between them is the key to effective action. 

How do they work together?  Pluto is exposing everything that is rotting the structures we have placed our trust in.  As Pluto digs up everything impure, decaying, and non-functional Saturn brings in integrity, honesty, and the willingness to do the hard work of establishing a new system.  The new system can be infused with Libra values such as equity, parity, diplomacy, collaboration and cooperation if we are willing to do the work to achieve it.

Remember, Libra is an air sign so a purely mental action satisfies.  Choose any one of the Libran values and bring it into your business.  Discussion, debate, even argument will bring the idea to life and Pluto in Capricorn will bring it to material form.

Let me give you a great example.  Pluto was in Capricorn and Saturn in Libra in 1776, when the United States Declaration of Independence was signed.

Not to say that time in American history was easy and neither will this be.  As astrologer Lynn Hayes says in her blog post, “Saturn square Pluto:  Reshaping the world we live in”,

Any time we encounter Pluto in its guise as the Lord of Death we can become fearful in the face of the certainty of endings and change.  But Saturn requires that we face our obligations and work diligently to overcome them, regardless of the obstacles that are placed in our path.  In doing so we become stronger and more powerful; better able to navigate any rough waters that we encounter.

This is a powerful square and a powerful time.  If we use it wisely and consciously it can unleash a major transformation in our business lives.  Go for it!

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