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It’s Time to Find the Jewel

Mar 3

Posted by Ellen in Introduction to Astrology for Business, Mars in Leo, Retrograde Motion, What to do now | No Comments

Hello, everyone.

Next week, on March 10, Mars resumes direct motion.  Let’s review where we are so we can take full advantage of these last few days of retrograde motion.  Many people feel they are standing still right now, and it’s true.  When a planet is coming close to changing direction it does move very, very slowly through the zodiac in the days just before its reversal.

Was that gold?

Gold on Quartz “The Dragon” (Wikimedia Commons)

Gold on Quartz “The Dragon” (Wikimedia Commons)

We’ve conceptualized retrograde motion as a hiker who has covered a certain portion of a trail, but then stops, turns around, and walks back to a certain point.  Then she stops again, turns around, and moves forward again.  Why did she stop and turn around in the first place?  What was it she missed the first time that made her want to retrace her steps? 

Perhaps she saw something shiny and intriguing but then dismissed the thought:  oh, it was probably just some Fool’s Gold.  But as she walks on it starts to bother her.  What if it was real gold, or a diamond shining in the soil? So she goes back for a closer inspection.

Right now, a few days before Mars turns direct, is like our hiker just reaching the point she headed back to.  She is slowing down because she is nearing her destination.  She’s looking for that shiny object.  Can she find it again?  If she does, what will she discover?

A Second Chance

In the days before a planet turns direct, it’s important to ask these questions.  Mars has returned to the very beginning of the sign of Leo.  It’s like we’re being given a second chance, a chance to start over on some creative project we had in mind last October.  This project may have been stalled since December, but soon the energy will move.  Have we learned what we needed to learn?  Have we uncovered the missing clue?  Have we gained wisdom?  Are we more ready to face the challenges of self-expression that are the mission of Mars in Leo?

In these last few days of stillness, look around, listen, observe your instinctual responses and what is drawing your interest naturally.  These few days are loaded with opportunities for insight.  They are packed with possibilities if we can uncover them.  Whether you notice something bright and shiny or something more subtle, we have come back here to this point for a reason.  Now is the time of discovery.  Now is the fertile opening, the pause filled with potential.

When Mars resumes direct motion, our business lives will gradually become more and more busy and we will forget the stillness of this time.  So in these last few days, let’s find the jewel, the gift of this waiting period so it’s in our backpack when we move forward again.

Here are some earlier posts about Mars in Leo.  Reading them may reveal what you are looking for, or where you should be looking.  As you find the gems, share them in the comments with all of us.

Mars in Leo

Let Your Light Shine

The Creativity of Business

4 Ways to Benefit from Mars Retrograde

Life doesn’t stand still – how to work with Retrograde Mars

Retracing Your Steps – Retrograde Motion

Are You Stalled?

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Are you stalled?

Feb 18

Posted by Ellen in Retrograde Motion, The Planets, What to do now | 1 Comment

Hello, everyone.

There are several astrology blogs I follow all the time.  I was reading a post by Frederick Woodruff yesterday and it reminded me of something I wanted to remind you about:  retrograde motion.

Retrograde Motion, revisited

Both Saturn and Mars are in retrograde motion now.  Not only that, but they are forming a very supportive aspect to each other, each reinforcing the other’s retreat.  It’s like Mars, our competitive spirit, and Saturn, representing our ambitions in the world, are on vacation together.  Here’s an excerpt of what Frederick has to say about this:

 

Stopped by Time. Le Temps, Charles Van der Stappen (Source:Wikipedia)

Stopped by Time. Le Temps, Charles Van der Stappen (Source:Wikipedia)

“With both Saturn (the prime mover) and Mars (the feisty shaker) in retrograde motion, our direction, our sense of time, our desire (Mars) for a forward momentum (Saturn) — all of our leaning toward and lunging for is, well, suspended — left dangling. So when someone asks you, “What are you up to?” You can say, in all honesty, “Just hanging around.” Or if you’re a more melodramatic type: “Man, I’m going down.” 

Mars and Saturn move backwards and there’s a universal stall. To have both timekeepers in retrograde disrupts the mechanical/animal routine of our lives. The dynamism of time takes on a different sense. The impersonal glide of time (Saturn), as we experience it within the collective, feels enclosing and stock still. And personal time (Mars) — as we experience it within the rhythm and robustness of our instincts — feels thwarted; forced to lean towards introspection, reevaluation and psychic excavation.

Cosmic stalling hints at a kind of mystical cessation, and … we notice a different quality of attention available to us, an opportunity to use this new ‘down time’ to reassess our place within time.”

The Cosmic Stall

Have you noticed this sense of time being stalled?  Several of my clients have.  One woman bought new clothes and went to a promising interview, only to have the key players absent due to illness.  Another client is anxious to file her tax returns so she can submit her daughter’s financial aid application for college, but cannot get the information she needs.  One client is hampered in her work by pain in her shoulder cuff, but can’t find the right practitioner to address it.  I could go on and on, but you get the picture – they are all experiencing a cosmic stall.

Reassessing our place within time

When I see people struggling to make progress in their business lives I tend to think in terms of sidestepping or waiting out the trend so they can move forward again.  That’s why I was so interested in Frederick’s post.  He points out that there may be a mystical reason behind our lack of forward motion – that we can take the opportunity to “reassess our place within time”.

Do you have too much ‘down time’?  Can you redefine it as a precious space with something to learn – something that you cannot perceive when you are continually busy accomplishing something?  It takes a lot of faith to be within the cycles of time, to rest and to trust that once again the time for forward motion will come.  If we take the opportunity to gather energy and resources when Mars and Saturn are retrograde, we will be fully rejuvenated and ready to apply what we’ve learned.  Then when Mars resumes direct motion on March 10, the vacation will be over and it will be full speed ahead!

Are you experiencing a cosmic stall in your business life?  Let us know in the comments section.

 For more discussion on retrograde motion, see the category “Retrograde Motion” under Astro4Business Basics to 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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Are you sleeping, Beauty?

Feb 16

Posted by Ellen in What to do now | No Comments

Hello everyone.

Did you know that right now seven out of our ten planets (including Sun and Moon) are in the last two signs of the zodiac?  Yes, Mercury, Neptune, the Sun, Venus, Jupiter, the Moon and Uranus are all in Aquarius and Pisces.  The only planets standing outside are Mars in Leo, Saturn in Libra, and Pluto in Capricorn.

What’s wrong with this picture?

This can be a good thing.  It mirrors our current networked society, the way technology has made it possible to form links with others throughout the world.  Both Aquarius and Pisces interact constantly with others; Aquarius wants to insure equality and share knowledge freely; Pisces wants to foster unity among us all.  This is all good, right?

Sleeping Beauty, by Edward Burne-Jones.

Sleeping Beauty, by Edward Burne-Jones.

When so many planets are in the same signs, it can foster particularly strong ties between people and a lot of cohesion in the group, maybe too much.  You can be lulled as people focus on the same things, talk about consistent themes, and recognize the same patterns.  The difficulty arises when something out of the ordinary occurs, a crisis of some kind.  And crises come with Mars, Saturn, and Pluto, the three not invited to the party, in difficult aspect as they are these days. 

It reminds me of Sleeping Beauty.  Remember the fairy who was not invited to the party?  With all the celebrating going on, no one recognized the impending disaster. 

Are you in the loop?

There is another issue with all of these planets in “collective” signs that is critical to you as the leader.  Aquarius and Pisces foster group communication, team interaction, and intuitive understanding across borders.  They favor a flat hierarchical structure, consensus management, and cohesion around projects rather than positions.  This atmosphere fosters beautiful, cross-borders information loops.  But something could be missing from those loops.  You!

In this hyper-social atmosphere, your employees are linked to many sources of information, both within your company and in the broader world.  They may pick up information critical to your business and that information may never reach you.  In a traditional hierarchical structure, information rolled up to you through your management structure.  With today’s flatter structure and many more avenues of information, you may have lost your place as the information hub. 

So what should you do? 

  1. First of all, with the Sun currently in Aquarius, and moving into Pisces later this week, it should be easier to insert yourself into groups, team meetings, and social media chats.  Take the time to join the conversation; become one of the players.  Immerse yourself in what your employees are talking about, both online and off.
  2. Second, make sure you design communication channels that bring information to you in this new environment.  You can’t use the old methods for gathering intelligence, especially if you have new hires or a younger workforce.  I spoke to a business owner in her early thirties who feels lost when it comes to the culture of communication used by her twenty-something employees.  So catch up and keep up with each emerging technology your employees are enjoying.
  3. And third, be sure someone in your organization is looking outside:  reading the news, keeping up with the trends, watching legislation in your industry and local area.  The current economic environment will be with us for a long time; you need to monitor how it can impact your business.   

Linked in

Businesses still need leadership.  Even in this flattened, networked environment, you hold the vision for where the organization is going.  The modes and nodes of interaction have changed; basic leadership has not.  Your company’s success depends on you, and in order to be effective, you’ve got to know what’s going on.  So insert yourself and make sure the network links back to you.  And keep an eye out for that angry fairy godmother!

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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Life doesn’t stand still – how to work with retrograde Mars

Jan 19

Posted by Ellen in Retrograde Motion, The Planets, What to do now | 7 Comments

Hello, everyone.

Two clients recently called, one to ask a date about incorporating a business; another wanted to discuss whether or not to transition to a joint medical practice from her independent practice.  Both cases reminded me of something I want to pass on to you.

Unmistakable warning of difficulties

We’ve spoken in these posts about the current Mars retrograde period, from December 20, 2009 to March 10, 2010.   Mars, as the ruler of Aries, the first sign, is the planet that rules the beginnings of things.  It’s important to pay attention to the position of Mars when we initiate anything new.  And a retrograde Mars should certainly bring us pause.  As Karen Hamaker-Zondag states in her excellent Horary Astrology,

If we wish to undertake a really important activity, then a retrograde Mars should be seen as an unmistakable warning of difficulties, certainly when the chart is for the commencement itself.  What retrograde Mars is saying is, “Finish what you are already doing, and begin nothing new until I turn direct.”

Mars is retrograde every two years for 2-3 months so most of the time we don’t have to worry about the motion of Mars.  However if an opportunity arises during those bi-annual retrograde periods, it may seem foolish to let it go by.  And given that all the other planets are in direct motion, life doesn’t just stand still.  Sometimes circumstances force us to act now, unable to wait for a better moment. 

Waiting or wasting time?

In other cases it can be completely clear to an objective observer why we should wait before initiating an activity, but not to us.  We can’t see the wisdom of waiting, feeling instead like we are wasting time.  Mars retrograde tells us there are very productive ways to spend time not acting, but rather planning, networking, researching and studying, letting ourselves come into synch with the right moment.

But what if you’re like a reader of this blog who teaches at a university and must begin classes during a retrograde Mars, or another reader whose start date for a new job included a retrograde Mars?  What if you just must act?  Here are a few suggestions if you can’t wait:

  • Work with the Mars retrograde energy by only beginning projects you expect to be short-term
  • Work on projects that require a long review or preparation period which you will complete during the retrograde period
  • Assign only short-term goals until Mars resumes direct motion
  • Take an attitude of experimentation and learning since the endeavor may or may not survive
  • Invest as little time and money as possible until Mars resumes direct motion
  • Take the support of the Moon and initiate the project only when the Moon is waxing, between the New and Full Moon.

On Another Note

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!  Got a question now?  Email it and let’s get started!

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What did you miss?

Jan 7

Posted by Ellen in Retrograde Motion, What to do now | 1 Comment

(Source:Wikimedia Commons)

(Source:Wikimedia Commons)

Hello everyone.

In this series we’ve been exploring retrograde motion and how it occasionally causes a planet to cover the same ground three times:  the first pass in forward motion; the second pass in retrograde motion; and the third pass over the same territory in forward motion again.  What is the purpose of revisiting where we’ve been, and in particular, what is the purpose of the current retrograde cycle of Mercury? 

What did we miss?

We noted in the last post that a retrograde planet is like a backpacker who covers a portion of a trail, turns around and walks back to a certain point, and then turns around again and retraces her steps to the furthest point reached before.  She passes over the same section of trail three times before she reaches new ground.

Why do you think our hiker turned around in the first place?  She may have felt she missed something along the way.  Or the weather may have been just too forbidding to proceed any further.  She may have forgotten some essential tool.  She may have fallen ill and needed to recuperate before going further. 

The purpose of retrograde motion is similar.  So I looked at the current Mercury retrograde cycle to see what it could tell us.

Saturn/Pluto square, again!

What I found surprised me, but it shouldn’t have.  The major astrological signature of this year is the square between Saturn in Libra and Pluto in Capricorn.  You can read more about this important aspect in the “Saturn/Pluto Square” category at the right.  The long-lasting transit of Pluto in Capricorn is reflected by the current financial and economic crisis and the exposure of sordid secrets in government, business, the military and other national and global institutions.  This year Saturn in Libra is presenting us with a challenge:  as these structures fall, are we willing to build new ones based on the Libra values of fairness, equity, and diplomacy?

These massive societal trends affect our lives, including our business lives.  Even if you have managed to avoid a direct impact of this harsh square, I’m sure you know people who have not.  Many of our neighbors, friends, and clients are struggling and attempting to form alliances of cooperation to share the burdens of the time.

Mercury coming and going

Mercury made direct contact with this Saturn/Pluto square in early December.  You may remember a moment when practical realities hit home, when you realized Christmas sales were not going to be what you had hoped, or a client cancelled a major contract.  Or perhaps you accepted a client or position that you really didn’t want, in order to deal with the necessities of the day.   Or you made a decision that was a partial fix but not a full solution.

Then Mercury moved on and your mind moved on with it until the day after Christmas when Mercury began its retrograde period.  And where will Mercury travel in its retrograde motion?  Right back to the Saturn/Pluto square!  Once was not enough.  Our planning and thinking processes need to take another look.  Like our backpacker, we missed something, something important for us to notice.  And we don’t want to move forward until we recognize what we missed.

On January 15 the square will be right in front of us again, just like it was in early December.  I think we are being given a second chance to take this Saturn/Pluto square seriously!  We will be dealing with it for most of 2010 with the second exact aspect forming on January 31. 

Wait, wait!

Mercury is saying, wait, wait, there’s something more to understand.  Since it’s Mercury, the messenger of the gods, listen for your message around January 15 in the form of news, a sales conversation, or an enlightening dialogue with your IT support or your bookkeeper. 

With Mercury in Capricorn, serious business planning is particularly favored so once you get the message, sit yourself down and do some planning.  Consider enlisting a partner to please Saturn in Libra and get it in writing.  That’s what I’m going to do.

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Five Astro-Inspired Resolutions for 2010

Dec 28

Posted by Ellen in Long-term Planning, What to do now | No Comments

Hello everyone.

The time for New Year’s resolutions has arrived.  The five outer planets, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto reflect the major themes unfolding over the next year.  Here are short explanations of the trends and a resolution for each that is attuned to the stars.

Jupiter in Pisces and Aries

After leaving the sign of Aquarius in January, Jupiter spends the rest of the year in the signs of Pisces and Aries.  Jupiter represents our thirst for knowledge and our desire to improve our world.  Pisces is the last sign of the zodiac, the sign of immersion in the collective and the dissolution of our personal desires.  Aries is the spark of ego-driven life; the urge to arise out of the cosmic soup and pursue our individual goals.

I resolve to give generously this year, both to the world at large and to my own aims and ambitions.

Saturn in Libra

Saturn is in Libra most of the year, with just a few months back into Virgo on its retrograde voyage.  Saturn in the planet of limitation and structure in the sense that it contracts the energy of ideas and inspiration into the material plane.  Saturn is at its best operating within defined systems and organized environments.  Libra is the sign of partnerships and other close, committed relationships.

I resolve to develop a relationship with a trusted advisor and allow their wisdom to guide my decisions.

Uranus in Pisces and Aries

Uranus finishes its seven year sojourn through Pisces and enters Aries this year.  Uranus is the force of innovation and inventiveness.  Pisces represents the end of the cycle, when a business has to find new life or dissolve.  Aries represents the new beginning, full of entrepreneurial spirit and individual ambition.

I resolve to update the vision for my business this year, bringing at least one new, unique, out-of-the-box product or service to market.

Neptune in Aquarius

Neptune has been transiting Aquarius since 1998 and will continue in this sign until May 2011.    Neptune represents our urge to belong, to meld, to establish connections with others.  In the Aquarian stage of the cycle the group has become more important than the individual.  Innovation comes from the bottom up or through collective input.

I resolve to spend time with younger people to maintain a fresh perspective and to gain ideas for innovation and employee contribution.

Pluto in Capricorn

Pluto entered Capricorn in 2008 and will remain in this sign until 2025.  This long transit will bring fundamental change to the business and government structures in our lives.  Pluto represents the energy of transformation and Capricorn is the stage of the business cycle when an entity has become driven by rules, bureaucracy, and a “success at any cost” attitude.  Pluto will aid this ambition, but only after uprooting anything decaying at the core.

I resolve to identify an aspect of my business that is no longer working, and ceremoniously let it end.

Do any of these resonate with you? Pick one or all of them, or if you’ve already formulated your business resolutions, please share them in the comments section. See if you can match them to the major transits above.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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Create Your Own Solstice

Dec 18

Posted by Ellen in The Planets, What to do now | 1 Comment

Source:Wikipedia

Source:Wikipedia

Hello, everyone.

I’ve been thinking about the coming Solstice on Monday, December 21.  Every activity of nature holds a correspondence to our lives and astrology is the practice of observing and learning from these connections.

According to Wikipedia,

A solstice is an astronomical event that happens twice each year, when the tilt of the Earth’s axis is most inclined toward or away from the Sun, causing the Sun’s apparent position in the sky to reach its northernmost or southernmost extreme. The name is derived from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still), because at the solstices, the Sun stands still in declination; that is, the apparent movement of the Sun’s path north or south comes to a stop before reversing direction.  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solstice)

Twice each year the Sun appears to stand still in the sky.  In cultures all over the world and throughout history, people have noted and celebrated this semi-annual event.  The Wikipedia article on “Winter solstice” cites 37 observances from Japan to the Inca Empire, from West Africa and Persia to the Zunis and Hopis of North America.

The Astronomical Sun

An astronomical event with this much impact in current and historical times can be felt in all parts of our lives.  What lesson can we take for our businesses?

The Sun in the sky is the center of our solar system.  Almost all of the energy that exists on this earth and in our lives comes from the Sun.  Of all aspects of nature the Sun holds the most essential place as it is directly responsible for the rhythms of our daily and yearly lives. At the solstices, the Sun stands still – it takes rest.  Whether at the northern or southern declination, there is a moment of apparent stillness.  Even this most powerful source of energy takes this moment of rest.

The Astrological Sun

In the chart of a business, the Sun represents the leader, the owner, the source of the vision and direction of the company.  The Sun represents the essential style of the leader and how the leader wields power and authority.  Through its aspects we can see the vitality of the business and how well the relationships between the owner and his/her employees function.  The Sun represents you.  Do you take rest?

The Solstices are natural reminders to pause; that as business leaders, whose lives are full of activity, there can be a natural point of stillness. 

Your own Solstice

On Monday, December 21, why not create your own solstice?  I know it’s a hectic time of year with all of the celebrations and observances, but an essential part of any celebration is the still point, the point to remember the meaning of the day.  Take the day off if you can, or an hour, or even ten minutes.  Sit down with your coffee and remember that you are the Sun in your business, the essential source of guidance and inspiration.  Survey your world and thank yourself for your focus and energy of the past six months.  Or walk around and thank your employees for their focus and energy of the past six months.

And then begin again, just like the Sun.

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Uranus – the moment of Truth

Dec 1

Posted by Ellen in The Planets, What to do now | 3 Comments

A picture of Uranus taken by Voyager 2 as it headed to Neptune (Source:Wikipedia)

A picture of Uranus taken by Voyager 2 as it headed to Neptune (Source:Wikipedia)

Hello, everyone.

I couldn’t let today pass without a few words about the planet Uranus.  This is a special day for this planet as it is stationary, at a standstill, today, before resuming direct motion.  When a planet makes its station, it is particularly powerful.

I can really feel it, can you?  I’m writing this at about 3:14pm and it is exactly stationary at 3:27pm.   When I first sat down to write I was following my usual routine – review what my teachers have to say, examine a few charts with prominent Uranus energy, and then apply my findings to business life.  However, I couldn’t concentrate at all!  In one ear and out the other, no retention whatsoever.  I was also interrupted more times than I can count, and even interrupted myself to take care of a matter I had forgotten.

Yes, disruptive, chaotic Uranus.  Haven’t you felt the times when your normal thinking processes just aren’t working as they should be?  It’s like your mind is too open, the usual boundaries and limitations just not in their places.

What limits us?

We’re used to thinking of Saturn as the boundary of the conscious ego, that point of contraction that protects us against the onslaught of the unknown.  However today it occurs to me that the Jupiter energy is also limiting.  Jupiter represents the part of us that is wise and generous.  How can this be a limitation?  Can knowledge be a limitation?  Yes, when what we know closes us off from what we don’t know.  Have you ever had absolute conviction about something, and then discovered you were wrong?  Have you ever known for sure the correct path to follow and then found yourself lost half way down it?

Can generosity be a limitation?  I’ll let you think about this one, but I’d say yes, when it bars someone from their independence, or causes them to doubt their own abilities.

Saturn restricts and limits based on fear and Jupiter restricts and limits based on knowledge and generosity.  They both try to protect us against Uranus and the other outer planets, Neptune and Pluto – these alien energies that are so unlike our normal, day-to-day reasoning. 

The moment of Truth

Uranus has been called the planet of Truth, and it often brings a moment of truth that breaks through our social conditioning and opens a vista of new possibilities.  Today is such a day and this moment is such a moment.

Uranus will be making its station until December 6.  Try tuning into the unknown, discover, experiment, attempt something new.  Take a risk.  Listen to an original beat.  Try not knowing.

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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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Saturn/Pluto Strategy #2

Nov 18

Posted by Ellen in Pluto in Capricorn, Saturn in Libra, Saturn/Pluto Square, What to do now | No Comments

AUDIO VERSION: Saturn Pluto Strategy 2

Hello, everyone.

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

Strategy #1 – Alignment

Now let’s look at the nature of the square between Libra and Capricorn, which will lead us to…

Strategy #2 – Identify the challenge

 

Earth and atmosphere. (Source:Wikipedia)

Earth and atmosphere. (Source:Wikipedia)

The Libra Capricorn Challenge

 

Libra and Capricorn are known as cardinal signs.  When a planet is in Libra and another in Capricorn, as long as they are close to the same degree, they are in square aspect to each other.  Anytime you have planets in two cardinal signs, there is going to be stress between them.  They both want to implement new activities, but in completely different areas of life.

Steady Earth

Capricorn is an earth sign; Libra is an air sign.  Earth and air – think about it.  The earth is solid and structural; it provides a base for the material world, for everything that has physical being on this globe.  It is also subject to natural cycles which repeat themselves again and again such as the seasons, and night and day.  It is dependable and steady.

As the cardinal earth sign, Capricorn is focused on structures.  It invests in the physical and is the guardian of the material realm.

Air Currents

Libra is an air sign.  Libra invests in and is the guardian of ideas.  Air signs are about our rational thinking processes and the creativity of our motives and intentions.  Air signs represent the ideas and philosophies that circulate among us like currents of air. 

Like the air, these currents have no visible appearance but are critical to our lives.  Air signs are about communications and relationships between people, what passes back and forth between and among us mentally.  Libra is particularly attached to initiating new ideas.

Earth and Air

The realm of ideas versus the physical world.  These two modalities are interdependent:  what would we do with air if we had no earth to stand upon?  And would life exist on this planet without air?  But often we experience them as incompatible and resonate more with one or the other. 

We are all driven to some extent to become proficient in earth and air, material achievement and interaction.  And when there are two planets in square to each other, as with the current Saturn/Pluto square, these goals are in conflict with each other.

Can you identify the conflict in your business?  If so, you’re ready for Strategy #3 – Act!

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