Source:Wikimedia Commons
Good Day!
Today is a big day, one of the top days of the year. In the weekly forecast we already discussed the Saturn/Uranus opposition which is exact today. This is the last of a series of five oppositions over the past two years, the first of which was exact on the day Obama won the U.S. Presidential election. This last exact opposition caps a cycle of conflict between the past and the future, the tried and true and the innovative, the safe and the risky. With a foot in both worlds, we’ve had to learn to proceed boldly into our uncertain futures while holding on to the best of the past. And that’s been quite a challenge!
But that’s not all that’s going on today. This is also a major day highlighting the planets Jupiter and Pluto, both retrograde and in a very challenging aspect to each other. This brings our sense of optimism crashing into the cold, hard realities of the current economic and political times. Both planets form aspects to the Sun in Leo today, which brings the whole matter into our personal sphere and tests our leadership skills to the max.
When the Sun is in Leo we want to lead: unimpeded and as an expression of our own creativity. You could say the Sun is the “leader” of all the planets and since it rules Leo, Leo is the sign of leadership – not the Capricorn style of executive management but true leadership, the ability to rally the energies of others and direct them to a common goal. The urge to lead when the Sun is in Leo is strong, and the Sun is the symbol of the owner or leader in any organization, tribe, or team.
But what does a leader do when there are forces more powerful than they are? The economic recession, political wrangling, and the uncovering of dark corporate misdeeds that are symbolized by Pluto in Capricorn, coupled with the recent reversals or brain drain symbolized by last week’s Jupiter retrograde, can throw even the most solid organization into turmoil. Strong leadership is required now and is the gift of Sun in Leo, but strength must be informed by a levelheaded assessment of today’s realities. Hubris has no place when there are such strong forces as we are experiencing this summer.
I just spent time with my brother, a leader by any measure. He is a U.S. Army General, stationed at the Pentagon. He is in charge of all of the training for the U.S. Army. He is also one of the most conscious and thoughtful people I know. He spoke to me about leadership and the seven core values of the Army: loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage. He said that he would add one value to the list: humility. I agree. Humility helps us realistically gauge where to put our efforts for long term success, what we should fight for and when to surrender.
Here is a really cool video of Booker T. and the M.G.s playing a song by Bob Dylan that’s been on my mind as I’ve been contemplating these complicated times. I looked up Bob Dylan’s astrology chart, wondering if he had a similar configuration in his chart to today’s Sun/Jupiter/Pluto forces. Sure enough, he does. In his chart the Sun, Jupiter, and Pluto are harmoniously aligned and support a full and positive expression of the essence of these planets. So we can take his wisdom to heart today to help us navigate these turbulent waters. The song gives us a powerful perspective. Let me know what you think!
For an overview of the week, see the Astro4Business Weekly Forecast – July 26-Aug 1
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
