The Bigger Picture

Most who know me know that my passion lies in working one-on-one with people, connecting and exploring the symbolism inherent in their personal chart. I am constantly in awe that a snapshot of the heavens resonates symbolically with someone born at that moment in time, at that particular place, on this ball floating in space.

For me a chart is such a sacred picture; it is a map of the soul's intent, including what seems to happen 'to' us.

Astrological newsletters, blogs and articles speak to a wide audience, and so need to speak to the collective. The information may pertain to you, or not. If your personal astrology is telling a different story, then the 'mundane' astrology out there in the world may not even be perceived by you. 

There is always an internal pull in me that wants to check each and every one of my clients' charts to see who might be personally affected for the month...hardly feasible. So in my past articles you may have noticed my, not uncommon, "...if it touches your chart" comments that acted as the caveat for any planetary statements for the month. 

So the clarity I have recently gained was that I don't want to write about the New and Full Moons for the time being. However I still want to write.

Then I noticed another thing within me. As I watched Saturn inching closer and closer to Pluto, both being 'pulled' together by the South Node, I noticed an internal tightening in me. As an astrologer, I know the symbolism is heavy.

When I watched Notre-Dame burn, I felt it again. I remember thinking at that time, that at a fundamental level, this Saturn-Pluto cycle often expresses as the destruction of old structure. And although we sometimes welcome this, we need to remember we can't always be selective of which old structures are affected.

Or of what solidity gets ripped away from us.

The Saturn-Pluto relationship is a big planetary cycle, and it's coming to an end. By big, I don't necessarily mean in regards to time - it occurs approximately every 33 years so fairly big; but 'big' as in the combination of Saturn's and Pluto's significations and what they mean. This current cycle began in 1982 and will end (which will be the beginning again) in January 2020. Saturn will continue to move slowly towards Pluto throughout the year, finally catching up to the now dwarf planet, in January 2020.  

(T-shirt seen after 2006: You want to tell the lord of the Underworld he's now only a dwarf planet?!!)

These two are not easy planetary energies to individually deal with, and so speak of a difficult build-up as they approach each other. The father of Zeus and the lord of the Underworld. Also father and son, with fear and hate between them, both very powerful, both wanting control. In astrological communities there is a general unease around these two being in relationship with each other, and there is often dark language used in regards to them. Which is also apt; they both are dark planets, representing everything deep, dark and black.

This is all happening in our heavens now, and so 'for' the collective; what I thought I didn't want to write about. However, symbolically, outer planetary relationships (called synodic cycles) are very different from the Sun and Moon's. Luna's monthly cycle of birth, growth, fruition, decline and death is rich in meaning and an essential application to a birth chart. She marks time of ritual, facilitating beautiful inner work with her waxing and waning. She sets rhythm in our lives, with both small and great cycles; and is incredibly powerful as a trigger for events.

The slower moving planets are very different. Moving slowly they can pack a sustained punch.

So going back to that internal grip; my body was showing my resistance to writing about the Saturn-Pluto conjunction. I didn't want to put it out there. I didn't want to be the 'bearer of bad news'. I remember thinking, "I just don't want to write about it!" Yet my aversion gave me time to mull it around in my head and heart. 

And I still wanted to write. 

The celestial story with these two is definitely worthy of sharing. Especially with the world as it is now. Outer planetary cycles reflect shifts in our collective consciousness, mark historical events and define generations. 

Even if not 'touching' your chart with you experiencing it personally, there is an all-pervading atmosphere of the Saturn-South Node-Pluto conjunction at present; a heaviness, weariness and struggle that lingers in the collective. Those of us who are sensitives will particularly feel it, also even if not personally 'touched' by it. 

Yet if it is written in the heavens, I believe it is part of humanity's story; a necessary journey as part of our emergence; the Hero's Journey. May we do it consciously and gladly knowing we move through to move out.

So for now, instead of focusing on the lunations, I am proposing an exploration of this approaching important conjunction (conjunction = travelling together in our sky) between Saturn and Pluto, currently with the South Node. I'll take mythological, historical and psychological perspectives; and although Pluto was only discovered in 1930 (an important factor), I'll weave a traditional view of Saturn throughout, drawing from Hellenistic, Arabic and Medieval texts.  

As stated, this conjunction is regarded as difficult. However I want to add a different perspective. We are in profound times of emergence, awakening and reconnection; it is evident all around us, and also shown by an increase in expression of the shadow. While we still perceive this world in dualistic experiences, I have to ask 'What is the light that these two dark heavy planets can bring?' 

Through exploration we can hopefully look beyond any fear-mongering and see the profound transformation that is possible for us. Astrological language has to also express a positive possibility because the main components of the language, the planets and signs, can express both 'positive' and 'negative', I believe, according to our level of consciousness.

So let's look at this dark gathering and find what we are being asked to address in our lives. We are never being punished in difficult times; we are being asked to come to some awareness around something within us. 

If one of Saturn's significations is 'time', and 'transformation' is one of Pluto's...the transformation of time is one possibility inherent in these two getting together. A teacher of our times, Eckhart Tolle has this central to his message; the need to transform time - simply a perception. So here is one potential of this conjunction; a shift in our ability to stay present.