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by Terry Lamb

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New to astrology? Read on and ignore the technical bits. There's plenty here for you too! Why don’t I write horoscopes for each sign?

A NEW WORLD CULTURE is being born. We find ourselves on irreparable imbalance in justice, freedom, economic opportunity, and our planet’s health. Our rescue of ourselves could be just as miraculous. Let 2008 be written as the year when we were shocked to our senses, and without that shock we would not have developed the will to change.

With so many challenges thrust on us at once, life is more obviously full of unknowns than it was before. It has led many people to pull back into whatever safe zone they can create. Now we search for what we can do to make life more stable, to protect ourselves, to live closer to our needs instead of our wants.

It is out of this urge that a union of truth and reality occurred. We spent the last nine months in gestation, and now the new child-culture has emerged. It is full of potential but dependent on us to maintain its viability. The beauty of the new culture is how rich it can be in inward prosperity, to know that we are living in the security of being in balance with the earth, that we are helping each other in a symbiotic inhale and exhale of care for each other.

We must conceive of a world with more “we” and less “me”, or we will bring more suffering upon ourselves. Over history, homo sapiens has shown that when the chips are down a marvelous resilience and inventive rises to the surface and pulls us back from the brink. This is the task that is upon us now, and it seems that this ability to reinvent ourselves is once more in play.

One person seems to be carrying the weight of this process: President-Elect Barack Obama. On November 4, suddenly it was “cool to be American again”. More than that, the people of US, and the world, are pinning their hopes on him to make the changes we need to survive. In a flash, the children of minority have hope that they can rise above their circumstances if they persevere. The people of other nations know that if a person can rise out of nowhere to the greatest leadership position in the world, that they may be released from their own forms of bondage: It is possible.

The Planetary Big Picture
We’re in a populist moment, because it is only the people that have the power to shake loose the petrified power structure that exists at the top around the world. This populist passion must persist beyond the moment if the frozen forces are to be chiseled out of their positions. In December, we wait for the inauguration in January for movement to begin, but we’re also beginning to realize that there are things we can do ourselves, without waiting for a new leader to take the helm.

All of these forces, energies, and situations are reflected in the planetary patterns available to us now. Three phenomena are at the heart of our experiences:

Pluto entering Capricorn: Capricorn is one of the survival signs, representing our urge to continue to exist from a “macro” perspective. How do we thrive as individuals in the throng of others? What do we offer that is of value to society? Key phrases for Capricorn are “safe zone”, “stability”, “protect ourselves”, “live closer to our needs instead of our wants”. Pluto is one of the creative forces, where we feel compelled to develop something new because we are deeply inspired or driven by circumstances. Everything we create now is a response to the urge to “make it real”.

Saturn opposing Uranus: This configuration pits the frozen powers against the forces of change. It challenges our expectations and asks us to think about the structures of our lives in a new way. It presents a moment of illumination that, although it may be painful, can lead to solving problems and healing wounds.

Uranus square Pluto: I haven’t talked about this much, because it is still a shadow contact, in the deep formative stages. Yet, these two planets are being connected by other planets right now, as they have been since 2003 when Uranus entered Pisces. Their square takes place in Aries and Capricorn and is the second major phase of the Uranus-Pluto cycle. This cycle varies in length, but it averages about 100 years in length. The current cycle started in the mid-60s and was responsible for the last cultural revolution.

It was on the Uranus-Pluto conjunction that “power to the people” began. We discovered two major problems, ecological destruction (spawning the environmental movement) and population overgrowth (sparking the zero population growth movement). We tried to do something about them and were able to make palliative gains in the 70s which were reversed since then as those driven by fear grasped desperately for control.

On the square, we are being stimulated to make more dramatic changes, as we peer into the future and see self-destruction ahead. It will revive the issues of the 60s — the populist movement for equality and the drive to return to policies and practices that are mutually supportive rather than competitive.

This pattern may be way on the back burner, but it is discernible in what we are experiencing now as part of our direction. It is not fully functioning until Uranus enters Aries for good in March 2011. The pattern will be most sharply focused in 2012–2015.

Look for the threads of these themes in life, and you’ll see them all around. Their key words are deeply woven into the culture, and if you listen you’ll hear them everywhere.

The December Picture
December starts with a sharp-edged energy, as the Sun, Mercury, and Mars conjunction in Sagittarius is at its peak. (See the chart above.) This is good for clearing the air, learning the truth, and cutting away what we don’t need. Although it can be a challenge to face these aspects of reality, the result is a clean slate upon which to build what’s next.

These planets generate a bevy of energy as they connect with each other and then complete the wiring with Saturn and Uranus to create a T-square. The Sun, Mercury, and Mars are all trigger planets, and they will stimulate a wide range of events. If similar contacts indicate a pattern, we will see further violence in southern Asia, abuse of bail-out money by the outgoing “financial wizards”, and involvement of Obama’s growing administration before inauguration in the huge problems that must be addressed now.

This energy also can represent the challenge that hope and optimism makes to the status quo and the unexpected positive results that can be derived. These macro issues will be played out in the microcosms of our own lives as well. We each have our own challenge to let go of past patterns and find a way out of old structures and problems. This is an area (an axis in our birth charts) that is under pressure to change, and it is the beginning of a two-year process. (I’m thinking to myself — it’s only going to take two years?) This is the building of a life with a different notion of authority and an adjustment in how we experience freedom. If you know what areas of your chart Saturn and Uranus fall in, you can see what theme you will be dealing with. If you have planets in Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, or Pisces, your life will be rejuvenated with life-changing experiences.

We should watch closely what we experience — and what happens in the world — December 5–15. This is when the T-square is in effect. It is a mutable pattern, and we are challenged to face reality, be flexible, and make meaningful adjustments. The negative tendency associated with mutability is fragmentation, avoidance, and high levels of stress. If we are lucky, we will be able to turn this challenge into fantastic opportunity, but that will require courage and adaptability.

The Full Moon on the 12th brings the peak of this period, with the Sun and Moon forming a grand cross to Saturn and Uranus. We could see significant break-throughs in both personal and world affairs under the heightened pressure of this configuration. See Chart B.

But Wait! There’s More!
Saturn and Uranus are involved in a dance with five parts. They have completed the first part, which could be called the Initiation. It is the time, from May through the end of November, when we became acquainted with the challenge to change. On November 26, when Uranus returned to forward motion, we entered the transition to Part Two. Uranus’s station to direct allows our changes to move forward too. We get to make the changes that have survived the past nine months of scrutiny and prepare for the next cycle of change, with the goal of increasing our freedom and flexibility.

How to Succeed With Saturn-Uranus
With Saturn, it is successful to come up with a plan and use the structures we create to execute it and thus our goals are achieved. What Uranus adds to the mix is the element of the unexpected, and no amount of planning can incorporate it — in fact, too much planning can push the miraculous away from us.

The way to draw the positive unexpected event is to prepare the ground for it: Get ready in every way you can. Develop the skills, create the space in your life for it, and be open to its arrival. Sometimes we get so caught up in the details that we miss an opportunity that’s right in front of us. It’s also important to discern between opportunities — some may not be the right ones. When they appear, you have the chance to refine what the universe presents to you by saying no to what you don’t want or doesn’t feel right.

One important note: To make any real change, there must be a change in attitude, and that comes from a change in understanding of how the universe works. If we begin by seeking the misinterpretations that created the situation we’re in, we will be most effective and successful in making the changes in our lives.

The Details, Dates, & Cycles
With its return to forward motion, Uranus’s cycle is now in its completion stage. We’ll see how well we’ve done and get our own stimulus package for what to do next when the Sun squares Uranus (part of the December trigger configuration) on December 10. The new Uranus cycle begins March 12.

Saturn is well into its new cycle, which started September 3. Since then, we’ve (tried to) develop plans for the coming year. (If you’ve had difficulty, this is because of the unpredictable elements in your life related to the fact that Uranus was also involved.) A part of the developmental process occurs this month, and we get a clearer picture, as the Sun makes its waxing square to this maven of responsibility on December 12. As Saturn slows, then stops still before retrograding on the 31st, we’ll be aware of the responsibilities we must fulfill over the coming five months and how we want to use them to improve our lives. If we do the work, we stand a good chance of reaching our goals, but we must be mindful of Uranus’s involvement in the process and be open to the unexpected. Key dates related to Saturn’s cycle are February 5, March 8, May 16, and June 5. Events occurring on or around any of these dates are significant and developmental.

Pluto’s New Cycles
In some ways we know what to build. Pluto is now firmly ensconced in Capricorn, until it enters Aquarius 16 years from now. We had a glimpse of what lies in store, as Pluto made a short visit to Cap January 25 – June 13 and Jupiter has spent the whole year there, opening the window wide open to show what’s to come for us. We’ve discovered a whole rogue’s gallery of horrors in the economy, global warming, and the people who sponsored this nightmare.

Yet, we can do many things to affect our own circumstances. Whether it is learning to (or returning to) cook our own meals from scratch or being more modest in our vacation plans, we can adjust to the new world of thrift and moderation that is part of Pluto’s new place.

We will embark on this road in earnest when the new Sun-Pluto cycle starts on December 22. Just as with Saturn, we will set forth on a year-long journey, but this one is transformative. Events related to this cycle will occur on or around March 23, April 4, June 23, and September 11 and 23.

There’s another cycle that starts this month as well — that of Mars-Pluto, with their conjunction on December 28. This is a two-year cycle that often has destructive consequences, as humans have a hard time handling its volatility. It strengthens the drive to transform, often to the extreme. It is excellent energy to use in piercing through a difficult situation.

Although frequently of some concern, Mars in Capricorn may soften the energy. Capricorn is the sign of Mars’s exaltation, so it does very well there, is more disciplined. This is an opportunity to make wise and effective changes. It is possible that we will see signs of positive change in national and world affairs as well.

A Wave to Ride
When Mercury enters Capricorn on the 12th, it can be used, with Jupiter, to encourage positive results from our circumstances. Using a chart cast for the right time to commence an activity, both agreement and outcome can be enhanced through December 31st. Relationships where there is a mental connection are especially strengthened.

While December is still a time of transition, there are enough energies in renewal to allow us to start the ball rolling. In January, we’ll feel a huge shift as Jupiter changes signs and moves into a completely new pattern with Chiron and Neptune. We’ll be ready for it after our experiences in the first half of the month, but after that there’s a gentle segue into the new world that starts in earnest in 2009.

Significant Planetary Events

No planets are retrograde. Jupiter is in fall.

All dates are based on Pacific Time.
Blue = harmonious/Red or orange = challenging/intense
Events in bold are more significant.

© Terry Lamb