Pluto in Capricorn, Part Three:
If you listen closely, you’ll hear the hum of the great engine of 2008 getting ready to finally move forward. Mars, the muscle of daily life, Direct since January 30, is gathering momentum and is poised to spring into action as soon as Mercury, Retrograde since January 28, goes Direct late in the day on February 18. Which means by February 20 we are entirely free of astro-inhibitors for the first time since the start of the New Year. Unfortunately, this week we’re still enslaved by retrograde details, detours, and delays, a position that translates into testy tempers, short-fused frustration, and all variety of backaches and headaches. Still, the week can be used for preparation for what lies ahead. So keep putting one foot in front of the other and expect that soon your baby steps will turn into giant leaps.
If you listen even more closely you’ll hear another, deeper rumbling beneath the surface of daily life — the sound of Pluto still making its initial entry into Capricorn, a move that’s rattling personal and collective nervous systems. Frankly, most of us, including me, are grappling with how to readjust our personal positioning systems. Whether it is the weather — tornadoes and heat waves in February, snow in Jerusalem and ice storms in China — or the psychic climate — fear of a recession, fear of a failing US economy (which is just another way of saying fear of recession) — lots of people are on tenterhooks, stymied and perplexed about how to face the future. It’s almost as if the future has become the enemy and we’re just waiting for it to deliver something dreadful.
I keep wondering if this dread is new — a post-9/11 syndrome that has us expecting the worst instead of the best. Or, if this dread has always been a part of human experience and now, because information is delivered at a faster rate than it can be processed, we’re simply more aware of just how uncertain our human situation really is. An awareness that’s overwhelming, and if you take the time to really feel the uncertainty, can be terrifying.
Capricorn is not the Sign of doom and gloom. Things come to fruition in Capricorn, the Sign of the zodiac where we discard what’s unnecessary in order to reveal what’s essential, where we mature and develop wisdom. Pluto’s journey through Capricorn is going to challenge our capacity for wisdom by insisting that we confront expert opinion and question authority. Pluto will exhume what’s buried beneath the rules, as it simultaneously probes motivations, conscious and unconscious, personal and collective.
It may well be that the discomfort many of us are feeling is not actually dread, but prescience: the way we are is not the way we will be and we are not in charge or in control of the process or the outcome. So rather than stewing in uncertainty, as the coming weeks and months unfold, put aside what life should be and contemplate what it could be.
If you know your Ascendant and/or your Moon Sign, read that, too.
Aries March 21-April 19
Lively conversation with friends stimulates a fresh approach to an old problem. Be open to unusual solutions and you could crack the code of a persistent difficult pattern.
Taurus April 20-May 20
Positive financial opportunities offer you the chance to strengthen your position. I’m not suggesting risk — I’m simply pointing out that this a good time to make progress.
Gemini May 21-June 21
Be in the moment and make peace with your situation. And also be aware, your acceptance will eventually work in your favor, especially if you’re patient and cautious about making the next move.
Cancer June 22-July 22
Find healthy ways of expressing your intensity and you’ll not only create positive channels for your energy to flow, but you’ll also become a role model for others. Rather than give orders, set an example.
Leo July 23-August 22
It’s about making peace and keeping peace in several areas simultaneously. While this challenge could be stressful, it could just as easily inspire an even greater generosity of spirit.
Virgo August 23-September 22
While you’ve never been a slouch when it comes to getting a job done well, you are currently dealing with a lot of work. So rather than complain, roll up your sleeves and allow your determination to deliver success.
Libra September 23-October 22
You are in a highly creative phase, but that’s no excuse for self-indulgence. Yes, artists need the freedom to express ideas, but that isn’t permission to dismiss someone else’s opinion before you’ve had a chance to consider it.
Scorpio October 23-November 21
Whether it’s moving furniture or shifting a belief system, it would be wise to prepare for “home” improvements. Stay open to the possibility of a new perspective, and you’ll have an easier time adjusting to the new view.
Sagittarius November 22-December 21
Listen closely — significant others offer brilliant insight into employment issues. Even if you don’t agree with all that’s said, there will still be plenty of valuable advice.
Capricorn December 22-January 19
Honor your desire to succeed, but also acknowledge your need for rest — you can only push so hard, and if you push too hard, you could push yourself right into overwhelm.
Aquarius January 20-February 18
Give yourself permission to spend as much time as possible simply having fun, and don’t worry about what has to be done later. Simply relax and allow yourself to be restored and replenished.
Pisces February 19-March 20
You can approach an old attitude through a new perspective and heal the situation, but to do so you have to give up a treasured position. Give letting go a chance and you may be pleasantly surprised by the outcome.