The Battle of the Bulge

The Fertility of Failure

 

Saturn and Achievement

You probably know about Saturn ... restrictions, frustrations, self consciousness and criticism, inner recognition of talent, and the relentless failures that create obstacles to achievement in that sector of life. One hurdle begets another. But for Saturn, failure is a treasure chest that holds the key to solid and enduring success, after trial, error, correction, and perfection.

Saturn delivers rewards only after sustained effort. We're taught that failure is an embarrassment, an invalidation of self, and a blight on one's character, none of which is necessarily true. Not succeeding at a desired goal can merely be a step to higher achievement as a result of working more and improving skills, and waiting until technique is honed to its best productive level.

Frequently failure leads to studying what's wrong, and sometimes this educational nugget is sewn into the fabric of a venture from the start to make sure it doesn't work out. It's only meant to be a step in the direction toward satisfactory achievement, especially if one aims high. The obstacles provide information, direction, and insurance for the future. In that case, failure comes as a relief so one can move on.

I think one secret of a good life is seeing the value in these blocks as an individual progresses, learning not to perceive them as personal flaws, but another day in mastering the tied shoe lace. I'm sure you remember trying over and over to accomplish a feat, even getting to the point of despairing and giving up, but then the magic moment comes and it all clicks into place bringing pride and jubilation.

Saturn can't function without setbacks and disappointment. Much of what is finally produced by the entity rests on the full acceptance of this state of affairs, wherein ideas are formulated and edited and practice is performed until evidence of expertise is tangible. Within failure lies solid confidence, when you realize how good you've become regardless of others' opinions. The aim is to find self validation and then you're ready for presentation in the world with accompanying success. Saturn provides a framework of support while you work on inner development until ready to emerge. Then the restricting barrier comes down.

And so it is for the United States and her Pluto return in Saturn ruled Capricorn. Failure is becoming a familiar phenomenon in American politics as a frustrating paralysis has gripped the governmental processes. After the previous administration hopes were extremely high that the nation's troubles were over when the term ended and the new exciting person took charge. Of course people hoped for quick redemption and better times, but considering the cumulative number of flaws in the system, an acceptance of the country's mistakes will probably be required with no magic bailouts, no shortcuts through enchanted woods, and no magic saviors, even with Neptune in Pisces.

The moist enchanted woods are actually a good symbol for the rich aromatic fertile soil that gives birth to growth with Saturn, especially with Pluto's love of useful decay. And in decay is where our system is. It's no wonder that the chaotic patchwork efforts to piece it together are failing noticeably. So noticeable, in fact, that even the medicated and/or distracted masses are perceiving the absence of success. A very good sign. If the failure is so potent as to penetrate the thick cloud around the American people's cognition, then who knows what could happen? In time. It seems like the fall has been stepped up lately and I think that's also a good sign. With a Saturn return just completed, we're opening a new phase in our destined acquisition of justice and equality through many more challenging encounters. One must always remember, that with Saturn, these prizes must be earned. It's impossible to determine when intellectual ideals match group evolution. The ideals always have to be a step ahead, don't they? So acceptance of the failure to reach them could turn attention to the progress already made and what needs to be done to get to the next level.With Saturn returning to natal Saturn in Libra the phenomenally uncivilized discourse dominating the public arena was impossible to miss. Shocking comments often crossing the border into obscenity have become accepted routine and the infantile name-calling from everywhere keeps sending us further into the dark ages of verbal sharing. If you read speeches from history you can see the decline and it's possible that the descent into barbaric communication has a purpose. Education is also in decline and other factors are combining to bring collective attention to the improvement necessary in order to fulfill the Libran destiny. Libra is one on one and I've always had a theory that the two party system the country favors is the path to learning how to carry on high minded debate and eventual cooperation. Sometimes the opposite is one step to the goal. Language changes as history progresses but the urge to come to productive agreement remains. We really do want to work it out, don't we? We do really like one another, do we not?

Interestingly, the presidential debates this year had a curious combination of civilized exchange and boorish childish outbursts. Bodies were twitching, but a few ideas did actually penetrate the barrier separating the eager listener/students and the frightened ego driven maniacal performers. Truth was evasive inasmuch as it ever honestly wants to be revealed. Glimmers will suffice.

Dreams of an economic promised land for all citizens has diminished markedly and the widening gap between the haves and have-nots seems destined to continue until resolution looms into view. Perhaps the lowered standard of living is exactly what's indicated for numerous reasons, one being the preservation of what we've got left on a finite earth. The psychological health of a population content with what it has instead of grasping and growing every millisecond of the day could be a major payoff after the contraction and failure of Saturn is complete. Of course you know that will take plenty of time in Saturn's slow and steady way.

The failures in the Middle East seem poised to continue and even escalate and these too could be instructive in terms of rerouting the country from her military expansion. Internal conflict with its high level of violence and bursting prison system at home has been neglected in favor of murder elsewhere. I "fail" to see how we can continue on this path and expect a healthy society. But for now, the realities are coming into focus with potential deterioration before repair.

 The grand experiment in creative democracy that started in 1776 has not met its mark quite yet, and a good look at why might help, in case any are still looking for an ideal. With Pluto returning in Capricorn it could seem at first that the failure is profound, and with that understanding some degree of hopelessness can be expected on and off. Exposing the depth of it is probably preferable to covering it up and that takes practice. People who point it out might be shunned since ideas about fixing the systemic failure haven't been fully formulated yet. But listening carefully, as painful as it might be, hopefully will be the choice. Increased governmental control is not the answer given its current state, nor is absence of government considering the helplessness of the body politic. Smaller government, bigger government, it makes no difference when the entity is faulty. Working with the discomfort of Saturn is a virtual guarantee that intelligent use of the time will eventually reap productive results from failure's fertile ground. Theoretically speaking.

Dancers and Tycoons

 

Pluto in Capricorn square Uranus in Aries

I understand there is a war against women underway, being waged by rich white men of the Republican persuasion. I'm also aware of the eternal (so far) battle between the sexes with women often identified as the weaker sex. My own experience has pointed to unnamed conflicts within all people that frequently find a hook in the victim-perpetrator dynamic played out continually in personal relationships. The war is ongoing, and those humans who are wise enough to pursue inner peace through negotiations with their warring selves are sometimes fortunate enough to get off the treadmill and find reason not to blame others for their frustrations and failures. Societal injustice does, of course, figure in, but the problem with focusing too intently on outer circumstance is that the chances for correction are slimmer. Dismantling a patriarchy is not an easy task if possible at all. It's much more difficult to change everybody else than it is to adapt and adjust within the individual self. But you know that. In some societies the overt oppression of women is hard to witness, but the United States has been friendly to female advancement in many ways despite some traditional impediments that fluctuate like all societal trends normally do. 
A precedent was established in the beginning when settlers came out west and women were often left to fend for themselves when their burly husbands got an arrow through the heart or never returned from a wild night on the town. Some simply dropped dead in the corn field since quadruple bypass was unavailable at the time. Fend they did, those women, setting the example of fortitude, resourcefulness, and self reliance, and they developed considerable skill at self defense. Some of them even chose not to marry again, even though it was easy to do so with the preponderance of men who needed a cook, a warm body, and someone to make the cabin curtains. They chose rather to brave the elements alone, fiercely guarding their hard won independence. These memories are within the collective female psyche to this day.

When Uranus touches the Moon and/or Venus, the traditional expressions of femaleness can be rerouted and the female biological role comes into question. A rejection of the role is often unacceptable to society and it poses a threat to the propagation of the species, but it's up to the woman herself to stick to her chosen alternative path. Femininity doesn't always have the "normal" outlet with Uranus, which sometimes leads to very creative results.

Well, now Uranus is tampering with USA Venus in Cancer (moon), as is Pluto. The Pluto-Uranus square is on US Jupiter in Cancer. Uranus in Aries (war) is pushing women to thoughts of independence and personal achievement even if rebellion is required. Pluto in Capricorn is bringing in urges to forge ahead in the outer world away from the protection and sanctity of the home. This is the perfect storm of inner tension involved in this so called war, regardless of what some man, or all men, are doing, be they Democrats or Republicans. Or Communists. The arbitrary divisions assigned to political parties are not as clear cut as many believe. The intelligent Democrat with its heart open wide pouring out infinite love is food for cartoons. The mean spirited  Republican wishing to return to a dark and evil age need not travel at all. That age is the present and always is in one way or another. Recognizing the source of the conflict helps enable resolution of the problem. The fatal flaws of the time are often blamed on a manufactured enemy. The source of oppression, real as it is, can often elude rational recognition. So ages vacillate between enlightenment and darkness apparently on a trajectory of their own.

Stay at home mothers are now pariahs bringing a new twist, especially since career pursuits have not borne fruit as hoped and career mothers are particularly conflicted. A woman can cry in pain and despair with hatred toward Republicans and all assorted enemies, but it distorts the picture and clouds pathways to personal fulfillment. She can hate men all she wants, and I admit that for some women it is an enjoyable sport. Or she can align with males and pick up some knowledge. I've found men to be supportive of and often inspired by women's power. They sometimes take pride in facilitating that development and sponsor them on their rise. Another player in the competitive game is always fun for them, especially pretty and pert tycoons. It's up to women to pick these educational specimens and walk away from the troublesome ones that might restrain them and try to hold then down. It's a wide world. Instead of a liability, a smart woman can turn her perceived disadvantage into an opportunity.


The last time Uranus was in Aries,  from 1927 to 1934, women kicked themselves free while Pluto was in Cancer disrupting their security at home. Life made them restless, and they broke out in wild dancing, smoking cigarettes, drinking spirits with the guys, gambling, cutting their hair, and breaking the confines of femininity in many ways. The flapper was the symbol of the modern unconventional woman.

 

Coco Chanel initiated a fashion revolution in the 1920s that liberated women from their corsets in favor of soft stretchy fabric that breathed and moved, and some outfits that took on a masculine character. She came from nothing and created a huge business empire, never marrying and consciously refusing to be shackled by societal norms. The changes in clothing took the nation by storm and women were unleashed, free to do what they wanted and shake up the world. (Uranus in Aries)

They wanted to be different, to announce their departure from the Gibson Girl's morals. So they smoked. Something only men had done previously. Their parents were shocked.

"I was sure my girls had never experimented with a hip-pocket flask, flirted with other women's husbands, or smoked cigarettes. My wife entertained the same smug delusion, and was saying something like that out loud at the dinner table one day. And then she began to talk about other girls.'They tell me that that Purvis girl has cigarette parties at her home,' remarked my wife.
She was saying it for the benefit of Elizabeth, who runs somewhat with the Purvis girl. Elizabeth was regarding her mother with curious eyes. She made no reply to her mother, but turning to me, right there at the table, she said: 'Dad, let's see your cigarettes.'
Without the slightest suspicion of what was forthcoming, I threw Elizabeth my cigarettes. She withdrew a fag from the package, tapped it on the back of her left hand, inserted it between her lips, reached over and took my lighted cigarette from my mouth, lit her own cigarette and blew airy rings toward the ceiling.
My wife nearly fell out of her chair, and I might have fallen out of mine if I hadn't been momentarily stunned."

.
The trends follow social and political conditions, not oppression of one group over another, although that might be a symptom. The historical facts in the time of the flappers and the last Uranus in Aries transit are interesting.

"Before the start of World War I, the Gibson Girl was the rage. Inspired by Charles Dana Gibson's drawings, the Gibson Girl wore her long hair loosely on top of her head and wore a long straight skirt and a shirt with a high collar. She was feminine but also broke through several gender barriers for her attire allowed her to participate in sports, including golf, roller skating, and bicycling.
Then World War I started. The young men of the world were being used as cannon fodder for an older generation's ideals and mistakes. The attrition rate in the trenches left few with the hope that they would survive long enough to return home. They found themselves inflicted with an 'eat-drink-and-be-merry-for-tomorrow-we-die spirit.'  Far away from the society that raised them and faced with the reality of death, many searched (and found) extreme life experiences before they entered the battlefield.
When the war was over, the survivors went home and the world tried to return to normalcy. Unfortunately, settling down in peacetime proved more difficult than expected. During the war, the boys had fought against both the enemy and death in far away lands; the girls had bought into the patriotic fervor and aggressively entered the workforce. During the war, both the boys and the girls of this generation had broken out of society's structure; they found it very difficult to return.

They found themselves expected to settle down into the humdrum routine of American life as if nothing had happened, to accept the moral dicta of elders who seemed to them still to be living in a Pollyanna land of rosy ideals which the war had killed for them. They couldn't do it, and they very disrespectfully said so.

Women were just as anxious as the men to avoid returning to society's rules and roles after the war. In the age of the Gibson Girl, young women did not date, they waited until a proper young man formally paid her interest with suitable intentions (i.e. marriage). However, nearly a whole generation of young men had died in the war, leaving nearly a whole generation of young women without possible suitors. Young women decided that they were not willing to waste away their young lives waiting idly for spinsterhood; they were going to enjoy life.
The 'Younger Generation' was breaking away from the old set of values."


I grew up in a progressive environment during the wave of women's liberation in the 1960s. Brassieres were burned and nipples burst free. It was uncomfortable in ways in its disturbing newness. Women sang meaningful songs about life and wore work clothes and nonsexy flat  shoes. They charged into the world of men and rose to the top of professional ladders only to regret what they'd sacrificed to get there. They discovered what it's like to play unethical games which are a requirement in the high powered business world. They suffered. They then struggled to marry the traditional female roles with professional ones eventually mimicking the ills of manhood with rising levels of heart disease and other such side effects. They smoked their way into lung cancer and finally into psychological depression, feeling possibly even more thwarted than they originally did. Naturally, they blamed the men.

Then a strange thing happened. The big retrograde. Nipples were covered again and now a woman can't purchase a bra without protective padding. Cleavage made a huge comeback, though, and high heels shot up inches beyond where they were before. Women are hobbled once again. Voices returned to Betty Boopness, a sign of repressed sexuality. Then hemlines traveled back up to the crotch further inhibiting freedom of movement, but maybe I'm getting a little too technical here. Suffice it to say, that a certain regression has occurred. Why? The vicissitudes of life I suppose. Or the pullback before the next wave of freedom. It's always a matter of contrast and progression is circular it seems. One always returns to square one.

Now what? Women are on a threshold with more choice than ever, and maybe the terror of that freedom is making them a little crazy. What is the nature of the new liberating force? Can they return to traditional female roles without censure? Are not the women themselves holding each other back with the current wave of public criticism and emotional violence? Cat fighting is enjoying a resurgence which contradicts feminism as I understand it. The women's rights activists are extremely strident but the cause is unclear, other than to publicly eviscerate and humiliate women they don't care for. If there is a sisterhood, what form does it take? And maybe Uranus in Aries is freeing women from the sisterhood itself, allowing them to cut a completely unique and independent path, allowing their distrust of other women to freely exist without guilt. Perhaps our daughters will inherit greater freedom and find the road to self respect and power which will translate into societal admiration and whatever paycheck they want, big or small. Or none. Maybe they can get their feet out of the hobbles.

There's always Pluto in Aries coming right up. That could influence the course of events. At any rate, I'll not panic until Uranus gets through Aries. But I'm  a cheat -- an Aries rising with Mars square Uranus. It's old hat. Men, women, mothers, fathers, they're all complicit. God is too, I think. Jesus seems to be off the hook. He's a strange sort of guy.

Anyway, back in the olden days, women were involved in wars, literally, but the difference then is that they were not in the role of victim. They smartly took advantage of the greater war to charge into the battlefields of their choosing, armed with flasks and cigarettes. Ready for freedom.

Upward Bound

  

In a moment of "coincidence" the Planet Earth Balloon appeared at the Rocky Mountain Airshow on Friday. Built by Doug Grimes and Patty Lewis, the balloon consists of 436 individually digitally printed panels of images from the Blue Marble Earth photographs taken by the crew of Apollo 17 in 1972. Those were heady days for the space travelers of our time. In a moment when my country has fallen into a nasty pit of emotional excess, hatred, and personal destruction, I was inspired and relieved to have my attention drawn to the outer possibilities and the aspirations of humankind.

With the moon in Sagittarius passing the North Node just leaving Sagittarius, it's no surprise that our attention has been directed to the outer dimensions as we recall one of our country's greatest achievements. I am particularly drawn to the statement made by Mitt Romney concerning the death of Neil Armstrong.

The moon will miss its first son of earth. 

Many of us are coming to grips with our decisions about the next president of the United States. There are pros and cons on both sides, but it's a fact that Governor Mitt Romney is not well known and he is mostly misrepresented. Should he be elected, it's not as scary a proposition as some might think. Far from being a felon, cheat, murderer, vulture, and vampire he is thought by many to be a man of outstanding moral character. I know not. It's hard for me to judge. But here is a testimony from someone who knows him, so anything that allays fear is good in my opinion. Trust doesn't come easily, but in the end, it springs from within.

http://mittromneycentral.com/2012/08/26/the-mitt-romney-we-know-private-observation/#more-67752

It doesn't matter who wins. It will work out either way. We have Mars to land on next.

Current Events

Eat, drink, dance, and be merry.

The Grande Dame of Fire

It's fascinating to take in the great diversity of opinion surrounding public figures. I  think we see what serves our personal identification purposes from day to day, and we project images of individuals we wish we could have in relationship. Our fantasy friends and lovers. And of course we sling hatred when we find obstruction in our real everyday connections or have an unusually high level on the self-loathing meter. The crucifixion of the Romneys is particularly interesting and perhaps it's the balancing part of last election's excess. Somehow they've become a convenient receptacle for the country's rage. The favorability puzzle. This forlorn country can't figure out who it likes. It likes hating the Romneys.

Before I knew anything, my unschooled reaction to Ann Romney was instantaneous and strong.  Her bold and direct style with no girlish trills, giggles, or apologies made an immediate impression. I was not surprised to discover that she is an Aries. I really got confirmation of my impressions when I saw that she has Mercury, Venus, Mars, and the North Node in Aries as well. A moon in Sagittarius adds to the heat along with Saturn and Pluto in Leo. Pow!!! A grand fire trine to beat all. Except mine.

Aries women are known to be father dominated and true to Aries, Ann was close to hers, but also extremely defiant. From the beginning this woman was determined to do things her own way.  Raised with Welsh Congregationalists, her father had become strongly opposed to all organized religion, although upon her request the family very occasionally attended church, and she nominally identified as an Episcopalian. When Ann decided to join the LDS church, Dad was not pleased. Of course, she went ahead, and chose George Romney as her guide through the process. The moon in Sagittarius speaks of religious longing and a personal connection to the godfigure.

She and Mitt were afraid to tell their parents about their marriage plans fearing opposition, which they did encounter, but she forged ahead on that plan as well.

Then she decided to build a large family and her parents freaked. She forged ahead and told them if they caused any trouble she wouldn't let them see their grandchildren. Naturally Ann Romney got her way once again.

When Mitt was thinking about a second run for the presidency, the boys objected, he was reluctant, but Ann laid down the law and you now see the result. She has a habit of refusing to let men get in her way. Aries people are headstrong crusading types who are oblivious to impediment. They plow through convinced that they are right. "I can beat anybody at his own game" is the phenomenon I apply to them.

The absence of water in Ann's chart compels her to develop her sympathetic nature as compensation. You often see this when an element is lacking. Mrs. Romney is known for helping women in their times of trouble. She's the best friend a person could have and many lay claim to that distinction. The fire trine is built for inspiration, and the Sag moon is a point of emotional generosity and humor, the point Ann dips from in growing the compassion that is so important to her. The fire energy is one of laughter and good times. And very high expectations. Larger than life, if you will. Well, larger than ordinary life. The joy she's so fond of is a Sagittarian necessity.

Aries women are also known to be champions of women's rights, not always in the traditional sense. Since men adore them, and they often marry just out of high school, they tend to enjoy the company of men and consider them their equals. With a husband and five sons, Ann Romney fits that description. But her unwavering support of other women tells more about her loyalties, especially when her friends are weak and in need of vitality. Aries often comes to the aid of struggling creatures of any kind. The moon in Sagittarius loves to come to the rescue, straightening everyone out whether he wants it or not. The "you should, you need to" factor.

Neptune in Libra opposes the Aries planets adding romance and glamour to her persona, plus idealism, confusion, and goddessness. Sensitivity and talent for compassion are also there. Mitt totally idolizes her. A lot of people do. Jupiter in Aquarius and Uranus in Gemini round out the air planets. Fire/air people are often vivacious, social, curious, and highly fun loving. Leadership comes naturally to them.

But she often speaks of the darkness she encountered when she got sick and she even got so weak that she lost control of her bodily functions, not an easy situation for an Aries, who likes to show the world how together she is. How tough and never in need of help. Notice how she has difficulty even saying the word "help" in the interview. Perhaps the Libra Neptune was a way to balance all the fire and lead her through a more gloomy passage. She seems to appreciate what she gained in that dark place, and true to Aries, it was no one's fault. It was her individual destiny. A chance to learn something about helplessness and humility, not known fire traits. And, of course, the opportunity to test her Aries might against an obstacle. A chance to win.

Aries frequently prefer the company of animals to people, much to her husband's chagrin. It is no mystery why Ann loves horses so much, especially with a moon in Sagittarius. The fire planets also point to a person with athletic skill. Sports serve to release the excess that can be problematic for these overheated types.

Zip Dobyns once told me that people with grand fire trines are often criminals or gurus. It's funny. I can easily imagine Ann Romney being a huge hit on the inspirational speaker circuit. She longs for the spotlight with her Saturn at 29 Leo, but that placement also indicates terror of the audience and the native doesn't get comfortable in the limelight until later in life. They wait in the wings until their turn comes, and I think Ann's moment might be here. Uranus is crossing her Aries stellium unleashing her strength and will. She could very well upstage some of the other lights, hackneyed as they've become, with her easy, subtle, relaxed confidence. One has to actually pay attention to hear her. The public seems primed to appreciate her and it will be interesting to see how she blossoms. The self knowledge she's gained through her experiences should come in handy.


Anyone who gets close to Ann Romney cannot resist absorbing some of the potency spilling out of her. You can see that in reporters' faces sometimes as they sort of sit there stunned and blinking for a moment unable to speak when the interview ends. She's not like the others. I was struck by the respect Dr. Siegal was showing Ann, and I found this interview to be a wonderful example of dignified behavior. Good chemistry. Ann is just a stay at home mom, so they say, but this proud Aries can hold her own with the professionals. And probably the gurus and criminals, too.

Should  the United States' destiny include Ann Romney as First Lady, I would expect a sort of royal presence in the White House with inspiration provided for women and attention paid to the challenges of living with long term illnesses. A return to Capricorn elegance would most likely occur. She uses alternative treatments and that, too, could be an addition to our health care bubbling stew pot. She wears her aging face beautifully which will be an inspiration to the gargantuan group of not so young ladies living in this youth centered society. They can barely afford their cosmetic surgery anymore, let alone their joint replacements. If she decides to defy a man again, it could be the president of the United States, and I really wouldn't put it past her.

Down to the Son

Big Daddy

"In ancient Roman myth, Saturn was a major god presiding over agriculture and the harvest time. Saturn's wife was Ops (the Roman equivalent of Rhea) and Saturn was the father of Ceres, Jupiter, Veritas, Pluto, Neptune, and Juno, among others. He was identified in classical antiquity with the Greek deity Cronus, and the mythologies of the two gods are commonly mixed. In Hesiod's Theogony, a mythological account of the creation of the universe and Zeus' rise to power, Cronus is mentioned as the son of Uranus (the Greek equivalent of Roman Caelus), the heavens, and Gaia (the Greek equivalent of Terra), the earth. Hesiod is an early Greek poet and rhapsode, who presumably lived around 700 BC.

According to the story, Cronus seizes power, castrating and overthrowing his father Uranus. However, it was foretold that one day a mighty son of Cronus would in turn overthrow him, and Cronus devoured all of his children when they were born to prevent this. Cronus's wife, Rhea, hid her sixth child, Zeus, on the island of Crete, and offered Cronus a large stone wrapped in swaddling clothes in his place; Cronus promptly devoured it. Zeus later overthrew Cronus and the other Titans, becoming the new supreme ruler of the cosmos."

This classic tale of father and child exists in all of our personal heroic journeys, but there is no better example of the story than in the chart of Mitt Romney, currently running for president of the United States.  Wherever Pluto sits in the chart, the native experiences fear for his survival and it becomes extremely important to respond to the urges delineated by the configuration. When Pluto conjuncts Saturn, as it does in Mitt's chart, the desire to achieve great things is paramount -- to surpass the father, lest he devour him and end it all. The destructive nature of Pluto can work to sabotage the native's efforts and the climb to success can be very very difficult, even when apparent success comes easily. The achievement the man seeks is deep and hard to access. The fear of annihilation by authority figures underscores the native's life. At the same time the rise can be spectacular if the unconscious drives are overcome or utilized to the native's advantage. Saturn in the 4th house is a long hard search for emotional security. A home in an alien world. Often the man feels like an orphan, as if his family is not his own, and the bottom is about to give way. Romney's obsession with producing a large close family is evidence of this fear, but it is not enough. Pluto is like a bottomless well.

Just prior to Mitt's conception, his mother was told she would never have another child. Enter Mitt in his Uranian shocking way. So he really didn't belong with the family. He was just borrowing it you might conclude. He's not supposed to be here, but many Pisces don't fully incarnate and don't want to. One foot out the escape hatch for them. 

 

At the bottom of Mitt Romney's chart, straddling the 4th house cusp, sits Saturn and Pluto in Leo, forming the foundation of his life and the source of fuel for his high achievement.  The planets indicate a strict upbringing with a potent authoritarian hand poised above the child. Mitt was in awe of his father, a high achiever, himself, and the boy was immersed in the hierarchy of the Mormon church. Being in Leo, Mitt was reluctant to express himself, sensing negative repercussions from these powers that be. You can see that today in what has been labeled his stiff carriage, something many Leo Saturns are afflicted with. Painful shyness and fear of embarrassment. Saturn likes to calculate its moves, and in spontaneous Leo, the planet encounters much difficulty. It's also shown by his impeccable manners. The Leo child wants to be loved, so he'll do what he must rather than risk being abandoned forever left to fend for himself. Oddly, he has rebellious Uranus in his first house, so toeing the line was probably a cause of much inner turmoil, thus his notorious pranks. The discomfort with the family was worsened by Pluto, which put his survival even further into question if he disobeyed these looming authority figures. He's been forced to keep his power under wraps, illustrated by the potent planets all below the horizon.  "He's weak!" they cry. I chuckle, glad to be in the know.

In 1968, Mitt went on a church mission to France and in June of that year he drove off on a trip with some of its members. An oncoming car crashed into his and he was declared dead. The driver of the other car actually did die, and lo and behold, it was a priest. So authority and survival really became manifest at that moment. Uranus won that round along with his very very powerful moon-Jupiter conjunction in Scorpio. Up from the ashes of destruction. You see this repeated throughout his life as he rises from the dead over and over. "Is Mitt finally finished?" is the constant question. He brushes himself off, and moves on leaving the crowd scratching it's collective head encasing its pea brain. The man learns from these encounters with fate.

The experience in the country instilled in him a belief that life is fragile and that he needed seriousness of purpose. It also represented a crucible, after having been an indifferent Mormon growing up.  He spent several months recovering physically from the accident and turned to his faith for emotional healing. It was in his hospital bed that he vowed to make something of his life.


So it's not surprising that his awakening came on a religious mission. His run for president has that quality. People are mistaken when they categorize the man as simply one amassing wealth. That's hardly the aim, just part of his drive to outdo his father, and probably to relieve the overwhelming insecurity of the 4th house configuration. And it's done. The missionary zeal of Romney is more important, since his unusual arrival with his heavy Leo planets in the fourth portray a special child with a special purpose larger than that of the already highly ambitious family. The Pisces planets high above the horizon imbue his goals with spiritual urges. Of course, the Plutonian energies lead him to the 7th circle of hell, sometimes, all the more reason to transcend. The Moon-Jupiter conjunction in the 6th house of health and repair tell of his dips into Hades followed by intense purification rituals. His life seems to be a giant purification ritual. Sixth-eighth house (Virgo-Scorpio) contacts speak of crisis situations and alchemical transformations. Healing businesses, healing wives, healing countries. The monetary missionary.

In keeping with the Virgo-Scorpio crisis setup, when Mitt served as a bishop in his church he was exceptionally good at counseling people through their troubles, particularly their grief. He had a special entrance in his home where community members could come quietly and secretly under cover of the night. He received them whenever they needed him, and their stories were kept in the strictest confidence. I think he understands people's shame (Pluto) before a judgemental god of perfection so he respected the need for privacy. The hushed and dark scenes portray the qualities of Saturn-Pluto, deep in the most personal and private part of the chart, and the Scorpio 6th house reveals his need for service through shared emotional pain, and of course, the power of Saturnian authority in deep matters of living. The long suffering Pisces factor adds to his facility with therapy. From what I understand, these characteristics precede him in the workplace, which is why people love working with him. Since I'm not a witness there, I'm not sure, but the image of him as a vulture or vampire is possibly inaccurate. You never know with Scorpio. Sometimes people's secrets aren't evil. Sometimes evil isn't evil. Sometimes darkness serves as protection and a basis for revelations of a subconscious nature.

Mitt's father followed a similar path to the one the son is on now. He ran for president but failed, due to a gaffe no less. Or the truth. Pluto-Saturn with its tendency to sabotage and at the same time create a driving desire to advance, has got the younger in its grip now. Will the father devour the son, or will little Mitt triumph and slay the monster of self doubt that so many Leo Saturns are saddled with? Can he lay this story to rest once and for all? It will require the ultra intense focus and concentration of the Saturn-Pluto conjunction to achieve this. Annihilation stares at him around every corner but being a flexible and quick Gemini-Pisces, he escapes. The Gemini trickster combined with the Pisces shape shifter creates the ability to disappear. People from Massachusetts often say when I ask them about his governorship, "Oh. I didn't even know he was there. I never saw him."

The crowd hates Mitt Romney. People loved his father, and now he faces another so called lovable man threatening to keep him from the full solar radiance he craves. In some way his significance was lost in the strange family, and now he is motivated to achieve something extraordinary and find the self-validation suggested by Saturn-Pluto. Oh, to finally bask in the attention of an adoring public. But the hurdle of hate is a high one to overcome and his competition is stiff in the stage performance area. The taskmaster Saturn makes it hard to absorb the solar love of Leo. Venus is conjunct his midheaven in Aquarius, so you'd think public adoration would come easily to Mitt Romney, and in time it probably will. But it sits in opposition to the Saturn and Pluto, a testament to the force of these entities, creating the undertow that keeps pulling him down, urging him to hide in cocooned safety. When Saturn transits Scorpio next and goes into mutual reception with Pluto, crossing his Moon-Jupiter, things are bound to get interesting.

But beyond earthly recognition of skill and achievement, Pluto and Saturn turn the native inward to the real source of power. Who is this god and father the man has been led to respect, even worship, without question? Who decides what? Eventually the question mark arises, and the native can feel as though he's groping in the dark for guidance, kind of like our country at the moment. With the first Uranus-Pluto square, it looks like the citizenry has become shockingly aware of the absence of leadership. A good thing. Perhaps we can learn to be more discerning since the traditional political parties have become ugly caricatures incapable of providing solutions for the nation's problems or spawning any noticeable talent We're on our own, thankfully. We rule as a collective, regardless of what Dad decrees.

Mitt Romney's puzzle is especially interesting to me since I, too, have the Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Leo. I can easily separate myself from personal and political judgements because I'm learning a great deal by observing him. His stage fright has diminished markedly with practice and increasing success. He's learning how to control his high strung Uranus in Gemini that can get your heart flipping and mouth gaffing. I'm glued to my seat watching his confidence grow as he suffers the blows of repeated humiliations at the hands of his new authority -- the press and the public. And they certainly are harsh judges, with justice sometimes in question. All of this is designed to guide the native to his own source of judgement and self esteem. When he reaches that point, the outer criticism might reflect it, barring his fateful tendency to sabotage himself, perhaps with the almighty Gaffe of all Gaffes. "What's a gaffe for the goose, is a gaffe for the gander,"  he might say.

But it goes beyond me. All seekers can learn since his dilemma is a symbol of Pluto in Capricorn (Saturn) and our universal  conflicts with internal authoritative voices. Our search for eternal power, the endless battery. The Expert. The Wise One. The Final Word. We all have a Capricorn house that Pluto is traversing now. We have Saturns of our own and 10th houses unique to our destinies. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are bit players. Liking them or agreeing with them are unnecessary.  Mitt is lucky in that his Gemini persona with Uranus is trine his MC. No guarantees, but a good start, considering the burdensome conjunction at home.

Fortunately presidents are temporary. Our systems travel side by side independently, helping when possible, recovering from wounds when necessary. The current phenomenal rise of political Independents in this country is revealing. The results are forthcoming as people begin to value, and even prefer, their own observations and opinions without excessive group verification.

 The questions touch us all. What are our true goals in life? How are we sabotaging our successes? Are we willing to drop what we've done so far in order to align with our best talents and our individual callings? Are we wasting time in misguided endeavors? Are we ready to face honest evaluations of where we are now and where we think we should be going and what we should be doing? Who decides? Are we preparing to be our own bosses? Can we murder our fathers successfully and climb to the top of our chosen ladders? What if we get there and Daddy is waiting with open arms after all? Full of pride. What a joy.

If nothing else, Mitt Romney's path is an education, not surprising from a Gemini rising.

The big bonus, if fortune smiles on you and you find your inner guide, is that you no longer have to grasp and pull the future to you before its time. It bestows a unique sort of confidence. Born of the circles of hell, heavenly fathers notwithstanding.

Debt and the Centuries

The Pluto Return

The United States is deep in debt in many many ways. Pluto governs the masses and collective evolution, and with one complete revolution, a cycle comes to a close while a new one begins. Pluto also rules underworld activity and the repercussions of crime come full circle demanding response, with guilt, punishment, retribution, and sometimes exoneration, especially with Pluto in Capricorn. The purge and purification of Plutonian rituals can bring health and renewal, the cost often high demonstrating their great value. How the citizens get beneath the surface and to the root of their troubles remains to be seen, if, in fact, they do.

Pluto at 5 Capricorn is spending a lot of concentrated time opposite the degree of USA Jupiter at 5 Cancer. Extreme losses and gains can accompany this transit, with extravagance and grand gestures. Jackpots and bankruptcy. One and the same.
So now we stand before our rotting mound of accumulation as it comes crashing down. The leveling. Society's wealth shifts like weather patterns responding to pressure. It would be good, so it seems, to have an even distribution all the time, but it doesn't quite follow that pattern. It moves up to the top, then back down, then up, down, skipping around on a wave of its own while we try to catch up, furiously attempting to learn how life works. The logic escapes us but it exists, undulating in an invisible rhythm. It's covered.
An exceptionally massive movement of wealth away from the lower classes to the rich is occurring now, and I can only conclude that it's part and parcel of the Pluto return. How far it goes is still in question. A cosmic bonfire might be in order to address that mountain created by all of us in our orgy of consumption, that thus far, is still in progress.

The rich are trying to protect the loot they acquired when the casino was going at full tilt. Wouldn't you?
With Uranus about, their global stashes are getting shaky, like everything and everyone else. Plus Capricorn likes it lean. No matter how hard people try to hoard their riches, they have an uncanny way of staying in motion. I wonder who will be putting what under the mattress. Money is hot, I think. We need a physicist to explain it.

An attempt to privatize government is underway, including longstanding social programs designed for all people, thus further entrenching the model of profit as the greatest goal however ruthlessly achieved. The battle between government as protector of big business versus the agent of public good has been the battle of this country from the beginning. The government is now merged with corporate power to the point of the system's demise. Either the companies transform, or the stranglehold ceases. A combination might be the end result. The philosophy (Jupiter) of government and business (Capricorn) is a good thing to look at with the ongoing Pluto transit. And that's the good part of these times. With Saturn in Libra, this nation has a natural talent for productive debate. And with the North Node in Sagittarius for awhile I expect the discussion about governance to continue as people argue the issues of spending and taxation. The melodramatic, excruciatingly painful emotionalism of the conversation is only normal. It's our style. Nothing to be alarmed about. Pluto opposite Jupiter in Cancer is the perfect setup for these excesses. And everybody hates the taxman whether they admit it or not. They hate meter maids too.

When the first settlers colonized America they were sponsored by European companies that demanded a profit beyond the basics in an inhospitable environment. In order to deliver, the new arrivals cast the native inhabitants as subhuman below their deer and buffalo, which the ruthless entrepreneurs coveted. They continually broke the treaties they ceremoniously agreed to. They murdered who they could and ultimately herded the rest onto lands of their own choosing. They also imported slaves doing anything and everything to satisfy their sponsors' demands. Unethical behavior was woven into the cloth from the start. It was interesting, though, that the freedom loving transient trappers and traders often dealt honestly with the American indigenous people. Fair trade was in the weave as well. Good trade was there and still is.

When the country was officially born, the intellectual ideals of equality were written into the script, but the reality once again favored business and the wealthy. Through the years, public well-being was addressed in varying degrees, but business crept diligently to the top of the power structure repeatedly, while government knelt at the alter.

Then came the cracking of worldwide cultures who were manipulated into becoming indebted to our ever active entrepreneurs who wished to take ownership of their resources. The crimes committed in these ventures will seek to neutralize themselves as the wheel of fortune spins.

How deep in collective molecular structure is the need for servitude to corporate sponsorship considering the start of the nation? Is it the only way to feel secure? Are the citizens masterminding the continuation of the bond or are they ready to venture away from parental control? These are the questions that will be asked with Pluto returning to 27 Capricorn. But before that happens, the power the companies have will increase enough to create a genuine schism, if that's what the citizens truly want, if and when they are ready to take things into their own hands in an attempt to take charge. Maybe in the beginning, the only way to escape oppression was to make a contract with these future oppressors, and maybe a chance to accept the contract is presented now with the Pluto return as the citizens learn to take their fair share. Learn to see their contribution to the drama.

Where is the source of authority and oppression? Who-what is anyone required to serve? Where is the hand that feeds us? All of us. And what exactly do we owe that hand? What is the contract? Where and how can each of us pay off the debt? Who owes whom what? Who deserves what and who is the judge? Where is the source of our survival, nourishment, and growth?

With Pluto opposite Jupiter, the casino is buzzing. Considering Jupiter, the purveyor of luck, there's no way of knowing which way the cards will fall. But Jupiter itself is crossing Taurus, the mastermind of growth and good budgeting. If the house is having trouble achieving this, there is no reason individuals can't use the opportunity to balance their own accounts. The great scientist Michael Faraday figured it out when he discovered that mass is a constant. Money really doesn't disappear. It just changes form. It's always here. Same amount.

Eventually debt has to be paid, and neither the rich nor the poor are exempt from participating while this wheel of fortune completes its two and a half century revolution. Good trade. It starts small. Furs and beads.

Confusion like a gas pervades the paralysis while the crowd waits for the next cue. The next story. I mean, the next crisis. Where is the director? The traditional political game is ending and the Democratic-Republican nonsense is furiously winding down. The ordinary and familiar political roads are now blocked as Uranus in Aries leads society in new directions, still unknown. The radical nature of Uranus has brought about seemingly extreme behavior but it's the kick start of getting the group to move out of its depressed haze. Fairly soon, Uranus will move into Taurus and trine Pluto for seven years, a different ball of wax.

So now is the demolition. Trying to salvage the government in its current form would likely lead to failure. Joe Schmo for President won't cut it. If Pluto intends to help build a structure more suitable to the times, then there is no way of circumventing this uncertain phase, and there is no way in hell that any of these public figures will have a solution. Revolving jackasses on the midway in this carnival of suckers. Step right up and give them your spare billion.

We're on our own, the lesson of Aries-Capricorn. If the destruction is allowed to proceed to completion, then we will all have a say when the reconstruction comes. When Pluto transited Cancer during the Depression, the people were uprooted, losing homes, watching their security get ravaged. But that worked out OK. They got new ones with at least three toilets, rich green lawns, three-four stories, levels split all over the place, neverending upgrades, oversize garages for the three or so vehicles, and storage for the infinite number of gadgets they could not live without. I'm looking forward to seeing what the new government is going to look like, at least in its infant stages. I wish I could stick around to see it to maturity, but you know.... St. Peter. That's assuming my debts are paid.

In the meantime, what can one do to sort of keep it together while the system flies apart? I'll give you some ideas in the next installment.

Beware! Myrtle Rae Has Words

Goddammit JM!

You're too sensitive to watch the cruelties of the world. S&M is not for you. You wouldn't even watch the monster movies with the rest of the kids when you were little. How many times do I have to tell you? You're definitely old enough to know better. As an Aries I can handle it, and you with your Aries ascendant might be tough one day, but your Mercury in Cancer with your Sun in the 4th is still bent on putting up a fuss.

I want you to maintain health and confidence, to lift up your voice, and to fully enjoy your life in these later years. Your talent is waiting patiently, holding its pleasure. They will be all right out there.

Happy Birthday Sweetheart! Zelda laid a special egg for you and it's fabulous. She won't shut up until you get it.

Magicians and Travelers

By quirk of fate, a few days ago I discovered a cinematic masterpiece called Bab'Aziz, the Prince Who Contemplated His Soul, by a Tunisian filmmaker named Nacer Khemir. The video above is an excerpt from the movie. I'm still in a trance. It is a beautiful film. A Sufi tale about love, grace, and mystical fulfillment.
A young girl and her blind grandfather, a dervish, set out across the desert to join a gathering of dervishes that meets once every thirty years. Each of the characters encountered is wandering alone seeking the invisible world in a different way, although they connect with others on and off as past and present are woven together with stories, poems, and songs. It is the child who seems to have been born enlightened. The film is an allegory and a meditation on our own mystical talents.

The demolition of the Democrats has been a difficult experience for many people but it is essential. The more complete the better to save further grief later on. Pluto is just beginning to get serious about destroying the power structure, so whichever party happened to be in control at this time was destined to get it.

Babies are interesting. As soon as they get control of their little hands they start arranging and rearranging everything they can. Their love of destruction is equal to their love of creation, and at first they can't tell the difference. The trouble comes later in the grand socialization. Still, demolition is natural and necessary.

Those who are still playing the partisan game are falling behind. The so called "stupid" people all across the country are beginning to grasp it. The tidal wave is in motion and no one can stop it, but it can be ridden with a certain amount of dexterity. And don't worry. The Republicans are going to get it, too, until the monster in the system is slain. The monster has been fed by all of us and now we have to deal with it.

The last two full Aries Moons triggered an arousal in the citizenry, soon to be put into effect when Uranus transits Aries. I think the hysteria of the 2008 election has now turned into outrage and that was one of its main purposes. Even though the Republicans are going to win this one the people are not electing them because they approve of them. They don't. They just feel they have no other choice and they're onto the whole group and their tricks while trying to flex political muscle. As a result of this election, no one knows who the enemy is. Or if there really is one. Something is senseless. One thing to be sure of -- the factions onstage now won't be the factions of the future. One thing leads to another. Fortunately. Threats are always exaggerated and are often divorced from reality, whatever that is.

The awakening of the people has not come easily and no one knows the details of the next phase. The power structures based on the financial delineations of our society have gone to extremes and the great thing about this election was the revelation of monetary obscenity and the overall unbearable ugliness and brutal behavior of the aspiring legislators, as well as many of the executives. It got to most everyone. So very destructive. No policy, no vision, no promise, and most of all, no leadership. But it's far too soon for reconstruction. Just let the truth lie bare for a moment.

In the movie, one of the themes was how lost all the seekers are in the endless desert dunes, but they know they are going to find their way. Just walk, says Bab'Aziz. You will arrive.
It reminds me of where we are now as a country, only beginning to adjust to being on our own. The two parties with the shape they're now in are incapable of wise leadership. We'll have to make do until we get together somehow collectively and start making good decisions. It might seem like we are lost, and on some levels we are. I doubt that the signposts are gone, though. We just have to look among the dunes. The reason I don't worry much is because I've always felt everyone's confusion. We're all lost and no one's in charge. I find comfort in that knowledge since I dare not give too much power to anyone at this juncture in our evolution. I don't expect anyone to save me from anyone else, anything, or myself. I'm safe enough.

I admire the baby's ability to gleefully destroy what she's methodically built. In a sense I think there could even be some joy in this political demolition. Of course, thumbs must come out of mouths so they can tinker with the erector set. And fingers must come out of ears. Shoot. I suppose that means me and my three sets of ear plugs.

Venus in Sugarland

Venus in Scorpio gets what she wants whether she wants it or not. There are no bounds to her desire nor to the ways in which this seductress operates.

Last Saturday night I sauntered into a health food store and there past the entrance was a golden curly-headed well made not too old, not too young man enthusiastically selling Vitamixes. My inner Jack LaLanne leapt out and I thought of my shimmering health and longevity while he offered to mix me a fruity concoction. In went grapes, cantaloupe, banana, pomegranate seeds, pineapple, oranges, and I think some apple while he talked about the Boulder know-it-alls he'd just encountered who were somewhat confused about nutrition in his educated opinion. The mega horse power machine did its job and the three old ladies in front of him (that would include me) were dazzled. We loved his juice.

But then something strange happened. In a sort of psychic trance that suddenly overcame him, he told me that another man was coming my way. One more. A great one. The One. My inner Jack immediately panicked at the thought of giving up my solitary pursuit of physical perfection. My venerated freedom. I don't need any more trouble. Besides, I thought I was becoming immune to fate at my advanced age. I chalked it up to Venus in Scorpio and the spook factor and decided to continue as is until further notice.

Venus in Scorpio can work in mysterious ways and now with Saturn in Libra, relationships are front and center for many people. I don't know about you, but the retrograde is bringing in friends from my past and fictitious ones in my future apparently. Venus in Scorpio goes for the gut, the deepest bonding possible, whereas Libra with controlling Saturn prefers a more airy detached form of relating without the emotional demands. By the time this ends I imagine relationships could be somewhat transformed in people's lives. New ones might develop, old ones might die, and current ones could change if necessary.

Scorpio likes to share pain and with Venus retrograde people might discover some relationships based on shared trauma losing their lure. Some love feeling helpful and included in other people's extreme experiences, but not altogether infrequently they discover that the help is ineffective and that the pain can become a drain. There can be difficultly when trying to extricate one's self from such entanglements but this transit might point the way as a few learn that the best form of help can on occasion be implemented by a departure from the relationship or a distancing. Saturn in Libra knows about balancing needs and this guidance can be of use. On the other hand, you might be newly involved in helping individuals through trauma bringing out the best in your character, as you'd like to see it.

Others might find themselves in relationships with envy and jealousy on the rise and here again, Saturn in Libra can be the arbiter of reasonable dealings when accusations, demands, and fits of poisonous vengeance rear up temporarily while people test the limits of their loved ones' loyalty. Forgiveness sometimes mysteriously disappears when Scorpio takes over, but conversely, in retrograde, it can be that old grudges are forgotten and renewal of long lost love comes about with pleasure and relief. Saturn in Libra can aid you in justifying your actions to your heart's content if excuses (explanations) must be made to lure the loved one back. Fair is fair despite Venus in Scorpio's attraction to suspense sometimes leading to quite far fetched suppositions. Evidence, baby. Solid evidence.

Then, of course, there is the proverbial soul mate with Venus in Scorpio, the threat of my mixmaster. Scorpio is fond of the me-and-you-against-the-world approach to relationship where a secret covenant is made between the lovers that excludes all others, unless of course Venus is interested in some games of jealously all geared to prove the strength of the original bond. Hopefully. I think many might question their bondage to groups that could be restricting involvement with broader circles and when Venus leaves Scorpio for Sagittarius in January, some expansion could be the result, especially with Jupiter and its large social connections getting a new start in Aries soon after.

Another Scorpio favorite is the female fight for dominance dating back to reproductive success so it's said. It's easy to see that now within these social clusters made especially noticeable with the burst of new ladies on the public stage. Venus. Yes. Who is the ????? of them all? Potency or something. Or who has the sharpest toes?
It's also interesting to point out the female bond that often underlies their relationships and even the women they supposedly hate often really represent something more complex. I won't say more on this fascinating subject at the moment but it deserves observation since the female political role is changing now in ways that are not fully understood. Pluto opposite US Venus and Neptune on the Moon are still in action.

With Uranus diligently rocking the boat and Mars tunneling deep into Scorpio, hell has broken loose again and the country is in turmoil with the Saturn return just around the bend. There are reasons for the mayhem. "It's the stupid, stupid." The mantra of the day. This hits below the belt. No one does well with insults denigrating the basics of their being.

The fans were all excited waiting to root for their team and discuss their favorite players but it hasn't quite worked out that way with this contest. Bigger things have dominated. It seems that society is tiring of the repetitive political rituals since their problems are getting unavoidable and they want something done by their leaders. Neither party has delivered. In fact, they've made it worse. Common citizens are weary watching the grandest theft in their lifetimes unfold before their eyes while they remain nonresponsive, not knowing what to do. Their votes seem to be the only thing they're holding and the scramble to possess them includes promises getting emptier and emptier while concocted threats mount. Emptying out, a good idea. It's all part of the destructive phase we've encountered and there's no stopping it. The Scorpionic demons demand annihilation. They want it.

But back to Venus. There's hope in the hopelessness. Here's a little story about Libra at its best.....

My husband had a 29 Libra Moon and he was the ultimate gentleman when he aimed to be. My brother, a Libra, had Venus in Scorpio squaring a Mars-Pluto conjunction and his appetites were sizable. My man was a sweet lover and he usually kept a half gallon of ice cream in the freezer. Once my brother came to visit and in the dark of the desert night he completely wiped out the cold sweet stuff. The kind gentleman, who intensely disliked my brother, silently went ahead and purchased another carton, then labeled it "ocean perch". That solved the problem since my brother, in spite of his hunger, has a wonderful sense of humor. The desired sugar was shared by all and our many combined Libra planets chuckled approvingly.

So while they eviscerate one another in their hunger out there, ordinary people can consider themselves safe if they choose, no matter who wins what battle. The contestants need the pain. Scorpio is unafraid to encounter the devils within since they dance together with the most sublime pleasures. The thing of real importance is the relationship of the individual to her own profound desires and quest for satisfaction, whether that includes specific relationships or not. If people do relate under this influence it can be more important than usual to reach this dimension of mutual experience. The retrograde takes the search away from forward motion so digging into internal mines for hidden riches is bound to bring reward. This could include a movement away from the outer circus to something more genuine and tailored to personal need. Some people are finding the public orgy troublesome at present and this provides the route to those inner treasure caves. Or at least some picking and choosing when following so many people who know not where they go? The best and the worst come out with Venus in Scorpio. And the sweetness can be thickly covered in gooey syrupy sensation. Don't get stuck! Venus in Scorpio wants it all.

Another man? C'mon Sugar. Let's do it.
Ice Cream Cavern: Will Cotton: oil on canvas