Sagittarius in 2009

“We must not believe the many, who say that only free people ought to be educated, but we should rather believe the philosophers who say that only the educated are free.” Epictetus

One of the traits of Sagittarius can be procrastination, and that’s what happened to me while trying to write this segment. Although it seems to be procrastination in the eyes of others, what actually happens is that something or many other things catches Sag’s attention and veers him off course. He eventually shows up and does what he intended to do in the first place, but putting pressure on him will only delay him further. (I’ve been informed by a reliable Sag source that this procrastination trait can be overcome with age.) Sag is mutable fire – the flying sparks from our burning bonfire. Aries lit the fire with its rush of flame, Leo’s coals keep it burning, and Sag’s sparks fly off into the ethers searching for new sources of fuel. I’ve been fortunate to have two Sags close to me for my whole life – my sister and my cousin. Both of them moved away from our home town when they were young -- one eventually ended up in the Big Apple and the other in Toronto, Canada. They both travel in one year more than I travel in five, and they never tire of seeing new places. Sag is the sign of expanding horizons – be they foreign countries, higher education, religious ideals, foreign people or the pursuit of justice. He is straightforward in his communication – he doesn’t sugar coat things and doesn’t hide behind lies. Jupiter is associated with Sag and it creates the need for expansion, so Sag is always looking to broaden his horizons. Being tied down is difficult for Sag, and unless he can find a partner that keeps up with him but also gives him space, he may choose not to have a partner at all.

Mid to late Sag’s will be feeling the effects of the Saturn/Uranus opposition off and on until the end of April 2010. Just like the world we live in, Sag will be aware of the need to break away from the status quo and create a radically different reality. If he’s not conscious about it, that new reality may be thrust upon him suddenly. Situations that create feelings of dread (like a job you hate) may suddenly disappear if you don’t consciously make changes. Because Saturn is moving backward right now and Uranus, forward, the intensity of this configuration will soften until these planets move back into exact opposition next April. Now is the time to examine your life and attempt to make changes in the areas that you know in your heart aren’t good for you. It will be easier if you take the steps to make change than if change is thrust upon you, but some of us need a push that forces us to make a change (and then complain that it was against our will).

Early Sags have already felt the influence of Saturn and Uranus and their lives are settling down into more of a routine, but for those born after about the 7th of December, if you don’t slow down when you start to feel stretched too thin, you could experience health problems. If you feel the need to slow down, listen to yourself.

Jupiter transiting in Aquarius is a fortunate aspect for Sag. New avenues of exploration and opportunities to pursue them will be presented. Jupiter stays in Aquarius until January 2010, so traveling, education, learning more about computers and the internet, Astrology, and new inventions will be a good outlet for Sag this year. Since Jupiter is in an easy aspect, overdoing anything shouldn’t be a problem.

In December, Sags born around December 16 will feel the effects of a conjunction of Jupiter and Neptune. These planets together can bring an abundance of idealism into your life. Deep spiritual experiences or profound religious truths may be encountered, changing your reality. On the other hand, be cautious about the effects of drugs during this timeframe, and don’t allow yourself to be carried away by fantasies about what could be. Although this will be a great time to formulate your dreams of the future, it would help if you had someone near, like a good solid Taurus, with whom to discuss your ideas before you act on them.

Temperance, the card associated with Sagittarius in the Tarot deck, has a picture of an angel standing with one foot on the solid ground of physical experience and one in the waters of emotion, pouring what appears to be water from one vessel to another. Temperance here relates to the blending of ingredients in the correct amounts to create harmony and balance. Aleister Crowley calls this card “Alchemy,” which is a process of taking unrelated elements and creating another which is very valuable. In spiritual matters, that alchemy refers to transmuting lower elements into higher ones, moving our being to higher levels of spirituality. Sag spends his life gathering knowledge – through higher education, philosophy, traveling to new and exotic locales, and heated discussions with others in the pursuit of wisdom. All of this experience allows Sag to weigh and measure his experience and find the right path to walk in any situation – his tao. With Sag’s accumulated wisdom, he can be the Judge, finding mediation within diversity. In a seemingly irreconcilable situation, his accumulated experience and wisdom are available for blending and creating something of great personal worth. Turn to your accumulated wisdom, Sag, when the road is the darkest. The answer already lies within you.