Aquarius in 2009

“To achieve the mood of a warrior is not a simple matter. It is a revolution. To regard the lion and the water rats and our fellow men as equals is a magnificent act of a warrior's spirit. It takes power to do that.” Carlos Castaneda

Aquarius, the Water Bearer, is the last fixed sign, this time in Air. The opposite of Leo, Aquarius is about impersonal love as opposed to personal love – a trait that can be confused for being cold and detached. He has a great ability to focus his mind, and he is the first to believe that science fiction can become science fact. Always ahead of his time, he has a reputation for being revolutionary, eccentric and for loving new electronic “toys.” Aquarians have played a large role in my life – my dad was an Aquarian and two of my close friends were Aquarians, one of whom has already passed on. My experience with them was that they were always surrounded by many people – family, friends and acquaintances. My dad had a large family and made friends with everyone – waitresses, co-workers, everyone he had contact with, and he had a smile and a joke for each of them. At home, he wasn’t as jovial all the time, but he always had that warm Leo heart that all Aquarians carry within them. One of my two close Aquarian friends introduced me to the world of fantasy fiction, and he is smart, witty and can become part of any group of people he finds himself among. He has forged a career using his tremendous creative abilities and has attracted a following based on his good taste and style. He, and my dad, always dressed impeccably, both on the conservative side – showing Saturn’s continuing influence on this sign that has been assigned to Uranus in modern times. Another friend, a woman, who passed on about three years ago, lived on the fringes of society from the time she was young, knowing she was gay at a very young age. She never hid it, except perhaps when she was in the service. She also was an impeccable dresser. Her pants, even jeans, always had a precise crease down the center. She was very involved in politics and her vision of the world opened my eyes to possibilities that never occurred to me before we’d have one of our “discussions” about our opposing views on current events. She liked to drink and wherever she’d hang out, everyone was her friend and knew her by name. Even the people in the grocery store knew who she was. Both of these friends had the habit of periodically completely rearranging their home – moving furniture, rehanging pictures, cleaning out closets – without any warning. They needed a change and the easiest way was to move things around in their environment, which is a lot less stressful than actually leaving and living somewhere else. All three were sticklers for organization, another trait from Saturn, and all three were leaders. And none of them would ever get lost in the crowd.

Neptune has been influencing Aquarius since 1998 and will remain in that sign until 2012. Right now, it is affecting those born in the latter part of the sign. Unbridled idealism should be reigned in because if it seems to be too good to be true, it probably is. Neptune dissolves the ego and that can leave Aquarius confused and disoriented, since this sign naturally has a large ego. Neptune also teaches us that there are higher powers at work in the universe, and this transit to those born in the latter part of Aquarius can get them in touch with a new world view. Creativity soars where Neptune touches the horoscope, allowing us to get in touch with visions of a higher vibration. Spiritual painters are in touch with Neptune when they create their mesmerizing artwork.

Jupiter, the expander, moved into Aquarius in January and will be in that sign almost the entire year, bringing good luck and protection to Aquarians. It can also bring weight gain, so if you are feeling frustrated, find someone to talk to instead of reaching for a bag of chips.

The other major planets, Saturn, Uranus and Pluto, are making somewhat stressful aspects to Aquarius – Saturn in Virgo is making an inconjunct (150º), and Uranus in Pisces and Pluto in Capricorn are making semi-sextiles (30º), creating tension between two completely different modes of being (inconjunct) and showing unnoticed opportunities between the two planets being aspected (semi-sextile).

The Star, the Tarot card associated with Aquarius, shows a naked woman pouring water out of two pitchers. One pitcher is pouring water onto the ground, the other into a pond. The water from the pitchers represents the balance of the conscious and unconscious mind, and the flow from the pitchers is the easy flow of creativity in Aquarius. Above her, seven small stars and one large star shine in the sky. The large star is the star of insight and healing. When this card appears, it is a beacon of hope, of brighter days to come, of uncontainable optimism. Aquarius contains within himself boundless reservoirs of creativity and intellect. Optimism and love for all of humanity and all living things is what sets Aquarius apart. When Aquarius loses touch with that part of him and becomes self-centered rather than community centered, he should send his mind soaring above the earth to that bright star and regain his perspective, spreading his love to Mother Earth and all who call her home.