Update and Mars/Saturn Energy This Week

I know it's been some time since you heard from me. I've been focusing on my employment, but will start updating my blog again soon.

If there are any astrological, tarot or other related subjects that you'd like me to write about, please send me an e-mail at fran@astralluminations.com.

Mars is applying to a square to Saturn today and will be exact on Monday, August 10, at 5:16 p.m. EDT. This energy is best used for getting difficult tasks out of the way -- and with Mars in Gemini square Saturn in Virgo, you may find that you will need to have mental discipline, which is available to you, but only if you apply yourself. If you don't want to be criticized, pay attention to the details. Squares always require work and with Saturn in Virgo involved, concentration and organization is necessary, along with the need to get things done quickly (Mars in Gemini). Try to avoid arguments under this influence. When this aspect is exact, the Moon will be in Aries, adding to the tendency to want to do things too fast. You may be inundated with work, so take your time and do the best job you're capable of.

Have a great week.

Carrie Prejean (Miss California) v. Saturn (a/k/a Donald Trump)

Astral Luminations by Fran Rosen. You remember Carrie Prejean. She came in second in the Miss USA pageant, allegedly because of anti-gay remarks she made during the contest, and she has now been stripped of her crown as Miss California for breach of contract by Donald Trump.

Caroline Michelle Prejean was born on May 13, 1987. Because I don’t have a birth time for her, her Moon is either in Scorpio or in the very early degrees of Sagittarius. Either placement will give her a Sun/Moon opposition, but considering her tenacity, sexiness, and the antagonism she has generated, I believe her Moon is most likely in Scorpio.

Carrie, an obstinate Taurus, initially retained her position as Miss California despite her public homophobic remarks and semi-nude photographs, probably because to Donald Trump, business comes first and having a little notoriety is nothing to be afraid of. Being a Gemini, he, in all probability, allows everyone their own belief system as long as it doesn’t interfere with his business interests. Eventually, however, Carrie did begin to interfere with his business interests when she stopped showing up for her contractual Miss California appearances and instead went to anti-gay rallies to speak. Then, his famous “you’re fired” line was used on her (albeit indirectly – I believe someone else actually did the firing).

She must irritate him a great deal. The Donald has Mars in Leo, which is nicely aspected in his chart, and he is used to getting his own way and most, if not all, of the attention. Then along comes little Miss California with her Sun and probably her Moon squaring his Mars, creating a tension filled fixed t-square to his Mars, increasing his aggression and challenging his ego. On top of that, her chatty Mars in Gemini sits right on his Sun. Initially, he was probably attracted to her, but then he may have started to perceive her as too pushy, and she probably communicated with him too much or was constantly bugging him about something. Eventually, his Mars (and his Saturn – see below) just had enough and fired her. The transiting Chiron/Neptune/Jupiter conjunction is exactly opposing Donald’s Mars now, adding stress to his life and challenging his ego, but also showing us his charitable side. He did give her more than one chance before the ax fell. (If you watched Celebrity Apprentice this season, you can appreciate the kind of energy his Mars was up against dealing with Joan Rivers and Annie Duke (a professional poker player). While all money went to charity, underhanded game playing was the theme of the season. At the same time, Saturn and Uranus were squaring his Moon (and his Sun). I can’t think of a more difficult way for those energies to manifest than having to deal with those two women at the same time! He did see through Annie Duke’s scheming ways and Joan Rivers won.)

In addition to all this irritation and Mars energy is Saturn’s influence. Saturn is the karmic taskmaster, the father figure, the urge to be the boss, to be organized, and to create something material. The Donald, with his massive real estate holdings and wealth, as well as his image as the boss on TV, is a larger than life Saturn figure. Carrie’s Saturn is in Sagittarius conjunct her Uranus right on top of his Sag Moon and that configuration opposes her Mars in Gemini on Donald’s Sun. These aspects challenged him, and she probably attempted to guilt him into allowing her to follow her belief systems to the detriment of his business interests through her holier than thou attitude. Donald Trump is a very Saturn in Cancer figure (Saturn/Venus conjunct in Cancer) – creating wealth and security as a means of support for his family is his major focus. At some level, she was challenging his security and his family, and he was having none of it.

Saturn conjunct Uranus in Sagittarius has very strong belief systems that are not within the mainstream (no matter what she thinks), and her Saturn appears to care more about what she thinks is right than it does about taking care of business. What may turn out to be fortunate for her (but not necessarily easy to deal with) is that as she gets older, when her Saturn/Uranus conjunction is activated, her beliefs will radically change, as will the circumstances of her business life, as we can see from events that happened on June 10th when Donald fired her.

On June 10th, the transiting Sun activated his Sun/Moon opposition and her Saturn/Uranus opposing Mars configuration connected to his Sun/Moon. Additionally, transiting Uranus exactly squared her natal Uranus, the planet of sudden and unexpected changes. This Uranus aspect also triggered her natal Saturn/Uranus conjunction, which had been active throughout the period of the Miss USA pageant up to the present, and was also a major influence in her firing. Plus, Donald’s Mars, already stressed by her personal planets, was triggered by a quincunx (stressful, sudden event aspect) from transiting Uranus, releasing the tension that had been building up from the t-square created to it by her Sun and Moon. Donald’s Sun/Moon opposition between Gemini and Sag has also been under attack from the transiting Saturn/Uranus opposition since fall, not helping his mood. His Saturn/Venus in Cancer ties his sense of security directly to his business interests, and he takes very personally any threat to his security. Because Carrie is so young, she hasn’t had her first Saturn return yet, but transiting Saturn is forming the last of three applying squares to her natal Saturn. Hopefully, she will learn her Saturn square lesson dealing with her religious views and attitudes as they relate to her business interests and security. Shortly after Saturn finishes squaring its natal place in her chart, it will square her natal Uranus, so the next few months will be very difficult and tension filled for her. This experience may turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to her, but only she will know that. I’m just glad I wasn’t in the room when Donald Trump lost his temper.

(For a news discussion of Ms. Prejean, see http://vodpod.com/watch/1613243-video-wtf-miss-california -- Keith Olbermann rocks!)

Goodbye Fire, Hello Earth – Venus and Mars From Aries to Taurus

By Fran Rosen. Venus in Aries (since February 2, except for a week back into Pisces), along with Mars in Aries (starting on April 22), has been creeping through my 12th house for what seems like forever. I am Taurus rising and Venus in Gemini is my chart’s ruler (in the 2nd, giving me even more Taurus-like characteristics), so I am always acutely aware of where Venus is and what she’s doing. Take it from me, these planets playing tag through my 12th house in Aries has not been my favorite placement, particularly since I’ve been trying to find new employment since being laid off before Thanksgiving. The cadent 12th house is all about your buried fears and insecurities, and it’s where you bind yourself and keep yourself captive. It’s a hidden house and when you’re trying to make yourself known, it’s like yelling out of a deep well attempting to get someone’s attention. Similar to the balsamic phase at the dark of the Moon, a planet transiting your 12th house is a time when you will find yourself reviewing how you’ve used that planet’s energy in the past, and what has worked and what hasn’t. It’s a time to make decisions about the direction you wish to move in, but you have to be patient because it will take the energy of the cardinal 1st house to create the movement and set you on your new path. On May 31, Mars will move into earthy Taurus (until July 11) and on June 6, Venus will follow (until July 5), and all I can say is hallelujah! Although it will take a few more weeks for these energies to cross my ascendant into my 1st house, they will activate my 1st house by sign. (Your 12th house will in most cases be ruled by the sign before your rising sign, but not always.)

Mars in Aries energy is about being innovative, wanting to explore new areas of life, and doing things your own way. Venus in Aries is about seeking out new social and sexual relationships, finding new ways to generate material income, and forging new personal values. These energies moving into Taurus are an indication that concrete manifestations and feelings of security in those areas will start to occur. We should also see some of the changes and new beginnings instituted by the U.S. government begin to have a real world effect. On the other hand, the fires of enthusiasm will be dampened somewhat by a Taurean reality check, which can be either good or bad, depending on what you have your heart set on (and with the Jupiter/Neptune conjunction going on right now in Aquarius, we all seriously need to do continuous reality checks). If you don’t have a lot of earth in your chart (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) or a strong Saturn, then I suggest that you get the perspective of one of your most practical friends or a practical member of your family about any plan of action you suspect may need toning down. That may help to shake off some of the fairy dust before the practicality of these planets in Taurus squaring the Jupiter/Neptune grand idealistic vision does it for you as we move through June.

The fiery passion of Aries will turn more possessive in Taurus. Time will slow down. You may feel like it’s harder to get moving in the morning, but Mars in Taurus brings a sustaining strength, so you may move slower, but your energy will last longer. If you’ve been frugal, this will be the time to make those sensible purchases that you’ve been putting off. Venus in Taurus is a great bargain hunter and the bargains should be out there.

The Sun moved out of Taurus and into Gemini last week, so people are back on the roads for the holiday. However, the active and energetic Sun in Gemini/Venus and Mars in Aries vibration we are experiencing now will slow down noticeably as soon as Mars goes into Taurus on the 31st, so if you have been putting off doing anything that should be taken care of quickly, try to get it done this week. Mars in Taurus will get it done, but it will get it done in its own time.

I hope everyone had a good Memorial Day weekend.

Sir Laurence Olivier

By Fran Rosen. On May 22, 1907, Sir Laurence Olivier was born when Jupiter was three minutes from an exact conjunction to Neptune at 10º of Cancer. Although Sir Laurence is known mainly as a world renowned actor, he was also a producer and director. As an actor, he relied upon his emotions to create believable characters, and with Jupiter and Neptune in the same degree of the emotional sign of Cancer, Sir Laurence was a master at creating intensely emotional portrayals. It is hard to forget the tormented longing of Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights, the anger of Hamlet or Mr. Darcy’s anguished but repressed emotion during the scene with Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice when he poorly expresses his love for her and is soundly rejected. Additionally, Sir Laurence was born with three planets, including the ruler of his chart (Mercury), in the 12th house, which also gave him the ability to tap into hidden reserves of emotion to portray characters on the stage and screen.

One of the things Sir Laurence is known for is as a founder of the Old Vic Theater in 1944 in London, which presented classical theater until 1949. He is also known for his classical Shakespearean roles. Those and other career choices were influenced by an opposition of his Jupiter/Neptune conjunction to a Mars/Uranus conjunction in the sign of Capricorn, with Uranus also ruling his 10th house of career. This Capricorn Mars/Uranus conjunction was ruled by his Saturn in Pisces, not necessarily an easy placement for the expression of emotion, but an indication that he built the structure of his life through the understanding of suffering and compassion. The sign Capricorn is representative of the desire to be socially acceptable and to gain recognition through working hard and never quitting. This sign moves one to act in ways that normally bring recognition through conformity, but Sir Laurence achieved that goal by doing it his way, which brings to mind Frank Sinatra’s song “My Way.” Being an actor is never a socially acceptable profession, but Sir Laurence was involved with classical theater and was knighted by the Queen, the epitome of social conformity and proof of the perfection of his art. A person with a Mars/Uranus conjunction in another sign would probably not have been knighted, or may have refused it, but it was important to his Capricorn planets to be recognized by the establishment and to accomplish his professional goals. Although he achieved the acceptance of high society by being knighted by the Queen, it may be that as a consequence of his need to do things his own way (which is also shown by his Sun and Mercury in the sign of Taurus), and the fact that he felt for a long time that films were inferior to the theater, and looked down his nose at method actors, that he was nominated for 11 Oscars, but won only once as Best Actor for Hamlet in 1948. He was, however, honored with numerous other awards, both British and American, as well as several Golden Globe awards, and an honorary Oscar in 1979 for his contribution to film. The placement of Pluto in his angular first house, the Jupiter/Neptune conjunction in his second house (involving his personal values with what characters he would portray or plays he would produce or direct), and his Mars/Uranus conjunction in the emotionally controlling and intense 8th house all added to his need to be in control of his career and for it to be financially profitable. These placements also added to his depth as a performer, as Pluto in the first house and planets in the 8th house demand that nothing be superficial, so every performance he gave was felt by his audience to the depths of their being.

Although Sir Laurence died in 1989, his body of work is still alive, and he is still a measure of excellence for classical actors. I’m going to take some time on Friday and honor him by watching one of his movies.

(As an additional note about the current Jupiter/Neptune conjunction, Jupiter is right now within 30 minutes of a conjunction to Neptune in the sign of Aquarius, so the expansion of illusion in our daily lives has to do with humanitarian expression and idealism rather than with emotional expression and idealism. Children born this week will be emotionally detached from their idealism, but must guard against becoming mesmerized by humanitarian movements that promise extraordinary social benefits but only deliver illusion, as do all of us alive at this time. Some of these children may, however, eventually bring about the social changes of which we are now dreaming.)