| Everyone's talking about an economic downturn | | | | than that as we are about to enter a period of |
| or recession. So, I thought this astrologer could | | | | Puritanism with Pluto entering Capricorn in |
| put her piece in too - just for the non-astrologers. | | | | December, and picking up both Saturn and Uranus |
| A special note for non-astrologers - this article is | | | | a little further down our time line - in 2010/11. This |
| more for your benefit than for astrologers, | | | | is a repeat of what happened in the early 1930s |
| because we already have this information. This is | | | | when Saturn and Uranus aspected each other and |
| for you to give you foreknowledge of what you | | | | at the same time they tangled up with Pluto, the |
| can expect over the next few years - and to | | | | planet of profound irrevocable changes. And so |
| alleviate your fears and helplessness in the face | | | | we can see a similar historical period that will echo |
| of the upcoming events. We are NOT victims - | | | | along the corridors of time to a couple of years |
| the Universe is NEVER out to get us!!! | | | | beyond this present period (2010/11). Armed with |
| We are about to enter a strong period of | | | | this information, we can begin to put in place |
| challenging aspects between Saturn, planet of | | | | NOW the circumstances and attitudes that will to |
| boundaries and structures and Uranus, the planet | | | | help us get through the next 3/4 years and |
| associated with breaking boundaries and sudden | | | | create a more realistic future for ourselves and |
| changes. While this may sound pretty innocuous - | | | | the world. |
| and on an individual birth chart, they may be - | | | | So it's really not all doom and gloom. Although we |
| however, on a world scale their effects can be | | | | cannot change the movement of the planets, we |
| enormous. | | | | CAN change our reactions towards the ensuing |
| Astrologers work with cycles: Solar - which last a | | | | events - preferring to see them as opportunities, |
| year; Lunar which last a month; Mars which last 2 | | | | for example. If we know that we are heading for |
| years, etc. In fact in the world of financial | | | | difficult financial times, then we need to ensure |
| astrology, which is NOT my particular speciality, | | | | that we are going to be OK. For many people this |
| they seem to concentrate on the cycles of | | | | is a very scary prospect - however, we need to |
| Jupiter (12 years) and Saturn (30 years). Just to | | | | remember that we are not being punished by |
| note here that I specialise in individual lives and | | | | God. We are simply going through this time now |
| their relationships. | | | | with its own particular flavour. |
| As this is such an important period we are about | | | | Pluto was in Capricorn during the Reformation and |
| to enter I want to unpack it slowly for ease of | | | | the rise of Puritanism. And so, like the Puritans, |
| understanding. So, first of all, I wish to note a few | | | | we will wear, and indeed are wearing, grey - it's |
| previous periods when Saturn and Uranus were | | | | the height of fashion now. We will make soup out |
| facing off each other across the heavens - just | | | | of the slightly tired vegetables at the bottom of |
| so that you begin to get a flavour of this. And | | | | the fridge, instead of throwing them out - or if |
| while Saturn's orbit is 30 years, Uranus is 84 | | | | we do throw them out they'll go in the compost |
| years, hence the duration of a couple of years | | | | bin for the vegetables we'll be all happily growing. |
| for each meeting or aspect. Each cycle is 40 | | | | We will remember that the bus only runs once an |
| years. It is also worth mentioning that there is | | | | hour instead of every 20 minutes, because our |
| always a build up of events before the planetary | | | | local authorities are cutting down on fuel costs. |
| aspects are exact. If a house is to be built, for | | | | We will begin to take care of our clothes and |
| example, what we actually see is the foundation | | | | have our shoes repaired, rather than throwing |
| being dug before the bricks are put in place - | | | | them out. Small things, but extremely effective. |
| however, the digging is the final piece of a long | | | | And it won't kill us - in fact, we could all lose |
| process that began perhaps the previous year. | | | | weight!! |
| New phase on the same degrees - 1898-1900 | | | | As a war baby of WW2, I know how to survive |
| beginning a new cycle. | | | | - as does everyone in their 60s - and although it |
| First Quarter - 90 degrees - 1909-10 | | | | was tough, we still had fun. Having a 200lb bomb |
| Opposition or Full - 180 degrees - 1918-20 | | | | through my childhood home certainly taught me a |
| Final Quarter - 270 degrees or 90 degrees - | | | | lot about survival! We only had a bus once a |
| 1930-32 | | | | week to the food market - and no icebox to |
| Together - new phase - 1941-43 | | | | keep it fresh. However, that's for another article. |
| First Quarter - 1952-53 | | | | It is vital to act now - not wait until October and |
| Opposition - 1965-67 | | | | then pretend to be surprised at the |
| Final Quarter - 1975-76 | | | | consequences. This is what maps are for - they |
| New Phase - 1989-1990 | | | | alert us to the territory ahead. |
| First Quarter - 1999-2000 | | | | From the viewpoint of the Law of Attraction, it is |
| Opposition - 2008-10 (which starts in October | | | | important to watch your thoughts. Turn off the |
| 2008) | | | | TV and stop reading the newspapers that love to |
| As you can see for yourself, these dates reflect | | | | whip up a sense of terror in their viewers and |
| challenging times in our recent history. It is | | | | readers. This is a period where all that is |
| important to remember that contrary to some | | | | happening is that the extreme greed of those in |
| beliefs, the planets do NOT make things happen - | | | | the financial industries is being brought down to a |
| a simple analogy is that of a clock, while it | | | | level of reason, to restore its balance in the world. |
| indicates the movement of time, it does not | | | | Please, please, please, remember that no-one is |
| cause that movement of time. It is the same | | | | out to get you - adopt a mental attitude that |
| with the planets. They act as signals, or signposts. | | | | says that this is all a natural part of the wealth |
| That we ignore and even ridicule them is a tragic | | | | creation cycle and then adjust your financial |
| result of the so-called Age of Reason that cut us | | | | dealings to take care of it. |
| off from our cosmic connections; thus leaving the | | | | It is always interesting which major events occur |
| majority of us to blindly stumble through our lives | | | | during planetary standoffs. This October, at the |
| without this valuable information to hand. | | | | beginning of this Saturn/Uranus opposition, the US |
| Obviously, just like the house analogy above, this | | | | Presidential elections will be underway. Combined |
| period of economic downturn has been building up | | | | energies such as these result in mass insecurity |
| for some time - and for some perspicacious | | | | and anxiety, which serves as bait for a huge |
| types, like Dr Nouriel Roubini, a Persian Jew from | | | | media feeding frenzy. On the day that the |
| Istanbul who is one of the most respected | | | | population of the US get to the polling booths and |
| economists in the USA, it was predictable in 2006 | | | | make their crosses on the ballot paper, they will |
| - although they howled him down at the time. He | | | | be astonished to find exactly who it is they put |
| also suggests that we will have a technical | | | | on the steps of the White House; because it is he |
| recovery from this recession by the end of 2009. | | | | who will have to deal with the upheaval of the |
| My guess is that it will go on somewhat longer | | | | next 2-3 years. |