Strange Behavior From Jupiter and Neptune

This article is based on the work I did for myfor the American people, but maybe it was time
October 2009 newsletter. It is written for bothfor it: it does have a finite life, all aspects do. This
astrologers and the general public, so thepast few months have been difficult, but...perhaps
explanations are direct and simple. But as Iwe educated ourselves enough to see our way
worked the article, a completely differentclearly to a conclusion. That would be a positive
approach opened up. I could not use it for theend to a difficult process. The aspect in question
general public (too technical) but had a goodis not a bad aspect, so I am going to lean
information flow for astrologers and a speculativetowards a positive conclusion. I'm a bit gun-shy in
concept I have been considering about theoffering a cast-in-concrete positive outcome due
shadow effect of planetary stations. The generalto the difficulty of the process, but I must place
article is entitled Jupiter conjunct Neptune:my bet on the positive.
Inspiration or Delusion and has theWe knew going in that this would be difficult and
astrologer-directed material following:long term. That sounds good, but if you hurt and
Astrologically speaking...scare people they will respond just the way we
Jupiter conjunct Neptune: Inspiration or Delusion?have experienced. We knew up front that the
Research for me is continual, for my currentproblem was so much worse than anticipated,
book, for my larger book on the presidents, forthat it took us time to cause it and it would take
my other studies, such as my serial killer researchus time to fix it, that getting Congress to
and for interesting subjects that come upcooperate might be a pipe dream, that changing
moment to moment. Sometimes there are sothe way our politicians do business is close to
many interesting subjects I get sidetracked. Lifeimpossible (not absolute, but difficult), and that
itself is so diverse, so huge, one lifetime would notjobs would be the last to rebound (just the way
be enough to satisfy my curiosity. The battleit is). Waiting that out and working through the
between conformity and change still has a fullnonsense puts a different face on it and we have
head of steam but I addressed that previously.been running scared. Scared people freak out and
There is another aspect underway that reaches ado strange things that never truly helps the
pivot point Tuesday, October 13, 2009 thatproblem.
deserves attention. Transiting Jupiter and NeptuneThe American people do not want the nonsense
have been doing a great joining in the sky forto continue, they want it fixed and they want it
several months and are getting ready to finalizenow! Jobs, economy, health reform, military
their dance. October 13th's action is the beginningaction, banking, housing, you name it. Citizens are
of the end, but not the end itself.outraged. Congress needs to pay attention and
Jupiter conjunct Neptune is one of those severalthe media needs to learn not to exacerbate or
month patterns, one I had thought to beinflame thru needless repetition, speculation or
inspirational and uplifting in nature. The two planetsworse. As I said in the book, when Pluto comes
that represent expansion and inspiration, thatup to oppose the nation's Jupiter starting next
equate closest to our concept of religion andyear, they will want to be standing on the side of
spirituality, the great benefic and the uplifter havethe truth. Integrity, truth and transparency will
been in a positive joining of energies (conjunction).solve our problems with Jupiter and Neptune
I wonder why it has been giving people, includingleading the way.
me, a fit? A few first person stories wereAstrologically speaking...
obviously difficult. I did recommend thisMany of you are familiar with Mercury retrograde
conjunction to be a positive influence in ourand its shadow patterns, so let us start there for
experience. I did choose to publish my book underdeeper explanation of this Jupiter/Neptune
this aspect. The actual effect has been a realconjunction. Mercury physically travels in one
puzzle to me. Why?direction only around the Sun, forward. But we're
Jupiter represents the principle of expansion,not on the Sun, so we wonder what that travel
enlargement, benefit, the silver lining, more andlooks like from over here where we are. If you
better. Neptune represents the principle oflook from Earth's perspective, Mercury appears to
spirituality, inspiration, ideas, imagination, upliftment.travel forward for a time, slows, stop and
Having said that, the planets are neither good norreverse direction, then slow, stop, and resume
bad and both sides of the coin can express theforward motion. This is an optical illusion caused by
positive words I listed and their negativethe change in our perspective but it seems to
connotation as well. Enlargement can becomehave real impact on life here on Earth. Mercury
excess, you can promise much and deliver less,chugs merrily along in its orbit around the Sun.
put yourself out on a limb, under or overestimate.When it is moving in the same direction as the
Ideas can become pipe dreams, inspiration canEarth, it is normal motion, forward. But Mercury is
become disappointment, spirituality could becomein a much tighter orbit so there comes a moment
delusion. The aspect involved is a joining togetherwhen through following its own path it slows,
of the two energies. Jupiter and Neptune togetherstops and appears to be moving in the opposite
don't usually create a problem and this does occurdirection for awhile, then slows, stops and
every 13 years with a change of sign. This timeresumes motion similar to our Earth's travel. The
the sign is Aquarius, intellectual, forward seeking,period of reverse direction is the retrograde
group consciousness, electric and dynamic, Overall,period. The two periods of stop to change
expansion and inspiration holding hands in the signdirection (one reverse, one forward) are called
of the future should be pretty darn nice andstations. The span of travel (degrees) over which
there shouldn't be an urgent need to look at thethis takes place contains the shadow.
negative keywords.When we are dealing with Mercury, we caution
This is an unfinished aspect, so perhaps thethe start of new projects, signing contracts,
outcome will outshine the process itself. Thatelective things like cosmetic surgery, buying a car,
does happen in life. At times things look great buttaking a trip, because error is common. Since the
the outcome is not welcome. Sometimes thingswhole pattern described lasts only 18-21 days, it is
look bleak but we come out of it okay. I reallyeasy to just pick another moment for the
prefer it when "what you sees is what you gets."experience. Mercury does this 3 to 3 ½
That makes my readings and my life much easiertimes per year. Half a time? Yes, what starts in
to say nothing of my clients' lives. This should beone year can carry over into another year
a good aspect. I don't see anything truly wrongperiodically.
with it and no real reason to doubt the outcome,What is the shadow within the span of degrees? I
but it sure is acting strangely.will choose 15-25 degrees of any sign as our
There is a beginning, middle, and an end to allexample. Mercury is chugging 15, 16,17, 18, etc. to
aspect patterns. This pattern started at the end25 degrees where it stops and reverses direction:
of May 2009 and culminates the end of25, 24, 23, 22, etc. It completes retrograde at 15
December 2009, the beginning and the end. Whatand starts forward. To all intents and purposes
is in the middle is the process of experience,the retrograde is over right then, but observation
which is now. The numbers are 24-26.5 Aquariusover many years shows a residual effect until
but there is an aura of experience around thisMercury clears that highest degree (in this
from 17 to 27 Aquarius that can also be affected.example 25) and moves into new territory 26,
Anyone with personal positions in this area can be27, 28, etc. That residual effect is called the
directly affected (me!). The USA Moon is at 22.5,shadow period and that appears to me to be
so all the matters related to that Moon are beingresidual energy from the retrograde pattern but
affected. What does the USA Moon represent inwhere no truly new retrograde action takes place.
our country? The people, citizenry, home, hearth,This is not only true of our example, Mercury, but
family, nesting, mother country, feelings andshould be true of the other planets as well.
emotions, my country right or wrong, I think weThe aspect in question, which is currently at a
can see a bit of that going on with the run-away,pivotal point, is that of Jupiter and Neptune in the
over the top, expanded, wild imagination, untruths,sign of Aquarius. The first conjunction between
the citizenry emoting at town halls, you fill in thethe two took place May 27, 2009 at 26 Aqu 29.
rest of the blanks. Just why is this a good thing?As it happens, Neptune stationed retrograde on
I have listened to the citizenry, the politicians andMay 29, 2009. Jupiter continued trundling along until
the pundits as they have tried to 1) get a handleit reached 27 Aqu 01 on June 15, 2009
on what is going on, 2) capitalize on the nonsense,whereupon it also turned retrograde. Neptune is a
3) speculate beyond belief (which has tended toslow, ponderous planet not only because of size
make matters worse), and 4) show the best andand age, but because its orbit is just huge so its
worst of us as a country. Is there a positivemotion in any direction will only advance a couple
here? Somewhere along the line a few haveof degrees over months of time. Jupiter is also
mentioned that the heated discussion is useful,huge and old, but its tighter orbit causes it to
positive, our right as citizens, American (we weremove faster and cover more degrees. Neptune
born out of revolution and our Founding Fatherswill turn direct November 4, 2009 at 23 Aqu 22,
were revolutionaries), and purposeful, We certainlytraveling a span of 3.5Es over a 4 1/2 month
are not ever going to wonder what peopleperiod. Jupiter, speed demon that it is by
thought of any point in this because they told itcomparison, turns direct October 13th at 17 Aqu
like they saw it.10. It traveled backwards about ten degrees in
Ours is an upstart nation to some of the world,about four months.
wild and woolly, and politics is a strange animal toJupiter will then race to catch back up to Neptune
begin with. Have you ever watched the Britishwhich it will do December 21. 2009. The
legislature at work? They call each other namesconjunction is officially done, but there will be that
and argue incessantly. Have you watched otherresidual effect until first Jupiter and then Neptune
countries as they not only call each other out, butget to the highest shadow degree of 27 Aqu 01.
pound on each other? We like to feel we'reJupiter does so on January 4, 2010. Neptune
civilized, but that's our veneer. Underneath, thearrives on March 10, 2010. Is it over then?
citizenry is irate. Promises made and not kept areNo...slow, ponderous Neptune will retrograde back
going to bite the politicians. This is ferment purein that direction on August 31, 2010, and will finally
and simple. Those news organizations andclear that point January 3, 2011. Can you see the
politicians that are not truthful are advertising theirshadow still at work? The aspect perfects itself
own downfall because they are so very publicover a much longer time than first glance allows.
with their perfidy.If the shadow is true in the later part the degree
October 13th is a pivotal point to the process.span, what about the earlier part of a shadow
Jupiter turns direct and starts to move towardeffect when Neptune passed 17 Aqu 01 (the
the eventual conclusion, which is December 21st.Jupiter station direct degree) back in January
That does not mean that everything will go away2006? The Mercury stand-alone shadow is a few
on that date. Have you noticed that life does notdays at best, with slower moving planets taking
work that easily? We have stirred up a lot ofseveral days. Shadows cast by conjunctions could
stuff, it will take us some time to work through alltake years, especially when involving the slow,
of it. But as of October 13th we stop millingponderous planets. If shadow is valid for Mercury,
around in the middle and start moving towardit should be valid for the other planets and any
bringing it to a conclusion. Will that conclusion beconjunctions they make.
positive or negative? This has been a pot stirrerComments are welcome.