If you haven’t heard much about the meeting of Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn in January of 2020, you will. This is considered a major time of realignment and change – one that will set the tone for politics and economics for the next 36 years or so.
For perspective, look back to the time around 1980 – 1982. Compare the conservative Reagan/Thatcher era in the 1980s to the more open, liberal, progressive vibe that prevailed in the 1970s. Gone were pet rocks, disco, and almost-legal cannabis, replaced by a colder, serious, “just-say-no” attitude. Of course, a lot of things have happened in the time since the early 80s, astrologically and otherwise. But a tone was set at that time, a chord that would ring through subsequent events – even more important ones.
I mention the conjunctions of 2020 now because we can feel them as they approach. Like the quiet before a storm (or, more optimistically, the anticipation of a holiday) we feel momentous events before they arrive – astrologers like to say that such events ‘cast their shadow before them.’
That’s in part because while Saturn and Pluto will not technically meet until next January, they are very close together in the sky. That means that other planets make contact with both over the course of just a couple of days, or even hours in the case of the Moon. We thus get to experience the Saturn/Pluto energy very directly.
In the next few months, we’ll find that this energy ripples into our personal lives, as the Moon, Sun, Mercury, and Venus all touch on the impending conjunction. While there are a few especially ‘hot’ times, the energy will be coursing through the skies from now on.
What we’re looking at is a transformation of the structure of things – politically, socially, and economically, but also in terms of our personal relationships, career paths, home, and more. And as I’m always reminding readers, changes in the collective are not “out there”, dramas to be watched on television: the collective is the pool that we are all swimming in, and changes to it matter to us personally.
In fact, at a deeper level of the collective psyche, we bring about those changes. That’s an important point, because the deep transformation that will be taking place over the next few years is in many ways open to us. While some choices have already been made by ongoing repetition, we can steer many aspects of change, especially in our personal lives. As you feel stresses and strains, try to maintain an open heart and avoid emotional reaction. Consider what needs to change, and how you might bring about a better future.
May
We don’t have to wait long to see Saturn and Pluto in action, as Mercury aspects both on the 1st and 2nd. Words could get heated, and we may feel pressured by deadlines and demands. Mercury goes on to make an easy aspect to Jupiter, so that we may be able to negotiate our way out of difficult situations.
The New Moon on the 4th is in the sign of Taurus, encouraging us to settle into the physical world and remember to slow down and enjoy life at the quiet point of the lunar cycle. Yet with the Moon meeting Uranus before the new moon and Mars opposing Jupiter a day later, we may find that it’s difficult to stop and smell the roses. The Cosmos often sends us mixed messages, melody and counterpoint, and surely the world we experience is not a single cycle, but a kaleidoscope of change.
Watch for brilliant ideas to emerge suddenly around the 8th, when Mercury meets with Uranus in Taurus. Mercury/Uranus contacts always signal innovation, and in Taurus we can expect practical applications to follow quickly.
Venus steps into the forefront for much of May, bringing the focus to our relationships. A square to Saturn on the 7th may have us considering where we stand in our partnerships, with a tendency towards rather severe assessment. As she goes on to aspect Jupiter and Pluto on the 9th and Mars on the 14th, our judgments may quickly turn to action. As the Goddess of Love meets with Uranus at the Full Moon on the 18th, patience will be at a minimum – especially so as the Full Moon is in reactive Scorpio. If we have worked through to an effective solution, our relationships will be open to change and to taking new roads. If we have compromised too much (or too little), things could explode.
The Sun and Mercury both form constructive aspects to Saturn and Pluto from the 11th through the 18th, making the second week in May both active and constructive. This is a period to connect with others for both work and socializing. It’s a great time for writing, and college students approaching finals can get in some helpful study time.
The waning Moon at the end of May is a productive time, and the emphasis remains on communication with the Sun and Mercury in Gemini after the 21st, although one bump in the road is a square between Mercury and Neptune on the 29th, followed by a Mercury/Jupiter opposition a day later.
With The Cosmic Messenger, the Lord of the Seas, and the Celestial Santa Clause all in their own signs, we can expect that these challenging aspects can manifest in some very positive ways, yet caution is needed. At best, the last few days of May open up new creative possibilities and an ability to channel information from other realms. On the other hand, a ‘good idea’ may be less practical than we realize in our enthuasiasm.