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 © Bloody Baby Blue
In October 2012 Saturn will enter Scorpio and spend the next two plus years in Mutual Reception with Pluto in Capricorn. Mutual Reception exists when the ruler of one sign is in the sign the other planet rules, i.e. Pluto rules Scorpio and Saturn rules Capricorn. The most recent example of two outer planets in this relationship was when Uranus, Aquarius’s ruler, was in Pisces and Neptune, Pisces’s ruler, was/is in Aquarius. The latter case was supposed to usher in a delightful period of harmony and spiritual development. Yeah, right! Looked much more like everyone running around in an idealistic fog to me, says cynical Scorp Rising.
This particular example of Mutual Reception has a lot going for it. First of Scorpio and Capricorn are a pair of signs who understand each other. They are both extremely pragmatic and willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done and if ruthlessness is needed, than that’s the way it will be. Since both signs also prefer to work quietly with little fanfare, we will see far more instances where most of the negotiations are complete before the results are announced publicly.
Budgeting will continue to be a way of life for families and institutions alike. All the fancy extras will be up for review and cut out if necessary. Food, shelter, clothing and transportation to work will take top priority with entertainment, vacations and “toys” getting short shrift. I can see unfunded mandates for all levels of government getting thrown out. In Washington State where I live there is serious discussion already about changing the law for submitting initiatives and demanding funding sources be clearly defined.
Death and dying with dignity are both subjects Saturn in Scorpio and Pluto in Capricorn will demand be addressed. We may see a resurgence of information about sexually transmitted diseases and how to manage those better. It wouldn’t surprise me to see population control also return to the front page along with a more practical approach to birth control for all peoples.
The bottom line as I see it is we will all benefit greatly from these two planets working together. They will be exactly sextile for the first time on 26 December 2012 . . . just a few days after the end of the Mayan calendar. This seems to me more like a new beginning than everything coming to an end, doesn’t it?
 © Kostyantyn Ratnikov | Dreamstime.com
This year’s Solstice – Winter in the northern hemisphere, Summer in the southern – has the Sun in Capricorn, Uranus in Aries and Jupiter in Taurus all at zero degrees, emphasizing an opportunity to make a fresh start. Furthermore, both Venus in Aquarius and Chiron in Pisces are just past the critical degree. Those who have planets and Angles from 0 to 2 degrees will feel the urge to take a new direction the strongest. Cardinal sign folk (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) are bound to pick up on this energy the quickest because they are naturally attuned to looking ahead and enjoy the start-up phase the most.
Even though the Sun in Capricorn exactly squares Uranus in Aries, supercharging the energy field, it is also graced by a trine to Jupiter in earthy Taurus and a very wide conjunction to Pluto in Capricorn. What this says to me is power can be effectively wielded if one proceeds slowly and cautiously. Rein in the urge to run madly around in revolt and instead take time to evaluate your circumstances in a practical, pragmatic manner.
The trine between Saturn in Libra and Neptune in Aquarius connects to the Sun-Uranus square because Saturn rules Capricorn and Uranus rules Aquarius. I love this peaceful, creative trine! Saturn is exalted in equitable Libra and is able to effectively channel the high-minded ideals of Neptune in Aquarius into manifestation. Aquarius concerns its self with the collective rather than the individual and these two planets working as a team (good Libra word) can manifest real results for many, many people. Venus, Libra’s ruler, is also in Aquarius and closely sextile to Uranus in Aries. This adds a deeper layer of support for the Saturn-Neptune trine.
Another helpful sextile is the one between the Capricorn Sun and Chiron in Pisces. Chiron in Pisces has been quietly at work in the background seeking ways to heal the profound wounds of the current dissonance/polarization. Obviously this is a long term project but I would like to believe there are always individuals out there who work hard at seeing both sides of the issues and find ways to bridge the differences to bring about a peaceful resolution. For the next few years Uranus squaring Pluto is going to be so darn noisy it will drown out the quiet peaceful voices but in the end we will be heard . . . just as Gandhi was.
Mercury is picking up forward momentum in Sagittarius and makes an irritating semi-sextile to Pluto in Capricorn. Must be all those people with buyer’s remorse busy returning items they grabbed in haste on Black Friday. Mars in Virgo is a loose cannon in this chart though as Aries’ ruler, his voice gains some strength, reminding us to take care of the small stuff!
This Solstice is a wonderful time for peace loving folks everywhere to affirm their commitment to living in a peaceful world. There is an odd feeling in the air of worlds diverging with those who treat others with kindness and respect and those who live in fear and suspicion gradually moving apart.
On a personal note: For me, this Solstice chart ends up focusing the most energy into my first house through my Venus at 2° Sagittarius plus the transiting North Node in Sagittarius exactly conjoins my natal South Node! Mercury is still in my first house too. Oh yeah, the Moon in the solstice chart conjoins my Ascendant. Saturn in Libra exactly conjoins my natal Chiron in Libra and Mars in Virgo, in my tenth house, is sextile to my Scorp Mars . . . which is conjunct my natal Mercury. Probably why I am and will continue to write, blog and generally make my presence felt, drawing on the ups and downs of my life and times to illustrate various astrological points.
 © Diane Lang
My Mercury Retch story started the day the little stinker stationed retrograde and ended the day it turned direct, consistent with my experience the days when we lack the most mental clarity are those around Mercury’s Stations.
We had the light fixture in our dining area quit working right before Thanksgiving, driving me crazy because I’m a very visual person and need lots of light. My Ram and I discussed ordering a new fixture. I suggested going through our local Ace Hardware store because after doing research online, I found out Ace carried a fixture almost identical to the one that died. Since we had just had a great experience ordering him a new drill through Amazon (it came within two days and was a very good price), he thought going that route for the light fixture would be equally successful. Wrong! It took over a week to come and after he installed it, it didn’t work. So when I suggested again ordering from our local store, he agreed. The fixture arrived in four days . . . at a better price!
The day we picked it up was the day Mercury was stationing direct and since Mercury stationed in my first house, my mind was not functioning at peak efficiency. I completely forgot to check to see what type of bulbs it needed. I knew we had bulbs the right length on hand and didn’t bother to read info on the packaging closely. Guess who had to make another trip to town to buy bulbs?! By the time all was said and done, the better part of the day was gone but we do have plenty of light in our dining area once more. I still have the other light fixture to return for a refund and will send it back next week. It took a couple of days to get that sorted out too, mostly due to my sluggish thinking.
Next week is the Winter Solstice and Christmas follows shortly thereafter. Lots to do so if I miss a post here and there, that’s why! Hope everyone is beginning to recover from their Mercury Retch and are happily getting ready to celebrate their holiday of choice!
 © Randy Harris | Dreamstime.com
Whether on a personal level or a collective one, sometimes it is the small changes or shifts in direction we hardly notice at the time that may have impressive results in the long term.
A few years ago when Pluto in Sagittarius was in full cry, the economy was booming and even those of modest means thought they could afford their dream of buying a place in the country where they could have a horse or two. I understand this one because I grew up dreaming of horses and wanted one of my very own in the worst way. The valley I live in saw a marked increase in the sale of five acre plots and the number of horses in the county. Now those same people are struggling financially and are finding out how expensive horses really are to feed and care for. Worse yet, they end up hauling their too expensive pets out in the boonies and turning them loose! Indian reservation lands are often a favorite place for horse dumpers and those lands are suffering much ecological damage as a result.
In 2006 when Pluto was moving through the last decant of Sagittarius, congress passed a law against funding horse meat inspections. This ban was quietly lifted on November 18, 2011. Whether or not the funding will actually materialize is a whole other story but it would appear Pluto in Capricorn who is adept at working in the background may make that happen. Pluto is in charge of death and regeneration which pretty much sums up the slaughter of animals for human consumption, doesn’t it?
My personal opinion is influenced by a Venus in horsey Sagittarius in my first house and a Sun-Chiron conjunction plus all my Scorpio stuff. [Read somewhere recently about those with Chiron the centaur aspecting the Sun usually loves horses.] In the end I believe in the value of being responsible and well informed about the care and maintenance involved in owning a really large animal such as a horse. They require a lot of feed and if they get sick and die, you are faced with a dead carcass often weighing better than 1,300 pounds that landfills don’t want and can only be buried with a backhoe. Very big deal.
Uranus stations tend to bring out my contrary side (natal Uranus inconjunct Mars-Mercury-ASC) and all the Sagittarius planets gamboling about in my first house are contributing to this airing of opinions. I even started a thread on this subject on ElsaElsa’s boards with some interesting feedback. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?
Note on the image: This photo could have been taken in the hills surrounding the valley I live in. We shrub-steppe land just like this.
Like many other folks out there, I either feeling over-stimulated or out to lunch with the highly charged mutable energy of the two eclipses we’re in between. I can focus and have been able to accomplish some of what I need to do but doing so in an orderly manner has been next to impossible. The latest bright shiny object to catch my eye is where my attention goes and I lose track of what I was doing . . . hard for this fixed Mercury in Scorpio person to take.
We are all being bombarded by bright baubles of info-bites on the news, over the internet and from friends and family. Even for those with plenty in the mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius & Pisces) natally, keeping track of every little shift and change has been a challenge. My Gemini Sun-Moon stepdaughter is battling insomnia again because of information overload swirling around in her brain.
The intensity will probably crest with the Full Moon on 9-10 December but my feeling is it will recede gradually rather than abruptly, in part because of Uranus in Aries stationing at the same time. Mercury Retch is NOT helping either and here again we have a planet slowing to station direct next Tuesday, 13 December. The days just before and after a Mercury Station are often the most chaotic.
For now it is do what we can to stay sane and aware people are not operating at peak efficiency. Have several plans of action in place if need be and do your best to be flexible. I was going to post on an entirely different subject today but got sidetracked, so I remind myself every day that this too shall pass . . . 
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I have my natal Sun in Libra, the sign of relationship, conjunct Chiron in Libra and have spent many years analyzing what makes us tick when it comes to relating to others.