How to figure out if you're havig a midlife transit
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Each month, shortly before the sun moves into a new sign (which usually happens around the 20th or 21st of the month), I'll suggest a way for your sign to take advantage of the opportunities provided by one of the solar month's major astrological features. In addition, you can read a short article on one aspect of putting together a horoscope forecast that will give you more insight into how to interpret your own chart. I'll also cover a topic of the month.
Finally, I'll provide a list of keywords for some of the planets, signs, and houses that make up a horoscope so that you can further customize your horoscope.
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MONTHLY HOROSCOPE FOR ALL SIGNS
Happy Birthday, Virgo
Your first priority in September is to focus on the concept of success. The sun moved into your sign on August 22nd and will be in your sign until September 22nd. As September begins, you'll be enjoying favorable energy from the new moon in your sign on August 30. Both of these factors can help you succeed.
Success in your case means tangible, measurable, outer world success. Saturn in your own sign accepts nothing less. With him, it's not about what you feel, but about what you produce. In addition, Mercury, Venus and Mars spend the majority of the month in your 2nd solar house of tangible goods and money. It's time to set some goals and work hard to achieve them.
Part of the idea here is to show others what you can do. Yuor solar second house is represented by the sign of Libra, a sign that is all about your relationships with other people. One of the things your solar chart is after this year is having you prove to others that you can deliver the goods.
In the big picture for your solar year ahead, Pluto looms large. He will be traveling in a compatible earth sign for the first time in decades, and this is a huge relief to your sign. You've been putting up with Pluto in a mutable sign since 1995, and this is not really easy for your sign. At times, it has been down right difficult, for at some point Pluto inevitably squared your sun (or is doing so now as he finishes up his travels at 28 and 29 degrees of Sagittarius). If you are like many Virgos, you also have Venus and/or Mercury in Virgo and you may have been pounded by three separate Pluto squares to personal planets.
To make things even more dramatic, if you are in your 40s, you have natal Pluto in Virgo as well, which means you went through the inevitable Pluto square Pluto midlife transit. (If you are a bit younger, you will have your Pluto square Pluto midlife transit happening as Pluto in Capricorn squares your natal Pluto in Libra. If you want to know a bit more about that, click here.)
But wait! There's more. Uranus has also been in Pisces since 2004. Pisces is another mutable sign, and it opposes your own. So if it isn't bad enough having Pluto on your tail, many of you have had Uranus dogging your personal planets as well. That particular configuration doesn't end for a few more years, but you can still thank your stars that Pluto is moving out of Sagittarius by the end of this year.
What does all this mean? It means that your relationships and domestic life, as well as your sense of self have all been impacted and in some cases impacted mightily over a long span of time. Now, as Pluto creeps toward Capricorn again (he was in the sign earlier in the year), he will start telling you, subtly or loudly "Virgo, you are a very powerful person. You are coming into your own power. Enjoy it, use it responsibly, do not hold back. You are prepared and purified. Go! And go boldly where you have never gone before." Things like that. You may not notice all this increased power by this time next year, but it is building, and within a few years it will. Wouldn't be a bad idea to sketch out some long-term goals and start putting the structures in place to achieve them.
For some additional keywords you can use to customize your own horoscope - click here. For instructions on how to use the keywords - click here.
Success lies in the eye of the beholder. That is, your success lies in teh eyes of the people beholding you. Mercury, Venus, and Mars are all in Libra in September. Libra is the sign of other people, and planets here fall in your solar 7th house.
This puts you in the hot seat, Aries. These three planets are staring straight at you, and they're looking at you through the eyes of everyone else. This is not the month to focus on your subjective point of view; it's the month to find out what everyone else thinks of your performance. To do well on this objective performance evaluation, you'll need to spend September just making sure you get the job done.
Fortunately for you, as September opens, you are benefiting from the glow of a new moon in Virgo that occurs on August 30. Virgo represents your solar job and work sector, so that means you have the opportunity hopefully to jump on projects and jobs that will help you succeed in other people's eyes. It's like a fresh start in your job sector. Even better, if you do well in what you undertake, Venus in that sign of Libra we were just discussing will do her level best to see that you get the appreciation from others that you deserve. And that will feel good.
For some additional keywords you can use to customize your own horoscope - click here. For instructions on how to use the keywords - click here.
Special Articles:
The Signs: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, & Cancer
The Signs: Leo, Virgo, Libra, & Scorpio
The Signs: Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, & Pisces
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You may feel a spot of peer pressure in September near the 14th when a full moon in Pisces occurs. Pisces represents your solar 11th house of friends and colleagues. Uranus in this sign has been influencing your chart intermittently since 2003, encouraging you to figure out who your true friends are. This month, the full moon puts pressure on that Uranus spot in your chart, suggesting that you may have to make an uncomfortable decision or that tension in a group may come to a head.
Things look better on the relationship front, though. For one thing, the sun opens the month in your solar 5th house of romance. There's also a lot of energy in the relationship-oriented sign of Libra, a sign that like yours is ruled by Venus. Libra puts the spotlight on your solar sector of work and health, which could mean flirtations on the job or at the gym.
Libra is also a judging sign, though, so it could indicate that your co-workers will be judging your performance on the job. Fortunately, the position of Venus makes it look as though the judgments will be favorable. In fact, it might be worth your while to pursue a bit of a pay raise if you get a chance.
For some additional keywords you can use to customize your own horoscope - click here. For instructions on how to use the keywords - click here.
The Planets: Sun, Mercury, Venus
Very late born Geminis can be glad that Pluto goes direct in Sagittarius on September 8. Pluto has been opposing the suns of late born Geminis (those born near the 21st of June) and will continue to do so until Thanksgiving. For some, this can mean things like health problems. For the majority, though, Pluto has been putting pressure on the personality, as in trying to convince Geminis to modify theirs a bit, make it more profound and less superficial. Frequently Pluto shows up in the form of another person (e.g., a spouse) who seemingly will not cooperate with the normal Gemini way of doing things. When Pluto turns direct, some Geminis will feel as though they finally understand what is required of them by others. They'll know how to move forward and it will feel as though an important corner has been turned.
The pressure is not likely to ease entirely just yet, though, for the sun moved into Virgo on August 22nd, a position in which it squares the natal Gemini sun. This puts a continuing spotlight on the Gemini sector of home and family, and it could indicate continuing pressure to adjust their approach with family members. Although Mars left Virgo in late August, a critical vibe is still in the air. Your sign and Virgo are the two signs most inclined by your ruler Gemini to feel compelled to criticize others, and when your sun clashes with sun in Virgo, there can be a tendency for you and your family members to engage in a mutual accusation fest, trading barbs and doing your best to get into unwinnable arguments. This happens every year, but it so happens that this year Saturn in the same sign of Virgo is trying to slowly convince you that this approach does not work all that well. If you want to solve a long-term problem and prepare for the future (and you do), you'll need to figure out some way to restrain your natural (and perhaps highly justified) reactivity to folks on the home front.
In a more pleasant development, your ruler Mercury will be in Libra throughout September. This places it in your solar 5th house of romance and relationships. You probably won't feel like criticizing your boyfriend or girlfriend, and if you don't have one, Mars in this same sign will encourage you to go hunt for one. Even better, the hunt is likely to be successful, or at least a heck of a lot of fun, for Venus will be gracing this same sector.
If you take a gentle approach with loved ones and children, and use Saturn's help to adopt an attitude of restraint, you may find that in spite of planetary pressure, the month turns out to be rather nice on the whole.
For additional keywords you can use to customize your horoscope - click here. For instructions on how to use the keywords - click here.
Everyone wants you to be proper in September, Cancer. Well, not everyone. Just the sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. The skies are heavy with signs that like things to be just so, and a number of planets are challenging your sun.
What to do? Well, for starters, spend some quality time being nice to your family members--not a difficult assignment for most Cancers. Venus is in the niceness-valuing sign of Libra in the part of your solar chart that deals with home and family. If you play your cards right, some of the family members you are nice to could help you redecorate, spruce up the abode, throw a party or otherwise make relaxing around the house a refreshing way to ease into the back-to-school season.
To put it another way, September offers you an opportunity to make your home and domestic life fall into place in the just-so kind of way the planets crave this month. Take advantage.
For keywords you can use to customize an alternate interpretation- click here. For instructions on how to use the keywords - click here.
There is a big focus on your solar 3rd house throughout September, Leo. This normally indicates a busy month. It also indicates a month where you will be compelled to interact with many people in a variety of different settings. Mars in this sector, for example, may have you running all over town, doing errands and talking with everyone.
Mars and the other planets in Libra this month (Mercury and Venus) will also be in good angle to Neptune in Aquarius. Here's why this is good news. Neptune has been challenging Leos with planets at 20 to 24 degrees of the sign (e.g., those born in the middle of August). The challenge may have come from spouses, partners, friends, colleagues or the community. Either people in these categories have been trying your patience by being spacey, confused, disorganized and absent-minded or the energy has been rebounding to your sign and you've been feeling confused, disorganized, etc.
Having active
and energetic Mars in good angle to Neptune drains off some off the fatiguing
energy of Neptune and replaces it with a feel-good emphasis on casual
social interaction. For a few of you, there's even the possibility that
that the combined influences will propel you toward a new relationship
or romance. But for all Leos, having planets in friendly Leo is basically
like a getting a nice shot of energy just when you need it.
For keywords you can use to customize an alternate interpretation- click here. For instructions on how to use the keywords - click here.
There's a lot of emphasis on your sign for the next couple of months, Libra. All of the inner planets (sun, Mercury, Venus, and Mars) will grace Libra before September is over, and most of them will linger into October. (You're getting extra attention from Mercury this year as he will retrograde in your sign, an occurrence that means he'll spend more than 2 solid months in Libra.)
All of these planets will be making nice with Neptune in Aquarius before they leave, which should make your Libra sun pretty darn happy. Why so? Because this combination of influences represents something that Libra instinctively resonates to--ideal harmony between individual interests and the interests of the collective or group. An example of such harmony would be indulging in personal enjoyment via sociable interaction with your peers.
You could also joyously dive into some sort of creative project or personal expression of your artistic, decorative, or beautifying impulses. You could throw a party, fall in love, or gather a bunch of girlfriends together and go shopping or spa-hopping. The vibe is so friendly that if you choose to go out, you may not feel like going home again. Any kind of group interaction is favored, and if you are on the lookout for a way to meet eligible folks of your favorite sex, don't overlook conferences, trade shows, and any other place where multitudes gather to share common interests. If you are a very shy Libra who does not like to leave the computer, you could even join an online group.
If there's any pressure in the month, it's likely to come from Jupiter. He could encourage you to set an ambitious agenda of getting everything done around the house and partying all night. Or the folks at home may keep calling your cell phone, hinting that it's time to leave your friends at the Mexican restaurant, just when you were ready to order your third margarita and tell another funny story. I shouldn't take sides in any conflict between home obligations on the one side and friends and fun on the other, but....here's a hint. Jupiter will still be in your home sector long after the party-happy planets of September and October have turned out the lights and closed up shop, so just maybe the home chores could wait a bit.
For keywords you can use to customize your horoscope - click here. For instructions on how to use the keywords - click here.
For most of September, energy in Virgo plays off of energy in Pisces at the same time that energy in Libra plays off energy in Aquarius. The Virgo/Pisces opposition provides a little foretaste of the Saturn/Uranus opposition to come later this year. This is potent energy for you, for it falls across your solar 5th house/11th house axis. The Libra/Aquarius energy is more internal, for it falls in your solar 12th and 4th houses. What does these influences mean for Scorpio?
It means the need for individuality and freedom (Uranus in Pisces in your solar 5th house) plays off of the need to belong to a group (Saturn and the sun in your solar 11th house, and Neptune in the group-oriented sign of Aquarius at the base of your solar chart). Group responsibilities or community pressures on the one hand conflict with your desire to go your own eccentric way in peace. On the other hand, group responsibilities and community involvement increase your sense of peace, belonging, and psychological comfort. A group (which can be as simple as the community in which you live) grounds and soothes your chart throughout September, even while groups you have belonged to for many years may chafe and irritate you.
Another manifestation of this energy of opposites could be that the burdens of friendship have come to compete with your desires for romance at the same time that group activities could provide the key to initiating a new romance. Yet another example would be a desire for creative expression running smack into a compelling need to be realistic about your dreams, time schedule, and aspirations.
Sound confusing? Maybe it is, at least in the short run. In the long run, Uranus in Pisces will get his individualistic, creative, excitement-craving way. For the moment, though, putting up with the burdens of friendship, of realism, of conformity, of groups, of the irritations that other people cause works better. Doing what everyone else does or what everyone expects you to in September is a good thing. Because it helps your chart figure out exactly how much restriction of your freedom is going to work for you in the long run.
Saturn is busy working very hard in your solar chart trying to figure out exactly how to make your long-term dreams and aspirations manifest in the real world, and he's still experimenting to see how much form and structure that dynamic Uranus in Pisces placement will tolerate. If being a good sport about group participation drives you bonkers this month then he'll know--okay that doesn't work. If it provides unexpected benefits then he'll know--okay, that works pretty well. Either way, both Saturn and you need to know what's actually going to work for you in making your dreams come true.
For keywords you can use to customize your horoscope - click here. For instructions on how to use the keywords - click here.
As you probably know, Pluto is in the last degrees of your sign and will leave by the end of the year, never to return again in your lifetime. In September, he goes direct for the last ever in your sign, and begins his slow but determined march toward the Pluto in Capricorn era. This has many implications for you. One is that you theoretically have been learning for years how to have more control over your thought processes and perceptions.
You'll need that control in September as your chart makes a big push for external achievement. From August 22 through September 21, the sun and Saturn team up in your solar career house. Here, they don't care much about your feelings or your deep intuitive insights, but they do care that you get the job done, whatever the job may be. If the job is answering help wanted ads, then they expect to see you busting your butt to do so. If the job involves delivering a project on time, then by golly they want to see you deliver it on time wrapped in a bow.
While the sun and Saturn are worrying about your career, the rest of the inner planets in September have the itch to get out and about, to have you interacting with peers and friends and colleagues and anyone else in the vicinity. It'd probably be smart to combine the career emphasis with the socializing emphasis and do a little strategic networking while you can.
The fly in the ointment of an external focus in September is Uranus in Pisces in the home-clinging sector of your solar chart. He wants to stay at home and examine those those feelings and deep intuitive insights that the sun and Saturn are sick of, and he may throw a hissy fit around the time of the full moon on the 14th of September. Family tensions could explode for release, or you could just experience an internal release of built-up frustration. Or conflicts between family demands and career demands could become very visible.
There's a meaning behind the tension, though, if it does happen to explode. And it is this: you need to balance, you really really need to balance the personal intuitive and family-oriented growth you've experienced over the last few years with a solid, sensible, realistic outer world achievements and attention to business. You've got to find space in your life for both.
For keywords you can use to customize your horoscope - click here. For instructions on how to use the keywords - click here.
Big focus on accomplishment in September, Capricorn. The inner planets crowd and jam their way into your solar 10th house of achievement like pranksters stuffing themselves into an old-fashioned telephone booth. Mars led the way by entering Libra on August 19, and there'll be at least one inner planet in this sector of your chart through early November. When there's this much activity in an important angular house like the solar 10th, it's sort of as if the planets are shouting in unison "You can do it, Capricorn!" If you hesitate or whine, the crowd could get ugly and go all Nike on your butt by commanding that you 'just do it! just do it! just do it!' So you know, you might as well just do it.
Do what, you ask? Take your moment on stage, that's what. It could be an itsy-bitsy tiny stage in your hometown or it could be launching the next stage of your career or it could be delivering on a project you've spent ages on. Whatever it is, it should make you a little nervous, and you should cultivate the anxiety-provoking but reassuring feeling that the planets are whispering "Go!" as they shove you into your own personal limelight.
Just to be clear here, the planets are not asking you for your deep personal feelings on the subject of accomplishment. They are not promising that everything will go smoothly and they are not tenderly inquiring as to whether or not you have the inner confidence to proceed without qualms. Nor are they asking your opinion on whether or not you think anything important is happening. They are just telling you to get out there and accomplish some stuff. There's only a limited amount of time that the planets will be in good angle to Neptune in your money house, and only a limited amount of time before Jupiter leaves your sign. So do everything you can to push your career or tangible, material life goals forward, even if it feels like there's no point or nothing's happening.
Because something is happening. People are watching you. Impress them.
For keywords you can use to customize your horoscope - click here. For instructions on how to use the keywords - click here.
It is possible, Aquarius, that the combined effects of Neptune, Chiron, and the North Node in a traffic jam in your sign have been distorting your perceptions a bit here lately. Would be perfectly understandable if they had, for that's a rather unusual traffic jam for anyone's sign to host. But never fear, for in September (actually starting with Mars on August 19), planets in Libra will attempt to come riding in to the rescue. These planets will be ready, willing, and able to plop themselves down in a library and scoop up some objective information for you.
And this is exactly what you need. Tons of objective information. There's no way for you to know if you can succeed in the real world unless you get some data and test your assumptions and abilities. Pluto in Sagittarius in the house that represents your sun's aspirations confirms this. You need to know, and you need to test what you know.
Now, of course, you don't have to get your information from a library. You can talk to other people and pump them like wells--and you should. You can scour pop culture and the internet for clues to trends--and you should. You can take classes, go to conferences, and go on field trips. But however you like to gather information, you might as well gather it now while so many planets are happy to help you scoop it up. Word on the street is that they're planning to use all this valuable knowledge next year when Jupiter is in your sign so that you can spend 2009 bouncing around in happy haze of fully justifiable self-confidence. And that's a pretty good deal.
For keywords you can use to customize your horoscope - click here. For instructions on how to use the keywords - click here.
There's an ongoing battle in your chart this year Pisces between your personal opinions and everyone else's. Of course, you're probably right about everything, but don't try telling that to the sun and Saturn in Virgo this month. They're both taking the side of the other folks. What to do?
Well, you could consider it a tune-up and valuable practice run. You are learning to handle yourself when others devalue your point of view. You're learning how to work hard and keep going anyway. You're learning how to appreciate the devil's advocate or the partner who challenges your established notions. And perhaps you are learning when to say 'just screw it' and stick up for your own ideas even when the conventional wisdom seems to think you're a bit too unorthodox. You're learning how to listen to feedback and then make up your own mind.
And you're getting a chance to learn all these things before Uranus in your sign and Saturn in Virgo go into exact opposition in early November. And that's a good thing for you. Because by then you'll need to know how to be tough enough to know your own mind while still being open-minded enough to respect the other person's point of view. This is not an easy skill for the average human, so I think it's kind of nice the stars are giving you the chance to practice now, while the stakes are still relatively low.
For keywords you can use to customize your horoscope - click here. For instructions on how to use the keywords - click here.
As someone who specializes in midlife transits...
As someone who specializes in midlife transits, one thing I have noticed is how individualized they are in manifestation. Astrologers naturally try to group and pull out themes from these predictable passages of midlife, but in real life, they hit you where you need it most, whether you know it at the time or not.
For me, the process of midlife crisis, or really midlife awakening, began with Uranus opposition Uranus. This is a transit that occurs around the age of forty-two, although when it begins varies from person to person. In my case, it began when I was forty.
It began with misery. I remember asking a friend of mine at the time-"do you think the universe is actually trying to get me to kill myself?" She paused and said, "Well, normally I always say no to questions like that, but in your case…"
I was busy losing the things from my life that I liked. People. Places. Routines. Possessions. Even the most minor and odd of possessions, like buying lunch and having it disappear without warning from my desk before I got a chance to eat it. Learning later that a cleaning person had helpfully decided to throw it away for me!
This sort of thing happened all the time. It is a very odd feeling to be walking around in some sort of alternate and warped universe in which you cannot even count on your lunch being where you put it.
In the bigger picture, the structures that I depended upon for comfort were being ripped away from me. Change was happening without my consent or permission and faster than I could absorb.
As if that wasn't bad enough, ghosts from the past were haunting me. Uranus is a planet of the mind in many ways, a stimulator of the mind. Uranus opposition Uranus stimulated my mind beyond all control, and I found myself obsessively rehashing events from long ago. It was as if I kept telling myself, against my will, 'this is why I am the way I am. Do not forget the events that are important to you.' It was an uncomfortable process, and it didn't stop until I consciously agreed to obey the inner dictates and make my current decisions with full awareness of my past. My life may have changed in adulthood, but somehow I needed to recognize that I could not abandon awareness of my roots.
The experiences were specific to me, but some of the themes aren't. The theme of loss is common during midlife transits, including Uranus opposition Uranus. The theme of forced changes is equally common. Feeling as though you have suddenly somehow dropped into an alternate reality that you wouldn't have chosen to visit is pretty frequent. Having to balance the needs of the present and future with due recognition for the experiences, wisdom and achievements (or pains) of the past is common with any opposition.
But the theme that stands out for me with midlife transits is: Darkness before the dawn. Astrologers who tell you that it won't get dark at night are not telling you the truth, really. It usually does. It has to. It has to get dark if there is going to be a dawn worth celebrating.
And the dawn does come. It really does. There are times when you don't think it will, but it does. Astrologers who tell you that the midlife transits are all bad aren't telling you the truth either. Some of the most spectacular dawns of your life (in a metaphorical sense of being a great awakening) will occur in conjunction with your midlife transits.
For me, the dawn began with an eclipse. And wowie zowie what an eclipse it was. That little puppy started me down a path of happiness I had not even known existed.
And that brings me to another theme that I see so often with people and their own midlife transit journeys: It's not just the midlife transits; it's everything else going on in your chart and your life.
You are a unique individual. Your own midlife passages will occur in your own personal astrological context. An eclipse that occurs during a transit like Uranus opposition Uranus may be a trigger for awakening in your life, as it was in mine.
Or the trigger in your life may be the fact that your husband is undergoing his midlife transits at the same time you are, so that his changes are a catalyst for your own awakening. You may be in a phase of your life wherein choosing where you live, finding your home, is of top priority in your life. The trigger for your awakening may be a move to a new city. I have also seen cases where a dire illness, such as a cancer diagnosis, becomes the portal to an awakening of individual power that a person never knew she had.
The tricky part of dealing with these portals to a new life is knowing which doors to choose! It is important, even vital, to say yes to the opportunities these times of change will bring. But sometimes learning how to say yes involves knowing what to say no to. Sometimes that means saying no to a marriage that has long outlived its spiritual purpose. But sometimes it means saying no to the temptation to divorce even though mutual growth has made the old structures of a marriage no longer workable.
One of the purposes of these transits is to help you understand which is which. Which decisions are authentic for you in spite of social pressure. And which decisions are not authentic for you any longer. The transits frequently do this by turning up the volume on your inner voice to almost unbearable levels. It is as though for a time you cannot get away from your thoughts, your feelings, your indecision and conflict. You must confront what your insides are telling you, if only to gain some relief.
And that
brings me to the final theme that I see with these transits, at least
in my own life and in those of my clients. And that is: other people
can help. Maybe even: other people are necessary. In times of transition,
you need someone to talk to. Someone who will listen. That person cannot
always be the person you used to rely on, for things are changing in your
life. When your inner voice becomes very loud, it becomes necessary for
someone else to hear it. The darkness is more bearable when you share
it, and so is the dawn that follows.
Some keywords for the sun: Soul purpose, individuality, the father, one's vitality, consciousness, the self, the will, one's sense of drive, creative potential, the ego, and authority.
Some keywords for Mercury: Writing, the mind, speaking, learning, communication, commerce, messages, intellectual interests, mental abilities, speed, transportation, and language skills.
Some keywords for the Moon: Emotions, the body, instincts, fluctuating moods, rhythm, gut reactions, needs, dependence, responsiveness, memories, the subconscious, and perceptions.
Some keywords for Venus: Love, unity, harmony, pleasure, laziness, relationships, beautiful things, money, the arts, femininity, and aesthetic taste.
Some keywords for Mars: Energy, aggression, conflict, driving determination, strong emotions, male energy, keen competitiveness, sexual drive, and assertiveness.
Some keywords for Jupiter: Abundance, expansiveness, a cheery outlook, foreign travel, big money, philosophical concerns, gambling, sports, risks, advertising, publishing, and luck.
Some keywords for Saturn: Contraction, restriction, life tests, aging, a mature outlook, building structure, limitations, rules, authority, obstacles, discipline, thrift, and hard work.
Some keywords for Uranus: Technology, universal ideas, humanitarian impulses, hopes for the future, sudden changes, shaking up the status quo, reversals, revolution, and science.
Some keywords for Neptune: Artistic impulses, drugs, chemicals, and alcohol, inspiration, imagination, deception, glamor, delusions, hospitals, subconscious yearnings, liquids, oil, psychic experiences, and romanticism.
Some keywords for Pluto: Global events, transformation, regeneration, and elimination.
Some Keywords for the 1st house: The self , personality, the body, appearance, ego, attitudes, how others see you, physical health and vitality, self-regard, and what inspires you.
Some keywords for the 2nd house: All personal resources, values, money, possessions, ownership, attachments, investments in real estate, self-worth, tangible items, gifts, possessiveness, and materialism.
Some keywords for the 3rd house: The daily environment, communication, cell phones, casual conversation, letters, email, commerce, acquaintances, neighbors, relatives, the ability to deal with daily life, and the part of the conscious mind that deals with daily tasks.
Some keywords for the 4th house: Roots, home, family, the parents, traditions, the past, patriotism, nurturing, the need for emotional support, where you belong, ancestors, and the subconscious.
Some keywords for the 5th house: Play, amusements, creative self-expression, romance, children, fun, pleasures, love affairs, and gambling and speculation.
Some keywords for the 6th house: Employment, health, routines, nutrition, chores, service, volunteering, nursing, service professions, illness, employees, and hygiene.
Some keywords for the 7th house: Intimate relationships, partnerships, enemies, marriage, counselors, the general public, the ability to attract and love others, what we feel we lack, what we like and dislike in others, and the ability to resolve conflicts.
Some keywords for the 8th house: The past, transformation, death, inheritance, other people's money, rebirth, trauma, abuse, crisis, the partner's finances, loans, and investments.
Some keywords for the 9th house: Philosophy, religion, the legal profession, travel, academics, synthesis, higher education, the higher mind, the search for meaning, ethical beliefs and standards, foreigners and interest in things foreign, and the ability to gain perspective on events.
Some keywords for the 10th house: Status, career, reputation, authority figures, tangible achievements, the father, the ability to garner admiration, honors, contributions to the communty, fame, vocation or calling, and professional accomplishments.
Some keywords for the 11th house: Friendships, groups, life direction, aspirations, visionaries, scientific thinking, humanitarian impulses, the brotherhood of man, and hopes & wishes.
Some keywords for the 12th house: Secrets, mental illness, incarceration, self-sabotage, dreams, fantasies, subconscious fears, spirituality, intution, oneness with the universe, the inner life, and guilt.
HOW TO USE KEYWORDS: The essence of learning astrology is understanding how to mix, match, and blend the concepts associated with signs, planets, and houses to figure out what is or will be affecting you at a given point in time. This takes practice and practice is exactly what you're going to have a chance to get if you use the keywords each month.
Keywords can be used to plan and take action using the month's energies, to explain events or to make predictions. Scan for keywords that seem relevant to situations in your own life. You'll have 3 sets of keywords you can blend, one for the planet discussed, one for the sign it's in and one for the solar house it's transiting. Pick the keywords that interest you most and create your customized horoscope!
For example, if the Sun is in Aries in your solar first house, if you want to plan or take action you might pick the Sun keyword 'power', the Aries keyword 'initiating', and the 1st house keyword 'self-expression' to create an intention for yourself that you have the power to initiate actions to express yourself more fully in ways that you desire. You'll know what 'self-expression' means to you. It works best if you pick keywords that 'speak' to you or that coincide with elements of your life that already concern you. To receive astrological benefits, it's not necessary that you obligate yourself to do something huge - it's only necessary that you take one step in the right direction at the right time. Astrology concerns itself with when things are born, and if you start something at the right time, you're riding on the energy that's already available to you in the universe.
You can also use the keywords to try to figure out if something that is affecting you is 'in the stars'. For example, let's say you find yourself wondering why you're getting drawn into conflicts with people at your church. You scan the keywords and realize 'Aha! The fiery energy of Aries is currently being activated in my 12th house of faith-related matters!' If the energy is uncomfortable, you'll have a gauge as to how long it will be prominent (oh good, it should ease up next month!) or if it's a good energy you'll know which planet to thank!
You can also try your hand at predicting. If you check in at the beginning of the month and notice that your house of friendships is highlighted along with some active planetary or sign energies, you might predict for yourself that you will be engaging in a lot more fun and restorative activities with your friends in the coming month. This is basically what professional astrologers do and now you have a chance to try your own hand at it and compare your results with the pros. Have fun!
NOTE: There are a wide variety of potential keywords associated with each sign, planet, and house. I pick different ones each month to give you an idea of the range from the most common concepts to much more subtle ones. Over time, you'll gain an intuitive sense of what kinds of concepts are associated with each element and you'll even be able to generate your own keywords as you get a feel for each of the signs, planets, and houses. Each keyword also inherently contains its opposite as well. For example, if the keyword 'divorce' is displayed, it doesn't mean you'll get a divorce. But it does mean that if that is a concern for you and something you want to avoid you have an opportunity, while that energy is activated, to take proactive steps to deal with potential problems or head off an undesirable outcome. So you can turn 'divorce' into 'keeping a marriage together' or 'illness' into 'taking steps to get and stay healthy'.
Use your rising sign for better forecasts! Most published horoscopes are based at least in part on transits to solar houses. Solar houses are based on your sun sign and are easy to calculate. Your sun sign is your solar 1st house, the next sign in the zodiac is your solar 2nd house and so on. You can always determine what solar house a planet is in if you know the sign. Simply start with your own sign and count around the zodiac until you reach the sign you're interested in. For example, if you're a Gemini, the sign of your solar 3rd house is Leo. Pisces is the sign of your solar 10th house. Astrologers who publish horoscopes use sun signs and solar houses for several reasons: a) almost everyone knows their birthday; b) they're easy to calculate; and c) they actually do have some effect. However, if you get a personal reading from a professional astrologer, he or she will almost always use transits to your natal houses to give you a reading instead. Natal houses are based on your rising sign, which is determined by the exact time, place, and day you were born. Transits to your natal planets and houses have at least as much effect on your life as transits to your solar houses, sometimes quite a bit more. If you really want to know your chart, and get better horoscopes, you should find out your rising sign (also called Ascendant). If you know the exact time and place of your birth, you can do this for free at a wonderful website - www.astro.com. Click on the link near the top that says 'Free Horoscopes'. On that page, scroll down to the link that says 'Chart Drawing, Ascendant'. Follow the prompts to enter the information concerning your birth time, date, and place. You'll get a chart that shows your Ascendant (the sign next to the designation 'AC'). To the left will be a box listing your planetary placements. Next to the listing for 'AC' your rising sign will be listed along with the degree of your Ascendant within that sign. Make a note of that sign and be sure to check the horoscope and keywords for your Ascendant as well as your sun sign!
TRACK YOUR RESULTS! Next month when you come back here for your next horoscope, take 30 seconds to assess the results of the action you took last month as a result of your horoscope. Did it make you feel better? Did it make your life any better? Did it give you renewed energy or did you find your effort blocked, delayed, or ineffective? Judging your results allows you to assess how responsive you are to a particular planetary, sign, or house energy. For example, some people are very responsive to the astrological Sun just the way some people are very responsive to a sunny day. Other people work better with the energy of other planets. Only by taking a moment to gauge your results can you learn which planets work best for you in your life. You may have an 'afflicted' natal Sun that never does much for you, but a raring-to-go Mars that will help you in a pinch every time. Checking your results each month will give you an increasingly accurate guide as to how to use astrology to enhance your life.
The PRACTICAL ASTROLOGY website provides a free, sequential course in astrology with at least one article each month on a particular element of horoscope interpretation. If you want to see any articles you've missed, or to receive each month's update by email, sign up using the link below. The Practical Astrology website does not share your email address with anyone else. Sign up!
copyright 2008 victoria bazeley