Mercury emters Sagittarius today, and if you have felt stuck recently, this move may help to shift your mental patterns. Wider horizons may beckon: you may fancy a weekend in Paris, or may be thinking of booking a winter ski-ing holiday. New philosophical territories too may open up: the chance of an online Zen cafe encounter, or looking at a different strand of Buddhism than you are accustomed to. Tuesday (25th) brings a conjunction between Mercury and the Sun, so this may be the actual day to venture forth into your new mental or physical territories. There will be enthusiasm, and anticipation, and a burst of mental activity. The light from the ski slopes may be very intense, so make sure you are wearing your sun shades. The inner light from the Buddhist temple may also bring up some of your inner shadows, so give yourself spaces on your journey to attend to your process. Thursday 27th is a date that by now I hope you will have etched in your diary as the entry of Pluto into Capricorn (semi-permanently it might seem). There are plenty of blogs (as well as mine) out there on the blogosphere, so there’s no excuse for ignorance! It is a watershed, and on the world stage Pluto in Capricorn is part of the astrological dynamic behind the new Presidency in the U.S. and what will ensue, plus the worldwide economic collapse (together with the ongoing opposition between Saturn and Uranus), and not forgetting the climate problems of planet Earth. Pluto in Capricorn will need a new attitude from you – you will need to seem more grown up, while nurturing your inner child like never before. A whole new you. It’s a gargantuan opportunity, Thursday. For the entry of Pluto into Capricorn is followed by a timely step from Uranus (eat your heart out John Sargeant). Actually, it won’t be moving, it will perform a statuesque pause (stationary position) before turning direct. This will enable us to contamplate the amazing role Uranus in its retrograde motion played in the opposition with Saturn on November 4th in dismantling the long Bush Presidency, and thence to ponder on what else Uranus could achieve. Take a long deep breath, then pause, before the exhale (Uranus turning direct) which takes place on Friday. Meanwhile, as you reach that pause, make your New Moon wish – yes, Thursday also waves the magic wand of the Sagittarian New Moon. This is the global wishing season, where what you wish for yourself you also wish for everyone. What you wish for Earth you also wish for all planets: peace and harmony are possible suggestions. Friday (28th) brings a good follow-up aspect to those of Thursday: Venus sextile Uranus around commuter-time in the UK could bring lively conversations on the train – if you thought you knew your fellow-commuters already, they might surprise you with revelations this morning, or their absence might spark speculation. The early hours of Saturday (29th) could bring a wide-awake early start and more travelling possibly as Mercury conjuncts Mars. Incisive, decisive activity could take place in and out of the home. Get the mundane chores out of the way early and you’ll be free to engage in the witty repartee with a clear mind over lunch. With Mars representing the meat eaters, and Mercury representing the Vegetarians, there will be fun, but you will need a sense of humour to get it.

Pluto the long-stay planet is parking itself in Capricorn from Thursday 27 November. Here’s a guide to the psychological slant for each sign:

Aries – The pace of Pluto in Capricorn won’t suit the energies of Aries, which likes a quick fix. Try to keep your creative fire flowing in ideas and new projects, and hope others will pick them up. If you are a Life Coach for an Aries, advise them they will need to develop patience over the next 15 years. Gradually they will learn to follow through.

Taurus – You’ll be in tune and sometimes supported by the energies of Pluto in Capricorn, and have the long fuse which Aries lacks. If people have seen you as their rock in the past, you will be seen as a mountain in the future. This may cause inner conflict if you are not fond of the limelight, but you need to acclimatise to the prospect of your 15 years of fame.

Gemini – The heavy landscape of Pluto in Capricorn is not a natural climate for the Gemini butterfly. Keep your lightness of being – we need you to stay on the mental plane as a communicator of information (the old style oral tradition). We also need the charms of your other animal totem to provide the monkey-mind mischief humour you’re so good at. You will keep us on our toes.

Cancer – Your instincts and understanding of Pluto in Capricorn energy put you in a pole position with any dramas that are going on. You are used to life being an emotional roller-coaster, and process it in your own unique way. But make sure that you are not the fall guy, because at the end of the day you are your own person, and it’s not necessarily your drama. Just lend what assistance you can.

Leo – Pluto in Capricorn is not a hedonist’s paradise, but you may take pride in your natural leadership being sought out as well as your opinions, wisdom and warmth being acknowledged. No one will take away your crown as King of the Jungle, but you will perform your role with more Shakespearean gravitas.

Virgo – The sojourn of Saturn through your sign is helping you prepare for Pluto through Capricorn, and if you wonder if it’s possible for you to be even more organized, you’ll see that you can be (without tipping over into obsessive compulsive disorder). But it will be with a deeper sense of knowing what belongs where.

Libra – The soft glow of harmony that you like to create in your life will be challenged by the harsher lighting of Pluto in Capricorn, but that may serve to sharpen and refine your diplomatic skills further. If you are an interior designer rather than (or as well as) a diplomat, it will develop your colour palette range beyond your current spectrum.

Scorpio – As Pluto is your ruling planet, your perceptions may become even more acute to the realities of life – in some respects you may regard yourself as being on the coal face, but it will enable you to understand and make sense of your life to a greater extent, and also to live out your life purpose.

Sagittarius – Dear Sag, can it be time to abandon the rose-tinted specs, for say purple? Recent events have highlighted the bizarre, almost macabre threads of life you have hitherto ignored. But if there’s a colour between purple and pink, hey you’ll find it!

Capricorn – With much of the action taking place in your sign, you may be tempted to take the egocentric view of life (everyone’s line of least resistance) as you pioneer your way into the New World Order. You’ll gradually notice the other populace however, and ease into the leadership role you were born for. Keep the vision!

Aquarius – Aquarius may just leap-frog over the whole Pluto in Capricorn thing, so attuned are they to the Golden Age of Aquarius. Most likely sign to rise above it, and Jupiter in their sign next year brings lift-off.

Pisces – Your deep sensitivity will feel each seismic shift of the human race during this period, but at the same time you’ll be strengthened by your awareness of the developing interconnectivity, and inspired by the emerging qualities of the human heart. If you feel you are losing the plot, move to the ocean, and adopt a whale.

Next week: The Ascendants and Life Focus

It’s a dynamic day for Mercurial types, Geminis and Virgoans. The day started with Mercury trine Uranus, information flying fast and furiously across the globe, the internet alight with information. Make sure you get the full story, the full truth: there is a window today for truth to emerge before the webs of illusion start to re-group. Mars also entered Sagittarius this morning, galvanizing Sagittarians in particular into action, and just pressing the refresh button generally. Intensity and secrecy are no longer the focus of our energies, and getting things out into the open takes priority. The change may bring a sense of relief. If all this has passed you by because of a Sunday lie-in, then there are more Mercury goodies to come, so you don’t need to feel you have missed out on the day’s possibilities. Mid-afternoon (UK time) brings Mercury sextile Jupiter, which is very good for doing business as I said last week, or expanding your geographical horizons, perhaps visiting a jungle on the other side of the world…Any sort of communication is favoured, and channelling (a fast-growing New Age leisure activity) may bring uplift and optimism. In a similar pattern to last week, you may be setting up important projects for later in the week, but past the ideas stage and into the finer detail stage. Confidence in your plans and consolidation come at midnight or in the early hours of tomorrow (Monday 17th) morning, when you can realize that your belief in your product or business plan was not unfounded and indeed is progressing safely, with Mercury sextile Saturn. Recognize this pattern from last week? If so, you might know what is coming: on Monday evening Mercury squares Neptune, and the flaws and loopholes come into view, the illusions and cover-ups are exposed. But hopefully, as last week, all is not lost, because the main dish of the week (Jupiter trine Saturn) is a wholesome fare (see my September blog “Jupiter trine Saturn – finding balance”). In fact, you may be able to laugh about it, as I did about my loophole last week…Friday’s Jupiter trine Saturn is the last of 5 passes of this aspect, and may be the fruition of months of preparation. It is about finding balance, balancing opposites, finalizing plans, maybe making the best compromises and finding the optimal paths. The aspect occurs at lunchtime in the UK on Friday (21st), and early evening in the US, so plan accordingly, and adjust for other parts of the globe. Before you sit back in your armchair, perhaps catch sight of the Celebs in the Jungle, and breathe a sigh of relief at a job well done this week, there’s just one more thing: before you retire on Friday night the Sun goes into Sagittarius brightening the mood and allowing some optimism to steal into even the most cynical of minds. Pluto enters Capricorn soon, and hope needs to be nurtured. Maybe you’ll see a result for a candle that you lit while the Sun was in Scorpio.

Pluto re-enters Capricorn and takes residence there on Thursday 27 November for 15 years. For historical background and perspective please revisit my January blog (I shall say this only once). But for now, it is time to look at how it is affecting us. The transit of Pluto affects us globally, but collectively is made up of our own individual experiences, and we need to pay attention to our own Pluto principle and function, which is basically our whole psyche! Look at your whole psychology and lifestyle now, and get a sense of what might need to be released or revamped. For one of the mantras of Pluto in Capricorn is “Let it go”. Anything which is not sitting right in your life has to be let go of, now. Look back over your year, and many of you will realize that events (from the initial foray of Pluto into Capricorn in January and then back to Sagittarius) have brought out of you inner resources you never knew you had, bringing you closer to expressing your authentic voice. Marianne Williamson’s words (often wrongly attributed to Nelson Mandela) are very relevant now: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure…” Don’t hide your light under a bushel, it is very much needed. Another mantra for Pluto in Capricorn is “Less is more”, and so I am going to keep this brief (have lost a lot of this on the cutting room floor). If you are a conscious Light Worker, then read no further. If not, then consider that you may be. If you are looking within, and building the antahkarana, the bridge to your Soul, the entry of Pluto to Capricorn is calling to your Inner Light Worker to come forth. It is time to let go of negative emotions in preparation, so clear yourself of these. Fear is the most prevalent of these. Allow yourself to feel the fear, and feel it, until eventually you will come to the root of the truth about it, and may even experience landing in a golden net of spiritual protection, or coming face to face with your own Diamond Self. For fear, allow yourself to feel the perfect love that casteth out fear. For guilt, allow yourself to feel compassion for the self. For jealousy, allow yourself to feel gratitude for all you have. For anger, allow yourself to feel the inner peace that is at the core of your being. And for worry, allow yourself to send healing instead to the source of worry or the person you are thinking about. Align your heart and mind, your Earth Star below your feet (earthly purpose) and Soul Star above your head (divine influx). Above all, be honest with yourself and look after your own well-being. That’s my Pluto in Capricorn manifesto! 😉

Next Week: The Sun Sign approach to Pluto in Capricorn

You may have a day of rest today, to ponder over what you achieved last week during the reconstructional opposition between Saturn and Uranus. Maybe you made headway on home improvements, or maybe your vote counted in an election. Whatever it was, it could have major implications for the future. You don’t need any preparation for tomorrow’s aspects (Monday 10th) for you will sail through Sun sextile Jupiter and Sun trine Uranus. These aspects in turn help to set up the Jupiter-Uranus sextile later in the week. So make hay while the Sun shines. Sun sextile Jupiter helps you to count your blessings and stay positive, and Sun trine Uranus stimulates and initiates original, inventive creative projects. You could plan their inauguration for Thursday, if that’s not too soon for you. Just get onto the Uranian wave, which can produce instant results. So to sum up, Monday is a day of possibilities. On Tuesday (11th) the Sun sextiles Saturn, consolidating your plans and grounding them. You’ll begin to think “Yes, they might work”. From dawn in the UK on Wednesday (12th) things begin to get a little more complicated and unfathomable. It’s not that your aims are not achievable, it’s just that you need to take into account the subtleties involved and the sensitivities of others. The energies from Wednesday morning increase in power and intensity with Venus forming a conjunction with Pluto. A relationship may challenge your existing awareness of your own psychology, just when you thought you had a workable model. At the same time, if the challenges are met there can be a sense of renewal for both parties and both psyches. The eternal motto “Keep your heart open” always works, even though the mind may doubt! Later, in the afternoon (UK time) Venus leaves Sagittarius and enters Capricorn and the Sagittarian openness of heart will be more difficult to sustain. You have to get real on relationships, but compassion all round is still the only way through. The biggest day astrologically is Thursday (13th) and the biggest aspect of the week Jupiter sextile Uranus. This is the third and final pass of the sextile which occurred in March and May this year. Now searching my own blogsite in vanity, I am shocked to find that I didn’t do a separate blog on this aspect at the time, being very preoccupied with conjunctions in Aquarius at the time. What an omission! It’s a beautifully dynamic aspect, favouring exploration of the higher mind and positive philosophies, expansion of I.T. services and networking, and refreshing friendships and groups. This and the Full Moon occur at dawn in the UK, so dreamtime would be a useful time to work with their possibilities: perhaps meditate on Wednesday evening before you retire, so that you can work on maximizing potential overnight. It might be counterproductive though and keep you awake (especially with the Full Moon), so it’s a fine balance to tread especially if you are a light sleeper trying to avoid the cats on the way to the fridge. The Full Moon is in Taurus, opposing the Sun in Scorpio, and that in itself is an intense polarity but will help steady your will and determination in the aims you have set for yourself. Lunchtime on Thursday is not so easy, as it brings a square between the Sun and Neptune. The dynamism of Jupiter-Uranus still prevails, but you need to look at flaws, loopholes, slip-ups and illusions within the overall plan. On Friday (14th) Mercury squares Chiron, more headaches in the fine detail and fine print and not a good day to sign on the dotted line. Health too may be below par, so try not to do too much. Bide your time until Sunday, if you and your business partners can accommodate celestial rhythms. If on religious or other grounds you have to wait until first thing on Monday morning so be it, but no later or the moment will pass and you will be in another scenario. And another blog…

A new US President necessitates a new blog. I haven’t written any analyses of his chart yet, because I have been hedging my bets. So please forgive and excuse anything you may have read ad nauseum in other astrological blogs about the man. Sun in Leo in his chart represents his power and charisma and the influence of the dreams of his father. Different birthtimes were mooted over the last year for him, and Astrologers settled eventually for 7.24 pm (4/8/61, Honolulu). This gives him an Ascendant of 18 degrees Aquarius, the focus of much of the triple conjunction earlier this year between North Node, Neptune and Chiron. He managed to spin those particular plates with aplomb, while they were on his Ascendant. With that placing, the Sun appears in his 6th house of Service. If you read his autobiography, there is a lot of emphasis from a young age on service in the Community, very much a 6th house emphasis. The change-driven Aquarian influence is reinforced by Uranus (ruler of Aquarius) conjunct his North Node (karmic mission) in his 7th house of personal relationships. This is how he comes to embody the phrase “Be the change you want to see in the World”, a baton handed from Mahatma Gandhi to Martin Luther King and taken up by Barack Obama. The appearance of this conjunction in his 7th house shows that he strives in every relationship to embody this and bring the other person to that understanding. Look at his easy way with the reporters at his first Press Conference yesterday. The Nodal conjunction and axis form a Grand Cross with his Midheaven (Career Point) and I.C. (Roots), which in Esoteric Astrology may show that the emphasis in his spiritual development may be on the Fixed Cross of Discipleship. This is only intended to be a very basic introduction to his chart, so the other aspect of note I want to bring out is his Jupiter/Saturn conjunction in 12th house. It can be a mature and steadying aspect, in the right hands. Operating from the 12th house, it shows how he is bringing forth strong and primal energies from his higher consciousness linked with his subconscious, almost indefatigably it would seem. This conjunction also receives a trine from his Mars adding physical energy and showing steady application. He works out regularly at the gym, and applies his energies with great determination in his life and work. The date of his inauguration shows the highlighting of his Jupiter (philosophy, good will and hope) by the Sun and Mercury in conjunction with that planet, but at the same time Pluto opposes his Venus (showing the cost in terms of the expense to his personal life – the move to the White House is not likely to be easy for his family). He is under pressure to accomplish a great deal in a short time, some of which he may be able to do with Chiron in his first house natally, showing the Healer Archetype to be strong in his personality. He may be able to achieve some small but surprising and inspired short cuts to the problems of the world initially, which will keep the flame of hope flickering enough while all the other problems and issues clamour for attention. At the same time physically, he is not superhuman (Chiron is the “wounded healer”) and needs to address or be aware of his own frailties, and not to allow the strains of office to get out of hand (Chiron squaring his Moon). The job of a Uranus/North Node karmic mission is to break the mould, and he has already achieved something which represents a reorientation for the American mind, and the human race. This achievement was helped by the personal warmth and connectedness to his female lineage shown by his Grand Trine between Neptune, Venus and Chiron, plus the Moon in his 4th House. Future aspects of his work will require different dimensions of his character to be brought into being – words will not be enough – and he needs worldwide good will to achieve the next stage. His election was the manifestation of Saturn opposing Uranus. The rest will be his and humanity’s initiation of Pluto into Capricorn.

Citizen Smith, and the Tooting Popular Front, your time has come! Actor Robert Lindsay, who played Wolfie Smith in the TV sitcom back in the 1970s, has (like me) his second Saturn Return this week, and his past role may come back to haunt him (pleasantly I hope). For the Saturn-Uranus opposition which has had us all in a nutcracker grip for some time finally reveals on Tuesday the nut or fruit within, the truth behind the form. We can see this squeeze at work in our lives, in the lives of those around us, and of course in the fascinatingly-staged US Presidential Election. Will Barack Obama be elected, and will Capitalism be brought down in a single stroke? This constitutes the hope, and fear, for many people worldwide (see my earlier blogs on this opposition). Is there anything else happening this week? Well yes, but all other planetary placements pale in comparison, but must be blogged nevertheless. Neptune goes stationary today prior to turning direct, so that will enable us to see things more clearly on a spiritual level. We are all now seeing more of the truth that lies behind the illusion, as more is being revealed esoterically and exoterically. Tomorrow (Monday 3rd) highlights the fact that Venus forms a T-square with the Saturn-Uranus opposition this week as Venus tackles first Saturn then Uranus. Many people will feel out of their comfort zone in contemplating changes that might happen, e.g. if Obama is elected, or if the shares plummet even further. Venus also represents the Arts, and it may represent a turning away from art which is meaningless or superficial, and be the spur for a new artistic trend based on true values. So sell off any dubious Brit Art items you are holding, and make a space for the new Art. Relationships too will be tested for their mettle on Monday. The supporting astrological events for Tuesday (4th) begin with Mercury sextile Pluto in the early hours of the morning (UK time). This is a profound aspect attuning us to deeper ways of thinking, and serious issues requiring our mental attention. No U.S. voter is likely to step into the polling booth lightly! At breakfast-time Mars squares Neptune, giving way and falling prey to last-minute irrational thoughts and paranoias – “what would happen if so-and-so were elected…?” Other planetary tribes may be more focussed on practical issues connected with leaks or flooding which can accompany this aspect. If you are not experiencing a water leak, check out your aura for emotional leaks. Compassion is well-centred, but sympathy can overstretch your emotional boundaries. The Saturn-Uranus opposition itself occurs at lunchtime in the UK, but at the start of the working day in the U.S. Later on around afternoon tea (back to UK time), Mercury enters Scorpio and the mental mood swings from equanimity and seeing both sides (Mercury in Libra) to passionate positionality: “I’ve cast my vote, now I’m going to stick with it!” Wednesday (5th) is of course when the denouement in reality will be known, and Venus sextiles Neptune. That’s an interesting tone for the day after an election: balmy and idealistic, almost serene, like swinging on a hammock. Again, I am sitting firmly on the fence, because it is difficult to categorically tell from their charts which presidential candidate will be swinging on that metaphorical hammock…but there will be an air of dreaming about what is possible, generally. On the art front aspiring and upcoming Artists of the New Age take note, this would be a golden day to start a new art movement. On a more provincial level, you could host a Paint Pod event. Relationships will move to a more spiritual stage. All the agony and empathy of this week could leave you exhausted in the second half, so take care of yourselves. Saturday (8th) sees Chiron squaring the Sun and healing may be needed, or at the very least catching up with yourself, coming back to your own core and centredness after all the outward focus. It’s a new dawn, so take stock of how you are feeling in relation to that.

(“Saturn opposite Uranus – Intro” appeared in September)

I don’t have the facilities for sound on this website, but if I was playing a song to accompany this update on Saturn’s opposition to Uranus and its dismantling of structures, it would be “Something’s gotta Give” sung by Frank Sinatra, which starts: “When an irresistable force such as you…” Please hum along as you read. The Saturn-Uranus opposition arrives on Tuesday 4th November, and the next two or three days we have left is a space for plea-bargaining with the Universe. For the Saturn side of the equation is that which we can take control of, and the Uranus part is the force beyond our control. You know what the Universe might allow you to get away with and where you are on dodgy ground. It’s not easy for any of us, this point in time. Do what you can about what is under your control, and accept that which is not. As you look at this astrological event on Tuesday, coinciding with the US Presidential Election, you may look upon it in a variety of ways. Some may think everything is totally beyond their control. Others will see where there is a fault line in their affairs, where if they were just to touch or tweak in a certain place things could fall apart (Somethin’s gotta give). Still others may be able to look at the total picture and see their own part in its creation, and even marvel at it. This event is at work on all levels, even to the Global level, as witness the contest in America and the denouement which will occur this week. Looking at some of the levels, you could start with the physical. Where might you have been going to excess, and where could you pull back? e.g. if you have been consuming too much salt, cut down and drink more water. Or where a crack or lesion may be developing – are you overloading yourself with too much emotional or physical baggage? Carry less, and allow the skeleton to heal naturally. Physical problems now can be caused by rigidity and long-standing patterns. Looking at partnerships, where you share energies with another, do you have a shared weakness which your relationship magnifies? I am thinking of Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross here – they have just gone on ahead with pushing the Saturn-Uranus envelope. Still on relationship, perhaps in a shared parenting situation if you both work one of you may need to stay at home for a while either from employment cutbacks or because your child is in need of more quality attention. In a group, are you going to push the weakest link beyond his or her limits? It’s your choice whether to do that, or whether instead each component could send that person extra strength. It is also a time when a group may decide to ditch the old style of working and raise its level of light. Looking at this transit is like looking at an inevitable change and wondering how far a calculated approach can succeed and how much the forces of nature will take over. In the US Election scenario it is a hair-line decision, but the outcome will be one of both shock (Uranus) and resignation (Saturn) in equal measure throughout the nation. Frank sings on: “So, en garde, who knows what the fates might have in store? From their vast mysterious sky?” He wasn’t just a great voice, he also conveyed energies beyond himself. But in the end after wrestling with the issue, in frustration he gives up and ends the song “Aww, let’s tear it up!” I say expand your perceptions, and do the best you can.

After a couple of heavy weeks planetarywise, I will try to trip lightly through this coming week, as it does look less weighty. It starts on Sunday 26th with a trine between Mercury and Chiron, which is good for addressing diet and health regimes, and making the connection between mental beliefs and physical health. Tip of the week: instead of your annual flu jab, why not memorize Louise L. Hay’s affirmation for influenza, which is “I am beyond group beliefs and the calendar. I am free from all congestion and influence.” It works for me… At Sunday lunch (UK time) though you may be bombarded by too many questions or too much information with Mercury squaring Jupiter. So you may be lunching with your food guru and he or she may give you too much to digest. I advise lunching alone if possible, and being your own food guru. Monday (27th) is a turnaround of Sunday, because Jupiter has a helpful sextile with Mars, while Chiron has an awkward square with Mars. You will end up more mentally and physically nimble however, after the combination of the aspects for these two days: Jupiter sextile Mars boosts your energy levels, and balances your adrenals, protecting you from burn-out at the gym. But at the same time Chiron squaring Mars could make you incident-prone. If you encounter an incident (on the way to or from the gym) something is being shown to you in a graphic way about your use of energy, specifically your healing energy. For instance, if you’re a spiritual healer, sensing, fine-tuning or aligning energy. With all this mental and physical activity, you may hardly have time to work on your New Moon wishes in advance. Your New Moon projections will have to be spontaneous and based on who you are in the moment, rather than the more premeditated and cogitated versions of self. This New Moon occurs in the last hour of Tuesday 28th (UK time) at 5 degrees Scorpio. If it is your birthday, you may find the energies exceptionally invigorating and your year ahead may be characterized by new ventures, new ways of being, or recapturing the passion(s) of youth. It is close in time to a trine between Mercury and Neptune, which occurs at daybreak on Wednesday (29th) and some part of you may be dancing with the blissful combination of these two events. Channelling is also blessed with this aspect, as well as trance-dancing. Time to buy those sparkly dancing shoes you’ve had your eye on. Lightness and subtlety are the name of the game now. Good practice for Halloween on Friday (31st) when the thinning of the veils between heaven and earth may bring co-operation and messages between the two. Mars sextiles Saturn too on that day, so practical action, earthing and grounding also work well. Much can be accomplished this week and especially on Friday, which is rounded off by a trine between Mars and Uranus, electrical energy with a positive application which can bring certain types of healing, and mechanical repairs. You may also solve I.T. problems under this influence. And then we’re back round to Saturday which with no aspects to watch, just leaves X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing.

Last night I found myself trying to navigate a driver who also did not know the route, in the pitch dark, with no lighting and signposts. It’s a Scorpionic sort of week coming up, and so that may be a metaphor: negotiating the darkness. We are truly on an unknown path, both with the economic situation, and the US Presidential Election which astrologically has become synonymous with the upcoming Saturn-Uranus opposition. I have been trying to get a handle on the Barack Obama enigma, so far with no success, despite having read both his books a while ago. I have seen him in the media this week referred to as both the returning Christ and his opposite. But the most promising lead came on Thursday night at a fundraiser when he finally revealed his true origins: “I was not born in a manger. I was actually born on Krypton and sent here by my father, Jor-el, to save the Planet Earth”. So I am now on a mission to find an ephemeris for the planet Krypton…Anyway, all this stumbling in the dark is the lead-up to Wednesday’s sextile between the Sun and Pluto. If you’ve done your homework, looked into the Krypton ephemeris, remembered to take your torch and compass, looked at whereabouts in your life births, deaths, rebirths and transformations are being played out, Wednesday (22nd) could bring out the very best that this cycle of manifestation has to offer: acknowledging how far you have grown, and a real insight into what needs to go, and what needs to be built or re-built. Pluto works very much on a depth-psychological level, so ask fundamental questions. Imagine you could meet Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, R.D. Laing and Rufus May at a dinner party – what would you ask them about psychology in general? Not of course about your own psychology which is unique and your own speciality. This aspect is about bringing into wholeness the dark and the light, talking of which the Observer this morning headlines Boris Johnson as “No more Mr. Nice Guy”. Well I would also like to know what happened to Raymond Blanc’s nice guy image. On the last series of The Restaurant I thought “There goes a real gentil homme – a real contrast from all the other TV kitchen dictators”. Now in the current series, he is really cutting with his contestants. Though he, like Richard Branson of last week’s blog, is going through his second Saturn return, he shouldn’t be taking it out on them. That’s not the purpose of a Saturn return. It must be the added strain of Uranus being opposite his Saturn and transiting Saturn, but that’s still no excuse. I will be watching my own behaviour carefully when I have my second Saturn return on the US Election/Saturn opposite Uranus day. On Thursday (23rd) the Sun enters Scorpio, reinforcing the Plutonic theme of the previous day. We leave behind the lightness of Libra, and it seems like soul-searching all the way now – at least until November 4th! Saturday (25th) is significant for Chiron-watchers (failing information about Krypton) for Chiron is stationary prior to turning direct. Chiron has a similar energy to Pluto up to a point. While Pluto is into depth-psychology and letting go of outworn forms, Chiron is about depth-psychology too but with a healing twist. So when you are undergoing a Chiron transit it can feel very much like a Plutonian event and equally transformative at a cellular level, but you reach a point when you can suddenly see the purpose of the event much more easily and turn a crisis into a miracle. The timing of Chiron is also different from that of Pluto. A Pluto problem can take a long time to steal into your life and to resolve. Chiron events are often shorter in duration, often come to notice in a sudden crisis, and be instant in resolution. Chiron turning direct will enable us much more to take advantage of its positive process and healing potential. So to sum up: identify the planet responsible for your current crisis (assuming you have one), and never travel without your inner light.