Astrological Update for mid-May to Mid-June 2010 thru Mark S. McNutt

All divination is personal, even the planetary, and these over lighting general trends are themes that you yourself explore thru your choices and thru your own lenses and birth map. These general trends are not as comprehensive or accurate as a personal reading regarding your own birth chart and it’s unfolding thru the choices you make in your own life. You are responsible for your own fate, which is changeable yet influenced by many factors. Remember who you are!
Astrology works on many levels and we can peel back the layers to reveal ever-deeper aspects of ourselves and the truth of our being. If you would like to have a more in depth reading of how these and other planetary transits are affecting you, contact me, Mark S. McNutt, for a personal reading.

New Moon May 13th 6:04 pm pdt

Spring is here- bees, trees, ants, plants, birds, and a world of flowery wonder unfolding.
How are you going to best use the opportunities and challenges that this season offers you? It is essential to remember at the darkest times that every day is a new beginning.
This blog is intended to provide the larger planetary overview of what is affecting people as a whole and is not another Sun sign based parlor game or pep talk for much needed pronoia. This is the beans and rice in the potluck that you can add your own chips and salsa and fantastic flavors to thru personal readings and integration.
Happy New Moon in Taurus! Taurus is the first of the Earth signs and is noted for being beneficial for any Earth plane activities such as gardening, earthworks, clay, artistry, and all other earth plane activities.  With the trine to Saturn retrograde, the theme for middle to end of May is completion, rooted intention, and letting go of the ballast of the past so that when the Sun enters Gemini on 5/21, it is full speed ahead into a time of communication , networking, and social life. Also a time of completing mental tasks so that we can move into the summer sun and fun  with a clean slate and directed energy.
We are likely to be blessed with good planting weather for a week or more(on West Coast, usually the inverse of what is going on East of here). But of course more rain to follow and lots of surprises. Have I mentioned that around the oceans at least, the weather changes are most likely to occur around the Moon phases, particularly New or Full Moons? As the Moon nears fullness on 5/27, give yourself like a flower to the full impending unfoldment of the Summer.
Mercury is in Taurus all Lunar month, coming out of brain melting retrograde right before the New Moon. So its’ effects move from stubborn confusion to firm determination now and it suddenly is a great time to make solid plans.
Mars is only now moving past the start point of its’ apparent retrograde from late last year, in Leo. This is often a time of challenging transformation for most. But also, almost overnite, the cycles are turning rapidly suddenly, so while there has been a great deal of dramatic darkness and dilemma in the air, by the time that you read this, movement of matters of determination and will can progress, and change will be rapid and unexpected. However, the retrogrades and stationeries (no motion) of several key planets- Mercury, Saturn, and Pluto, will show you where you are stuck and resistant to change.

Saturn is particularly of note here, slowing down to a stop in its’ backward apparent motion in Virgo. These stationary movements or really lack of movement of the planets can be more intense than the retrogrades, especially with Pluto, as the energy can be strong and heavy with little resolution. It is a misperception that when a planet turns around and begins to apparently move forward that it is clear and speedy forward motion from that point onward. The stationary condition must be figured in, and planets gain and lose momentum during these times.  The final phase of Saturn in Virgo retrograde (until end of calendar month) will pull our intentions toward completion of unfulfilled work and commitments- even as summer Sun beckons.
This is metaphorically like the scenario of finishing your homework before going out to play. Take care of the unfinished details and backlog before new beginnings can flourish. Remember that if you don’t finish you soup and clean your bowl, the Coconut Bliss is going to taste funny. This advice is particularly strong for the Earth signs and those experiencing Saturn Returns.
A brief note about Saturn Returns- This is a very popular and accurate Astrological clock that occurs at about age 29-30 and then again at multiples thereof. But it is one of many predictable Astrological timings. More often than not, people come to me for readings a year or two before having a Saturn Return and insist they are having one. Then, when I inform them that it isn’t here yet, they often decide that either my tools or Astrology isn’t accurate. So here it is. A Progressed Lunar Return always occurs first, at age 27 or so and multiples thereof. This is harder to figure out and requires some more intricate math. Then there is more. A Saturn Return is when Saturn returns to the place it was when you were born. It is no stronger and probably less strong than these 3- Saturn on the Ascendant, Saturn conjunct Moon, and Saturn conjunct Sun. These 3 can occur at any age from birth to 30, and then again in cycles of slightly less than 30 years  for the rest of your life. But they are only a little harder to figure out, yet people having them will come to me and say that they must be having a Saturn Return.
Then there are the slightly more minor effects of Saturn oppositions, squares, and trines to the above, all of which strongly affect people. In short, Saturn aspects  consists of a total of 4 conjunctions, 4 oppositions, 8 trines and 8 squares, totaling 24 major transition aspects every 30 or less years! Not one. Even the Saturn Return may occur up to 3 times in a year or just briefly and once due to its position in the Retrograde cycle. All of this information is easy to see if you have the basic skills to read an ephemeris or have an Astrologer do it for you.
I should also mention that of course the Sun returns every year, called a Solar Return (your birthday is the best time to get a reading and start anew for your year), a Lunar Return occurs 13 and 1/3 times per year, Venus and Mercury return to your natal birth positions every year near to the same time around your birthday, Mars returns every two years often at the same time roughly, Jupiter return every 12 years and most people who have the same Chinese Zodiacal Sign also have Jupiter in the same sign as each other. Uranus only returns every 84 years so once in a lifetime, and we assume most of us will not live to see their Neptune or Pluto Return at 168 and 248 years respectively. Oh yes, I should mention the Chiron Return which occurs around age 50 and is a crossroads of health issues or a determined commitment of  renewed vitality to offset negative health issues.
All of these , plus the aspects to Sun, Moon, Rising, or other planets, are the building blocks of Astrological Readings and denote shifts and life changes.  People have Saturn oppositions at 42-44 or so, when they are also having Uranus opposition Uranus. People have their second Saturn Return at about 58-60 when they are also having their fifth Jupiter Return. And so on.
I mentioned Uranus because Uranus as mentioned last time, is once again going thru a year of opposition to Saturn  and so the individuals born at the second half of the 1960’s are having this double whammy aspect now, or at least this year.
Saturn and Uranus were in opposition (picture a game of ping-pong, do not picture a wrestling match or struggle) last month but have moved on for a bit and will certainly shake things up again later this year.  While this aspect is technically over for the time being, the influence is still being felt because of the presence of Jupiter, which is in Pisces and moving into a conjunction with Uranus. Jupiter in Pisces is also represented in the Tarot as the 9 of Cups, or the Wish Card, denoting the importance of dreaming our intentions and following our dreams. What you believe will come to pass.  Follow your dreams, but in balance to the importance of getting the work done first, particularly before the end of May. Thomas Jefferson said- “I find that the more I work, the luckier I get” and that is this aspect exactly. Dream big, not logically, and take daily steps to manifest your dreaming on Earth plane, without attachment to the mystery of the magick of how that occurs.
Here is a metaphysical truth and observation” When we dream, visualize, or talk about ideas and possibilities, we are creating thot forms which are like creating children and they end up having a life of their own or being adopted by others (hundredth monkey) or abandoned as orphans to unfulfilled ignorance and dissipation.  Let go of and recycle dreams that no longer serve, but take responsibility even for y0our fantasies as they are as real as the government or the dollar, which is worthless paper if we didn’t share a cultural agreement that give it value. When degradation of the planet can be quantified and given value, we can collectively  dream solutions. The point is that there is a value in dreaming  and a negative repercussion to empty intentions. Especially now. Empty intentions, not backed up by appropriate effort,  create either dissipation or more work for the already motivated.  Be responsible in what you say and do. Make it real or let it go, now is the time of that crossroads.
A big shirt is occurring by the end of May. As Saturn pulls out of Retrograde, Uranus enters a new sign and in fact new zodiac. Joined in Aries with Jupiter by the first week of June, and they are in conjunction. They retrograde back into Pisces later, but that thread is for later.
So what is in store- upheaval, revolution and change, new beginnings in unforeseen and unpredictable ways, surprising changes in dreams  and lifepath, and a start to the countdown to the much anticipated global portal changes of the end of 2012.  By the way, even if there would be nothing occurring at end of 2012, the dominating thot forms of many anticipate  great change so belief brings it into being anyway due to all those thot forms.
Looking at Uranus’ role in this, my advice includes  the obvious- don’t take the internet or electricity for granted and develop ways of communion with each other that do not rely on an electrical source that is out of your control.
Astrologers love Uranian aspects since they are both transformative and unpredictable except in timing.  But be cautioned that things are unlikely to go as planned- opportunities that can be created and dissolved unexpectedly, with unforeseen  and contradictory results. Remember what the Astrologer said about finishing your homework before going out to play, and allow that playground experience to be spontaneous and different from your imagination’s expectation. Then do it again at summer’s end.
Be complete, ground to earth, eyes to the skies and full of surprise.

Mark S. McNutt has been practicing and teaching Astrology since becoming professionally certified in 1972,after being a young prodigy in these arts. Mark is available for personal readings and tutoring by phone, mail, or in person. He is also available  for group classes and presentations by arrangement. He can be reached at 541-964-5341.
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