September is a transitional month, when the Sun completes its pass through the northern latitudes bringing us back to equal day and night hours. The Sun in Virgo brings our attention to practical preparation for winter. Virgo is a mercurial sign, changeable and analytical. Little details catch more attention as we summarize what has occurred, analyze our best strategy and try to plan for the rest of the year.

At the national level, our Country is at a turning point. The Autumnal Equinox chart for September 23 has some striking features that suggest Congress will continue their volatile discussions over finances and the economy.

Unexpectedly, hurricane Irene was a costly storm that now means big repairs of infrastructure in a huge number of communities. This, followed by drenching rains from hurricane Lee, brought record breaking flooding to the northeastern areas. This puts big stress on the FEMA budget. There may be more unexpected weather related events in the season ahead with the emphasis of planets in Air and Fire signs.

Although it presents great hardship for individuals and whole communities, it is also an opportunity for building the economy. What an opportunity for renewing community bonds. Congress needs to act for their struggling constituents! If they do not answer the need, things are going to heat up among the people. There are some stormy astrological patterns in the months ahead.

The Equinox occurs with the waning Moon joined with Mars in Leo, which is at the degree of President Obama’s Mercury. We can expect the President to continue his call for a productive jobs bill that will make him look like a hero to the people. His campaign for reelection will take on more of the feel of a crusade to save the country.

The Equinox chart and the following New Moon, September 27, display the grouping of planets in Libra gathering with Saturn, which will promote commitment to action toward solutions developing through the next lunar cycle. Last April into May, all of the planets were stacked against Saturn, which gave us a lot of debate and fighting without clear direction toward action. We can hope for some solution oriented discussions in Congress of a different tone this season. Necessity will prompt negotiations that will stimulate action.

At the individual level, this fall has good energy for getting involved in groups and in community activities. The month of October will be good for socializing. Venus in Libra promotes good will and congenial negotiations. Sun in Libra through the month highlights topics that arise gradually in discussion and come to a sudden conclusion. Become part of the discussions that direct attention to improving local situations and finding solutions to issues that affect the general community. Even at the family level, this month can be a good time to make being together more fun for everyone.

We enter the year of 2011 with potentially high hopes of better things to come. The impact of 2010 was disrupting for a huge number of people, and yet others prospered. The Winter Solstice occurred with a potent Total Lunar Eclipse, marking the progress into the New Year with a general sense of the need to make a greater effort toward the changes we wish to bring about.

The beginning of the first business week of the New Year greets us with a Solar Eclipse and the union of two potent planets, Jupiter and Uranus. The chart for Washington, DC holds the emphasis in the arena of money and resources. The Eclipse opposes the Sun of the USA horoscope. The eclipse series started August 14, 1776, the lunation following the birth of our nation. According to astrologer Bernadette Brady, the eclipse series is associated with “large, ambitious group projects. These group projects will require a separation or the breaking of a bond that already exists.”

There is a strong influence for the PEOPLE to take up a different approach to getting changes made than waiting for Congress to agree. The power of invention and ingenuity is stirring at the grassroots level. Along with the influence of the eclipse, we have the potent new cycle beginning between the planet of expansion and the planet of freedom and invention.

They first met last June (2010) for a short time, again late September, and they now complete their third contact to kick off the new 14 year cycle. The conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus is known as the signature of the Kitty Hawk flight, man’s first venture into the skies. Their contacts initiate new social and economic themes of change.

The last time that Jupiter and Uranus entered Aries together was 1927. There were many new breakthroughs relating to expanded territory. Charles Lindberg made the first intercontinental flight from New York to Paris in May. In July, the first commercial airline flight started in Hawaii. Park College, America’s oldest school of aviation opened in August. The first movie with soundtrack, The Jazz Singer, opened in October. The first underwater auto tunnel, the Holland Tunnel, opened in New York in December. This history suggests that 2011 will offer another big leap of expanded territory and possibilities that come out of the impulse to innovate.

While we continue to experience a frighteningly bleak winter economy, the collective urges to breakout of the desperation of joblessness is prime fodder for the fuel of a new independent workers network. Americans generally want to be working and supporting their families. When the government and the large corporations don’t meet the needs of employment, people start doing whatever they can to earn money.

Jupiter is the energy of opportunity, optimism, and thrives on group energy because it’s social and needs interaction. When it enters Aries on January 23, it will also be entering the territory of home and family in the USA chart. This contributes to the surge toward new opportunities driven by a spirit of “I Can! and I Will!” Uranus will enter Aries on March 11 contributing to the emergence of new independent contractors operating on mobile technology at the speed of light. Keeping up will be about the newest Aps!

Neptune, planet of blending, mergers, ideals and visions will enter Pisces April 4. The topics of natural resources and universal rights will be a theme for the next 15 years. Water rights and clean water become more of a concern worldwide. Neptune’s change of signs often ushers in new fashions and new music styles. These things universally influence people. Spirituality and consciousness is another aspect of Neptune’s influence. Entering the sign that most represents the universal and collective without distinction, we can expect Neptune’s shift of style to bring people together by weakening the boundaries of judgment and exclusion.

Neptune has a cycle of 164 years. The last time in concluded its travel in Aquarius, and entered Pisces was 1847-48, the year of Neptune’s discovery on July 10! The Mexican-American war began. The first telegraph company was started in February. The Post Office issued the first stamps. New York State establishes the Board of Commissioners of Emigration. The American Medical Association was founded. Brigham Young and is Mormon followers arrive at Salt Lake City. The shipwreck disaster off the coast of Ireland leads to the construction of the Fastnet Rock Lighthouse. Chloroform is first used as an anesthetic (another Neptune theme of conscious/unconscious).

Neptune’s movement into Pisces brought many changes in governments and political ideologies. The Communist Manifesto was written. Sicily accepts a new Constitution. The Mexican War ends and the US acquire Texas, California, New Mexico, and Arizona. The 2nd French Republic proclaimed. A revolution breaks out in Hungary and the Hapsburgs must meet reforms, leading to a constitutional monarchy. The first Women’s Rights convention was held July 19 in Seneca Falls, NY. Slavery was abolished in the French Territories. First Women’s Medical school opened in Boston, November 1. These many events show the influence of Neptune in Pisces to even the playing field and bring unification and fairness.

The big planetary shifts expected in 2011 and 2012 will bring out what is needed to improve the quality of life for all. Historical events show us the impact of changes that affect general society when the slow moving planets change signs. Nothing comes about without a certain level of suffering that highlights the need that changes must meet. Extremely high joblessness shows us that our values must change. Ingenuity is the spark that will take us into better times.

Got ideas? This is your year to express your unique talent and create. The world is ripe and ready for new ways of doing things that serve the greater good!

The Mid-term elections are finally finished. The results give a changed landscape in Congress. The Presidential press conference I watched this morning (Nov. 3, 2010) held the steady theme of the message from the people being that of disenchantment and disconnect in relation to President Obama. The media asked him to be self-reflective about how his policies have affected the outcome of this election. While he took responsibility in some respects, he also continued to focus around the issue that working-class people are out of jobs for far too long. This is the biggest crisis facing America.

The USA is experiencing the closing few weeks before the Saturn return of the national horoscope. People who are familiar with this cycle will relate to what a big transition this can initiate. Due to Saturn’s speed and travel through a year’s period, it will take three contacts of Saturn to its natal place to complete the process. Saturn symbolizes the Congress in a national chart. This return represents a cyclic period relative to the adjustments of structural power within the nation.

The first contact will be Dec. 3, 2010. This first contact sets the focus on what topics will be important and what changes will ultimately fall into place. Not surprisingly, the hot topics are debt, military, and jobs. It seems that it will be necessary for the government to extend more support to the people, who will be facing the hardships of winter in a period of lack. The push for community outreach will prompt many new local services to help people. There is a revolutionary spirit coming up through organizations and groups that will inspire progress where communities volunteer together. One potentially positive movement could surface in ways people find to help each other with food and basic needs where government services do not stretch far enough.

The second return contact occurs while Saturn is in its retrograde motion. This contact prompts attending to matters that were important with the first contact, but had no conclusion. During the few weeks that this contact is active, matters will come to light that can change the course of decisions. It is unique that the Moon will be at the same degree of the zodiac on the first two Saturn return contacts. This suggests that the People are in the same condition and their problems are the same.

This second occurrence is the day after the Spring Equinox. Uranus, planet of change, innovation, and new ways of doing things will be conjunct as the Sun enters Aries, the sign of abrupt change. Uranus entered Aries last May, 2010, retrograded back into Pisces, and will now travel through Aries until 2018. This initiates a surge of motivation and ingenuity for the American people, for this influences homes, housing, agriculture, and community building. The last time Uranus was in Aries was 1928 to 1935. Looking at the general welfare of Americans in that period, we can see a similarity. The market crash of 1929 and the standard approach to economics of that time created one of our nation’s worse economic periods. There was a great unsettling of America. Something we are likely to witness again.

The final contact that will set the stage for the next thirty-year cycle is on August 27, 2011. By that time, other factors contribute a hope for stabilization and economic growth. One positive potential for this coming year’s process is that the protections for consumers are likely to have come much farther. The mortgage fraud will become clearer and changes around home financing regulations will help to give homeowners more options.

Saturn is the planet of order, structure and responsibility. In the national chart it represents Congress. The 2010 mid-terms have given a new dynamic to the 2011 Congress. It will likely set up a scenario that, like the 1930’s, brought out the gut-level struggle to survive in the American people at the lowest level of the economic pyramid. People pulled together when the wealthy ignored their plight. It took the uprising of the greater discontent to stand up to the corporate dominance and take back “the power of the people.”

When we face a similar winter in 2010-2011, it is important to be attentive now to what happens in Congress. Did the voice of the people reach the ears of the lawmakers and Administrators? Will the address the needs of the people and bring a healing to the pride of the country? It will be interesting to watch the progression of things in the coming months. The juxtaposition of the subtleties of politics against the dynamic challenges of the unemployed masses is going to expose the true nature of our democracy. Does money actually run our elections, or do the people really have a voice that our Congressmen hear in Washington? We will know when America goes back to work and people keep their homes.

“Oh, that’s bad! No, that’s good.”

Sometimes things happen that at first seem bad, but as things unfold, they have good results. Other times it is the other way around. This summer 2010 is one of those times where we are perched to witness big changes. We just don’t know which arenas will take the biggest toll. In many ways, it is widely inclusive. So many things are connected. One thing leads to another.

The astrological cycles are throbbing in with change and growth and that means letting go in some places. Our country is about to experience wide spread challenges that push our American ingenuity and resourcefulness. We can only be sure that we haven’t even begun the deepest level of transformation. The themes are personal rights versus Government controls, survival of small business versus big corporations, and the defense of a clean and healthy environment.

The last two weeks of July, leading into the first two weeks of August is perhaps the first big wave of energy. The dynamics of power and authority will be running strong in response to the swelling frustration of the people who are struggling in this dry economic climate.

It is interesting to keep in mind the factors that first brought our country to fight for independence and freedom. They were partly about imperialism, partly about economics, and a large part to do with the spirit of self-determination. The Founding Fathers defined a Republic intended to protect personal rights. They spelled out the pursuit of happiness.

As our country and legal system have developed, we have allowed our government to become a body of wealthy, self-important people who have taken advantage of a complacent collective body of the governed. Sometimes Congress passes laws covertly, or by a clever campaign of disinformation, skewing the relative truth to the financial benefit of a small group/corporation/family. Add to that the advancement of military protection to continue the heritage of imperialism for the advantage of the wealthy.

We have come to a place that could push Americans to face the need to protect their rights and their Constitution. It is time to stand up for the things we consider our basic rights and to change the laws that are fundamentally wrong.

Specifically, the Marijuana Prohibition is an example of a law that the public has accepted overtly, but this has otherwise forced people to lie, to hide, and to be covert about their participation and enjoyment of something that is natural, relaxing, and organic. The law passed August 2, 1937 was a coup of citizen’s rights for the financial gain of the government by way of its then new Drug Enforcement Agency, the self-aggrandizement of the agency chief, and the benefit of certain textile manufacturers. The widely grown and available, (not to mention useful and beneficial) hemp plant became the dreaded drug, marijuana. The spin-masters painted a dramatic and fearful picture of marijuana and its influences to sell the concept to the largely unaware public. What was a non-issue to the population became a moneymaking issue for the government. The result has put thousands of good people in jail for possession of a “dangerous drug.” In the last 70 years, the myths about marijuana have been busted, but not the law!

Last week, here on the Big Island, Federal agents and local police raided the THC Ministries and the home of its founder, Roger Christi, along with 13 others connected to him. Perhaps Roger Christi, who has been the outspoken advocate for legalization of marijuana for decades, is the perfect candidate to fight this unjust law and bring it down!

This is a major drama. Astrologically, it is quite timely. Roger’s own nativity connects to both the USA chart and the Marijuana Prohibition chart. The arrest chart is like the activating agent. The major astrological patterns will bring this topic out as it addresses the hot summer themes of ‘personal rights versus Government controls, survival of small business versus big corporations, and the defense of a clean and healthy environment.’

The Marijuana Prohibition is fundamentally wrong and it should be repealed. In this intense time astrologically, it is possible that when transiting Uranus, planet of freedom, revolution and independence crosses the Saturn, planet of authority, regulations, and old traditions, of the Prohibition chart, the topic of repealing this law stands a chance. This August, 2010 is the first nudge to this possibility. The full impact will build through 2011, completing in June, near Roger’s birthday.

We know that the Feds don’t play fair. They present falsehoods and build cases on created images. They want to display Roger as a major drug kingpin at the Federal level. Roger has been the honest, peaceful advocate of legal hemp in all its best forms for years. He is NOT the big drug lord they are trying to present. The world will be watching as they make an example of him. He needs community support.

So for Roger Christi and the other Big Island growers, and smokers everywhere, this arrest could be that scenario of “Oh, that’s bad!…No! that’s good!” With good community support for legal change, we will all benefit.

Repeal the Marijuana Prohibition

Spring Brings Action

If it has felt like slogging through a bog in trying to move life forward these recent winter months, you can soon look forward to a change of energy. Mid-March will find us ready to put plans in action and take up new causes. This slack time is useful for review. From this, we learn what needs changing. In a time when the economy is so uncertain, we become more creative and inventive.

The first half of the month will work better if you tune in to your gut instincts and be attentive to the subtle things going on around you. Socially, it is a great time for connections, networking, and sharing insights on how to get by in tough times. In fact, this is a great time to collaborate with others. Be sure to keep your communications as clear and too the point as possible. This is a time when there can be confusion because we don’t articulate precisely what we mean. Watch out for vague commitments. Substance may be lacking. This will improve after the New Moon on March 15. Real promises can be taken seriously from the 17^th to 20^th.

Spring arrives on March 20, setting the stage for releasing the growing pulse in the undercurrent of society. Government is becoming increasingly a stupid game among the governing crowd to see who can create the biggest mess and not take responsibility for a country in distress. I might even suggest some potentially sinister activities being planned behind the scenes. Heaven forbid.

On the national level, there is a powerful force working to contain and control. President Obama is using Executive Orders to move presidential powers beyond the logjam of Congress. We do not hear about these things on the evening news. (You can learn about it on the internet, however.) There is a very slow transit coming on to the USA Moon, which represents the people of the nation that is likely to contribute to increased disillusionment, increased anxiety and fear, as well as an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. How do we combat massive collective depression? By working to support each other within the community and sharing information on ways to work together for our own security at the local level.

This time last year, I was expecting something like the Tea Party movement. I am surprised at who actually became the key players. Sarah Palin is becoming a major flag bearer for the movement. She is serving as an icon authority for the creation of delusion, disinformation, and inflammation of negative feelings. She speaks the language of fear and anger. There is a growing faction of opposition building up toward a crescendo in August. The energy of revolution is rising.

The last days of March are the turning point relative to the eclipses of December. The energies will support completion of projects and final tweaks before presentation. The Full Moon, March 29, will feel like a release of pressure. Solutions to problems will surface as we move into April. In the tradition of spring-cleaning, the first week of April will be a perfect time for things to come to the surface, whether that’s information or lost items.