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Planets in Solar Return Report for:
Julia RobertsOctober 28, 196712:16 AMAtlanta, Georgia
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Solar Return calculated for:October 27, 20153:23:51 PMAtlanta, Georgia
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*** INTRODUCTION TO SOLAR RETURNS AND THEIR INTERPRETATION ***
What is a Solar Return Chart?
A solar return chart is a chart erected for the time that the transiting Sun returns to the position of the natal Sun. Approximately once every year the transiting Sun goes through the entire zodiac, every degree, minute, and second of each sign. When you are born, the Sun in your natal chart has a specific position in the zodiac. This position can be measured exactly. At some point in time during each subsequent year, the transiting Sun returns to this natal position, conjuncting your natal Sun. The date and time when the conjunction occurs down to the exact second of arc is the time of the solar return chart. A chart is then calculated for that date, using the time (of the transiting Sun's return to your natal Sun's position), and your location (longitude and latitude) at the time of the conjunction.
Tropical, Placidus, Nonprecessed Solar Return
There are many different types of solar return charts: tropical, sidereal, precessed, and nonprecessed. This report is based on research using tropical, Placidus or Koch, nonprecessed solar return charts. Interpretations are very similar to natal interpretations and this should make the material more understandable to both the professional and amateur astrologer.
Solar Return Location
The solar return chart is generally calculated for your location at the time of the Sun's return. This may occur on your birthday, or the day before or after. During leap years, it sometimes occurs two days before your birthday. If you are going to be away or traveling near your birthday, calculate the time of the Sun's return before you leave so you can note your position the exact moment of the solar return.
You can also calculate the chart for your natal birth location even if you no longer live there. The natal location solar return chart is not as definitive as the relocation solar return, but it can give you good information. The natal location solar return is like a progressed or solar arc chart; you are born with it. Therefore, a natal solar return cannot and will not reflect any free will choices you might have made regarding where you live or where you are when the sun returns. It is a good chart, but it does not mirror the whole picture, especially if you have moved a great distance.
Some individuals prefer the chart calculated for their place of residence regardless of where they are located at the time of the Sun's return. This chart can be useful also, but again, it tends to be secondary to the chart of your actual location at the time of the Sun's return to its natal zodiacal position.
Some individuals relocate for a short period of time, usually about 24 hours, to adjust the house placements of the planets in the solar return. Those who calculate the chart for where they are at the time of the transiting Sun's conjunction to the natal position sometimes travel to other locations to change the yearly interpretation. The relocation adjusts the angles and cusps, orienting the planets into different houses. The zodiacal degrees and aspects of the planets remain the same, but because of the different planetary placements different areas of life are emphasized. The free will choice to make this adjustment seems to bring this chart closest to the truth.
Period of the Solar Return's Significance
The significance of the solar return runs birthday to birthday with a three month overlap at the beginning and end of each year. The symbolism of the new solar return can be felt as much as three months before the birthday by very intuitive people. Usually, at this time, one becomes aware of new directions, opportunities, and problems. Many times there is even an event exactly three months before the birthday which triggers awareness and signals the beginning of the new solar return. This event is usually very much related to the new solar return and very much out of context with the old one. If you have plans to travel overseas during the three months before your birthday, do not look for the event in the old solar return even if you have been planning to take the trip all year. The old solar return will probably indicate the planning stage, but the new solar return will indicate the trip. The trip itself illustrates change, and since it occurs in the three months before your birthday, it will most likely be indicative of the new solar return chart.
On the other hand, the significance of the old solar return may not feel passé until three months after your birthday. The old themes and issues which you have worked with for the year should begin to lose their importance just as the new solar return starts to manifest itself. As your attention naturally shifts to new themes and issues, previous concerns are phased out. This is especially true if you experience a sense of completion relevant to the old tasks. However, there are times when the old solar return drags on. If you are working on a major project for the year, it may be impossible to complete it within the one year time span. If you normally procrastinate and avoid making decisions, tasks associated with the old solar return can easily last past your birthday and into the first three months of the new solar return year. Unresolved issues carried over from year to year become stumbling blocks to further advancement and development. Individuals who consistently avoid facing the real issues in their lives accumulate major problems which are very difficult to handle.
The important thing to remember about solar returns, and life experiences in general, is that they are part of a cumulative process. The more attentive and productive you are this year, the greater your options next year. The less you accomplish now, the more limited you will feel as time goes by. Unlike transits which can seem disconnected and singular, solar returns are closely aligned and can easily be viewed as building blocks, one upon the other, year after year. For this reason, each year becomes important and each task has a history and a future. The rhythmic pattern of the solar return helps us to see this.
The main transitional month for the change from the old solar return to the new solar return is the month directly preceding the birthday. Issues related to the old solar return are resolved at this time unless they drag on (as explained above), or they are part of the new solar return as well. Issues related to the new solar return become more pressing during this transitional month and are certainly full blown by the birthdate. Sometimes the new solar return simply gains strength during the three months before your birthday and sometimes it comes in with a bang on or near your birthday. Rarely does it happen that a solar return chart starts to change manifestation later in the year. Themes in the chart usually persist for the entire year, but once in a great while one new theme will appear later than expected. In every case, the new theme can be seen in the solar return chart, yet it lay there inactive for some unknown reason. An external event is the triggering mechanism used to activate this inert awareness, and the event generally occurs within the three months following the birthday. It can be hypothesized that unconscious factors help to avoid full involvement with this new issue until such time as it is associated with an external event of importance and thereafter becomes very obvious.
Planets conjunct a house cusp within a few degrees may be read in both houses. It is especially important to read outer planets in both houses since they eventually transit or retrograde into the other house, indicating dual or shifting concerns during the year. The more planets that are in a solar return house, the more emphasized that area of life will be during the coming year, especially if the Sun is one of the planets present. Four or more planets in any one house indicate a strong need to be involved with those themes and issues. But the individual may become so focused on this one area of life that perception is distorted and these themes are overemphasized. He or she may not want to think about anything else or accomplish tasks in other areas. The overloaded house becomes a symbol for obsessive preoccupation or emotional overload.
*** Astrological Data of Birth ***
The birth chart is a map of the positions of the planets at the time and place of birth. For the benefit of students of astrology, these positions and other technical information is listed below:
Sun 4 Sco 03 Neptune 23 Sco 21
Moon 24 Leo 47 Pluto 21 Vir 57
Mercury 13 Sco 53 Asc. 27 Can 53
Venus 18 Vir 04 MC 16 Ari 45
Mars 3 Cap 45 2nd cusp 19 Leo 50
Jupiter 1 Vir 22 3rd cusp 15 Vir 34
Saturn 7 Ari 09 5th cusp 22 Sco 07
Uranus 27 Vir 12 6th cusp 26 Sag 55
Tropical Placidus Daylight Time observed
October 28, 1967 12:16 AM
GMT: 04:16:00 Time Zone: 5 hours West
Lat. and Long. of birth place: 33 N 44 56 84 W 23 17
Astrological Data of Solar Return:
Sun 4 Sco 03 Neptune 7 Pis 09
Moon 8 Tau 20 Pluto 13 Cap 14
Mercury 20 Lib 57 Asc. 19 Aqu 46
Venus 17 Vir 37 MC 4 Sag 23
Mars 20 Vir 14 2nd cusp 3 Ari 15
Jupiter 16 Vir 00 3rd cusp 8 Tau 01
Saturn 3 Sag 38 5th cusp 27 Gem 04
Uranus 17 Ari 53 6th cusp 20 Can 22
October 27, 2015 GMT: 19:23:51
Atlanta, Georgia 33 N 44 56 84 W 23 17
Aspects and orbs:
Sun and Moon only All other planets
Conj. : 8 Deg. 00 Min. 7 Deg. 00 Min.
Oppos. : 6 Deg. 00 Min. 6 Deg. 00
Square : 6 Deg. 00 Min. 6 Deg. 00 Min.
Trine : 6 Deg. 00 Min. 6 Deg. 00 Min.
Sextile: 5 Deg. 00 Min. 4 Deg. 00 Min.
Copyright information:
Report and Text © Copyright Mary Shea and Cosmic Patterns Software, Inc.
The content of this report is protected by Copyright law.
By purchasing this report you agree to comply with this Copyright.
ELEMENTS, MODES, QUADRANTS, AND RETROGRADE PLANETS
Five or More Mutable Planets
The more planets you have in the mutable signs, the more likely you are to be involved in changing circumstances. This is a year when you are better able to recognize subtle fluctuations in your situation as they occur. You are also aware of major changes as they occur little by little. Major transitions are anticipated long before they occur; consequently, you are able to adapt and prepare. Think of this as ad-libbing life. New developments and information necessitate constant reassessments and adjustments to your situation; therefore, this may not be the best time to come up with a master plan of how things should proceed. It will be much easier to handle daily issues as they arise, keeping a future goal or direction in mind. The key to handling changes at this time may be learning to ride the waves and make the adjustments necessary to stay on top of the situation.
There is a greater tendency to accept and adapt to changes as they occur than to initiate new changes yourself. Many times changes that other people are making or have made in the recent past directly affect your life. In some situations, you may feel that you have little freedom of choice and must adapt to surroundings that are different from those you have been used to in the past. At times, changes may be severe enough to cause anxiety, nervous upsets, and stress, and you should remember to take time for relaxation techniques.
Five or More Earth Planets
When there are five or more earth planets in a solar return chart, basic material needs are emphasized. This is usually a year when security and stability are sought and may or may not be attained. All kinds of work and employment are emphasized, even housework and chores. Employment-related changes and monetary concerns are common. Everyday survival techniques for the modern person will be stressed, i.e., how to get and maintain a good job, buy a car, pay your bills, or rent an apartment. Common sense is perceived as an important part of practical decision-making. Your ability to accomplish tasks and provide for basic material needs may be your most important goal during the year.
Zero or One Air Planet
The lack of air in a solar return chart is associated with several different manifestations, but basically only one underlying personality trait. It implies that rational thinking is not the major component of your decision-making process during this year. Depending on what other element is emphasized, you may be very practical (earth), emotional (water), or inspired (fire). Because of the lack of air, you might not be objective. A personal perspective will predominate. Without the lightness of the air quality, you might take life too seriously.
Charts with little or no air can also indicate a year of little forethought. You may be impulsive, jumping first, thinking later. You respond to external events in a reactive way rather than planning your moves, especially if the water element is prominent. These reactions may be unconscious knee-jerk reflexes rather than considered responses formulated after a clear perception and assessment of the situation.
This lack can indicate inexperience if you are involved in a new activity or unfamiliar situation. Hence, it follows that you do not have the experience or knowledge necessary for what you are trying to accomplish. For example, suppose you buy an older home that needs a lot of renovation and you've never done this type of work before. You will undoubtedly spend many hours reading books and consulting with experts as you renovate the house. You learn by trial and error. Sometimes you do things well the first time and sometimes you do them over. For this reason, you may feel intellectually incompetent. This is not meant to imply that you cannot be successful in your endeavors this year. You can be very successful, but usually this will occur through a process of trial and error.
It is also common to feel uninformed. In its worst manifestation, it is a feeling of stupidity. But in its best manifestation, it is a thirst for knowledge and the courage to take risks attempting new tasks. This is an excellent time to gather information about new fields of interest, or to attend school.
THE ASCENDING SIGN IN THE SOLAR RETURN CHART
Generally speaking, the ascending sign in the solar return chart is read the same way as the ascending sign in the natal chart. The personality characteristics innate to the zodiacal placement will come through in the solar return. Those activities ruled by the natural house of the ascending sign may also be prominent. Personality changes might be subtle, but can give you a sense of direction for the coming year. Think of it as a style change. Fashions may change from one season to the next. Though you are the same person, your appearance and mannerism shift. The same is true of the solar return Ascendant. This is your chance to work with the best that each Ascending sign has to offer.
Solar Return Ascendant Aquarius :
When the solar return Ascendant is in Aquarius, you need to be free to follow your conscience and to speak your mind. You travel to the beat of a different drum. Rules might not apply. Those in power are not held in high regard. You seek out like-minded individuals and others who think like you do even when your ideas are radical. You buck authority and can be a rebel either with or without a just cause. You function better as an advocate. Dependability is not your long suit. You vacillate between choices and might be downright erratic.
THE SUN IN THE SOLAR RETURN CHART
The Sun is the most significant planet in the solar return chart. Its position by house shows the most emphasized area of life during the coming year, how and where you expend the greatest amount of energy. The house placement of the Sun is reflected in the interpretation of the other planets, and may be the motivating force behind their symbolism.
Sun in 8th house:
This is often a year of tremendous change. It is common for individuals with an 8th house Sun to change their life-style completely during this year. There is a death of sorts associated with this house, but it is the kind of death that comes from strong transformation and change. Common examples are quitting work and returning to school full-time, leaving home and getting an apartment, transferring to another part of the country and living in a totally different climate and neighborhood (e.g., moving from the city to a rural area). The emphasis is on radical change. Usually there is at least one major change during the year accompanied by many minor changes. Mental stress can result from the number of changes handled within a short period of time.
An increased perception on both the psychological and intuitive levels is common. During the year, you become more aware of subtle energies. Usually, individuals with this placement begin to feel that they see and know too much. They become overly perceptive of others' true feelings, motives, and psychological inadequacies. For those who can use this new ability positively, this is a time of tremendous growth and enlightenment. Concurrent with this insight into human behavior is generally an interest in psychological and esoteric topics. Knowledge of this nature will help you to both understand and cope with your perceptions. Your own actions can become immune to manipulative ploys.
For those who do not understand or cannot appreciate their newfound abilities, this is a time of disappointment and helplessness. Unconscious reactions will take the place of rational interchanges as you respond from the gut level without thinking clearly. It is easy for others to push your psychological buttons and manipulate your behavior since stressful situations or relationships have a greater effect on you. This is more likely to occur if the air element is also lacking in the solar return chart. Examples of compulsive behavior or obsessive/phobic thought patterns will occur regularly. The less aware you are of your own drives, the more easily you will be controlled by them. The awareness of psychological complexes in others should make you more aware of your own psychological idiosyncrasies. Merely reacting to external forces is not as desirable as planning and directing your own life.
The whole purpose of this year is to gain power over yourself and your life. You may do this by understanding and overruling your unhealthy psychological impulses. If you don't, others can gain power by using your own unconscious against you. Guilt and jealousy are just two of the more common manipulative emotional tools others can and will use. You also gain power by recognizing when others are not thinking clearly. It is not necessary to respond to irrational demands. The first step to controlling psychological complexes is recognizing how they influence behavior. The second step is to become aware of why these counterproductive feelings and situations exist. The third step is to simplify your life by eliminating those psychologically unhealthy influences which block rational thinking and meaningful relating.
Obviously this is a good time for therapy, for you and/or for those you are involved with. People who seek therapy while the solar return Sun is in the 8th house generally only need counseling for a specific problem rather than deep psychoanalysis. Although some individuals have found this placement very difficult mentally, the greater number of mental illness cases are associated with the Sun in the 3rd and 12th houses, not the 8th.
Power struggles over money and morals are common. Your conflict may involve another person or you may be struggling to control your own behavior. Spending practices usually change and debts either go up or down dramatically; they rarely stay the same. Many individuals rip up their credit cards and pay off their bills, but others take out a large loan. Generally, there is nothing in between these two manifestations. If you normally have high credit bills, you will feel the crunch this year and begin to cut back. If you are normally very cautious, you may be asked to take a financial risk because of the changes you are making.
Sun Trine Neptune
The Sun sextile or trine Neptune indicates that the native is growing more sensitive on a number of levels. The sensitivity is meant to facilitate spiritual development. Insights and a sense of connection to others can foster compassion and forgiveness; however, some individuals might find the increased sensitivity overwhelming and confusing.
The most positive manifestations that result from the Sun sextile or trine Neptune include growing less concerned with selfish interests and more involved with helping those in need. An emotional connection is made to the plight of others as well as an intellectual awareness. This leads to greater concern for others and a better understanding of relationships. The increased sensitivity also results in newfound intuitive ability. Intuitive insights can augment decision-making ability. Solutions to problems can arise spontaneously and the native is more apt to avoid pitfalls.
Some individuals will equate greater sensitivity to greater vulnerability since they are likely to be confronted with their own human frailty or that of someone close. Sensitivity can lead to stress on an emotional level and sometimes on the physical level in the form of allergies. Being less egotistical can result in an unstructured personality which seems to lack certainty and direction. The individual can be confused or forgetful about mundane tasks or future goals. The most negative and rare manifestations lead to escapism through alcohol, drug abuse, martyrdom, dependency on others, and savior-victim type relationships.
It is important to keep in mind that the increased sensitivity experienced has a higher purpose and is meant to improve life for you and for others. You can do something positive with the insights and emotions you are experiencing.
Sun Opposition Moon
The Sun square or opposite the Moon in the solar return chart indicates incompatibility between external and internal goals, or a disagreement between the conscious and unconscious levels. You may experience this disparity within yourself or in regard to another person or outside situation. This may be a minor inconvenience or a major conflict.
The most common theme revolves around career goals (Sun) versus home and family (Moon). These two areas of life can conflict with each other or compete for your attention. Domestic responsibilities might disrupt your work schedule or career moves might disrupt your family. Your public reputation can thwart your ambitions. What you want consciously tends to be different from what you need emotionally. This disparity is also seen in relationships. Security needs may dictate emotional situations. You might stay in a difficult relationship because you are afraid to leave and fend for yourself. Your intuition might be telling you something totally different from what your partner is saying.
There appears to be a mental split when the Sun is square or opposite the Moon in the solar return. What is important is that you address this split and begin to balance diverse needs and perspectives to make the best decisions possible and to take the most appropriate action.
THE MOON IN THE SOLAR RETURN CHART
The solar return Moon seems to have two consistent themes throughout all of the houses. First and most simply, the Moon is associated with change and fluctuation according to its house position. Secondly, and probably more importantly, the Moon reflects the individual's emotional nature during the solar return year.
The Moon as an Emotional Indicator
While we speak of the Moon as simply an indication of one's emotional nature, the actual interpretation of the Moon is more complex than simple. The Moon is not just an indicator of feelings; one's emotional nature is a multidimensional conglomeration of feelings, temperament, needs, and unconscious responses. We cannot look at the Moon as one-sided; we must study its interpretation from a number of perspectives.
The Moon represents the individual's feelings regardless of whether or not they are expressed openly. The type of feelings you have during the year can be demonstrated by the Moon's sign, position, and aspects. The Moon's sign can be important even though the Moon has essentially only nineteen placements, because it is indicative of what the individual feels during the year and how he or she is most likely to exhibit those feelings.
The major difference between an individual's feelings and basic temperament is that feelings tend to make up one's basic temperament. The word temperament implies one's overall pattern of emotional response; it is an emotional factor that remains constant regardless of the circumstances. On the other hand, feelings imply a specific emotion in response to a particular event or situation. For example, moody people have emotional swings. Their feelings change depending whether or not they are experiencing happy or sad events; however, their proclivity toward emotional highs and lows remains constant regardless of their particular mood at any point in time. Despite feelings of joy or depression, they still have a moody disposition. The solar return Moon's sign is generally very descriptive of your emotional temperament. It can suggest an array of emotional characteristics including moodiness, sensitivity, coldness, or enthusiasm.
Emotional needs play a crucial role in the Moon's cycle of change and emotional maturation. As explained above, the Moon moves in an understandable pattern through the solar return. During each year, the individual knows certain emotional needs must be met in order to feel secure and fulfilled. These needs, which fluctuate from year to year, cause the individual to create the variety of situations necessary for emotional maturity.
Conscious or Unconscious Emphasis
The Moon also signifies the unconscious experience. While Mercury's placement will suggest what the person is consciously thinking, the Moon's placement will suggest what the individual is experiencing on an unconscious level. Together, the Moon and Mercury (and sometimes also the Sun) symbolize the balance between conscious and the unconscious processes. We like to think that our decisions are based on the integration of rational and emotional information, but during any given solar return year, one process more than the other can influence our decisions, perceptions, and motivations. The focus of attention shifts to accommodate fluctuations in individual patterns of growth. There will be years when you lean more heavily on your emotional responses, tending to trust your instincts and follow your intuition. But there will be other years when you depend more on a logical assessment of your situation.
The emphasis on the unconscious usually indicates a year in which the native will be interested in fostering emotional connections and unconscious insights. Logic and factual information may not be meaningful within the context of present situations, which will tend to be emotional. Example situations include (but are not limited to): involvement in counseling, therapy or self-help discussion groups; intense family situations (related to birth, child-rearing, sickness or death); and very nurturing social situations (e.g., communal living, helping the disabled, underprivileged or homeless). Emotional interactions and perceptions will naturally be more important if they are more likely to provide vital information needed to handle experiences during the coming year. An emphasis on the unconscious nature is conducive to emotional growth.
All forms of mental activity are associated with an emphasis on the conscious mind, including educational and informational activities. Teaching, learning, lecturing, and writing are several examples. An emphasis on the conscious mind is conducive to intellectual growth.
Solar Return Moon in 3rd house:
The Moon in the 3rd house is a sign that emotional influences compete or unite with rational thoughts for decision-making power. The interplay between these two levels of thought, the conscious and the unconscious levels, is key to the pattern of growth. If you depend too much on the conscious level, you might be trying to suppress or analyze your feelings before they are even apparent. This will not work. Feelings just are, and must be appreciated as they exist before symbols emerge and they can be understood. On the other hand, you may feel more ruled by unconscious urges than clear-headed rationalism. Within this scenario, feelings overwhelm common sense and burst into the open when you least expect it. Freudian slips are possible despite your conscious efforts for restraint, and you inadvertently say things that were better left unsaid. Although these comments honestly reflect your true feelings, they go too far and reveal more than is in your best interest or the best interest of others.
The key to working with this placement is understanding the need for conscious and unconscious appreciation, integration, and consensus. This is not the time to depend totally on either conscious thoughts or feelings. It is the integration of the two levels of understanding which is most informative. Emotions will be the basis of learning, but once feelings have reached the surface, it is most insightful to understand them within the context of the total experience, both rational and emotional. For example, if you attend group therapy sessions during the year, you will focus on the psychological meaning of what is being said rather than the actual physical details. However, once the emotions have risen to the surface repeatedly, patterns of response will be intellectually understood.
The combination of an emotional planet in a rational house can also indicate that you get mixed messages. You may not be exactly sure when you are thinking and when you are responding from the gut level. You may even be of two minds, especially regarding a relationship. Your heart tells you one thing while your mind tells you another. Competition, rather than integration, is possible in those who do not work towards comprehension. Positively, this is a strong combination for those who yearn to integrate feelings and thoughts, and experience life as multidimensional yet whole. If you are a writer, artist, psychologist, counselor or holistic practitioner, the placement of the Moon in the 3rd house can indicate that you experience the conscious and unconscious mind as a unit working together. The artist can use creative projects to explore and understand emotional themes. If you are a counselor or involved in therapy yourself, you can use the conscious mind to decipher and interpret unconscious messages. Used wisely, mixed messages can lead to great insight.
You can become a more public personality, especially in your own neighborhood or area of expertise. For example, one individual with the Moon in the 3rd house of the solar return had been working for a large organization. He then started his own business and began pushing his own products. He was lifted from the obscurity of the company to a more public position. What you do and say will become more noticeable this year. Your demeanor and presentation are important. You can make a lasting impression on those who see or hear you in a public capacity. You may even be a role model for others. Therefore it is important that you maintain a good public image and reputation.
Neighborhood selection is important to those who are thinking of purchasing a home. If you are already settled, this is a good time to become more involved with your neighbors and community associations.
Moon Trine Pluto
The Moon sextile or trine to Pluto implies insight into one's own emotional nature and unconscious. Even if you are psychologically healthy, emotions may be tainted or seasoned by events or complexes from the past. You could be reliving a former happening in an immediate situation. The nature of this connection and revelation is meant to be healing. This is a time of renewal and growth. By being observant and psychologically aware, you can gain insight into issues affecting you and peel away layers of debris from the past. Relationships are likely to be affected by this process of revelation and your new awareness. Clearing complexes can open you to relating with greater intimacy. Sharing your insights can deepen your connections. This is a good time to endeavor to empower yourself and others.
In the process of gaining insight and psychological awareness, you can also learn to deal with manipulators and their attempts at manipulation. You need not be a victim. Emotional blackmail and manipulation only work if you allow another person to have control over some portion of your life. As soon as you begin to control yourself and take responsibility for your own well-being, manipulators lose all power.
The Moon sextile or trine to Pluto can be very beneficial to writers, counselors, psychology students or those whose career depends on their ability to understand human nature. In the end, it is the awareness of psychological and emotional influences which is significant. Knowledge brings power.
A very pleasant reason for being so intense and emotional is an involvement in a new and exciting romantic relationship. All relationships, even those which are established, are subject to change and new insight. Domestic situations are also in the process of changing. Moving or planning to move is possible. Children or parents may move in or out, or you might welcome a new baby home. Should you remain in the same location, you can renovate or add to your existing house.
Moon Sextile Neptune
Moon sextile or trine to Neptune in the solar return chart can show increased sensitivity to life's subtleties. While Moon-Pluto aspects show a greater insight into psychological influences, manipulative games, and a need for self-control, Moon sextile or trine to Neptune indicates a greater sensitivity to feelings and needs that are not expressed openly yet bind us all. There is a spiritual, intuitive dynamic associated with Moon-Neptune aspects that can be inspirational and guiding during the year.
Moon sextile or trine Neptune aspects symbolize intuitive insights, spiritual ideals, and one's greater sensitivity to the commonalities we share. We all suffer from human frailty; Neptune symbolizes our ability to identify with others, view their missteps with forgiveness, and see their failings as well as our own. True understanding supersedes any judgmental attitudes and paves the way for a meaningful exchange. As compassion grows, spiritual development occurs.
Moon sextile or trine Neptune implies connections; connections to each other and to the Universe. We can foster and improve these connections by understanding, accepting, and helping each other to progress as a whole toward a better existence. This is a good time to accept people as they are, weaknesses and all. You will probably be involved in situations which give you the opportunity to increase your understanding or insight into others. As long as you do not make demands or have unrealistic expectations, you should be able to retain honest emotional contacts with those around you.
You may actually care for someone who is ill or disabled, or you could simply care for another person more than you care for yourself and your own welfare. Moon-Neptune aspects are a sign of self-sacrifice. It is common to see this aspect in the charts of new mothers. The demands of caring for an infant involve a certain amount of self-sacrifice. If you work full-time to put your spouse through school, you might also have this aspect.
Self-sacrifice does not necessarily mean martyrdom. Moon-Neptune aspects in the solar return indicate that you are able to help others because you truly understand their situation. You are also able to handle emotional uncertainty. You accept relationships which are not clearly defined, and you are able to give without a guarantee of return. Going with the flow means accepting insecurity as a natural by-product of your situation. With Moon-Neptune aspects in your solar return chart, you need to be able to function during times of uncertainty and handle the insecurities that go with them. You need to trust that in the end, everything will be for the best.
MERCURY IN THE SOLAR RETURN CHART
Mercury has two basic interpretations in the solar return chart: it symbolizes what you are thinking about and your mental condition during the coming year.
What you are actually thinking about is shown by the solar return house placement of Mercury. The important thing to remember about Mercury's placement is that it is indicative of a mental exercise only. Alone in a house, Mercury can show mental preoccupation without psychological pain or physical consequences. It suggests the ability to make decisions only, and may not be a clear indication of action in any particular area. Mercury's aspects to the other planets indicate how information is gathered, assimilated and integrated into attitudes that persist for most of the year. How easily this is accomplished, and in what manner, is suggested by the aspects themselves.
Conditioning is noted by solar return aspects to Mercury. Squares and oppositions to Mercury indicate possible sources of tension and conflict. If Mercury is in an air sign, (Gemini, Libra, or Aquarius), rational thought processes are emphasized. If Mercury is in a water sign, (Cancer, Scorpio, or Pisces), strong emotional factors influence thinking. If Mercury is in an earth sign, (Taurus, Virgo, or Capricorn), the tendency is to be practical. If Mercury is in a fire sign, (Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius), the individual is motivated by self-interest, passion, philosophy, or spirituality. When assessing the conditioning of Mercury, it is also important to note the sign and conditioning for the Moon and whether the Moon is in an air or water sign. This will help you determine if the thinking process or emotions are dominant during the year and if integration is possible.
Solar Return Mercury in 8th house:
The phrase "acute awareness" encapsulates the interpretation of Mercury in the 8th house of the solar return. Your mind is more insightful and reflective during this year, and there will be times when you will see more or know more than you were previously aware of. Knowledge of the unconscious mind grows quickly, leaving you overwhelmed by the change. You are more aware of nuances, motives, and psychological conflicts in yourself and others. Subtle shifts in power and power plays will be more obvious to you now. The interpretation of Mercury in the 8th house is very similar to the interpretation of the Sun or the Moon in this house, but there is an important difference. When Mercury is in the 8th, you are more apt to gain understanding of psychological issues as a result of training and education. You become intellectually aware of psychological complexes and power struggles, but they generally do not disrupt your life or upset you emotionally. When the Sun is in the 8th house, you are more likely to be disrupted by the turmoil of living with your own psychological issues or those of others. When the Moon is in the 8th house, you may be upset emotionally by complex unconscious forces and power struggles. Mercury in the 8th house is generally not upsetting, only insightful.
There are several ways to initiate and stimulate this psychological insight. You may study psychology directly or you may become involved in one of the occult sciences. You may see a counselor during the year even though you might not feel seriously stressed. Mercury in the 8th house implies the ability to grasp psychological information intellectually. Generally, by itself, Mercury is not indicative of nervousness or anxiety. If you are just entering therapy at this time, you may be doing so to gain self-knowledge rather than because of incapacitation. If you have been in therapy for a while now, this may be the year when therapy pays off and suddenly you begin to see the behavioral patterns that have been affecting your life negatively.
Psychologically, you may be more withdrawn and cautious during the year, preferring to talk to one person in depth rather than several friends superficially. Small talk will not interest you. Information that is factual and blatant will not be as exciting as what is less obvious, sexual, or mysterious. You see and understand a lot more than you express. You may withhold information deliberately or just be reluctant to talk openly.
This is a good time for financial planning and consolidation loans. If your debts have risen recently, you might want to establish a payment plan for reducing those bills. If you share income and expenses with another person, review the division of debts and plan for future expenditures. Reread your will and investigate estate and tax plans.
Mercury Opposition Uranus
When Mercury is square or opposite Uranus in the solar return chart, you might be subjected to psychologically stressful situations. Increased nervousness, anxiety, and irrational thinking may be directly related to these taxing circumstances. Question the necessity for excessive tension in your life. If possible, withdraw from those situations that strain your mental and physical health.
Stress is also caused by continuing disruptive changes in the information received. Startling facts and shocking realizations are possible according to the house placement for Mercury and Uranus. The stream of shifting information impedes the decision-making process. Thinking tends to flip-flop with each modification. Opinions expressed may require a future retraction. The task is to think before you speak and only make decision after a thorough investigation.
The good news is that this can be a creative time if you approach problems from several different angles and do not get locked into one structured way of thinking. Use this time to be innovative and original. Brainstorm with others and channel insights into practical applications. Because your mind can be unstructured, your ability to think clearly may be interrupted by erratic impulses and an inability to concentrate over any length of time. New information and ideas might be more exciting than reorganizing what you already know. If you must work on a major project that requires sustained mental energy, take frequent breaks. Work on calming and nurturing your nervous system. You may want to practice relaxation techniques and avoid stimulants.
VENUS IN THE SOLAR RETURN CHART
Venus is the key to understanding your relationships and financial situation for the solar return year. Many times these two areas go hand in hand; financial security tends to be coupled with secure relationships while financial difficulties are more likely to occur when close relationships are strained. Although this correlation is common, it is not the rule, and interpretations for finances and relationships should always be viewed separately. When assessing Venus in the chart, evaluate Venus twice, first with respect to the other relationship factors in the solar return and then with respect to the other monetary indicators. In this way, you can develop a clear picture of each area of concern.
Venus also indicates a need for comfort and it is informative to note what has preceded Venus in its present house position. If, during this year, Venus resides in a house which last year represented an area of conflict, Venus would imply an improvement in the conditions associated with that house and may indicate a healing process. Benefits commonly follow after much hard work. A Venus placement in the solar return chart following a more difficult placement during the previous year can indicate great reward. Your awareness of this possibility may encourage you to work harder in more problematic areas since you can see the rewards in the following year.
Relationships
Venus, by house, shows what relationships will be important during the coming year. For example, Venus in the 3rd house might indicate that relationships with neighbors or community involvement will be emphasized. With Venus in the 6th house, pleasant office conditions, and good co-worker relationships will be important. But the interpretation of relationships as they appear in the solar return chart involves more than an understanding of Venus' house placement. Look at the 5th and the 7th houses, especially if you are interested in a love relationship. The more planets in these houses, particularly the 7th house, the greater the need to relate on a one-to-one basis. Generally, the 5th house shows sexual affairs, while the 7th house indicates a greater commitment (though not necessarily marriage). Clandestine affairs or secret relationships are more likely to occur when Venus and/or the Moon appear in the 12th house.
One fact about marriage and the solar return chart is surprising. The solar return is not necessarily a good indicator of a marriage during the year. The beginning of a relationship might be easily seen, but the marriage itself is more likely to be reflected in other techniques. On the other hand, postponement of a marriage or the refusal to make a commitment can be easily seen with Saturn, Uranus or Neptune in the 7th house.
Finances
Venus also relates to money and finances, and can be used to evaluate these circumstances for the coming solar return year. The house placement for Venus may indicate how you are most likely to generate income. This is sometimes true, but not always. Venus in the 9th implies a teaching salary, but if you don't teach, the emphasis will be on your beliefs concerning relationships. Don't stretch your economic interpretation of Venus' house placement. If the house position applies, the situation will be obvious. If the house position does not seem to apply to finances in particular, Venus will be more consistent with relationship situations during the year.
For finances, it is perhaps more important to look at the planetary placements in the 2nd, 6th, 10th, and 11th houses, especially if you are interested in the amount of money you will be able to earn by employment. The 2nd house is the primary money house, but it also gives indications of spending practices. Any planets in the 2nd can reflect your salary and/or your spending practices (regardless of how much money you earn); it is always possible to spend more than you make or make more than you spend.
Solar Return Venus in 7th house:
A 7th house Venus emphasizes the importance of relating positively to others. This usually applies specifically to your relationship with one particular individual (such as a spouse or business partner), but may apply to others in general. Relationships can improve or deteriorate during the year, depending on your abilities and the situations involved. Effective relating is important to the task at hand, and your ability to foster and sustain good relationships affects your ability to succeed and prosper. For example, if you seek to form a business partnership during the year, your ability to get along with your future partner would have a direct beneficial or detrimental effect on the success of the business.
It is to your advantage to sharpen your negotiating skills and learn to compromise when the situation calls for it, regardless of the type of relationship you are involved in. Realize that you can allow your own personal needs to be superseded by your partner's demands, wishes or expectations. If your spouse is being transferred to another state, he or she may ask you to follow despite your own personal situation or preferences. Your wishes can be superseded by the needs of the relationship, but in the final analysis, the move may prove positive for you both.
This year, you can benefit directly from your associations with others, perhaps more so than if you tried to go it alone. A new writer worked closely with a literary agent to gain the writing contract of her choice while Venus was in the 7th house. She listened and responded to her agent's suggestions about the first draft of the manuscript. Because the two developed a good working relationship based on respect for each other's opinions, the manuscript was improved and the writer ultimately benefited greatly. This is an excellent time to ask for favors and assistance from others. You tend to reap what you have sown.
Negatively, Venus in the 7th house can indicate that you allow a relationship to suppress your individual identity, restrict your personal freedom and tax you unnecessarily. You placate your partner and bend over backwards to please him or her, rather than relate as an equal. You may feel torn between satisfying your own needs and those of the person you are involved with, especially if there are oppositions between Venus and planets in the 1st house.
In an extreme case, the relationship becomes more important than self-preservation and you allow your needs and energy to be drained away. When this occurs, subservience replaces relating, acquiescence replaces compromise, control replaces respect, and you begin to feel that it is your job to keep someone else happy. A young female administrative assistant at a local charity spent more time fulfilling her employer's personal needs than concentrating on her own charity work. She was in a precarious position and since he had the power to fire her, she allowed her own needs to go unmet. Focusing on the cooperative interpretation of this placement will help one avoid the pitfalls.
Venus Trine Pluto
Venus sextile or trine to Pluto in the solar return chart can show emotional involvements and beneficial financial situations. New relationships can be especially compelling, and like the moth to the flame, you are drawn to particular individuals without understanding why. Unconscious forces can play a major role in this type of relationship. You may discover that you have met the perfect mate, but in the beginning, a perceived loss of control might be disconcerting, especially if a persistent sense of vulnerability becomes coupled with a growing need for intimacy.
In both new and old relationships, Venus sextile or trine to Pluto can indicate considerable emotional growth, but you must develop a good understanding of unconscious urges. Awareness of barriers to intimacy might be crucial to the success of the relationship. If problems develop, consider individual or couples counseling.
Power can be an issue in both intimate and casual relationships. Individuals who learn to trust, compromise, and share power see their relationships deepen and strengthen. Power issues turn to mutual empowerment. Accommodating the emotional needs of others breeds increased understanding.
Financially, Venus sextile or trine to Pluto indicates strong financial changes or beneficial monetary arrangements. Salary adjustments, both positive and negative, are common and may be the result of a career move, relocation, leave without pay, cutback in hours, or retirement. Ambition can cause your salary to rise dramatically, especially if your earnings are based on commissions or profit-sharing. Those who are self-employed also experience fluctuations in earnings. In some situations, your financial status may depend on the resources of others who may or may not be generous.
The emphasis here is on personal power in relationships and power over your own financial situation. By gaining insight into your behavior and the behavior of others, you can master both areas of concern.
Venus Conjunct Jupiter
Venus conjunct Jupiter in the solar return chart has several possible interpretations. You can benefit, either directly or indirectly, through the influence or assistance of others. Benefits are shown by the solar return house placement of Venus and Jupiter. Relationships can be very rewarding and you reap what you have sown. If you have been helpful and understanding to others in the past, you can expect the same treatment now. Your lover, business partner, or spouse may be actively supportive of your goals, both financially and emotionally. Indirect benefits can also come to you through partnerships. For example, your spouse accepts a job transfer to Colorado and you always wanted to live in ski country.
There is a tendency to be overextended financially when Venus is conjunct Jupiter. Large purchases and major expenses are common. Although additional funds might become available, money can flow out as quickly as it flows in.
What you believe to be true about most relationships can either be consistent with your experience, or in conflict with the reality of your situation. Developing a philosophy of relationships will help you make decisions regarding morals, ethics, and monogamy. You may discuss whether your relationship is an open or closed one. One partner might wish for greater freedom. Defining the ethics of relating becomes a goal during the year.
Venus Conjunct Mars
Venus conjunct to Mars in a solar return chart implies that actions either support or conflict with relationship needs. It is important for partners to be supportive of each other's actions and to appreciate what is being done, but this may or may not be the case. For example, a couple combined their efforts and totally redecorated an investment property they owned. Each partner contributed his or her talents and abilities. Their individual efforts complemented each other and got the job done. The same couple could have fought over the design, budget, or purchases, and let this negatively affect their relationship.
Venus conjunct to Mars is a two edged sword. Actions can be either supportive or contentious. Partners in strong and stable relationships can motivate each other to higher achievements. Partners in faltering relationships can become combative, undermining independent or joint efforts and fighting over money.
Sexual attraction and satisfaction are important factors in both new and established relationships and contribute to or detract from their success. Venus conjunct to Mars may indicate an increase in desire. Conflicts might exist as separate and distinct from attraction, though they can be impediments.
Financial cuts are possible when Venus conjuncts Mars, but it is more common to hustle for the money received. The harder you work, the more you are likely to earn. Spending also tends to increase.
MARS IN THE SOLAR RETURN CHART
The planet Mars represents an outward thrust of energy in a solar return chart. It is an active energy geared toward producing an external manifestation brought about through interchanges with the environment. The arrow on the symbol for Mars illustrates this outward thrust and movement. The interplay with the environment and the area of greatest energy expenditure are shown by the aspects to Mars and its house placement. There can be a number of ways in which the outward thrust of energy and activity manifests in the external environment. Positive manifestations implied by Mars include self-motivation, independent action, initiation of new projects, assertiveness, fulfilling sexual encounters, and original or pioneering creations. But anger, aggression, and sexual abuses represent negative and wasteful expenditures. Energy lost in negative exchanges cannot be used productively.
Mars, by its very nature, denotes the spark of initiation and self-motivation. Original pursuits, independent actions and new projects are fostered during the year and are typically associated with those areas of life denoted by the house placement of Mars. Because of the new endeavors and the enthusiasm generated, these areas then become the focus of energy use as the level of activity increases and you begin to feel driven to work, accomplish, and complete. Sometimes ambition and competitiveness augment the need to excel, but an energetic attitude can flow without these personality traits since self-motivation tends to spring naturally from an inner source.
During the year, activities may be specifically tied to your ability or inability to be assertive. In its most positive manifestation, the planet Mars denotes an active force. Except for a few of the more subtle interpretations for Mars, the implication is an external thrust which affects other people, places, things or circumstances. For example, if you install a home office, you make a change in your living situation. If you start your own business, you do, in effect, change the environment. If you insist on control over your own finances, you create a more independent relationship style. In each of these cases, you are the individual initiating the activity and asserting your own needs which are essential to the task at hand. The inability to be assertive can only lead to frustrated desires and anger. Your efforts will be thwarted until you make adjustments in your thinking. When extreme frustration occurs, more energy is expended toward being angry than working toward correcting the problem.
The house position of Mars and its aspects to the other solar return planets provide information about the circumstances which will trigger angry responses in you. Anger may arise from a number of different circumstances, including, but not limited to, frustration at the inability to fulfill your own needs, aggression from others, stressful surroundings or unconscious resentment that has not been resolved. Anger is a signal that your attitude and/or environment need to change. Energy lost to anger cannot be used creatively. Anger that stimulates creative action can be recouped. Your task for the year will be to learn to deal effectively with these anger-producing situations. Do not allow anger to be triggered when insight coupled with assertiveness, tact or corrective action would suit your purposes better. As you focus on negative situations and gain understanding, you can begin to funnel your energies into the most positive manifestations.
Aggression is a distortion of assertiveness. Assertion is the defense and maintenance of your own rights; aggression is the infringement or attack on the rights of others. Anger is most likely the motivation for the attack, although psychological idiosyncrasies may provide other motivations (of which fear is the main culprit). All acts of aggression, by their very nature, should produce anger in the person attacked, though some individuals, because of their own psychological nature, respond in other ways. Where you find Mars by house position indicates where you are most likely to meet the aggressor during the coming year. Either you will have to deal with a hostile person in the environment or you will be confronted with your own acts of aggression. If you are able to meet your own needs through assertion and you know your own rights while conscientiously defending them, you are less likely to be the aggressor or allow aggressive actions to arise in others. You should be able to strike a balance between your needs, and rights, and the needs and rights of others. In this way, you maintain your position relative to the environment. But regardless of how fair you are in your dealings with others, you may still have to defend your own rights.
Mars as an indicator of sexuality is not consistent with the interpretation for every house position. There is the possibility that sexual intrigue can apply to the situations denoted by any of the planet's placements, but the connection is not always obvious. Themes of initiation, high energy output, anger, and aggression appear more consistently. For example, Mars in the 10th may mean a sexual attraction between you and your boss, but it is more likely for you to be extremely active in career endeavors. Your boss can be a prime motivator toward career success or he could actually be very offensive and thwart your efforts. Note the aspects between Mars and your other personal planets for further information. The sexual implications of Mars seem more obvious in the relational houses, but then individual differences apply. Sexual fulfillment is directly related to the appropriateness of sexual activity given the particular situation and any restraints or inhibitions involved.
Solar Return Mars in 7th house:
This is a time to be energized by another person who can get you to do something you would not or could not do alone. In its most positive manifestation, collaboration with another carries you towards the initiation and completion of a project or joint endeavor. If the two of you can agree on mutual goals, you both can make great strides together. Your partner's enthusiasm and drive become the primary motivating force. Most likely, it is the other person's character which provides the spark of inspiration and the encouragement necessary to begin the task, but it is the interactive qualities of the relationship which keep each of you at a high energy level, working towards completion.
Hopefully, you will be dealing with someone who has your best interests at heart. The problem associated with this placement is that you can be led down the wrong path if you do not choose your friends and partners carefully. If you are connected to individuals who are bad for you, their effect will be negative. For example, if you wish to start a food cooperative and your spouse feels you are too inept to succeed, his or her negative influence will hurt your chances for success. But if he or she is totally supportive, and in fact, leads the way, your chances are greatly improved. A lot depends on the partner's attitude. Since you are so susceptible to the influences of others, it is important to assess who the others are. Contacts can range from the most positive to the most detrimental, from successful achievement to damaging encounters. In the worst manifestation, involvement in a crime is possible. It is important to identify those relationships which are wrong for you and counteract their influence. Cultivate those more positive involvements which enhance your psychological health and soul qualities.
There is the possibility that you will be in a relationship which involves conflict. You may be angry with someone you see daily or this other person may be angry with you; anger in both directions is possible. It seems that every time you try to express your feelings to this other person, the two of you become involved in an argument. If this is your present situation, you could be involved in an ongoing conflict that continues throughout most of the year and colors your perceptions and attitudes.
Eventually, your frustration can spill over into other areas of your life and affect other relationships as well if you do not understand and contain the negative impact the conflict is having on your life. Disagreements may be poorly defined or specific, but generally involve a daily ongoing process. For example, a young man was to have inherited his grandfather's watch, but unfortunately, just before the grandfather died, another relative had him change his will and the watch went to an uncle instead. It just so happened that the young man worked with the uncle daily in a family-run business. The uncle spent much time talking about his good fortune. The young man constantly felt angry and tense at work because of the uncle's presence and actions.
The conflict may only involve a general dislike for a person you see on a regular basis, or it can be more. Interactions range from mild irritation to legal battles, personal vendettas, both sexual, and nonsexual harassment, and aggression of any kind. More than likely, another is an aggressor if you allow yourself to be the victim. Don't lose sight of your self-esteem and need for self-expression. Be aware of your rights in any given situation. Someone may be telling you what to do, what to wear and who to be. You need to learn to practice assertiveness this year and it could be necessary to learn to protect or defend yourself. In very difficult situations, you need to decide whether you will fight or retreat. Some situations can be ignored, or controlled; others require a more definitive response.
Learning to cope with angry people and angry situations may be part of the lesson associated with Mars in the 7th house of the solar return chart. Now is the time to deal with unresolved issues even if they have lain dormant for many years. Time is running out and you must act now. Learn to handle the curt responses and hurtful remarks and go for the heart of the conflict. Do not get sidetracked. Force the issues into the open so they can be discussed and understood from all sides. As long as anger remains denied or insidious, problems cannot be resolved. If resolutions are totally unattainable, learn to shield yourself from the barbs or retreat to more beneficial situations. Do not stay in situations which are detrimental or counteract positive growth and insight.
Mars is also the planet of competitiveness. Here in the 7th house, it shows that the spirit of competition spurs you to action. You will be motivated to work harder if you are competing with peers or even enemies. The "I'll show you" attitude can work in your favor. You are very sensitive to criticism from others this year, and anticipation of future criticism, either real or imagined, can motivate you to work harder now and get more done.
Mars Conjunct Jupiter
Actions which directly support or contradict belief systems are associated with Mars-Jupiter aspects in the solar return chart. Jupiter rules beliefs and philosophy while Mars rules actions. When Mars is conjunct Jupiter, personal ethics and morals tend to be respected and acted on accordingly, though this is not always the case. Regardless, you are acutely aware of the role your beliefs play in controlling or directing behavior, for better or worse. This is particularly true in relation to the solar return house placement for Mars and Jupiter.
The danger with Mars conjunct to Jupiter is that you will be prone to excess and there are varying degrees of excessive behavior depending on your personality or other factors in the solar return chart. For example, you might simply overschedule activities, overindulge, or exceed your appending limits. On the other hand, you might be a fanatic or addict.
The task associated with Mars conjunct Jupiter is to seek moderation in all things and behave in a manner that is consistent with your ethical, moral, or philosophical beliefs. To do this, you may have to discriminate between what is an impractical belief, given your behavior, and what is a hypocritical action, given your beliefs. The greatest success comes from the choices you make which truly reflect your beliefs and priorities.
Because Jupiter is known as the greater benefic planet, when Mars is conjunct Jupiter, reward, recognition, advancement, and benefit are possible. Take advantage of opportunities and even create opportunities. Expect success. Luck is on your side.
JUPITER IN THE SOLAR RETURN CHART
Jupiter has a number of possible interpretations in the solar return chart and any or all of the following meanings can manifest according to house position. First and foremost, Jupiter tends to imply a benefic event associated with its placement. How these benefits come about and the area of life affected are usually shown by the house position.
All opportunities will probably involve expansion into new areas of activity. The primary function of the Jupiter principle is to expand beyond the scope of previous experience. One is not to remain in a static condition; growth is not only implied, but expected. Jupiter's slow and consistent movement through the zodiac implies the steady growth needed to advance.
One of the most common activities associated with growth and expansion is the pursuit of an education. The impetus to learn is closely associated with any push to grow and our definition of learning in this case is not limited to a structured environment (school), but can include self-teaching and life-experience training. Although education is not always a consideration for every Jupiter house placement, it can be considered to have an impact on any of the houses.
Areas of expansion can easily become areas of excess and this is a problem with Jupiter. Growth can be uncontrolled and purposeless, dwarfing any push for real attainment or benefit. For example, overeating may supplant a desire for nutritious food when Jupiter is in the 6th house. The weight gain takes the place of education. Already existing situations associated with any house placement of Jupiter may boil over if extreme limitations were previously the norm. This is especially true when emotions overwhelm the individual after a long period of emotional suppression. Any Jupiter placement can signal a false god. One or more activities associated with Jupiter's house may be emphasized to such a degree that a distortion of perception results, creating the false god.
Perhaps excesses are directly and proportionately related to suppressed urges. We now zoom ahead where we previously lagged behind, making up for lost time. The overwhelming impetus enables us to grow and expand at a rapid pace. The task is to avoid restricting this growth, while staying in control. The best option is one of channeled and structured enthusiasm.
A question of ethics and morals is often associated with the house placement of Jupiter. Unlike Saturn, which is more representative of societal structures and expectations, Jupiter implies the need for a philosophical (or sometimes religious) consistency between what you are doing physically and what you believe you should be doing ethically or morally. The underlying belief is always at the center of any conflict, not the external expectation. Jupiter by house indicates a desire to review those beliefs commanding a strong influence over one's philosophy of life and code of behavior. Current beliefs may be limiting future growth or freedom. Within this perspective, hypocrisy and moral dilemmas are more commonly a problem than the frustration associated with Saturnian external laws.
Solar Return Jupiter in 7th house:
The best phrase to describe Jupiter in the 7th house is, "Ask and you shall receive." Others naturally come to your aid, giving more assistance and support than you expected or even thought you needed. If you are in a difficult situation, others readily offer to help. This can occur without asking, but the possibilities become even stronger if you not only recognize and foster the help available to you, but also ask specifically for what you need. Somebody may be in the perfect position to actualize your goals, and partnerships of this nature enable you to accomplish together what you would not have attempted alone. Help may be either tangible or intangible. Under the best possible circumstances, you benefit directly or indirectly from others in more ways than one. For example, if you are married, you benefit through your spouse since what he or she receives trickles down to you.
Individuals offer their insight into your problems or situation, and you progress through what another knows or has learned. The objective view helps you to see and interpret life more clearly. Usually the message is encouraging. Exchanging knowledge is important with this placement, but this is not all that is exchanged.
Relationships can improve; good marriages become better. If you have had a problem relating in the past, this interpretation is particularly apparent. Difficult marital problems tend to be resolved, especially if professional help is sought (individual or marital counseling). Under therapeutic conditions, those you are involved with become more apt to listen to your complaints and make concessions. Perhaps you are also more insightful and better able to explain your position. Great strides can be made because something suddenly clicks in your consciousness, adjusting your pattern for intimacy. Regardless of your marital situation, good relationships with a variety of people in a variety of situations could exist. If you are able to create a climate of compatibility and harmony, your success in any endeavor during the year can be augmented by cooperation with others. If you are unable to work with others, you will lose out on this experience of mutual gain.
Sometimes personal benefits are not realized because of the overwhelming emphasis on the partner's needs to the exclusion of your own. In negative situations, personal needs are not only dwarfed, but drowned out completely by the interests of another. Relationships can be so excessive that one goes overboard in an attempt to please. Even what initially appears to be a benefit can negate your self-interest and ultimately fulfill your partner's requirements only. Within this context, benefits cannot be considered all good. For example, if your spouse is offered a position overseas, you may be thrilled about the possibility of living in a foreign country, but you may be forced to give up a lot in order to go. You need to assess the effect leaving has on your long-term goals. You may be able to set aside your personal needs for one or two years time in order to benefit from a new experience coming to you directly through the spouse. But instead, it may be difficult, if not impossible, for you to leave at this time.
Any opportunity can be a mixed blessing, and the lines of stress might be denoted in the solar return chart by the aspects to Jupiter in the 7th house. The balance is very delicate. You may benefit greatly or feel overwhelmed by circumstances that are not your own or are inconsistent with your needs for fulfillment. One must control the swing of the pendulum. In the worst-case scenario, you will not be aware your own needs are being overrun. It is at this time that someone will step forward and make an observation that will change your perspective, if you are willing to listen.
SATURN IN THE SOLAR RETURN CHART
Saturn rules reality and the reality of any given situation is that we are all ultimately responsible for creating our own lives. The responses and choices we make to any given situation, together with the fears we avoid, form the backbone for our pattern of living. Only when we accept the responsibility for creating our own fate can we be freed from the necessity of living it. Only when we face our fears can we live unafraid. Saturn is the key to this change in orientation. It is the ultimate reality, the ultimate fear, the karmic avenger, and ruler of the universal laws of nature. It is through Saturn's house placement that we come face to face with ourselves, the structures, and limitations of reality, and the laws we must live by.
Growth is a complex process, occurring in a variety of ways. Saturnian growth begins by recognizing the existing structures we have incorporated into our lives, and possibly, the frustration or limitation caused by this edifice. It seems strange to talk about growth in terms of limitation, but astrologically Saturn rules structures which are at one point protective and at other times restrictive. Like the lobster or crab which sheds an outgrown, protective, hard shell in order to grow, individuals must periodically shed old structures grown restrictive with time. As with the crustaceans, the shedding process may be slow and laborious, followed by a period of extreme vulnerability until the new shell has formed and hardened into a protective structure. We often complacently mistake familiarity for security. We assume we'll be safe as long as we stick with the same old routine and keep doing what we've been doing all along. But what was once protective and safe eventually ends up inhibiting our evolutionary cycle of growth. Sometimes, only our frustration with things as they are awakens us to the need for change.
The movement of Saturn through the solar return chart coincides with an awareness of structure. Sometimes this awareness is associated with frustration, and the accentuation of restrictions now blocking evolution. It is through this realization process and frustration that we first become aware of the need to grow beyond our present structures. Therefore, the first step in the Saturnian process toward growth is recognizing structures, frustrations, and limitations imposed by our present patterns of living, particularly in those areas of life signified by Saturn's house placement in the solar return.
The second step toward growth is reassessment of the situation. A review of the facts yields further information, options, and understanding. Only by defining the inhibitors to the evolutionary cycle can we move toward resolution and continued growth. Self-criticism and constructive feedback from others may be appropriate at this time.
It is during the reassessment process that the reality of our situation becomes more obvious, as well as the laws by which we are governed. To succeed, we must deal with life realistically. We cannot twist nature to our own liking, nor can we expect others to compensate for our deficiencies and fears by solving our problems. Saturn rules the naked truth devoid of magical thinking. We must live within the laws of nature to succeed and survive. If you hate your job, quit. Do not wait for an act of God to find a new job. If you want to complete a major project, work on it. It is the only way it will get done. If you want to lose weight, diet, and exercise. Hard work and facing the issues head on will get you where you want to go. Wishful thinking will not.
These issues are all totally within your range of control and you are free to act upon them, but other problems may not be yours to control. You cannot make your husband stop drinking; you can only change the way you handle the situation. You cannot change hypocrisy in others; you can only reassess your own beliefs. During the reassessment process, develop realistic options which could feasibly lead to a resolution of the problem or to a change in the way you handle the problem. Successful solutions are those which are practical and realistic -that is, they conform to the laws of nature.
Once you understand the problem and the options available, you must assume responsibility for the outcome. Each man or woman contributes to his or her own fate. As the partial creator of any problem, you also have some control over the solution. But assuming responsibility for your present situation can be more threatening than blaming others. Some prefer to buck the system (defy the laws of nature) and complain, rather than take action. Remember, familiarity breeds a false sense of security and many prefer to hang on to their restrictions rather than venture into the unknown. They learn to live with their frustration rather than grow beyond it. Consciously making a decision implies assuming responsibility for your success or failure.
Facing your fears concerning success or failure is ultimately what Saturn is all about. At this point, you are very aware of the reality of your situation, and you have a list of options for the future, not all of which may work. You understand your own contribution to the situation and what you must do in order to move toward a resolution. You have seen your own shortcomings and become aware of your darker side. You comprehend the laws of nature relative to your situation and know everything is earned in this case, nothing is given, and nothing is guaranteed by the Universe. You now realize that you must stick your nose out and take a calculated risk. In order to progress, you must face your fears, and move toward your nightmare rather than back away. It is only by passing through a period of vulnerability that one can break out of a protective, yet restrictive structure and progress into a more suitable environment. You give up the security of the familiar and step into the unknown.
The test of any solution is that it works. Even chronic problems need to be solved and not just cosmetically concealed. Success requires much hard work and the systematic testing of solutions until the correct combination is found. Consequently, success may not come easily. If the first solution does not work, you must go on to test another and another. Thus with each failure begins a new cycle of awareness and reassessment, ultimately leading to a well-deserved success. There is plenty of room for hard work, discipline, and perseverance in the area of life indicated by Saturn's house placement. Eventually, every area of life will be touched by the need for reassessment and resolution. Chances are the time for reevaluation coincides with Saturn's placement in a particular house of the solar return. In that area of life, you must go above and beyond what is normally expected.
Saturn in 9th house (within 3 degree orb of 10th house)
Saturn in the 9th house is associated with learning in one form or another. Commonly it can signify a formal education in an established university or college, but learning may instead involve an evening class or correspondence course. As a rule, the course of study is established rather than self-taught. Those who wish to continue their formal education on a high school, college or graduate level tend to experience some minor delays or impediments along the way.
For example, one man who was employed full-time in a newly established office felt he could not start his degree program until he had organized his daily work schedule. After six months, when the office routines became easier to handle, he was able to start school without feeling pressured by job demands.
Perfectionism is associated with the need to learn and individuals look forward to attending school when the time is right. They want to be able to devote their full attention to course work and are willing to wait until outside issues are handled. The delaying characteristic for this placement is especially true if Saturn is placed in the 9th house near the 10th house cusp, and it transits by direct motion out of the 9th during the solar return year. Those who do not wish to enter a degree program may take individual courses to suit their needs, but even these courses will tend to be very structured.
On the other hand, some individuals would rather teach than study with this placement. If this is your goal, you must organize your notes into lesson plans. You can experience some frustration until you have structured your thoughts into a well-defined body of knowledge. Those who have already taught in recent years need to reassess their ability to continue teaching, given certain newly developing situations and possible impediments.
The 9th house is also the house of our beliefs, whether philosophical, religious, or mundane. This is a time when you may realize a conflict between what you believe now or have been led to believe in the past, and what you are experiencing in the present. A relationship, activity or professional endeavor you are currently involved in may specifically contradict what you once thought to be true. This situation will continually test your beliefs until you come to conclusions which are more consistent with reality. This conflict can occur on a higher level of thought as readily as it might relate to more common beliefs. Most frequently, it will encompass and affect both. Inconsistencies which exemplify and fuel your awareness of the conflict constantly arise from everyday situations.
Insight can come from the simplest exchange. The extent to which these insights have ramifications on either higher or mundane thoughts is directly related to the individual's level of consciousness and ability to focus on multidimensional issues. For example, a nurse practitioner dealing with mostly low-income elderly patients in a clinic environment was surprised to learn that doctors who prescribed medicine for high blood pressure and heart disease frequently neglected to counsel these individuals about the positive effect of dietary control regarding these two illnesses. The nurse practitioner had a strong background and belief in the holistic field and found this lack of attention to the whole individual upsetting, counterproductive and not in keeping with the Hippocratic Oath.
In another example, a lay person who regularly participated as a church assistant doing charity work aimed at helping the poor began to question the pastor's allocation of funds to various projects. Money was being diverted to finance the pastor's need for comfort. This individual spent much of the year pondering his faith, his allegiance to his pastor, and his belief in what the church stood for.
Hypocrisy seems to keynote this Saturn placement. You are acutely aware of what others espouse and whether or not they practice what they preach. You are also acutely aware of those philosophies and beliefs which differ greatly from your own. These philosophical inconsistencies and differences are to help you discriminate what is real and true for your own life path. You must verify your current and developing beliefs within the context of daily experiences and immediate life situations.
Established beliefs form the backbone of the decision-making process. Normally they are meant to have helpful, practical applications to issues, conflicts and situations we face. Those beliefs which dangle in mid-air without any substantiation are useless. Remember, the 9th house is also the house of prejudices, intolerance, and beliefs not based on fact. You could be overly critical of others and their beliefs, setting standards too high for anyone to reach. Saturn indicates that the weeding-out process has begun and a realistic reassessment of all beliefs is called for.
Saturn within 3 degree orb of 10th house
Saturn in the 10th house is equated with career breaks and limitations, some of which are very positive. It is true you can either lose your job or give up your present position during the solar return year, but this turn of events may be desirable. For some individuals, especially for those who are older, this placement signals retirement or leaving the job market entirely. For career mothers, choices focus on quitting work to raise children or continuing work while juggling two demanding schedules. If you have clearly defined personal and professional goals, you need not have any trouble with this placement.
For most people, Saturn in the 10th shows an old career closing down and a job move to something new. Rather than a break in your career, there is a break in your professional momentum. You lose skills and experience while moving from one job, company, or profession to another. In your new position, you must start from scratch. You will be working with new techniques and concepts, and at first, minor duties will take longer and appear more difficult. It takes time to get back into the swing of things, and during your orientation period, you can feel underqualified or inept. Frustration comes from not knowing what to do and the tendency toward making mistakes, which is common for newcomers.
If you quit your present job to become self-employed at this time, you may go down several dead ends before you develop, establish and maintain a routine and clientele. If you are creating a job from nothing, you are starting from scratch. The same is true if you are self-employed and must relocate. Success in a new position takes time and effort, but it can be done by those who work hard. The rewards will be clearer at the end of the year as the old chart fades away.
If you are comfortable with your present position and have always been a hard worker, you may be asked to take on more responsibility at this time. The natural tendency with this placement is to assume personal responsibility in the career area. A promotion to a managerial position or an increased workload are two ways to do this.
Serious problems associated with this position occur when you refuse to assume any responsibility in your career or for problems on the job. Suppose you do not like your job but refuse to contemplate any changes. Limiting your career options in this way creates a strong feeling of frustration, restriction, and monotony. If your present job is unfulfilling and unrewarding, you will not be able to work to your potential. Perhaps you should quit rather than stagnate. Those who refuse to reassess career options and take responsibility for their own career decisions, or lack thereof, end up going nowhere while Saturn is in the house of destiny, career, and long-term patterns of growth. Individuals who make changes and start from scratch learn to work with job frustrations to structure a new professional environment. This is the goal whether you stay in your present position or move on. You must reassess where you are and where you are headed professionally. Map out the practical steps necessary for the journey.
URANUS IN THE SOLAR RETURN CHART
Uranus is commonly seen as an indicator of change, and this is true for the solar return placements also. Conditions associated with the house position of Uranus are likely to evolve significantly over the year. Major changes or incessant fluctuations emerge as the pattern of manifestation, depending on how the individual copes with his or her situation and needs. Transformations may occur quickly and require a long period of adjustment, or progress slowly, possibly occurring late in the year and only after a long period of anticipation or restlessness. As a rule, most changes are expected, predicted, and initiated by the native him or herself. Many are carefully planned and well executed, involving a minimum of tension and anxiety. When working positively with the Uranian principle, the key is in the restlessness. Those who are very attuned to their own need for growth will feel the restlessness arising in outgrown situations and respond accordingly. They will welcome the opportunity for adjustment, and make all the necessary preparations for the coming change. They will not lock themselves into one particular situation or pattern of growth, but will allow changes and insights to develop and evolve naturally along the way.
Generally, it is only when the individual thwarts his or her own desires or tightly controls situations that tensions manifest in the form of anxiety and nervousness. This anxiety results from ambivalent feelings which develop in those who resist needed changes. These people get caught between their own fear of change and a strong desire for the very change being thwarted. An ambivalent mind-set takes over, one built on an approach to, and also an avoidance of, a set goal or change. Remember, Uranus is associated with conscious and unconscious choices for change. Its appearance somewhere in the native's solar return chart implies the area of life in which the individual desires to progress through change. When one is unable to face or effect needed and desired changes, the mind splits between two mutually exclusive goals and anxiety results. Eventually, the mental ambivalence and erratic commitments to two very different paths are reflected in fluctuating external conditions. Long overdue, yet still avoided changes, tend to manifest in the environment as disruption caused by others, or by neglected areas of attention.
Adding to the anxiety is a perceived loss of control over external situations. Eventually, the restlessness and tension rise to a feverish pitch until one finally agrees to make changes, or can no longer prevent their occurrence. When conditions reach this intensity, individuals usually make reactive changes, without careful consideration or adequate preparation. Sudden upheavals occur rather than welcomed transitions. If we would truly be in control of our own destiny, we should listen to the need for change and respond to the earliest hints of restlessness. We should give ourselves the freedom to work toward a conscious transition before a crisis arises.
Consistent with the desire for change is the need for freedom. You cannot maneuver if you are locked into a restrictive environment. Sometimes the push for freedom is a prerequisite for change. At other times, the change itself becomes the motivating force behind the process. Occasionally, both mechanisms are operating. For example, you may have to convince your boss to give you the freedom to make needed changes in the daily office routine; at the same time, the changes you make could streamline procedures, creating more leeway in your work schedule.
Freedom allows the process of change to occur smoothly. When we are functioning at our best and working positively with the Uranian concept, we move easily through a series of attractions, detachments and independent actions. We learn and grow from each of these encounters. While in the process of attraction, we are drawn to certain situations, persons or concepts. It is important to observe what experiences we are drawn to because they indicate conscious or unconscious needs and patterns of growth. By accepting different situations, interacting with different individuals, or listening to new ideas, we take in new information and learn to value various facets of life. We see that no one person, place or idea is perfect. The same is true of our existing circumstances, which we hold onto so tightly.
With this insight begins the period of detachment from those situations, persons, or concepts which restrict our growth or no longer have anything to teach us. We are able to step back and intellectually reassess our involvement and commitment. We can either choose to separate physically from difficult situations, or take the corrective action needed to adjust present circumstances to our needs.
Uranus does not always imply a complete and total separation. We are capable of detaching from the original attraction while still maintaining the experience, relationship, or train of thought. It is the independent action we ultimately take which defines the degree of separation.
We learn as much from separation as we do from attraction when we define what we don't like as well as what we do like. The changing environment, the comparisons and contrasts, accentuate what is important and what is not. One should remember that this process of change through attachment, detachment and independent action is ongoing, occurring on many different levels simultaneously. The process can be either quick, occurring numerous times in one day, or drawn out, requiring a year's time span. For example, suppose you are building a new home. This is a year-long project and during this time you will be drawn to many different construction plans, ideas, and subcontractors. But as you begin to work with the possibilities, you will accept, reject, or change options to suit your needs. This process takes place over months, but also simultaneously many times in one day.
The exposure to various ideas, situations and people stimulates creative thought through sudden insight into changing situations. All planets represent a creative process. Venus is the planet of creativity experienced through beauty, while Uranus is the process experienced through change. Because of the changing panorama of people, ideas, and situations, one becomes accustomed to looking at life from different perspectives. The multifaceted approach encourages the mind to create still newer ideas. In this way the individual begins to participate in the process of attachment, detachment and independent action by creating his or her own original options, and change becomes a process of perception, integrated into the pattern of growth.
Solar Return Uranus in 2nd house:
Uranus in the 2nd shows a change in your earning power and financial situation. Alterations can be major or minor, fluctuating or one-time single events. The adjustment can be either positive or negative, but both manifestations can occur at different times during the year. Positive interpretations include pay raises or large windfalls. Those who have not been working can find employment and those who have been doing volunteer work can now get paid for the work they do. Being self-employed or working on a commission or incentive basis is common with this placement. You might land that big account, exceed previous sales records, or successfully start or expand your own business during the year.
Negative interpretations include a total break in income because of either a job change, relocation, or leave of absence without pay (the most likely reason for this being maternity leave). Those who work steadily may receive or accept a pay cut. Some actually request a cutback in hours (and therefore pay) because of shifting goals or pressing personal needs. It is possible to give up a job with a very good income. Salespersons working on a commission basis may find it more difficult to sell products for one reason or another. Changes in earning power seem to be more closely associated with this placement than disruptive spending practices; however, impulse buying may be a problem for those with this tendency.
Economic change is easy to foresee with this Uranus placement, but it is difficult to note whether the changes will be positive or negative. The aspects to Uranus are not a true measure of the shift. One can earn more with difficult aspects and one can earn less with softer aspects. What is shown by the aspects is the individual's innate desire to foster a financial change and the other areas of life that will be affected. The best course of action is to prepare for a rainy day. It is better to practice financial restraint than assume more money than you have.
Uranus in the 2nd house also indicates that values and morals are changing. Non-materialistic attitudes are the norm. As a rule, inner fulfillment and personal satisfaction are more important than material possessions. Money itself does not matter unless the financial situation is dire. Possessions will not be important and this is a good time to unload useless things. During the year, you may not be interested in purchasing new items or replacing old ones. If you are not aware of your inner needs for emotional rather than material satisfaction, you may only experience the financially difficult side of this Uranus placement, especially if you repeatedly attempt to gain material wealth and acquire new things despite emotional considerations to the contrary.
Morals are also in a state of flux at this time. It is best to allow for review and change. Regardless of changes, you may deviate from your own code of behavior. Sometime during the year, you may be asked to defend your position if your actions or values conflict with the standards of others. This will give you an opportunity to better define your own priorities and standards.
NEPTUNE IN THE SOLAR RETURN CHART
Neptune is many things on many levels, but first and foremost it is the aspiration for a higher manifestation as opposed to a lower one. The distinctions between higher and lower influences are not limited to the spiritual plane alone, but can occur on the emotional, mental and physical levels also. At all times, it is up to the individual to steer his or her consciousness toward the highest manifestation possible. For example, Neptune on the spiritual level is associated with Universal Oneness, Karmic Laws, Ideals, God, and higher beliefs which form the backbone of spirituality. A strong sense of trust in God and the Universe supports the growth process on the spiritual level, but has ramifications on the other levels as well. Each level of experience supports and triggers the others. It is all the insights on all of the levels which eventually help us toward a more rewarding and fulfilling life-style. The lower manifestation of Neptune on the spiritual level is disillusionment with higher principles. Here the individual falls off the true path and becomes entangled in fanatical beliefs or outright fantasy. Spiritual despair rather than enlightenment is the result, and the support needed for growth on all levels is thwarted.
The same dichotomy of higher and lower is present on the emotional, mental and physical planes also. At the emotional level, the individual is capable of great compassion and sensitivity to others. This is a time when empathic understanding strengthens the bonds between loved ones. The lower manifestation of Neptune is a susceptibility to anxiety and worry. The sensitivity which is meant to foster true understanding instead heightens a sense of vulnerability to life, others and the future. There is no trust in God emanating from the spiritual level to support decisions. In negative situations, true understanding of others does not develop because the individual is too involved with personal feelings and issues to focus on others.
At the mental level, creativity and inspiration help to expand the individual's intellectual capacity. Neptune is more closely associated with the right brain than the left, and indicates the ability to let the mind float free to new and better insights. The lower manifestation is confusion and deception. What you are told is different from what you intuitively feel. Thoughts contradict insights and you are unable to comprehend the truth. There is no trust of the higher right brain inspirational or spiritual processes. Creativity is thwarted. Without an understanding of the big picture, mental energy is wasted through a lack of cohesiveness as one begins to focus on the insignificant, confusing details.
And finally, Neptune on the physical level is service to others. Principles which have filtered down from the various levels and have been understood in each of the higher manifestations begin to flow into daily practices on the mundane plane. There is a consistency; as above, so below. It is possible to physically manifest the spirituality to which you aspire. When only lower manifestations have filtered down to the physical level, confusion, disorganization and exhaustion are most apt to occur. You lack a total concept necessary to unify your actions and prioritize tasks according to their importance. Neptune at its highest level of manifestation on the physical plane is a direct reflection of the enlightened promise made at the spiritual level.
In all of the houses, either the higher or lower manifestations will be operating. The more the individual focuses on the higher energies, the more cohesive and insightful actions will become. The more the individual is sensitive to spiritual insight, the easier it will be to deal with issues on every plane. The unifying principles of the spiritual level and the higher manifestations combine to focus energy and understanding right on down the line.
Solar Return Neptune in 1st house:
In its very highest manifestation, Neptune in the 1st house is associated with a renewed commitment of the self to a higher force or principle. This placement implies spirituality in being and in action. It is not enough to believe in higher forces-you must also act accordingly, practicing what you preach. During the year, the individual is seen as a part of the Universal Whole, possessing both personal insignificance and great spiritual importance at the same time. Insignificance occurs when the individual tries to stand alone. Self-centered needs and egotism are dwarfed in comparison to the spiritual process, and do not matter in the long run. If the will is not in keeping with the Divine purpose, it is limited and meaningless. Purely personal endeavors tend to get sidetracked before completion since the needs of others are more pressing, understandable, and important within the context of the Whole. For this reason, one tends to be egoless at this time, giving unselfishly to others and subjugating the self to a higher purpose.
Even though this is a time of personal insignificance, it is also a time of great spiritual importance for the individual. If you choose to view yourself and your soul within the realm of Universal consciousness, you will become aware of the role you play in the spiritual process and your ability to affect another soul's growth and potential. This is a time when you might understand some truth others miss, and if you are willing to give unselfishly, you can be a beacon for those who are blind. Situations may be subtle or blatant, commitments passing or definitive. In less obvious interchanges, compassion is increased, and you naturally want to help others. You become the Good Samaritan giving your time and energy to those in need whether family, neighbors or friends. In blatant interchanges, there is a definite request followed by a firm commitment to a cause, task or individual. You know what you are getting into. Some will chose to help many; others, only one particular person. As a rule, the process of assisting others comes easily and naturally when there is an awareness of a principle higher than one's own ego. During these times of giving, you will be encouraged to grow spiritually. Tasks usually exceed previous understanding and capabilities, and you must rise to the occasion through further enlightenment.
Certain cautions are necessary. Be sure the person or people you assist respond to your help in one way or another. Either their condition should improve, or they should learn new patterns of behavior, possibly responding with love and kindness toward you or someone else. It is not essential that you personally receive a return. This placement is associated with selflessness and what you are doing may specifically require an unselfish act of love. However, don't repeatedly waste your energy when there is no improvement at all. There are exceptions to this rule. Certain conditions are degenerative by their very nature, and do not lend themselves to improvement. For example, you may be caring for a person with a debilitating or progressive illness.
The manifestation of giving is meant to be helpful to the receiver, not draining for the giver. This is a year when you may be drawn to people in constant need, and in very negative interchanges when your help is not accepted, appreciated or effective, you will be drained. Do not become victimized by alcoholics, drug addicts or those who really require professional help, but refuse to seek it. Do not become so enamored of another person's problems that you close your eyes to your own welfare. It is possible to enter or remain in a situation which is personally difficult for you and has no easy ending or way out. You adapt so easily to those around you that you might adapt yourself into a psychologically unhealthy situation. Maintain a sense of spiritual purpose. Regardless of your circumstances, whether you are involved in a positive or negative gift of love, push for insight and growth.
While you are focusing on higher thoughts, you may have more difficulty with personal direction. You may not always understand your own actions, and can feel confused, indecisive, or lacking in ego definition. Surefootedness and stubborn opinions are unlikely because you are easily swayed. Self-knowledge will be elusive as you continually discover previously unknown facets of your personality. Preferences and abilities are in a state of flux. Unfortunately, it may not be easy to relate to your own quirks, or see your own contribution to problems and issues. This is especially true if one is not working toward spiritual enlightenment. Instead, you can be evasive or deceiving, lying when pressured. If the future appears uncertain, this is a time to go with the flow of events even though you are not sure where it will lead. Perhaps you are choosing to wait for another person to make a move or decision and this contributes to your uncertainty.
In rare instances, drugs, alcohol or personality aberrations can be the cause of your confusion or weakened vitality. Ongoing addictions can be particularly detrimental this year since this is a time when your body would tend to be overly sensitive to all medications, even prescription drugs. For this reason, alternative medical treatments might be more beneficial.
When living on the higher Neptune level, confusion, indecision, and drug-related problems are unlikely. You are much more likely to act on intuition, instinctively flowing with the Higher Self.
PLUTO IN THE SOLAR RETURN CHART
In the solar return chart, the interpretation of Pluto includes an understanding of the issue of power and its various manifestations, which can be directed toward three different points of focus and through three different life processes. Complications are associated with all of these orientations and processes since each manifestation is multidimensional and complex, occurring not only on the physical level, but on the intellectual, emotional and spiritual levels as well. Within these complex situations, power can be focused on three different targets: the self, others, and/or circumstances. As a rule, the power to control oneself is mostly beneficial, the power to control others is mostly detrimental and the power to control situations varies according to the circumstances involved. By studying Pluto's house placement in the solar return chart, you can assess in which areas of life these control issues are most likely to arise. The scope and effects of the power issues are seen through the connections to other solar return planets.
Power also manifests through three different processes. One may choose sameness, elimination or transformation. When you choose to keep things the way they are, it is implied that there is some force urging you to change and you are resisting this force. A possible power struggle might ensue. When you choose elimination, you relinquish control over some facet of your life or refuse to have further contact. When you choose change, you may be either yielding to an outside power or actively seeking transformation of that which already exists. Let us explore the power orientations and processes further.
Three Different Points of Focus
Generally, the focal point of self is beneficial. As long as you are using Plutonian insights and techniques to control yourself, to own your own power and to further your own growth, the process will be a positive learning experience, unless you overcontrol yourself, succumbing to hair-shirt asceticism, taking self-denial to absurd extremes. The greater your awareness of yourself and Universal principles, the more likely you are to make good decisions. You become the captain of your own destiny. Enlightenment leads to power and power leads to enlightenment as a rewarding cycle of manifestation is set in motion.
However, those who use psychological insights to control and block their own growth waste precious energy. They set up a negative pattern of stagnation wherein insights are not accepted as they are, but twisted to fit previously conceived notions about life and self. Rather than progressing through enlightenment, the individual uses insights as weapons against growth and understanding, opting for sameness despite new information. Contradictory realizations are not allowed to surface; instead they are either suppressed or misinterpreted. In very negative situations such as these, the power associated with increased Plutonian awareness and its creative potential is never realized.
The same thwarting of personal growth is evident when you shift your attention from self to the need to control others. By and large, this is not a good focal orientation. The symbolism of the planets exists in your consciousness so that you can grow and prosper from insight. Since growth begins at home, the main thrust of the focus should always be toward self, and it is generally unnecessary and also counterproductive to shift the emphasis to an external struggle. The most efficient use of power exists on the internal plane because it takes much less energy to control your own reactions than to seek power over someone else. Once power is removed from the inner self and used to control others, the effectiveness is reduced. Stalemated power struggles are particularly detrimental because they deplete resources. It is conceivable that there are life situations where it is essential to control another person. For example, children, disabled or elderly loved ones may not be able to make informed decisions. In these situations you might be asked or forced to wield power over another. You are meant to grow from all your experiences. Even in these instances, self-awareness and insight are crucial to the decisions you make. Start with yourself first, then work your way outward. Blaming others for your problems distorts the perception of self and the realization of your own personal involvement. Always be aware of the interactive process and the role you play in it. This internal perspective is of primary importance, much more so than the process of controlling someone else.
Trying to control life situations can lead to power struggles, but at some point in your life it may be essential to make a stand for the good of your own growth or that of world consciousness. Ultimately, it is much better for you to control yourself, but this is not always possible. Someone can be seeking to control you, your family or your livelihood. Certain injustices must be corrected for everyone to progress, and sometimes the only viable option is to work for change. Always be aware of the struggle you take on. It is usually easier to correct a situation than to convince your opponent he or she is wrong. It is easier to get forgiveness than permission. Go for the simplest task that gets the job done. For example, your office routine might be very inefficient and next to impossible to accomplish in a day's time. Perhaps you see where improvements can be made, but your immediate boss disagrees with you or thwarts your efforts. As long as you continue to try and convince your immediate boss of the need for change, you will get nowhere. If you can easily go over his or her head to a higher boss, this could be an effective way to handle the stalemate. Seek the quickest solution to a problem if one is available. Do not get locked into long, drawn-out struggles if they are not necessary.
Ultimately, power struggles can have either beneficial or detrimental results, depending on your perspective. In the external environment, you may or may not win, assuming there can be a victor. More than likely, victory, if it comes, involves compromise for all involved. But the inner process of awakening one's own ability to effect a creative change in the environment is usually beneficial. You can make a difference. The creative potential associated with Pluto comes from a penetrating insight into the hidden worlds of the unconscious and an understanding of the Universal laws of Karma. Powerful insights should spring spontaneously from the situations associated with Pluto's placement in the solar return chart. Suddenly you can become aware of new forces, subtle and previously unnoticed, which seem to influence personal decisions and situations you are involved in. Once you have the insight, what you do with the information becomes crucial to the creative process.
The primary goal of the Plutonian process should be growth through awareness. Therefore it is essential, no matter what your focal orientation, to use information and insight gleaned from experiences to foster a new understanding of self and Universal principles. The main growth process begins and ends with the self.
Three Different Plutonian Processes
Plutonian power is associated with three different processes: keeping things the way they are, usually by resisting an internal or external force; changing the form of what already exists, i.e., transformation; or eliminating what is no longer useful or essential, a form of death. Any of these powers can be either beneficial or detrimental to the user or others involved. It is the purpose and intent of the process that is important.
The power to keep things the way they are can sometimes be an awakening to personal power. Implied here is a resistance to a force seeking change, and sometimes the intent of change is negative. The pressure can come from an external or internal source, and the changes desired may be either external or internal also. For example, if you are a recovering alcoholic facing a difficult life situation, you might feel the pressure to start drinking again. The pressure could come from your own wish to avoid major decisions, or from a person you are associating with.
In actuality the internal and external sources are really one and the same, a reflection of each other since internal needs draw external situations. In the situation given above, the individual seeks to remain a recovering alcoholic despite internal and external pressure. This is a positive goal and if attained, implies personal power. It is also beneficial to remain the same when others seek to control your actions and thwart free will. Pluto represents the insight necessary to perceive manipulative efforts as they arise and avoid ploys whenever possible.
In some instances, the power to remain the same can be a negative manifestation, actually causing the stagnation of growth. If you resist all new internal and external insights which would enhance your growth or cause you to make changes, little progress will result. You will stall. When your purposes are not in keeping with Universal Good or personal benefit, you are more likely to be involved in a negative use of Plutonian power.
The process of elimination can be very cleansing, even though a symbolic death is involved. If you streamline your business or office procedures, letting go of compulsive and unnecessary activities, this is a death of sorts, but much to your benefit. So is a budgetary review which eliminates the fat from your spending practices and allows you to cut back on your work schedule. In more serious circumstances, perhaps all you can do is release a situation that is detrimental to your progress. Letting go can be a positive choice, but it might also be a negative one if you cut someone out of your life without resolving or releasing the conflict. If this is true in your case, avoiding persons or situations will consume your energy. Transformation is the process whereby a situation, thing or level of consciousness is changed into a new, and hopefully higher, manifestation. Careers, marriages and self-images can all be transformed for the better. Commonly, though, we think of the transformation process in terms of psychological insight and level of consciousness. Information from subtle sources or the unconscious is gradually or suddenly made available to either the rational mind or the Higher Self, and subsequently a change occurs on the mental, emotional or spiritual level. Information that was previously unavailable becomes understandable through the process of insight, and power is released through new awareness. This can be a very enlightening and beneficial transition, but naturally it is what you do with the information that is important. If intellectual, emotional and spiritual growth are triggered by the new awareness, the process continues to be positive; however, if instead you use your newfound insight to control others or block growth, you have used your knowledge in a negative way.
Misuse of the Plutonian process creates an inability to continue on the life path until issues are resolved and lessons are learned. Stagnation occurs as the individual fails to progress to the next level of comprehension or misinterprets the task at hand. Power struggles can be the cause of such stagnation, and should be taken on only after careful consideration of the issues and implications. Power struggles are expensive in terms of time and energy. Some are essential to growth, others are self-inflicted. Know the source. Ideally, if you avoid a conflict in Pluto's solar return house placement, you should have more resources available for higher awareness. Conflicts consume energy and sap the strength necessary for the ascent. Without opposition, one can move quickly when concentrating on insight and awareness. Barriers can be torn down and the connections among all things become apparent.
But a world without struggle is the ideal, and not necessarily the reality. Your situation may require that growth be attained through struggle. The resistance may stimulate your awareness and creativity. Real progress might only occur after the resolution of conflict or during respites in the battle. However, within a long-lasting, stalemated struggle, one is more likely to get caught in a circular argument going nowhere. Nonproductive battles can be avoided by those who work toward increased awareness.
Solar Return Pluto in 11th house:
Pluto in the 11th house commonly implies involvement in a group and the experience of power and transformation within this setting. You may be the leader or a follower, but in either case you must handle the issue of power as it relates to individual needs versus group needs. This can be a time when you accomplish more through group efforts than you do on your own. On the other hand, you might feel that your goals are compromised by a shared effort. Individual differences between various members and the distinction between the needs of the one and the needs of the whole become more apparent. One can't always do it alone, just as one can't always be the corporate player. For this reason, group power struggles are likely, and not only do you witness the struggle, usually you are a part of the interplay within the hierarchy. Sometimes you are able to make your way, learning to handle power gracefully. Sometimes you feel the need to fight for what you believe in. Other times you choose to withdraw entirely. Situations can become very complicated and there are no easy answers to issues that arise.
Psychological influences affect group interaction, and for this reason they can have an intense transforming quality. If you can catch the moments of manipulation within the power plays, you can learn about yourself, others and group dynamics. Motivations are never totally altruistic, and one should look for the real reason certain events are occurring. Look within as well as without. Circumstances which make you feel out of control are especially important, for within them is a power leakage. Truly difficult situations can leave you feeling drained and emotionally overwhelmed. A more positive possibility for this placement could be joining a self-help or encounter group which engages in intense in-depth conversations meant to stimulate insight.
All of the above interpretations can apply to friends or one friend in particular, as well as to groups. A special friend who is willing to risk intimacy can have as strong an effect on you as an encounter group. Power struggles are also just as likely when expectations are involved. One woman depended on her friends to help her in a new business and this became an issue when they could not always show up. She sought to press them into service by equating support with loyalty.
Changes in goals commonly occur. As you develop new ones, old ones are given up. What was once feasible is no longer realistic; what is new shows great potential. Highly specific and very ambitious goals are possible, and this is the route many individuals take. The possibility of never completing tasks is very real. Difficulties in attainment are associated with psychological blockages and power struggles. When this is the situation, life seems too difficult or complicated to allow for the formation or attainment of goals.
The urge to direct power at a specific goal can be shortsighted for those who are capable of more. The true wonder of this placement does not lie in the attainment of any goal, but rather in the process of individualization. A specific goal is finite; the recognition of your own ability to be different, an individual on your own terms, is infinite. Many use the specific attainable goal to initiate the process of awareness, but others tend to stop there without doing the real work that needs to be done. As long as you use power only for an attainable goal, you sell yourself short. You lose even more power if you allow yourself to get locked into a power struggle. You have the right to be your own person, so the freedom needed to manifest your individuality need not come from strife. It is already yours. Power struggles represent a need to establish an individual identity. Some can do this on their own; some only through the experience of otherness. Some work with; some work against. You choose the path of awareness, but the basic need is to recognize and develop the power that lies within your own individual differences.
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