Blog
by Steven Forrest
Jupiter is in Sagittarius now and it will stay there until December 2, 2019. Since Jupiter “rules” that sign – and also famously has dominion over Lady Luck – there’s a pervasive tendency among astrologers to view this as an innately wondrous thing, as if all of us can expect an avalanche of winning lottery numbers, true love, and weight loss.
Fear not: we are not going to say the opposite! But this big Jupiter event does offer us a chance to think some deeper thoughts about what it means for any planet, and Jupiter in particular, to be “in its own sign.”
Here’s the simplest way to say it: when a planet passes through a sign that it rules, it does not become “better;” it just becomes stronger. The good or bad of it depends, as ever, on how you use that energy rather than on the configuration itself. In that rulership situation, it is as if you are cutting a piece of wood with a hand saw. When you are cutting across the grain, it’s hard work. When you are cutting along the natural lines of the grain, it’s much easier. The lay of the grain and the direction of your efforts are in alignment.
by Steven Forrest
In pop astrology, Jupiter is celebrated as the lucky planet. So if you are a Virgo, lucky you! Jupiter enters Virgo on August 11. And all you Leos better drink up because your year of glory is drawing to a close. Jupiter’s sweep through Virgo will run for about thirteen months, finally bringing sunshine to all the world’s Librans starting on September 9, 2016.
We will have deeper things to say, fear not! But for a moment, let’s contemplate the phenomenon of plain dumb luck. Who knows what that wild card signifies in the larger scheme of the universe? Is it random—as simple as saying “every dog has his day?” Is it good karma coming home to roost? That’s my own guess—I’ve never had much faith in the “random universe” model. But whatever dumb luck’s origins may be, it’s a real phenomenon. We all recognize it when we see it. And when it raises its lovely head in your life, there’s a good chance that Jupiter has stepped into the spotlight of your chart.
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When the expansive, damn-the-torpedoes energy of Jupiter collides with the primeval fires of Aries the Warrior, we naturally expect fireworks. At the mechanical astrological level, each side of the equation supercharges the other. We will see real courage. Genuine heroism will arise. We are already seeing these effects in the Middle East as citizens stand up against oppressive governments. You may need to do the same at your own microcosmic level.
