Sample Sky Log Report

Skylog transits and progressions analysis sample report
for Douglas Adams
Birth Data: Mar. 11, 1952, 11:10:00 AM GMT +00:00
Cambridge, England, 000E08’00” 52N13’00”
Rodden Rating A – Source: AstroDataBank

Planets within 1.5 degree orbs of the following house cusp are displayed and interpreted as being in that house, except the Ascendant which uses 3 degrees. Orb Conjunctions with Sun or Moon are 8 degrees. All orbs are set according to Steven Forrest’s methods. Interpretation text copyright 1993 by Steven Forrest. Program Copyright 1983-2000 Matrix Software (352) 373-1504.

Douglas Adams

Douglas Adams Bio, from AstroDataBank: British science fiction writer known for his wacky book Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, a 1979 cult favorite. His “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency” embraces time travel, ghostly possession, quantum mechanics, musical theory, computer modeling, cellular communications and other galaxies.

In 1998, Douglas released a game for the computer called “Starship Titanic.” The game helped to divert the author from a novel-in-progress that wasn’t working, allowing for “a bit of mental crop rotation.” Adams’ PC game was not his first venture into the world of multimedia. In the early ’80s, he produced “Hitchhiker” as both a radio and TV show and also released it as a text-only computer game for a company dubbed Infocom.

Adams died suddenly of a heart attack on May 11, 2001.

SKYLOG, by Steven Forrest

For the period of Jan 01, 1979 – Apr 01, 1979

Note: We selected 1979 for the report since it is the year The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy was published.

Traditional astrologers “make predictions.” Often they are correct. But right or wrong, “predictions” turn you into a marionette, with the planets holding your strings. And in my opinion, that is not a very inspiring description of the way the cosmos works, nor a very accurate one. You are vastly more powerful than that. You can, to a great extent, shape your own life. That at least is my belief. The future isn’t crystallized. It’s a wavering, quivering web of possibilities. How will they manifest? Much depends upon how you wield the magical wild card we call your freedom.

So, what’s the use of astrology? In a nutshell, it can help you make better choices. The planets never give a definitive answer to the question “What will happen to me?” Instead, they ask the question. But they ask the question in a very specific way: “Given everything you are, all the bridges you’ve crossed, all the contracts you’ve signed, there are several possibilities for what you might do next…” In other words, “Here’s the menu. What are you having?”
Question mark.

And the question mark is the most important part of the whole inquiry, because that’s where the uncertainty — and your freedom — lies. But the planets do even more. They offer advice. In a sense, they recommend certain choices over others. They seem biased toward your evolution. They often suggest that you take the less familiar path, the one that moves you into richer fields of your own potentiality. The planets express this rather philosophical bias in a very concrete way. Typically, when you make a less energetic response to a planetary question, the results, while initially comfortable, rapidly turn painful. Sometimes the pain is immediate and dramatic, as in the collapse of an important relationship. Other times, it’s more subtle, as in the degeneration of life into deadening boredom and ritual. Either way, sooner or later we know you made a wrong turn somewhere.

In the pages that follow, we will be exploring the coming months of your life from this planetary perspective. There are three parts to the report, and any or all of them may be included here, depending on which have been requested. First, the big questions. In the part of the report called THE INVITATION, we try to get that “mountain-top” perspective that enables us to make sense of the details. In THE MEANS, we turn our attention to some secondary factors that offer suggestions, help, and support in responding to those big questions. And finally, we’ll look at the report period month-by-month, day-by-day, to get some ground-level insight into THE DETAILS. Your report may be for three, six, nine, or twelve months and may include any or all three sections just described. For this reason, and because some years in your life are astrologically more active than others, report length can vary quite a bit.

Throughout the following text, I’ll be endeavoring to write in plain English, but if you’re unfamiliar with the jargon of astrology, you’ll encounter a few words that may require definition. A “transiting” planet, for example, refers to the actual, current position of that planet in the sky. Sometimes the transiting planets form critical geometric angles with the “natal” planets in the birthchart, triggering developmental questions in your life. These critical angles are called “aspects.”

The “progressed” planets function in much the same way as the transiting planets, but we approach them a little differently. They’re like a script that’s been built into your birthchart. Just as we know that an oak tree will emerge from an acorn and bring forth its leaves in season, similarly each person’s birthchart contains within it the seeds of certain predictable developmental stages. Progressions spell out those stages.

So sit back, open your mind, and engage your heart. It’s time to consider…

The Invitation

Some years loom large in our memories decades down the road; others are blurry, easily forgotten. That universal human reality is reflected in the movements of the planets — astrologically speaking, one year is often far more significant than another, just as in life. Most of the really important celestial factors move rather slowly; thus, it’s not unusual to experience a time in which none of them have gone critical, when we can calmly keep on putting one foot after the other, on “cruise control.”

Well, for you this is definitely not that kind of year. Something truly pivotal is occurring…

Pr. Sun is Conjunct Jupiter
In effect: Feb 10, 1979 – continuing
Peak Date(s): sometime after the report period.

Ever so slowly, at the pace of a glacier, life changes us. You’re not the same person you were five years ago. Your interests have evolved, your tastes are more refined. And, of course, your circumstances are different. This snail-paced journey — the Evolution of the Self — is reflected in astrology’s most elemental symbol: the progressed Sun. When it comes to a sensitive zone of the birthchart, momentous changes nearly always occur…but they mirror even more rudimentary transfigurations in the deepest levels of your identity.

Needless to say, we wouldn’t be mentioning all this to you if the progressed Sun were passing through calm waters in your birthchart now. But it’s not, and in a minute we’ll look at exactly where it is and what it’s doing. Before we consider the specifics, though, one more point for the sake of perspective: the progressed Sun is a very slow-moving factor. It covers approximately one degree each year. Thus, even in a long life, it swings through only about a quarter of the birthchart. It follows that often many years go by in which, despite its overwhelming importance, the progressed Sun is basically not doing very much and can safely be ignored. The other side of the coin is that when the Sun does come to sensitive territories, a person has reached one of life’s definitive turning points. Decisions are made, well or poorly. Bridges are crossed, and often burned behind us. Life takes off in a new direction.

You’ve arrived at such a juncture; your core is being transfigured. It’s stressful, of course; change always is. But your ability to hear the new message that’s coming up from inside you will determine to a great extent the level of happiness, creativity, and prosperity you will experience for the rest of your life. Let’s get specific. How is the progressed Sun currently impacting on you? It is conjunct your natal Jupiter: sometime after the report period.. In thinking about this, remember that progressions are slow-motion events, and that this aspect simply peaks then; it will be in effect throughout the period of this report.

Currently the Sun is navigating your Eleventh House, suggesting that your own circumstances and possibilities are currently tied into larger developments involving organizations, committees, or your “crowd.” This inevitably involves the use of a certain political adroitness on your part and the capacity to forge and nurture coalitions and alliances, even if they’re just among three or four people. But behind the group dynamics, there’s a deeper layer. What are your priorities? What do you really want? Certainly, those desires are currently evolving and their motion is in the direction of the Sun, as we just described it. In a nutshell: know what you want and choose your allies accordingly. But what’s the core issue? What part of your own life is at stake? To answer that, we turn our attention to Jupiter, which is being invited into development by these strategic alliances.

Hope and faith are essential to sanity. Without at least a few bright dreams and expansive goals, a person grows flat and dull…becomes a time-server. The same can be said for self-confidence: we need it. And even if such assurance sometimes crosses the line into a sprinkle of arrogance, that’s less troubling and limiting than sitting around afraid to take any risks at all. There is a gambler’s circuit in your psyche that understands these notions perfectly well. Astrologers call it Jupiter. When stimulated by a passing transit or progression, it encourages you to extend yourself further into your world, to bet on yourself, and to recognize emerging opportunities. Be wary at the same time that you don’t settle for glitter when gold may be just around the corner.

While the energies of Jupiter that we just described are obviously positive qualities for everyone, they play an especially personal part in your own well-being, looming larger and larger in your life as you mature. That’s because Jupiter lies in your natal Eleventh House, which pertains to your future, to your healthiest priorities, and to your most sustainable long-term strategies, all of which are well-described by that planet. Under the current stimulation of Jupiter, an evolution in your goals is occurring, rendering some old dreams obsolete or complete as new, sometimes unexpected desires and values begin to make themselves felt. It is a season of re-orientation.

When the Sun interacts with Jupiter, claim some applause for yourself. Healthy pride and dignity are at stake here, and they’re hard to sustain without receiving some appreciation. It may just come to you; but if not, then don’t be shy about asking for it…and one of the best ways to do that is to insist upon a victory, the more colorful the better. The good news is that under this kind of astrological configuration, such a victory is in fact quite available to you now.

As we mentioned, the aspect involved in the event we just described is the conjunction, which refers to a precise alignment between the natal planet and the moving trigger. Thus, the process emphasizes fusion, integration, and synthesis. Of all the possible aspects, the conjunction is the most intense. The explosion rattles your outward circumstances; but it originates inside you, and puts you in the driver’s seat. It is appropriate for you to claim some new level of power, of self-expression, and of autonomy. If you don’t, no one will do it for you; and the opportunity will evaporate.

Tr. Uranus is Trine Sun
In effect: Jan 3, 1979 – continuing
Peak Date(s): Feb 4, 1979; Mar 15, 1979

The planet Uranus is presently stirring the pot of your life, and that always promises a tumultuous passage, peppered with unexpected developments and encounters. Outwardly, Uranus is the wild card, bringing unpredictable and unforeseen events into the picture. Inwardly, it signals a time of accelerated individuation…that is, a time in which who you really are and what you truly want are rapidly emerging and defining themselves. A portion of what you imagined to be your identity has, in fact, little to do with you; it is a side-effect of your social training, nothing more. And, like training wheels on a kid’s bike, you are now ready to dump it. This has an unsettling effect upon not only yourself, but also those around you. Often during Uranian periods there is a distinct “changing of the guard” in our social circles; old relationships end, new ones appear. Claim your right to be yourself — that’s the essence of the transiting Uranus. Whatever it touches, changes. Trust the changes! Like a hard wind blowing the sand off a buried city, they are revealing who you actually have been all along. That’s Uranus in general. Specifically, Uranus is trine your natal Sun: Feb 4, 1979; Mar 15, 1979.

First, factor in that the action and the developmental invitation are unfolding in the Fifth House, for that’s the region of your birthchart through which Uranus is now passing. Immediately, the focus on Fifth House energies suggests that you are currently entering an existential territory that requires creativity, unabashed self-expression, and experimental audacity. Your “inner child” is a little cranky now, demanding some fun and some self-indulgence, all of which is entirely necessary and appropriate to your journey at the present time. Thus, life’s pleasures — games, vacations, sports, loving interactions — deserve attention now. Whether you know it or not, you need a boost…and you’ll get it in part from the “playmates” and “new toys” of the nature of Uranus that are now passingly, fleetingly available to you. Don’t let them get away! But what’s the core issue? What part of your own health hinges on this renewal? To answer that, we turn our attention to the Sun, which is being invited into development by this period of playful, celebratory creativity.

The Sun, as astronomers tell us, is the center of the solar system. Everything spins around it. With its enormous gravity, the Sun holds the entire system together. In a parallel way, the astrological Sun represents the gravitational center of your personality. Your ego. Your identity. The part of you that gets up in the morning and, without even a single sip of coffee, knows its name, rank, and serial number. Those same astronomers inform us that without the Sun’s radiant energy, life as we understand it would cease to exist. Again, astrological meaning follows astronomical fact: the Sun symbolizes that spark of life inside you, your elemental vitality. Enthusiasm, energy, recuperative powers — all these are solar themes. Thus, when the natal Sun is triggered in an important way, two critical questions come up for review: who are you, and what really makes you want to get out of bed in the morning?

In what way do those notions connect with your present circumstances? Understand that the Sun occupies the Tenth House of your natal chart, an area which refers to issues of career, status, and your public role…concerns which are currently undergoing considerable developmental pressure and change. All positive steps in terms of profession or your place in the community hold one point in common: they move you further and further in the direction of the Sun, as we just described it. Any work that will prove enduringly satisfying invokes the considerable energies of the Sun in you; any work that does not embody them will turn out to be transitory or deadening.

As we said, the aspect involved in the event we just described is the trine, which refers to a 120 degree angle between the natal planet and the moving one. Trines are traditionally viewed as positive aspects, and in fact they generally do correlate with opportunities. Additionally, their existence implies that support is available to you, if you are willing to move to claim it. And therein lies the rub with the so-called “good” aspects. They’re not very dynamic. Just as pain is a more powerful motivator than contentment, the trick with trines lies in taking advantage of them before the wheel turns and their potential vanishes. With regard to the developments we described in the previous few paragraphs: a door is now open, a red carpet rolled out…but don’t count on everything remaining that way forever.

Tr. Neptune is Square Sun
In effect: Feb 1, 1979 – continuing
Peak Date(s): sometime after the report period.

The planet Neptune is presently tinting and shading your biography, adding its dreamlike quality to the existential stew. Close your eyes; there’s a world in there. That’s Neptune, the planet of consciousness itself. Now open your eyes. There’s a world out there too, and it’s hard to ignore it. In fact, the outer world has become so pressing in its demands that you’ve partly lost contact with the inner one. But Neptune, transiting through sensitive territories for you now, is fixing that. Your inner world is so full it’s brimming over, overflowing its banks into your daily life. If you resist the process, you’ll find a host of Neptune problems plaguing you: losing the car keys, forgetting to pay the electric bill, having the attention span of a three-year-old on a sugar jag. But there’s an alternative: trust the process. Slow down. Meditate. Let the images come. Moult opinions. Breathe in, breathe out. Why? Because your unconscious mind has a message for you. It has to do with the possibility of happiness for you over the next few years, about how old sources of joy are drying up and — critically — about new ones you must learn to recognize. How do you receive the message? You stop resisting. You simply let it in. That’s Neptune in the broad sense. How is it effecting you specifically? Neptune is square your natal Sun: sometime after the report period..

Our first step is to realize that the action and the developmental invitation are manifesting in the Sixth House, for that’s the region of your birthchart through which Neptune is now passing. This tells us that duties and responsibilities are currently being emphasized in your life, and that their mood is the same as that of Neptune, which we just described. The effect of these external, often somewhat self-sacrificial requirements is to pull your attention away from yourself and place it on the needs of others. But what’s the core issue? What part of your own life is being stimulated into development by these services you’re offering others? To answer that, we turn our attention to the Sun, which is being triggered by this period of hard work, giving, and supporting.

The natal Sun — that, as we have seen, refers to the very core of your being: your identity.
Your Tenth House came up earlier; now we see it in the spotlight again, once more informing us that the deepest, most essential factors in the situation we’re considering all revolve around your role in the world — your profession or job, your political (or metapolitical!) activities…in general, the image that strangers have of you. And what do right choices look like here? A large part of the answer lies with the Sun, a planet we described above, whose basic nature and values underlie what we might call your “Cosmic Job Description.”

The aspect connected with the astrological process we’re investigating here is the square, as we have seen. The square, traditionally characterized as an unfortunate aspect, describes a geometric angle of 90 degrees between the natal planet and the moving trigger. To call squares “bad” is misleading. More accurately, they are compelling. In the area of your life we’re considering, a terrific friction has arisen. It’s not comfortable, but it is an extremely effective motivator. The trick in using the energy creatively lies in moving decisively — determining precisely what you want, claiming it, and letting the rest go. A season of tough choices is upon you. Regarding the process we described in the previous paragraphs, there are costs involved in all the courses available to you…the most costly, for all concerned, being the course of indecision.

Tr. Saturn is Sextile Ascendant
In effect: Mar 4, 1979 – continuing
Peak Date(s): Mar 17, 1979

The planet Saturn is currently casting a gray light on your circumstances — but is it the bleak gray of sorrow or the clear, comforting gray of wisdom and digested experience? That’s the choice. Saturn is classically viewed as the “bad” planet, the “Greater Malefic.” Don’t believe it! Used correctly, its transits can bring dignity and self-respect. Essentially, Saturn is about maturity. The part of your life that’s being touched by the Saturnian energies needs to grow up…which, despite the lies we’re all told, is not a process one mysteriously completes on one’s twenty-first birthday. There is an area of your life where you have simply outgrown yourself, at least inwardly. The task now is to adjust your outward circumstances to reflect the maturity you’ve already attained psychically and invisibly. It is a material problem, not fundamentally a psychological one. To succeed, there is first a need to face reality squarely, even if it’s unsavory. Then to make a hard choice…that is, to reach an emotional bottom line and not be crippled by your awareness of the ambiguities in your situation. And finally, in a spirit of commitment, persistence, and self-discipline, to claim those circumstances in your life which reflect the hard inner work you’ve been doing over the last few years. That’s Saturn in general. Specifically, Saturn is sextile your natal Ascendant: Mar 17, 1979.

First we must recognize that the action and the developmental pressures are rooted in the Fourth House, for that’s the region of your birthchart through which Saturn is currently passing. Immediately that realization places our attention on two fundamental areas: The first is your home and family, which may well be making their needs felt now in the “key” of Saturn. And the second, often confused by the first, is your own happiness and that deep soul-feeling inside yourself to which you must be true if your life is to stay on course. Under this kind of stimulation, a person often benefits from considering his or her deepest beliefs and attitudes from a conventional psycho-therapeutic perspective — which in essence is to say, “Figure out what mom and dad taught you,” and drop what is no longer consistent with your own course. But what’s the issue? What part of your own life is at stake? To answer that, we turn our attention to the Ascendant, which is being invited into development by these familial and emotional pressures.

Like the rest of us, you are a complicated, paradoxical individual, full of contradictions and undercurrents. That’s human. But another part of being human is that, like the rest of us, you need to get out of bed in the morning and put on a streamlined, simplified social mask that allows you to function in the social beehive. There’s no way that you can have a truly intimate relationship with every face you see in your daily life, nor would you likely want such connections. So we all keep much of what we really are behind our astrological Ascendant, which symbolizes that mask. Physically, it is simply the sign that was dawning in the east at the instant of your birth…and symbolically it represents how you “dawn” on people who don’t know you very well. When triggered by a passing transit or progression, the Ascendant signals the need to make some adjustments in the way you present yourself in the social world, so that your outer appearance remains reasonably aligned with who you have become inwardly. The work is superficial; which is not to say unimportant. Often it has to do with changing how you hold your body, the way you speak, and the clothes you wear.

The aspect pervading the event we’ve just considered is, as we observed, a sextile. Technically, that refers to a geometric angle of 60 degrees between the natal planet and the moving one. Sextiles are traditionally viewed as “good” aspects. Certainly, they’re exciting. There is a mood of eagerness regarding the process we’re exploring here — and that’s glorious, provided you’re wary of the excessive impulsiveness that sextiles sometimes breed. In any case, the spinning wheel of circumstances can be counted on to provide some fortuitous, unexpected opportunities for you during this period. You’ll have to be quick to seize them, though. They’re real, but they’re short-lived.What we’ve considered above is the underpinning of this phase of your life. It’s truly elemental material — the stuff of which milestones are made. There’s no guarantee that astrological forces of such magnitude will be activated for everyone all the time. What follows is an analysis of some slightly less portentous dimensions of your astrological picture…less portentous, but still powerful enough to qualify as part of this year’s “Invitation.”

Try to see what follows in the light of all that’s gone before…

Tr. Uranus is Square Pluto
In effect: in progress – Jan 27, 1979
Peak Date(s): sometime before the report period.
Uranus came up earlier in this report. Now we encounter it again. As you may recall, this planet represents the “wild card” in life, and often correlates with unexpected events. Behind the roller-coaster ride, the real issue is your ability to claim your true individuality, even if that involves destabilizing certain aspects of your existing circumstances. Uranus currently is square your natal Pluto. The action peaks sometime before the report period.

First, factor in that the movement and the evolutionary invitation are occurring in the Fifth House, for that’s the region of your birthchart through which Uranus is currently passing. We’ve met the symbolism of this house before: creativity, unabashed self-expression, and sheer playfulness. You’ve reached a point in your journey where you need your batteries recharged, your “inner child” re-invigorated. A general loosening up is required. Life’s pleasures — sports, games, vacations, new friends, loving interactions — need to figure in your experience now. But what part of your being most requires this rejuvenation? The answer lies with Pluto, which is being invited into development during this playful time of renewal and discovery.

Everyone has fears. Everyone has shames and wounded places. In you and me and everyone else, there are marks left by the times we’ve been lied to, abandoned, used, or exploited. It’s not the world’s cheeriest subject, but turning away only empowers those Plutonian hurts, gives them more latitude to influence your life. When your natal Pluto is triggered by a passing transit or progression, dark shadows are stirred within you. It’s a signal that forgotten, unprocessed, or repressed elements of your personal history are asking to be investigated. The procedure requires intensity, honesty, and emotional courage. The results are worth the effort. If you work well with these energies, you emerge stronger, clearer, and often with renewed inspiration. If you hesitate, it’s not unusual for the old wounding dramas to be re-enacted in your life.

It’s helpful, of course, for you to embrace the power of Pluto positively in all departments of your life. But ever since you were born, one area has always stood out in that regard — the Third House, which is where Pluto was located when you took your first breath in Cambridge, England. There, in the area of communication, that energy is most critical. What you say, how clearly you express it, and how well you are heard are the issues currently experiencing developmental pressure. Finding your voice and using it are basic spiritual concerns for you; now they are being invited to take a quantum leap.

When explosive Uranus collides with unsettling Pluto, secrets long-concealed are brought to light, while unexpected, irresistible forces enter your circumstances. What one might call the “Hand of Fate” makes itself felt, sweeping away, often with frightening speed, situations which have outlived their evolutionary usefulness. The challenge to you here lies in adapting to a radically new perspective on your life.

The two factors, as we mentioned, are linked by a square — traditionally seen as a “bad” aspect, but more accurately seen as simply frictional. Squares generally suggest tough choices, external pressures, and at least some stress.

Tr. Pluto is Opposite Jupiter
In effect: in progress – continuing
Peak Date(s): Mar 14, 1979
The planet Pluto is shading the spirit of your life nowadays, and in a nutshell that means that you are being challenged to heal. Pluto, as you probably know, is the lord of the underworld…or to put it more succinctly, the God of Hell. And it is disquieting, to say the least, to imagine that this deity is currently dining at your table. But take heart! The “hell” inside you needs airing out, and that is essentially what this transit is about. You’ve been hurt. You’ve been used, abused, rejected, exploited, lied to…the whole sad litany. And, like the rest of us, you’ve sometimes had to keep the proverbial stiff upper lip and simply get on with your life. But where does all that hurt go? Down deep into the unconscious mind, where it stays until you’re clear enough and strong enough to handle resurrecting it and really going beyond it. Pluto’s action is to bring up buried emotions. Its tone is intense. It often feels moody and confrontative. It can destabilize and disrupt the areas of your life that it’s touching. The best course is to resolve to go deeper and deeper, truth above kindness and resolution over comfort. It’s not easy, but in the end the energizing and empowering of the psyche make the process worthwhile. What is Pluto actually doing? Currently it is opposite your natal Jupiter. Although Pluto is a slow-moving planet and usually unfolds its story over a period of two or three years, during the period of this report the action peaks Mar 14, 1979.

First, factor in that the movement and the evolutionary invitation are occurring in the Fifth House, for that’s the region of your birthchart through which Pluto is currently passing. We’ve met the symbolism of this house before: creativity, unabashed self-expression, and sheer playfulness. You’ve reached a point in your journey where you need your batteries recharged, your “inner child” re-invigorated. A general loosening up is required. Life’s pleasures — sports, games, vacations, new friends, loving interactions — need to figure in your experience now. But what part of your being most requires this rejuvenation? The answer lies with Jupiter, which is being invited into development during this playful time of renewal and discovery.

The natal Jupiter — that, as we have seen, symbolizes your capacity for positive thinking and abundance. More deeply, Jupiter is about your faith in life and in yourself.

Your Eleventh House played a role earlier in the report; now we see it in the limelight again, once more telling us that your skill in forming necessary alliances and coalitions lies at the heart of the situation we’re considering. Two reflections emerge. The first is that to succeed here you need to use all your social and political deftness…you can’t do it alone, and the people upon whom you must rely are, to put it charitably, “human.” The second is that to set appropriate priorities you must think deeply about what you want…which is to say, you need to know exactly what is worth fighting for and what you are willing to sacrifice. One hint: for you, the right answers nearly always have the tone of Jupiter, a planet we described above.

When Jupiter gets hooked up with Pluto, think big and claim a victory. One is available, if you move decisively and know exactly what you really want. And therein lies the rub. All of us experience humiliating losses, insults, and defeats in the course of life. As you adapt to living with them, an attitude of disempowerment or futility can creep in. Conquering that mind-set is the real aim here. The truth is that psychologically you need a triumph now — and synchronistically, the universe is ready to cooperate.

The geometric angle or “aspect” involved in the process we are studying is, as we said, the opposition. Not surprisingly, this suggests that the natal planet and the moving one are 180 degrees apart. Tension is thus woven into the spirit of this period of your life. The two forces we described are polarized, which often translates emotionally into a feeling of being damned if you do, and damned if you don’t. How can you break the logjam? Recognize that any impossibilities you are experiencing in this area probably arise from an incomplete or biased perspective. The opposition aspect always calls for a leap into a new, more accepting level of consciousness. Something is missing in your view of the problem — and that missing link (here’s the corker…) lies in the wisdom embodied by those people or situations that are now antagonizing you. It’s not that they’re right and you’re wrong; only that the truth that can carry you beyond this impasse lies somewhere between the two positions.

The Means

If you happen to have a cold on the day you win the lottery, will that taint your memory of the big event? Probably not. Ten years later, you will have forgotten your runny nose. Ten minutes later, more likely.

Life and memory work that way. We prioritize certain kinds of events, experiencing them more vividly and remembering them far longer than the trivial and the predictable. The details of a typical Monday morning aren’t going to last as long in the memory banks as images of your moment of glory or your darkest hour.

In exactly the same way, not all astrological events have the same impact. What we have considered so far are all first-string milestones in your life. The rest of what we’ll be considering is less central — but that’s not to say unimportant. What follows is a set of supplementary transits and progressions, presented chronologically. They’re not quite as profound in their implications as what we’ve seen, but they’re not without emotional and existential consequences. If what we have explored in the previous pages can be viewed as an evolutionary invitation, then, to that lofty end, what follows is…. “The Means”

As you’ll see, each of these events stands as significant in its own right. But their deepest meanings lie in the way they interact with what we’ve considered in the pages above, enhancing and sometimes complicating the broader developmental patterns.

Cards on the table: you can skim the next several pages and, I think, learn some things about the coming months that will prove prophetic…and more importantly, helpful. But the real magic lies in putting all the pieces together, synthesizing them in your heart into an emotional whole — just like you’ve done with, say, memories of a special summer long ago. No computer can do that for you.

Your own creativity, your own reflections on the material we’re covering, your own translations, additions, corrections, amendments, and meditations — these are what make the difference. Let’s continue.

Tr. Jupiter is Trine Mercury
In effect: in progress – Jan 12, 1979
Peak Date(s): Jan 4, 1979

The planet Jupiter is currently coloring your circumstances. Before we say exactly how, let’s attempt to understand the more general significance of any Jupiter event. Essentially, this is a call to recognize an opportunity. Traditional astrologers view it more starkly — to them, it is simply the planet of luck. And that is often the case: the toast does tend to land butter-side up when Jupiter is crossing sensitive territories. But the real, evolutionary meaning lies deeper. One key is that Jupiter is future-oriented…it is concerned with bright, unexplored possibilities. Stripped to its bones, Jupiter always asks one primary question: how have you been underestimating yourself? Its transits signal a time when new opportunities come into existence, but to seize them you must recognize that you deserve them, that you are capable of rising to them, and that old deals and compromises are finished. Trust yourself, have faith in life, and go for it: that’s the spirit of Jupiter. How is it affecting you? Jupiter is trine your natal Mercury: Jan 4, 1979.

Let’s first understand that the action is in the Second House, for that’s where Jupiter is currently passing through your chart. And what does that signify? That the circumstances driving your development, at least in terms of this particular configuration, have to do with self-confidence…but not simply in the conventional psychological way. Here the self-confidence — or lack of it — is rooted in the quality and appropriateness of your resource-base. To use this time well, act in the spirit of Jupiter, as we just described it, and claim what you need for your journey, whether this be money, connections, equipment, or skills. But what’s the deeper issue? What part of your own life now hinges on your gathering the right tools, funds, and skills? To answer that, we turn our attention to Mercury, which is being invited into development by this quickening of your dignity, self-reliance, and aplomb.

Your quickness, your alertness, your curiosity — those are the dimensions of your life dominated by the planet Mercury. To say that Mercury represents your intelligence is quite accurate, but it’s more connected to the natural style of your intelligence: not so much how smart you are as what interests you, and how your intelligence can be employed most pleasurably and efficiently. Intimately linked to such cerebral concerns is the question of your ability to communicate, since ideally there is some relationship between speech and forethought. Thus Mercury, the traditional Messenger of the Gods, is associated with both thought and conversation. When stimulated by a passing transit or progression, Mercury tends to speed up the flow of data in your life. You learn. You listen. You speak. Often events move at a hasty pace, and there’s a feeling of excitement mixed with over-extension.

Your Tenth House came up earlier; now we see it in the spotlight again, once more informing us that the deepest, most essential factors in the situation we’re considering all revolve around your role in the world — your profession or job, your political (or metapolitical!) activities…in general, the image that strangers have of you. And what do right choices look like here? A large part of the answer lies with Mercury, a planet we described above, whose basic nature and values underlie what we might call your “Cosmic Job Description.”

When Mercury hobnobs with Jupiter, an attitude of expansiveness (Jupiter) pervades the mind (Mercury). You are challenged now, like an optimistic Sherlock Holmes, to be alert to possibilities. Think inventively, think positively, and think big: that’s the spirit. In some way, you have been underestimating your intelligence, verbal skills, or general competence. Recognize that, and change it.

The two factors, as we mentioned, are linked by a trine — traditionally seen as a “good” aspect, but more accurately seen as simply enhancing or supportive. Generally speaking, with trines there is an opportunity…but to seize it, you must supply the initiative.

Tr. Neptune is Trine Jupiter
In effect: in progress – Jan 20, 1979
Peak Date(s): sometime before the report period.

Neptune played a part earlier in this report, but it has another trick or two up its sleeve. You may remember that this planet refers to letting down barriers and allowing the creative unconscious to speak. When handled well, it triggers a “seed time” in which new inspirations arise. If handled poorly, one tends to go off half-cocked while enamored of unrealistic ideas. So sit tight, enter trance, pay attention to your dreams and, if you’re so inclined, pray or meditate. Neptune currently is trine your natal Jupiter. The inner opening process peaks sometime before the report period.

Our initial step is to realize that the motion and the developmental invitation are manifesting in the Sixth House. We’ve met that house before, and it figures in our analysis again, for that is the house through which Neptune is currently passing. Obligations and responsibilities are emphasized now in your life, and the mood they create is the same as that of Neptune, which we just described. But what are the core questions? What part of you is being called into the service of others? The answer lies with Jupiter, which is being triggered during this season of giving, of supporting others, and of plain hard work.

The natal Jupiter — that, as we have seen, symbolizes your capacity for positive thinking and abundance. More deeply, Jupiter is about your faith in life and in yourself.

When Jupiter consorts with Neptune, there’s a cliche that should never be too far from your mind: all that glitters is not gold. Don’t be tempted by “extraordinary possibilities” now, at least not without a careful look at the fine print, a consultation with a sober friend, and a painstaking effort to consider worst-case scenarios. What is really going on here is that a bright new vision is slowly forming inside you. It’s real — or more accurately, it’s going to be real. Don’t mistake its glowing emotional aura for something that is actually, physically, available in the present context.

Tr. Neptune is Trine Pluto
In effect: in progress – continuing
Peak Date(s): Jan 25, 1979

Neptune played a part earlier in this report, but it has another trick or two up its sleeve. You may remember that this planet refers to letting down barriers and allowing the creative unconscious to speak. When handled well, it triggers a “seed time” in which new inspirations arise. If handled poorly, one tends to go off half-cocked while enamored of unrealistic ideas. So sit tight, enter trance, pay attention to your dreams and, if you’re so inclined, pray or meditate. Neptune currently is trine your natal Pluto. The inner opening process peaks Jan 25, 1979.

Our initial step is to realize that the motion and the developmental invitation are manifesting in the Sixth House. We’ve met that house before, and it figures in our analysis again, for that is the house through which Neptune is currently passing. Obligations and responsibilities are emphasized now in your life, and the mood they create is the same as that of Neptune, which we just described. But what are the core questions? What part of you is being called into the service of others? The answer lies with Pluto, which is being triggered during this season of giving, of supporting others, and of plain hard work.

The natal Pluto — that, as we have seen, symbolizes your own native capacity to probe into yourself and heal yourself. It always deals with the hurts associated with the humiliations and defeats that life has offered us, and the process of going beyond them.

Your Third House figured previously in this report. Now we see it being triggered again, which tells us that one vitally important concern for you at present involves simple communication — and that means listening as well as expressing yourself. Expect messages, perhaps even disconcerting ones, which embody the tone and nature of Pluto.
When wide-open Neptune merges with the piercing perspectives of Pluto, you enter a long period of philosophical rumination. That may sound rather pale, but in fact the nature of your belief-system is probably the greatest single determinant of the shape of your life. And yours is up for review. The aim lies in establishing a balance between hard psychological honesty on one hand and the human need for inspiration and faith on the other.

Tr. Neptune is Sextile Neptune
In effect: Feb 14, 1979 – continuing
Peak Date(s): sometime after the report period.

Neptune played a part earlier in this report, but it has another trick or two up its sleeve. You may remember that this planet refers to letting down barriers and allowing the creative unconscious to speak. When handled well, it triggers a “seed time” in which new inspirations arise. If handled poorly, one tends to go off half-cocked while enamored of unrealistic ideas. So sit tight, enter trance, pay attention to your dreams and, if you’re so inclined, pray or meditate. Neptune currently is sextile your natal Neptune. The inner opening process peaks sometime after the report period.

Our initial step is to realize that the motion and the developmental invitation are manifesting in the Sixth House. We’ve met that house before, and it figures in our analysis again, for that is the house through which Neptune is currently passing. Obligations and responsibilities are emphasized now in your life, and the mood they create is the same as that of Neptune, which we just described. But what are the core questions? What part of you is being called into the service of others? The answer lies with Neptune, which is being triggered during this season of giving, of supporting others, and of plain hard work.

Close your eyes. Don’t think of anything at all. Just be aware of all that infinite, dark space. Welcome to Neptune. In your natal chart, it represents the part of you that knows how to enter trance, to meditate, or to “space out.” Everybody’s got one, and everybody experiences that part of their consciousness from time to time. When triggered by transits or progressions, Neptune asks you to let go, to allow material to enter your mind uncensored and unstructured. It’s more akin to feeling than thinking, but neither word captures it perfectly. Dreaming is the closest analogy…a sort of free-associative state in which your own mind works like an unpredictable movie theater. Why bother? Because such an astrological event signals that your unconscious mind or, if you prefer, your soul has an important message and is trying to get in touch with you.

Preserving a sound alliance with Neptune plays a leading role in one key area of your life: the Fifth House, which is where Neptune lies in your birthchart. And what are the concerns here? Pleasant ones, generally: playfulness, creativity, and self-expression. Life is hard work — human beings, yourself included, require periodic doses of renewal, peak experience, and simple joy. You can meet those needs in yourself in a variety of ways, but the ones that work best and most efficiently come from experiences connected with Neptune, as we just portrayed them. And, in your current astrological circumstances, the need for that kind of re-charging is definitely up right now.

When Neptune forms an aspect with own natal position in your chart, a season of spiritual renewal is unfolding. “Man,” as the Bible tells us, “shall not live by bread alone.” And that of course applies to the ladies as well. Each person’s path is different, but for all of us it is equally essential that we follow it. Whether you go on a Lakota vision quest, a yogic fast, a Presbyterian retreat, or off for a quiet weekend of contemplative fishing is your own business. But whatever your inclinations along those lines, now is the time to follow them. You need an emotional lift, and that’s how to get it.

The two factors, as we mentioned, are linked by a sextile — traditionally seen as a “harmonious” or “mutually enhancing” aspect, often full of fast-paced events and emotional stimulation.

Tr. Saturn is Sextile Uranus
In effect: Feb 24, 1979 – Mar 22, 1979
Peak Date(s): Mar 9, 1979

Saturn played a role earlier in this account. Now it emerges again, in a new way. To refresh your memory, Saturn is ultimately the planet of maturity. It always places a strong emphasis upon hard work, decisive choices, and persistence. Saturn currently is sextile your natal Uranus. The energies crest Mar 9, 1979.

First let’s note that the action and the developmental pressures are rooted in the Fourth House, a dimension of your birthchart we’ve encountered before, for that’s the house through which Saturn is currently passing. Two areas are immediately focalized: your domestic or familial environment (which is now likely to make its presence felt in the spirit and mood of Saturn) and that deep soul-feeling inside yourself to which you must be true if your life is to stay on course. We could call it your personal myth, or more simply your bliss. And again, in staying true to those levels of your being, you must now stay true to Saturn. But what are the core questions? What area of your life is most affected by these domestic or psychological developments? The answer lies with Uranus, which is being invited into development during this long talk with yourself and the resultant sorting out of your real essence from your family training.

There’s a wild card in everyone, a rebellious, independent, free-spirited force that hates neckties and phony courtesies and all the slick moves that keep corporations and families from splitting apart. Astrologers call it Uranus. Stripped to its essence, this part of your astrological psyche is concerned primarily with the process of individuation, which boils down to whittling away all the parts of yourself which have arisen almost accidentally as side effects of your social background. When stimulated by transits or progressions, Uranus triggers your rebellions. It asks you to shed something unauthentic, unreal, or limiting in your life. Often it brings lightning-quick developments and unexpected circumstances. Almost always, there is a confrontation between you and some figure of authority, past or present.

Always, it’s advantageous for you to incorporate the force of Uranus positively in all parts of your life. But one area has always stood out in that regard — the First House, which is where Uranus lies in your natal chart. There, in the area of assertiveness and personal power, the right use of that energy is most critical. In many situations you must react, respond, and play the cards you’re dealt. But not in the First House. Here, you’re in the driver’s seat…and there are certain experiences you must claim for yourself, experiences of the nature of Uranus, even if the people about whom you care call you selfish for doing so.

When Saturn interacts with Uranus, avalanche is the ruling metaphor. “Stuck” situations can only stay stuck for so long; sooner or later, when enough water builds up behind the logjam, something’s got to give. Expect explosive developments, and prepare for them in two ways. The first: through dispassionate analysis you can anticipate eventualities and have some tactics for damage-control in place. The second: through imaginative forethought you can recognize some exciting emerging possibilities and be ready to seize them.

The two factors, as we mentioned, are linked by a sextile — traditionally seen as a “harmonious” or “mutually enhancing” aspect, often full of fast-paced events and emotional stimulation.

Tr. Pluto is Sextile Pluto
In effect: in progress – Mar 8, 1979
Peak Date(s): sometime before the report period.

Pluto made an appearance earlier in this report, but now it has another message for you. Always this planet signals the existence of some emotional baggage to be released, some hurtful or humiliating piece of your personal history that needs to be remembered or reconsidered. The alternative is typically to re-enact some old wounding drama. Pluto currently is sextile your natal Pluto. The action peaks sometime before the report period..

First, factor in that the movement and the evolutionary invitation are occurring in the Fifth House, for that’s the region of your birthchart through which Pluto is currently passing. We’ve met the symbolism of this house before: creativity, unabashed self-expression, and sheer playfulness. You’ve reached a point in your journey where you need your batteries recharged, your “inner child” re-invigorated. A general loosening up is required. Life’s pleasures — sports, games, vacations, new friends, loving interactions — need to figure in your experience now. But what part of your being most requires this rejuvenation? The answer lies with Pluto, which is being invited into development during this playful time of renewal and discovery.

Your Third House figured previously in this report. Now we see it being triggered again, which tells us that one vitally important concern for you at present involves simple communication — and that means listening as well as expressing yourself. Expect messages, perhaps even disconcerting ones, which embody the tone and nature of Pluto.
When Pluto forms an aspect with its own natal position in your chart, a crisis in perspective arises. There is something old and tired about the values by which you’ve been living, and a kind of reconsideration and renewal is necessary if the feeling of meaningfulness in your daily life is not to be lost. In what do you really believe? Be careful not to answer reflexively. Think, reflect, and make it the sort of truth you could say looking God in the eye five seconds after you’ve died.

The two factors, as we mentioned, are linked by a sextile — traditionally seen as a “harmonious” or “mutually enhancing” aspect, often full of fast-paced events and emotional stimulation.

*Report truncated. Average report length is 75 pages and includes 12 months for each of the 3 report sections. View a pdf of this complete report.

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