ASTROLOGY ARTICLES BY JON

TIMING BIG CHANGES WITH ASTROLOGY

Change is a tricky proposition. We all long for it at some point in our lives, but most of us are, at least, a little frightened of it. But change is inevitable, no matter how much kicking and screaming we do.

One of the things that astrology can do for us reliably is tell us when the stage is set for big change. While it can't fill in all the details (that's what life is for), a good astrologer can give you a "heads up" and prepare you as best they can.

Like everything else in astrology, the important changes involve the angles, so the first thing to look for is contact to the angles by way of transits, solar arc directions, and secondary progressions. I recommend, in your initial search, to consider only the hard aspects: conjunctions, oppositions and squares. In fact, if you have to dig too deep into the minor aspects, then this is not a big change period.

First, look at the solar arc directions: the conjunctions of solar arc planets to the angles; and vice versa, solar arc angles to natal planets are the single most important indication of big events in a person's life. In solar arc directions, each planet moves at the same rate as the secondary progressed Sun, essentially one degree per year of life. So they are really easy to calculate. For example, let's say the natal Sun is at five degrees of Gemini and the Midheaven is at 28 degrees of Gemini. We know at approximately age 23 (28-5=23) a major change in public status (Midheaven) will occur, such as marriage, parenthood, a career success, graduation or even the death of someone close. Look at the Suns house position and the house it rules for clues on the symbolism.

Solar arcs are the best technique to determine the accuracy of the birth time. Let's say the major life-changing event took place a couple of years later (say age 25) and there were no other indicators, then chances are you will have to adjust the birth time to make the arcing Sun hit the Midheaven at age 25, by moving the Midheaven forward two degrees which is about 8 minutes of real time. Noel Tyl recommends an orb of about 6 months (or half a degree) of when the arcing aspect is exact. Of course you would test out the new birth time with other major life events and the corresponding arcs, transits and progressions to the angles.

The second thing to look for is the transiting conjunction/opposition (most significant) or square of Pluto, Neptune, Uranus to any angle, and I would also include hard transits of the outer planets to the Sun and Moon. Use that order, and start with Pluto, it's the slowest moving planet and leaves the most marked changes in its wake. Neptune would be next, followed by Uranus. Always pay attention to what house Pluto, Neptune and Uranus are transiting through as well.

The third thing I'd look for is transiting Saturn and Jupiter and the secondary progressed Moon in conjunction (just the conjunction) with an angle or their respective natal position, the Saturn return, Jupiter return and the progressed Lunar return. I would also look for the progressed Sun changing signs and the relationship between the progressed Sun and Progressed Moon (the progressed lunation cycle) especially the progressed new and full Moons.

Lastly, what I would look for in big change periods are the outer planet (Pluto, Neptune and Uranus) conjunctions, oppositions and squares to Mercury, Venus, Mars, or the ruler of the Ascendant and secondary progressed Mercury, Venus and Mars in conjunction (just the conjunction) with natal planets and angles.

In big change periods you should see multiple major transits, arcs, and secondary progressions. Life always trumps astrology, and there are always exceptions; but in my opinion, you should not have to dig to deep. If this a big change period, it should be obvious. Minor aspects and midpoint pictures should reiterate what the big boys are saying and add detail and color, not make a statement on their own. The more astrology I learn the more I emphasize the basics.

The inner planet transits, in particular the Sun and Mars, are also triggers. For example, during the period when Pluto crossed my Ascendant, in less than two years I moved a total of four times. On the exact moving day of two of the moves, transiting Mars was exactly on my IC for one, and exactly on my Ascendant for another (and this was before I knew anything about astrology so I didn't plan it that way).

Astrology in Action

Let us go back in time with our friends, Stevie and Lindsey, it was late 1974 and they were the stereotypical starving musicians living on white bread and peanut butter, but blissfully in love. (I had to say that for dramatic affect.) Anyway, Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac accidentally came across a recording of Buckingham Nicks when a producer, in trying to showcase his skills, played a sample of the work he had done with Buckingham Nicks. However, Mick was blown away by Lindsey's guitar playing, and at the time, he was looking for a guitar player for Fleetwood Mac. On December 31, 1974, Lindsey was asked to join the band, and he responded by saying that he and Stevie were a team, and so they were both asked to join the band. On July 11, 1975, their first record with Fleetwood Mac was released, and they became instantly rich and famous and lived happily ever after in wedded bliss. Well, not exactly... a year later they split as a couple and by all accounts this wasn't pretty at all.

Let's look at the astrology for Stevie and Lindsey for that period starting with a solar arcs and progressions charts and transit charts for December 31, 1974. (I like to use astro.com, but a bi, tri, or quad wheel works well if you have the astrology program.)

Searching the angles first in Stevie's transit chart, we see that Saturn is just past a conjunction with her natal IC. (Note: transiting planets in this chart are indicated outside the natal chart wheel, in green.) Checking the ephemeris, we see that transiting Saturn would retrograde back to within one degree of the IC and make a station in March of 1975. Transiting Saturn coming to the IC always represents a new start in life, a laying of the foundation that will bear its greatest fruit 14 years later when it reaches the MC (the summit). Saturn is located in Stevie's natal 5th house of creative self expression and rules her Midheaven (career and public status).

Secondly, we see Stevie's secondary progressed Moon (cycle of emotional maturity) five degrees (about five months away) from a conjunction of the Midheaven, so it is just past exact by the time the first album was released in July. The position of the progressed Moon at any given time tells us where the heart is, the area of life we are most involved with emotionally. With her progressed Moon in Capricorn, nearing the 10th house, her heart was in her work. It is also interesting to note that her natal Moon is also in Capricorn and in the 10th house, suggesting a reigning need for accomplishment and authority in the material world.

Not quite as obvious, but more importantly, we see transiting Pluto (refer back the the previous transit chart) applying conjunction to Neptune and squaring the MC/IC axis and Venus. Pluto transits always clear away the old way of life in order to make way for the new, and quite often in an extreme and ruthless way. Involving the MC/IC axis this will take place on both a public level (MC), and on an extremely private and domestic level (IC). And with the square to Venus, we can expect some tumultuous happenings on the romantic front. Only the strongest, most conscious relationships survive hard Pluto/Venus transits, and of course, we know in retrospect, that Stevie and Lindsey went through a bitter break up during this transit. Quite often when we see people come into prominence (famous or infamous) Pluto is involved. This Pluto transit is the strongest indicator here of this apparent meteoric rise to fame and fortune, of course there were a lot of years of hard work leading up to it, but the timing was right and Pluto moved her into position, and then rest was up to her.

I want to point out a couple of more things involving secondary progressions in Stevie's horoscope for this date. Looking back at the progressed chart, the Sun had just changed signs from mental, frenetic and socially oriented Gemini to the much more private, protective and emotionally-oriented Cancer. There is a noticeable difference in the personality and this is can be especially apparent to the person themselves, when the Progressed Sun changes signs. You always retain the qualities of your birth sign, but the traits of the new progressed sign become quite noticeable. The year or two surrounding the sign change is usually very profound. The progressed full Moon (Progressed Moon opposite progressed Sun) had just occurred a few months earlier for Stevie and this always represents a life peak, a culmination of some sort and this came on the eve of a major life change.

Transiting Jupiter (reward cycle) came to her ascendant in the summer of 1975 just before the album release and this always represents expansion. Your world becomes larger, your circles expand and for her this meant enormous financial expansion as well. During Jupiter times we like to indulge ourselves, excess and arrogance are the pitfalls to avoid during Jupiter transits.

The trigger (the inner planet transit) for joining the band was transiting Sun applying conjunction to the Midheaven. Look at your own chart and see on what date (it's the same every year) the Sun enters the 10th house, you will probably notice that this is traditionally the time of year (lasting about a month or so) when you get the most public attention and your career gets a boost, it's harvest time.

Turning our attention to Lindsey's horoscope for December 31, 1974 and we score two direct hits of solar arcs to angles. Solar arc Neptune is applying conjunction to Neptune, and solar arc Jupiter is EXACTLY conjunct the Descendant and opposite Pluto. Wow! Jupiter rules his fifth house of creative self expression. We see that transiting Pluto (prominence and power) is in conjunction with his Sun (ego). We really need to go no further at this point. In the spirit of synchronicity, see how Pluto is activating Stevie's and Lindsey's charts at the same time? In their synastry chart, Lindsey's Sun squares Stevie's MC/IC/Venus axis and conjuncts her Neptune. (Maybe I'll write another article on their synastry.)

I read that Lindsey's father had passed away in 1974, and the Sun of course is symbolic of the father and Pluto is concerned with death and rebirth. Now this doesn't mean every time a person has Pluto transiting their Sun, their father may die. Pluto does rule Lindsey's IC (part of the parental axis), and so Pluto does represent one of his parents. The arc of Neptune (ruler of the eighth) to the IC could also be symbolic of such an event; however, while that may seem so clear in retrospect, is impossible to know beforehand. It's just one of many possibilities.

For a major event, such as the death of a parent, we would assume (even though we should never assume death in a chart reading) that this would relate to either the arc of Neptune to the IC or the Jupiter arc to the Descendant opposite Pluto. This often happens with Pluto transits; we experience the extremes of human emotion. In Lindsey's case, the loss of his father and the break up of his relationship with Stevie coincided precisely with his rise to the heights of worldly success. Pluto strips us down completely and builds us back up again leaving behind all traces of our old way of life.

Pluto is so prominent in Lindsey's life, having it exactly on his Leo Ascendant conjunct Mars. Wow, this is unbelievable intensity and power, which he needs to get conscious control of or it could be misdirected and then Pluto's dark side emerges. Music and art is a great outlet for his intensity. You get the sense that his powerful personality would not, could not, be denied; it had to be expressed in a big way to as many people as possible. Pluto symbolizes the power to affect the masses and the power of the masses. I should also point out the arc of Pluto conjunct natal Saturn was exact in late August of 1975, right in the midst of the chaos and empowerment Lindsey experienced with sudden fame (Pluto), and the hard, hard work and responsibility which that entails (Saturn). This was a very "Plutonian" time for a very Plutonian person.

Seemingly so insignificant, compared to transiting Pluto and the solar arcs, is the trigger of the transiting Sun square natal Sun on New Years Eve 1974. Remember at the same time Stevie's Midheaven was being activated by the transiting Sun (see her transit chart). So often when these big events happen to a couple their strongest synastry points are activated by transits or progressions. Looking at your own charts, at the same time each year the square of transiting Sun to your natal Sun occurs: three months after your birthday, six months after your birthday (opposition), and again, three months before your birthday. These aspects represent a crisis and a shift, and they are all related events, starting with the conjunction at your birthday. Everything is a cycle.

I just wanted to point out that even the most novice astrologer can see when big change is on the horizon by keying in on the angles. Keep in mind, Stevie and Lindsey are an extreme example, but the big changes in our lives are just as unsettling. It helps to know when they are coming and to understand what we're going through, even though it's still a hard road. Real growth doesn't come easy.