There’s something in the air

Sagittarius 2020

Indeed there is something in the air — or there will be very soon. Planets!

After having a heavy dose of earthy Capricorn all this year, at least Jupiter and Saturn will move into an air sign and will be together on the solstice this year. And Pluto will follow them in 2023. Change is in the air in the next few years. And the flavour? Aquarius — unusual times ahead! Thunderclap Newman, in their song from 1969, were perhaps prescient.

Call out the instigators
Because there’s something in the air
We’ve got to get together sooner or later
Because the revolution’s here, and you know it’s right
And you know that it’s right

We have got to get it together
We have got to get it together now

Lock up the streets and houses
Because there’s something in the air
We’ve got to get together sooner or later
Because the revolution’s here, and you know it’s right

Songwriter: John Keen

The Great Conjunction

Yes, it’s all over the news and all over astrology blogs. Many have written on this meeting of Jupiter and Saturn on December 21st. Indeed it is unusual. It’s at 0 degrees of Aquarius and it occurs on the solstice, so that’s pretty unusual. And, as all the newspapers are saying, these two planets are very close together, which is very rare. They often refer to it as the ‘planetary kiss’. Such romantics! The last time they were so close was in 1623. I bet these planets can’t wait.

Most astrologers are talking about the cycles of these conjunctions through the four elements. Many have written well on this, so I include some links below. This meeting establishes an air cycle which will last for about 200 years. So although the conjunction of these two planets occurs about every 20 years, this one is quite special.

Old news?

Watching this cycle is not new. Before Uranus, and later the other planets further from earth, were discovered, Jupiter and Saturn marked the boundaries of our solar system. Saturn, being the furthest away from us, is still associated with boundaries and limitations due to this fact. So in ancient times it was a major visible event when these two met — think: ‘following yonder star’. This is one of the theories as to what the Three Wise Men were following! And it hasn’t lost its reputation, to which the name ‘The Great Conjunction’ testifies.

When Jupiter met Saturn

It is well known as a financial cycle which, if I understand it correctly, has to do with market corrections. Jupiter is the investor, the gambler, the entrepreneur and the risk-taker, such as on the stock market. If Jupiter is too reckless, Saturn needs to get him back down to earth and reality.  Saturn is the strict teacher, the planner, the careful, goal-oriented achiever. But too much focus, tunnel-vision and fear needs a kick up the pants from Jupiter. Together they can do sensible risk. At the start of each cycle we are advised to get these two back in balance.

COVID-19 is a case in point

Many are saying that the meeting of Jupiter and Saturn on the 21st December will bring relief from the pandemic and a new start, and that is a possibility. But when we have had so much Saturn in 2020, with all things Capricornian, (Saturn’s favourite sign), the danger is that we can be too enthusiastic in letting Jupiter out of his cage. This planet, ruling our sign of the month, Sagittarius, wants to spend money, and go out with gay abandon. That’s why we especially want to do one of Jupiter’s favourite activities — travel. However, we can be too optimistic!

I think it will take a while to get this balance right. Because it means we have to take responsibility at community level as well as at a personal level. If we all knew how to do that — and it’s hard to know what is best — we could be let out! I would hate to be having to decide what a sensible risk might be, when so many people are clearly very ill and normal hospital treatments are being put on hold. It’s difficult. But too much Saturn is also counter-productive as it will stimulate Jupiter trying to balance that. It can create a ‘Oh what the hell’ response, which is of course what’s happening now that we have COVID fatigue.

Fearful or reckless?

Governments do Saturn. That is their natural role. So, to some extent, we — the public — need to do Jupiter. However, we both need to do both — that’s the solution! A positive balancing of these two means a common sense approach to risk at all levels. How is that for you? Are you too fearful? Or too reckless? Something to ponder over these quiet days. How to be sensible and optimistic at the same time.

A look back before going forward

This Jupiter-Saturn cycle is an important one, however I think we need to take it in context of the longer planetary cycles. We are in the middle of many cycles of course, the oldest one is the Neptune-Pluto cycle. These two were together way back in 1891, so we are well used to being in that one. Uranus and Pluto started a new cycle in 1965-66. A deeply revolutionary conjunction of energies. In 1988-89 we had a triple whammy. When the Berlin wall came down, heralding a new period, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune came together. One of the things this represented was the beginning of the fall of communism in Europe.

Cycles within cycles

1993 started a new cycle for Uranus and Neptune, hope for a better future. It’s interesting that the European Union came into being that year! Jupiter was in a tête-à-tête with both Uranus and Neptune in 2009-10. As you can see, we are in the middle of many concentric cycles. Each beginning sets the scene for the following years, so how we act at these times is important. We are less familiar with the more recent ones and it’s the beginning of those I want to revisit.

Oh dear 2020

This was indeed a major year for cycle starts. There are always wobbles when each new cycle begins, but 2020 was a bit much! We’ve had two as I write and are heading for this last one. You might say that the first two rolled into one. Saturn and Pluto came together in January on or near the date of the first reported  COVID-19 death, and Jupiter and Pluto came together three times in 2020. All three planets were in Capricorn and I have written on both of these cycles. We are very much still getting used to these energies. For these reasons, I think we can’t look at the Great Conjunction without that backdrop. So what happened? And what can we learn? And how can we use the positive qualities of Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn going forward in these 13 (Jupiter-Pluto) and 35 year (Saturn-Pluto) cycles?

2020 January

I wrote about this major meeting of Saturn and Pluto in January 2020 in several of my earlier posts, including the one on the Corona virus. Ceres was also involved in the conjunction, and I suggested a few opportunities that this cycle offers are to:

• take responsibility for the environment, food and animals
• stop trying to control nature
• use power in a positive way
• hold governments and others in power to account
• fix democratic processes
• radically reform anything Saturnian – schools, governments, voting systems, the building trade

Even though we are heading into Aquarius, we still need to take all the positive opportunities this cycle provides. The effect of this conjunction will last the whole cycle and we will never get back to the ‘old normal’. Things have changed but, sadly, we haven’t yet used this opportunity wisely. Instead of researching what the underlying problems are (Pluto) in the world, short term solutions are the order of the day. No vaccine is going to fix these real problems! While we continue to plunder environments, we will be at the mercy of pandemics, not to mention other natural disasters. Nature is always cleverer than we are. I think that is one of the things we are supposed to learn.

2020 April – November

The Jupiter-Pluto cycle was highlighted in this period as these planets met three times:  on April 5th, June 30th and November 12th. One way to read this combination is many (Jupiter) endings or deaths (Pluto).  If you search on news for April 5th, pretty well all the headlines are on Corona virus, including the admission of the PM of the UK, Boris Johnson, to hospital for COVID-19. Corona and COVID-19 have dominated the news for the whole year. Powerlessness reigned.

Politics and power

On the June date, as well as the continuing news on Corona, Hong Kong and China were in the news showing another aspect on Jupiter (politics) and Pluto (control and abuse of power?) China is not adhering to an agreement with the UK, made for the handover of Hong Kong back to China, about democracy and freedom. They are exerting power and control (Pluto) to enforce their vision (Jupiter) of governance. There was also an announcement that slipped in that day about another bad new flu strain from China, carried by pigs, that has pandemic potential!

Fundamentalism

November, the last date when these two came together, was our last chance to use this positively, and of course positive things don’t always reach the news. So I am sure there are some positive things. What was needed, as I wrote this time last year, is this: “If history is anything to go by, rebellions are on the cards. We all need to see how we can honour differing beliefs, be it Brexit, the environment or anything else. Separating ‘religious’ Brexit fervour (the Church?)  from politics (the State?) might be what is required. At a personal level we need to have faith in our own power and go for our true passion.”

The end of the beginning?

What we got around this time was a ‘contested’ new president of the US in Joe Biden, and the breakthrough announcements of new vaccines, which are being rolled out now. Many breathed a sigh of relief. A radical change is afoot (Pluto) in politics (Jupiter), and not only in the US. And we are to be saved by a vaccine. We are back in control!

Or are we? There is a lot of hope for change, however I wonder if it is too much hope in this world where abuse of power is still rife! That is one of the dark sides of Jupiter and Pluto together. The elite will not give up power easily. And the issue of trust is still very much on the table. As are, of course, those fundamentalist beliefs, from political sides to vaccines. This Christmas star might not be the saviour we are expecting.

Didn’t we do well?

Well, we might be getting there but no, we didn’t really do well, I fear. The start of each cycle sets the scene for the coming years. The major transformations needed are really obvious: more equality, better health systems for everyone, new forms of democracy and drastic reforms to save our planet. The energy of this cycle is still high, but can we do it, with the amount of fear being sown? We are constantly being told who died from COVID-19 and how many cases there are. This week was the first time I heard a figure of how many had survived! These are highly dubious figures and we still don’t know what is really true. I don’t know if we can start necessary reforms, but I hope so. 2020 has certainly given us a wake-up call.

So what about Aquarius?

So far I have talked about the nature of the planets themselves and when they meet, and that is really important. The zodiac sign is a change of clothes for our planetary gods. Underneath, they still have their own nature, with their own life areas to take care of. Pluto, Saturn and Jupiter have all been dressed in Capricornian, functional, business suits. In a strict way, they have been reforming, policing and judging Capricorn areas, such as those mentioned above. Businesses, governments, education facilities, coaches, architects, accountants and anyone involved in structuring and planning. Many of these have had to take a long, hard look at long-term consequences, and to change accordingly, as many have had to close or stop due to the Corona virus.

Jupiter and Saturn go airy

As I write, both planets have put on their best Aquarian quirky, rebellious attire. They are not exactly together until the solstice on the 21st, but their influence is already clear. Their job remains the same, however they will go about it with a new approach. And they will be policing and judging Aquarian areas of life. They will be a bit more innovative and rebellious than they were in Capricorn. We have already had huge technical hitches with Google and YouTube having a major outage, and the US has been awakened to a massive cyber attack probably from  Russia. Aquarius is about technology, the internet, and the future, among many other things. Shades of things to come? Get your backups sorted!

Ask not what will happen …

I am always railing against the idea that astrology is for doing predictions. Many posts are about what we can expect from this Great Conjunction. Yes, we can say what areas are important and how that could work, but it is what WE ALL decide and do that dictates what happens. A better question is ‘How can we use this opportunity? 

I have talked about balance between Jupiter and Saturn being important. Now to add flavour. Positive Aquarius is brilliant new ideas and new models for many things, such as Kate Raworth’s Doughnut Economy, which is being implemented here in Amsterdam. Social equality and standing out as an individual by being different are positive manifestations too. Any governments or businesses who support these aims could be rewarded now.

With Jupiter in this sign we need to form, and stand by, our own convictions and beliefs. To be enthusiastic about our own ideas. And with Saturn here, we need to take our own ideas seriously and dare to stand out from the crowd.

Working well, this could be thoughtful, new forms of business and governance. Ones that are fair to everyone. It could produce a responsible, well managed internet and productive new technology and AI. Biotechnology could help many people as there could be an innovation explosion. So if you have a radical good idea, now is the time it might find fertile soil in which to flourish. Just make sure it is ethical.

Could, might … it’s up to us

But as with all things planetary, there is always a warning of the dark side. And this combination has many. Aquarius is stubbornly mental and can have the arrogance of always being right. It is hard to change an Aquarian mind. (I should know!) Saturn can be authoritative, cold and hard, and Jupiter can be arrogant in his beliefs. You can put these together and see that this might not be good. A hardening of views on both sides of an argument doesn’t help solve the world’s problems.

Aquarius can also be unemotional and cold. Although individual rights can be good, being too individualistic means rebellion and detachment from the real world, where everything is focused on the perfect invention or model system. But just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should! Biotechnology can be used for harm, as can any new technology. Think Big Brother. And we haven’t always been right about new medicines, despite the amazing scientific innovation.

Opposites must attract

It is often said that the negative side of a sign is the ‘shadow’ of the opposite sign. Aquarius can ‘do’ shadow Leo. However, we mustn’t forget this warm, opposite sign of Leo — all people and animals have hearts! Aquarius can get so carried away with a good idea, that love and compassion can be forgotten.

Let’s hope …

… the solstice heralds new fresh times, with positive change. Enthusiastic new ideas that can be grounded. Wise political decisions. Solid and responsible visions for the future. Modern, enterprising fresh starts! What do you have to offer? And how can you make the most of this Great Conjunction by combining the very best of Jupiter, Saturn and Aquarius?

The quietness enforced upon us fits mid-winter in the northern hemisphere. A time for inner contemplation rather than uncontrolled consumer spending. May the light coming back to us here sustain us and may even Brexit get solved! A change of mind is not out of the question if a brilliant idea can be accepted on this solstice.

For you in southern climes, enjoy the last of your ‘high sun’ and I hope you can welcome in a soft dimming of the light.

Happy Yule! and whatever else you celebrate.

Faye Blake

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