As we begin the Winter Solstice period and the New Year, we have a New Moon at the end of Sagittarius conjoined the planet Pluto. Having a New Moon so close to the Winter Solstice is in itself significant, as the Solstice is really the beginning of the year. It is the still point in the wheel where the Sun impregnates the earth with its energy and births the blueprint for the year ahead. The New Moon is not only conjunct Pluto but is also on the galactic center, that dark hole which is the heart of the Milky Way galaxy. Our symbolism for the year about to be born, is going into the dark hole with the ability and power to transform our own darkness into the light of the New Year.

Jupiter, our largest planet, is now in its home sign of Sagittarius and will remain there until next Winter Solstice, when it enters Capricorn. Since Jupiter rules travel and international affairs, we can expect a lot of movement this year, a lot of energy circulating around the globe in a big way. Jupiter retrogrades on April 6 in 20 degrees of Sag, and trines Saturn in Leo on May 6th, which could indicate a good time for international treaties and for the financial markets as well. Jupiter goes direct on August 7 in 10 degrees of Sag and opposes Mars in Gemini on August 23. Many of us will be traveling at that time for the beginning of Virgo often marks the end of summer vacations.

Saturn remains in Leo until September 2nd when it enters the earth sign of Virgo. Saturn will oppose the planet Neptune twice more this year; it made its first opposition in August of 2006 and will make its second pass on February 28th in 20 degrees Leo/Aquarius. Its third pass will be on June 25th in about 22 degrees. We might expect to find more conflicts regarding oil and issues on the control of the oil in Iraq and other countries in the Mid-East. We can also expect to see more poisonings on the international scene like that of the Russian Livitenko and the ongoing investigations in both England and Russia. (See my article on Cosmic influences for 2006 for more about Saturn and Neptune.)

Uranus continues its journey through Pisces; it is squared by Jupiter in Sag on January 22nd which could be a good time for new inventions and ideas, or travel to some exotic places. The total Lunar Eclipse on March 3 at 13 degrees of Virgo is exactly opposite Uranus; this could be a very unstable period in world politics.. For those of us whose planets or angles are being hit by the eclipse, we might experience some unexpected changes in our life, not to mention stress on our nervous systems. The partial eclipse of the Sun on September 11 in 18 Virgo is also opposite Uranus while Mars in Gemini squares Uranus on September 3. There could be a lot of shake ups in governments at this time. September seems like quite a mutable dilemma with almost all the planets in mutable signs. Uranus retrogrades at 19 Pisces on June 24th just as Saturn opposes Neptune and turns direct on November 24 at 15 Pisces.

Neptune continues its journey in Aquarius, with mutual reception to Uranus in Pisces. Venus in Leo will oppose Neptune on June 30, August 25 in its retrograde motion, and for the last time on September 21. These connections of Venus with its higher octave Neptune can be times of increased creativity-we may see some very romantic or erotic films surfacing as well as articles in the news about love affairs between film stars or others who are known internationally.

This year Venus will spend five months between Leo and Virgo since she retrogrades on July 27th in 3 degrees Virgo and then turns direct on September 9 at 16 Leo. Venus retrogrades every three years and every eight years she retrogrades in the same sign. (Venus went retrograde in 5 degrees of Virgo on July 30 1999 and went direct in 18 Leo on September 11). Events from the past often affect the present so check out what was happening in your life at that time. Venus makes her inferior conjunction to the Sun on August 17 with Mercury in the same degree and Saturn only two degrees away. During the first part of her retrograde cycle, Venus is the evening star; about 6 or 7 days after the inferior conjunction with the Sun, she becomes the morning star. This follows the myth of Inanna and other goddesses who descend into the underworld and then return.

Pluto will complete its transit of Sagittarius in 2007. On December 28, 2006, Pluto hit the exact degree and minutes of the Galactic Center at 26 Sag 55. On July 18, 2007 and October 26, 2007 Pluto will again be at this exact degree and minute.( Pluto retrogrades on April 1 at 28 Sag 58 and goes direct September 8 at 26 degrees 18 minutes). Moving through this last decanate of Sagittarius has brought an emhasis on right wing religious movements, the Christian evangelicals here in the US and the Muslim jihad movement. With Pluto so near the galactic center, we can expect to find out more about extraordinary rendition (the sending of prisoners to foreign countries to be tortured) as well as spying on our own citizens through wire tapping. Pluto will not enter Capricorn until January of 2008.

Looking at the horoscope of the United States for 2007, (July 4, 1776 at 5:10 PM in Philadephia) we find that Pluto is sextile our natal Moon at 27 Aquarius and still square progressed Neptune at 26 Virgo. There is still more of the cover ups during the Bush regime that will come to light this next year. However, Jupiter crosses our natal ascendant at 12 Sag in January when the new Congress takes over. Jupiter will also cross our ascendant in June and September. Jupiter rules the Democratic party and the new speaker of the house, Nancy Pelosi, is a Democrat. Nancy Pelosi (March 26, 1940 at 6:45 PM in Baltimore) will not have an easy time of it as Pluto will be inconjunct her Mars at 26 Taurus while the Neptune/Saturn opposition hits her Moon at 20 Scorpio and her Venus at 20 Taurus. She will need to look very carefully at all sides of the issues so she is not duped into passing legislation without proper research. Bush and his entourage will no doubt try to convince her and the other Democrats that some of their more aggressive policies are good for the country. George Bush also has his Venus at 21+ Leo so he will have the same transit of both Saturn and Neptune the end of February and in June. Saturn sitting on his Venus will not make him any more popular then, and in addition, Pluto inconjunct his natal Saturn at 26 + Cancer will create a struggle for him as he tries to redo his policies on Iraq and other issues.

We have the opportunity in 2007 to examine and transform any old patterns in love and relationships during the Venus retrograde cycle. If we can see beyond the veil of Neptune, we can also help Gaia to become a cleaner and more sustainable place to live while bringing to light all the corruption in the political and social realms that have been present in the last decade. It is our last chance to take the bow and arrow of the Sagittarian archer and not be afraid to aim them where they will hit the most targets.

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