The first to occur, and gentlest of them, is Jupiter's movement into the sign of Leo at the beginning of August. The planet of good fortune's 12-month stay in this potentially beneficient, noble and yet childlike sign promises to interject an undercurrent of warmth and fun into whatever else may come our way. Byproducts at the other extreme are probable, too; don't be surprised if there's a general ballooning of arrogance, aggrandized emotional scenes and me-first-itis. The transit should make life go more easily for Leos and Aquariuses in particular. It should bring positive growth to the other fixed signs (Taurus and Scorpio), as well as good news for the remaining fire signs (Aries and Sagittarius). For an idea of how it might play out in your life, think back to August 1990 - September 1991, when Jupiter lasted visited Leo.
The second is a trine between Saturn and Uranus. This configuration opens a harmonious flow of energy between the force that imposes structure and rules and the force that blows them all to smithereens. Note that the flow is harmonious (as in: easy and unimpeded), which is not necessarily the characteristic of the events occuring under it. The bottom line is that when the archetypes of authority and the cosmic rebel work together, breakthrough of all kinds is inevitable. (Even literally, as a friend of mine pointed out when reporting that intruders had broken through the wall between her office and the neighboring one and stolen all the computers in both.)
Since the planets are in the air signs of Gemini and Aquarius, innovations in technology, computers and telecommunications are probable. (Television was invented under this aspect in the late 1920s.) A blast of fresh air -- at least, a novel perspective -- should blow through long-standing situations, institutions and structures (look for a revision of the corporate model as a result of this transit), and what we've experienced as personal impediments or delays may start to move. Saturn transits always bring up opportunities to re-examine how we've been living our lives. If we've been paying attention to details and doing our homework, opportunities present themselves to build on what we've already done. The building may not follow the blueprint we've had in mind, though. With Uranus in the picture, watch for doors opening into unexpected directions, especially if career or commitments are involved.
And if we've misused authority or power, well, this aspect may make it impossible to keep our misdeeds under wraps. This planetary line-up has some intriguing political ramifications. The last time Saturn and Uranus met in a trine, Watergate forced Nixon out of office. Part of his downfall was acting as if that the executive office was above the constitution, not to mention engaging in dirty tricks to get elected. This time around, we have an administration that has increased the powers of the executive office more than any since -- no coincidence here -- Nixon. The wall of secrecy that this administration has erected will crack in some important way under this transit. Don't assume that the saga of the 2000 election has played out completely; expect more revelations and some karmic reckoning as Saturn and Uranus continue their dance.
This configuration is with us through June 2003. The times of its greatest intensity are late August 2002, mid-December 2002 and late June 2003. If there's something you want to change or a problem that's stumped you, this aspect should make progress easy -- or give you insight (and probably out of the blue, at that) that inspires a different approach. The final background influence is an opposition between Jupiter and Neptune. This aspect of tension puts the planet of expansion in a stand-off with the planet that has the least footing in what we accept as ordinary reality. Neptune rules transcendence -- the arts, dreams, spirituality, mysticism, our connection to the divine -- as well as escapism in a kaleidoscope of forms -- deception, lies, delusion, drugs and alcohol. When these two planets make contact, the result is hardly an epidemic of paying attention to details.
If you have personal planets near 8-10 degrees of the fixed signs (for starters, if you were born within a few days of the first of February, May, August and November), be aware that your thinking will not be at its clearest. If you are not directly touched by the opposition, the atmosphere around you certainly will be. The haze that this galactic smoke machine sends out could certainly be pleasant, but keep in mind: Things are not as they appear. It will be hard to discern the line between truth and fantasy, or truth and lies. If something seems too good to be true, remember the rest of the saying. Run your perceptions by other people, when important matters are concerned, and make an effort to keep your mind focused when performing routine tasks and driving. Take extra care, too, when consuming alcohol and drugs, prescription or otherwise. You may be unusually susceptible, and a little will go a very long way.
So what's the positive potential of this opposition? Phenomenal artistic inspiration, problem solving through dreams (if you don't keep paper at your bedside, put it there, now), experiencing an ecstatic connection to the divine, to name a few. Allow extra time for rest and contemplation; seek messages and answers outside the normal realm of experience. Your intuition could be profound. The trick will be distinguishing it from wishful thinking.
The opposition is exact for the first time on September 11. (Yes. That date.) We'll see it again on December 31 (best plan a quiet New Year's celebration in a restful, secluded spot, away from all the crazies) and again next June. The first time is the most important. It will have unusual staying power, because the opposition will color another astrological event that occurs on its heels: the Mercury retrograde that begins on September 14 and lasts until October 8. When Mercury goes retrograde, the things it governs become strangely unreliable -- communication, papers, cars, transit, phone lines, computer systems. Just think of the fun when Jupiter and Neptune fan their mushrooming confusion into the mix. It's going to be the mother of all Mercury retrogrades.
The usual cautions are all the more important for this retrograde. Check details, check them again, then run them by someone else, just to be safe. Follow up on important correspondence, faxes, e-mail and deliveries, to make sure they arrived at the intended destination. Allow extra time for travel and connections; if you fly, it's more important than normal to make sure essentials are in your carry-on luggage. When you get behind the wheel, don't just drive defensively; ordinary defensive driving won't be enough. Drive with the assumption that everyone else on the road is a space cadet.
Postpone launching new projects or starting a business. Things that are begun under a Mercury retrograde don't work out according to expectations. Often you have to go back and redo something, and sometimes the project simply never gets off the ground. This time the fine print could contain some whopping surprises -- or reveal whopping lies. If at all possible, push signing contracts and making major purchases (especially cars and electronics) into October, after Mercury goes direct. Investigating and negotiating are okay; finalizing may run you into trouble. If something major gets scheduled during this phase and you don't have the power to change it, be extra vigilant before committing. Check out anything you're promised, lay the groundwork for an escape route and negotiate what you will be entitled to if the deal (or something you relied on) goes up in smoke.
The time is terrific for doing research and going back over things that are already underway. Answer correspondence, organize and file papers, clean out your drawers, polish your car, work on the novel that's been gathering dust in your mind. Because of the added flavor of Jupiter/Neptune, making confession could be strangely cathartic. If you're not prone to go to an actual priest, craft a private ritual of slating clearing and forgiveness.
How to navigate this period? Pull back on your expectations of what you can reasonably accomplish. Go easy on the confused, but watch your back for the deceitful. If you've been thinking about a yoga retreat, a spa getaway or a weekend of silence at a monastery or convent, schedule it now. Follow the advice of the Hitchhiker s Guide to the Galaxy: Don't panic. And turn on your foglights.
Want more insight? Contact me for a private reading. Visit the rest of my site. Or Try my guided visualization CD "Thriving in Times of Change." It's designed to review your life, clear out the past and explore the positive possibilities of the future.
Kathy Biehl is an attorney, Tarot master and astrologer whose career has bridged intuition and the rational mind for more than 20 years.