Inspiredastrology Weblog

[Saturn stations Direct on May 2, 2008]
[Jupiter stations Retrograde on May 9, 2008]

The 2 planets that symbolize society– beyond our immediate family or neighborhood –are Jupiter and Saturn. They occupy the part of the solar system that is still visible, yet beyond the Earth. They are beyond the asteroid belt and before the outer planets Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto that represent our collective consciousness in astrology.

Together, Jupiter and Saturn represent society, the culture we all live in. Jupiter represents our enthusiasm for expansion, while Saturn represents constriction and discipline. Their interaction shows the influences we experience as a society.

Both planets have a central role in our lives. Jupiter helps us expand and grow, while Saturn says just how much and how fast.

Both planets are stationing (changing direction) in one week. Saturn made its Direct station on May 2. As Jupiter stations Retrograde (May 9), first there’s a rush of excitement (as Jupiter trines the Sun), then there’s a curb of enthusiasm. This can feel like the “fall to Earth.” Our expansion drives may have gone too far, for now, and Saturn Direct can help us align with whatever needs to be done so we can do it, step by step, even if that seems slow and boring to our higher self.

As a society, our direction can seem unclear. Looking back at all US Elections since 1840, the Democrats are represented by Saturn; the Republicans by Jupiter. How will this planetary seesaw effect the political landscape of the next 4 1/2 months?

Saturn stationing Direct doesn’t mean the Democrats will decide their nominee immediately. It will happen slowly and it will be something many people will be watching very closely. As Saturn starts moving forward, it barely moves for the first month, staying at the same degree Virgo until May 23.

Jupiter Retrograde can find people wishing for a return of the “good ol’ days”, ya’ know, back when you could afford gas and housing. Meanwhile, the political situation seems to be going nowhere fast as these two planetary giants switch motion within a week of each other. And Mercury isn’t far from a Retrograde station (and enters its Retrograde shadow zone on May 11), so decisions are overloaded with details and information.

If you have a prominent Saturn or Jupiter or if these Retrogrades are contacting something in your chart, you may feel that you are focusing in one direction and losing ground in another. You may feel like you’re in the middle of a career dance as you slowly shift gears.

Saturn is moving direct (forward) in Virgo. If you want your career to move ahead, even at a time when your enthusiasm seems inflated and dreams seem like more trouble than they’re worth, you can still succeed. But you may need to make some adjustments. Reading the fine print is important and can’t be skipped over lightly now. There is important detailed information that can work to help you, but you have to pay attention to hear it and concentrate to digest it.

This is a good time to get back in touch with your values and priorities. They are not the same for all of us, and they change over time. So what are your current priorities? You can save yourself considerable time and stress if you define and act on your top priorities. Then you can take advantage of opportunities that further your goals, while letting go of what does not further your current needs. This doesn’t mean forgetting all else. You can plan for a lesser priority by taking care of more important business first.

This direction switch can help, if you are willing to slow down and think about why you like the smell of roses, what are the active ingredients that make roses smell so good, and the health benefits of roses.