Saturday Forecast, 11 February 2012

Saturday 11 February 2012

}Grit{

The abortion debate surges anew with the trouble over health-care insurance laws. I am firmly on the side of life, and firmly anti "choice" if it means ending the life of a budding human being. And I don't care how many women or men I offend by that position. That does not mean I think abortion should be illegal, which would doubtless make things worse, but that it is unethical ought to be apparent to everyone. In this particular case, I take the side of the Roman Catholic Church most definitely. That is, they cannot, by spiritual law, be forced to do or support what they consider wrong! That the Obama Administration even tried to make them do that is disgusting and shows a basic lack of principle.

There seems to be a lot of misunderstanding of what is at stake. The existing insurance programs for workers at Catholic institutions do not pay for abortions, but do not deny the workers abortions if they secure them in other ways. That is in no way an infringement on the rights of the workers. When they got the job, they knew the policy.

I am mentioning this not merely to flaunt my deeply considered opinions (I was once on the other side) but to point out as an astrologer that this is happening while Mars is retrograde in Virgo. This has what might be called an amusing aura about it (although abortion is not amusing) because Mars is the planet of males and the male organ, while Virgo is "the virgin." While Mars is in "the virgin" we have another abortion debate. Astrology is so often directly and fascinatingly literal. Further, Mars is retrograde, which suggests reconsideration of Martian or male "initiatives," namely, of conceptions he has induced. A retrograde planet often suggests wanting to go back and change the past. Sorry guys, sometimes you have to live with what you did (or conceived). It is not the end of the world, and obviously not the end of life.

Let us hope and pray that some resolution of this Church-State conflict will be coming very soon.

Mars retrograde in Virgo has other meanings. Virgo is the natural 6th house, broadly stated as "work and workers" or "service and servers or servants." We have as I write the eruptions of the workers in Greece and a nationwide strike there. Also there have been strikes of police in Brazil. "Retrograde" in this case means "this mule is going no farther without a better reward." Oddly enough, Virgo has for centuries been considered the ruler of Greece by horary astrologers. I would predict even more strikes and work-related protests (whether there or elsewhere) during the coming Dark Hermetic Epoch of (more or less) March-April, because Mars will continue retrograde in Virgo.

The changes going on in several states in connection with gay marriage, and court decisions about it, have to do with Venus conjoined to Uranus. This is a gay aspect (though not only that). It has been acknowledged as such by astrologers since shortly after the discovery of Uranus a couple centuries ago (also the squares and oppositions of Venus or the moon with Uranus). It is interesting that it is happening in the early part of Aries, a sign which values individual freedom, and that both planets are square Pluto, a planet which reflects sexual predilections.

Building (perhaps literally) and industry are emphasized for Saturday, or perhaps organizing one's home, homes or places of refuge. Something fateful or inevitable is shaping up regarding present or future travel. At the same time, there could be a feeling of gloom or depression, and so a need to pull back and go deep into oneself, searching out a hidden reason for being.

There is something about wood, trees, or natural growth used for human purposes. The utilitarian merges with the friendly and benevolent.

You are not unsympathetic to the vision and program of some reformer or activist. Perhaps you will benefit (and benefit the world) by taking up a new or old cause.

Getting things done together with others who share the task (or game in some cases) is not only useful but a form of satisfying expression.

This is a sort of testing time of inner strength and purpose. You may find that outward circumstances are not easily cooperating, but you have to push on, and more or less insist that they cooperate. There are perils and temporary losses but what you have firmly decided upon can be carried forward with ultimate success.

{Saturday} {Grit}

Cosmic Piper

P. S. Much of this can be taken to apply to Sunday also, while the moon approaches Saturn at the last degree of Libra. Because that is a difficult aspect, and also in the Via Combusta, Sunday might be a hard one to navigate, so your spiritual orientation will be needed as support. (As usual, no forecast for that day.)