A Changed Landscape

Well, Pluto is finally past my Capricorn Moon and I'm on to the task of assessing the damage (change/transformations/whatever). I am tempted to compare the experience to a tornado or flood, but given the very real tangible losses that people have experienced in such disasters, I will refrain.  In fact, I am very grateful that I have not had to endure physical loss through this Pluto transit.

Nonetheless, I have finally accepted the fact that I have no clue where I am.  The landscape that the Pluto transit has left is unrecognizable to me. The landscape I am referring to is largely internal and has to do with the things that I recognize as me.  My Capricorn moon is just inside the 5th house, so it is involved with how I express myself.  So I am beginning to rebuild that part of my life from the ground up.

It does seem prudent and appropriate now to take a look ahead.  The timing is good, since we've just started an interesting New Year.  2012 will undoubtedly be memorable on many levels. I'm convinced that the the Pluto/Uranus square, building to exact this summer, will bring to many a sense of personal disorientation similar to what I am experiencing now. And I believe that the #Occupy movement, and what evolves out of that, will play a major part in this year's developments. In fact, the #Occupy movement is conveying just the sort of message that I expect from the Pluto/Uranus dialog.

More imminent is the Mars Station, going retrograde in Virgo. I'm not particularly comfortable with predictions, per se, so I'll just briefly recall the last time that Mars was retrograde in Virgo during early 1997. Following that retrograde Mars, I grew particularly impatient with my surroundings and situation.  Eventually, I pulled up stakes and moved back to my home town after 13 years in 'The Big City.'

What I know about retrograde Mars is that acts of aggression do not turn out well. What usually happens is that while Mars in retrograde, frustration builds, and once Mars turns direct, action & activity, aggression, wars, erupt almost spontaneously.  In Virgo, Mars can provoke hostility when truth is held hostage and details are obscured or manipulated, sometimes even resulting in illness when logical arguments are rejected or perverted. On the other hand, it can spur a desire to clean up, bring order and even purge unnecessary baggage in order to reduce the weight of entropy.  Mars also provides the  energy to accomplish such goals.

When Mars is retrograde, it may feel as though the rug is pulled out from under us for a time.  Energy is dissipated or scattered. Similar to a retrograde Mercury, it is good time for reflection and it is a good time to 'keep your powder dry.' Once Mars goes direct, there is an eruption of activity, sometime born out of frustration. Mars is retrograde January 24th through April 14th.