LIBRA (September 23 - October 22):

January begins with the love and creative planet, Venus retrograding in Capricorn until February 3, 2006, during which time the lessons of Venus will need to be confronted.  Capricorn is a more challenging sign for you causing some to avoid any uncomfortable confrontations, but it will serve you in the long run to take responsibility for your relationship issues. After Venus goes direct Feb. 3^rd it continues in the sign of Capricorn through March 5^th, 2006, a continuing period of adjusting or resolving your Venus challenges. 

Venus in Retrograde is a period that occurs about every 18 months when the shadow side or the irrational part of Venus tends to take over at the most inappropriate times.  Venus represents all that is feminine, artistic, romantic and peaceful. When retrograde, the immature or uncomfortable side of these issues will come up for you. Relationships are often tested during this cycle. The good ones will last and the weak ones won’t. But just as often old loves and friendships can reappear from your past.

Venus will be transiting Capricorn in your 4^th house sector, which is the domain of home and family. When artistic and loving Venus is direct in your 4^th it’s a good time for family reunions, parties at the house, buying new furnishings, or remodeling the home. When retrograde all matters with the home and family could be more frustrating and could be a time of chaos associated with moving or remodeling.  It might also be a time when family members are separated because of work or strained because of hurt feelings.

The major influence of 2006 will be the planet Saturn in opposition to Neptune with Jupiter at the center point that can be the solution to the opposition or it will expand the problems until you do something about it. The silver lining, so to speak, is that our lives will be forced into changing and if you avoid or fear the process you will be the one making it more difficult. With awareness and foresight the Jupiter influence can indicate the area where you will find protection and positive growth.

Saturn was very close to an exact opposition to Neptune before turning retrograde November 23, 2005.  This was also when Mars was retrograde, which was part of the ‘grand cross’ configuration from October 25, 2005 through February 17, 2006 and what happens during this period is a hint of things to come during most of 2006, both in personal lives and the life of the nation.  The next Saturn Neptune opposition will be exact August 31, 2006.

Neptune in Aquarius opposing Saturn in Leo is a time when both planetary energies are trying to take control in your life until it comes to a compromise by balancing the needs of both or a stalemate. Saturn transiting Leo is moving through your 11^th house sector of  friendships and groups activities as well as your hopes, dreams, and wishes until September 2, 2007.  Saturn in the 11^th is when you will focus on the importance of friendship and those who haven’t been a true friend could breakup or be confronted, because Saturn causes us to deal with the truth and to take responsibility for that reality. The 11^th also represents the collective; such as groups, organizations, unions, and associations.  With Saturn you could be getting serious and focusing a lot of your attention to one of these organizations or you might find that one of your groups is too limiting and that you have outgrown it and now you have to face the reality of moving on. 

Saturn in the 11^th house sector rules the realm of groups, associations, community and our future goals.  In the past few years you were anchoring your career goals and aspirations. Now it’s time to get involved in useful contributions to your society and community and find a cause.  This is also the sector for you which governs our hopes and wishes, so if you want yours to manifest then this cycle is when you must begin to create your future goals.  Superficial friends and associations will disintegrate, which will free up time for you to go for your hopes and dreams.

Saturn, in myth, is the father of the gods and represents authority and the laws and regulations of the land.  Here is when we confront our limitations and our sense of duties and responsibilities.  Often the Saturn transit feels like a burden but that is usually a perspective coming from not wanting to take responsibility for that which is in your own best interest. This is a maturing transit and it’s only the immature who will resist it and make it worse than it needs to be experienced.

Neptune, in myth, represents the collective unconscious because of its designation as the god of the seas.  The seas are symbolic of the embryonic fluids we all come from and in Jungian terms this is called our shadow.  The best way to navigate through the waters of our shadows is to have faith and trust that all will work out to keep from feeling disoriented or lost. Often the issues associated with Neptune’s cycle are that of transition and the uncertainty of the changes.

Neptune has been transiting your 5^th house sector of creativity and love affairs from 1998 through 2012 and not again for 168 years.  Since Neptune rules music, the arts, and dance it is quite at home in this part of its cycle.  Depending on how you are tapping into this energy the process will come through you with intuition, insight, and inspiration.  This is an amazing cycle for artists, actors, musicians, dancers and singers and especially during the years it’s exactly contacting your birth date. The 5^th also rules romance and with the Neptunian spell you could be swept off your feet with the great love affair of your life.  But these feelings of love could also be a delusion.  The challenge for Libra with Neptune transiting your 5^th and Saturn in the 11^th points out the time that you will have to take a realistic look at what you have been avoiding or deluding yourself. One positive outcome would be committing to a creative project to help bring your future goals into reality. Another possibility would be focusing more on personal intimacy or your children and letting go of superficial social activities. 

One of the clues for resolution of the Saturn Neptune challenge is the transit of Jupiter moving through the sign of Scorpio through 2006.  Jupiter represents expansion, optimism and protection. When Jupiter activates your chart it expands the opportunities or the problems until you resolve the issues.  Jupiter’s transit is an indicator of where some of the answers to your Saturn Neptune questions are located.

Fortunate Jupiter is transiting Scorpio in your 2^nd house of personal income.  This is when you will attract more financial opportunities and could be the focus needed to bring balance between where you need to take responsibility and letting go of the illusions or fantasies that Neptune had been keeping you in a fog.

Jupiter is transiting your 2^nd house sector setting up opportunities for you to generate more income. What is really going on is a feeling of more confidence that often allows you to make better financial choices because of a sense of optimism. But some of you will spend too much money because you are foolishly optimistic about future income to cover the bills. But as long as you don’t overdo or over inflate with your spending you will have the opportunity of making extra money during this cycle.

And finally, Mercury in Retrograde is when everything seems to go crazy and lasts about 3 weeks. Those who know about the effects of the retrograde often cringe when they hear that Mercury is at it again.  What is going on is that everything that is related to Mercury, the messenger god, seems to go awry.  This is the time not to sign legal documents or make promises and travel plans are often interrupted. But what is really happening is that retrograde periods stimulate our unconscious patterns more than usual. Since Mercury represents our decision-making facilities the retrograde period is a time to make sure that your rational mind hasn’t been too overly influenced by your unconscious desires.

The dates of Mercury in Retrograde 2006

March 2^nd   - 25^th

July 4^th - 28^th

October 28^th - November 17^th

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