Whether you believe that astrology has merit or not, having a look at what Bernie has to say might just make you sit up and take notice.

Sun's ingress into Taurus

As the nights draw in and we are settling into winter woollies the Sun enters Taurus on Saturday on the 21st April 2007. Here in Pretoria where I am sitting at my pc its ingress will be at 00'44".

Sun Pluto trine

At the ingress the Sun is making a trine to Pluto, which is retrograde in Sagittarius. Let's really take advantage of this aspect and revolutionize an area of our lives that has been requiring some attention - something that we are passionate about [Pluto], but as yet have held only as an idea. With The Sun in Taurus we understand that the energy will be about what we value, and for the purpose of harnessing this energy we would transform something around our personal values. So how about looking at going into therapy to deal with hidden secrets [Pluto] or just admitting a family secret that has been bugging you? It sounds like a tall order, but as you deal with hidden issues there is a freedom that you experience that is beyond words.

Moon in Gemini

On the same day the Moon is in Gemini sextile Mercury, which makes me think that it would be easier to talk about issues with home or the family [Moon]. But on more universal terms with the Moon aspecting Mercury, are we about to see a woman speak out, or is Hilary Clinton going to have a good day? Maybe will it be one of our local female politicians?

Fire energy

What is significant about that day is that at 6:25:29 a.m. Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn make a grand trine in Fire. The "gas Cartel met in Doha last month for talks [Mercury] to make massive decisions [Saturn] around the control [Saturn] of gas prices, which was not met with enthusiasm from all quarters [Saturn?]". If we look at a grand trine in fire, then we think energy as a main topic of discussion. The seed cycle of the Jupiter-Saturn cycle started in May 2000 with a Jupiter-Saturn conjunction, and this occurred when the U.S. election campaign started which resulted in the George Bush Presidency. We have watched the war in Iraq and a degeneration of the situation, and also a loss of confidence in the Presidency in the U.S. when the Jupiter square of 2005 -2006 marked more severe crises with the death toll mounting and eventually the resignation of the Secretary of Defence.

To quote Darrelyn Gunzburg in her notes Planetary Combinations Revisited, she refers to Jupiter-Saturn contacts as "the energy of expansion and structure, being the unstoppable force meeting the immovable object". I leave it to you to decide which the unstoppable force is and which the immovable object is!

The Jupiter Saturn trine revisited

We are now experiencing a season of the trine of Jupiter and Saturn, which appeals to my optimistic nature. It is possible that we may see an easing of tension, although there is a prospect of an unleashing of energy that goes completely awry, considering that there is also a sextile to Uranus from Mercury on that day.

The second trine of this cycle happens on May the 6th where Jupiter is in dignity at 18degSg24' Rx and Saturn is 18degLeo24' D. With a planet in mutable fire (Jupiter in Sagittarius) trine a planet in fixed fire (Saturn in Leo), I think that we will see some interesting movement, with mutable fire going where no person has dared to venture and dealing with the boundaries [Saturn] creatively [in Leo]. Or will we have a leader or [Monarch /Leo] deposed? I wonder how safe any of the leaders of nations are feeling right now.

I think around the same time, the 6th May, we may find that someone has overstepped the mark with an applying square from Mercury in Taurus to Saturn in Leo, so it would appear that there are "lies and damn lies" on the cards, with Mercury in Taurus squaring Neptune in Aquarius ... and also this very day there is an quincunx from Mercury in Taurus to Jupiter in Sagittarius, so it will be a few whoppers I would say. Or otherwise, if we take Neptune's more spiritual aspect, we are all going to repeat prayers or mantra's to overcome the political onslaught that appears to be surfacing.

During this time we have a niggling quincunx from Saturn to Uranus first applying then separating. And just to add some flavour to the outer planet's energy during this time, there are moments when Mars and Uranus are conjunct, namely on the 29th April. It would appear that we are in the ringside seats to witness some spectacular fireworks regarding international issues. With both Mars and Uranus finding themselves in Pisces, there will be irritability and outbursts of anger, as there are conditions that have been tolerated for so long and are no longer bearable. Because of the Pisces connection it would appear that it will be about religious beliefs, and on the other hand we should watch out for a sizeable eruption under the sea. Any of this unbearable tension will be dealt with, even if it does mean confrontation. Of course on the positive side we can look forward to a burst of energy that may well be for a great purpose and lead to a feeling of liberation.

Or for us mere mortals in South Africa, we may well find that we are in the grip of an icy winter night with no electricity, yet again.

Full Moon in Scorpio

On a more psychological level it looks like the full Moon in Scorpio opposite Sun in Taurus on the 2nd of May will magnify what I mentioned earlier about getting to grips with some internal emotional issues. With Jupiter still retrograde and Saturn turning direct on the 19th April, an inner turmoil in respect of standing firm about what we value and what we believe may come up for many of us. This is a time for reflection on what we really believe and want in our lives. But with Mercury moving into Gemini on the 12th of May there is great hope for clarity of thought and ideas, and good communication. So let's watch the news, see where we stand in our opinions and wait to voice them until after May the 12th. Having voiced mine, maybe prematurely, I will speak with you again in the Gemini slot. Until then, happy planet-plotting.