Some relationships challenge us to greater challenges and greater growth. With Saturn aspects in synastry there is always a sense of solid commitment, duty and responsibility in the partnership and when somebody’s Saturn is on our personal planet/s it can give us a grounded feeling in that relationship.

Sometimes the commitment to one another in Saturn coloured relationships involves something heavy. Astrologer Liz Greene speaks about Venus-Saturn contacts feeling the need to legalize their relationship to make a permanent tie and contractual kind of marriage. Astrologers will always note the binding nature of Saturn relationships.

However, there is another clause to these kinds of interactions, and sometimes when someone’s Saturn challenges our personal planet/s it may feel as if they are handicapping us in our personal expression. Heavy cross-aspects involving Saturn brings into the contact a sense of frustration, limitation and hitting a brick wall. Saturn natally and in relationship astrology always wants to maintain its oppressive control. When our Saturn interacts with other planets we may give an austere, critical and even harsh response to the other.

Yet, before we totally blame the Saturn person for his or her nature we might find some sympathy because when we aspect an individual’s Saturn we bring up memories and associations that the individual would rather not be known. We are prodding a part of this person that feels shy and awkward and we unknowingly make them intensely aware of their weak spots and vulnerability. This does not leave the Saturn without any sense of responsibility and before they begin getting overly critical of the other person they should step back and see what it is he or she has to do to strengthen themselves in that area. When we relate to others through Saturn we are awakening insecurities from our past which is painful.

Relationship blocks can occur in Saturnian relationships but it is usually more in a reaction to one another. In the composite chart it will show whether there are severe limitations to the partnership that can result in an extremely hard relationship. Saturn in relationship prefers to take things more seriously, and the Saturn individual may be seen as the one to curb our behaviour and response patterns correlating to what planet Saturn is aspecting represents. In the case of the Sun it may be our individual behaviour and personal style, but the general flavour of Sun/Saturn contacts give a sense of mutual responsibility which can be stabilizing or restrictive. Saturn may offer wisdom and they both confidently endure set-backs. The Saturn partner also tries to keep the relationship anchored in reality, and the Sun perceives seriousness in his partner.

Moon-Saturn relationships often convey feelings of responsibility but there can also be an emotionally frustrating element. Saturn may be also be insensitive in this interaction, but at the same time may offer containment, support, and stability. Mercury – Saturn relationships show a level of communication in this interaction which can be deep and serious. Saturn may resist new ideas and there can sometimes be a non-communicative response to mercury. Venus-Saturn relationships are binding and sometimes frustrating. This union may lead to Saturn feeling emotionally insecure, and fearful of Venus’ rejection this is sometimes a possessive contact. Saturn may act critical and withdrawn, but there can be love, strength and commitment.

Nobody will bloody frustrate you more at times than a Saturnian partner, and sometimes the Saturn person tries to play a sort of authority or parenting role in the interaction.

But one's partner's Saturn might be conjunct one's Moon and opposition one's Sun, and the synastry between the birth charts might make one feel more like Sisyphus and his rock than Mick Jagger and Jerri Hall. By Liz Greene

Saturn symbolizes our doubts, guilt and fear – it represents the area where we may attempt to overcompensate. There was an excellent article written a few years back called Mirror, Mirror by Trish Levine. I was reminded of this article a few days ago when I got into an argument with my partner and he suddenly brought up a long history of people telling him what to do and he was tired of the control. The fight reminded me of the Alanis Morrisette song – Not All Me.

According to the author when our relationships act like mirrors, we relate to them through our own history. And she says what makes this process so complex is that our partner also relates to us and others according to his or her own personal history and set of experiences. The author speaks about the hardship of working through relationship difficulties, and why do some relationships make us feel vulnerable, pessimistic or defeated. The author believes relationships as a mirror reflect our “emotional appearances”.

“In order to understand who we are we need to learn to watch the “movies” we produce in our lives through our interactions with others The issues the other person brings up for us will tell us something about ourselves – if were willing to look and listen.”

The quote below from the article is a great way to look at Saturn relationships especially the ones that involve an overly critical partner. It is helpful to understand that we are unknowingly activating their anxiety.

“Let’s take the critical partner scenario. Let’s assume that your critical partner thinks he or she is being helpful. In fact, maybe whenever this person feels anxious or fearful his or her conditioned response has been to become critical in order to fend against feeling helpless – a pattern that probably dates back to childhood.

“Until we are comfortable with the mirroring process, we will experience the same patterns in our lives over and over again. Our instinct continues to push us to learn and grow, and mirroring is one of the primary ways we continue to do so. If we resist learning we will remain stuck in the same pattern.”

Those with the South Node in Capricorn and North Node in Cancer may have devoted themselves totally to a career and have been compulsive workers. In the past these individuals were emotionally closed, inhibited and success orientated.

Many South Node in Capricorn individuals have developed quite a thick-skin and may be considered hard-headed and rock-like. The individual instinctively knows how to build a solid foundation in the real world, and this Node represents the various qualities within the personality connected with rock, such as reliability, coldness, and rigidity

The South Node in Capricorn may have also been on a sort of status trip. The right social image is often a natural draw, and social opinion and the values of others matter deeply. They may be concerned with their place in society at large, and society is merely representative of families. Being a good provider they have a well developed “take care of business” attitude and will often be found doing the sensible thing.

Those with the North Node in Cancer now need to develop the ability to ask for help by letting go of the tendency to control. The North Node in Cancer is learning not to dismiss their inner most needs for a home base. The Cancer-Capricorn axis emphasises security and a sense of solid foundations, roots, and feeling of being in touch with history. The Moon presides over the feminine principle (feelings, instincts, connection to the past) and this is exactly where this individual needs to go.

Cancer and Capricorn mark the highest ascent into the Northern Hemisphere and its lowest in the Southern. The sign of Cancer corresponds to an instinctively child-like way of being and the South Node in Capricorn is sometimes overly concerned with being a grown-up and tending to their professional and material need for security in the world.

Those with the South Node in Capricorn may have had selfish ambitions in the past and a desire to manage others. Along with hidden feelings of dominance and self-importance, there may have also been a strong self-reliance and sense of responsibility. Martin Schulman believes these people “worked hard for recognition in the past and learned the art of accomplishment.”

The North Node in Cancer need to develop more attunement towards their emotions and in the past they may not have wanted these to interfere with work and responsibilities. They need to become involved in family, local community or nation. Finding somewhere to belong are key themes in life and may revolve around family and career.

With the Cancer-Capricorn axis the public life vs the inner life of the individual are important aspects.

“In this life, he will go through a chain of experiences which will slowly open up his cancerian sensitivities…But he must develop a totally new emotional response pattern…and his highest achievement in life is nourishing others."

The individual with the North Node in Cancer may be asked to further develop their caring, nurturing and protective qualities through forming enduring connections to others, and by being more responsive, relating personally and sensitively to the public. The Capricornian sense of discipline, sufficiency and strength acts as an anchor for the needs of others.

In the case of this opposition the Moon and Saturn are opposing forces, rulers of Cancer and Capricorn respectively. Astrologically Capricorn reflects reality, determination and hardness. Cancer represents softness, dependency and feelings run very deep. Family may be a draw in this lifetime, and the development of a home life. Those with the North Node in Cancer may be driven to a more nurturing career bringing their skills of hard-work combined with the sensitive qualities of Cancer.

Those with the South Node in Gemini and North Node in Sagittarius present an individual with a pure intellectual being. Various forms of education appeal and this person in previous lifetimes spent much time in intellectual and communicative activities. The individual may have collected lots of data and be very knowledgeable, possessing many talents.

The reading, writing, information gathering skills are so well developed that they need to be schooled and perhaps the individual will need to acquire further education. The North
Node in Sagittarius may be driven towards a path of more specialized knowledge.

It might be the case that those with the South Node in Gemini have been too superficial in the past and flitted from one direction to another and may have had trouble focusing on one thing at a time. The South Node in Gemini acquired a quick wit, swift intellect, and ease with words. On the negative side they may have been con artists, tricky people, swindlers and criminals. Many of them have been teachers, literary genius’, super-smart, clever and versatile. Now they need to balance this out by developing an understanding and wisdom through seeking something more enlightened with added meaning.

The North Node in Sagittarius is all about pursuing a meaningful direction and giving purpose to mental pursuits, giving these people the opportunity to build up a reservoir of knowledge. Martin Schulman points out that these people have “enmeshed themselves in dualities and the ability to remain uncommitted.” The Gemini energy may make them restless, always searching for new stimulation, diverse interests and experiences. Both signs like to read and talk, but in the past the individual may have constantly felt they were split between two roads, and resisted being committed to one path.

There is now the need for those with the North Node in Sagittarius to bring together what has been learned into some belief or purpose that offers a more holistic understanding, and not be held back by critical thinking and relying too heavily on logic. Those with their Node placed in the 9th sign may find that fire inside of them by going off on an exciting adventure, journey of the body, mind or spirit. In Gemini there is often a spiritual struggle that plagues them and now is the time for mental expansion and a wider variety of experience.

The mix of fire and air sees some colourful conversations and points of view along this axis. The Sagittarian North Node will open up many new horizons, looking for the truth, and travelling to other terrains mentally, emotionally, geographically to shoot for a target and have a vision of future possibilities opening up.

In this life there needs to be a consistency of purpose and a feeling that they are going somewhere by developing expertise in one particular area. Applying their understanding and guiding, inspiring those around them. You can’t waste your intellectual, verbal and social gifts. The North Node in Sagittarius points towards combining their ideas with ideals and taking those ideas and illuminating them.

This article discusses Sun conjunct Neptune, Sun Square Neptune, Sun Opposite Neptune and Sun Trine Neptune aspects in Synastry. Sun-Neptune contacts often show a great sensitivity towards one another and it is a fantastic romantic contact to have, but there are impossible expectations.

The aspect can encourage dependency and an unrealistic idealization of the other partner and they may be unable to see the partner clearly. As with all Neptune contacts in synastry there is a higher and lower road to swim. Neptune relationships sometimes lead to an avoidance of issues, but there is a spiritual centre here and sensitive attunement to one another that finds it difficult to let the real world intrude.

Neptune contacts between two charts can reach the sublime and spiritual to the confusing and chaotic. There are many misunderstandings that may occur through this interaction, so unless the relationship has some self-control the negative side of Neptune may wade in and illuminate any weaknesses, deceptive behaviour, and dependency problems.

With both the easy and hard aspects there is often a lot of flowing feelings of love between them both. Neptune admires the Sun and depends on their warmth and strength, but can try too hard to please. The Sun person may take on the role of the strong one, guiding, leading, protecting and supporting the Neptune individual. To keep hold of the relationship Neptune can become needy, ill, have problems with drugs or alcohol, feel victimised, and addicted.

The Sun person then feels a sense of obligation towards Neptune and the great insecurity of the Neptune individual clings like a parasite to the Sun. There can be dramas between these two that feature any or several forms of martyrdom. If you happen to be interacting in an emotional harmful way the hard aspects (conjunction, Square and Opposition) are highly charged and tend to be more compulsive in relationships.

There can be a life-long longing from the Neptune person towards the Sun person in this interaction. The Neptune person will often feel this is the creature they have dreamed of and that they have found someone who is their soul-mate. However, this longing for the other can turn into neediness, and the individual becomes central to his life. It can become difficult when one (Sun) feels that they are at the centre of the other's (Neptune) happiness.

The Sun trine Neptune aspects show an easy sense of mutual sensitivity, understanding, and dreamy interaction. There is a sense of a soul-connection, and of course the harder aspects will also fall under Neptune’s dreamy enchantment, but there is more caution given for the vulnerability of the relationship. Neptune trines in relationships help each other tune into one another’s feelings with ease However, with harder contacts this tuning in can sometimes lead to confusing signals and there can also be an excess of compassion and in some cases - pity.

Fantasy and illusion are built around this interaction. Neptune represents an unattainable quality. The Neptune person can be pretty hard to work out at times. Neptune to the Sun may represent an addictive relationship, and there is a psychic feeling between these two, like they have met before and are bound together by some mysterious tie. This is even more acutely felt with Sun conjunct Neptune in synastry.

Astrologer Lyn Birkbeck: The Instant Astrologer calls this contact one of a fated fascination but that the relationship will eventually encounter dissolution and major misunderstandings may occur between you both

“This is a bit like Sunshine sparkling on and off the surface of water. But come nightfall there can be just a dull grey limpid mass – that is, sooner or later the mirage evaporates and the real vulnerable person remains.”

This may be a relationship where both of you seek escape in one another. Sometimes there is deception because the Neptune person has a tendency to avoid confrontation and is sometimes less direct. This may be perceived as nebulous behaviour by the other. If the issues are worked through there is real chance for this relationship to maintain its compassion and deep understanding of one another.

The 8th house in astrology represents a dark place, and at some point in our lives we will all feel those shadowy moments. Yet, we fear letting our darker sides show and feel paranoid that others will say there is something ‘wrong’ with us.

In astrology the eighth house contains secrets which are hidden, stashed away in the dark. Astrologer Sidney Randall points out that “few people like to read the story which the 8th house of the horoscope can tell.” Perhaps it’s the tale of abuse, abandonment, and agony. It could be one of deep loss, and a life filled with emotional dead-ends.

Freud stated that each individual had a compulsion to repeat the past, to recreate some essential conflict that existed in childhood. This leads us back to the first water house (4th) of the past, childhood home and heritage. This unconscious compulsion reveals itself explicitly through intimate relationships (8th) and offers up the chance to heal a past hurt.

The 7th house relates to the social side of courtship and legalities, sense of fairness. However, something happens when we move to the 8th house after meeting with the other, and we experience a more real side of ourselves and we see a less complimentary reflection.

The 8th house sphere forms many of the social taboos within our society, and within this is contained the Dark side of courtship which involves marital troubles of all kinds, those that stay behind closed doors like violence, sexual exploitation and difficult family relationships.

We never learned as children that sometimes love comes with hurt, pain and loss. We may refuse to recognise that a relationship is destructive for fear of abandonment, separation, financial loss, or loneliness. However we unconsciously provoke our partner’s into initiating a confrontation.

The 8th house themes in general relate to the emotional fixed element of these natives and they often find it the hardest to forgive. It's like holding onto to all the hatred, vindictiveness and rage will give them greater emotional power. Freud stated that hate can lead us to destruction and death. Though there is nothing ‘wrong’ with us feeling this way and shows that we have been deeply wounded. In the 8th house we need to be emotionally real and honest. It is believed that a better understanding of the dark side would help us to have a more holistic understanding of the personality.

Sometimes with planets in the 8th house we are overtaken by destructive and unconscious forces. Psychologists and researchers have shed light on the debilitating effect of the emotional environment, and it is also to some extent highly believed that the psychology of childhood has a factor in the destiny of each individual.

Often the repressed sides of us never see the light of day. But we don’t exactly want to cart our traumas, depressions, and baggage into normal social situations. Nonetheless eighth house issues ignored tend to fester until the back door blows open. It creeps up on us, and these forces explode, terrorizing us; wreaking havoc on our relationships.

The Transformation that can be won through 8th house planets and Pluto aspects in relationships can be a remarkable thing from an almost dead relationship to a renewed lease on life for a couple. The Shadow is really just the other side of light. It is our task to illuminate the shadowy feelings we harbour inside. Medusa is the archetypal Scorpio, 8th house, and Pluto Myth and is part of their journey.

The snake headed Medusa was a symbol of horror, and originally she was a beautiful woman, and now represents all the wickedness, vindictiveness, hatred, terror and brutality in human nature. Reflection is necessary and the light of consciousness to deal with the intense emotional sphere of the 8th house. When we are in the grip of these emotions we are often thought to lose our head” and all rationality. The 8th house and its ruler Pluto reveal the flow of life that is blocked and must be freed. It only through all of these relationship and personal crises that we find our own inner resources to survive.

The North Node in astrology is said to represent the path we need to travel in this lifetime. Some astrologers believe the nodes are so important that they read them first before attempting to analyse the rest of the birth-chart.

The Nodes in astrology are often called the axis of fate or destiny. We may even view it as a kind of past-future partnership where the individual is headed somewhere different, but at the same time knows where he has come from. The two houses of the nodal path are considered to be the most important points to consider in the study of the nodes and in relationship to the whole chart.

The metaphor of the title from this post and of the nodal axis is the knowledge that this road is a journey. A person is a traveller with a purpose and destination, and distance travelled so far. Since the North and South Node are always opposite each other there is a sense that something needs to be balanced in the individual’s life.

It is as the ages of 18 to 19 years old that the lunar nodes make a first return. Many returns in astrology are often considered symbolic points in any individual reflecting the crossing of some threshold, fuller emotional development or new developments opening up.

“The 19 year cycle can be extremely significant. These years are crucial in terms of solar-lunar factors that is, of the basic direction of the flow of life energies. By Dane Rudyhar

Dane Rudhyar points out significant life events at this age such as the publication of a first book and meetings at this time which eventually unfolded in him emigrating to America. I found this particularly interesting as I have a Sun-Saturn opposition (signifying father and authority) sitting on my nodal axis and at the age of 18 close to 19 years old my father died and the author considers this event to be a new phase of development in the person’s destiny as so often the death of a parent does.

Other significant years given for the Nodes are 38, 57, and 76 years old. It is at these times that we might want to be more aware of what events, meetings; conversations are happening that are leading us towards a future path. Perhaps the events within the scope of the present is moving into the future in a sequence.

The North Node is associated with keywords such as growth, destiny, and development and it usually represents a new direction for the individual to follow and a trip into the unknown. To ancient astrologers the North Node was beneficial and closely resembled Jupiter and if the individual was brave enough to take this path it would be fortunate for them to do so.

The South Node is a road that the person constantly walks down; habitually falls back on and is often the easiest path to take. We feel totally comfortable walking it. Many astrologers refer to the South Node as our past inheritance and represents where we are coming from. Many of our habitual responses come from memory patterns, but some say our past can either be our best friend or worst enemy.

Our past is a knowledge base and reference tool. The South Nodes links to the Moon and represents the area we feel most secure and even dependent upon. This node may even be a part of the personality that has now been over-used. The North Node points towards the direction we need to be headed in and brings new challenges.

The nodal axis is a signpost in the astrological chart indicating what point an individual has entered into this life and the direction he should go. To the ancients the South Node was Saturnian in nature and prevented growth and some went as far to say it is the point of ‘self-undoing’. It is considered that there is too much emphasis on the South Node's expression and area of life, so much so, that it may actually hold a person back from developing to his full potential.

The south node works like the Moon and many of its responses are automatic and it may often feel like we are stuck on repeat. Always going back to what we know may take us further and further away from our future development (North Node). Sometimes the South Node represents a set of skills and talents and is a sort of personal manual on something which we know how to do with familiarity.

“In a somewhat similar manner, the moon’s nodes represent a type of development in man’s total personality (psychological as well as physical)…I also said that the nodal axis is often called the “axis of Fate,” that it “deals with the relationship of the individual to his environment.” But such a relationship in depth has its roots in the past. By Dane Rudhyar

Basically the nodes represent where are coming from and where we going and our relationship to the world.

The tendency to avoid challenge is omnipresent in human-beings that it can properly be considered a characteristic of human nature…Yet we teach ourselves to do the unnatural until the unnatural becomes itself second nature. By M Scott Peck

We know Neptune, Pisces and the 12th house rule over our longings, secret dreams, and creativity. As Tracey Marks would put it: “Your Secret Self” belongs to the twelfth house. I think it's time to explore Pisces Hidden Rooms.

 Lately, I have been having a recurring dream of being at home and finding extra rooms hidden away. I find it exciting and wonder what I could create in those rooms with some colour, imagination and a lot of paint. Sadly, I never get around to doing anything, but you know Pisces inclination is to sometimes “do nothing” with their lives.

The other night the dream occurred again, but this time there was a male squatter wearing a woolly hat in there making himself at home in MY rooms. I was really annoyed Lol. I haven’t abandoned any of those spaces. I was looking back on a past post about the Pisces Woman and how she needs the Ocean - this part of the article makes the most sense in relation to the dream:

Astrologers point out that Pisces has difficulty dealing with reality, but if you have ever watched any film about the elusive mermaid, there is a part of her that will always belong to the ocean. As much as she loves her friends on land, there is a fragment of her soul that longs to return to the water. The ocean may represent a multitude of things that she needs to explore so that she can refresh herself. It could symbolize art, music, creative passions, imaginative outlets or some kind of service. Neptune, Pisces and 12th house people are thought to channel their artistic vision and intuitive gifts from a hidden realm.

I browsed through my dream book: 10, 000 Dreams Interpreted, and it had some interesting things to say:

Rooms in a dream can describe various parts of our personalities or levels of understanding, but often signify either the womb or the mother figure. A series of rooms… This refers to the various aspects of femininity and often the whole soul. Going into other rooms represents a change of state and leaving something behind…

The people who appear in dreams are the characters with which we write our ‘play’.Intruders in a woman’s dream is her own animus…In either case it suggests a need for change in attitude in order for the dreamer to be able to have a full and meaningful relationship with himself. A man in a woman’s dream signifies the more logical side of her nature. She has, or can develop, all the aspects of the masculine which enable her to function with success in the external world. An unknown man is generally that part of the dreamer’s personality which is not recognised. In a woman’s dream it is the masculine side of herself.

Speaking of Pisces and 12th house people even more, we all need our own room somewhere. It might be a place hidden in our imagination, but It could be a physical room away from everything, and it’s where we might keep our hidden treasures like our: much loved books, art work, poetry, writings and so forth. A place where we want no-one to look until we feel happy to share it with others. My favourite Pisces quote by Liz Greene sums it up perfectly below:

In many fairy tales there is a peculiar and enchanting figure, sometimes called an ondine or melusine, sometimes called a mermaid, who lives in the depths of the sea or a vast lake, and falls in love with a mortal man. This legend may also be seen in the legend of the Swan Prince-although here the creature from the 'other realm' bears feathers rather than scales. And these ancient stories, in all their various forms, have the same basic theme: the union of a mortal, an ordinary flesh-and-blood human, with something from another level of reality. This meeting is fraught with difficulties. There are always conditions attached. And it usually ends in disaster or difficulty, not because it is doomed from the start, but because of the ineptitude of the mortal who attempts to impose his laws and values on his mysterious, other-wordily partner. 

Usually the melusine agrees to live on dry land, and inhabit a mortal body, so long as her mate observes one special condition. He must not ask her a particular question, or look in a particular box, or enter a particular room at a particular time. In other words, there must be respect for the mysteries of this other realm. And the mortal, driven by ordinary human curiosity and lack of respect for this dimension, inevitably asks the question or opens the box. So the bond is broken, the melusine disappears into the depths again, and he is left to sorrow. Or, sometimes, she drags him down with her, drowning him in her embrace. By Liz Greene, Astrology for Lovers

You wouldn’t like me when I ‘m angry, is something David Bruce Banner would say on the television series The Incredible Hulk.

David lost his wife in a car crash and as a scientist he wanted to discover the secret to super-human-strength in the face of crisis.

Astrologically the man who plays David Banner has Mars conjunct Saturn in his horoscope. Mars-Saturn aspects describe a life characterized by tests of strength, whether physical or emotional. Mars-Saturn can be easily depressed when they don’t win, or find the courage, strength or endurance to overcome a situation. It is believed that this aspect will emerge in two ways, either in explosive rage, or depression. Mars means the ability to fend for oneself; it means assertiveness, confidence, and boldness of action, but Saturn frustrates, holds back and cools the fire of Mars.

Mars-Saturn people are capable of extraordinary anger, coldness and fits of rage. This aspect is also indicative of hugely frustrating experiences where the individual's strength is tested. There are often many events in the lives of Mars-Saturn people that have left them feeling frustrated, weak and powerless and unable to fight back. Sometimes it’s a father figure who is harsh, cold and brutal and has bullied them in youth. Males in particular seem to express such frustrations of the will through feeling “less than a man” in the stereotypical sense. Women with this same contact often attract a violent partner.

For all the interpretations of this aspect the only one I found the most sympathy with having lived with a violent partner possessing a natal Mars-Saturn aspect is Liz Greene’s in her book Saturn, A New Look at an Old Devil. I viewed him in a completely different light and understood how difficult it was for him in his family, but also in life generally.

In the case of David Banner he felt frustrated and deeply inadequate for not saving his wife in the car accident, when he needed super-human strength. Mars-Saturn people let their frustration and anger build up inside of them and allow it to accumulate into a fury of rage. They are considered to have a big temper. Sue Tompkins on Aspects of astrology phrases it this way:

“Nevertheless, once aroused Mars-Saturn can fly into the most terrific rages. It’s as if all their unexpressed hurts, angers and irritations get saved up. The person has controlled their temper for so long so that when they do get mad they really let rip...”

The clip below is Mars-Saturn comedy in action. These aspects are regularly warned about the dangers of heavy metal and his frustration at getting stuck in the machine shouldn’t be funny, but it was the irony of the situation that got me.



The truth about superhuman strength has to do with Pluto. Why? Well his alter ego character played by Lou Ferriggo the big, huge green giant has Sun in Scorpio square Pluto. This is a radioactive and transformative aspect. Pluto is considered invincible and individuals often require super-human-strength and this planet is also the higher octave of Mars.

Neptune will re-enter Pisces on February 3rd, 2012 and we will see this beautiful oceanic planet influence mundane events, through fashion, movies and music. During its transit through its own sign of the fishes we are interested in the world that existed before birth and the one we will see after death.

We want to be able to grasp the larger picture, and there is a hopeless split between body and spirit. The astrological fishes represent this split and are symbolic of the longing for spirit and the insatiable hungers of the body. The split between heaven and earth represents the duality of Pisces. We long to transcend the boundaries of this world and explore the mysteries of life and death.

Neptune is associated with psychic, supernatural and spiritual experiences. When we are born we have a complete loss of any recollection of a life before this one. Many Neptune people often sense there is more than one reality, its felt like a perfume that’s lost some of its scent, but we can still vaguely perceive its trace. Pisces, the twelfth sign, marks the end of the entire cycle of life.

It was around Neptune’s discovery that people started trying to contact the other world, through séances, and attempting to slip onto a trance. Neptune in transit is a vulnerable time for people and they tend to attract great psychic and supernatural experiences. Through Neptune many memories lie dormant in the unconscious, and like a photograph album they are aroused by ideas, events, and people.

It is thought that reincarnation may reflect various issues which one is dealing with in the present, continuing effort, failures, successes, conflicts, carried over from successive lifetimes and we may have substance accrued from past lives. It is believed that when we die we see our whole life flash before us in a chain of events. We observe our life like a spectator from the outside, and our consecutive lives our thought to be pearls held together by a golden thread.

There are further beliefs that a child does not generate karma until he is seven years old and develops a moral conscious and astrologically, this coincides with the first Saturn square to natal Saturn. It is Neptune which can show us where we are suffering blindly and on a broader level wherever Neptune is, that is where a generation tries to experience its piece of heaven.

Neptune moving through the sign of Pisces is favourable to artists, writers, poets, healers, musicians who have the ability to tap into the deep well of inspiration and make earth a more beautiful place. Neptune favours all creative activity and makes us powerfully receptive to the unconscious. Those with dominant Neptune aspects in transit are, for a time, Neptune-haunted and the ghosts won’t go away until they have resolved their confusion, inner chaos and overwhelming feelings. Neptune transits bring up emotions that have been buried for a long time, and it is usually around this time that we also begin to feel awfully “homesick”.

To cope with Neptune we need to find a place in our lives for myths and music, poetry and imagination. During Neptune’s journey through Pisces we are also more open to Psychology. Jung is an example of Sun square Neptune; he spent a lifetime studying psychology, symbols and dreams. Dreams reveal relevant information about ourselves and Pisces represents the ability to colour outside the lines and change our perceptions of life quite dramatically. Pisces is a negative, mutable and night force sign, and she is considered the ultimate feminine symbol, and she lives in two worlds simultaneously.

I just want to say a big thanks for the donations. I haven't checked my emails for a long time, and it was lovely to be notified of such generous donations. Every penny does help keep the site going and I appreciate every bit of help through donations, links to the site, and facebooking.

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This article contains information on Moon conjunct Mercury, Moon square Mercury, and Moon opposite Mercury. For a more in-depth interpretation refer to this post Moon-Mercury Aspects.

Pssst…, yeah you, come here…Want to know the ugly truth about Moon-Mercury aspects? They just so neeeeeeeed (Moon) to write/talk about everything. You think I am being excessive and talking behind their backs and don’t believe me????? Just check out relationship songstress and serial diarist, Taylor Swift. That’s right, Miss Teardrops on her Guitar has the Moon in Cancer (feely, feely) opposite Mercury (talk that talk) and she is famous for being autobiographical in her songs.

“This is good combination for talking about everyday matters, and potentially for understanding and discussing feelings. Excellent for keeping a journal; maybe everyone with these contacts would benefit from keeping a diary. It can also be associated with imaginative writing, soap operas and kitchen sink dramas. Also gossip on the one hand, and with sympathetic communication on the other. “ By Sue Tompkins, The Contemporary Astrologer

Actually (whispers in ear) Miss Taylor also has Mercury conjunct Neptune (fantasy, poetry, and fairy tales) and certainly has some insightful and imaginative quotes. Here is one of my faves:

“When I was a little girl I used to read fairy tales. In fairy tales you meet Prince Charming and he's everything you ever wanted. In fairy tales the bad guy is very easy to spot. The bad guy is always wearing a black cape so you always know who he is. Then you grow up and you realize that Prince Charming is not as easy to find as you thought. You realize the bad guy is not wearing a black cape and he's not easy to spot; he's really funny, and he makes you laugh, and he has perfect hair.”

The girl has won a national poetry contest with a three page poem. Swift likes to spends her time writing songs to let out her emotions, so she is a natural with words.

“Swift's lyrics are highly autobiographical; she has said that "If you listen to my albums, it’s like reading my diary." For example, the song "Forever & Always" was inspired by her relationship with Joe Jonas, while the song "Hey Stephen" was written about a boy whom she toured with in the past. "Fifteen" was written about her freshman year of high school. It has been said that her lyrics "can be tinged with acid: the quiet loner girl getting one over on the cheerleaders, or a caustic payback for the boy who dumped her." She has also indicated that she tries to write so her fans can relate to the lyrics, saying "My goal is to never write songs that my fans can't relate to."

Relatable and emotional is the Moon's role and writing is Mercury’s gift. Those with Moon-Mercury aspects have the ability for daily tasks and all mental matters, and there are usually skills in writing, lecturing, teaching, and all other means of communicating ideas, news and information. There may also be great sensitivity in communicating.

The Moon-Mercury conjunction according to Charles Carter indicates a powerful brain and fertile imagination. However, the main disadvantage is their deep sensitivity when it comes to words. The hard Moon-Mercury aspects are considered less stable mentally, and there is sometimes a sharp tongue present. The backbiting, lying, gossiping and slandering is seen as an excessive expression of this aspect by Carter.

The aspect invites criticism, and these natives are often highly strung, restless and excitable. Moon-Mercury people may also be impressed upon with family prejudices and limited points of view. They have also been accused of bringing in all matters of the family into conversation. I have Moon conjunct Mercury and I don’t bring my domestic life into the conversation much. I may have mentioned I had a baby recently 1 or 10 times;-p and brought up a couple of domestic spats. I am probably worse than swift, and I will blog about you!!

Sue Tompkins says Moon-Mercury people have factual indigestion problems when it comes to feeding ourselves with too much information. True to form, there was a time I posted three times a day on the blog. You would never starve on my website. Moon-Mercury people also observe what goes on in daily life and create interesting narratives according to Sue.

“There is often a need to discuss feelings and the everyday trials and tribulations of domestic life. The ups and downs in the family, the goings on with the neighbours”.

Sue Tompkins calls Moon-Mercury’s observations witty, and humorous, but they often misinterpret events around them, sometimes from a rather subjective view.

Basically, what it really boils down to, is Moon-Mercury people will let their feelings be known, and they often live for knowledge, words, and information. The mind is terribly affected by the subconscious, and there is an extreme curiosity in these people, they just neeeeed to know. I do like the way Sue Tompkins picks ups on the chart of coronation Street, and says the Moon-Mercury square…is a good aspect for gossiping.

If we return to the serial diary making nature of some of these individuals, we also find one of the greatest diarists of all time in fiction: Mr Adrian Mole. The creator and writer of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole has Moon-Mercury conjunct in the 3rd house.

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾ is the first book in the Adrian Mole series of comedic fiction, written by Sue Townsend. The book is written in a diary style, and focuses on the worries and regrets of a teenager who believes himself to be an intellectual. The story is in 1981 and 1982, and in the background it refers to some of the historic world events of the time, such as the Falklands War and the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana. Apart from the humorous events described in the diary, a lot of the book's humour originates from the unreliable narration of Mole, who naïvely, yet confidently, misinterprets events around him.

My sister has Sun conjunct Venus and is the only one in our family who we call “spoilt”. While yours truly, (Sun-Saturn) accepted hand-me-downs and was sooooo-like mature that she understood her parents couldn’t afford to buy her the latest fashion (Saturn is considered malefic and hard done by in traditional astrology and Venus is considered a benefic). My younger sister got brand new stuff, received more pocket money, and to top it all, was extremely popular at school. It is unreal paralleling our two different realties. Generally speaking, Sun-Venus is a nice contact to have in a chart, and you have the ability to use charm to get what you want, and usually when you want something you “deserve” it.

Venus represents love, beauty, and sociability, and tends to be easy-going and affectionate. Though, many astrologers accuse Sun-Venus of possessing an element of narcissism or self-centredness. I am sure you are all as sweet as can be, and have a decidingly pleasant disposition. However, it’s your ability to attract people, admiration and material benefits that create rivalry, Depending on other chart configurations you want a relatively easy life, and there may be a tendency towards laziness and self-indulgence, vanity, and to expect the universe to grant your every wish.

Pop star, Kylie Minogue, has a Sun-Venus conjunction in Gemini, and released an album called: Aphrodite (after the goddess of love – Venus). Throughout her career there were many sisterly comparisons between her and Dannii Minogue. Kylie has been referred to as the more beautiful, adorned, and talented goddess. It’s really not fair…However; they both played it off humorously and this really is the best approach to take. The picture above of Kylie and Dannii reminds me of my childhood growing up with an attractive, popular, and charming sister (coughs—sploilt brat ;-p).

The stage performance of Aphrodite is stunning and very artistic and she plays the modern day Venus beautifully…