 by Maya del Mar Each month we will give the dates of the month’s planetary "stations" in this spot. From Earth’s standpoint, planets periodically reverse their direction. We call this a retrograde period. It is a time to assimilate that planet’s energies, to bring them home to us and work with them on inner levels. During retrograde times, people are idiosyncratic—more true to their natures—in their expression of the retrograde energy. On the days surrounding a planet’s "turn," it is moving very slowly or standing still in the heavens. We call this a station. Energy is very pronounced then, and events on earth reflect that emphasis. During the few days around the directional change of a planet, its action manifests more strongly. We can see its principle more clearly then. Pay attention to the station days. They’re always significant. We have only two turns this month, but they are major. On February 8 both Saturn and Mercury turn direct. Saturn is the energy of government-business, and authority and structures. Mercury is communication and connection, the glue that puts everything together. Saturn has been retrograde since September. Its retrograde period has been marked by the wars on Afghanistan, and on domestic civil liberties. Mercury has been retrograde for three weeks. Its retrograde was marked by the Enron scandal, the exploding Israel/Palestine conflict, and the world furor over the U.S. inhumane treatment of Taliban prisoners in Cuba. Retrograde is the preparatory, or review, phase. The direct turn gives a green light to move forward in a new direction with all of the retrograde issues. (What have they been for you?) With Saturn and Mercury now both related to commerce, these include all institutional building, and commerce in general. Mercury turns in Saturn’s natural sign, Capricorn, and on a strong New Moon in Capricorn cycle. Saturn is thus very well supported. What does Mercury have in mind? He has been chatting with strategist Pallas Athena, and defense of the Capricornian establishment is his focus. He returns to Aquarius in a few days, and will advise Saturn to carry forward this strategic plan using new, innovative tools. Saturn, in turn, is trine Neptune, and feeds right into Neptunian dreams and visions. Neptune is in a new degree of Aquarius, and is now opening to new visions. They are Pallas Athena’s visions—of systems of defense for the establishment. Saturn also conjoins the U.S. Uranus in Gemini, which is historically connected with war. Given the visions abroad now in the U.S., it looks like the focused building shown by all of Saturn involvement is about creating a new form of industrial-defense complex. To make new weapons, we have to have wars—as excuse and as practice. And it looks like the major Pluto-Saturn structural change in the U.S. is from a peace-seeking nation to a war-making nation. This is our final push into our identity as a Warrior State. There are huge ramifications to this shift. We are being—and have been—introduced to some of them by those master propagandists—Neptune and Pluto, now off to new adventures in the cosmos. Back to top  |