Forecasting with Cycles      ~ in 2001 ~

The rule in cycles interpretation is that the slower planets show the main collective trends on the background, that is to say from Mars to Pluto. Then appear the rapid cycles with the Sun and the Moon, plus Mercury, Venus and Mars. I put Mars on both sides because it's the one that interacts between the individual (living on Earth, and centred on the Sun) and the outside world that the outer planets orbits suggest. Also, sometimes Mars behaves like a slow planet (in it's retrograde phase as it was this year) or like a rapid planet (as it is when direct, near to it's conjunction to the Sun). To continue the idea of this paragraph, it is when the rapid cycles add up to and trigger the slow cycles, that we witness more actualization of the slow cycle's meanings.

The planets move also into even a more universal cycle : the one called the tropical zodiac ! The 12 signs and their position around the equator give the symbols of the rules of balanced incarnation on global Earth. What follows is inspired from what I learned long time ago from Jean-Pierre-Nicola in "La condition solaire" (dating from 1984) and from Dane Rudhyar's book on the zodiac "Astrology signs, the pulse of life" (1943 & 1978).

I had described this year 2001 as ambivalent because of the strong oppositions occurred in signs that are very different from each other, in terms of what we see of them, among others, when the Sun passes them. They represent opposite point of views : the daylight in Gemini, where we see the ascending and dominating daylight taking over, while in Sagittarius, de descending Sun is pushed away by the ascending nights. But all this depends also on your point of view that is only half of the reality ! On the 21 December, you may complain to be cold in a freezing environment, when in Australia, they'll say, well not really, here we are too hot ! Both are right from their own point of view…

Back to our Gemini-Sagittarius opposition where day/night forces are still growing, I'm not surprised to witness little wars here and there, where some people seem to want to fight or impose their opposite views on each other (Air/Fire axis). I think that the reputation of adaptability of these signs in only due to the fact that they have to face what is coming after them. First the Solstice standstill slowly reversing the trend, then comes the Capricorn/Cancer (Earth/Water) axis where the dominant side is descending… This axis has to hold back and become somehow more mature to conciliate the opposite realities. Laws and rules come out off the recent learned lessons. Let's protect life against the risks of abuses. Let's control it a bit more to insure more security and survival of the tribe. Time is for questioning the real reasons of oppositions and slowly think about appropriate adjustments. We may therefore have to wait June 2003, that Saturn reaches 0° Cancer to hope for best starting point of social maturity (1). As Gemini-Sagittarius rimes with open confrontation between opposite views, Capricorn-Cancer rimes with its digestion, thinking and draft planning (the real architect being Aquarius, helped by Taurus the builder, Leo the decorator and Scorpio the purifier).

Before that, we may see other extremes because 2002 is transited by a parallel between Uranus and Pluto, at a declination corresponding to the fixed signs, Aquarius for Uranus and Scorpio for Pluto. It is with the determination of the collective that we can make the difference. Every act we do has consequences. If most of us try to behave like fair dolphins instead of selfish sharks, we'll see guaranteed improvements globally. I'm a bit idealistic here, but really, there no choice when forecasting forward if we want our planet to cope with it's actual situation. Our situation is not comparable to the past because the situation has changed since antiquity. We deal now with masses of populations compared with the old times. The old strategy doesn't work as it used to before, were small groups have to obey their small churches. Now the World has become global.

Even women are allowed to write what they think on the net… This morning I received another typical email from a friend : "I've stopped looking for a boyfriend, because after all my experiences, I feel better without ! Most are machos, behave like babies and take too much time to be looked after". So you see, the problem is universal, even still there in our own society. We've made a lot of progress, I admit (some women even have sadly turned back unfairly against their exhausted and depleted husbands), but mentalities seem to take time to change. It's a bit like searching for the lost paradise, hoping to go back to mummy's womb. Women also have to improve, particularly the way they educate their boys and girls. We are ALL responsible for our ways of living and their consequences. Sorry for those of you that look for pure magic into astrology (to solve some selfishness maybe), other sites may suit your quest better than this one !

The problem we witness between North/South division can also be seen between siblings, neighbours or within couples. When one tends to dominate the other, behaving in an unfair manner, problem will rise soon or later, on both sides. As on the big scale, where some in power abuse it. Some county leaders have sucked their people's wealth, some company directors have allowed themselves astronomical salaries to the detriment of their company, workers, clients and shareholders. Some companies sell unethical products (like sterile seeds, able to grow but not to reproduce again). This excess of materialism maybe linked to the past transits of Mars, Jupiter and Saturn in Taurus (squaring Neptune and Uranus in Aquarius). Then Jupiter and Saturn moved in Gemini where they face Pluto (the hidden and unsolved problems).

On the mundane level, history seem to witness heavier wars or crises when a few slow planets transit near solstice points (Gemini, Cancer, Sagittarius, Capricorn). Those that make decision should look carefully at their consequences.

I would not be surprised if lawyers specialized in "divorce" confirm that this year was harsher than average to facilitate agreements. Even in cases where the split is just the consequence of evolutions in different direction. We may again have to wait that Saturn moves out of Gemini to help more maturity in settlements. The relationship between male/female forces also lies within the motion of the Moon Node. Read 'Times ahead for feminine values'.

As said elsewhere, we often hear about the bad news, forgetting the good ones. We can keep in mind the forecast I'd also made for this Gemini-Sagittarius opposition : these 2 signs inspire curiosity, the process of learning, explore, discover, exchange, communicate ideas or philosophies. The duality implicated by the day/night differences can enlarge our perception by acceptance of duality in all things. Even coins have two faces. I bet a lot of you, reading this text, have acquired knowledge and have achieved good work since the Taurus conjunctions of 2000 ! It was a good time to start building the plans erected by Uranus and Neptune in Aquarius and to develop the new collective ideals towards reality. These long term efforts will continue their path and deploy their positive consequences.

Where we suffer now is related to problems that were already there, before Pluto showed his black coat. Saturn is the planet that helps to structure life. So if we've structured seriously, in accordance to what limits mean, we should be all right now (for instance, our freedom stops where one's freedom starts). But if we've structured in an unbalanced manner, we are in trouble. Personally, with Saturn transit opposing my natal Saturn, I've been in trouble physically because of my recent lack of physical training (spending too many hours standing still at the desk). But it is not too late to react and start regular training again. I know it will pay accordingly to the amount of efforts I will put in, and this because nobody else can do it for me ! Up to now it's the only bad effect I feel personally from Pluto transit on natal Saturn. And plenty of good things are also happening around these transits ! This is just to say that transits today can operate in a positive manner, like in the areas of life where we are generous (Jupiter), straight (Saturn) and pure (Pluto). Let's not dramatise.


© Astrid Fallon, 2001. Sheffield, 1st October 2001 - Edited mainly the 5 last paragraphs, 9th October 2001

(1) Comment added on 4th October 2003 :
But really, we'll have to wait until 2 april 2004 that Saturn crosses it's saturnistice (it's maxima of declination). Therefore, the forecast is to be delayed at least until that date :-((