VIRGO (August 23 - September 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 compatible sign for you. After Venus goes direct Feb. 3^rd it continues in the sign of Capricorn through March 5^th, 2006, a  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 5^th house sector of creativity, children and romance and consequently this is a very comfortable place for the goddess planet Venus.  This entire period is excellent for all creative ventures, to having fun on vacations and especially with affairs of the heart. But when Venus goes retrograde love matters could get a little bumpy but it’s still a good time to work alone on any artistic projects. When the retrograde period is over your difficulties with children, creative projects or affairs of the heart will be over and the joy will return in full bloom.

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 12^th house sector of the shadow, or the hidden dimensions of our lives and all the behind the scene activities until September 2, 2007. Saturn in the 12^th is a time of preparations, studying, rehearsing or incubating ideas for its debut and manifestation to the world when Saturn moves into your sun sign September 2, 2007.  The transit of Saturn in the 12^th is a time to prepare psychologically as well as physically developing new products, skills or ideas to be best presented when Saturn enters Virgo in 2007. 

Saturn in the 12^th is a time of solitude, study, spirituality and healing. This is also the area concerned with past karma and actions, which need resolving and releasing, before you can move into your next big cycle as Saturn enters your sign. This can be a time to investigate psychology and your own psyche. This is when you need to appreciate all things instinctive, clairvoyant, intuitive and creative at an artistic level, as Virgo often gets caught up in mental games and forgets that inspiration lives beyond the mind.

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 6^th house sector of work and health issues from 1998 through 2012 and not again for 168 years.   Neptune is a nebulous energy often working behind the scenes and when it is affecting you at your job you might be experiencing co-workers or employees who have been less than honest.  But with Neptune you could be the dishonest one. It could also play out that your job skills are being phased out and you aren’t being told or you are not paying attention to the obvious.  When it pertains to your health the person is often oblivious to what is happening within their body until it’s too late. This is an important period to eat right and get regular medical checkups. Neptune also rules the hard to diagnosis ailments so you may very well know that you are sick but the doctors can’t figure out what is wrong and unable to treat you properly. The Saturn Neptune dilemma is for you to search deeper into the mysteries of your psyche to more fully understand what is going on with your body and your work patterns.  The answer lies within you that you have been ignoring.

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 3^rd house sector of writing, traveling, ideas and learning. Comprehending exactly what is happening to you mentally is how Virgo’s best handle their challenges.  The Jupiter transit is excellent for the mind to expand and grasp on an intellectual level new concepts.  One of the keys for self-awareness could be consulting a therapist or studying psychology or even self-help books.

Jupiter is transiting your 3^rd house sector of communications and siblings.  The 3^rd also rules writing, speaking, classes, selling and all forms of correspondence and Jupiter will expand your interest in any of these activities and add a touch of luck.  The 3^rd also rules short trips and many of you could be very busy traveling on short business trips or just many weekend getaways. 

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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