Spiritual Astrology in January-February 2009 Pt. 1 - Finishing Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto Lessons Preparing for Threshold States

by Robert Wilkinson

In the Spiritual Astrology series, we explore Spiritual factors of the outer planets creating fields within which we demonstrate our Higher Self as we stand individually and collectively at the threshold of a new era. Today we explore the quality of the larger fields, what we are being taught, and how to cooperate with All-That-Is.

I outlined more about the differences in the lessons we learn from direct or retrograde Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto motion in the article Spiritual Astrology in December 2008 and January-February 2009 - Uranus and Neptune Direct Finishing Lessons As Pluto Enters An Unknown Zone. If you're interested in a more in-depth look at what this phenomenon means, after you're done here please visit that article.

The Pluto Effect for January-February 2009

In 2008, Pluto danced around the end of Sagittarius, with 29 Sag a key point of focus. That degree had been its RX station in Spring 2007, beginning a process helping us all "get in shape." In November and December 2007 it went through the last degrees of Sag, entering its "unknown zone" of the first degrees of Capricorn in January 2008. This marked a moment of cosmic shift, since we hadn't experienced this span of degrees in 250 years, mas o menos.

It went retrograde at 2 Capricorn on April 2, 2008 and retraced its span of February and March through mid-June, when it re-entered Sag for the last time in this 250 year cycle. It RX'd back to 29 Sag and went direct in early September, and re-entered Capricorn in late November. It retraced its path through the first two degrees of Capricorn and now prepares to enter another "unknown zone" in late January.

When retrograde, it brings us feedback from external and subconscious sources about how well we're handling our Pluto purification challenge, and come to awareness of what needs to be transformed by what seeds we glimpse in "the underworld" of inner and outer things.

Then, when Pluto goes direct in motion, we see seeds of our larger transformative purification process come forth within a vast field of core powers. You can apply this principle to all planets by adjusting according to planetary dominions.

Pluto's Capricorn lessons for 2008-09 are teaching us through activities involving crystalized power or authority, both destructive and integrative. We are seeing how cohesive our "group work" really is when in unfamiliar territory. Through forms of pleasure and "self-exploitation," we will see larger social-collective techniques to organize things more efficiently.

For this particular period, especially from January 22 through the end of February, Pluto entering an "unknown zone" is teaching us through our powerful yearning for new experience or to bring something forth, for good or ill. We can find our "inner and pure motivation" in ways that help us transcend physical limitations through demonstrating free will. We can deal with much through demonstrating detachment.

The Neptune Effect for January-February 2009

In November 2008, Neptune went stationary direct at 22 Libra, beginning the completion of "collective consciousness lessons" we began to learn back when Neptune first hit that degree in March 2007. In this period it's now moving through 23-25 degrees of Aquarius, preparing to move into an "unknown zone" in March 2009. Thus January and February 2009 are weeks to examine once again the Neptunian experiences we've moved through the past two years.

Due to what was unveiled in 2006, in 2007 we were challenged to rise to some occasion, show our strength, and use everything at our disposal to deal with "an exaggeration of life-problems" revealing our truth and expanding us. To the degree we did this, we reaped rewards from Spirit for moving through crises with courage and strength.

The last half of 2007 began a training period of self-induced movement and self-discipline, where we learned to build adequate vehicles to demonstrate our spiritual awareness and power. Many of us found we were able to do things beyond what we believed.

We're finishing up these conditions January 2009 and will then move into the next phase of learning or teaching deep wisdom on the basis of our experiences, demonstrating dispassion and self-discipline. This is helping us be more volitional, less instinctive in how we approach problems, and find "alien ideas" that open new choices.

Another major long wave Neptunian influence involves the February 2008 Aquarius Solar Eclipse which occupied the same "unveiling" degree that Neptune activated in 2006. While before it was a vague notion, dream, or ideal (Neptune), it's now become a reality with each transit of 18 Aquarius, since Eclipses are very long range in their effects.

That could mean that a previous thing we dreaded to see, or an ideal we longed for, has begun to "unveil" itself and come to form with each transit of that degree. This has major implications for February 2009, since Sun, Mars, and Mercury transiting that point activate much that will be expanded by Jupiter in late March 2009.

Between late February and early September 2008, Neptune was in virgin territory on a collective consciousness level. Whenever the outers enter a zone they haven't occupied for a whole cycle, it introduces new dimensions of transpersonal experience.

Due to Neptune's transit span the next few weeks, we're getting yet another dose of these lessons involving dispassion, using experience to demonstrate intelligent responses, and "self-conquering." Be willing to embrace different ideas to deal with problems, both your own and others', manage and transmute your emotional-social energies, and contribute to the collective wisdom.

Through the first two weeks of March, 2009, we're still retracing the span Neptune first explored in May-June 2008. By mid-March 2009, Neptume will again enter an unknown zone of collective experience.

The Uranus Effect for January-February 2009

First, some background. In 2007 Uranus the Individualizer brought us results from facing inner fears and becoming more physically, emotionally, and mentally ready, willing and able to move into a larger realm. We proved our worth or qualifications and received rewards, techniques of protection and camouflage, and opportunities to rehearse our new individuality in dramatic or important circumstances.

In May-June 2007, Uranus entered a zone it hadn't occupied for over 80 years, showing we were at a threshold state of discovery, revolution, and individuation. We finished the lessons begun then in December 2008.

Uranus' RX station at 19 Pisces late June 2007 dominated the Summer and Autumn of that year, releasing many from old "race" karma. We could begin to understand recent and future events with intelligence, synthesizing our previous survey of life into forms of Soul energy strengthening us physically.

Uranus retrogrades from June through November at this time in history. These retrograde periods challenge us to consolidate the awakenings in the early part of each year by internalizing them and seeing how we could become more autonomous, inventive, broad-visioned and connected to the life around us.

The overall Uranian theme of 2007-2009 has been an "instruction by our Master," and by accepting our excellence and effectiveness we have been able to move through unstable imbalances with relative ease. We have been learning to eliminate all that diverges from our special skills that ultimately are leading us to perfect and enjoy our individuality.

In 2008, beginning March-April, an "ordeal" ended, and we could gather our strength and magnetism, finding "spiritual nourishment" that opened new potentials and helped us expand in ways so we could demonstrate our "success in meeting the challenge of a new order." We began to "codify new values" and were challenged to hold ourselves to our highest standards.

In May-June 2008, Uranus the Individualizer (a.k.a the Higher Law of Synthesis) continued to offer opportunities to individuate through living the new set of life standards that were emerging. Our successes since then have confirmed our new patterns.

Mid-May 2008 Uranus moved into its stationary degree where it remained through the first week of August. This degree of "a materializing medium" summoning "ghostly shapes" symbolizes our power to command the natural world by understanding and conforming to its laws. We reviewed all that preceded this degree through Uranus' Summer and Autumn RX period, then began anew new ways to apply our individual realizations when it went stationary direct in November.

So now, in January and February 2009, we again re-experience in direct motion the lessons first introduced March-May 2008, and can see how to deal with individuation lessons we reviewed August through November 2008. By late March, Uranus will again enter an "unknown zone," leading to catharses and fulfillments by mid-2009.

Uranus symbolizes our transpersonal ability to become a true individual. Since Summer 2008, we have been learning about how to display some inner powers to demonstrate our mastery of a form of life force. Those who have resisted these lessons of individualization have gone passive or felt victimized by life in some way.

Uranus now demands that we cooperate with our immortal potential and give continual attention to what reality we would see made manifest to achieve a clearer picture of the results we desire. We are learning our individual ways of shaping our lives using our Higher sensitivity through cutting through confused perspectives.

Tomorrow we will explore important aspects being made to the outer Invisible Triad so we can understand what is opening, what is closing, and what is at a turning point.

Copyright © 2009 Robert Wilkinson

Comments

[stephanielmt]

Hi Robert!

Thank you for your insights in this article. It resonates very soundly with me and brings a sense of peace that all is in divine and perfect order. I can be impatient at times and get worried that "life/processes" will stop moving forward. I am learning patience and detachment and realizing that often times lifes bigger manifestations take a while longer to happen outwardly!! I like that you focus on life in general and how we are evolving spiritually. So often astrology websites will only talk about what is happening in the economy or in the corporate business world with larger planetary events. Makes it difficult to apply personally :)
Is it safe to say that whatever large life "themes" I have noticed that have been progressing with the above time frames is probably the areas that will continue to unfold with further planetary developments in these areas? Thank you for further insight here
Steph

[Meg]

Hello Robert,

Thank your for this article. The last year was a very big one for me in terms of relationships with all the people around me and for self empowerment and connecting with my higher self. I particularly like this series of articles because if I look on the year and the dates when these planets went retrograde, something major happened in 2 or 3 days surrounding EACH event. It's quite amazing. And in many ways things feel now like they're either coming to a climax or concluding (or coming to a fork such that a decision will be made between these two events...). Pluto's in the sixth, Uranus is in the 7th (conjuncting Jupiter), and Neptune is in the 8th house in my natal chart... the action's all inside me! I'm also a little tired of the same old things going around and around and am quite looking forward to moving on in the next few months.... I guess Saturn retrograde may slow down the moving on..

Anyway, thanks, and I'm looking forward to tomorrow's installment.

[Robert]

Hi Stephanielmt - You're most welcome. Glad these words help to point out a larger view of the Spiritual process of existence. Yes, while some realizations and breakthroughs grow as fast as grass, other processes are more like bristlecone pines, taking centuries to come to fruition. Yes, you may infer that some elements related to the outer planets' influence in your life will be lessons you'll be realizing and practicing for a long time to come. As we make Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto our friends, we become these in our world depending on our personal chart inclinations, and find they're all working together anyway.

Hi Meg - The days around a retrograde or direct station of the outer Invisible Triad are like major changes in the tides. This can help us frame the shifts in terms of the larger process and not fall into wondering like "there's something happening here but you don't know what it is, do you Mr. Jones?..." The outer planets moving into long range oppositions and squares will bring us collectively to a climax. Where these fall in our charts is where the larger forces of transpersonal evolution will work themselves out in our lives and affairs. Saturn RX can help you consolidate recent lessons, and prepare for a role you'll uphold for a long while.