NorthPoint Astrology Journal:  Your guide to planetary energies for November 23 to 29, 2015 By Pam Younghans

NorthPoint Astrology Journal 

Your guide to planetary energies for November 23 to 29, 2015 By Pam Younghans Highlighted Aspects This Week MON: Venus quincunx Chiron, Venus opposite Uranus, Mars sextile Saturn TUE: Sun sesquiquadrate Uranus, Mars quincunx Neptune, Mercury conjunct Saturn, Mercury square Neptune WED: Mercury sextile Mars, Full Moon 2:44pm PST THU: Saturn square Neptune FRI: Chiron stations direct SAT: Venus sesquiquadrate Neptune, Venus semisquare Saturn SUN: Sun square Neptune, Sun conjunct Saturn THE FIRST OF THREE Saturn-Neptune squares is exact by degree on Thursday of this week. But, as is true for all aspects that involve slower-moving planets, the effects of this square are much longer lived than just the one day in which it is technically exact. As we look back over the past few weeks, we can see the evidence of this influence. Recent events have tested our understanding of life's meaning (Saturn in Sagittarius) and also challenged us to transcend the "normal" human perspective so that we might find and radiate peace (Neptune in Pisces). THE ISSUES brought forward by this Saturn-Neptune square relate back to 1989, when the two planets were aligned. That was the beginning of the Saturn-Neptune "synodic cycle," which means that certain themes were established at that time, themes that humanity has been working with in various ways since then. Each of us has our own memories of 1989, where we were, what was important to us, what we believed in, and how we found ways to transcend issues that at the time may have engendered fear and disbelief. 1989 was the year of the protests in Tianenmen Square and the Exxon Valdez oil spill. But, it was also the year that the Berlin Wall fell, and the first International Conference on the Limitation of Chemical Weapons was held. I DON'T CONSIDER MYSELF a Pollyanna by any means, and yet I do believe in the positive intentions of the universe, and that we are ultimately moving forward -- even if, at times, all we can see is that we seem to have taken two steps backward. But, once we've come to terms with a different version of reality than we had anticipated, we can use apparent setbacks or challenges to propel us forward. And, when seen from the higher perspective, that is really the objective of the challenges in the first place. What might be the higher objectives of this Saturn-Neptune square? We have to consider what both planets usually require of us, and also the themes of the signs involved. SATURN is the lesson-bringer, the planet that teaches us responsibility, discipline, and maturity. Saturn requires that we come to terms with the sometimes harsh realities of life on planet Earth, and that we develop the inner strength to manage those realities. While in Sagittarius, Saturn is testing our faith, our ability to find meaning in life events, and our level of maturity when dealing with cultures and beliefs that are foreign to us. Whereas Saturn requires a rational and practical response to life's challenges, Neptune has a very different agenda. When this mystical planet comes knocking on our door, it asks us to develop qualities that are most often called "spiritual": the ability to rise above life's dramas, to find peace, to be in compassion, and to understand the interconnectedness of all life. While Neptune is in Pisces, we can feel like the very ground beneath our feet is tenous, as Neptune dissolves our attachments to certain manifestations so that we reconnect with a greater reality. IT'S EASY TO SEE how it can be difficult working with two planets with such different objectives. On the one hand, Saturn tells us to be practical and face reality; on the other hand, Neptune informs us that what we define as "reality" is actually a very small part of what exists, much like the tip of an enormous iceberg. As we work with this Saturn-Neptune square, and do our best to fulfill the demands of both, we'll need to watch carefully to make sure we don't fall into the sand traps and water hazards that seem to be on both sides of the path we're walking. We can recognize when we're caught in these pitfalls by the negative emotions and attitudes we observe in ourselves: fear, despair, bigotry, dogmatism, apathy, escapism, addictive behaviors, disillusionment, overwhelm, and discouragement. OUR CHALLENGE is to use the energies of this Saturn-Neptune square to both raise our individual perspective and evolve our collective response. Square aspects, by definition, provide us with obstacles to life as usual. It is in overcoming the obstacles of this particular square that we have the opportunity to advance to new levels of maturity and realism (Saturn) while also opening to greater transcendence, inspiration, and oneness (Neptune). Due to the retrograde (backward motion) phases of Saturn and Neptune, we will repeat this square aspect twice more, on June 17 and September 10, 2016. This means that issues we are aware of now will likely continue to play out over the next 10 to 12 months. Of course, we'll want to watch events and attitudes related to the themes of this square on Thursday of this week, when the square is exact. But, we will also want to be alert on Tuesday, when Mercury aligns with Saturn and squares Neptune; on Saturday, when Venus forms aspects with both Saturn and Neptune; and again on Sunday, when the Sun aligns with Saturn and squares Neptune. I'LL BE TALKING more about this Saturn-Neptune square in my upcoming teleclass, entitled "Faith & Transcendence, Meanings & Purposes." The class, which will air live on Monday, January 4, will cover the astrological influences for the first six months of 2016. If you're interested in learning more, please read on: http://www.northpointastrology.com/northpoint-journal.html