Dear fellow astrologers:
Cut it out. Stop scaring people with one-sided interpretations of so-called “malefic” planets.
“Oh, no! Pluto just entered my 2nd House! Do you think I’ll get fired? Or lose my clients?”
:::: long, heavy, sigh ::::
Generally, I try not to “teach” astrology in my posts and in my consultations; you come to an astrologer because you’re seeking interaction about a situation, in most cases. If you want to learn how to interpret your particular planetary alignment, there are schools, courses, and a plethora of online resources for that. However, if you want an interpretation of those alignments from a particular perspective, go get it from a competent astrologer.
One sign of a competent astrologer is that they don’t assign rote, iron-clad roles to each planetary body, and relegate those roles to “good” and “bad” sides of a polarity.
The reality is that each planetary body, house, and alignment has its own particular flavor, and no flavor is in itself positive or negative.
Just because you like Brussels sprouts doesn’t mean I do, but that doesn’t give me license to label Brussels sprouts as “bad tasting.”
“But Sam, I make my living as a performer; the 5th House of creativity is important in my life, and I have Jupiter there. I sing, I dance, and I act. But now that Saturn has made a square to my 5th house Jupiter, I fear that I’m in for a long stretch of scarcity. Maybe my gigs will dry up!”
Squares are “bad,” aren’t they?
And goodness knows Saturn is a ball and chain clamped around everything it touches, also right?
From my perspective, it depends entirely upon your level of awareness; your experience of being integrated and whole with all that is around you — or lack of this awareness — will decide.
If you hold to a stubborn belief that you are an individual that most survive against this cruel world that is exclusively out to get you, fending for your Self and fighting off the slings and arrows, then the lens you’ve strapped to your perception will most likely render your life circumstance as restrictive. In the example above, a slow-down in calls from your agent is a sure sign that your career is in decline.
Contrariwise, if you understand that the universe of which you’re a part includes energies that are prodding and stimulating, much like a chiropractor or bodywork professional whose pressure upon you is unpleasant for the moment, but ultimately beneficial, your experience is likely to be quite different.
Back to our example, Saturn rules discipline and mindful focus; think Malcom Gladwell’s 10,000-hour rule. Saturn in a motivating, stimulating square to your expansive, creative 5th House Jupiter could very well lead you into a period of practice and study that hones one or more of your expressive disciplines to an area of refinement that is far higher than you ever thought possible.
Both interpretations of this alignment are valid.
But I almost always see the latter, rather than the former, and if so, does it matter how it comes about?
The message is more important than the messenger.
Summary
When you know the truth, “good,” “bad,” “right,” and “wrong” become distractions
Understand that you are an integral part of a developing story; one that literally has no end. Everything is unfolding.
When you come across a horoscope, reading, or astrologer that is touting doom and gloom, do a little research as to the other extreme of the energies they are interpreting. For example, a big Neptune transit doesn't necessarily mean you’ll be spacey and distracted, it could be an opportunity for following your intuition and listening to your spirit.