Breaking the T

By Len Wallick

By the time you read this, old Sol will have both feet in Libra and the full opposition of the luminaries will have passed. This places us solidly into the transitional phase of what we have repeatedly referred to as the cardinal T-square. This is not to say that the astrology has changed overnight.

Gradually, however, some components of a long standing pattern have been changing their relationship to the rest. We are now at a point where we can begin referring to at least one of those elements in the past tense.

Go back to our little drill of drawing a circle, divided into four equal segments by a cross. Remember that? The cross in the circle is a simplified zodiac. Each line in the cross represents the beginning of a cardinal sign, a new season. Thus the circle is divided into four parts, one for each season. One line for the beginning of Aries, one for Cancer, one for Libra and one for Capricorn.

Our simplified diagram illustrated the relationship between cardinal signs. Each of the four points where the cross intersects the circle are either opposed to or at right angle to any of the other three. For a long time now we have envisioned four planets occupying three of those points.

Hence the shape of the letter “T” lent its name to the interpretation of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Pluto relative to each other. This has been our template through which we have filtered and interpreted the cycles of our solar system and the relationship of those cycles to events in our individual and collective lives.

How far away from one of those three cardinal points must a planet move before the template of the “T” is no longer considered useful? That’s a good question. As is usually the case with astrology, the answer is a matter of individual interpretation. Your faithful servant feels that for Saturn the time has now come. The reasoning is based on three observations.

First, Saturn has completed a defining process of moving back and forth across the line between Virgo and Libra three times. By contrast, Jupiter and Uranus have passed the Aries point but twice, their third crossing will be next year. Only Pluto has duplicated Saturn’s hat trick, having completed the Sagittarius-to-Capricorn trifecta back in 2008.

Next, two things in turn distinguish Saturn from Pluto. Because of a smaller orbit, the ringed one has a faster apparent motion. Also, Saturn spends less time in retrograde. As result, after two months Saturn is now twice as far into Libra as compared to Pluto’s current position after two years.

Finally — and this is where your curmudgeon correspondent is reaching way down into his intuition — Saturn has now reached the point of squaring the lunar nodes in the cardinal signs Capricorn and Cancer.

What? You may ask, what does that have to do with anything? Well, please breathe it in and hold on to it for a moment. There is some madness in the method that just might appeal to you. The lunar nodes have long reminded yours truly of Ginger Rogers. She’s the extraordinary human being who duplicated every step of that great dancer, Fred Astaire, spontaneously, in real time, backwards and in high heels. Think about that. It’s sort of like sustaining a relationship. Responding to your partner on the fly while staying balanced and in harmony.

Sure, each node has its own identity. The North node is the point where the orbit of the Moon rises above the solar ecliptic. Thus it is physiologically associated with the head and temporally linked with opportunities the future presents. Conversely, the South node is where Luna’s orbit intersects the ecliptic on its way below. Thus the association with a physical tail and with the synchronized consequences of past events. But most of all, they are inseparable, doing their retrograde dance around the zodiac. Perpetually in opposition, a single entity. A community of two.

It is from the lunar nodes that we derive our deepest and most sophisticated interpretations of the astrological aspect known as an opposition. And it is that aspect which has linked the nodes to the cardinal point events that have dominated the astrology over the last two years. And now it’s more than just that theme.

The synchronous fact that the the nodes just happen to be traversing the opposing cardinal signs of Cancer and Capricorn has finally come a cropper. It’s been over a year since they came in the back door and slowly approached the inevitable and signifying encounter that a conjunction, square or opposition would represent. Saturn is the first one to make it far enough in from the front entrance. From this perch, that’s the clincher.

Gotta blow the whistle some time. Gotta draw the line someplace. Dagnabbit, this old dude is gonna stick his grizzled neck out and call them as he sees them. If you don’t agree, pass the hat and raise enough to send me to astrology school in Wales.

Saturn is now in the house and out of the T-square. The original fellowship of outer planets has been broken. It’s been a good run for the lord of rings. Opposing Uranus to start the whole thing off with a bang. Do you remember how it felt the night we learned President Obama had been elected? Squaring Pluto while Uranus was still wet behind the ears in Pisces. Do you recall how dark last Halloween felt? Month after month, it was the handle of the bucket, holding sky’s tension. And so it’s fitting that Saturn should be the first one to take its shoes off and get comfy. It’s home, in its sign of exaltation — in Libra where it is an honored guest..

Now, there are some other things going on today for sure. Ceres, formerly main belt asteroid, now dwarf planet, has reached a position to fuel and stoke the consciousness-raising conjunction of Neptune and Chiron in Aquarius. Mercury, still in its echo phase for another week, is staring down the barrel of the Great Attractor for the third time in a month. Those are auspicious things, no doubt. But hey, Saturn is home, let’s turn off the TV, put on the coffee and give it a warm welcome.

Next week we grab a bull by the horns.

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