Astrology Tips

Things I wish I knew 20 years ago 

By Cynthia Novak

There is always something good about the most difficult chart. Look for it.

Mercury retrograde is annoying, but retrograde Mars really screws things up.

Watch for planetary Stations: These transits are the strongest for luck or for frustration. Give 3 degree orb for greatest impact.

Orbs matter for timing, but you can “feel” a transit coming as soon as it enters the constellation. So although a Saturn transit will frustrate on some level for a full 2 ½ years, it is usually most intense for 9 months. This is the period it takes to make 3 passes over one degree. 

I look forward to looking back on a Saturn transit. I don’t think it is an accident in the universe that Saturn and birth run the same period of time. Once it starts you can’t get away from it until it’s over. 

When it’s over you have given birth to something new. Life is set up so that you can’t “know” what that is until you look back on it. There is no way to do that without pain. If, however, you focus on the pain, you’ll miss the gift of creation that it stimulates. Saturn teaches us to be in present time…even if that time is difficult.

An outer planet transit will dominate your life. Look to their lessons to find out where you are growing. Watch the degree of an outer planet transiting in the heavens. Pluto falls at 25 degrees in the Sidereal zodiac this year. If you have a planet in any constellation at 24-26 degrees you will experience a Pluto transit effect. It will be more intense in the same constellation or angular, but even at 30 degrees it will be felt and will be a major life theme. The moral of this story: Get used to working with these energies. 

Uranus is unpredictable. In fact, its unpredictability is about the only thing that you can predict.  

The transit has one underlying desire: “I wanna be free.” Of something or some situation. Typically, that freedom revolves around the desire to be free from old nagging fears and doubts. After all, that is at the heart of the mid-life crises. Energetically it feels as if you’ve got a finger stuck in a light socket and it is pulsing. Any activity that helps in grounding is useful: I like to plant or just lie on the Earth. 

How to know a Uranus or Pluto transit will be brutal: The person says: I don’t want anything to change. As the astrologer, you know it will and you can “see” the area that the change will manifest. 

A Pluto transit feels as if the current in a river is pulling you. It starts slowly: a nagging pull toward something. It keeps coming up again and again. It often looks a little crazy or irrational. The current becomes stronger and the life events more unusual until you just surrender and go with it. The river knows where it’s going.. Don’t bother to cling to the bank… This is easy to say and hard to do. 

A Pluto transit is often frightening. I’ve seen so many women who get a frightening pap smear or mammogram while Pluto is transiting the ASC or lord of the 1st. Inevitably they face the fear of death and come out the other side in a few weeks when the test is run again. In fact, Pluto making this aspect often is indicative of success when you have surgery or radiation for cancer: The doctor finds it and gets it out. 

Neptune is a different bug. “I’d rather be alone.” In fact, you can all just fade into the background. 

It would be nice if we could take a sabbatical during an intense Neptune transit and go live at the lake. One woman moved into her back yard where she spent many hours, even whole weekends. 

Make a space to retreat or get annoyed at those around you. People think they want a divorce during this time when what they really want is some space within the lives they have.

You can read for anyone right out of an ephemeris: Just talk to his or her Tropical Moon sign. 

Aries wants you to get right to it: Tell me what’s going to happen to me. Taurus wants you to give them something useful, but talk to his sensuality. Gemini wants to talk: I know you think he wants to listen, but he really wants to talk. Your job is to offer some insight during the time you are together. Cancer wants to know about two things: money and family. They are trying to fill or feather the nest. 

Leo wants to know about their children or lover. Don’t bother with false flattery; tell them something real. Virgo wants a reason to believe what you say. Afterward, they want something to do, so offer some homework. 

Libra wants to know about love and how to get along with that one person who is driving her crazy. Scorpio wants to know she can trust you. Talk to her protected sensitivity: The walls will drop. 

Sagittarius is there for the experience; make it a memorable one: A little fun mixed with a little philosophy. Capricorn wants something useful about money or family, a lot like Cancer but more interested in retirement and fun when he gets there. 
Aquarius wants you to tell them what they already “know” to be true…you better get it right. Pisces wants romance and something 
spiritually unique.

Mars and Saturn together are just plain hard. The conjunction, square or opposition of these two is a signpost of internalized stress. One part of you says “yes”, the other part “no”. One part says “stay”, and the other “go”. This can literally manifest as stress-induced health problems. You’ve got to get the planets to work together in some manner. Mars needs action and Saturn needs a job. 

When immobilized by this combination, find a job for Saturn then push yourself to take action to do it. This helps during the transit of one to the other. The fear is that you shouldn’t do what you need to do. Figure out a way to create a structure (Saturn)for the action Mars needs.
We can learn from folks who have very strong planets. Even if you have a weak planet, you can learn from these and apply them until they start to feel more natural. What is a super planet? One that is in its own sign or sign of exaltation and in an angular house. These are very easy to detect in the Sidereal system.

A super strong Mars has to have physical activity. Mars will spiral into depression if he sits around for too long. Get up and walk or lift weights but move.

When Venus is very strong she needs a little beauty and romance. While she hates to be on a budget, her checkbook only has so much in it. Feed her inexpensive facials or a project to beautify and a new lipstick. Go to the resale shop and indulge in a new-to-you outfit or fall into self-absorbed pity.

Super Mercury needs mental activity. Give him something to learn or he will lose reason to mental chatter. Better to find a problem to solve than to fall prey to compulsive thinking about things that have no lasting importance: Like what she said or did yesterday. What a waste of a fine computer.

Super Saturn needs order and a schedule. If your life falls out of order or you are out of work, build a structure and fit into it.

A super Sun needs attention. Find a healthy way to be on center stage.

A super Moon needs to know that feeling is a useful trait, not one that needs to be suppressed.