What in the Galaxy is going on? Money and Fear

I was out this weekend doing normal (non-Christmas) grocery shopping. Everywhere I went, I noticed fear.

Sometimes it looked like stress. Sometimes it looked like anger. Sometimes it looked like depression or even heartbreak at not being able to afford something for a child or family member.

The same thing was happening in my email. Some companies were sending two, three, four emails a day, trying to wring one last sale from me before Christmas. The charitable organizations, too, were blanketing my email, even though I’d already made my yearly contributions to them.

Fear about money. Scarcity.

Everywhere.

And then I woke up this morning and checked my own figures for my year-end sale, and the same kind of fear tried to grab onto me.

So, as I do when confronted with anxiety, I opened a chart and looked at the planetary aspects to see what might be having an influence.

Aha. There you are, you sneaky little rascals.

This is the chart of 10:00 am (Central time) on December 19, 2016. It shows Saturn in Sagittarius in the 10th house, trine Uranus retrograde in second house Aries and sextile Jupiter in 8th house Libra.

Not only that, but today is the day that Mercury in 11th house Capricorn stations (stands still) and turns retrograde. It’s loosely square both Uranus and Jupiter and conjunct Pluto.

To quote Tommy Lee Jones in The Fugitive: “My, my my. What a mess.”

Let’s unpack it and see what this is telling us.

Mercury retrograde (limited thinking) in eleventh house Capricorn (business profits) is pessimistic. He has no imagination and is stuck in a groove of scarcity. Having turned retrograde, his path over the next three months will take him backwards towards Saturn (limitations and contractions), so all Mercury can see right now is dooooooooom!!!! No money! Ever again!!!

Since Mercury is also conjoining Pluto, god of the underworld, he sees only death and despair. He forgets that Pluto is also the Lord of Change, the Transformer, the Renewer.

Mercury tends to be a little … dramatic.

Saturn is about limitations and contractions, yes. But Saturn is sextile (favorable aspect) Jupiter (abundance, wealth) in the eighth house (other people’s money). Jupiter is telling us that people will pay for what we know… but Saturn reminds us to find the right people. What we do is not for everyone.

Saturn is also trine (favorable aspect) Uranus (breakthroughs and sudden change), which is hanging out in Aries (getting-things-done energy!) in the second house, the ruler of money and finances.

Uranus tells us that yeah, it’s going to take some work. But if you are willing to expend the energy (Aries), money results may show up in unexpected places. Look back at previous successes you’ve had. Are there lessons you can apply to the work you are doing now? Can you look forward into new territory? Break out of your rut. Get creative. Rebel against what “everyone else” tells you that you have to do to be successful.

And maybe most importantly, Saturn, the father god, the old man of learning, is also about wise perception and discovery of meaning. Saturn in Sagittarius (higher ideals) in the tenth house (ambition, career, achievement) is asking us “What is your business about? Who do you serve? What is the meaning of your work?”

Are you clear on these aspects of what you do?

If not, this is an excellent time to work on that!

Mercury retrograde suggests that we re-think. That we back up and consider before we act. Uranus wants us shake up what we’ve been doing. Jupiter says that abundance is waiting, but Saturn reminds us to look for the right audience. Not just anyone will do.

Take this dark time of the year, from now until Mercury turns direct on January 8, to get very clear on your path forward. 2017 is a “1” year, a new beginning.

Make the most of it!