Solunars by Aldebaran Sidereal Academy

Hiya!

Today is technically my birthday, but I have my actual Solar Return impending in about 5ish hours.

I want to get the forum's opinion if I missed or misinterpreted anything important in this.

Birth (in case it's not elsewhere):
Dec 20 1989
10:20pm
Ridgewood, NJ, USA

Current location:
Hackensack, NJ, USA

t. Moon on IC, t. Mars on Asc, t. Uranus on Dsc, in that order of priority.
I haven't wrapped my head around the excel precession tool yet, but natal Venus appears foreground as well, on the IC.
t. Moon is conjunct r. Venus, t. Mars in ecliptical square with both, much closer to Venus.

Can't miss the partile, background Sun-Saturn conjunction. r. Uranus, r. Jupiter also background.

t. Jupiter has a partile semisquare to both Sun and Saturn.
t. Pluto is conjunct r. Mercury, and will be wobbling in and out of orb for most of the year.

I think that's everything worth noting.

My thoughts on this:
Deep, powerful feelings come out; the need for partnership is strong, and it definitely gets SOME kind of attention. Transiting Mars shows me as being very busy: life is chaotic, confrontational, lots of stuff happening. Rough play, romantically: sex, issues with the opposite sex, "I don't know if it's good or bad but it's HAPPENING."
Transiting Uranus says: new relationships are formed and old ones have to be remodeled. Old patterns fail; new efforts can breathe life into existing relationships.

Meanwhile, the Saturn-Sun mess shows much the same as what it shows right now: I'm super busy with responsibilities. Health concerns rear their heads (I'm quite sick at the moment). Even though the cluster is background, Jupiter is aspecting it, and Mars is foreground: progress is very possible if I can keep my head screwed on all the way, and my health and spirits in good shape.

Of course, the Pluto transit to natal Mercury is changing the way that I think of myself - quite drastically, over the course of the year. My views on much in my life are set to change, even as my Saturn Return is looming.

So - Did I miss anything?

Thank ya

Happy birthday, Mike! (And yes, your data is still in the site archive here under "Ash.")

First, here is what I see of interest in your new SSR at 2:29:52 AM EST December 21.

r Venus on IC (0°29')
t Mars sq. MC (1°22') [or 6°25' below Asc]
t Moon on IC (4°08')
t Uranus on Dsc (5°47')
-- Moon-Uranus sq. (1°40' in mundo)

t Mars sq. r Venus (1°59')

Sun-Saturn conj. (0°31', background)
Venus-Uranus tr. (0°26', mixed grounds)
Jupiter-Saturn ssq. (0°05', non-foreground)

Partile transits to natals include:
t Pluto conj. r Mercury (0°57')
-- t Pluto ssq. r Mars (1°00')
t Neptune op. r Asc (0°38')
t Saturn conj. r Sun (0°31')
t Jupiter ssq. r Sun (0°26')

And, with Steve's recent thread on the subject, I should mention the minor: Jupiter-Caput sq. (0°37'). but also Saturn-Caput sqq. (0°32')

Comparing this to your list, there are a few lesser factors you missed, but you got the "big guns." (I wouldn't give a lot of emphasis to the Moon-Mars square until it progresses to exact.)

Important lunar progressions will include it's ticking off natal Venus, SSR IC, and SSR Mars. It will be in orb of, but not quite reach, SSR Jupiter just before your next birthday.

My thoughts on this:

As for what it all means.// I think you got the vibe of it very well. You have a lot of subtlety in how you expressed the nuanced variations and interplay of the different factors, and I suspect there's more of a "feel" of all this in your head than you got on "paper." So I think you know where you're going, as well as any of us can. (You did seem to miss the Neptune transit to your Descendant.)

I might summarize it (very tersely, all off the cuff) as follows:

Venus matters are of foremost importance to you. Yes, looks like a lot of sex, a lot of surging emotion. Mars to Venus is simply sexual, or simply passionate in general (in and out of sexual situations), and can also be "conflict in relationships" - I expect all of this (especially the complex, surging emotions when you also add Moon), with wonderful and miserable waves through it, and you basically coming through thinking, "no complaints here."

Especially since the foreground Uranus is trined partile by Venus, I expect experimentation outside of whatever has been your historic pattern. Lean heavily on the interpretation of the Moon-Uranus square also (it's a mundane square, you can't see it in the ecliptical chart), it's one of the very strongest factors in the whole chart and might define the year quite a lot.

Because of the focus on IC, these events give you a superb opportunity to dig into psychological issues in your formative environment, to compare reflections of primal relationship exposure to what you are encountering on the street.

That Sun-Saturn isn't to be taken lightly. Generally, Saturn transits to Sun indicate a time when the world expects enormously more for you and, somehow, you manage to expand and manage it. I'm not happy seeing this concurrent with Neptune transiting your Descendant, since that tends to weaken resolve; but read the standard transit interpretation on that to get the subtleties. (And the Pluto-Mercury should help make up for that.)

Progressed SSR Moon conjoins natal Venus March 24, crosses SSR IC on April 12, and squares SSR Mars May 24 (and progressed Mars June 2). Orb is about a month before and after.

Thank you for the detailed response! And the birthday wishes I wish I wasn't so sick!
(Then again, I did expect that... I was sort of wondering when it was going to happen...)

t Mars sq. MC (1°22') [or 6°25' below Asc]

Is this in RA, or is it just 1°22' away from being conjunct the eastpoint chart point? (I still need to get that point displayed on my charts; I seem to remember someone describing how it needed to be set up in SF...)

Important lunar progressions will include it's ticking off natal Venus, SSR IC, and SSR Mars. It will be in orb of, but not quite reach, SSR Jupiter just before your next birthday.

Is this PSSR, or a regular secondary progression using the SSR chart as the radix?

As for what it all means.// I think you got the vibe of it very well. [...] I suspect there's more of a "feel" of all this in your head than you got on "paper." [...] (You did seem to miss the Neptune transit to your Descendant.)

There's definitely more of a feel of it in my head. My brain is a little scrambled right now, and I typed that list from memory, but I was aware of the Neptune transit to Descendant, just forgot to write it down. Is that "locked in" to the SSR even though it's a transit to a natal angle?
Also, this is the second time I've gone through this transit (Neptune was either retrograde before, or it is now), and I have yet to experience this transit as particularly noteworthy.
It's probably due to the already-tight relationship I have with Neptune in the natal; Neptune coming around doesn't strike me as "very different" to my normal experience of life. I have been somewhat more projection-prone, less sure of my relationship standing, and more generally Neptunian in recent weeks than usual, but not to the point of losing control to that. I did read your interpretation of that – "Truths about self are now best learned through others" has been particularly helpful advice, both literally and as a reminder to closely watch projections: my close friends are always far more supportive of me than I tend to be of myself, and there's always new stuff for me to find in that space

Venus matters are of foremost importance to you. Yes, looks like a lot of sex, a lot of surging emotion. Mars to Venus is simply sexual, or simply passionate in general (in and out of sexual situations) [...] and you basically coming through thinking, "no complaints here."

I'm fine with that

Especially since the foreground Uranus is trined partile by Venus...

\
I did see that, but it's a soft aspect, so I ignored it.
Are you counting it in the sense of "reading the SSR as a standalone chart," or because it's a partile aspect to a foreground planet? (Or both?)

Lean heavily on the interpretation of the Moon-Uranus square also (it's a mundane square, you can't see it in the ecliptical chart), it's one of the very strongest factors in the whole chart and might define the year quite a lot.

I'm still confused about when to consider mundane aspects. I'm getting really bad deja vu, but I don't seem to have asked this yet on the forum, so...
When do I consider mundane aspects in natals and returns?
I have read various posts of yours in which you mentioned it not being particularly useful most of the in natals aside from examining relocation.

That Sun-Saturn isn't to be taken lightly. Generally, Saturn transits to Sun indicate a time when the world expects enormously more for you and, somehow, you manage to expand and manage it. I'm not happy seeing this concurrent with Neptune transiting your Descendant, since that tends to weaken resolve; but read the standard transit interpretation on that to get the subtleties. (And the Pluto-Mercury should help make up for that.)

Understood.
Something which I didn't think to write yesterday (I've got so much in my head) is my intended career transition in the coming year. Despite the otherwise awful Sun-Saturn disaster, Uranus foreground makes me think it's likely to be possible; Mars foreground makes me think I'll have the fire to pull it off... and I think the Sun-Saturn influence there is the sheer volume of stuff I still need to learn and study, as well as the workload at my current job during this time, which continues to go up and up. It's been very hard once that came into orb.
That, and the Moon-Uranus square. I think this is "my year," Sun-Saturn be damned.

Mike wrote: Thu Dec 21, 2017 10:06 am

t Mars sq. MC (1°22') [or 6°25' below Asc]

Is this in RA, or is it just 1°22' away from being conjunct the eastpoint chart point?

That's actually in longitude (the square to the MC). The "below Asc" measurement is in the mundoscope (prime vertical longitude).

Important lunar progressions will include it's ticking off natal Venus, SSR IC, and SSR Mars. It will be in orb of, but not quite reach, SSR Jupiter just before your next birthday.

Is this PSSR, or a regular secondary progression using the SSR chart as the radix?

SQ ("Solar Quotidian"). Yes, straight secondary progression of the SSR.

...I was aware of the Neptune transit to Descendant, just forgot to write it down. Is that "locked in" to the SSR even though it's a transit to a natal angle?

I think it is. It's a transit (just as if to a planet) that is partile in the SSR, so probably lasts all year. This time, it will be hard to tell because Neptune will be close to your angle all year anyway, but I think it counts as "an aspect for the year."

Also, this is the second time I've gone through this transit (Neptune was either retrograde before, or it is now), and I have yet to experience this transit as particularly noteworthy.

Or maybe you're just oblivious or confused. (I'm joking!)

Especially since the foreground Uranus is trined partile by Venus...

\
I did see that, but it's a soft aspect, so I ignored it.

I look at the SSR twice. On Pass #1, I read it simply as if it's a new natal and, in that sense, you have a foreground setting Uranus partile trine Venus.

Are you counting it in the sense of "reading the SSR as a standalone chart,"

Yes. (Didn't read far enough before answering.

I'm still confused about when to consider mundane aspects. I'm getting really bad deja vu, but I don't seem to have asked this yet on the forum, so...

We're all still sorting it out; but, in return charts, I'm sure that at least close mundane squares between foreground planets are important. This one is even more important because it's Moon.

On career direction... Which way are you headed? Yeah, this definitely can be a great foundation year for that. As I mentioned, I think (besides getting laid) that the Moon-Uranus square is probably the most important aspect of the chart AND there's a lot of hard work.

It may indeed be "your year."

Jim Eshelman wrote: Thu Dec 21, 2017 10:29 am

Mike wrote: Thu Dec 21, 2017 10:06 am

t Mars sq. MC (1°22') [or 6°25' below Asc]

Is this in RA, or is it just 1°22' away from being conjunct the eastpoint chart point?

That's actually in longitude (the square to the MC). The "below Asc" measurement is in the mundoscope (prime vertical longitude).

Oh, duhh. *smacks forehead*

On career direction... Which way are you headed? Yeah, this definitely can be a great foundation year for that. As I mentioned, I think (besides getting laid) that the Moon-Uranus square is probably the most important aspect of the chart AND there's a lot of hard work.

It may indeed be "your year."

I'm trying to get into software development, and I have an eye on data analysis/science as a potential branch to explore later. It was a good couple of years in the entertainment industry - I don't regret it - but I'm totally burnt out on it.

I also really like programming (so far), it runs in the family, and I really like the lifestyles lead by my friends in dev.
Seems like a no-brainer

That Moon-Uranus foreground square will be a really big deal this year,.

In the final days now of this SSR before it gives way to the next one...

Let's take a look back and see how things all played out.

The "deep, powerful feelings" of r. Venus and t. Moon both foreground and conjunct has certainly been accurate, and them both showing up on IC has been rather accurate as well: I've consistently found planets on the IC (in return charts and via transits) to manifest strongly, but privately, where I'm feeling their effects quite a lot, but I don't think that most of it is obvious to others or in the outer world of my life. This year, the emotions have flowed freely, easily, without being pent up for the most part, and, particularly during a progressed Moon-Venus aspect that passed by within the last few months, I've been struck by (and freely channeled) feelings of generalized, outward-directed love that needed no particular target. "Wonderful and miserable" has characterized a lot of the emotional experience. Not Neptunian at all in the sense that I am familiar with Moon-Neptune emotionality. (I know Neptune isn't directly involved in this SSR, but it's my natal context.)

The focus on IC has really led me to pay much more attention to my inner patterns of relationship and emotional expectations around myself and others, as the primary field of manifestation for the Venus/Moon conjunction has been my private world represented by the IC. I've been very introspective about the whole thing. Lots of philosophizing, meditating on it, sitting and feeling it.

Transiting Mars foreground on Asc (or square MC in longitude on the EP side) has, by itself, described much of the year for me: it's been really hectic, pushing me into combative states without really thinking about it; I've been really fiery at my current job (which I'm now leaving) for pretty much the entire year, contesting others quite liberally and confidently - which, as I read it, strikes me as something that is definitely not typical of me in most years! I do think that Mars on Asc/"EP" specifically is rather descriptive: I have felt provoked by others, but I'm very cognizant that I'm the one who has been doing the fighting in most cases.

That Mars-Venus square feels a lot to me like the response I've gotten to my emotional openness: all of it has been generally intense, and for the most part, I've elicited a strong response in those who I've shared with. "Harsh" isn't the right word for the response; it wasn't Saturn; but it was decidedly non-Venusian (Venereal?), and Mars feels quite right for it. As I think about it, I think the most appropriate word is "blunt."
This aspect didn't manifest as sex, but I did have some surprising and unexpected flirtation (most of it pretty physical) with the opposite sex.

Transiting Uranus on Dsc has been surprisingly internal for me. For most of the year, my life wasn't throwing unexpected curveballs at me; instead, I was craving freedom, release, and renewal, and pursuing it passionately. My relationships evolved, and, consistent with Uranus, the central factor in that evolution has been emphasized self-determination and room to move freely for all parties. There has been very little internal or external resistance in that, though; all of it has fit into the natural context of "we're all getting older and redefining our patterns and boundaries." Despite the fact that I and some close friends are near the peak of our Saturn Returns, I've found this sort of thing to occur even with younger friends who aren't close to that threshold yet. In short - Uranus on Dsc has felt mostly internalized, and has gone so smoothly that it hasn't felt much like Uranus despite checking the boxes (perhaps because I internalized it so much).
Still, old patterns have definitely failed, and I've worked to replace them.
Hard to call the Venus-Uranus partile trine. It feels right, as an aspect present for the year, but I am having trouble identifying specifically why it feels that way.

I just realized - maybe this is why Uranus's manifestation has been so "gentle" this year!

I do also think that my suddenly getting a new job at the end of the year is the final outward hurrah of this placement at the tail end of this SSR's story, supported by transits, progs, and lunars.

The Moon-Uranus mundane square seems to have manifested quite well, but not in the ways I was expecting. I was visualizing, alongside foreground Uranus, lots of outer life upheaval, but this was not the case.
The "emotional excitement" certainly applies to most of the year for me at work, in the broader context of Mars pushing all of my buttons and rousing me into combat mode. I've definitely responded better to variety than in previous years. "Time of change" seems to have been mostly internal, and mostly in the context of that Pluto conjunction to natal Mercury that has been within 1* nearly every time I've checked it all year (and is so in the SSR as well): the way I think of myself and of my life has totally changed. Emotional stress is certainly true! I think we can say that extra creativity has also been present, mostly in my programming ventures.

That Saturn conjunction to natal Sun has been killing me all year long, although I can add some observations on top of that: first, I have grown quite a lot under it, and "way more work than I can possibly handle" is now a life state that I understand and can navigate much better than before. Secondly, it's still not as severe in the SSR as it was as an active transit, when I got sick as a dog and had the largest, most daunting and disheartening programming assignment I've ever worked on, coupled with a crap ton of other time-sensitive things that all had to be done at the same time. The rest of the year had bursts of that, but not encompassing so much of my deeper personal goals and definitely not making me as ill as that. Finally, while my health has only been a bit worse than usual, a defining factor for much of this year has been the incredible mind-body-spirit exhaustion I've experienced, and which I attribute to this aspect/transit; much worse than any other time in my life. I've mostly recovered from it, but it lasted for months and months.

Observable outer progress has taken all year, but it has indeed taken place, by virtue of the hard work I've put in during the year; seems to justify the mixture of Mars, Uranus, and Sun/Saturn/Jupiter indicators.

I think the Neptune transit to natal Dsc has been on point as well, and I think I understand it better now than when I made this thread a year ago. I've generally just had a hard time reading people and figuring out where I stand, and have found myself ruminating myself into the wrong conclusion more than in recent years, though it hasn't been year-defining by itself.

A good example how we learn about our SSR's which are a truly an amazing astrological tool.