JAE 2019 SSR

[Jim Eshelman]

My next SSR will occur October 10, 2019, 7:12:01 PM PDT. We won't be travelling this year, partly because Marion's schedule (and our finances) make that more or less impossible, but also because I like the new SSR for right here.

I don't like Moon's closest aspect, but that won't change with location, and at least it has a positive offset. I don't like two of the four partile foreground aspects.

We might tweak it a little by going up to north Santa Barbara County for the day to (coincidentally) almost the exact spot near Gaviota where we went to park to welcome in Marion's current SSR. That maximizes a Venus angularity. (No reason not to put a lovely wrapping paper on the year ahead of time.) Otherwise, I'll take it the way it comes for my residence, 34N03'46", 118W18'47".

Here is the breakdown for home:

r Venus on Dsc -9°05'
r Saturn on Dsc -4°29'
r Mars on MC -3°56'
r Mercury on Dsc -1°24'
t Mercury on Dsc -1°07'
t Uranus on Asc -0°13'
t Venus on Dsc +1°08'
t Pluto on MC +2°47'
r Neptune on WP 0°58'

-- t Mercury conj. r Mercury 0°17' in mundo
-- t Mercury conj. r Saturn 0°32'
-- r Mars-Saturn sq. 0°33' in mundo
-- t Mercury-Uranus op. 0°54' in mundo
-- t Uranus op. r Mercury 1°11' in mundo
-- t Pluto sq. r Neptune 1°17' in mundo
-- t Venus-Uranus op. 1°21' in mundo
-- t Venus-Pluto sq. 1°39' in mundo
-- t Mercury-Venus conj. 2°15' in mundo
-- r Mercury-Saturn conj. 2°24'
-- r Mars-Neptune sq. 2°25'
-- r Mercury-Mars sq. 2°32' in mundo
-- t Venus conj. r Mercury 2°32' in mundo
-- t Uranus sq. r Mars 2°43' in mundo
-- t Mercury sq. r Mars 2°49' in mundo
-- t Venus conj. r Neptune 2°56' in mundo
-- t Uranus-Pluto sq. 3°00' in mundo
------------------------------------------------------------
-- t Pluto conj. r Mars 3°17'
-- t Mercury-Pluto sq. 3°54' in mundo
-- t Pluto sq. r Mercury 4°11' in mundo
-- t Uranus op. r Neptune 4°17' in mundo
-- r Venus-Saturn conj. 4°36' in mundo
-- t Uranus op. r Saturn 4°39'

t Moon-Neptune conj. 0°19'
t Moon-Jupiter sq. 2°51'

As an aside: The recently discovered planet Eris is not only square MC but within 3° of Dsc tied into Mercury-Uranus in particular. If my preliminary understanding of Eris is correct, there may be trickster-chaos elements thrown into the mix; but, then again, how could one distinguish that from Mercury-Uranus-Pluto?

[Jim Eshelman]

I'll leave a note and come back to this later: Venus is almost to the second on Descendant in Goleta near El Camino School, which is a short distance from the 101 freeway. We'll probably track a spot on an intervening trip through the area, but that's the approximate spot. it's mostly a dense residential area without a lot of retail, so not exactly where one wants to go and park the car at 7 PM on a Thursday night when you don't live there.

Ah, wait! The Goleta In-N-Out Burger can't be that far away, right? It's at 34N25'43" 119W47'04". Not bad!

r Mars -6°32' from MC
r Saturn -5°36' from Dsc
r Mercury -2°28' from Dsc
t Mercury -2°12' from Dsc
t Uranus -1°20' from Asc
t Venus +0°01' (0°00'32") from Dsc
t Pluto +0°19' from MC
r Neptune +2°54' from Dsc
r Sun 9°13'

I think it's going to be an In-N-Out kind of year (I'll update this post with the actual data when the time comes.)

[Arena]

Oh my, oh my, seems like this is going to be a challenging year with some major change with both Uranus and Pluto on the angles. Maybe a good idea to have that "In-N-Out kind of year" attitude to make Venus as close as possible to DSC.

I know the Moon-Nep theme can be challenging as it is so highly emotionally charged as I am currently going through one longer term - but I think you are lucky to have Jupiter influencing that. And I also happen to think that although it is very challenging and highly charged it is still good for me cause in my case it is waking me up to my heart, which was truly needed.

I don't like the square from t. Saturn to the Sun though. Take extra good care of your health.
Perhaps introducing yourself to fasting for health might be of interest. A self regulated mechanism to rejuvenate the cells of the body. And it is even extremely easy if you just do like 40 hours water fast every now and then. Let me know, I can send you info.
In fact, here are three links for you about the Nobel prize discovery about autophagy which happens when you fast. Just ignore them if you're not interested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws0mOmfC9EU
(Don't take for sure what she says about tumour growth though, because the opposite has also been found in studies of mice (reducing tumour size).

And here is the Nobel prize winner himself explaining autophagy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bAkvnvX0W8

And here is Dr. Jason Fung explaining fasting. He also has many more videos if you are interested in his tips/guidance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIuj-oMN-Fk

Also I don't like that t. Saturn will soon be squaring your n. Neptune. and the t. Pluto coming to your Mars. Ouch.

[Jim Eshelman]

There are, of course, various transits throughout the year, including Saturn's transit across this SSR's MC (concurrent with Pluto) around New Year's Eve. When Saturn crosses the 27°17' Sagittarius MC January 8, Pluto is at 27°39' Sagittarius. That's probably the worst bump of the year.

But from the point if the SSR itself, Saturn isn't foreground so those transits aren't on the map - as if Saturn doesn't even exist - and none of those transits are partile.

Whole many things - transits, progressions, other returns - will affect parts of the year, this thread isn't about my year in general, it's specifically about the SSR and, as far as the SSR is concerned there is no transiting Saturn.

Of course, there's more than a little natal Saturn.

And yes, I do think that extra "frosting layer" of putting 0°00' is a good idea. Even though all the orbs remain partile regardless, there's a difference between Venus-Uranus-Pluto where Venus is the most angular, or Uranus is, or Pluto is, or they are equal and balanced. The strongest tone-setter is usually the planet that is most angular, and a 0°00' orb usually overwhelms the odds.

[Jim Eshelman]

SSR waa at 34N26'23", 119 W47'50"

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

So, not the In-N-Out.

[SteveS]

Jim wrote:

The strongest tone-setter is usually the planet that is most angular, and a 0°00' orb usually overwhelms the odds.

Without a doubt!

[Jim Eshelman]

So, not the In-N-Out.

We went to In-N-Out after for its clazsic fare, but actuslly were able to sit in the school parking lot for 1 minutes as the SSR flowed through. Unless I miscalculated, it was the most perfect spot.

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

I had a lot of fun figuring out where I should be at the exact return time when I was planning where to be for my SSR. But I never got down to parking lot level. Do you use a phone app or GPS?

[Jim Eshelman]

Yes, exqctly. I have a GPS app that gives exact latitude, longitude, altitude, etc. of wherever I am

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

oh, nice. Thanks for explaining.

[Jim Eshelman]

On Android, the best free one (light weight and useful) is Simple GPS Coordinate Display.

[Jim Eshelman]

Back from the excusions and ready to dig into the chart. First, though, I made a small error (though I'm not going to sweat it for 04" of arc <g>. We pulled off the highway and into the parking lot of El Camino School instead of San Marcos High School about three blocks away, missing the target just a bit. - As I said, no big deal, and we now go forward with the actual SSR.

Here's the official breakdown of the chart for the place it occurred:

t Moon-Neptune conj. 0°19'
t Moon-Jupiter sq. 2°51'

r Mars on MC -6°34'
r Saturn on Dsc -5°37'
r Mercury on Dsc -2°29'
t Mercury on Dsc -2°13'
t Uranus on Asc -1°21'
t Venus on Dsc 0°00'
t Pluto on MC +0°18'
r Neptune on Dsc +2°54'
r Sun on Dsc +9°13'

-- t Mercury conj. r Mercury 0°16' in mundo
-- t Venus-Pluto sq. 0°18' in mundo
-- r Mercury-Saturn conj. 0°32'
-- t Mercury-Uranus op. 0°52' in mundo
-- r Mars-Saturn sq. 0°57' in mundo
-- t Uranus op. r Mercury 1°08' in mundo
-- t Venus-Uranus op. 1°21' in mundo
-- t Uranus-Pluto sq. 1°39' in mundo
-- t Mercury-Venus conj. 2°13' in mundo
-- r Mars-Neptune sq. 2°25
-- t Venus conj. r Mercury 2°29' in mundo
-- t Mercury-Pluto sq. 2°30' in mundo
-- t Pluto sq. r Neptune 2°36' in mundo
-- t Pluto sq. r Mercury 2°47' in mundo
-- t Venus conj. r Neptune 2°54'
-------------------------------------
-- t Pluto sq. r Sun 3°11'
-- t Pluto conj. r Mars 3°17'
-- t Mercury conj. r Saturn 3°24' in mundo
-- r Mercury-Mars sq. 4°05' in mundo
-- t Uranus op. r Neptune 4°15' in mundo
-- t Uranus op. r Saturn 4°16' in mundo
-- t Mercury sq. r Mars 4°21' in mundo

Other partile
None.



Stripping out the wider elements, the strongest angularities and aspects are:

t Moon-Neptune conj. 0°19'
t Moon-Jupiter sq. 2°51'

r Mercury on Dsc -2°29'
t Mercury on Dsc -2°13'
t Uranus on Asc -1°21'
t Venus on Dsc 0°00'
t Pluto on MC +0°18'
r Neptune on Dsc +2°54'

-- t Mercury conj. r Mercury 0°16' in mundo
-- t Venus-Pluto sq. 0°18' in mundo
-- r Mercury-Saturn conj. 0°32'
-- t Mercury-Uranus op. 0°52' in mundo
-- r Mars-Saturn sq. 0°57' in mundo
-- t Uranus op. r Mercury 1°08' in mundo
-- t Venus-Uranus op. 1°21' in mundo
-- t Uranus-Pluto sq. 1°39' in mundo
-- t Mercury-Venus conj. 2°13' in mundo
-- r Mars-Neptune sq. 2°25
-- t Venus conj. r Mercury 2°29' in mundo
-- t Mercury-Pluto sq. 2°30' in mundo
-- t Pluto sq. r Neptune 2°36' in mundo
-- t Pluto sq. r Mercury 2°47' in mundo
-- t Venus conj. r Neptune 2°54'

[Jim Eshelman]

Just to have a place to put it... Marion's new SSR occurred May 29, 2020, 4:44:31 PM PDT when we were standing at 36N01'14", 121W32'57". This is 1" of latitude and of longitude different from° the official coordinates for Lucia, CA which, therefore, are good enough.

This was an example of not having a lot of room on where to go to optimize the chart, especially with extremely limited travel options. We decided to go for the almost 0°00' Jupiter angularity to shift the balance of the chart without necessarily removing any one factor.

You can contrast it to the SSR relocated to our home, 34N03'46", 118W18'47".

One interesting thing present in both (but slightly differently) are PVP aspects. We have abundant confirmation of the importance of these in solar and lunar ingresses, have almost no examples of them in reliably timed natal charts, and have every reason to think they are valid in solunar returns (but without any significant pool of samples to let evidence confirm it). Anyway, for Lucia, she gets:

Sun azimuth 0°51' before due west
Venus azimuth 2°32' before due west
-- Sun-Venus conj. 1°41' PVP
(Venus is 2°12' from square Saturn in azimuth, but Saturn may be too far off the IC in azimuth for this to count. We don't know this kind of stuff. If it counts, then the biggest deal is that Ve = Su/Sa 0°19', which doesn't sound so good for her husband.)

For LA, we get Sun-Venus without the Saturn:
Sun azimuth 2°34' past due west
Venus azimuth 1°25' past due west
-- Sun-Venus conj. 1°11'

The nice aspect is closer and clearly not afflicted for the LA chart, which is likely to be less important during the year, and is close (but a tad wider) and possibly afflicted in the Lucia chart, which is likely to be the solid, persisting form of the SSR for the year.

Feel free to set up the two versions and see the subtleties of what caused us to pick the location we did.

[SteveS]

Noting: Marion's sp SSR Moon progresses to conjunctions to her Natal Moon-Pluto partile conjunction during her new solar year. Also this same sp SSR Moon will be partile 180 her SSR Mars about the same time. This could be the peak manifestations for her new solar year.

[Jim Eshelman]

Noting: Marion's sp SSR Moon progresses to conjunctions to her Natal Moon-Pluto partile conjunction during her new solar year. Also this same sp SSR Moon will be partile 180 her SSR Mars about the same time. This could be the peak manifestations for her new solar year.

I have some concern about the Moon-Mars, although (in isolation) these things come and go. I'm not really concerned about the Moon-Pluto because she natally has a 0°39' Moon-Pluto conjunction 1°+ from square Sun as a basic part of her natal - I suspect this will just bring that.

But yes, SQ Moon will square natal Su n July 21, conjoin natal Pluto August 24, conjoin natal Moon September 10, oppose solar Mars September 20, and oppose SQ Mars September 24. September 20 is also when transiting Mars crosses SSR Descendant.

[SteveS]

I am curious. Is Marion seeking/expecting some kind of promotion with her career?

[Jim Eshelman]

I am curious. Is Marion seeking/expecting some kind of promotion with her career?

Simple answer is yes: As transiting Uranus squared her natal MC, she created a new model of virtual wine tastings to further our wine business during lockdown, turning Zoom calls into "a social night out with friends" when people needed it most - we get the wine delivered to the guests in advance then guide everyone through the event. It is doing so well that it likely will continue post-pandemic as a new model that others copy and we continue to evolve. This has revivified her interest in the business and she's pushing toward large sales goals that will have the effect of promotion, perhaps to Director in the near future.

Why specifically did you ask?

[SteveS]

Jim wrote:

This has revivified her interest in the business and she's pushing toward large sales goals that will have the effect of promotion, perhaps to Director in the near future.

This is so !

Jim asked:

Why specifically did you ask?

Simple: Because the main angular theme in her 2020 SSR is Jupiter-Saturn—no better combo when endeavoring to form structured Businesses. I have formed two successful Businesses in my life with prominent Jupiter-Saturn cycles—they were short-lived---but nonetheless—successful. Also, Ebertin in COSI for the “Principle of Jupiter-Saturn:

Patience (achieving success through perseverance).

This pandemic is certainly testing all of our 'perseverance.'

But what really catches my eye with her angular Jupiter-Saturn SSR theme is the fact that the 2020 t. Jupiter-Saturn conjunction falls on her SSR IC/Saturn---a huge Jupiter-Saturn influence! Also—that Jupiter-Pluto cnj in her SSR is foreground and Jupiter-Pluto is nice to have for any kind of possible 'incredible luck.' Tell Marion to never give-up and to keep persevering her future success.

[Jim Eshelman]

As I come within a few days of my next Sidereal Solar Return, I want to review the past year and especially the contrast between where the chart set up and where I've lived the rest of the year.

Besides the research and education opportunities of my doing this, I really need to do it this morning as therapy. The last month and a half, on the surface, have been perfectly fine -- positive, pleasant events, flourishing at work under unusually difficult and atypical conditions, vacation with Marion and Kali, a line of success - but psychologically they have been some of the worst weeks of my life. (I think, were it not for Jupiter's square to my Sun I might not have survived them.) One way to explain this is that, for some reason most of the (very great amount of) Neptune in the SSR has saved itself for here at the end. (More on that in a moment.)

Sometime around September 1 (or maybe the last week of August) I started on two new medications. The most negative side-effect expected from them is that one, which is a specialized antihistamine, might cause a small drop in blood pressure when standing (rising from seated to standing), but not the rest of the time. It's not considered a risky medicine (though, of course, everybody's body responds differently). I've mentioned before that this medicine is to address a minor change that comes with aging, and I suppose there's no reason to keep private that they address the fact that, with age, urine flow stops being as robust or complete as before (the bladder doesn't empty more than about half and one has to run back twice as often). I resisted adding more pills for a while and my urologist finally persuaded me that it would be a good idea to try them (and that I can quit at any time).

There is even a good piece of astrological symbolism for this "flow" detail since the 2019 solar return has a partile Moon-Neptune conjunction in Aquarius!

From the day I started taking the meds, I felt my energy cut in half. My mind was clear, I wasn't sleepy, I just only had about half my physical energy *(and, accordingly, reduced psychological energy, poorer persistence). I wasn't surprised that a strong antihistamine might do this, so I gave it a few days to adjust (talked to the urologist that week).

In the weeks following, though, I've had to be very careful about mood. If my energy drops too much or I run out of steam, small things can bring depression. (Ultimately, depression is "loss of energy, physical and psychological.") At first it was mild and rare. In the last two weeks, it has become gripping. I can and do still perform my job fully (probably easier since we're working from home). But, usually, when that's over, I collapse, sometimes lacking the energy to even think about anything too deeply.

As those of you who have known me for a long time probably know, I'm not prone to depression. I've never had an episode of it in my life, even in times of personal loss. (Sadness, yes. Edge of burn-out, yes. Depression, no.) So I'm pretty sure the main cause is the medication. -- I suppose I should stop taking it. I wanted to give it a month (which I've done). I have the OK from the doc from the beginning to stop anytime I want (though I don't really want to do it without calling him first - though I might call my GP this weekend if it gets any worse.) Of course, one of the characteristics of the depression is that taking so simple a step as deciding to stop taking one pill in the morning seems a gigantic mountain to climb, so it's easier just to try meekly to find something useful I can do.

[Jim Eshelman]

This has all the marks of Neptune. In some ways, "fog" is one of the most important words for this last year. Between my eye problems (months of having inadequate lenses, and other conditions around that) and this emotional matter here at the end, there have been many kinds of "fog" during the year (aside from the fog we're all going through together).

I wanted to tell all of you this so you would know, and also as a preamble to a breakdown of the 2019 SSR and contrasting its locations.

This depression has required of me everything I can bring of three traits. The first thing, just to keep going, is persistence (endurance) - just keep at it. The other two things are courage and compassion. Courage even to just keep moving (in as helpful and functioning and productive a way as I can, even when those seem halted or limited). Compassion because... well, one part of this is how sensitive and vulnerable I have become to any sense of conflict or contention. To be in its presence these last few weeks cuts me, disembowels me. I feel it so powerfully it almost knocks me to the floor. (That's where the persistence and courage come in handy.) The easiest reflex would be to simply destroy the source of it, just vaporize it (which, at best, isn't very functional; and the contentious elements have not been anyone I really want to hurt - quite the contrary). I think placing Venus 0°01' from an angle this year has been a saving grace. - I am blessed that I work in a non-contentious work environment and that Marion and I have very little conflict (and it's always quickly amenable to communication).

In other words, the survival-driven reflex is to disintegrate anyone around me bringing contention and conflict. The reflexive choice, instead, has been to feel more strongly what they are going through and how deeply this cuts me. In my best moments, I'm able to take on the harm, absorb it. (I'd like to again, have even better moments in which I can then alchemically transmute it Now, the best I usually can do is feel it.)

Feeling conflict so strongly leads, at worst, to paralysis or immobilization. That's been rare. But, at its best, it leads to a slow, exacting path through through micro-decisions that probably looks much the same on the outside much of the time, and more.

There was far more to the year than this. I think I performed some great work this year (here on Solunars, for example), made progress (albeit slow) on long-term projects, joined Marion in creating entirely new ways to deliver wine tastings and social connection in COVID times. I'm clearly one of the lucky ones - I have my job, most of my income, Cadillac health insurance and health care, a loving and exciting marriage, and more.

OK, time to move on and look at the actual astrological breakdowns of the charts.

[Jim Eshelman]

I didn't go far for my October 10, 2019 SSR. Just a little tweaking. It occurred 34N26'23", 119W47'50" near Goleta, CA. I then returned home and lived my year at my home 34N03'46", 118W18'47". Notice that these small differences in location can make very significant differences in the charts.

Over the last few years, I've come to the conclusion that the master SSR of the year is the chart for exactly where it sets up. This is also the chart that is most responsive to transits (I mean to its angles). When one moves around - even if it is just going back home after a birth day trip - the SSR "relocates." The new chart has some expression, but it is much less than the original location; it is responsive to transits, but they are (most of the time) less impactful than for where the chart occurred.

Going into this comparison (having already done the breakouts below), I am not sure I improved the chart this year by going two and a half hours north. I think the exactly angular Venus was a good move, but this carried other astrological consequences. More on this further below. Here are the breakouts.

2019 SSR for Santa Barbara County

r Mars on MC -6°34'
r Saturn on Dsc -5°37'
r Mercury on Dsc -2°29'
t Mercury on Dsc -2°13'
t Uranus on Asc -1°21'
----------------------
t Venus on Dsc +0°01'
t Pluto on MC +0°18'
r Neptune on Dsc +2°54'

-- t Mercury conj. r Mercury 0°16' mundo
-- t Venus-Pluto sq. 0°18' mundo
-- t Mercury conj. r Saturn 0°32' mundo
-- t Mercury-Uranus conj. 0°52' mundo
-- r Mars-Saturn sq. 0°57'
-- t Uranus op. r Mercury 1°08' mundo
-- t Venus-Uranus op. 1°21' mundo
-- t Uranus-Pluto sq. 1°39' mundo
-- t Mercury-Venus conj 2°13' mundo
-- r Mercury-Saturn conj. 2°24'
-- r Mars-Neptune sq. 2°25'
-- t Venus conj. r Mercury 2°30' mundo
-- t Mercury-Pluto sq. 2°30' mundo
-- t Pluto sq. r Neptune 2°36' mundo
-- t Saturn sq. r Sun 2°39' mundo
-- t Pluto sq. r Mercury 2°47' mundo
-- t Venus conj. r Neptune 2°53' mundo

Moon-Neptune conj. 0°19'
Moon-Jupiter sq. 2°51'

OTHER PARTILE
(none)

2019 SSR for home

r Saturn on Dsc -4°29'
r Mars on MC -3°56'
r Mercury on Dsc -1°24'
t Mercury on Dsc -1°07'
t Uranus on Asc -0°14'
----------------------
t Venus on Dsc +1°08'
t Pluto on MC +2°47'
r Neptune on Dsc +4°04'

-- t Mercury conj. r Mercury 0°17' mundo
-- t Mercury conj. r Saturn 0°32'
-- r Mars-Saturn sq. 0°34' mundo
-- t Mercury-Uranus 0°54'mundo
-- t Uranus op. r Mercury 1°10' mundo
-- t Pluto sq. r Neptune 1°17' mundo
-- t Venus-Uranus op. 1°21' mundo
-- t Venus-Pluto sq. 1°39' mundo
-- t Mercury-Venus conj. 2°15' mundo
-- r Mercury-Saturn conj. 2°24'
-- r Mars-Neptune sq. 2°25'
-- r Mercury-Mars sq. 2°32' mundo
-- t Venus conj. r Mercury 2°32' mundo
-- t Mercury sq. r Mars 2°49' mundo
-- t Venus conuj. r Neptune 2°56' mundo
-- t Uranus-Pluto sq. 3°00' mundo

Moon-Neptune conj. 0°19'
Moon-Jupiter sq. 2°51'

OTHER PARTILE
(none)

[Jim Eshelman]

First, something to keep in mind in relocating a Solar Return (something that will be a big deal to me in the new 2020 chart) is that Moon aspects are identical no matter where you go. (This is slightly wrong:" mundane aspects of Moon are different.)

Moon aspects
Therefore, no matter where I would have gone on Earth, I'd have had a 0°19' Moon-Neptune conjunction this year.

It's in the immediate background. At the least, this requires I say, "Doesn't matter, Moon aspects are always important in the SSR." I find it interesting that it is background because, if this were a natal, that's one of the places I'd expect an aspect having health impact. I've said plenty about Moon-Neptune above. (It fits the standard interpretation.)

But Moon has one more aspect, a 2°51' square with Jupiter. This is clearly not as strong as Moon-Neptune, but it's strong. It's consistent with my saying I'm one of the lucky ones in the world right now. There might be Jupiter-Neptune elision from these two aspects (I made a questionable investment in January when progressed Moon-Jupiter was exact, but so far it's working out OK). Jupiter-Neptune, which I also have from birth, is consistent with my social cohesiveness values and innovations of the year. (And it's been a good year for wine.)

These planets, which differ dramatically from the main angular signals of the chart, form one layer.

Closest Angularities
For home, the one partile angularity is Uranus. Both Mercuries and transiting Venus are within 3°. It would have been primarily a Uranus year, fed by Mercury-Venus-Uranus aspects. This is descriptive.

For the Santa Barbara County original location, the closest angularity is Venus, 0°01' from Descendant. Transiting Pluto is also partile (MC 0°18') and they are square. The Venus-Pluto aspect (partile and partile to the angles) is the defining aspect of the chart, supported by Uranus within 2° and then the Mercuries a little wider. It's accurate that the year has been defined by social isolation - cut off from a hundred people I see nearly daily - more than any other single factor (though this isn't unique to me).

Taking all the angular planets, both locations have transiting Mercury, Venus, Uranus, and Pluto foreground - no difference except in orbs. As far as natal planets, SBC (original location) has natal natal Mercury, Saturn, Mars, Neptune and (barely) Sun. For LA, natal Mercury, Mars, Saturn, Neptune and (barely) Venus are foreground.

What this means most simply is that my natal Mercury-Saturn and Mars-Neptune aspects are foreground and will be most descriptive of what to expect from me.

However, natal Sun (barely) foreground is a big deal! It's a big deal because it admits new aspects to the picture that wouldn't count of the planets involved weren't foreground. Here's where I wonder if I made a mistake this year, and whether living without that exactly angular Venus (and highlighted Venus-Pluto aspect) might have been a better idea.

Natal Sun Foreground in Santa Barbara County
Because natal Sun is foreground in the original chart, we have one or two additional foreground aspects: transiting Saturn squares natal Sun (2°39' mundo) and (a little wider, Class II) transiting Pluto square natal Sun (3°11 mundo). I might have enjoyed the year more without them. - This is probably something I missed or thought little of in racing for that precisely angular benefic.

Comparing Angularities
Other than those 9°+ angularities of natal Sun (in SBC) and natal Venus (in LA), the same planets are foreground either place. The only real difference is orb.

Transiting Venus 0°01' from an angle in SBC (and Pluto 0°18') contrasts to transiting Uranus 0°14' from Asc in LA. Both fit, I think the former fits better. (But there has certainly been a lot of Uranus this year.) A few other shifts that seem worth noting:

Natal Marts is 6°34' off MC in SBC and only 3°56' off in LA. That's a big difference. I think the combination of Venus being more angular and natal Mars less angular in SBC marked the year. (Notice, e.g., that here at the end I'm responding to conflict in a Venus way and avoiding old, habitual Mars ways. It has also been a year of much more graciousness in workplace interactions.)

Natal Neptune is less than 3° from the angle where the chart set up, over 4° at home. This probably intensified the Moon-Neptune themes, set me up for more of what I'd written about above.

Identical Aspects
My two foreground natal aspects (Mercury-Saturn and Mars-Neptune) are the only foreground ecliptical aspects (i.e., ecliptical is closer than mundane). There is no difference between them. I'm sure these sides of me have been more active than usual all year (but in the context of the angular Venus etc.).

Other aspects - all mundane - are approximately the same orb in both locations. Starting with natal planet aspects, both have a partile Mars-Saturn square that I don't have in my birth chart. (It would have been more angular in LA. I think the aspect is accurate for a year of survival thinking at the forefront, but I haven't had accidents etc. to suggest the closer angularity in LA. The original angles, not the relocated angles, are what's important.)

Of foreground transit to transit aspects, both have similar Venus-Pluto, Mercury-Venus-Uranus,

Uranus square Pluto is closer in SBC and is exactly angular - the main aspect and somewhat wider for LA. I probably had a more disrupted year (or a year in which I managed disruption better) because of having my SSR two and a half hours north.

Mercury square Pluto was in close orb in SBC and too wide to take seriously in LA.
Presumably, it marked my year (though it's a little hard for me to sort this aspect out from all the other similar themes).

This leaves foreground transit to natal aspects. These have little difference. Both charts have, with comparable orbs (and small; changes in angularity):
t Mercury to r Mercury (both to natal Saturn),
t Venus and Uranus to r Mercury
t Venus and Pluto to r Neptune,

There are two differences, though - they are quite different. Only the SBC chart has transiting Pluto square natal Mercury (2°47' mundo). I do think I was starting to feel this aspect this year.

[Jim Eshelman]

It occurs to me that I'd like to do this same kind of comparison of last year's chart (which I now fully accept as being the one for where it first set up) to my incoming SSR (for where I expect to be late Friday night).

I will start by saying that the 2020 SSR looks rather horrible. It has severe Moon aspects that can't be escaped by picking a new location. It has natal Neptune (squared by transiting Saturn) foreground, though (while hardly pleasant) this is hardly worse than the Moon-Neptune of last year. There is more - you can see it yourself - but by spending the hour of the return in Huntington Beach, CA I drop one amelioration into the mix: Natal Jupiter 0°01' from an angle, as part of natal Jupiter-Uranus within a third of a degree. As always in such charts, there is a significant chance I won't survive the year, or that my physical circumstances will be severely disrupted (Marion and I have a convergence of even more severe, loss-laden things at the end of 2021, but that's under a different chart).

The present purpose is to contrast the new year with the old.

Moon aspects
Instead of Neptune (and some wider Jupiter), Moon in the new SSR aspects both Marses and transiting Jupiter, Pluto, and Sun. In the first months of the SSR it will progress to all of these but Sun, and also will progress to oppose Saturn. If I make it to spring, I'll probably be fine. - Moon-Mars is partile.

I don't like this, but I expect I'll like it better than the Neptune.

Comparing angularities
In the old SSR, natal Mercury, Mars, Saturn, and Neptune were foreground. In the new one, natal; Mars, Saturn, and Neptune (no Mercury) plus natal Jupiter-Uranus. The latter is, of course, the big difference, and my practical hope for the year.

There are differences, though. Natal Mars is partile rather than distant. Natal Saturn is a little closer (natal Neptune only slightly closer). Survival issues are foremost - especially since the closest aspect in the entire chart is transiting Saturn on natal Mars 0°01' in RA, exactly on WP. (And, of course, the world will get thrown into Pluto in Capricorn.)

Last year, transiting planets foreground were Mercury, Venus, Uranus, and Pluto. This year, they are Mars, Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto. The sense of "everything changing" remains, but the difference of Mercury and Venus shifting to Mars and Saturn is severe.

While I am still in the series of years when my natal Mars-Neptune square will be foreground every year, I lose the natal Mercury-Saturn this year and pick up natal Jupiter conjunct Uranus.

I also lose the "discovered" natal Mars-Saturn mundane square from last year, but make up for it with a Saturn transit to natal Mars within 0°01'.

Foreground transit-to-transit aspects
These are quite different (no overlaps). Instead f Mercury-Venus-Uranus-Pluto, I get Mars-Pluto and Saturtn-Pluto.

Foreground transit-to-natal aspects
Though it doesn't appear in the SSR, I know next year is transiting Neptune conjunct natal Moon more or less all year. Cheers!

The most severe aspect in the chart is transiting Saturn and natal Mars - both within a degree of Westpoint - conjunct within 0°01' in RA. Struggle and survival are in store.

No transits exist in both the old and new SSRs. The closest: Though natal Sun isn't foreground, transiting Saturn squares natal Sun within 0°05'. There is also a partile non-foreground Mercury-Uranus and Mercury-Saturn.

But, of foreground transits to natal planets, the new SSR has:

t Saturn conj. r Mars 0°01' in RA
-- t Saturn sq. r Neptune 0°56'
-- t Saturn op. r Uranus 2°55'
-- t Saturn op. r Jupiter 3°121'
t Uranus op. r Saturn 0°26'
t Pluto conj. r Mars 1°27'
t Mars sq. r Mars 1°43'

[Jim Eshelman]

The end (for now).

[Arena]

Sorry to hear that you are going through troubles or difficult challenges. I hope you will be ok after this trip around the Sun.

[Jim Eshelman]

Thanks, Arena.

My doctor agreed I should terminate that one med, which I did Sunday. To everyone's surprise, I went through two days of withdrawal symptoms and SEEM to be coming out the other side.

[FlorencedeZ.]

Thank you Jim for writing everything down and learning about the differences between this SSR and your new one coming up.
Like Arena said I hope you will be OK after this all is over.
And that positive factors from transits & progressions for instance will be felt along the way in the meantime.
Regards,
Flo

[parsfortuna]

Wishing you well Jim for your birthday and solar reset.
It speaks the obvious to get those malefics well off the angles this year.

With the Jup-Nep sextile, it would be ideal to put them to good use by having them sextile-trine the MC/IC. Looking at a few cities, I see a relocated return in Dallas, TX fulfills that nicely to soften it up somewhat, also putting Mars sextile-trine the Asc/Dsc. Dallas does place your natal Pl within 5 degrees of the Asc (albeit out of sign).

I've done the traveling for about 8 years on my SSR and I agree fully with you that it's all about where you are at the solar return moment. Sounds like you're set with your location. The best of fortune and providence to you!

[Jim Eshelman]

Wishing you well Jim for your birthday and solar reset.

Thank you

With the Jup-Nep sextile, it would be ideal to put them to good use by having them sextile-trine the MC/IC.

Sextiles and trines to angles don't exist.

[parsfortuna]

Wishing you well even with them not existing!

[Jim Eshelman]

Wishing you well even with them not existing!

Thank you again

[Jim Eshelman]

I might add: I've tended to lose confidence in potential parans (that is, treating them as if they were static aspects), but I thought I'd take a look anyway - old habits with a new SSR, except I used to do the speculum by hand with logs tables. I must admit that there are mostly desirable aspects this way and I wish they were more effective than I actually think they are.

The relevant speculum figures:

Ura MC 037°17'
Mer IC 037°21'

Jup IC 110°12'
Sun Asc 110°47'

Jup Asc 216°31'
Ura IC 217°17'
Mer MC 217°21'

Plu Asc 220°53'
Mon Dsc 221°07'

Mer Dsc 294°26'
Plu MC 294°29'

Ura Asc 297°26'
Sat MC 297°28'


These give the aspects (in order of orb):

0°02' Saturn-Uranus sq.
0°03' Mercury-Pluto sq.
0°04' Mercury-Uranus op.(x2)
0°14' Moon-Pluto op.
0°35' Sun-Jupiter sq.
0°46' Jupiter-Uranus sq.
0°50' Mercury-Jupiter sq.

[TheScales_BothWays]

Thanks so much Jim for sharing your experience throughout your past SSR. We all learn a lot from you.

I'm so glad you're making it out from that medicine's side effects. Depression is an awful fog.

I also hope your next SSR is much better to handle with natal Jupiter-Uranus on the angles, as Steve puts it, the "Thank you Lord" aspect.

[Veronica]

Jim,

It breaks my heart to read your words of depression.
I am so glad that your year is drawing to an end.
I know those feelings you spoke of, too well.
I count my lucky stars that they crossed with yours and my fog cleared.