Solunars by Aldebaran Sidereal Academy

With just about a month to go until my SSR, I’ve semi-decided on a location close to Whitchurch-Stouffville, Ontario.

At some point, I need eye surgery which could be a complicated procedure. Based on this seemingly dramatic return, I’m even considering postponing it until 2025.

Jim, could you have a look, give me some location advice and a rundown of the year ahead when you have time.

Thank you


Solar Return
21 Jul 2024 11:01:49 UT
Lincolnville, Ontario
44N 0'45" 79W14'23"

Radical (r) Chart
21 Jul 1955 14:38:00 UT
45N27'52" 73W38' 6"
Montreal Ouest, Quebec

Starting with the next year in general (ignoring the SSR specifics), Pluto is will complete the dramatic, significant transiting opposition to your Sun-Uranus - the Uranus part has had final pass but Pluto will recross your Sun. This two or three years is all about fundamentally redefining your sense of who you are, what you're about, what your life direction is - probably with a sense of destiny (new destination) about it - with a definite leaving behind something significant that has defined your life until now, stepping out of your past, shedding the past as a snake sheds its skin, etc.

This will continue to unfold for much of this year and, along the way, probably will come to lunar return angles here and there.

This might be related to Uranus' continued square to your MC and later opposition to your EP-a. Both Pluto and Uranus represent significant shifts, changes, new directions, and sometimes seem much the same, though the underlying motives are different. Where Pluto transforms (the pieces are dismantled and you discover you can put the puzzle together in an entirely different way), Uranus changes (moves the existing pieces around). Uranus brings an invitation to renewal, refreshment, and freedom. It's opposite your EP-a by August - crisscrosses it, returns to square MC by mid-January, and makes it back to EP-a by May-June next year. There is a lot of change, reinvention, rearrangement, and reconceiving of yourself, your circumstances, and your direction over the next year (much of which is probably already underway or in the wind).

Saturn and Neptune make no major transits to your natal in the next year, having it all really well.


Switching to secondary progressions, these are mostly benign-to-good. You work in Mercury fields and the most immediate progression is Mercury square your Sun, essentially exact right now and through the summer (after some time of also squaring your Uranus). Progressed Venus also squares natal Mercury. In simple terms, this is all good for Mercury stuff, for a period of your life when acquiring, analyzing, and disseminating information are centerpieces to your life, probably growing stronger in these things, having more of your life-energy wrapped up in them.

There is one particularly dramatic note about your progressions, though - neither good nor bad by itself, but dramatic - and you're already in the middle of it. Progressed Moon opposes natal Moon (exact over these last few days after being in orb a month) and will reach progressed Pluto in two months (with a one-month orb either side). This may simply be timing of key plot-points of the larger Pluto transiting wave. Progressions produce events though their fundamental nature is psychologically, e.g., abrupt intensity of circumstances, a feeling of abrupt confrontation. It may be simply extreme introversion, wanting to be left alone and by yourself, a need to be apart from someone or something (the introversion and isolation being required by inner processing). I recently posted some old progressed Moon interpretations by Alexander Marr, who summarized Moon-Pluto as "shock, end of old with new beginning, recklessness... Mainly unfavorable. Without the interference of other planets, immense shock." This is a pretty good general statement; i.e., it's not an especially good omen or bad omen, just a big deal omen.



Finally, in our pre-SSR look, we have Solar Arc directions. One direction shows considerable significance - and, again, you're already well into it. Directed MC squared your natal Sun-Uranus over the last couple of years. It was exact to your Sun just over six months ago and will be fading pretty rapidly over the next few months (having left its mark). Interpreting this would repeat a lot of words I've used above, the main point being that it signals a point in your life that your Sun-Uranus manifests outwardly with extreme intensity (starting almost two years ago). It likely ripened into a sense of direction and certainty, another version of reassessing who you are and where you're headed (identity and direction being the two main solar words). I don't think this adds anything new, but it's worth acknowledging. You have a couple of other solar arcs that are just leaving orb or have recently left, including Mars square your Mercury and Ascendant opposite your Venus.

Now let's turn to the SSR. No matter where you are in the world, you have a triple Moon-Sun-Pluto aspect. (Gosh, more Moon-Pluto and Sun-Pluto - it's the trend of the year.) This is operative independent of location. Looking around the chart for other aspects that could be significant depending on where you are located, we see a Mercury-Uranus conjunction on natal Pluto and transiting mars quite closely square natal Moon.

Before going further, let me say (since you asked for advice) that I'm already inclined to suggest you get the eye surgery. I don't know what kind of surgery, and that might make a difference. As you may recall, I had a cornea transplant the last week of December, which has the disadvantage of making me extremely encouraging of the great benefit. (Your situation may be entirely different.) If the needed procedure is as extreme as mine, the main characteristics are that it will literally change your world and how you see it - no metaphors there <g>. It will also involve some sort of cutting (or equivalent) and the physical and mental uncomfortable elements that accompany any kind of surgery. I also have needed frequent post-op progress checks and to use eye drops to discourage rejection. All has gone great - definitely worth the procedure and still have about six months before stitches come out and the best results are expected - but changed outlook, physical discomfort, cutting or equivalent, etc. are going to be part of most eye surgery whenever you have it. Taking advantage of "your world is changing" aspects concurrent with some cutting, burning, irritating aspects like Mars on your Moon seems a great time to do it.

Eye advice is over... let's get back to the location for your SSR.

Lyse wrote: Sat Jun 15, 2024 7:36 am With just about a month to go until my SSR, I’ve semi-decided on a location close to Whitchurch-Stouffville, Ontario.

Solar Return
21 Jul 2024 11:01:49 UT
Lincolnville, Ontario
44N 0'45" 79W14'23"

First, a technical detail: I get a different location for Lincolnville, ON. Solar Fire (which uses the American Atlas) gives 45N30 61W33. Are there two? Then, when I use the atlas feature in Time Matters, it converts Lincolnville, ON to Old Elm, Canada and gives nearly identical coordinates to yours (42N59'25" 79W14'14"). Google Maps finds it indeed just north of Whitchurch-Stouffville at 44.015410376762404, -79.23891614202572, so I guess I'm answering my own question and that's the right one. We'll go with it. (SF gives Whitchurch-Stouffville as 43N58 79W15.) - I'll just force the coordinates you gave.

It looks like you picked this place for transiting Venus rising quite exactly, conjunct natal Jupiter. This is quite excellent!

In fact, I see nothing to make me second-guess this SSR at all. You've done a great job.

To put it in perspective, remember that REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU HAVE YOUR SOLAR RETURN you have Pluto transits to your Sun (and, somewhat, Uranus) all year, Uranus transits to natal angles much of the year, several months of progressed Moon-Pluto aspects, and - no matter where the solar return occurs - that life-reorienting SSR Moon-Sun-Pluto alignment. Your life is changing - perhaps only your inner life - we don't know for sure if the inner turning things inside-out will echo in your physical environment - but with this much accumulation and concentration I would expect outward, environmental reinvention as well. You are naturally introspective in a way that could have all of this be internal processes, psychological changes and increased awareness; yet, especially with Sun's involvement (direction, self-assertive action, taking a particular path) there is a really good chance you will make changes in your life or have the universe invite you to them.

Getting to the particulars... Here is the breakdown of the chart for the coordinates you gave. The only thing to make me hesitate at all is natal Neptune so closely angular - but the benefic bias of the chart is so strong (and we already know that reinvention and redirection require being a little lost sometimes - and you will be undergoing strong psychological reorientation regardless).

t Moon on WP -1°40'
r Sun on WP -1°16'
r Uranus on EP -1°02'
t Venus on Asc -0°03'
--------------------------
r Neptune on IC +0°53'
r Jupiter on Asc +2°14'
r Mars on Asc +3°57'

t Moon-Pluto co 1°19'

r Sun-Uranus co 0°14'
t Moon op r Sun 0°25'
t Moon op r Uranus 0°38'
t Venus sq r Neptune 0°57' M
r Jupiter-Neptune sq 1°21'
r Mars-Jupiter co 1°28'
t Venus co r Jupiter 2°17' M
r Uranus-Neptune sq 2°29'
t Sun-Neptune sq 2°42'

Something to notice: Transiting Pluto is not foreground. The Moon-Pluto aspect counts regardless, and Pluto's transit to your Sun happens all year regardless, but - quite important there is no transiting Pluto opposite natal Sun aspect IN the Solar Return itself, i.e., it's not a foreground aspect. I'm not sure you'll be able to tell the difference since you have the transit anyway, but it does give a different weight or balance to this chart viewed per se. (That's why I've listed Moon-Pluto in a separate "Moon aspects" group above, since it's not a foreground aspect.)

Non-foreground partile aspects that you will feel during the year in secondary ways (in ways that do not change the essential tone and nature of the chart shown by the above) include: t Mars sq natal Moon, t Mercury-Uranus sq aspecting natal Pluto, t Jupiter-Saturn sq (mundo),and t Pluto opposite natal Sun-Uranus.


Here's my simple breakdown of the general themes of the chart:

Benefic = 17, Malefic = 6
Spotlight = 15, Change
Dignity = 11, Indignity = 6

Amidst considerable spotlight and change, the chart is clearly much more benefic than malefic with more dignity than indignity.

This is great, thank you so much! It’s better than expected.

The only thing to make me hesitate at all is natal Neptune so closely angular - but the benefic bias of the chart is so strong (and we already know that reinvention and redirection require being a little lost sometimes.

This is similar to what I experienced in 2023 for the SSR in Ottawa and, to be honest, there was a lot of fantasizing taking place. It wasn’t bad though, far from it. It was a good year.

There’s a lot to digest here and will come back to this post later today.

I'm already inclined to suggest you get the eye surgery. I don't know what kind of surgery, and that might make a difference. As you may recall, I had a cornea transplant the last week of December, which has the disadvantage of making me extremely encouraging of the great benefit.

My eye condition is definitely not as serious as your cornea transplant and I’m delighted your surgery was successful!

It’s an unusual hereditary glaucoma, which doesn’t always do well with cataract surgery and my grandmother was legally blind due to it in the early 90’s. There is a risk the surgery ends with vision loss, so there was a hesitation because the hard aspects to the Sun and Moon (the eyes) are prominent in 2024/25. However, I’ll probably go ahead in the new year; your analysis eased my concerns about a dire outcome. It has to be done anyway, so will begin to make arrangements.

This two or three years is all about fundamentally redefining your sense of who you are, what you're about, what your life direction is - probably with a sense of destiny (new destination) about it - with a definite leaving behind something significant that has defined your life until now, stepping out of your past, shedding the past as a snake sheds its skin, etc.

This past year, there have been internal changes, with multiple aha moments related to the direction I’m taking as an individual and now, I want more of it. It wasn’t the physical relocation that I’d hoped for at the start of the 2023 SSR but a mental shift, which was better.

Also, during 2023, a Synastry technique that I became more comfortable with, allowed me to deeply understand an odd relationship that occurred years ago. Setting up two Novien-to-natal charts, analyzing them and then relocating his natal chart to where we lived with the straight synastry of my natal to his new relocated chart, was quite the thrill. For that knowledge alone, it was worth the trip to Ottawa for the SSR.

It looks like you picked this place for transiting Venus rising quite exactly, conjunct natal Jupiter. This is quite excellent!

In fact, I see nothing to make me second-guess this SSR at all. You've done a great job.

Thanks, I am learning from the best.

At some point, I need eye surgery which could be a complicated procedure.

My SSR occurred yesterday near Whitchurch-Stouffville, Ontario but by the evening of the 20th, I had already decided to have the surgery in Toronto. Luckily, I have contacts within the ophthalmology world and, although it’ll be a major hassle and expensive, having this procedure done by someone I trust, outweighs any financial or logistical difficulties.

Arrangements are underway to determine whether I’m a candidate due to the complexities of my case and there are also scheduling issues. On top of that, I’m hoping to get a date so that my husband, who also has cataracts, can have his surgery on the same day. We do everything else together so, why not? lol He has a garden variety eye condition, so his should be straightforward.

It’s likely to work out but I woke up this morning in a panic, which unfortunately is probably consistent with natal Neptune angular in the 2024 SSR. This uneasy feeling of dread will likely continue until the surgery is completed.

What a great solar return overall, though. I can't imagine you not coming out of this happier than you went into it.

And (hoping I'm right, of course) every instinct says getting this surgery is the way to go.

And (hoping I'm right, of course) every instinct says getting this surgery is the way to go.

Thank you, it’ll be nice to see well again!

It’s been an outstanding and positive 24 hours!

Although I don’t trade in financial markets, an exchange rate that I’ve been waiting years for and missed several months ago, finally hit my target today at 8:11 AM. The profit will pay for the pricey eye surgery and also recoup the money spent helping my son, who was almost bankrupted during an expensive divorce. In fact, we’re now slightly ‘ahead of the game’.

Also yesterday afternoon, a positive visit with an eye specialist who informed me that, while my eyesight is deteriorating very rapidly, my overall eye health is excellent and surgery, although complicated, should work out very well.

Last night, an unexpected overnight visit with family and a FaceTime conversation with my best friend who moved away a few years ago, began a twenty-four hour period that was more pleasant than the feeling of dread that I awoke to on the 22nd.

How wonderful

Beyond simply wishing someone a happy birthday, it feels very good that we have a technology that, with very high reliability, can practically guarantee a happy birthday.

You're off and running!

So far, one of the better birthdays of these past few years.

Eye surgery is off the table this year after consulting with the surgeon. It was quite the shock when he categorically stated he wouldn’t operate on me since I can achieve 20/20 vision wearing glasses. With a rare type of glaucoma, his thoughts were postpone any surgical intervention as long as possible; basically, do no harm.

He asked why I thought surgery was needed and I told him the optometrist was pushing it as my vision was deteriorating. He was a bit annoyed and said “You’re not even close to surgery, you need a new optometrist”.

Even though I felt embarrassed, the entire event was a good exercise as I went from total panic (Neptune-IC 53’) about having surgery to, “Yeah, I can do it”. So, I was delighted (Venus-ASC 3’) when it all came to nothing.

Lyse wrote: Fri Oct 04, 2024 10:03 am It was quite the shock when he categorically stated he wouldn’t operate on me since I can achieve 20/20 vision wearing glasses.

Sorry to hear that isn't available to you yet. That's what I originally ran into: As long as the vision was correctible with special contacts, they wouldn't consider surgery. (I had to wait until the eye could no longer hold the contact in place.) - In hindsight, it made sense: All surgery is deemed risky and they have to find the most "do no harm" path available (as you mentioned later).

Even though I felt embarrassed, the entire event was a good exercise as I went from total panic (Neptune-IC 53’) about having surgery to, “Yeah, I can do it”. So, I was delighted (Venus-ASC 3’) when it all came to nothing.