"Hello, my Chiron is the sign of Sagittarius at 7 degrees retrograde in my 3rd house. What does it mean when Mars is in Sagittarius?  How would that affect my Chiron?"

Quarterly predictions for each Zodiac Sign for October - December 2006: Birthdate ranges shown may vary by a day or so either way. Be aware that these are general predictions, and that a detailed analysis of your personal transits and progressions will always show much more pinpoint accuracy. As in all predictive columns, this is written based on the Solar House system. If you know your Ascendant (Rising Sign) read that section as well as your birth sign. I attempt to write these predictions for all degrees of each sign, however, your own Sun and Ascendant may be anything from 0°-30° of a sign. If these predictions seem way off, your Sun or Ascendant may be at the extreme beginning or end of your sign. In that case, check out the predictions for the sign immediately before or after yours and you may find a closer match. (If you are a Pisces, check out Aquarius and Aries, for example.)

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Aries- Mar 21- Apr 20:  Rams will find their focus on the outer world in the fourth quarter. Partnerships of all kinds, including financial alliances, will be spotlighted and should be highly favorable. Both your sexual attractiveness and your sexual drive should be high. The lead weight you feel like you have been carrying around that prevents you from having fun should be easy to shed by early next year. Try to get away over the holidays if you can.

Taurus- Apr 21- May 21:  Relationships are emphasized for Bulls too in the next 3 months, though the focus is more on personal associations that financial ones. If you are feeling cranky with your partner, it is likely that a romance session is needed and will blow off the necessary steam. Single Taureans may find a relationship becoming more serious. Don't be tempted to get too far off the pragmatic path when it comes to your daily responsibilities. Learning a new intellectual pursuit or just doing mentally challenging projects will be satisfying.

Gemini- May 22- Jun 21:  You should be able to find pleasure in even monotonous tasks this quarter, which is very convenient as you will be busy! Career changes may seem surprising at first, but should be for the best in the long run. Don't expect things to settle down very soon, though. You may be feeling especially creative, and can feel free to enjoy the artistic impulses as long as you don't forget your responsibilities in the process. Late in the year, romance is highlighted and should be a pleasure.

Cancer- Jun 22- Jul 23:  All play and no work won't be dull this quarter, but don't lose track of what must be done. Late in the year you'll have an easier time buckling down. Financial restrictions which may have plagued you for some time are on their way out, though perhaps not soon enough for you! This is a time to be sure to share the spotlight and avoid being seen as too much of a primadonna. Don't be surprised if romantic plans take on a high level of importance.

Leo- Jul 24- Aug 23:  Your focus will most likely be on home and family for the last quarter this year. Part of this will be an eat-drink-and-be-merry celebration of the various holidays, part will likely be just a time out from the rest of the world to recharge your batteries. Your lighthearted ability to charm will return fairly soon after having spent some time AWOL to your mystification. Your organizational abilities are strong now, and you'll be able to whip almost anything into shape. Your primary relationships should be especially sweet.

Virgo- Aug 24- Sep 23:  Both written and verbal communications are highlighted in the first portion of the fourth quarter, later on, your focus will be on domestic matters. Partnerships are continuing to move toward positive changes- outmoded ways will not be allowed to persist. Trying to hold onto the old will only create unexpected events, you must actively let go of anything that has reached to end of its life span. You have a genuine vocation for helping others now and you will find any kind of work in that realm deeply satisfying.

Libra- Sep 24- Oct 23:  You are working away toward your financial future now with the assistance of boundless energy, great ideas and Lady Luck. Some of your friendships may seem burdensome for a while yet- it's important not to let them divert you from what you need to get done. A fast-paced and changeable tempo is the rhythm of daily responsibilities- finding new approaches to monotonous tasks will make them much more fun! In dating and in relationships with children it's important to keep things balanced- it would be very easy to give too much.

Scorpio- Oct 24- Nov 22:  Though usually fairly private, you will be more comfortable in the spotlight than usual this quarter. By year-end, your attention will be directed toward financial matters, which should remain strong. Sweetness in your home life will help to balance career pressures. It is certainly time to "stand and deliver" in your work, but rewards should flow commensurately with your efforts. One thing to be aware of is a possible tendency to waste time on wild goose chases or other ultimately unrewarding illusions. If single, your dating life is still filled with surprises.

Sagittarius- Nov 23- Dec 22:  You may be subject to some delays in the early part of this quarter, but a lot should come into fruition before year-end. It is safest to expect the unexpected in your home life now- good ways to use this energy would be to work on a home-improvement project of some kind, or to make needed changes in domestic routines. You may still be experiencing some limitations in your freedom- especially the freedom to learn something new, or to travel. Patience will bring its own reward as the stars shift. Friendships are close and supportive now. Watch that waistline during the holidays!

Capricorn- Dec 23- Jan 20:  You are likely to be very involved with group associations, social events, and just enjoying the company of friends in the fourth quarter- especially early on. Later in the quarter, your life should settle down somewhat, and you may find yourself wanting to spend extra time alone to rest up. It is an excellent time to build alliances in your career for extra momentum. Finances are fairly secure as long as you carefully avoid involvement in any shaky investments or any other kind of monetary wishful thinking. You analytical powers are at the forefront now.

Aquarius- Jan 21- Feb 19:  You have a kind way about you that is very attractive to others now, including 2- and 4-legged strays. Do be discerning about who you take in and flea dip. Career matters are at the forefront, and you should see some solid expansion in that area. Long-term relationships may seem very looong now, but will lighten up as the stars shift. Money matters are still somewhat unpredictable. Travel will allow you to make new acquaintances, but don't forget the potential caveat concerning new friends. It is a creatively rich and enjoyable time.

Pisces- Feb 20- Mar 20: Expose yourself to some new horizons if at all possible this quarter. If you don't go somewhere or learn something new, you can expect some seriously itchy feet. Day-to-day responsibilities are a bit of a grind now, so some kind of escape would be wonderful. You are still impatient with personal restrictions, and conformity is definitely not your strong suit now. Career matters may be intense; be very sure to play fair. Your spirituality should be quite deep and meaningful now, and should provide a welcome respite.
 

The Politics of Compassion

Perhaps this isn't astrology-related, but my heart hurts seeing the world as it is today. Hatred and division seem to be at the height of fashion for so many people. Despite this so-called era of "family values," and "compassionate conservatism," hatred and judgment seem to hold more sway than in any time that I can remember in the last 30+ years.

There could be many reasons for this. I think one major factor in the flourishing of an atmosphere of hate could actually be many people's lack of sufficient self-esteem. It is a basic human desire to want to feel like we are good enough. One way for those with damaged self-esteem to feel more adequate within themselves is to feel superior to others. This is far easier than more evolved ways to have self-esteem, such as to heal our old wounds, to stay in our integrity, to take responsibility for our lives, to hold ourselves accountable, to consistently work for the greatest good of all concerned.

An unfortunate side effect of this shadow human desire to feel superior to others is that it offers a fertile ground for exploitation by political and religious groups interested in population control. People whose hatreds are stirred up are highly emotional and therefore easily manipulated, since their logical minds are dormant. An old aphorism states, "Twist the horse's lip with a cord called hatred, and he will not notice what is happening underneath his tail." When feeling righteous, people can often justify anything- even things that would normally fall outside of their own acceptable range of behavior.

An entirely different way of viewing ourselves and others is with compassion. Compassion allows for differences- and yes, even imperfections- without judging them to be inferior. Compassion starts with empathy, as we put ourselves in another's place and understand their life from their own perspective. From empathy can come understanding, which displaces judgment.

We don't have to place everything in a hierarchy. Differences can be different and still be equal. We (or our group) do not have to own the sole copy of "the book of truth." It is possible (and so very freeing) to live in a world of many truths. Everyone else does not have to be wrong for us to be right.

Compassion allows us to experience Universal Love toward everyone, including those with whom we disagree. Compassion does not require a two-way street- we can send compassion even to those who are sending us hatred in return. Compassion relieves us of the burden of being judge and jury. It allows us to substitute the serenity of acceptance for the inner turmoil of judgment. Compassion brings us inner peace. But unless we also stop judging the judgers and hating the haters, we are still caught up in judgment and hate- we are still out of our compassion.

It is very difficult to manipulate people who hold the inward centeredness of compassion. Those who are clear and peaceful inside cannot be stirred into action by hateful propaganda. They are able to see the broadest truths and the highest paths. They are able to stay moral in the best sense of the word.

I invite you to join with me and become another conscious objector to the current zeitgeist of hate. If we want to seed and claim a world of acceptance and love we have to start with ourselves. We have to move out of judgment and into compassion. We have to consistently choose not to buy into the highly persuasive messages of hate. We can't oppose the zeitgeist of hate by hating it. Compassion for EVERYONE is the only way we can oppose the politics of hatred. I invite you to move with me into the world we can create as more and more of us choose the politics of compassion.