Last time I briefly touched on the retrogrades we're facing: Saturn, Pluto and Mercury. For those who don't know, when a neighboring planet seems to go backwards in its orbit in comparison to the Earth's orbit, it's seen as going "retrograde". Whatever influence it normally has on us then shifts to what seems to be the opposite.


The most popular in modern awareness is Mercury Retrograde, probably because it happens more frequently and because its effect on us is so easily recognized: communication mishaps, automobile accidents, computer and electronic snafu's. This year, we have four times when Mercury goes retrograde for about three weeks each. We're in the second, which ends May 11th.

This go-round, some of the major obstacles to look out for are scheduling mishaps and simple miscommunication. That seems easy enough, but coupled with the Saturn and Pluto Retrogrades, of course it's not going to be that easy. Whatever lessons Saturn and Pluto have for us are going to be made more pointed because of Mercury.

Each retrograde - no matter what planet is involved - is a major opportunity for facing lessons, healing the past and letting go of what might be in your way. When the outer planets get involved (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto), the lessons and challenges are deep seeded and can reach back into past life lessons brought forward in this life.

The main info I want to cover right now, however, is about Pluto Retrograde, as the planet of transformation is having such an important part to play in the overall and much grander scheme of the 2,000 year, 5,126 year, 26,000 year and 125,000,000 year shifts we're smack in the middle of (more on that in future blogs).

I'd like to quote from one of my favorite reference books, Annie Bones' "Celestial Forecaster". Every year, this book not only charts every astrological event that's happening, it explains what it means so anyone can understand. As I've mentioned in a previous blog, I know Astrology, but I don't KNOW Astrology. This book - new every year - has been of tremendous help to me in my work and teaches me something new every day.

So here are some select quotes from what Annie Bones has to say about Pluto Retrograde, which is in Capricorn and runs from April 6th to September 13th, 2010.

"This is a time to make life better by consciously transforming fear into determination and despair into belief in oneself, no matter what condition of fate surrounds you. We must acknowledge the evolution of humankind's current condition in order to survive the changes that are occurring on Earth.


"The destructive habits, prejudices, sufferings and haunts of previous generations must be acknowledged, addressed and altered to enable us to tackle the world of the future. We will all face greater challenges and tests of epic proportions. Outdated concerns must be dealt with so that we may find solutions to the new problems in front of us. We must face tragedies, diseases, losses (particularly monetary), shattered dreams and altered or unexpected doses of reality. We must look within.


"This is a good time to confirm our greatest strengths by directing abusive patterns into constructive and useful disciplines which will reshape and bring hope to the emerging outlook on life."

Pluto's not messing around. But it's exactly what we need. We have some very hard shifts coming. We've already seen some of them. Some are going to be very physical - monetary system crashes, earthquakes - while most of them are going to be consciousness and awareness shifts. Pluto is preparing us for them.

One of the statements above is something I try to tell people everyday: "...we must transform...no matter what condition of fate surrounds you." It's easy to be happy and balanced when things are going well. But it's important to know how to stay balanced and, if not happy then content, no matter how challenging things are. All change is good, even that which we don't like, because it teaches and helps us get to a higher level of awareness. It's easier to understand and experience the "bad" if you see it as opportunity not celestial harassment.

Let Pluto show you things about yourself you may not want to see. Face the lessons and challenges it offers and I guarantee you'll be better prepared to deal with the shifts that are coming.