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Mars Re-Enters Cancer
By Shelley L. Ackerman
[From my 'Shimmering Stars' column in
The Westchester Guardian, © 2008]
Friday Feb 29:
Leap Year Begins Tense Weekend and Dramatic Countdown to March 4
As early as kindergarten or in the first grade, we learn that a calendar year is 365¼ days and that every four years there is a ‘leap year’, an extra day added to the short month of February, to compensate for the fact that a ‘solar year’ is almost six hours longer than 365 days.
Annoyingly, three of every four years, “Leapings” (as those born on Feb 29 are called) must celebrate their birthdays either on Feb 28 or March 1 as the 10th or 11th degree of Pisces for Feb 29 birthdays, can fall on either day on non-leap years. But the odd end-of-the-month date has an upside: it is a boon to women who long for a traditional life-long commitment and the legitimacy of a wedding ring to propose marriage to their beaus without fear of social recrimination or rejection.
Sadie Hawkins aside, astrologically speaking, the machinations of the western calendar matters little to the planets: Friday’s transit of the Sun to the 10th degree of Pisces (after the Last Quarter Moon) begins a five day countdown to the red planet’s re-entrance into (the sign of) Cancer on March 4th, just in time for the Democratic Primaries in Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Mars first entered watery Cancer last Sep 28 and retrograded back into Gemini on Dec 31, 2007, just before the New Year. Now, Mars creeps forward in the sign of the crab, and approaches its third and final opposition to Pluto in this six month sequence. The potentially explosive opposition will be exact on March 7 and Mars’ transit in Cancer continues through May 9.
As we all know, Hillary Clinton is a Scorpio, and Mars co-rules that sign. If anything in the heavens can help put her campaign back on track, it would be this transit of Mars in Cancer in favorable aspect to her Scorpio planets and her Pisces Moon. Let’s see if it does the trick, or at least coerces a change of heart and fairer treatment from the press. The misogyny on their part has been thick enough to cut with a knife and evokes images of Salem, Massachusetts. Despite the wave of Obamarama (he is appealing and so likeable), Hillary’s camp reports raising $35 million in the past month and Obama's supporters claimed to have raised $50 million.
According to Democracy Now correspondent and recent George Polk Award Winner Jeremy Scahill, both Obama and Clinton would continue with mercenaries (i.e. Blackwater) and troops in Iraq for years to come. However, an update on Feb 29 on Clinton’s website promised that no such outsourcing would be permitted under her administration: Clinton said she would co-sponsor a measure to ban the use of Blackwater and other private military firms. She said: “The time to show these contractors the door is long past due. We need to stop filling the coffers of contractors in Iraq, and make sure that armed personnel in Iraq are fully accountable to the U.S. government and follow the chain of command.”
Oil and Water:
On January 16, 2008, the NY Times editorial team blogged about a case before the California Supreme Court that could not go forward because too many of the judges had too much of a financial interest in oil companies to give a fair verdict. Now, along a similar vein, Judge Samuel Alito of the U.S. Supreme Court has recused himself from the Exxon-Valdez appeal for similar reasons. With a 4-4 vote, the already reduced damages of $2.5 billion would stand up. (the disaster occurred on March 24, 1989). And despite the devastating damage that these oil spills inflict upon the environment, Exxon continues to employ single-hulled ships in Alaska.
Water Water: We are, according to Canadian author and activist Maude Barlow a scant few years from depleting our water supply entirely. Check out Amy Goodman’s interview with her and take a look at her riveting book, Blue Covenant, The Global Water Crisis and the Coming Battle for the Right to Water.
Chart: Mars in Cancer
Click for larger view
Feb 28/29 Moon in Sagittarius
Feb 29: Last Quarter Moon @ 9:18 PM
March 1: Moon in Capricorn @ 1:33 PM
March 3: Moon Void (V/C) in Capricorn
March 4: Mars in Cancer @ 5:04 AM
March 4/5: Moon in Aquarius
* All times EST.
ARIES: Your ruling planet, Mars, enters Cancer and your 4th house of family affairs where it will remain through May 9. Though uncomfortable, seize this opportunity to redirect the stagnant emotional energy in your home and make amends for any insensitive behavior that has negatively impacted your relatives in the recent past. The first hoop you must jump through, involves your deft handling of a demanding boss or client who must be made to understand that without your home base in tact, you’re of no use to them.
TAURUS: A partner, spouse, and/or adversary may all vie for your undivided attention at the same time. As tough as it is to be on three phones at once or to respond coherently to multiple IM’s simultaneously, you’re about to pull off the balancing act of your life. Don’t get rattled and take it all in stride. Come March 5th, a career ‘dream’ takes center stage. Be prepared to sweet-talk your way into whatever you have your eye on, be it a better office, a raise, or a spot you thought you’d never be considered for. It’s yours for the asking.
GEMINI: The Last Quarter Moon on February 28 brings a career issue to a head. Now that you know exactly what you’re up against, you’re able to effectively eliminate the competition without annihilating them. Mars re-enters your 2nd house of finance and from this day on, nothing can stop you from achieving your economic goals. Don’t get distracted by nonsense or spend any more psychic or mental energy on anyone that is not in a position to reciprocate.
CANCER: Avoid traveling on Saturday morning, Meditate if you can or sign up for a yoga or tai-chi class within walking distance. Stay sharp and focused, so that when Mars re-enters your sign on March 4th, you are able to channel the intense energy constructively. You may get the gumption to finally step up to the plate and respond to someone who’s been waiting on you. A little empathy on your part will go a long way. Be mindful of emotional eating.
LEO: Every great creative accomplishment begins with a novel idea that is then followed by a leap of faith. But in this early gestation phase, it’s best to keep the idea and the process by which you intend to develop it to yourself. Mars will enter and transit your secretive 12th house for the next two months, and it would be easy to share with and trust the wrong people. So for the next two months, mum’s the word. If you need to share anything, go to confession at a strange church.
VIRGO: It’s house cleaning time once more. Understandably, this is your least favorite task. But when voracious Mars re-enters and ignites your 11th house of friends and associates on March 4, those hobgoblins that have been swirling beneath the surface will finally bubble to the top and they must be dealt with lest they cause more trouble. Physical activity/team sports will help disperse the energy and any bad vibes. Involvement in an initiative to help the community proves an effective and rewarding outlet.
LIBRA: Your professional life has been stalling since mid-November, and as the ignition key to jump start your ‘vehicle’ finds its way back into your hands, the pattern of frustrating false starts and stops that have characterized these few months will fade. And as your career gets back on track and picks up momentum, you have the potential to cut through the crap that has had you on hold for years if not eons. Do not allow the ongoing dysfunction of individuals in your family to siphon off your energy. If you do, you’ll regret it
SCORPIO: Your co-ruler Mars leaves your treacherous 8th house of banks, lenders, and other people’s money. And as it enters your 9th house of legal affairs, you expect a cosmic go-ahead to fight for what you believe to be right and due you. And while you’re correct in theory, in practice you’re advised to pick your battles carefully. The world out there is crazy, and things are just not operating fairly at this juncture. So don’t count on settling any scores any time soon, and count your blessings instead.
SAGITTARIUS: In a climate where more than 10 per cent of Americans owe more on their homes than they are worth, it’s likely (with Mars entering your 8th house) that an issue regarding financing or refinancing your home is on your mind. As frightening as this is, you have every reason to be encouraged, despite what the market is doing. Your bottom line and a resolution to housing issues comes a little later, in July- when a professional rebirth reframes everything and sets you on a whole new path.
CAPRICORN: As Mars re-enters and activates your relationship-centric 7th house, be aware that a partner, spouse, and or competitor will go to any length necessary to get what they want from you. This piece of info is not meant to make you paranoid, but to clue you in to the fact that there are times when it is imperative to be alert and responsive to our environment and the people in it. Keep the lines of communication open and toss the blinders. You need all the peripheral vision you can get.
AQUARIUS: Mars re-enters your 6th house and you’re motivated to tear through your work with a zeal that scares the daylights out of the casual observer. But really, when it comes down to it, what do they know about what’s driving you? Now through May 9th, you’re in a position to get seventy five per cent of your work done for the year, and to begin working on the next phase of your life on the boss’ dime. If a brother, sister, or neighbor offers their help -accept it.
PISCES: The lunation (Last Quarter Moon) of February 28th, springs you into an Action-Jackson mode. Friends in high places rally to see to it that you deliver and remain productive going forward. On March 4, Mars enters your 5th house of romance and creativity, further energizing and inspiring your reservoir of joy. It would be easy to let your imagination run wild and to veer off into fantasy land as you become intoxicated with gratitude, but don’t. Let Saturn guide you into creating and maintaining structures to sustain success.