Sun 18 Gem 12 Moon 1 Tau 27 Mercury 9 Can 21 Venus 2 Tau 58 Mars 18 Leo 37 Jupiter 6 Aqu 49 Saturn 29 Cap 07 Uranus 22 Leo 23

Neptune 8 Sco 58 Pluto 5 Vir 40 Asc. 18 Aqu 37 MC 14 Sag 03 2nd cusp 22 Ari 21 3rd cusp 24 Tau 15 5th cusp 0 Can 40 6th cusp 18 Can 54

Tropical Placidus Standard Time observed
June 9, 1961 12:15 AM
GMT: 07:15:00 Time Zone: 7 hours West
Lat. and Long. of birth place: 53 N 33 113 W 28

Astrological Data of Solar Return:

Sun 18 Gem 12 Moon 12 Vir 56 Mercury 12 Can 12 Venus 17 Gem 28 Mars 24 Gem 45 Jupiter 25 Tau 16 Saturn 24 Tau 06 Uranus 20 Aqu 44

Neptune 6 Aqu 19 Pluto 11 Sag 21 Asc. 29 Leo 31 MC 17 Tau 54 2nd cusp 18 Vir 35 3rd cusp 14 Lib 02 5th cusp 27 Sag 37 6th cusp 2 Aqu 24

June 8, 2000 GMT: 17:25:59
Edmonton, Canada 53 N 33 113 W 28

Aspects and orbs:
Conjunction : 7 Deg. 0 Min.
Opposition : 6 Deg. 0 Min.
Square : 6 Deg. 0 Min.
Trine : 6 Deg. 0 Min.
Sextile : 4 Deg. 0 Min

Five or More Mutable Planets

The more planets you have in the mutable signs, the more likely you are to be involved in changing circumstances. This is a year when you are better able to recognize subtle fluctuations in your situation as they occur. You are also aware of major changes as they occur little by little. Major transitions are anticipated long before they occur; consequently, you are able to adapt and prepare. Think of this as ad-libbing life. New developments and information necessitate constant reassessments and adjustments to your situation; therefore, this may not be the best time to come up with a master plan of how things should proceed. It will be much easier to handle daily issues as they arise, keeping a future goal or direction in mind. The key to handling changes at this time may be learning to ride the waves and make the adjustments necessary to stay on top of the situation.

There is a greater tendency to accept and adapt to changes as they occur than to initiate new changes yourself. Many times changes that other people are making or have made in the recent past directly affect your life. In some situations, you may feel that you have little freedom of choice and must adapt to surroundings that are different from those you have been used to in the past. At times, changes may be severe enough to cause anxiety, nervous upsets, and stress, and you should remember to take time for relaxation techniques.

Five or More Air Planets

Years with five or more air planets are generally marked by an emphasis on rational thought and a lack of emotional expression. But there is the real danger that emotions are suppressed, and this possibility might be indicated by other aspects and placements in the solar return chart. On the other hand, perhaps emotions are just not a major concern. This is a good time for organizing and planning future events. Information can be acquired through greater objectivity. You will not take life too seriously, and can learn from everything that goes on around you.

Having a large number of air planets in your solar return chart generally says more about your mental state than your mental ability. The emphasis is on rational analysis rather than genius traits. Sometimes the emphasis on air is associated with learning and attending school, but this is not the usual pattern. There is not an overwhelming love of learning or a thirst for new knowledge as one might suspect; in fact, these characteristics are more closely related to the lack of air. An emphasis on air indicates learning tends to be tedious, repetitive, or very concentrated. If you are in school, you may be studying only what you have to in order to graduate, or working on original and exacting research.

The Sun is the most significant planet in the solar return chart. Its position by house shows the most emphasized area of life during the coming year, how and where you expend the greatest amount of energy. The house placement of the Sun is reflected in the interpretation of the other planets, and may be the motivating force behind their symbolism.

Sun in 10th house:

If you want a strong career year, this is it. The Sun in the 10th house places a strong emphasis on all career endeavors. This is a good time to push for advancement and work toward greater career fulfillment. You are more likely to make major career decisions or be recognized for professional achievements at this time. You are also more likely to be reprimanded for professional misconduct. The reputation you have developed in the past catches up with you and it can be good or bad depending on what you have or have not accomplished and your methods along the way.

If you have positive feelings about your job and have worked hard all along, push for advancement. If you have negative feelings about your job, do not let them threaten professional goals. You are better off changing jobs or starting your own business than staying in a job you hate. If you choose to remain in a difficult situation, you will find work too taxing, physically, mentally, or spiritually. Personal needs will begin to conflict with the job requirements and you will feel pulled between home, work, and relationships.

If there are aspects into the 1st house, your personality quirks might not lend themselves to career tasks, thereby threatening advancement. You can handle these conflicting feelings positively by integrating your career with your personal needs and balancing all the areas of your life.

With the Sun in the 10th house, you have a lot of control over the direction of your professional life and also the direction of your life in general. Since the 10th is the house of destiny, you can make decisions about where you are headed for the next set of years. Pick a new path or life direction. Normally the focus of attention shifts to a new area of major concern, and this focus of attention persists for several years. Changes usually relate to or affect your career, but not necessarily.

Authority issues are strong at this time. If you are the authority figure at work, you should be very mindful of managerial techniques and concepts. Your professional success is directly tied in with your ability to lead and motivate those under your control. If you are not the person in charge, then you must learn to please those who are. They are the ones who recognize and reward your hard work.

If you are self-employed, success will come from your ability to perform well and please the public. In any of these situations, how well you cope with career tasks will determine the measure of success you achieve by year's end. Your interest in learning and mastering effective business techniques at this time will help you improve your chances for success.

Your parents can influence your decisions either positively or negatively, especially if you still see them as authority figures. If you consider either your father and/or your mother an authority in your field of interest, go to them for advice. You may make decisions in spite of them, especially if you feel the need to break any authoritarian hold they might have over you. This is the time to determine your own future. You are the final authority. Great opportunities wait for those who are prepared to meet the challenge and take responsibility for their decisions.

Sun Aspects Uranus

Uranus aspecting the Sun suggests that the individual desires to make changes, possibly in rapid succession. Generally, any solar return year that has a major Uranus-Sun aspect also has a corresponding significant life change or development such as a pregnancy or birth, career or job transfer, relocation, illness, etc. Changes tend to be more disruptive and less controllable when they involve a conjunction, square or opposition aspect, but all aspects can ultimately indicate beneficial changes. Issues involving boredom versus originality, or creativity and freedom versus restriction, are common.

Sun Aspects Mars

Mars symbolizes the energy necessary for successful accomplishments. When Mars aspects the Sun, it is a good time to work on a project that requires a great deal of energy to complete. Success can come in the form of personal or professional achievement, or with defense. Relationships tend to be competitive, and you need to balance self-centered drives with the needs of others. Learning to deal with aggression, conflict, and anger in an effective rather than detrimental way can enable the individual to handle negative situations positively. Less spiritual themes involve destructive or self-destructive urges. Prolonged anger creates blockages which waste energy in a cycle of negative emotions that have no real purpose or goal. It is better to direct efforts into positive endeavors.

Sun Aspects Venus

Just as in the natal chart, the solar return Sun is never more than 46 degrees from Venus, so it does not form any major aspects other than the conjunction. Venus conjunct the Sun indicates that personal reward or sacrifice in the form of money, self-esteem, values, or relationships is intimately tied up with the goals of the Sun. Laziness might be very detrimental, while one can reap great benefits from a personal best.

Sun Aspects Moon

Sun-Moon aspects indicate either compatible external and internal goals, or a lack of agreement between the conscious and unconscious levels. Depending on the aspects and the individual's ability to integrate diverse needs, this can be a time of harmony or conflict. Common themes involve domestic and career needs. These two areas of life will complement each other or divide the individual's attention in a stressful way. Negatively, career moves may disrupt the family. Reputations thwart ambitions. Domestic responsibilities disrupt your work schedule. More positively, changes in the home coincide with professional moves. As children go off to college or school, parents are advanced to new positions. Relocations are welcomed by all family members. The unconscious need for emotional fulfillment is played out consciously in the external environment.

The solar return Moon seems to have two consistent themes throughout all of the houses. First and most simply, the Moon is associated with change and fluctuation according to its house position. Secondly, and probably more importantly, the Moon reflects the individual's emotional nature during the solar return year.

The Moon as an Emotional Indicator

While we speak of the Moon as simply an indication of one's emotional nature, the actual interpretation of the Moon is more complex than simple. The Moon is not just an indicator of feelings; one's emotional nature is a multidimensional conglomeration of feelings, temperament, needs, and unconscious responses. We cannot look at the Moon as one-sided; we must study its interpretation from a number of perspectives.

The Moon represents the individual's feelings regardless of whether or not they are expressed openly. The type of feelings you have during the year can be demonstrated by the Moon's sign, position, and aspects. The Moon's sign can be important even though the Moon has essentially only nineteen placements, because it is indicative of what the individual feels during the year and how he or she is most likely to exhibit those feelings.

The major difference between an individual's feelings and basic temperament is that feelings tend to make up one's basic temperament. The word temperament implies one's overall pattern of emotional response; it is an emotional factor that remains constant regardless of the circumstances. On the other hand, feelings imply a specific emotion in response to a particular event or situation. For example, moody people have emotional swings. Their feelings change depending whether or not they are experiencing happy or sad events; however, their proclivity toward emotional highs and lows remains constant regardless of their particular mood at any point in time. Despite feelings of joy or depression, they still have a moody disposition. The solar return Moon's sign is generally very descriptive of your emotional temperament. It can suggest an array of emotional characteristics including moodiness, sensitivity, coldness, or enthusiasm.

Emotional needs play a crucial role in the Moon's cycle of change and emotional maturation. As explained above, the Moon moves in an understandable pattern through the solar return. During each year, the individual knows certain emotional needs must be met in order to feel secure and fulfilled. These needs, which fluctuate from year to year, cause the individual to create the variety of situations necessary for emotional maturity.

Conscious or Unconscious Emphasis

The Moon also signifies the unconscious experience. While Mercury's placement will suggest what the person is consciously thinking, the Moon's placement will suggest what the individual is experiencing on an unconscious level. Together, the Moon and Mercury (and sometimes also the Sun) symbolize the balance between conscious and the unconscious processes. We like to think that our decisions are based on the integration of rational and emotional information, but during any given solar return year, one process more than the other can influence our decisions, perceptions, and motivations. The focus of attention shifts to accommodate fluctuations in individual patterns of growth. There will be years when you lean more heavily on your emotional responses, tending to trust your instincts and follow your intuition. But there will be other years when you depend more on a logical assessment of your situation.

The emphasis on the unconscious usually indicates a year in which the native will be interested in fostering emotional connections and unconscious insights. Logic and factual information may not be meaningful within the context of present situations, which will tend to be emotional. Example situations include (but are not limited to): involvement in counseling, therapy or self-help discussion groups; intense family situations (related to birth, child-rearing, sickness or death); and very nurturing social situations (e.g., communal living, helping the disabled, underprivileged or homeless). Emotional interactions and perceptions will naturally be more important if they are more likely to provide vital information needed to handle experiences during the coming year. An emphasis on the unconscious nature is conducive to emotional growth.

All forms of mental activity are associated with an emphasis on the conscious mind, including educational and informational activities. Teaching, learning, lecturing, and writing are several examples. An emphasis on the conscious mind is conducive to intellectual growth.

Solar Return Moon in 1st house:

The Moon in the 1st house can indicate increased emotional self-awareness during the coming solar return year. Feelings and emotional needs will seem stronger and more urgent, residing just under the surface. Sometimes the emotional nature is overwhelming and cannot easily be controlled. Individuals with this placement tend to cry easily, and to feel deeply. They may also be socially withdrawn or quiet. The Moon in the 1st house is distinguished by the fact that not only are the feelings particularly strong, they are also readily apparent to others and ultimately carry great personal significance for the individual. Resolutions for the future are made from the subjective interpretation of these pressing feelings. Feelings do not just gain strength during this time, they become a motivating force. Feelings become useful. They have rhyme and reason within the context of events and they play a major role in decisions that you make. This is not the time to make totally rational decisions without considering the emotional ramifications.

For example, a new mother with the Moon in the 1st house of the solar return chart promised to return to work after the baby was born. Her full-time income was needed to support her student husband. She did not anticipate any problems with this arrangement, but she had not assessed how she would feel about this set-up. She had made an intellectual decision without any emotional input. Once she returned to work, she realized how unhappy she felt leaving her baby every morning. As the year wore on, she and her husband made decisions about their future that changed their work schedules significantly. The following year, the mother was able to stay home full-time to care for their baby. Her feelings about working while her child was young strongly influenced the choices she and her husband made. After this woman interpreted her feelings and grew to respect those emotions, she was able to work towards a positive resolution of the issue.

When the Moon is in the 1st house, your emotional nature is trying to tell you something important. Your feelings can be viewed as a connecting link between events in the past and guidelines or preparation for the future. It is common to find the Moon in the 1st house of the solar return when one is recovering from an emotional trauma, regardless of when that trauma occurred. It could have occurred in the very recent past or it could have occurred long ago (especially if the individual has a habit of suppressing feelings). Or you may be involved in a situation or personality pattern that is detrimental to your emotional nature or development. Usually this situation or pattern is well within your power to change. Present events trigger feelings, both old and new, and force them to the surface. This is not meant to be a depressing time, though sometimes this is the case, especially in the early months of the solar return. Moodiness is a common complaint. The goal is to get in touch with your feelings and listen to them. Understand what they are saying to you. Some pains are inevitable and some pains are avoidable. You cannot change death, but you can change the way you handle emotions, situations, and relationships. The Moon in the 1st house signals a very strong developmental stage for the feeling nature. This is not just a year of recovery, it is a year for great emotional growth.

This is also a time to become self-protective and self-nurturing. The Moon in the 1st house could be titled, "The Care and Feeding of your Emotional Nature." Many of us do not know how to soothe our own injured feelings and heal old wounds. Use this time to learn how to protect yourself from emotionally damaging situations while recognizing and fostering emotionally healthy relationships. Appreciate your own emotional needs and know when they are not being met. Allow your feelings to play a greater role in the decision-making process.

This is a time when you are able to feel the pain of another and walk a mile in his or her shoes, so to speak. Since you are becoming more sensitive to your own emotional needs, you are also more sensitive and aware of the emotional needs of those around you. For this reason, you can become increasingly supportive of immediate family members. Dependency is a possibility. The Moon in the 1st can commonly be seen in the charts of those with a new baby or elderly parent to care for. Your ability to be more nurturing at this time draws those who are in need of your care and assistance. Whether you are male or female, strong involvement with a woman is especially common.

Moon Aspects Pluto

The Moon in aspect to Pluto implies an emotional make-up which is complicated by unconscious psychological influences. Emotions may be tainted or seasoned by events or complexes from the past, and you could be reliving a former happening in an immediate situation. Feelings seem more volatile, intense or even overwhelming. Reasoning can be based on emotional factors and simply defy logic.

Relationships are likely to be affected and psychological influences will distort communications. This may be a time when you are in close contact with someone who is not always rational and you must deal with issues in an insightful way. In extreme cases, the other person needs counseling. This is a good time to become more aware of manipulations and psychological games. You may merely perceive these influences or you may be directly involved, playing either manipulator or manipulated.

Moon-Pluto contacts, at their worst, imply emotional power struggles for control. You may think you are struggling with another person, but really, you are only struggling with yourself. For example, suppose you are a woman of limited means married to a wealthy man who is very tight with his money. Since you resent your husband's power over your economic situation, you might decide to withhold sexual relations. You have now gained some power over your husband's life and the two of you have established a power struggle which complicates your relationship. Although you have succeeded in controlling your husband's behavior to some extent, you have not gained any power over your own existence. Your situation has not improved much and you are still without financial recourse. There are more positive ways to handle this situation. You and your husband could decide to seek marriage counseling to discover why you need this impediment to emotional intimacy. You could enter therapy yourself to analyze why you choose to remain with such a stingy person. Or you could get a job, earn your own money, and totally frustrate your husband's attempts to control you.

Emotional blackmail and manipulation only work if you allow another person to have control over some portion of your life. As soon as you begin to control yourself and take responsibility for your own well-being, manipulators lose all power.

Not all Moon-Pluto contacts involve difficult circumstances. Writers, counselors, psychology students or those whose work depends on their ability to understand human nature tend to have Moon-Pluto contacts in their solar returns during important years. It is the awareness of the psychological and emotional influences which is significant and not the struggle itself. Knowledge brings power. Use this time to become aware of how unconscious drives affect your life. A very pleasant reason for being so emotional is an involvement in a new and exciting romantic relationship. All relationships, even those which are established, are subject to change and new insight. Domestic situations are also in the process of changing. Moving or planning to move is possible.

Moon Aspects Venus

The Moon in aspect to Venus suggests that emotional security and domestic issues are tied to financial considerations. Your monetary situation can be affected either positively or negatively. If you are planning on pursuing an emotionally fulfilling goal, you will have to consider your financial situation before making any changes. Whether or not your goal is feasible at this time depends on how much money you have set aside. You might have to compromise your present income and take a pay cut to enter a more rewarding field. Ultimately, your salary will increase if you are successful in your new endeavors. Financial stability is also affected by domestic conditions. Moving, pregnancy, and birth are common events that affect the amount of money earned and spent. Occasionally this aspect can show a time when you are financially dependent on others for support for one of the reasons mentioned above.

Moon Aspects Mercury

Moon-Mercury aspects emphasize the need for integration of unconscious feelings with conscious thoughts. If these two avenues for information and analysis are working together, they form a great combination; the integrated psyche is a powerful tool for intellectual and creative endeavors. You will be able to understand the total picture from your rational assessment combined with intuitive insight. When the conscious and unconscious are working together, you are more likely to make good decisions which satisfy your emotional needs. The conscious mind can be used to channel unconscious feelings into creative projects. Channelling can also be very therapeutic.

You can actively seek out more information about your feelings and motivations through discussions. But when the conscious and the unconscious function separately, the native experiences two distinct and contradictory pieces of information. It is often difficult to make decisions since you arrive at two mutually exclusive conclusions. You could consciously override or suppress your feelings and emotional needs. On the other hand, you may react without thinking. The key to using this aspect positively is to balance and integrate conscious and unconscious input and work toward a complete sense of self.

Mercury has two basic interpretations in the solar return chart: it symbolizes both your mental condition during the coming year and what you are thinking about. The first task involved in understanding Mercury's interpretation is to evaluate the indicators for mental conditioning and the possible sources of tension.

Solar Return Mercury in 11th house:

The 10th house rules laws and standards established by society to govern groups of people. Because they were prepared for the masses, they may not fit all individual situations or meet individual needs. The 11th house rules laws and standards established by the individual after reevaluating society's restrictions and regulations in light of personal experience. With this Mercury placement, you will probably question social restrictions in an attempt to personalize limitations and understand their usefulness in your present situation. It is possible that your needs as an individual conflict with society's expectations. For example, if you are involved in a very difficult marriage and you are attracted to someone new, you might toy with the idea of having an affair. Pressure and needs relevant to your personal situation may contradict social restrictions. Because Mercury usually relates to a mental exercise, it is not necessary that you actually transgress social norms or experience compromising situations.Your reassessment may consist of a continuing intellectual or theoretical debate running through your mind for most of the year. But it is essential that you question the rules by which you live your daily life, and that you develop a new personal code of ethics.

The 11th house also emphasizes group needs versus individual needs. Therefore it is common for the individual to be involved with a group or social situation which focuses on balancing these two energies. You may be involved in a group because you are more likely to attain goals through a combined effort than working independently. You may need to share thoughts and experiences with others and establish new goals for the future. The group you are involved in may be primarily intellectual or social, but it is also possible that the group is working toward a common goal. Communication among group members or the discussion of pressing issues may be an important part of the group efforts. Mercury in the 11th house may indicate self-help groups, although these groups are more closely associated with the Moon or Mars in the 11th, especially if Mercury is squared by a planet in the 1st house.

Some organized groups tend to support group needs and goals over the needs of the individual. The individual may feel compromised in this situation. For example, a new collective business group hired a full-time advertising person to promote their business. They needed to hold down expenses since finances were limited. The person creating and placing the ads believed in the group efforts, but he needed to live off the salary received. In this case, the group goal of holding down expenses was not consistent with the individual's need to earn a good salary and provide a valuable service. The balance of individual needs versus group needs is usually emphasized in some way when Mercury is in the 11th house.

A question of personal freedom underlies the issues of Mercury in the 11th house. Whether you are dealing with friends, groups or society at large, the amount of individual freedom you enjoy is controlled to a certain degree by the relationships you have. You must accept certain restrictions and considerations so that your behavior does not impinge on the rights and freedoms of others. Therefore issues related to monogamy in a relationship or loyalty among friends may be important.

Since this is a decisive year for goals, the process of questioning established norms is particularly important. This is a time when you should be open to the new ideas and directions so necessary to the formulation of future goals. The questioning process opens your mind to original ways of thinking and frees you from unnecessary restrictions. The reevaluation process also helps you distinguish practical goals from unrealistic dreams. Mercury in the 11th house can suggest that you are able to justify theoretically your need for freedom from pointless restraint in order to pursue new goals for the future.

Venus is the key to understanding your relationships and financial situation for the solar return year. Many times these two areas go hand in hand; financial security tends to be coupled with secure relationships while financial difficulties are more likely to occur when close relationships are strained. Although this correlation is common, it is not the rule, and interpretations for finances and relationships should always be viewed separately. When assessing Venus in the chart, evaluate Venus twice, first with respect to the other relationship factors in the solar return and then with respect to the other monetary indicators. In this way, you can develop a clear picture of each area of concern.

Venus also indicates a need for comfort and it is informative to note what has preceded Venus in its present house position. If, during this year, Venus resides in a house which last year represented an area of conflict, Venus would imply an improvement in the conditions associated with that house and may indicate a healing process. Benefits commonly follow after much hard work. A Venus placement in the solar return chart following a more difficult placement during the previous year can indicate great reward. Your awareness of this possibility may encourage you to work harder in more problematic areas since you can see the rewards in the following year.

Relationships

Venus, by house, shows what relationships will be important during the coming year. For example, Venus in the 3rd house might indicate that relationships with neighbors or community involvement will be emphasized. With Venus in the 6th house, pleasant office conditions, and good co-worker relationships will be important. But the interpretation of relationships as they appear in the solar return chart involves more than an understanding of Venus' house placement. Look at the 5th and the 7th houses, especially if you are interested in a love relationship. The more planets in these houses, particularly the 7th house, the greater the need to relate on a one-to-one basis. Generally, the 5th house shows sexual affairs, while the 7th house indicates a greater commitment (though not necessarily marriage). Clandestine affairs or secret relationships are more likely to occur when Venus and/or the Moon appear in the 12th house.

One fact about marriage and the solar return chart is surprising. The solar return is not necessarily a good indicator of a marriage during the year. The beginning of a relationship might be easily seen, but the marriage itself is more likely to be reflected in other techniques. On the other hand, postponement of a marriage or the refusal to make a commitment can be easily seen with Saturn, Uranus or Neptune in the 7th house.

Finances

Venus also relates to money and finances, and can be used to evaluate these circumstances for the coming solar return year. The house placement for Venus may indicate how you are most likely to generate income. This is sometimes true, but not always. Venus in the 9th implies a teaching salary, but if you don't teach, the emphasis will be on your beliefs concerning relationships. Don't stretch your economic interpretation of Venus' house placement. If the house position applies, the situation will be obvious. If the house position does not seem to apply to finances in particular, Venus will be more consistent with relationship situations during the year.

For finances, it is perhaps more important to look at the planetary placements in the 2nd, 6th, 10th, and 11th houses, especially if you are interested in the amount of money you will be able to earn by employment. The 2nd house is the primary money house, but it also gives indications of spending practices. Any planets in the 2nd can reflect your salary and/or your spending practices (regardless of how much money you earn); it is always possible to spend more than you make or make more than you spend.

Solar Return Venus in 10th house:

Venus emphasizes the importance of good relationships according to its house placement in the solar return chart. When Venus is in the 10th house, the focus of attention is on relating to authority figures. If you are still young, these authority figures will be your parents and school officials, but if you have reached the age of employment, the interpretation will most likely apply to your employers. This is a good time to foster a personal relationship with your boss; besides making working conditions more pleasant, it can help your career. During the year, who you know will be as important as what you are capable of doing. Your relationship with a boss will probably be strictly business. A few individuals have been able to "sleep" their way to the top, but generally relationships without professional effort or business talent will not get very far.

The greatest success stories come from those who were able to establish a mutually beneficial relationship with their superior while maintaining high performance. The relationship becomes mutually beneficial when your productivity is enhanced by the personal attention and guidance you receive from your boss, while at the same time your boss's ability to motivate you and other employees is increased by the personal commitment you make to his or her business plan. For some, the mutually beneficial relationship grows to become a mentor-employee involvement which can further your career goals for many years to come, since personal endorsements normally carry a lot of weight. Advancement can come more easily with this Venus placement and this kind of situation. Your employers will be as interested in developing your abilities as you are in getting ahead, so take advantage of this opportunity.

Model yourself after those who are already very successful in your chosen career. Seek career guidance from those you work for. Learn to be a team player in the business world. This is a good time to develop your negotiating skills. Sway others to support your proposals and make compromises work to your advantage.

The 10th house is the house of destiny or long-term influences which become milestones in your personal history. Venus here is associated with making choices that are important to either your career, your destiny, or both. Options are not always career-related, though generally this is the case. You will probably have the opportunity to make an important choice during the coming year. This is a good time to decide to attend college, change professions, become self-employed, relocate to a different state or even a different country. Enterprises you begin now could benefit you greatly in both the near and distant future.

The down side of Venus in the 10th house is the inconsistency of the interpretation. Although Venus can show advancements and success, no planet guarantees a benefic or malefic interpretation. The manifestation is always based on your ability to handle your drives, and the action you ultimately take. This is especially true with Venus in the 10th house; a lot depends on your ability to get along with your superiors. Professional success tends to come more easily with Venus in the 10th, but when no work is involved, it may not come at all. Relocation may pull you out of an established, successful position. Personality preferences may make you uncomfortable with your present position. You may not like your boss, or you may prefer self-employment to your nine-to-five job.

Venus Aspects Uranus

Uranus-Venus aspects in the solar return chart usually denote changes in relationships. For some people, this can mean a sudden attraction and the excitement of a new love. Involvements may be very strong, very quick, and may or may not have staying power. New relationships might eventually lead to marriage, but probably not during this solar return year. Loose associations are common. Friends become lovers and some love relationships seem more like friendships. Occasionally, relationships and attractions are less than conventional. Affairs between or with married individuals, homosexual contacts, and long-distance romances are possible. A general mood of disruption may permeate all partnerships, whether old or new. Difficult relationships may end or become on-again, off-again involvements, but for those in a healthy relationship, changes will occur within the relationship itself and do not indicate a break in ties or a loss of commitment to one another. One or the other partner has a desire for greater freedom and openness. For some people, the changes involve a loss of comfort and stability, but a gain in newness and excitement. For example, the birth of a child brings both disruption and excitement to the new parents. Gone is the relaxing comfort of a stable schedule; expectations and behavioral patterns which were once taken for granted may now be nonexistent. New patterns must emerge, but while the necessary adjustments are being made, the continuing disruption can cause difficulties and temporary distancing between the people involved. Any strong change can cause this disruption in established relationship patterns. Common examples are relocation, retirement, heavy travel, and changes in the number of people living with you.

Financial changes are also likely to occur with Uranus-Venus aspects. If you are involved in a new and exciting relationship, you may give up your present home and job to relocate to his or her area. Some individuals dispose of much of what they own before the move. For one reason or another, you may decide to stop working or you may go out and get a job. The amount of money available to you is likely to change or fluctuate. You can be working on a commission or incentive basis, or be involved in a profit-sharing plan at work. Self-employment is also possible with Uranus-Venus aspects, especially if you are newly self-employed and have not established a steady clientele.

The planet Mars represents an outward thrust of energy in a solar return chart. It is an active energy geared toward producing an external manifestation brought about through interchanges with the environment. The arrow on the symbol for Mars illustrates this outward thrust and movement. The interplay with the environment and the area of greatest energy expenditure are shown by the aspects to Mars and its house placement. There can be a number of ways in which the outward thrust of energy and activity manifests in the external environment. Positive manifestations implied by Mars include self-motivation, independent action, initiation of new projects, assertiveness, fulfilling sexual encounters, and original or pioneering creations. But anger, aggression, and sexual abuses represent negative and wasteful expenditures. Energy lost in negative exchanges cannot be used productively.

Mars, by its very nature, denotes the spark of initiation and self-motivation. Original pursuits, independent actions and new projects are fostered during the year and are typically associated with those areas of life denoted by the house placement of Mars. Because of the new endeavors and the enthusiasm generated, these areas then become the focus of energy use as the level of activity increases and you begin to feel driven to work, accomplish, and complete. Sometimes ambition and competitiveness augment the need to excel, but an energetic attitude can flow without these personality traits since self-motivation tends to spring naturally from an inner source.

During the year, activities may be specifically tied to your ability or inability to be assertive. In its most positive manifestation, the planet Mars denotes an active force. Except for a few of the more subtle interpretations for Mars, the implication is an external thrust which affects other people, places, things or circumstances. For example, if you install a home office, you make a change in your living situation. If you start your own business, you do, in effect, change the environment. If you insist on control over your own finances, you create a more independent relationship style. In each of these cases, you are the individual initiating the activity and asserting your own needs which are essential to the task at hand. The inability to be assertive can only lead to frustrated desires and anger. Your efforts will be thwarted until you make adjustments in your thinking. When extreme frustration occurs, more energy is expended toward being angry than working toward correcting the problem.

The house position of Mars and its aspects to the other solar return planets provide information about the circumstances which will trigger angry responses in you. Anger may arise from a number of different circumstances, including, but not limited to, frustration at the inability to fulfill your own needs, aggression from others, stressful surroundings or unconscious resentment that has not been resolved. Anger is a signal that your attitude and/or environment need to change. Energy lost to anger cannot be used creatively. Anger that stimulates creative action can be recouped. Your task for the year will be to learn to deal effectively with these anger-producing situations. Do not allow anger to be triggered when insight coupled with assertiveness, tact or corrective action would suit your purposes better. As you focus on negative situations and gain understanding, you can begin to funnel your energies into the most positive manifestations.

Aggression is a distortion of assertiveness. Assertion is the defense and maintenance of your own rights; aggression is the infringement or attack on the rights of others. Anger is most likely the motivation for the attack, although psychological idiosyncrasies may provide other motivations (of which fear is the main culprit). All acts of aggression, by their very nature, should produce anger in the person attacked, though some individuals, because of their own psychological nature, respond in other ways. Where you find Mars by house position indicates where you are most likely to meet the aggressor during the coming year. Either you will have to deal with a hostile person in the environment or you will be confronted with your own acts of aggression. If you are able to meet your own needs through assertion and you know your own rights while conscientiously defending them, you are less likely to be the aggressor or allow aggressive actions to arise in others. You should be able to strike a balance between your needs, and rights, and the needs and rights of others. In this way, you maintain your position relative to the environment. But regardless of how fair you are in your dealings with others, you may still have to defend your own rights.

Mars as an indicator of sexuality is not consistent with the interpretation for every house position. There is the possibility that sexual intrigue can apply to the situations denoted by any of the planet's placements, but the connection is not always obvious. Themes of initiation, high energy output, anger, and aggression appear more consistently. For example, Mars in the 10th may mean a sexual attraction between you and your boss, but it is more likely for you to be extremely active in career endeavors. Your boss can be a prime motivator toward career success or he could actually be very offensive and thwart your efforts. Note the aspects between Mars and your other personal planets for further information. The sexual implications of Mars seem more obvious in the relational houses, but then individual differences apply. Sexual fulfillment is directly related to the appropriateness of sexual activity given the particular situation and any restraints or inhibitions involved.

Mars in 10th house (within 3 degree orb of 11th house)

Mars in the 10th house suggests an aggressive business style or energetic attitude towards career tasks. Many times the individual with this placement realizes that he or she must work harder during the coming year either to get ahead or stay ahead. Competition from other businesses or co-workers can provide the impetus towards greater productivity, but many times the individual is only in competition with himself or herself. There may or may not be a specific change in the work environment that indicates this need to switch into high gear. Internal signals are as likely as external motivations.

This is a good time to focus on career ambitions and use the energy surge for both immediate career goals and long-term developments. During the year, you should take the initiative and capitalize on your ability to be self-motivating. Projects that require originality, independent work and/or aggressive action are suited to your style. Try new techniques, tools and directions. Use this time to initiate a project or start your own business. Professional success can result from independent efforts, and as a rule, you will prefer working alone. Specific situations which are consistent with this interpretation include: working on a commission basis and trying to land the "big deal"; attracting new clients, particularly those requiring active pursuit; and starting a new business or relocating an old one to a new area, since you must hustle to make things work, break even or move ahead.

Those who cannot find a positive outlet for this energy surge will feel frustrated with their present employer or career responsibilities. If you are not self-employed, or do not have the freedom to work independently, clashes with authority figures are likely. In some instances you can be motivated by your boss's demands, but generally, tension between you and upper management can build into a stressful situation for one reason or another. High pressure situations and workaholic tendencies are associated with this placement and if your boss is too demanding, your workload can be overwhelming or even impossible. You can accomplish a lot this year, but do not do so at the expense of your mental or physical health. Do not allow workaholic tendencies to prevent you from going on vacation. It is important that you practice relaxation techniques and take time off. It is also important to learn to control, deflect or address tension-producing issues.

In very negative situations, the stress at work is exacerbated by unreasonable or difficult authority figures. It would be best if you could work alone, since you may not like working for, with, or under anyone. The natural creative energies will be more evident if the motivation is internalized and allowed to flourish, but this is not always the case. If you must deal daily with an argumentative boss, you need to look at your professional priorities and reassess your options.

In the most positive manifestation, energy is expended toward professional achievement, but if the road to success is blocked, extreme frustration will follow. Making job or attitude changes can be the only way to open doors to more positive opportunities.

Although the 10th house is associated with career choices, this is also the house of the destiny path. New personal directions are possible while Mars is placed here, regardless of whether or not these new directions are directly tied into career choices. Occasionally this placement shows that you are able to go on in life alone. This is particular true for those individuals in the midst of a divorce. The ability to function independently while pursuing a course of action which can have a major effect on the life path is an interpretation consistent with Mars in the 10th house of the solar return chart.

Mars within 3 degree orb of 11th house

Mars in the 11th house shows an intense desire for freedom of action and the aggressive pursuit of goals. You will not allow or accept limitations on options. You do not want your present short-term goals or your future long-term goals to be dominated, controlled or restricted by others. You will protect your right to proceed in any area of personal or professional endeavor. The goals you set during this year can generally be accomplished without the support or assistance of others and despite any objections. To accomplish your goals, you may have to bend a few rules or break a few family traditions. You are not afraid of independent action and it may be necessary for the task at hand. For some individuals, goals will be very self-oriented and self-serving, perhaps even selfish.

For example, a woman about forty years old had worked at her husband's side in a family-run business for twenty years. When Mars was in the 11th house, she discovered a great love for another professional field while pursuing a hobby. She decided to quit her current job, but her husband objected, saying he needed her to manage the office. Eventually she did quit despite his objections and began working for herself. She initiated the business on her own despite the family objections and continued to pursue a goal only she was interested in.

The goals you seek during the coming year will normally be in keeping with your personal needs and abilities and are the product of your own mind and not an offshoot of someone else's ambitions. This is a time to feel both self-sufficient and self-possessed. External manifestations are meant to reflect inner qualities. The active creation of dreams will help you to discover your own ability to function independently. Your range of future activities will no longer be restricted by a need for help or agreement from others. You are capable of initiating things on your own and following through. Focus on your own unique individuality and value your abilities, whatever they may be. Develop and pursue talents and ideas that may have been lying suppressed for many years. This is a time meant for reviving those dreams lost when they seemed, at the time, too selfish to pursue. You can now accomplish projects abandoned in deference to others, but you must be assertive and ambitious in your desire for fulfillment.

From the perspective of others, family, and friends, you may be somewhat unpredictable and undependable. Others may be concerned about your newfound independence, but assurances should be enough to calm their fears if you maintain a measure of stability. More difficult is the total disregard you might have for the needs of others and your responsibilities to them. You are capable of making decisions impulsively and without consultation. You are also capable of forming goals without adequate research or reflection. Some individuals will truly not handle their newfound freedom wisely, and consequently, they become the cause of great concern to others who find the increasingly aggressive and independent behavior threatening and out of control.

Rather than choosing to work alone, you may become involved in a group effort or work on a project with a number of your friends. But even in this situation, you will most likely gravitate toward leadership positions. You can be a great motivator for others and you, yourself, will also be energized in return. If you act as an independent within the group setting, others will resent your preoccupation with personal needs or fulfillment. Conflicts within the group are possible, and you can be drawn into any power struggles.

Conflicts with one or more friends might also occur. For example, a young college woman was involved in a very difficult friendship with two close friends who were using drugs. Eventually, the woman withdrew from her friends because of the drug use. She returned to her studies and went on alone. During the year, you and a friend may be at cross-purposes and this will cause contention, but you can instead be motivated by common interests and shared goals.

Mars Aspects Uranus

Strong changes, usually self-initiated, are associated with Mars-Uranus aspects. Changes range from a constant stream of minor adjustments to dramatic and sweeping transformations. Either form can be beneficial or detrimental depending on individual differences and manifestation. The energy patterns are shifting and the individual no longer wants to be tied down to the same old routine. Something new or exciting is expected and encouraged. During the transitional stage, behavior patterns might be somewhat erratic, and on-again, off-again situations are not uncommon. Changes and the need for greater freedom can lead to sudden separations and broken relationship ties. Freedom of action may be an issue and any restriction will be met with assertiveness if not anger. Speed may be of the essence and therefore time delays are unlikely. Matters tend to move forward quickly.

The real danger associated with Mars-Uranus contacts is the tendency toward accidents of one form or another. Here we are talking about automobile accidents, freak accidents, radical unexpected changes in direction that lead one to stumble either literally or figuratively. Generally, accidents result from suppressed anger or conscious rage. Nine times out of ten, they will not come out of the blue without an internal calling card. Life is a mystery and this is not always the case, but it is frequently so. Anger, suppressed or expressed indiscriminately, can be coincidentally linked to many an accident. The issue is not whether you allow the anger to seek expression: the issue is one of directing the energy into a creative and productive outcome. Sticking you head in the sand is not the answer and actually may be one of the worst things you could do. If you have a Mars-Uranus aspect in your chart, remain aware of your frustrations and the options available for dealing with them.

Jupiter has a number of possible interpretations in the solar return chart and any or all of the following meanings can manifest according to house position. First and foremost, Jupiter tends to imply a benefic event associated with its placement. How these benefits come about and the area of life affected are usually shown by the house position.

All opportunities will probably involve expansion into new areas of activity. The primary function of the Jupiter principle is to expand beyond the scope of previous experience. One is not to remain in a static condition; growth is not only implied, but expected. Jupiter's slow and consistent movement through the zodiac implies the steady growth needed to advance.

One of the most common activities associated with growth and expansion is the pursuit of an education. The impetus to learn is closely associated with any push to grow and our definition of learning in this case is not limited to a structured environment (school), but can include self-teaching and life-experience training. Although education is not always a consideration for every Jupiter house placement, it can be considered to have an impact on any of the houses.

Areas of expansion can easily become areas of excess and this is a problem with Jupiter. Growth can be uncontrolled and purposeless, dwarfing any push for real attainment or benefit. For example, overeating may supplant a desire for nutritious food when Jupiter is in the 6th house. The weight gain takes the place of education. Already existing situations associated with any house placement of Jupiter may boil over if extreme limitations were previously the norm. This is especially true when emotions overwhelm the individual after a long period of emotional suppression. Any Jupiter placement can signal a false god. One or more activities associated with Jupiter's house may be emphasized to such a degree that a distortion of perception results, creating the false god.

Perhaps excesses are directly and proportionately related to suppressed urges. We now zoom ahead where we previously lagged behind, making up for lost time. The overwhelming impetus enables us to grow and expand at a rapid pace. The task is to avoid restricting this growth, while staying in control. The best option is one of channeled and structured enthusiasm.

A question of ethics and morals is often associated with the house placement of Jupiter. Unlike Saturn, which is more representative of societal structures and expectations, Jupiter implies the need for a philosophical (or sometimes religious) consistency between what you are doing physically and what you believe you should be doing ethically or morally. The underlying belief is always at the center of any conflict, not the external expectation. Jupiter by house indicates a desire to review those beliefs commanding a strong influence over one's philosophy of life and code of behavior. Current beliefs may be limiting future growth or freedom. Within this perspective, hypocrisy and moral dilemmas are more commonly a problem than the frustration associated with Saturnian external laws.

Solar Return Jupiter in 10th house:

Jupiter in the 10th house implies an easy flow of opportunity and advancement in the career arena. The harder the person has worked for this success in the past, the greater the opportunity for advancement now. Those who have done little to foster their own success might still advance, but if so, they are more likely to be at the beginning of a professional climb and will not be able to go as far as those who are better prepared. Regardless of your position, a chance for advancement can materialize without a lot of work on your part. Opportunities may specifically relate to a new field of interest, and moving into a new career arena can be so easy that one only realizes the transition in hindsight. This is a time when most career maneuvers can be accomplished easily. Sometimes little or no effort is needed to acquire a new job. You can be at the right place at the right time. You can also be released from a difficult employment situation of the past.

If you are self-employed or in a position where the development of a clientele is important, you will most likely find that, by the end of the year, you no longer need to search out clients; they come to you of their own accord. If you own a business, you may expand your operations into new areas, open a new branch office, relocate the factory, or seek a more beneficial working environment. Both owners and employees can use professional connections to network with others in the profession.

Those intent on staying with a chosen profession or job can enhance their present situation by seeking in-office opportunities for advancement or options to improve daily procedures. If you have performed well in the past, you may expect to be promoted. Transfers and travels to new locations, even overseas, are possible if they are self-initiated and welcomed. Past or future educational goals can play a role in governing your options. Educational benefits or on-the-job training opportunities could be made available to you. In the best possible scenario, the career becomes a point of stability and success in the life pattern for the year. If you are unhappy with your present position, this is an excellent time to change jobs or careers.

Too much of a good thing is the negative manifestation with this placement. Short-term goals may overrun long-term career needs. You may be so busy advancing that you skip over necessary steps or compromise your own business ethics. Advancement may require that you maintain jovial relationships with authority figures, and this may or may not be in your best interest in the long run. Analyzing the lines of stress coming out of the 10th house can help you to envision the possibility of being put in a compromising position and the implications of such a dilemma. Opportunities abound and one does not necessarily have to settle for less.

Saturn rules reality and the reality of any given situation is that we are all ultimately responsible for creating our own lives. The responses and choices we make to any given situation, together with the fears we avoid, form the backbone for our pattern of living. Only when we accept the responsibility for creating our own fate can we be freed from the necessity of living it. Only when we face our fears can we live unafraid. Saturn is the key to this change in orientation. It is the ultimate reality, the ultimate fear, the karmic avenger, and ruler of the universal laws of nature. It is through Saturn's house placement that we come face to face with ourselves, the structures, and limitations of reality, and the laws we must live by.

Growth is a complex process, occurring in a variety of ways. Saturnian growth begins by recognizing the existing structures we have incorporated into our lives, and possibly, the frustration or limitation caused by this edifice. It seems strange to talk about growth in terms of limitation, but astrologically Saturn rules structures which are at one point protective and at other times restrictive. Like the lobster or crab which sheds an outgrown, protective, hard shell in order to grow, individuals must periodically shed old structures grown restrictive with time. As with the crustaceans, the shedding process may be slow and laborious, followed by a period of extreme vulnerability until the new shell has formed and hardened into a protective structure. We often complacently mistake familiarity for security. We assume we'll be safe as long as we stick with the same old routine and keep doing what we've been doing all along. But what was once protective and safe eventually ends up inhibiting our evolutionary cycle of growth. Sometimes, only our frustration with things as they are awakens us to the need for change.

The movement of Saturn through the solar return chart coincides with an awareness of structure. Sometimes this awareness is associated with frustration, and the accentuation of restrictions now blocking evolution. It is through this realization process and frustration that we first become aware of the need to grow beyond our present structures. Therefore, the first step in the Saturnian process toward growth is recognizing structures, frustrations, and limitations imposed by our present patterns of living, particularly in those areas of life signified by Saturn's house placement in the solar return.

The second step toward growth is reassessment of the situation. A review of the facts yields further information, options, and understanding. Only by defining the inhibitors to the evolutionary cycle can we move toward resolution and continued growth. Self-criticism and constructive feedback from others may be appropriate at this time.

It is during the reassessment process that the reality of our situation becomes more obvious, as well as the laws by which we are governed. To succeed, we must deal with life realistically. We cannot twist nature to our own liking, nor can we expect others to compensate for our deficiencies and fears by solving our problems. Saturn rules the naked truth devoid of magical thinking. We must live within the laws of nature to succeed and survive. If you hate your job, quit. Do not wait for an act of God to find a new job. If you want to complete a major project, work on it. It is the only way it will get done. If you want to lose weight, diet, and exercise. Hard work and facing the issues head on will get you where you want to go. Wishful thinking will not.

These issues are all totally within your range of control and you are free to act upon them, but other problems may not be yours to control. You cannot make your husband stop drinking; you can only change the way you handle the situation. You cannot change hypocrisy in others; you can only reassess your own beliefs. During the reassessment process, develop realistic options which could feasibly lead to a resolution of the problem or to a change in the way you handle the problem. Successful solutions are those which are practical and realistic -that is, they conform to the laws of nature.

Once you understand the problem and the options available, you must assume responsibility for the outcome. Each man or woman contributes to his or her own fate. As the partial creator of any problem, you also have some control over the solution. But assuming responsibility for your present situation can be more threatening than blaming others. Some prefer to buck the system (defy the laws of nature) and complain, rather than take action. Remember, familiarity breeds a false sense of security and many prefer to hang on to their restrictions rather than venture into the unknown. They learn to live with their frustration rather than grow beyond it. Consciously making a decision implies assuming responsibility for your success or failure.

Facing your fears concerning success or failure is ultimately what Saturn is all about. At this point, you are very aware of the reality of your situation, and you have a list of options for the future, not all of which may work. You understand your own contribution to the situation and what you must do in order to move toward a resolution. You have seen your own shortcomings and become aware of your darker side. You comprehend the laws of nature relative to your situation and know everything is earned in this case, nothing is given, and nothing is guaranteed by the Universe. You now realize that you must stick your nose out and take a calculated risk. In order to progress, you must face your fears, and move toward your nightmare rather than back away. It is only by passing through a period of vulnerability that one can break out of a protective, yet restrictive structure and progress into a more suitable environment. You give up the security of the familiar and step into the unknown.

The test of any solution is that it works. Even chronic problems need to be solved and not just cosmetically concealed. Success requires much hard work and the systematic testing of solutions until the correct combination is found. Consequently, success may not come easily. If the first solution does not work, you must go on to test another and another. Thus with each failure begins a new cycle of awareness and reassessment, ultimately leading to a well-deserved success. There is plenty of room for hard work, discipline, and perseverance in the area of life indicated by Saturn's house placement. Eventually, every area of life will be touched by the need for reassessment and resolution. Chances are the time for reevaluation coincides with Saturn's placement in a particular house of the solar return. In that area of life, you must go above and beyond what is normally expected.

Solar Return Saturn in 10th house:

Saturn in the 10th house is equated with career breaks and limitations, some of which are very positive. It is true you can either lose your job or give up your present position during the solar return year, but this turn of events may be desirable. For some individuals, especially for those who are older, this placement signals retirement or leaving the job market entirely. For career mothers, choices focus on quitting work to raise children or continuing work while juggling two demanding schedules. If you have clearly defined personal and professional goals, you need not have any trouble with this placement.

For most people, Saturn in the 10th shows an old career closing down and a job move to something new. Rather than a break in your career, there is a break in your professional momentum. You lose skills and experience while moving from one job, company, or profession to another. In your new position, you must start from scratch. You will be working with new techniques and concepts, and at first, minor duties will take longer and appear more difficult. It takes time to get back into the swing of things, and during your orientation period, you can feel underqualified or inept. Frustration comes from not knowing what to do and the tendency toward making mistakes, which is common for newcomers.

If you quit your present job to become self-employed at this time, you may go down several dead ends before you develop, establish and maintain a routine and clientele. If you are creating a job from nothing, you are starting from scratch. The same is true if you are self-employed and must relocate. Success in a new position takes time and effort, but it can be done by those who work hard. The rewards will be clearer at the end of the year as the old chart fades away.

If you are comfortable with your present position and have always been a hard worker, you may be asked to take on more responsibility at this time. The natural tendency with this placement is to assume personal responsibility in the career area. A promotion to a managerial position or an increased workload are two ways to do this.

Serious problems associated with this position occur when you refuse to assume any responsibility in your career or for problems on the job. Suppose you do not like your job but refuse to contemplate any changes. Limiting your career options in this way creates a strong feeling of frustration, restriction, and monotony. If your present job is unfulfilling and unrewarding, you will not be able to work to your potential. Perhaps you should quit rather than stagnate. Those who refuse to reassess career options and take responsibility for their own career decisions, or lack thereof, end up going nowhere while Saturn is in the house of destiny, career, and long-term patterns of growth. Individuals who make changes and start from scratch learn to work with job frustrations to structure a new professional environment. This is the goal whether you stay in your present position or move on. You must reassess where you are and where you are headed professionally. Map out the practical steps necessary for the journey.

Uranus is commonly seen as an indicator of change, and this is true for the solar return placements also. Conditions associated with the house position of Uranus are likely to evolve significantly over the year. Major changes or incessant fluctuations emerge as the pattern of manifestation, depending on how the individual copes with his or her situation and needs. Transformations may occur quickly and require a long period of adjustment, or progress slowly, possibly occurring late in the year and only after a long period of anticipation or restlessness. As a rule, most changes are expected, predicted, and initiated by the native him or herself. Many are carefully planned and well executed, involving a minimum of tension and anxiety. When working positively with the Uranian principle, the key is in the restlessness. Those who are very attuned to their own need for growth will feel the restlessness arising in outgrown situations and respond accordingly. They will welcome the opportunity for adjustment, and make all the necessary preparations for the coming change. They will not lock themselves into one particular situation or pattern of growth, but will allow changes and insights to develop and evolve naturally along the way.

Generally, it is only when the individual thwarts his or her own desires or tightly controls situations that tensions manifest in the form of anxiety and nervousness. This anxiety results from ambivalent feelings which develop in those who resist needed changes. These people get caught between their own fear of change and a strong desire for the very change being thwarted. An ambivalent mind-set takes over, one built on an approach to, and also an avoidance of, a set goal or change. Remember, Uranus is associated with conscious and unconscious choices for change. Its appearance somewhere in the native's solar return chart implies the area of life in which the individual desires to progress through change. When one is unable to face or effect needed and desired changes, the mind splits between two mutually exclusive goals and anxiety results. Eventually, the mental ambivalence and erratic commitments to two very different paths are reflected in fluctuating external conditions. Long overdue, yet still avoided changes, tend to manifest in the environment as disruption caused by others, or by neglected areas of attention.

Adding to the anxiety is a perceived loss of control over external situations. Eventually, the restlessness and tension rise to a feverish pitch until one finally agrees to make changes, or can no longer prevent their occurrence. When conditions reach this intensity, individuals usually make reactive changes, without careful consideration or adequate preparation. Sudden upheavals occur rather than welcomed transitions. If we would truly be in control of our own destiny, we should listen to the need for change and respond to the earliest hints of restlessness. We should give ourselves the freedom to work toward a conscious transition before a crisis arises.

Consistent with the desire for change is the need for freedom. You cannot maneuver if you are locked into a restrictive environment. Sometimes the push for freedom is a prerequisite for change. At other times, the change itself becomes the motivating force behind the process. Occasionally, both mechanisms are operating. For example, you may have to convince your boss to give you the freedom to make needed changes in the daily office routine; at the same time, the changes you make could streamline procedures, creating more leeway in your work schedule.

Freedom allows the process of change to occur smoothly. When we are functioning at our best and working positively with the Uranian concept, we move easily through a series of attractions, detachments and independent actions. We learn and grow from each of these encounters. While in the process of attraction, we are drawn to certain situations, persons or concepts. It is important to observe what experiences we are drawn to because they indicate conscious or unconscious needs and patterns of growth. By accepting different situations, interacting with different individuals, or listening to new ideas, we take in new information and learn to value various facets of life. We see that no one person, place or idea is perfect. The same is true of our existing circumstances, which we hold onto so tightly.

With this insight begins the period of detachment from those situations, persons, or concepts which restrict our growth or no longer have anything to teach us. We are able to step back and intellectually reassess our involvement and commitment. We can either choose to separate physically from difficult situations, or take the corrective action needed to adjust present circumstances to our needs.

Uranus does not always imply a complete and total separation. We are capable of detaching from the original attraction while still maintaining the experience, relationship, or train of thought. It is the independent action we ultimately take which defines the degree of separation.

We learn as much from separation as we do from attraction when we define what we don't like as well as what we do like. The changing environment, the comparisons and contrasts, accentuate what is important and what is not. One should remember that this process of change through attachment, detachment and independent action is ongoing, occurring on many different levels simultaneously. The process can be either quick, occurring numerous times in one day, or drawn out, requiring a year's time span. For example, suppose you are building a new home. This is a year-long project and during this time you will be drawn to many different construction plans, ideas, and subcontractors. But as you begin to work with the possibilities, you will accept, reject, or change options to suit your needs. This process takes place over months, but also simultaneously many times in one day.

The exposure to various ideas, situations and people stimulates creative thought through sudden insight into changing situations. All planets represent a creative process. Venus is the planet of creativity experienced through beauty, while Uranus is the process experienced through change. Because of the changing panorama of people, ideas, and situations, one becomes accustomed to looking at life from different perspectives. The multifaceted approach encourages the mind to create still newer ideas. In this way the individual begins to participate in the process of attachment, detachment and independent action by creating his or her own original options, and change becomes a process of perception, integrated into the pattern of growth.

Solar Return Uranus in 6th house:

Uranus in the 6th house can show a job change during the year or a change in working conditions. Changes could be either self-initiated or beyond your control. Temporary working positions or breaks in employment are possible. For example, one woman worked for a nonprofit organization. Her salary was paid for by a government grant and when the grant money ran out, she was let go, only to return when new funds came in. If you are presently working for someone other than yourself and dissatisfied with your job, now is the time to investigate new placements. You can change companies entirely, but it is possible simply to transfer to another office under your present employer. Some individuals will ask to work on independent projects of their own choosing, or go one step further and create their own businesses, becoming self-employed.

If you maintain your old job, changes in your daily routine are likely and can involve relocation of the office, temporary change of duty station (travel), new office procedures, or the installation of new computer equipment. During the period of transition, simple procedures become very complicated and normal operations will be disrupted. In very negative situations, especially those involving conflict and even sabotage, work can come to a standstill.

Scheduling changes are also possible during the year. Your office adopts a flexible or rotating schedule, and you might be able to set your own hours. If there is no change in your job at all, work can become very nerve-wracking, tedious and stressful, particularly if you are restless and need a change of pace. You will be easily bored with repetitious tasks and needless restrictions. If all goes well, any change in your job will involve a variety of tasks and greater freedom. You need a position that gives you a new challenge, coupled with a changing schedule and the freedom to work to your potential.

Trying to stay at the same job doing the same thing in the same way will create stress. Changes are not only likely, but necessary for progress to occur. Until adjustments are accomplished and your office streamlined and better organized, your normal workday can be constantly disrupted by little crises. This is also true if you own your own business. You should be contemplating adjustments which will eventually lead to a more efficiently run business. The disruptions may occur during the period of transition to the new procedures or may actually prompt the procedure changes.

All this stress and tension at work can affect your health if you do not protect yourself. Your physical and emotional well-being is directly tied into your job situation and should be watched carefully, especially during a time of stress. Learn relaxation techniques and use them to rid your body of tension at the end of the day. Do not bring work or problems home with you. You need your free time for recuperation. Cut back on caffeine drinks and take stress-preventative vitamins when necessary. Most importantly, correct those job situations which are the most stressful.

Health habits tend to be erratic during the year, and consequently, you may experience sporadic health problems. A lot depends on age. Generally the younger and healthier you are, the less likely you are to be sick. Tensions at work are the most likely cause of stress-related illnesses. Work demands can disrupt health routines, especially if you must travel for your job or work crazy hours. Wide variations in your eating habits (including rapid weight losses or gains) can occur. Stressful work habits or rotating sleeping patterns are not in your best interest. Practice moderation in all things. This is a good time to change your health regimen consciously in order to foster a healthier body.

Neptune is many things on many levels, but first and foremost it is the aspiration for a higher manifestation as opposed to a lower one. The distinctions between higher and lower influences are not limited to the spiritual plane alone, but can occur on the emotional, mental and physical levels also. At all times, it is up to the individual to steer his or her consciousness toward the highest manifestation possible. For example, Neptune on the spiritual level is associated with Universal Oneness, Karmic Laws, Ideals, God, and higher beliefs which form the backbone of spirituality. A strong sense of trust in God and the Universe supports the growth process on the spiritual level, but has ramifications on the other levels as well. Each level of experience supports and triggers the others. It is all the insights on all of the levels which eventually help us toward a more rewarding and fulfilling life-style. The lower manifestation of Neptune on the spiritual level is disillusionment with higher principles. Here the individual falls off the true path and becomes entangled in fanatical beliefs or outright fantasy. Spiritual despair rather than enlightenment is the result, and the support needed for growth on all levels is thwarted.

The same dichotomy of higher and lower is present on the emotional, mental and physical planes also. At the emotional level, the individual is capable of great compassion and sensitivity to others. This is a time when empathic understanding strengthens the bonds between loved ones. The lower manifestation of Neptune is a susceptibility to anxiety and worry. The sensitivity which is meant to foster true understanding instead heightens a sense of vulnerability to life, others and the future. There is no trust in God emanating from the spiritual level to support decisions. In negative situations, true understanding of others does not develop because the individual is too involved with personal feelings and issues to focus on others.

At the mental level, creativity and inspiration help to expand the individual's intellectual capacity. Neptune is more closely associated with the right brain than the left, and indicates the ability to let the mind float free to new and better insights. The lower manifestation is confusion and deception. What you are told is different from what you intuitively feel. Thoughts contradict insights and you are unable to comprehend the truth. There is no trust of the higher right brain inspirational or spiritual processes. Creativity is thwarted. Without an understanding of the big picture, mental energy is wasted through a lack of cohesiveness as one begins to focus on the insignificant, confusing details.

And finally, Neptune on the physical level is service to others. Principles which have filtered down from the various levels and have been understood in each of the higher manifestations begin to flow into daily practices on the mundane plane. There is a consistency; as above, so below. It is possible to physically manifest the spirituality to which you aspire. When only lower manifestations have filtered down to the physical level, confusion, disorganization and exhaustion are most apt to occur. You lack a total concept necessary to unify your actions and prioritize tasks according to their importance. Neptune at its highest level of manifestation on the physical plane is a direct reflection of the enlightened promise made at the spiritual level.

In all of the houses, either the higher or lower manifestations will be operating. The more the individual focuses on the higher energies, the more cohesive and insightful actions will become. The more the individual is sensitive to spiritual insight, the easier it will be to deal with issues on every plane. The unifying principles of the spiritual level and the higher manifestations combine to focus energy and understanding right on down the line.

Solar Return Neptune in 6th house:

Neptune in the 6th can mean working at a job when your heart's not in it, or when you really have no sense of direction or purpose. Most commonly, you are in a period of transition between jobs. You are in the process of finishing up an old job, business or career, and moving toward a new professional endeavor. Usually there is an overlapping period when you are not physically through with your former job even though you are mentally finished. Mentally, you are now involved with your new position even though the physical transition has not yet begun or been completed. So you are just marking time, picking up a pay check, or existing in limbo until everything is set for the transition to be accomplished. It is unlikely that this will occur until the end of the solar return year, or until Neptune transits out of the 6th house, unless your new position is as probationary or "iffy" as the transitional period itself. Becoming self-employed generally falls in this category. A need for job fulfillment pushes youto find a more suitable position. The job you are leaving might fall short of your abilities. You may not feel as helpful or as effective as you could be if given more opportunity. Misunderstandings between you and your employer are possible. A few individuals might be unemployed or drifting from one job to the next during this time.

Assuming you are happy with your present employment situation, this can be a time of job confusion or uncertainty. New office procedures might turn your workday upside down if inadequate training leaves you unsure of what to do. Job security in your present position can seem precarious. Rumors of layoffs, mergers, relocations, or shift changes are possible. Poorly defined threats to your job are likely, but generally there is no loss of position or employment time. Coming reorganization plans leave future responsibilities undefined and you might be unsure where you will be in one year's time. Or you could be involved in a project which has an indeterminate outcome. You and the others could risk your time and effort on a long shot project you are not sure will pan out. If you are the owner of a business, you may be considering a merger, buyout, partnership or stock option. You will find it difficult to make concrete business plans for the future until certain issues are settled. Misunderstandings with others can occur during the year regardless of your level of employment. It is to your advantage to communicate directly with business associates. Do not rely on intermediaries to convey your messages.

Illnesses and diseases, if they occur, tend to be more difficult to diagnose while Neptune is in the 6th house. Generally you are the person seeking diagnosis, but if you are responsible for a child or an elderly adult during this year, it is possible that the vague and undiagnosed health problem is his or hers rather than yours. The health provider may be baffled by the symptoms and recommend several different courses of treatment. He or she may not be sure exactly what will work. The tendency is to try one method first, and then move on to another form of treatment if needed. A second opinion might be advantageous. You can be successfully treated without ever really knowing what you had. The origin of an illness needing diagnosis and treatment may not be clearly understood for most of the year, or until Neptune transits out of the 6th house. Symptoms are generally vague, conflicting or intermittent. Complaints of tiredness are common. A case of the flu might hang on longer than expected, or leave you feeling less than "right." Allergies to smoke, aerosols, pollutants, medications, and foods are more likely to affect your life-style or diet during the year.

The increased sensitivity associated with Neptune is apparent in the physical body's acceptance or rejection of certain daily work, living or eating habits. Emotional upheavals and stress are more apt to affect your physical form and aggravate existing illnesses, causing symptoms to reappear or multiply. If stress is coming from your job, realize that health is more important than work. Spiritual beliefs and attitudes need to become a part of your daily routine while certain detrimental habits fall away. If you cannot maintain a spiritual perspective during your daily routine, it may be time to change the routine. Cultivate serenity.

PLUTO IN THE SOLAR RETURN CHART

In the solar return chart, the interpretation of Pluto includes an understanding of the issue of power and its various manifestations, which can be directed toward three different points of focus and through three different life processes. Complications are associated with all of these orientations and processes since each manifestation is multidimensional and complex, occurring not only on the physical level, but on the intellectual, emotional and spiritual levels as well. Within these complex situations, power can be focused on three different targets: the self, others, and/or circumstances. As a rule, the power to control oneself is mostly beneficial, the power to control others is mostly detrimental and the power to control situations varies according to the circumstances involved. By studying Pluto's house placement in the solar return chart, you can assess in which areas of life these control issues are most likely to arise. The scope and effects of the power issues are seen through the connections to other solar return planets.

Power also manifests through three different processes. One may choose sameness, elimination or transformation. When you choose to keep things the way they are, it is implied that there is some force urging you to change and you are resisting this force. A possible power struggle might ensue. When you choose elimination, you relinquish control over some facet of your life or refuse to have further contact. When you choose change, you may be either yielding to an outside power or actively seeking transformation of that which already exists. Let us explore the power orientations and processes further.

Three Different Points of Focus

Generally, the focal point of self is beneficial. As long as you are using Plutonian insights and techniques to control yourself, to own your own power and to further your own growth, the process will be a positive learning experience, unless you overcontrol yourself, succumbing to hair-shirt asceticism, taking self-denial to absurd extremes. The greater your awareness of yourself and Universal principles, the more likely you are to make good decisions. You become the captain of your own destiny. Enlightenment leads to power and power leads to enlightenment as a rewarding cycle of manifestation is set in motion.

However, those who use psychological insights to control and block their own growth waste precious energy. They set up a negative pattern of stagnation wherein insights are not accepted as they are, but twisted to fit previously conceived notions about life and self. Rather than progressing through enlightenment, the individual uses insights as weapons against growth and understanding, opting for sameness despite new information. Contradictory realizations are not allowed to surface; instead they are either suppressed or misinterpreted. In very negative situations such as these, the power associated with increased Plutonian awareness and its creative potential is never realized.

The same thwarting of personal growth is evident when you shift your attention from self to the need to control others. By and large, this is not a good focal orientation. The symbolism of the planets exists in your consciousness so that you can grow and prosper from insight. Since growth begins at home, the main thrust of the focus should always be toward self, and it is generally unnecessary and also counterproductive to shift the emphasis to an external struggle. The most efficient use of power exists on the internal plane because it takes much less energy to control your own reactions than to seek power over someone else. Once power is removed from the inner self and used to control others, the effectiveness is reduced. Stalemated power struggles are particularly detrimental because they deplete resources. It is conceivable that there are life situations where it is essential to control another person. For example, children, disabled or elderly loved ones may not be able to make informed decisions. In these situations you might be asked or forced to wield power over another. You are meant to grow from all your experiences. Even in these instances, self-awareness and insight are crucial to the decisions you make. Start with yourself first, then work your way outward. Blaming others for your problems distorts the perception of self and the realization of your own personal involvement. Always be aware of the interactive process and the role you play in it. This internal perspective is of primary importance, much more so than the process of controlling someone else.

Trying to control life situations can lead to power struggles, but at some point in your life it may be essential to make a stand for the good of your own growth or that of world consciousness. Ultimately, it is much better for you to control yourself, but this is not always possible. Someone can be seeking to control you, your family or your livelihood. Certain injustices must be corrected for everyone to progress, and sometimes the only viable option is to work for change. Always be aware of the struggle you take on. It is usually easier to correct a situation than to convince your opponent he or she is wrong. It is easier to get forgiveness than permission. Go for the simplest task that gets the job done. For example, your office routine might be very inefficient and next to impossible to accomplish in a day's time. Perhaps you see where improvements can be made, but your immediate boss disagrees with you or thwarts your efforts. As long as you continue to try and convince your immediate boss of the need for change, you will get nowhere. If you can easily go over his or her head to a higher boss, this could be an effective way to handle the stalemate. Seek the quickest solution to a problem if one is available. Do not get locked into long, drawn-out struggles if they are not necessary.

Ultimately, power struggles can have either beneficial or detrimental results, depending on your perspective. In the external environment, you may or may not win, assuming there can be a victor. More than likely, victory, if it comes, involves compromise for all involved. But the inner process of awakening one's own ability to effect a creative change in the environment is usually beneficial. You can make a difference. The creative potential associated with Pluto comes from a penetrating insight into the hidden worlds of the unconscious and an understanding of the Universal laws of Karma. Powerful insights should spring spontaneously from the situations associated with Pluto's placement in the solar return chart. Suddenly you can become aware of new forces, subtle and previously unnoticed, which seem to influence personal decisions and situations you are involved in. Once you have the insight, what you do with the information becomes crucial to the creative process.

The primary goal of the Plutonian process should be growth through awareness. Therefore it is essential, no matter what your focal orientation, to use information and insight gleaned from experiences to foster a new understanding of self and Universal principles. The main growth process begins and ends with the self.

Three Different Plutonian Processes

Plutonian power is associated with three different processes: keeping things the way they are, usually by resisting an internal or external force; changing the form of what already exists, i.e., transformation; or eliminating what is no longer useful or essential, a form of death. Any of these powers can be either beneficial or detrimental to the user or others involved. It is the purpose and intent of the process that is important.

The power to keep things the way they are can sometimes be an awakening to personal power. Implied here is a resistance to a force seeking change, and sometimes the intent of change is negative. The pressure can come from an external or internal source, and the changes desired may be either external or internal also. For example, if you are a recovering alcoholic facing a difficult life situation, you might feel the pressure to start drinking again. The pressure could come from your own wish to avoid major decisions, or from a person you are associating with.

In actuality the internal and external sources are really one and the same, a reflection of each other since internal needs draw external situations. In the situation given above, the individual seeks to remain a recovering alcoholic despite internal and external pressure. This is a positive goal and if attained, implies personal power. It is also beneficial to remain the same when others seek to control your actions and thwart free will. Pluto represents the insight necessary to perceive manipulative efforts as they arise and avoid ploys whenever possible.

In some instances, the power to remain the same can be a negative manifestation, actually causing the stagnation of growth. If you resist all new internal and external insights which would enhance your growth or cause you to make changes, little progress will result. You will stall. When your purposes are not in keeping with Universal Good or personal benefit, you are more likely to be involved in a negative use of Plutonian power.

The process of elimination can be very cleansing, even though a symbolic death is involved. If you streamline your business or office procedures, letting go of compulsive and unnecessary activities, this is a death of sorts, but much to your benefit. So is a budgetary review which eliminates the fat from your spending practices and allows you to cut back on your work schedule. In more serious circumstances, perhaps all you can do is release a situation that is detrimental to your progress. Letting go can be a positive choice, but it might also be a negative one if you cut someone out of your life without resolving or releasing the conflict. If this is true in your case, avoiding persons or situations will consume your energy. Transformation is the process whereby a situation, thing or level of consciousness is changed into a new, and hopefully higher, manifestation. Careers, marriages and self-images can all be transformed for the better. Commonly, though, we think of the transformation process in terms of psychological insight and level of consciousness. Information from subtle sources or the unconscious is gradually or suddenly made available to either the rational mind or the Higher Self, and subsequently a change occurs on the mental, emotional or spiritual level. Information that was previously unavailable becomes understandable through the process of insight, and power is released through new awareness. This can be a very enlightening and beneficial transition, but naturally it is what you do with the information that is important. If intellectual, emotional and spiritual growth are triggered by the new awareness, the process continues to be positive; however, if instead you use your newfound insight to control others or block growth, you have used your knowledge in a negative way.

Misuse of the Plutonian process creates an inability to continue on the life path until issues are resolved and lessons are learned. Stagnation occurs as the individual fails to progress to the next level of comprehension or misinterprets the task at hand. Power struggles can be the cause of such stagnation, and should be taken on only after careful consideration of the issues and implications. Power struggles are expensive in terms of time and energy. Some are essential to growth, others are self-inflicted. Know the source. Ideally, if you avoid a conflict in Pluto's solar return house placement, you should have more resources available for higher awareness. Conflicts consume energy and sap the strength necessary for the ascent. Without opposition, one can move quickly when concentrating on insight and awareness. Barriers can be torn down and the connections among all things become apparent.

But a world without struggle is the ideal, and not necessarily the reality. Your situation may require that growth be attained through struggle. The resistance may stimulate your awareness and creativity. Real progress might only occur after the resolution of conflict or during respites in the battle. However, within a long-lasting, stalemated struggle, one is more likely to get caught in a circular argument going nowhere. Nonproductive battles can be avoided by those who work toward increased awareness.

Solar Return Pluto in 4th house:

Pluto in the solar return 4th house is the single best indicator of moving from one home to another. Uranus in the 4th house can also indicate relocation, but when Uranus is in the solar return 4th you are more likely to have changes or disruption within the domestic environment, particularly involving family members or roommates. Pluto, on the other hand, is more representative of moving from one home to another, or major renovations to the living structure itself along with a disorientation or upheaval that lasts for a period of one year. These are fine-line distinctions, and of course, variations will occur. If you purchase a home during this year, it may need a lot of work. Redecoration is likely, and the repair of unforeseen problems a possibility. It is in your best interest to have an engineer inspect any home you are seeking to purchase. Hidden or unanticipated difficulties can then be made known before any transaction takes place.

Relocation complications can arise for a number of reasons, though, and are not limited to repair problems. If you are building a new home, construction can take longer than expected. You may have to live in several temporary residences or stay with relatives for a period of time. Once you finally move in, you must decorate from scratch, purchasing everything an established home is already likely to have. Moves over great distances are very complicated in and of themselves, and generally require a full year's time for preparation and settling in. The hassles of adjusting to a new state, climate, culture, or environment can take the place of problems with the house structure itself.

Major renovations are also seen while Pluto is in the 4th house. These kinds of renovations necessarily cause a prolonged upheaval in the domestic situation. Large additions, modernizations, or construction which involves moving walls or piping is likely, and the disruption caused by the dust and building will probably last for most of the solar return year.

If you do not move or renovate, it is still likely that changes in the domestic situation will occur. Commonly, someone either moves in or out, and living arrangements must be adjusted accordingly. New situations will take a while to get used to. All changes involve the consideration of many different factors, and simple decisions are not likely. In addition, transitions are likely to be complicated by psychological issues, and may even be unconsciously motivated. For example, your mother moves in and you must make arrangements for her to get to the senior citizen center during the day. She is somewhat incapacitated and needs daytime care. She also requires a living space on one floor and you must rearrange rooms and put in a new bathroom for her use. Psychologically, you must make the adjustment from living alone to caring for an elderly parent. Certain childhood issues might arise as you search for new patterns of behavior.

It is true that complications and struggles are associated with domestic situations when Pluto is in the 4th house; however, the complications and struggles are inherent in the project or transition you wish to complete and not the planetary placement itself. This is a time when individuals naturally seem to choose to make major changes in their home and/or living style, and it is unlikely that a transformation of this caliber could be made quickly and easily, without some hassle.

The desire to make strong and sweeping changes in the physical home is accompanied by corresponding emotional transformations. Sometimes the two manifestations are directly connected; sometimes they are totally separate; commonly, they are at least symbolically related. For example, during a long period of domestic upheaval, you could feel disconnected or not grounded, without a sense of "home," or a base for operations. If you are living with others, caught in a limbo between residences, you might be forced to subsist for a while without your own space, possessions, privacy, personal control, or sense of organization. You might feel stripped to the essence of your being, devoid of any external trappings, left to exist as you are, without the familiarity of what you own or can accomplish. Without the inner sanctum of your home for protection, you could feel exposed, and it is true that you are vulnerable to the idiosyncrasies of temporary housemates. Emotions are bound to fluctuate under such conditions. Old behavior patterns break down quickly as new patterns and coping mechanisms are necessitated by changing circumstances. In this way, Pluto in the 4th house usually indicates an emotionally unsettled time, as well as a physically unsettled time.

Sometimes this emotional upheaval can occur because of a coincidental physical change in another's situation, but a transition in the native's own consciousness is essential for growth. Suppose your parents decide to sell your childhood home and move out of state. If you are still attached to your parents' residence, you must make adjustments in your thinking. You can still visit your parents, but you can never go home again if the trip involves one particular building or location. Perhaps it is time for you to think of your own residence as "home."

When Pluto is in the 4th house, emotions are not only the motivating force behind physical changes, but also the end result. The purpose and desire associated with this placement is the need to establish an emotionally fulfilling environment, both on the internal and external planes. This is why moving or changes in the physical home (external) are as important as evolutionary growth in the feeling nature or unconscious (internal). The two levels of manifestation go hand in hand during the year, and you can be sure that if your physical surroundings are in a state of transition, corresponding changes are also affecting your emotional level.

By the same token, the inability to make wanted and needed external changes probably indicates the presence of internal blockages and external resistances. A search is underway to form stronger roots in the physical and emotional environment. Shallow connections will not do. One must either dig deeper or move on; reaffirm the commitment to the existing structure (renovation), or begin anew (move). The same process is occurring on the emotional level. Individuals must reaffirm a commitment to family members and roommates, or seek support elsewhere.

Unlike other 4th house placements which also indicate changes in the physical and emotional home, Pluto generally indicates that not only are changes long overdue, but there are also some inner and outer resistances which must be overcome to fully realize the internal potential in the external world. Consequently, a power struggle with oneself and others is likely, both before and during change, and the arena for this struggle takes place in the home and among family members. Conflicts arise when others do not want the same home environment you envision. In the best of circumstances, negotiation and compromise may be all that are necessary to resolve differences. However, in some families the word "negotiation" is really a cover for manipulative tactics and controlling influences. Nothing is ever resolved, issues remain unsettled, and decisions are not finalized. Within this domestic milieu, the creative urge toward rootedness and its resultant manifestations on the physical and emotional planes are stifled before they can be realized. For this reason, you should consciously work to undo old, existing response patterns which allow others to psychologically control your emotional nature and rob you of its creative potential. Being emotionally controlled is generally synonymous with also being physically controlled, and therefore unable to create the home and home life you desire.

This is a good time to enter therapy, especially if unconscious manifestations (fear, guilt, negativity, power struggles, etc.) are blocking new and old commitments, or stifling your urge toward growth and change. Repetitive issues, unfulfilling emotional interchanges, and the inability to cope with your home and necessary changes signal the need to reassess response patterns for power leakages. During the year, heightened sensitivity will cause you to become aware of psychological games which rob you of personal power in the emotional arena. At this time, even an intellectual interest in psychology can give you great insight into domestic and familial patterns.

Because of the issue of creative emotional power and its manifestation on the physical plane, life seems more crucial, decisions more important, problems more complicated. Everything leads to something else and you have a vested interest in how matters finally turn out. Commonly, the meaning of life is discussed, and within this climate the issue of death arises, causing you to face the issue of your own mortality. There may be a death in the family during the year, but more often you are merely acquainted with someone your own age who must deal with a potentially life-threatening illness. His or her situation calls you to consider the possibility of your own death, and the reason for your existence. The interplay between the creative emotional nature and the issue of mortality leads you to understand the extent and limitations of your own power. One does not have control over death; all living things die. However, one does have power over the emotional response to death, and for that matter, all emotional responses. The need to direct your own emotions toward a rewarding and fulfilling expression is at the root of this Pluto placement.