Jupiter in Aries Opposite Saturn in Libra, the Benefits of Being True to Ourselves and Maturing The Nasty Libra Tricks

The Jupiter - Saturn opposition coming up next Monday, March 28 happens at 14 degrees Aries/Libra, triggering the energetic themes and events brought up by the 2009 Venus retro period. Venus stationed retrograde March 5, 2009 at 15 degrees Aries.

All the personal planets in Aries will trigger this hot spot opposition point, conjuncting Jupiter and opposing Saturn in Libra over the next six weeks.

Mercury, currently in its retrograde shadow and just past this point, will go back and forth over this area. The first pass was March 17. Mercury goes retrograde March 30 and passes this point for a second time (retrograde) April 14/15. It goes direct April 23, and the final pass direct is April 29/30.

Look at what was going on in your life at the time of the Venus retrograde in Aries (February through May 2009) - especially in relationships - to see how much progress you have made since then and what might need a little more (or less) exertion on your part.

One of the themes of that retrograde was watching for the trap of the false karass - with astrology being one of them. This is a really interesting aspect to watch, as I see these themes coming on strongly in the astrology world. Astrology blogs, astrologers and astrology audiences are differentiating rapidly. Stronger astrological identities are being forged, and the distinctions of politics, perspective, beliefs and motivation are becoming more important.

I like this because, with a prominent Pluto in Libra, these themes are with me all the time.

The only way we can be one, big happy astro family is if we're honest about the fact that we aren't.

The previous Venus retrograde in Aries set the stage for the current Jupiter transit in Aries (entering Taurus June 4), and here we see one of the cardinal rules of astrology - working successfully with a transit as it unfolds sets the groundwork for future success with transits involving similar themes/signs, which repeat in cycles or waves until we get it down. Astrologers don't advise you to work diligently and responsibly with what's going on in your life just to step on your buzz. It's a proactive strategy for longer-term success. If we shirk our duties with transit themes, we have to work doubly or triply hard playing catch-up later.

The 2009 Venus retrograde in Aries had to do with forging an honest and authentic balance between ourselves, our identities, our personal goals and motivations and our ways of being in relationship with other people. To reap the benefits of the current Jupiter in Aries transit, we had to beef up our Aries muscles (authenticity, self-exertion, self-direction, will, independent action, identity) within relationship during that Venus retrograde - differentiating from other people when necessary, being true to ourselves even when it was uncomfortable socially, and learning to follow our anger impulses as a directional force and impetus to action.

Jupiter has a reputation for being nothing but good - inspirational expansion, horizons broadening in beneficial ways, faith and knowledge increasing. But Jupiter, as the largest planet in our solar system, makes everything it touches bigger, including our weak spots and especially areas we have been perpetually glossing over or shirking.

Jupiter allows us to fly by the seat of our pants to a certain extent based on an excess of ancestral knowledge, hard-won wisdom and inherent gifts. We have padding in the bank of a jovial largess variety - but only up to a point. Past that point, Jupiter can create a sort of too-much-too-fast over-expansion, over-confidence in our abilities and a subsequent falling on our face. Jupiter can trigger lackadaisical tendencies, skimming by on the bluster of our gifts or beneficial traits, that can catch up to us when in tense aspect to the other planets - as it is now with Saturn. There are limits to its luck and buoyancy - much as Jupiter dislikes this fact.

It's going to be very interesting with all the Aries energy coming into play opposite Saturn in Libra retrograde. We're going to be seeing new facets of identity in the people with whom we are in relationship, and it's going to be shocking (Uranus). Who people really are and what they really think, believe and feel beyond the Libran facade is emerging in a big, colourful way. Our identities (Aries) want to expand (Jupiter), and with Saturn retrograde in Libra, we are restructuring our relationships and our sharing of social responsibility and authority to give them room to breathe.

It's not always popular to be true to ourselves, but for those who have done it come hell or high water, this Jupiter transit brings big movement and expansion.

On the other hand, people who have relied on Libra tricks - maintaining a false social veneer, playing to the crowd, hiding or compromising their expanding identities to maintain a relationship, social prowess or popularity - are going to have a tougher time. Co-dependency issues will rear their heads - the problems associated with subverting our will and identity in favour of another, constantly deferring to the opinions and beliefs of others, and lacking the courage to stand on our own two feet. People who have been basing a big part of their identity on another person will be strongly encouraged to stop.

Knowing who you are, what you know and what you believe on a deep level and staying true to that in relationship is key for the remainder of the Jupiter in Aries transit. There will be instances until June 4 when we have to stand up for ourselves along these lines, and this takes courage.

These themes become huge between May 1 and 15 when we experience a stellium of planets in Aries - Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter - trining the Sagittarius North Node. Uranus will be in early Aries, shocking us with insights about who we are, who the people around us are, and what that means for our future directions.