Saturn turns retrograde on New Years Eve, Dec 31. at 18.12 GMT. This event should not pass without comment. It is a curious coincidence that Saturn makes its first station at the very turning of the year. Those familiar with mythology will recall Saturn's close association with the two faced god, Janus, who is the doorkeeper of heaven and the patron of the beginning and end of things. January, the first month of the year, has received it's name from this deity. This turning of the calander and changing of the year also coincides with where Saturn has it's two faces, or rather domiciles, in the signs of Capricorn and Aquarius.

As Saturn turns retrograde at 21VI46 we should not overlook the fact that Mercury, its dispositor, is Void of Course - a condition recognised to fare in unexpected, creative and sometimes irrational directions. The Void of Course condition is like a vacation or abation from the normal, not always beneficial for business but considered beneficial for metaphysical experimentation and the astrological. However, we should notice that Mercury separates from the conjunction of Jupiter, which occured and belongs to the very same day, and that Jupiter is the dispositor of Uranus - thus the alligment of Jupiter and Mercury says something about building a bridge between the opposition between Saturn and Uranus. There is additionally a mutual reception between Saturn and Mercury, in Virgo and Capricorn, which is a condition that may show agreement, cooperation and a return of virtue and turn meaning to the better. In the chart for Saturn's station we also find a tight and applying allignment between the Moon and Venus in the 27th degree of Aquarius. Venus receives the Moon in her face. Whether by Day or Night, either Venus or the Moon will rule Saturn by triplicity.

Readers are welcome to contribute with ideas on how this station of Saturn may influence the World at the entry of a New Year. Maybe the VOC Mercury means the Government and Administrations continue to look for new and alternative solutions to global problems. I do hope that the union of Venus and the Moon in Aquarius is a bearer of Good News and Turnings of benefit to the Many.

Happy New Year!

Okay for Greenwich, England the Moon is at 29 Aqu 46, otherwise it looks like the California chart, but I?m most familiar with California issues so I thought I?d look at the New Year from that perspective. I think the Main difference here is that either there is some critical 10th house issue on the global chart that needs resolved OR being the moon, the outcome of some issue is unpredictable. Else here?s what I think for the West Coast of US. ?

New years for me has moon at 3 Pisces 52, almost conj my natal Jupiter at 3 Pisces 58, I'm thinking that sounds like I may have a better 2009 than 2008 (please please please) since 2008 was pretty bad for me, I'm hopeful, but that does put Saturn in the 12 house for southern California.
I think we can only look at one section of the world at a time!

Puts the sun on the IC, (Placidus houses) Puts Jupiter and Mercury in the 29th degree of Capricorn in 4th, Puts Chiron, Neptune, Venus and Moon in 5th, which I hope means that money increases, especially once Venus crosses into Pisces where she is Exalted. Pluto and Mars in 3rd fairly firmly, mars getting close to that final 5 degrees but not really close enough to call it 4th house.

With strong second house emphasis I'd think that southern Ca is in for a good year for creative expression. Hollywood generally does well in tough economic times so I'm thinking this expression makes sense. Ca is curved and the northern part is several degrees west of the southern Coast so if you did a chart for San Francisco it shifts a bit putting Sun Squarely in 4th and puts Mars close enough to IC to call it On cusp, the reason I note the difference is because I think Mars and Northern CA real estate may have some issues this year.

another issue I find interesting is Saturn and Uranus perfect their opposition again about the 7th of February about 20 Vir/Pis (I hate the 1st two weeks of February its evil!) Again about 16 September 24 Vir/Pis, the last one being 28 April at about 28 Vir/Pis (my natal Mars is at 25 Pisces and Natal 6th cusp at 26 Pisces so yes I'll be watching those!) and again on July 27 2010 at 00 Aries/Libra 22 or so before they are finally out of orb enough to not oppose directly again for a long while!(also Saturn exalted in Libra so may well prove to be true exit of recession) I think they need watching in terms of recession. so thinking that these times are probably worth watching.

Okay so I have this funny visual in my head, if you look at the Saturn Uranus opposition as a balance, then look at the chart it appears as though all the planets are heavily weighing in on the Uranus side, in this particular chart. and with a 12/6 axis it certainly looks as though all the weight is on the Chaos end of the balance.

One thing for west coast I think may show up, is that When Venus crosses into Pisces money for elementary education will show up. Looking at the Ephemeris, Mercury will run right up to the 5th cusp and then retrograde. Also ought to mention that North Node is on the 5th house cusp for West coast New Year. This puts PoF in 11th.

Jupiter represents house 3 and 6 house, is in Fall on the critical 29th degree of Cap. Does that represent a Crisis that lifts as Jupiter enters Aquarius? or merely foretell the coming event of Jupiter crawling out of his fall? A 3/6 event might be communications, wages, illness, transportation, etc. Uranus in 6th may forecast that a bit closer to the illness wages etc. issues. And Mercury retrogrades back to almost perfect a nice trine with Saturn which makes me think transportation is in better shape. Perhaps State Medical Insurance issue? State has money issues may fall there.

Mercury the other critical planet with Jupiter represents houses 9 and 12, again with the travel! And big government!

Mars and Pluto are both near the IC. Pluto is known to represent hidden treasure, near the IC makes me wonder? earthquake uncovers hidden treasure? Mars represents 2nd house money close to housing issues? bottoming out? or? And 7th house which I'm going to suggest is mostly legal, and probably again real estate related. I don?t think in the current market more loan fraud issues from the recent past is not a stretch of the imagination. but I think it may come to light more this year.

The MC is represented by the moon who is trying to perfect a Trine to the mc in the 5th house (close to 6th cusp) The accent I think for the public face may well be on the entertainment sector of Ca economy this year.

That is what occurs to me for West Coast...
Granny

One other Point, In the MidEast Moon is at 28 Aqu in the New Year Chart, Makes me think that perhaps the critical issues are related to some of the issues here, Especially with the Mars Pluto alignment and Moon is moving to Sextile Pluto when she crosses the Pisces cusp. though again Mid-east issues are hardly news... Cant we just make all their respective leaders (and President Bush) write, "I will not bomb, kill or maim my neighbors" 10,000 times in three or four languages? Of course we then have to deal with the adolescent behaviors of other governments, like telling women who they can or can't sleep with and slavery and child abuse and .... hmmm come to think of it, I think the mid-east nonsense is what keeps the world from dealing with the other issues... its all a plot! (tongue somewhat in cheek) Really I find the world a totally uncivilized place!

okay 2 other points, Saturn Retrograde... I think it mainly serves to keep Saturn in the 12th house of this chart for the entire year! in fact Saturn wont move out of the 12th house of THIS chart until mid 2010.

granny

PS the actual sextile of Moon and Pluto at Midnight seems to occur mid atlantic somewhere, I'm not sure it aligns with a country? maybe greenland?