 |
 |
| |
| Departments |
Home
Columns, Special
Topics & Features:
The Columns:
Angels, Guides, &
Loving Spirits:
Angel Blessings:
with Dr. Doreen Virtue
Ask Valerie Morrison,
Internationally
Acclaimed Psychic
Trust Your Vibes
By Dr. Sonia Choquette, PhD.
Internationally Acclaimed Psychic Healer & Author
Astrologer's Notes:
Carin Martin,
Astrologer
Donna Cunningham, MSW, Astrologer
Basil Fearrington,
Astrologer
Diana Stone,
Astrologer &
Huna Shaman
Jeff Jawer
Astrologer
Glenn Perry,
Astrologer
Ray Merriman,
Financial Astrology:
MMA Market Week
Noel Tyl,
Astrologer
Daily Aspect Calendar
by Care
MoonWatching with Dana Gerhardt and Friends
Creating Bridges:
The Spiritual &
Philosophical
Act of Power
Discovering the Key to Living Your Sacred Dream
by Lynn Andrews
Avant-Gardening:
Insights
by Frank & Vicky
Giannangelo
From The Heart:
Alan Cohen
Teachings from the Western Mystery Traditions: The Esoteric "Paths of Return"
by Jacquelyn Small, Eupsychia
Spirituality in Daily Life: by Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron
The Conscious Column
by David Ault
Spiritual Mastery
for the 21st Century
Dr. Gwen MacGregor
Pearls of Wisdom:
with Care & Aeon
Encounters on the
Shaman's Path with
Dr. Hank Wesselman, PhD.
Anthropologist, Zoologist, Author, Shamanic Healer & Teacher
The Divine Human
by Ornesha De Paoli
Awakenings
by Karen Johnson
Worshipping by Wondering with
Sankara Saranam, MA Founder of the Pranayama Institute
A Woman's Beauty
by Robin Rice,
Shaman & Author
Wisdom Walks
In Circles
Margaret Lewis,
Shamanic Practitioner
The Awakening Generation
by Ann Marie Judge
Divination Systems:
Be Your Own Oracle
By James Wanless, Ph.D.
Creator of the Voyager Tarot Deck
Feng Shui & Chinese Metaphysics:
Inside Chinese Metaphysics
by Barbara Finch,
Feng Shui &
Chinese Astrology
In Practice:
Juliet's Marketing Wisdom
by Juliet Austin, MA Marketing Coach, Author & Consultant
Kabbalah:
Kabbalah Revealed:
Rav Michael Laitman, PhD, Kabbalalist
"Letters from Heaven:" Spiritual Guidance from
the Hebrew Alphabet
by Avigayil Landsman
Pet Care:
Dr. Carson's Holistic Animal Care
by Dr. Kathleen Carson, D.V.M.
Tarot:
Moment to Moment
by Gigi Miner
Author, Tarot Consultant, & Teacher
Reviews:
Tarot, Cartomancy,
Oracle Decks,
Books, & Software.
by Bonnie Cehovet,
Tarot Master
Humor:
Wake Up Laughing.Com:
Swami Beyondananda
Features:
Blessings & Messages
Event Calendar
Historical Notes & Data
The MetaPersonals
Opinion-Editorial
News Briefs
Symbols, Seals,
Amulets & Talismans
The What in the
World Department
Trivia & Life's Other
Novel Moments
Interviews:
Watch for Upcoming Announcements
Healing & Alternative
Health:
Living in Harmony-Astrology, Yoga & Ayurveda:
Venkat & Christine Machiraju
"Spirit and Practice
of the Wise Woman
Tradition"
By Susun Weed
Tai Chi & Qigong
by Bill Douglas
The Holistic Mystic,
by Lonny Brown
Medical Intuition: Tune
in to Your Body and Improve Your Health
by Caroline Sutherland, Sutherland Communications
Transformational Healing through the Violet Flame!
by Eva Kettles
Herbs for Health
with Kami McBride
Lose Weight Permanently: Stop the Endless Cycle of Dieting
Rena Greenberg,
Practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming & Hypnotherapist
The Directory
The Book Nook
Archives:
Past Issues
|
|
|
|
|
|
Astrology
|
|
|
Excerpt from Donna's e-book:
An Astrological Guide to Self-Awareness: 2005 Edition
© Moon Maven Publications
Night and Day:
Transits from the
12th House to the 1st
|
|
|
by Donna Cunningham, MSW |
|
|
Over the years, I have observed what happens when a planet that has been transiting the 12th house finally emerges into the 1st. It is then that an important process that has been deeply private for some time finally emerges for the whole world to see. Though hidden from view, the 12th house is rich with significance. Analyzing the associated signs and planets in the birth chart can reveal secret wellsprings of growth and strength, or it can point out ways we covertly undermine ourselves and create suffering. The difference between these two possibilities is willingness to consciously examine and take responsibility for self-defeating behaviors and thoughts and to take a look at feelings we don’t like to admit we have. The tendency of natal 12th house signs and planets, however, is to remain hidden from others and, all too often, from ourselves—we deny self-defeating patterns of behavior not only to other people but also to ourselves.
Typical 12th House Transits
It is precisely during a transit of the 12th house that these hidden parts of ourselves are revealed so we can begin to work on them. We are given the opportunity—and, usually, the impetus—to change them if they are hurtful or to enhance them if they are of value. The unconscious becomes more and more conscious, whether through painful encounters with consequences of self-defeating habits or through voluntarily entering into contemplation and self-inquiry.
The 12th being a house of retreat, we are usually given the gift of space to work on these patterns in private, without having to expose our shortcomings or our wounds. Sometimes the circumstances that create this valuable space seem like misfortunes—a prolonged bout of ill-health, say, or a spell of unemployment—but in the long run they are revealed as gifts of Spirit. When we embrace the silent and often solitary process of self-exploration, we can stop undermining ourselves. The energy that self-defeating pursuits used to consume can instead be directed into growth and spiritual seeking. With our new insight, we are granted a compassionate understanding of others, so we may also find ourselves giving service in new ways.
Suppose, instead, we choose to remain in denial and even beef up our defenses against owning these painful facets of our lives. Then the 12th house transit can show a progressive intensification of old self-defeating habits and their destructive potentials. For instance, depending on the content of the 12th natally, we might escape into addictions to substances, compulsive or even abusive relationships, or workaholism, until they take on a life of their own. As time goes on, we enter a “bottoming out” phase, madly persevering in these old behaviors despite their increasingly obvious failure to fulfill our needs and their increasingly painful consequences. In the end, we can only go so far down that path before we reach a turning point, and, hopefully, choose to pursue the 12th house’s more loving expressions.
A 12th house passage and the processes associated with it can go on for some time, as determined by the number of degrees in that house natally. You may even find that the month or two each year that the Sun, Mercury, and Venus are coursing through your 12th are a time when you instinctively withdraw from involvement in the world and its demands and devote time to inner life. It is only our results-oriented society that devalues these retreat periods as unproductive rather than recognizing the ways they restore and revitalize us and grant a new perspective on our lives. The longer the 12th house transit lasts, the more life-changing the process, and the more important self-awareness becomes. Jupiter transits generally last a year and Saturn takes two or three years to pass through a house. Uranus may take seven years, while Neptune and Pluto transits may endure ten to twelve years.
The Shift from the 12th to the 1st
However long the transit, and however intense the inner process, there is a distinct shift when that planet emerges from the 12th house into the 1st. With slower moving planets, the energetic change can be gradual, as they cross the Ascendant, then retrograde back into the 12th a couple of times.
Let’s use Jupiter as an example. As Jupiter spends a scant year in each house in turn, it is there long enough to notice the effect of the transit on the matters of the house yet short enough to notice the sequence it creates when it moves along to the next. During Jupiter’s year in the eleventh, there is often a social whirl that seems to give way to a time of contemplative solitude during its sojourn in the 12th. People instinctively pull inward to contemplate their life direction and observe their emotional life. The 12th house is the house of the ashram, and a Hindu word for Jupiter is Guru, so even those who have not been especially drawn to spiritual practices may find themselves studying philosophy more seriously.
These, of course, are the more positive expressions of Jupiter, which is supposedly very fortunate in this house. Still, Jupiter is inclined to excess, so this transit can exaggerate any self-destructive behavior patterns, as represented by natal 12th house placements. People overdo wildly in the belief that, “I can get away with it, God is on my side, and anyway I won’t get caught.” For those inclined to addiction or overeating, Jupiter’s thirst for More and More can lead to an intensification of the addiction.
When Jupiter shifts from the 12th into the 1st, the person who has taken the higher path with this transit moves out of self-imposed isolation with a new enthusiasm and sense of purpose. Having learned some important new truths during their period of study and contemplation, they may now feel they have something important to impart, so they may begin teaching or preaching. The signs of natal and transiting Jupiter determine what it is they want to teach and whether they are gifted at it or merely arrogant and opinionated. All the same, the year of quiet retreat with Jupiter in the 12th tends to rekindle energy and hopefulness.
Contrast that with Saturn’s two-year or longer sojourn in the 12th. In anticipating what it might bring, it is important to have a thorough understanding of Saturn’s natal condition—sign, house, and aspects. It is also instructive to assess how the individual, at this stage of life, meets Saturn’s demands for responsibility, maturity, self-discipline, accomplishment, and dealing with authority figures. If the individual is handling those functions well, there is less chance that a 12th house passage will bring unwanted repercussions.
If, however, the individual typically behaves irresponsibly and immaturely, has no real purpose in life or career direction, and expects authority figures to take on the role of indulgent parents, then Saturn’s passage through the 12th may well be an encounter with some sobering realities. Among the sobering realities would be reaping the consequences of destructive patterns signified by planets in the 12th natally.
Even those who are generally Saturn-friendly can find this transit challenging, though they have developed the tools and strategies to cope with Saturnian demands, both inner and outer. Highly-motivated achievers may find it a frustrating period, in that often the career or life goals seem to be on hiatus, enjoying few outer manifestations. The exception, of course, is for those who are pursuing 12th house related careers of service, in which case they may find themselves, finally, in administrative or supervisory positions. For spiritual disciples, also, it may be a time of important initiations.
Those who find themselves stymied or stagnant in their careers, however, may wish to recall what we said earlier about the merits of a retreat time which enables us to process and digest what has happened up to now. Here, it is time to evaluate our accomplishments and how they have or haven’t truly satisfied us. The 12th house is a house of service, and if we have accomplished a great deal or have been given much, perhaps it is time to give back to the world.
It is also a house of inner life, of spirituality, and of health difficulties brought on by repressed emotions or self-defeating practices. If we have sacrificed the inner life, postponed developing our spirituality, and neglected our health in order to achieve material goals, then this is a time to bring our lives back into balance. If we refuse to do so, in the course of this transit, we may be faced with anxiety or depression (Saturn emotional imbalances) or perhaps with work-related health complaints. We may suffer from spiritual angst as well, a sense of emptiness in the midst of material accomplishments that eventually has us turning to spirit for relief.
What happens when Saturn crosses the Ascendant and goes into the 1st depends completely on how the individual has used its passage through the 12th. Those who have a history of irresponsibility and who haven’t grown up any in the past couple of years may find, if they haven’t already, that there are times they simply have to pay the consequences of their behavior. Those who have overworked habitually and ignored their body’s needs and limitations may face a health crisis that forces them to let go of overwork and take care of themselves.
Those who have taken the quieter, more contemplative path of reassessing their life path and biding their time, however, are quite likely to find themselves with new skills and character development to offer the world. When Saturn emerges into the 1st, such individuals begin to impress others with their new-found maturity and capability, and so it is often a time when they are “drafted” to fill a highly responsible new position or role. The mantle of authority now sits more lightly on their shoulders, and they come into their own in a new way.
I won’t cover the outer planets and their slow passages through the 12th, but the same type of assessment will help you to understand the more gradual process these transits bring. What houses, signs, and aspects does the planet inhabit natally, and what does that suggest about the person? How important—or how muted—is its expression in the person’s life? Paramount, of course, is the strength of the 12th house in the birth chart and how the person has come to express any 12th house planets in the course of this lifetime. How has the person used that planet historically, and what development has unfolded in the course of a lifetime in that planet’s expression?
Check in periodically and see how the person’s use of that planet changes in the lengthy course of its passage through the 12th. Even if it is initially used in a self-defeating way or if it is repressed, how does its expression evolve during its seven to twelve years in the 12th? When you begin to get a feel for these questions, you will have a more solid basis for predicting what will happen as the transiting planet emerges from the 12th and crosses back and forth over the Ascendant. You will divine what it is that has been going on in private that will now emerge for the whole world to see.
What About Other House Shifts?
You may be wondering if a similar process occurs when outer planets finish transiting other houses and cross into the next. Shifts across intermediate house cusps are not so clearly demarcated. Only the four angular house cusps—the Ascendant, IC, Descendant, and Midheaven—are points that produce events during transits. Thus, the crossing of transiting planets from the third house into the fourth, the sixth into the seventh, and the ninth into the tenth are all similar in import to the one we have been considering from the 12th into the 1st. The 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th are traditionally called the cadent houses and are considered more background than foreground in their actions.
For instance, when a planet has been in the ninth house for some time, usually significant time and energy has been devoted to an important course of study, however formal or informal. I find this to be true regardless of the age of the person. (The nature of the planet and sign involved tell much about the type of study and how the work has gone.) When the transiting planet emerges from the 9th, crosses the Midheaven, and becomes ensconced in the 10th, then that course of study becomes part and parcel of the person’s life work. You may find it fruitful to research and track the course of the other shifts from cadent to angular houses.
[1] This article originally appeared as, “Night and Day: Transits from the 12th House to the 1st,” in the 4-5/2000 issue of The Mountain Astrologer, pp. 89-92. It appears with their permission.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Donna Cunningham,
Astrologer
& Healer |
|
|
Donna Cunningham is an internationally respected astrologer and the author of 13 books on metaphysical topics.
Donna Cunningham has a dual background in astrology and psychotherapy, with a Masters in Social Work from Columbia University and over 30 years experience as a professional astrologer. She considers doing the astrology charts of children to be a sacred trust. It is a way of knowing who these Indigo children are on their own terms rather than as their families, teachers, and society expect them to be.
In these sessions, she focuses on typical childhood concerns such as family and peer relationships, the best educational approaches, and the child's special gifts and abilities. She can be reached for consultations at (503)291-7891, by email, or at her web page. Ask about her special rate for children's charts.
Donna is also co-editor of Vibration and a frequent contributor. She has written fourteen books on astrology and other metaphysical topics, including her Flower Remedies Handbook. Astrologers who want to know the special considerations involved in doing children's charts can read the chapter on this topic in Donna's text, The Consulting Astrologer's Guidebook.
Listed in several Who’s Who volumes, she has given seminars on astrology around the world and won the prestigious Regulus Award at the 1998 UAC.
She teaches astrology classes online at: astrocollege.com
You may reach her for long-distance astrology consultations at her web site:
DonnaCunningham
MSW.com
by email:
moonmaven @spiritone.com
or by calling:
(503)291-7891.
For the past 20 years, she has worked with the flower remedies, and she is co-editor of Vibration Magazine, a free online educational quarterly at:
essences.com/
vibration/
For information on Donna's online classes about flower essences, visit her website:
DonnaCunningham
MSW.com
"Donna's first astrology ebook will be available in March.
For more
information go to her web page:
http://www.donna
cunninghammsw.com
This series is reprinted with gracious permission from Donna Cunningham.
©2002 Vibration Magazine/The World Wide Essence Society
PO Box 285
Concord, MA 01742
978 369-8454
If you are interested in ordering a copy of Donna's new ebook:
"Flower Remedies--How Plant's Energies Can Heal Us,"
It is $15, available at Moon Maven Publications:
www.moonmaven
publications.com
|
 |
You'll find it in
The
Directory! |
|
|
|
|
