Generational Horoscopes for Mid-2010, Part 1

7.17.10


It would be conspicuously redundant for me to mention again that we've hit the eye of this climactic astro-storm.

(If you have somehow missed the news, refresh yourself with the latest articles posted here, here and here.)

To assist with personalizing your understanding of what this momentous history-marker may signify, I've put together some generational horoscopes. These are generalized descriptions of how the current 'cardinal climax' astrology—Saturn opposing Jupiter and Uranus, and all three squaring Pluto, in aspect to the Aries Point—is likeliest to affect us by our age-group.

I've based my generational remarks on those most striking angles being formed between the present outer-planet placements and their various positions over the last several decades. Just as with traditional sun-sign horoscopes, these are necessarily not intended to be exhaustive interpretations. They will speak more poignantly to some than to others, depending upon where in one's own chart the relevant natal and transiting planets fall. (When it comes to astrological precision, there's simply no substitute for working with an individual's accurate birthchart.) The dates I've listed are approximate guides, which means you can decide for yourself whether the insight applies if you were born near the mentioned dates. Note: I have not included all birthyears, just those most strongly triggered by the current astrology.

So, with no further ado, here are some generational horoscopes:

If you were born in 1930-1931…

All you folks near 80 are within range of your Uranus return (which usually occur at 84 or so), an event that invites one to radically dispense with all expectation to behave a certain way and embrace the irreverent kookiness of old age. In the case of this specific generation, this pick-up in your rebelliousness gains traction a few years early, as transiting Jupiter moves through Aries, drawing out the pioneering individuality innate to your group.

Born under circumstances very similar to what's now going on (a cardinal t-square, involving Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Pluto), your generation holds wisdom on how we must sometimes go around existing societal limitations, in order to create renegade systems that suit our individual needs when the 'official' versions fall flat… insight that, when coupled with the wider awareness of history's cyclical nature that comes with age, the rest of us need to hear voiced, loudly and repeatedly, at this juncture. Pluto's present conjunction to your natal Saturn signals a pressure to 'soften' your internalized rigidity (a defense mechanism from being born in tough times), in order to deepen your potential connections with those who may diverge in lifestyle choice but still crave grandparent-like nurturance from their community's elders. Perhaps more than any other living generation, you get what we're going through. Share what you know.

If you were born in 1937-1938…

You represent the earliest emergence of the Pluto-in-Leo generation, which later bloomed into the 'Baby Boomer' group that flourished growing up in unprecedented post-WWII affluence. While Pluto-in-Leos are known as the 'Me Generation', conceiving of themselves as exceptional and enjoying the freedom to 'actualize' their uniqueness, you 'proto-Boomers' aren't quite so carefree with your self-expressiveness. That's because you were born with Pluto in supportive trine to Saturn on the cusp of Aries, a constraining influence on too thoughtlessly self-centered an approach to life. Plus, with Jupiter in Capricorn/Aquarius, you innately possess a breadth of vision that allows you to contextualize your own ideas within a respectful awareness of the collective.

Now, with the transiting duo of Jupiter and Uranus conjunct your natal Saturn, you're primed to step into a fuller 'me'-ness—without the need to worry as much about whether you're being properly considerate. Why? Because you have already watched those just a few years younger go too far with 'The Me Show' and thus are in little danger of becoming too overbearing yourself. The bigger concern is whether you'll reject opportunities to take wild self-directed risks, simply to politely continue fulfilling the role other people have slotted you in. Since when has following one's own instincts been such an 'inconsiderate' practice? Life's too short, as you should well know.

If you were born in 1944-1945…

With many of you born during a natal Saturn-Neptune square (and, for some, a Jupiter-Neptune conjunction), there's a tendency among your group to overestimate the capacity of calm reason and civil discussion as the 'end-all, be-all' solution to every situation. Don't get me wrong: There's a whole heck of a lot to be said for the rational approach. Only, whenever Neptune moves through a sign, it has the tendency to romanticize the effect of that sign's attributes… and with Neptune natally in Libra, you may mistakenly believe that 'balanced compromises' are always attainable. Meanwhile, with Saturn in Cancer, your willingness to act on emotional intuition is somewhat hindered. After all, emotions do not function according to 'compromise'—on that level, we know something's either right or not right. Unacknowledged, this inner conflict can create a disillusioning disconnect between heart and mind.

The present Saturn-Pluto square hits your natal Saturn-Neptune square, bringing with it a sobering pressure to keep the potential imbalances inherent to this inner conflict in check. Transiting Saturn's conjunction to your natal Neptune emphasizes the need to explicitly iron out all the unspoken details in your presumed agreements, lest your presumptions leave you and/or another party feeling as if certain non-negotiable personal needs have been excluded. Real compromise, it turns out, requires hard work. Pluto's opposition to natal Saturn, on the other hand, points to a potent rising of emotional wisdom… a different type of non-rational knowing that may contrast sharply with what pure logic reports, but which nonetheless asks you to respect its version of truth. In order to 'do what's right' for your longer-term future—not accordingly to any objective scale, but based solely on gut-instinct—you may indeed need to buck the mental wonderings (and/or someone else's objections).

If you were born in 1951-1952…

First of all, you folks are presently going through your second Saturn return, an important life-cycle marker at which we must maturely accept certain limitations so we may develop greater wisdom in that area of life. At the first Saturn return around age 29 (for you, around 1980-1981), we reach official astrological adulthood: We let go of youthful over-indulgences, we often feel an associated sense of loss and/or push to rapidly mature, and (hopefully) we eventually feel relief in having left behind that too expansive a field of possibility which is our teens and twenties. At the second Saturn return, however, we begin moving away from the most productive prime of our adult lives… and into what is often our final Saturn cycle (lasting through age 87 or so), the proverbial 'twilight years'.

One of the biggest factors in determining how relatively successful one's second Saturn return proves to be is whether you're able to embrace this approaching 'twilight'—or whether a resistance to the natural aging process causes you panic. As with the first Saturn return, there's typically some sadness related to what one's leaving behind, for, by this point, it's probably pretty clear which of your dreams and ambitions aren't likely to come to fruition. On the other hand, this is the perfect moment to settle into fuller ownership of all the knowledge, experience and achievement you have earned over the past three decades. Either (1) building upon what you've attained, to take it to the 'next level' of elder-expert and profess your insights or (2) transitioning from 'the end of the line' in one chapter to humble beginnings in some new exploratory territory is a good choice for proceeding with grace.

Interestingly, though, you were born when Saturn was opposed to Jupiter, in both the same signs and the same alignment they're in today… and while both were squaring Uranus. That creates a parallel between (1) how you innately deal with the inner conflict of when to be 'appropriately responsible' (sometimes to a fault?) and when to forego such dutiful concerns on behalf of pure personal ideals and (2) the present need to balance consistency-and-tradition against liberatory innovation. While in the past you might've defused such tensions by 'acting out' in less direct and/or seemingly unrelated ways, the current astro-climate is asking you to be shockingly forceful and self-possessed with regards to your personal idealism and inventiveness. The blatantly obvious 'brokenness' of so many traditional institutions makes it that much easier for you to channel your inner activist, now that we so badly need his/her vision.

(Part 2 coming soon…)