A fun spin on serious cosmic stuff! Wendell C. Perry has 40 years experience studying astrology and how it impacts personalities & relationships. He's written two books & published articles in astrology magazines. He's happy to share this website so that you, too, can have fun with astrology to help you in everyday life!
In astrology opposites attract. I’m talking about Signs that are directly opposite one another in the Zodiac, such as Aries and Libra, Taurus and Scorpio, Gemini and Sagittarius, Cancer and Capricorn, Leo and Aquarius and Virgo and Pisces. People with the Sun (or the Moon, Venus or Mars) in one of these signs often feels a strong attraction to a person who has one of these bodies in the opposite sign.
The reason for this attraction is not hard to understand. Each sign finds in its opposite the very attributes that it most lacks and needs. Emotional and subjective Cancer finds in Capricorn the practicality and realism that it needs to make intelligent judgments. Capricorn finds in Cancer an understanding of feelings and “people” issues that it needs in order to properly understand the world.
When we have two people with opposite sign connections working as a team the result is almost always beneficial to both parties. In fact, opposites can become quite dependent on one another. But these relationships also have their disadvantages. They don’t always develop as naturally as relationships based on conjunctions and trines and there may be an undercurrent of tension between the two people. Of course, for many couples this tension only makes the relationship more interesting.
On the other hand, when opposites break up, it is not a pretty sight. That tension that was kind of sexy when the relationship worked can become the source of uncommon bitterness and recrimination. It’s never a good idea to get in the middle of a fight between two opposites. What you are seeing is a clash of opposing archetypes and mere humans need to keep their distance.
In my next six articles I will explain how each pair of opposites can relate to one another. In the meantime, what has your experience been when dealing with people born under the Sun sign (or Moon sign, or Venus sign, etc.) opposite yours? Is really possible to love your astrological opposite? Let us know what you think.
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Mars Puts It in Reverse
On Jan. 23 Mars began a period of retrograde motion that will last until April 13. When a planet goes retrograde it appears to move backwards in the sky. This movement is not real, of course. Mars will only appear to move backwards because of the motion of the Earth, sort of like how a car appears to move backwards as you pass it on the highway.
Even though you hear a lot of astrologers talk about Mercury retrograde, Mars retrograde motion gets a lot less press, even though it occurs with some regularity, about every two years. This is because, while a retrograde Mercury is famous for causing communication breakdown and foul ups with technology, Mars retrograde has not been strongly associated with any particular phenomena.
The real impact of Mars retrograde is felt by those unfortunate folks with natal planets either in the path of the retrograde motion at 90 degree angles to that position. They will be going through a period of increased stress. Accidents and physical injury are more likely for these people during this time and they may be prone to, or a victim of, outbursts of anger and aggression.
For example, if you were born between the 13th and the 16th of September with the Sun at around 21 or 22 degrees of Virgo, you’ve probably had a rough couple of weeks as Mars slowed at those degrees. Expect more of the same from now until the middle of February, while Mars moves backwards across those same degrees. This is also bad news for Geminis born between May 11 and 15, Sagittarians born between December 12 and 16 and Pisces folks born between March 11 and 15. Mitt Romney was born on March 12th. The last couple of weeks have not been great for him, with controversy over his income and a defeat in the South Carolina primary.
Of course, others planets and astrological factors are also impacted by this retrograde Mars. President Obama has his natal Mars at 22 degrees of Virgo. Over the past couple weeks he has had to endure negative publicity involving his wife and her relationship with his staff. He can expect more rough treatment over the next few weeks and things could get worse. A violent attack on his person is another way in which this transit could manifest itself.
If you are one of the unfortunate folks caught in this Mars retrograde trap, don’t despair. The lesson we take from astrology is that bad aspects and tough times eventually pass and are replaced by something better. Of course, they usually pass a lot more easily when we are prepared for them.
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Astrology Looks at the "Younger" Generation
I've recently added "Are You Ready for the Neptune in Capricorn Generation?" to the published articles on the website. In it I discuss the influence of the generation born between about 1984 and 1998. The article was published in the Oct/Nov issue of The Mountain Astrologer, but if you didn't see it there, you can read it here.
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Astrology and the Tea Party Movement
It’s hard to get an astrological fix on the Tea Party Movement. It includes a lot of people who are angry over a lot of different issues. But a recent book by Kate Zernike called “Boiling Mad: Inside Tea Party America” does give us basic description of the typical Tea Party activist. Polls reveal that he or she is likely to be white, financially secure and older.
This makes me think that a large proportion of Tea Party crowd are from the first wave of Baby Boomers, a generation born between about 1943 and 1956 with Pluto in Leo and Neptune in Libra. Neptune in the sign of the Scales is particularly emblematic of this Neptune in Libra generation since they seem to have divided into two camps, each complaining that the other is not playing fair.
I write about this division and its relation to the partisan politics that has become the bane of our government in my article, “The Battle of the Boomers.” I discuss how the how the right wing vs. left wing debate stems from Neptune in Libra’s vision of a world in which everything must be “fair.” Of course, the definition of what is or isn’t “fair” varieties with the observer.
What we’re witnessing with the Tea Party movement is the outrage of the right wing of the Neptune in Libra generation. With this in mind it shouldn’t be surprising that what they seem to want is a world much like the one in which they up in the fifties, when the USA was the unquestioned leader in everything and everyone was better off dead than red.
This is not to demean the power of this group. Both sides of the Neptune in Libra generation, left and right, liberal and conservative, have been a political force in the United States since the 1960s. They are a proportionately large generation and their dream of fairness is compelling. And yet, as powerful and vociferous as they may be, they are still on half of one Neptune generation. There are other voices out there. They may not be as loud or well-organized, but they will be heard.
You can read my “Battle of the Boomers” article, plus other articles on Neptune generations on this website. Just click on the “Learn more about astrology” box on the left side of the home page.
now until the middle of February, while Mars moves backwards across those same degrees. This is also bad news for Geminis born between May 11 and 15, Sagittarians born between December 12 and 16 and Pisces folks born between March 11 and 15. 
could manifest itself.
description of the typical Tea Party activist. Polls reveal that he or she is likely to be white, financially secure and older.