An Astrological Forecast for the Year Ahead - 2005 for all signs

by Robert Wilkinson

This article covers a detailed overview of the forces at play for all of us throughout the year of 2005, and offers the major themes, challenges, collective storm zones, and hot spots in time where we will see things flare up. I will offer the forecast for each sign individually in separate posts.

To continue the most important theme of our times, Neptune is still septile Pluto this year. As I've mentioned in other articles, the last time this aspect was so strong were the 1930's with its emphasis on seeing how extremism with irrationality leads to Fascism (or authoritarianism) in its many forms, including our present national and international violence. This year Pluto moves between 22-25 Sagittarius, a span bringing forth unexpected good fortune, blessings for being true to oneself, growth through imaginative experiences, self-conservation, as well as continuing the return to roots, reorientations, and new openings of last year.

Neptune moves between 14-18 Aquarius, so see the technique to short-cut some process, go within to find outer success, allow the spontaneity to come forth, and embrace the major decisions that require our learning how to manage something. We will ultimately have to sense our protective mechanisms as we adjust to a new condition, and organize our affairs to conserve what we need to of our energies. These two planets will have all of humanity at a critical fork in its evolutionary road for some years to come. The effects are far-reaching, and subtle until the trainwreck hits.

Uranus was hovering on or near the Precessional point from spring 2003 through November 2004, and will be in Pisces for the next 6 years. The Precessional effect collectively awakened us to a vaster, weird reality. The Precessional zone is a critical point in the evolution of the planet and the race. We've entered a period of transition from the Age of Pisces to the Age of Aquarius, even though we won't be solidly in the new era for a few decades. The unexpected forces of change and transformation are showing us the larger individuation issues of humanity at this point in its collective evolution.

As with 2004, Uranus continues its 2 year-long quintile to Pluto through April, anchoring the Great Quintile 5 pointed star that is activated various points in the year. It picks back up for its final phase of the quintile in October 2005, lasting through March 2006. This is specializing each of us in some unique ways, even if they're subtle, as the quintile series are the aspects of spiritual gifts.

It will be most evident in late March-early April, as Jupiter adds another point to the 5 Pointed Star, and then early May as Venus and then the Sun add yet another point to the star as Uranus begins to pull out. In late June, Mercury and Venus conjunct Saturn, all in quintile to Jupiter and biquintile to Pluto. The last time the Star configures in 2005 is late October-early November, with Pluto in late Sag, Uranus in early Pisces, and Mars in mid-Taurus. The Moon will add another point to the major Star times in April (Taurus), May (early Leo), June (early Pisces), and October (Libra). Again, these are times of high specialization, unique gifts and circumstances, and one-of-a-kind interactions.

In 2005, Jupiter squares Saturn the first three months, then retrogrades back through the binovile, finally going stationary direct in June quintile Saturn. They move forward in quintile through September, binovile as Jupiter enters Scorpio late October, then are back into exact square in November-December, with the added influence of Neptune in Aquarius, showing as a major T-square. This part of the aspect cycle moves the specialized gifts through contrasting spiritual realizations to crises of exteriorization, change, and shifts in perspective requiring right action.

The first square is cardinal, and challenges those born the first half of January, April, July, and October to get mobilized and not yield to self-defeating attitudes. This square is integrated by the T-square created by the Capricorn planets in January. Change your rules, change your vision. More at this link.

The quintile brings unique experiences and gifts in the chart areas the planets rule and transit. Binoviles are subtle aspects of a form of spiritual realization, as well as the sense that something wandering has come home. The final square late in the year is from Scorpio to Leo, fixed signs that will really challenge those born late January-early February, late April-early May, late July-early August, and late October-early November of all years. A fixed square offers the challenge to stabilize, persevere, or break up something blocked, stagnant, or inert.

The Jupiter in Scorpio square to Saturn in Leo is anticipated by previous fixed T-squares. Venus squares Saturn and Neptune and then opposes Mars in September. Mercury forms a T-square with Saturn and Neptune in October, throwing a huge emphasis is thrown into Taurus, the sign of money, resources, values, and life's creature comforts. The Moon forms a Grand Fixed Cross from Taurus on October 17-18, and November 1 at the New Moon in Scorpio. Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune dance back and forth in late November through December forming another Grand Fixed Cross. This persists into January 2006, culminating in another Grand Fixed Cross with the Moon in Leo on January 15, 2006. Expect major volatility and not much movement between equally stubborn forces wherever this falls in your map. Countries affected by this are going to heat up in a big way.

Expect tremendous conflict, shifts, releases and important changes in areas ruled by Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune. There will be a need for simplicity and refusing to be unpleasant in the face of those who are trying to monkey with your field, so to speak. Work your area, be clear about guarding what is valuable to you, and keep it very, very simple. This late 2005 square will be fairly significant for those in their late teens and early 20's, late 20's, mid-30's, early 40's, and mid-to-late 50's, and portends major life changes. It will certainly bring us all to clarity out of an old confusion or repression that no longer works for us.

Another big influence is the Saturn quincunx Pluto, setting 2/3 of a Yod pattern, or "Finger of God." Links explaining this phenomenon here.In effect the first half of 2005, this quincunx (150 degree angle)forces adjustments wherever we have Saturn or Pluto, including the houses they rule. Look to your Aries/Scorpio and Capricorn/Aquarius sectors to see where needed adjustments lead to transformational openings. The adjustments are hard, and absolutely necessary for the efficient functioning of your higher Self. The Saturn Yod forces expansions through sacrifices in these areas of the life. Also, many collective health issues will become pressing due to this angle and these planets. Welcome to the NOW!

Saturn first quincunxed Pluto July-August 2004, again in December 2004 and January 2005, and finishes May through early June 2005. We'll all feel less pressure after this aspect passes. I'd say the last 6 months have been one hard adjustment after another. Also, last year we got a Neptune adjustment when it configured in a Yod; now we get the results from Pluto transforming the areas touched by Saturn. This may be obscure stuff, but it all means something important for me and you, so learn as much as you can about doing your Higher Self during these times. Productive Saturn-Pluto energies will be thrown to 24 degrees of Taurus and Aquarius, and every time a planet gets near these degrees, the Yod is triggered. One is a degree of expertise and defending one's mission, the other an ability to teach others through genuine dispassion born of our life experience.

Uranus, the innovator, transitted these points during March-April and July-August 2001, and January 2002. These times offered us productive revolutions in the house Aquarius occupies in our charts, and set the stage for what's going on right now. We were taught how to be our unique selves or do our "genius" as patterns we can draw on to make progress in the midst of the present hard adjustments. Think back, and reflect on what unique qualities came up in your life back then. They are how you can master any situation you find yourself in at present that requires sacrifice. Also, Neptune will cross these points 2007-2009, so our ability to deal with issues connected to these "degrees of reality" is giving us all a heads-up on what's to come for all of us down the road.

Last year there were many Aquarius expansions through sacrifices wherever it falls in your chart. The September 2004 Yod involved disappointments, learning resiliency and appreciation, building a divine vehicle, and using experience to teach wisdom. In 2007-09 Neptune, the collective unconscious, moves with the lessons awakened by Uranus in 2001. The outer transpersonal forces are leading us to a span of collective reckoning around the latter part of this decade, involving issues of management.

Throughout the year there occur what I term "collective storms," aspect patterns creating stress, release, or intense activity for everyone. If you see that others are losing their cool during these times, just try to get through them with maximum helpfulness and minimum distress. In 2005, some of the more obvious collective storms will occur in early January, January 22-29, February 8-13, March 1-9, April 7-9, May 11-16, May 29-June 4, last week of June, last 10 days of July, August 8-31, September 11-17, October 6-16, November 1-8, November 15-28, and the whole month of December 2005. All of these periods will challenge all of us to do some form of right action, without agitation, confusion, impulsiveness, or fear.

Mercury retrograde periods for 2005 are: March 19-April 12 (SRX 15 Aries, SD 2 Aries), July 22-August 15 (SRX 21 Leo, SD 9 Leo), and November 13-December 9 (SRX 11 Sagittarius, SD 25 Scorpio) The important thing to remember is that 11 Sagittarius is a major theme for 2005, which opens us to the wisdom of our body instincts, and helps us decondition our minds and perceptions from being a prisoner to left-brain, linear quantitative thinking. This was Mercury's stationary direct point in December 2004, affecting the first third of 2005. It will be Mercury's stationary retrograde point in November 2005, giving us a new look at how we've learned the lessons (or not!)

To sum up, this year will continue the radical change of prior years, and will have two distinct parts. The first half of the year, Saturn will finish up its stay in Cancer, keeping the insecurity high and feelings prominent. The second half of the year Saturn begins its transit of Leo, which will change Saturn from water to fire, from restlessly active to stable, and shift the focus from introversion to extraversion. During 2003-summer 2005, people born in late June through the first three weeks of July every year were forced to confront some major decisions and life changes. Also those born 1944-46 and 1974-76. Starting July 2005, after Saturn goes into Leo, those most powerfully affected are those born late July and early August every year, and those born 1946-47 and late 1975 through spring 1977.

© Copyright 2006 Robert Wilkinson. Last update: 8/27/2006; 10:51:50 AM.