of mercury, jupiter and saturn

TRANSITS & PROGRESSIONS

Presented by Timothy Halloran

of Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn

Astrology for the SoulThe Complete Course for Chart Interpretat ion

INTRODUCTIONMercury being the planet governing

conscious thought appropriately whisps

around the Sun the fastest of all planets,

and from the perspective of Earth,

barely moving in a steady trajectory for

too long before high-tailing through a

retrograde period roughly three times a

year. Since this is the case, and zodiac

signs of the same element trine one

another, Mercury tends to have his

retrograde periods within a particular

elemental trinity of the zodiac in the

period of roughly a year.

Mercury by transit governs thought, communication, exchanges with friends,

peers and siblings. The sign in which Mercury is transiting reflects how we are

having these exchanges, how we are logically discerning and processing our

surroundings, where our own curiosity and interests are leading us, where

learning is taking place, where we are meeting and what kinds of conversations

we are having, in what ways we are gathering, assimilating and disseminating

information. Mercury is like the “phone operator god”. Whatever sign he transits

shows where and on what dimension there is a conscious “connecting of dots” is

taking place.

Transits & Progressions of Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn

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The Four Key “Phases” of Mercury’s Synodic Cycle

The “inferior conjunction” initiates Mercury’s cycle when he is retrograde

conjunct the Sun. This is when Mercury is being “seeded” with an

“update” from the raw creative potential of our solar system’s core. The

information may not be understood or consciously known, but like a seed

or .zip file will “unpack itself” throughout the cycle. In this phase Mercury

is most curious, creative, restless and driven to explore and discover,

especially theoretically, through his own visionary inner-landscape.

1.

Mercury has four distinct phases in his 116 day synodic cycle defined by his

retrograde periods and relation to the Sun:


The Four Key “Phases” of Mercury’s Synodic Cycle (Cont'd)


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The second phase of Mercury’s cycle begins when Mercury stations direct.

At this point the data package seeded from the Sun becomes “digested”

into brilliant new ideas, breakthroughs, realizations, turnarounds, “eureka”

moments. Mercury is at his most direct and concise moving forward again,

direct, back towards the Sun. In this phase Mercury is driven to bring his

new realizations into addressing real interests or concerns outside himself,

communicating with society and forming bridges to convey new

languages, systems and meaning to the surrounding environment.

2.

The “superior conjunction” when Mercury is direct conjunct the Sun begins

Mercury’s third phase. Similarly to the full Moon in the lunar cycle, at the

superior conjunction the raw creative update that Mercury received at the

beginning of his new cycle becomes illuminated in a light of new meaning.

In this phase Mercury is most objective, reasoning based off of what he

has discerned and learned empirically from experience. Here the

eagerness and curiosity of Mercury is put into perspective and bridged

with careful consideration of historical evidence and deliberate

methodical approach.

3.

Mercury’s final phase begins while he is stationing retrograde; The most

reflective and introverted point of Mercury’s cycle. At this phase, like when

any planet stations retrograde, Mercury turns inward. This is when Mercury

is most introspective and this trait alone may explain some of the stereo-

type about “communication breakdown” being associated with Mercury

stationing retrograde. At this point when Mercury is reflecting and

reviewing on things past, history, old patterns may repeat, old friends,

peers may revisit spurring sub-conscious creative processes that brings the

dissolving of this final phase into a new cycle back at the inferior

conjunction. In his final phase Mercury is most restless, unsatisfied, riddled

with more questions than answers and this being a natural creative

process. In this phase Mercury is challenged to question the known,

familiar, the status-quo, digging beneath the surface, being the

“detective” so to discover those buried threads leading to the next phase

of renewal.

4.

These “phases of Mercury” can also be interpreted for anyone’s birth chart as

well as progressions as we will see later in this workbook section.


A Historic Mercury Retrograde Transit: The 2000 U.S. Presidential Election

In the year 2000 the USA had a presidential election on the very same day during

the same hours that Mercury stationed direct. The infamous result was “two

elected presidents”. One Al Gore, who won the popular vote and one George

Bush, who won the electoral college. We know that George Bush went on to be

president, yet during the actual election the outcome was far less certain.

Mercury was still “digesting” the results from the polls, not quite yet stationed

direct. What resulted was one of the most contested elections in US history and it

was only after a month long legal dispute, as Mercury pushed forward direct and

neared his superior conjunction with the Sun, that Bush was determined to have

won the presidency.


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{2000 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CHART}



What astrological signatures do you see in this chart that reflect the nature of

this election?


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What sign did Mercury station in and how is Mercury’s exact station a signature in

this election?

Using the method of planetary rulerships beginning at Mercury, what planets are

involved?

How are these planets' archetypes involved in the nature of this election?


{GORE’S CONCESSION SPEECH CHART}


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What astrological signatures do you see in this chart that reflect Gore’s

concession?



What other planets are involved in aspect to Mercury as a signature of Gore’s

concession?


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Using the method of planetary rulerships beginning at Mercury, what planets are

involved?

How are these planets, their relationship by sign and phase, a signature in Gore’s

concession?

What sign is Mercury in and how is that a distinct signature in Gore’s concession?


{BUSH + 2000 ELECTION BI-WHEEL}


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{GORE + 2000 ELECTION BI-WHEEL}

Astrology for the SoulThe Complete Course for Chart Interpretat ion Transits & Progressions of Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn

MODULE FIVE

From the transits we see between Bush & Gore’s charts in the 2000 election can

you locate any signatures that foreshadowed the final outcome?



MODULE FIVE

MERCURY IN SECONDARY PROGRESSIONSSecondary progressions are a time-

based technique that reveals a

gradual soul unfolding throughout life.

Similarly to transits, progressed planets

can be compared to the natal chart.

Or the progressed chart can be

interpreted as an indication of a

particular moment in the greater

unfolding of an individual’s life.

Mercury follows the same four-part

synodic cycle pattern through his more

slow and gradual progression that he

moves through in transit. The

difference is while Mercury completes

his synodic cycle in just 116 days in

“regular time” his progressed synodic

cycle takes 116 years.

Therefore the progressed Mercury cycle reveals stages of life development in

terms of one’s learning, sharing, communication and exchanging of ideas. The

sign of progressed Mercury reveals in what phase and how is this unfolding,

focus of learning, sharing and communication taking place.

When progressed Mercury stations either retrograde or direct it indicates a

several year period where there can be an intense focusing (moreso when

stationing direct) or expansion (moreso when stationing retrograde) of interests.

During these years, learning, sharing and exchange of ideas are highlighted, and

important new ways of thinking, teachers, teachings, friendships can enter into

the picture introducing key concepts and provoking a fundamental turning point

in the individual’s life. These periods can also indicate a time of changing one’s

attitudes, interests, ideas, friendships, to align with the deeper learning or

systems of exchanging ideas desired by the soul.


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The author Chronicles of Narnia book series C.S. Lewis was born with his Mercury

in Sagittarius opposite to his Moon & Neptune in Gemini. When his progressed

Mercury stationed retrograde in the sign of Capricorn just a degree from his

natal Moon’s north node, C.S. Lewis was displaced from his home country of

Ireland and put into a private school in England where he experienced culture-

shock and dissatisfaction with his new surrounding environment and societal

expectations. At age 15, within two years of his progressed Mercury being

stationed retrograde, C.S. Lewis broke from his family's tradition of Christian

faith, later commenting he was “angry at God for not existing” and rejecting the

chore-like duty of attending the church. This also spurred his exploration of other,

more occult and subculture forms of story-telling and communication.

A HISTORIC EXAMPLE OF THE LIFELONG PROGRESSEDMERCURY CYCLE

{C.S. Lewis Birth + Progressed Mercury station retrograde bi-wheel}


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Years later C.S. Lewis met with inspirational poets and authors while his

progressed mercury(Rx) conjunct his own natal Mercury in Sagittarius including

J.R.R. Tolkien who would become his good friend. The friendship inspired C.S.

Lewis to re-kindle his relationship with Christianity and years later, the exact year

that C.S. Lewis’ progressed Mercury stationed direct in Sagittarius, “following a

long discussion and late-night walk with his close friends Tolkien and Hugo

Dyson” he officially converted back to Christianity in 1931. Eighteen years later,

Age 51, when the author’s progressed Mercury returned to within a degree of

where it originally stationed in Capricorn (36 years later) C.S. Lewis begins

writing the Chronicles of Narnia, a story rooted in Christian myth and symbolism

and completes the series while his Progressed Mercury transits his Moon’s north

node in Capricorn, 11th house. The series would sell over 40 million copies in 41

different languages.


{C.S. Lewis + Progressed Mercury station direct bi-wheel}


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What sign did C.S. Lewis’ progressed Mercury station retrograde in and how is

this a signature in his early childhood experience and change of mind?

What sign did C.S. Lewis’ progressed Mercury station direct in and how is this a

signature of the experience and change of mind he had in mid-life?

What do you see in the signature of C.S. Lewis writing his magnum opus while his

progressed Mercury was conjoined his Moon’s north node?


{C.S. Lewis + Progressed Mercury station direct bi-wheel}


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JUPITER IN TRANSITJupiter governs wisdom, awareness of the

principals, nature, meaning of life itself which

comes from the exploration and actual

experience of life. In transit Jupiter shows us

where and how this principle of awareness is

expanding and being illuminated. Wherever

Jupiter goes so goes our own bubble of

awareness and like a magnifying glass, Jupiter

inflates, enlarges, enhances and illuminates

whatever sign he transits and planets he

conjoins. Jupiter being the principal of expansion

is commonly overgeneralized into meaning

“opportunities and good things a-coming” in

popular astrology.

However, this stereotype can be misleading as the magnifying-glass of Jupiter’s

wisdom and awareness does not necessarily always bring a birthday party-like

experience despite the additional awareness depending on what it is exactly

being made clear, illuminated, explored and expanded.

When Jupiter made his transit through the sign of Scorpio in 2018, illuminating

and expanding all things Scorpio, the sign ruling the hidden, suppressed and

taboo and the exposure of reality; #MeToo became a worldwide movement

bringing global awareness to the widespread pervasion of sexual abuse and

misogyny.

Jupiter is unique in that his circumambulation around the Sun takes 11.86 years to

complete, meaning it takes about one year for Jupiter to transit each zodiac-

sign and Jupiter retrograde period occurs for about four months annually. Jupiter

transits direct for roughly eight months of the year, three quarters of his cycle,

moving forward about forty five degrees of the zodiac before stationing

retrograde. Jupiter transits retrograde about four months of the year, a quarter

of his cycle, moving back about ten degrees of the zodiac before stationing

direct. This means a Jupiter transit to a natal planet can last from between

several months to about a years time.

Similarly to Mercury retrograde, Jupiter retrograde brings a period of

introversion, inner-exploration and investigation as to the particular beliefs,

philosophies and conceptual construct we oriented ourselves towards in the

past. Jupiter retrograde is generally more tuned in to his own particular intuitive

faculty, indicated by the sign of his transit, in order to discern and understand

what teachings or philosophies has been adopted that is either natural or

unnatural, and to use the conscience, one’s own sense of open honesty to seek

out the truth. Seeking clarity wherever there is no simple honest formula or truth

rather then simply just settling, conforming to or accepting the given story.

Jupiter retrograde expands one’s own sense of meaning and orientation to the

greater whole by taking a deep look at and then re-assembling one’s own

internalized “map” of the bigger-picture perspective of life. Any planet when

retrograde has a more “uranian” restless quality, like a divine-itch to go deeper.

Jupiter retrograde correlates with a time of exposure of the real truth.


MODULE FIVE

JUPITER IN TRANSIT


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HISTORIC EXAMPLE OF JUPITER TRANSIT

{Bill Cosby + Guilty Verdict Biwheel}

The arrest, trial and sentencing of comedian Bill Cosby for sexual assault was a

hugely popular and heavily reported headline throughout the year of 2018 as the

#meToo movement rose into global awareness. On April 26th, the day of the

guilty verdict, Jupiter was retrograde in the sign of Scorpio just one degree

away from and “exposing” Cosby’s 8th house Mars. Saturn (more info below)

was also retrograde and within two degrees of Bill Cosby’s Midheaven

“deconstructing” his public image and role in the world.


MODULE FIVE

What astrological signatures do you see in this chart that reflect Bill Cosby’s

guilty verdict?

HISTORIC EXAMPLE OF JUPITER TRANSIT (CONT'D)

What sign is Jupiter in, is he direct or retrograde, and how is that a distinct

signature in Cosby’s concession?

Using the method of planetary rulerships what planet is ruling transiting

Jupiter in this chart?

Where is that planet transiting in Bill’s chart on the date of his verdict? What

aspects is that planet forming to Bill Cosby’s natal planets? How is this a

signature in Cosby’s guilty verdict?

What sign is Saturn in, is he direct or retrograde, and how is that a distinct

signature in Cosby’s concession?

Why is Saturn’s transit of Bill Cosby’s Midheaven a distinct signature in the

guilty verdict?


MODULE FIVE

SATURN IN TRANSITSaturn governs structural form, gravity, limitation, the laws of the physical

universe, karma, time, what holds together the functioning of life, the world,

society. Saturn’s influence by transit, like Jupiter, leads us into learning and

growth but in an entirely different way. Saturn teaches through giving real-world

experience. That is to say; Saturn teaches through placing obstacles in our path,

creating constriction, dealing with limitations, authoritative pressure or societal

demands. However, Saturn does not exist in our reality as a mere punishment.

The gifts that Saturn brings are those of practicality, stoicism, maturity,

capability, strength, endurance, longevity. Saturn gets work done. And Saturn by

transit can also be encouraging us and gifting us with his resource to do the

same. The determination, focus, pressure and ambition to overcome the

challenges, obstacles, wintertimes or limitations all goes hand-in-hand with the

influence of Saturn. We all recognize the highly Saturnarian soul by their desire

to find and conquer the greatest feats and climb the tallest mountains. A Saturn

transit is always an opportunity to take a step closer to being that person. At the

end of the day “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” becomes more like

going to the gym after enough practice; But that’s the true mastery we came to

earn, not simply get. Saturn puts us to the test.

When Saturn entered his own sign of Capricorn in 1929 he was the ‘Final

Dispositor’ among the outer planets, meaning via planetary rulerships Saturn

“ruled” much of 1929-1932 while the world experienced the Great Depression.

Saturn’s orbit around the Sun takes 29.5 years to complete spending about 2.5

years to visit each zodiac sign. Saturn transits direct about 7.5 months of the

year moving forward about twenty degrees of the zodiac before stationing

retrograde. Saturn is retrograde for about 4.5 months of the year, roughly 38%

of the time, moving back about seven degrees of the zodiac before stationing

direct. This means an exact Saturn transit can occur once a cycle and last

several months but typically a Saturn transit lasts roughly a year and often

includes three exact aspects per Saturn’s retrograde cycle, a first direct “pass”,

a retrograde “pass”, and a final direct “pass.”


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SATURN IN TRANSIT (CONT'D)Saturn retrograde turns many of Saturn’s qualities totally upside down. It could

be said that the ancient roman holiday “Saturnalia” where many of Rome’s

traditions and societal customs were teased, flipped around and reversed in a

celebration of absurdity and discord to be more a reflection of Saturn’s

retrograde nature and behavior. The planet of structure, laws, conditioning

(reinforced and trained behavior) turns into a planet of deconstruction, rule-

breaking and deconditioning (loosening prior conditioned behaviors) when

moving against the grain of his typical forward trek. Saturn direct being more

oriented towards traditional society is more countercultural and looking for the

means out of traditional society when retrograde. Since it is common though to

receive three “passes” of an exact aspect from transiting Saturn to a natal

planet within a year, the retrograde “pass” tends bring to the overall maturing,

building and strengthening process of Saturn’s transit a period of

deconstruction, breaking down old outdated structures, changing some of the

rules or relation to authorities, kicking out any old rusting columns to clear a

space for newer longer lasting foundations to be laid in their place.


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HISTORIC EXAMPLE OF SATURN TRANSIT

{Richard Loving + Loving House Raided Bi-Wheel}

Loving vs. Virginia was a groundbreaking US Supreme Court decision to strike

down laws banning interracial marraige. In 1953 when Richard and Mildred

Loving were first secretly married they became criminals in their home state of

Virgina by breaking the “Racial Integrity Act” which forbade marraige between

“white’s and non-white’s”. After receiving an anonymous tip, police raided the

Loving’s home July 11th, 1958 leading to their arrest and being sentenced to

either a year in prison or forced to leave Virginia for 25 years.


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HISTORIC EXAMPLE OF SATURN TRANSIT (CONT'D)

In the Richard Loving’s chart (birth time unknown) what sign was Saturn in at

the time his house was raided?

What aspects does Saturn form to Richard’s natal planets at the time he was

raided?

How is Transiting Saturn a distinct signature on the date of Richard Loving’s

house raid?

Using the method of planetary rulerships what transiting planet ruled

transiting Saturn?

What sign is that planet in and what aspects does that planet form?

{Richard Loving + Loving House Raided Bi-Wheel}

How is that planet involved in the signature of Richard Loving’s arrest?


MODULE FIVE

HISTORIC EXAMPLE OF SATURN TRANSIT

{Richard Loving + Supreme Court Decision}


MODULE FIVE


What sign is Saturn in at the time of the US Supreme Court decision ‘Loving

Vs Virginia’?

What planetary aspects is transiting Saturn forming to Richard Loving’s natal

chart?

How is this a signature in the Supreme Court decision?

Using the method of planetary rulerships what transiting planet ruled

transiting Saturn?

What sign is that planet in and what aspects does that planet form?

{Richard Loving + Supreme Court Decision}

How is that planet a part of the signature of this US Supreme Court decision?


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HISTORIC EXAMPLE OF SATURN TRANSIT (CONT'D)BONUS EXAMPLE

{MILDRED LOVING + HOUSE RAID BIWHEEL}


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HISTORIC EXAMPLE OF SATURN TRANSIT (CONT'D)BONUS EXAMPLE

{MILDRED LOVING + SUPREME COURT DECISION BIWHEEL}


MODULE FIVE


Interpreting Mildred Lovings natal chart, what signatures stand out to you that

reflects her soul’s intentions to end the oppression she had experienced?

What sign is her Moon’s south node, what planets are aspecting and how is

this relevant?

What is the ruler of her Moon’s south node? What sign is that planet in? What

aspects does that planet form to other planets in Mildred’s chart? How is this

relevant?

What is the ruler of her Moon’s north node? What aspects does that planet

form to other planet’s in Mildred’s chart?

What is the significance of Mildred having a Moon’s nodal return at the time

her house was raided?

What is the significance of Mildred having a Moon’s nodal opposition at the

time of the US Supreme Court decision to allow interracial marraige?

BONUS QUESTIONS

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