2012 Astrology Forecast

It's only the beginning

by Jeff Jawer

Regardless of what some people say about the Mayan calendar, 2012 is not going to be the end of the world. It is, though, a potentially watershed year that is likely to bring some profound changes to our personal lives and large institutions.

The key planetary players in 2012 are dynamic Uranus and potent Pluto, which begin a series of seven intense squares (90-degree angles) with one another on June 24 that ends in 2015. Revolutionary Uranus and transformational Pluto were conjunct (joined) in the mid-1960s, giving rise to the radical cultural changes of those times. We are now entering the next stage of that cycle. While rattling the cages of corporations and governments and shaking up economic systems and religious beliefs may appear to be dangerously reckless, failing to update the ways they function is even riskier.

While many people want to return to the past in attempt to find security and safety, going forward on the road of human evolution is the only way out. As individuals, we help facilitate collective change by opening our minds to making alterations in our own lives. The values and expectations we hold and the habits and beliefs that form us are ready for a rocket ride into the future. Flexibility smoothes out bumps in the road and allows us to turn some sharp corners without losing control of ourselves.

This ability to adapt will probably be greater in the second half of 2012 than during its first six months. That's because gigantic Jupiter, the planet of philosophy and aspiration, is in stable, stubborn Taurus until June 11. Potential benefits include the possibility of breakthroughs in energy resources and basic reform in the financial sector. Grounding ourselves in more solid values can bring desirable simplicity into our lives and make us more aware of our relationship with the environment. However, Taurus has a conservative side that instinctively resists innovation. The ongoing struggle between traditional perspectives and revolutionary ones could be fierce during this transit.

On June 11, 2012, though, Jupiter enters adaptable Gemini, opening new channels of thought and communication that favor diversity and support our capacity to adapt to change. We can recognize that no single person, religion or nation has a corner on truth, which should open dialogues between previously opposing parties.

Serious Saturn's continued presence in diplomatic Libra is another favorable force for finding peaceful solutions in 2012. Compromise is a key that we can apply in our personal lives as well. Recognizing ways to express our differences with tolerance and aiming toward common understanding can reduce personal as well as collective warfare.

Idealistic Neptune settles into its compassionate home sign Pisces on Feb. 3 for a 13-year stay. This transit can lead to a spiritual revival, one that helps us surpass the boundaries of dogma to recognize that what we share far surpasses any of our differences. Faith in the healing power of unconditional love and awareness of the ways in which beauty and kindness overcome intellectual nitpicking and philosophical fighting are divine gifts that offer hope that we can create heaven on Earth.