©2-16-2010 by Donna Cunningham, MSW
UPDATE 11/11/13: My new astrology/self help book, The Stellium Handbook: An Owner’s Manual for People with Stelliums or Triple Conjunctions is finally available. Read about it and download a free sampler of book excerpts here: Finally, The Stellium Handbook is Here!
I have a stellium of four planets in Gemini in the 11th house and have always considered that a great asset—in fact, it’s the most blessed part of my chart. I ‘ve always been gifted with brilliant, witty, quirky and insightful friends. But recently I’ve also experienced how vulnerable a stellium can make you when something goes horribly wrong.
More precisely, I’ve re-experienced it, because this isn’t the first time an 11th house meltdown has occurred. It’s just that I do my best to block out the memories of those intervals and how excruciating they can be.
I really don’t want to write about this experience because it’s deeply personal, but I keep getting prompted to do it, and that’s a rule I’ve made for this blog. I can refuse twice, but the third time I get a nudge from the Great Whatever, I have to write the piece I’m resisting.
Not just write it, oh no, that I could handle, but I’m also honor bound to hit the PUBLISH button and share it with you readers.
I’m being asked to share it now because if I don’t, time will pass and I will make myself forget what it’s been like and so I won’t write it. And then what this passage has revealed about stelliums and how vulnerable they make us may never become part of the astrological literature.
That vulnerability can be starkly revealed during a transit from an outer planet or during a progression. (In this instance, transiting Pluto is at the apex of a Yod formed by quincunxes to my early Gemini planets and to my Ascendant.)
The Good Things–and the Bad–about Stelliums
Stelliums can confer exceptional talent and can bring a brilliant light into the world. As one of my students once observed, that’s a lot of watts in one small segment of the sky. But there’s also a great deal at stake in that one area of life if something starts threatening it.
We invest too much of ourselves in that area, and we expect too much of a return. We’re living out that saying about the risks of putting too many eggs in one basket. (It’s an antiquated metaphor. People don’t gather eggs in baskets any more. They pour them out of cartons in the refrigerator.)
Look to see which houses or even sectors of your chart are left empty, something that happens with a stellium. Check out the houses ruled by the planets in the stellium, because you’re probably diverting energy from those houses into the matters of the stellium’s house.
In my chart, the concentration of four Gemini planets (Uranus, Saturn, Venus, and Mercury) is in the 11th , which means I invest a great deal of myself in my friendships and probably expect too much. It leaves six empty houses. That one house contains energy that otherwise would be dispersed into that empty half of the major areas of life. Those four planets are the rulers or co-rulers of seven houses.
That means that my friendships take the place of many other sources of fulfillment. I have no family around me, no children, and no mate, but my friends are far, far better companions than anyone I’m related to or have ever gone out with.
The joy of my life is that they are exceptional, original, and funny folks who fill those spots in my heart so very well. There are, of course, occasional lonely moments—holidays, Sunday afternoons, or times when everyone goes on vacation at once. Luckily, I’m very good at entertaining myself.
The Latest Transit to my Stellium and What It Evoked
I can see I’m bombarding you with facts to keep from having to share my feelings. Metaphors, for God’s Sake! Breathe, Donna. Breathe. . .
Okay. Here’s what happened recently while transiting Pluto formed the Yod. One of my most beloved friends nearly died. Suddenly, shockingly, she was at death’s door with 10 blood clots to her lungs.
This is the part that’s hard to write, because she’s still not out of the woods, still dependant on an oxygen tank. She’s pretty much confined to a recliner and a housecoat, with occasional forays online. And she’s going to be reading this right along with you. Friend, you know how precious you are to me.
It was a horrifying time, her children flown in from California and Texas because the doctors were pretty sure she wasn’t going to make it. I was beside myself with fear and grief and wrenching flashbacks to the 1980s when I lost so many of my friends to AIDS.
This is the most agonizing part of the story. I was barred from coming to the hospital because I was not family. And it’s pretty clear that the ruling didn’t come from hospital staff but from her family. Something, I gather, about my being too emotional. I have no doubt that they felt they were protecting her, conceivably even protecting me. They did what they felt they had to do.
The Bottom Line for an 11th House Stellium
Here’s the bottom line of an 11th house stellium for someone who has no real family ties. When push comes to absolute shove, like when that friend is critically ill, you are not family, and you’re excluded. And then you have to face the fact that at the very core of your being, you do not belong. At that profound level, you are alone.
- A friend is not family
- A friend is not a mate
- A friend is not your child, nor is a friend your mother
- A friend is just a friend, and you’re not the center of their universe.
At other, less perilous times, life with that stellium can be amazing, but you have to survive the terrible times as well. When those times come, it feels like I’m in exile way out on the edge of the solar system, sitting on frozen, dark Pluto, the same old nemesis that’s so strong in my transits just now.
The sun is a dim, distant glimmer, an impression rather than a presence. There are no stars, but the winds of space howl mournfully. They wrap themselves around me as a cloak of shame, that haunting sense of deep and abiding shame that an outcast or exile feels. There’s not a soul on that planet but me, and I unfortunately happen to be immortal. The period of exile passes eventually, and I forget I was ever trapped in that icy place, but it is never gone for all time.
That’s why friendships are so very important to me. And I do have them, and they are exceptional people that I love dearly. I am quite contented most of the time, and yet that dark, frozen world still exists and would claim me if I let it. I imagine that nobody else will quite understand what I have written here except other high scorers on the Pluto test.
It’s time for me to hit that damned publish button, and already I’m having second, third, and fourth thoughts. I’m starting to imagine your response, picturing awful comments from disillusioned readers. And most of all, I’m worrying about my friend and hoping this doesn’t hurt her. If it weren’t for the rules of the blog, I’d take the coward’s way out and hit the trash button instead. 
Do any of you readers have a stellium in one of the houses of your birth chart? What part of it is the joy of your life? And what part creates a terrible vulnerability when push comes to shove? Have you ever had a meltdown in that area of life, and what was it like? How did you help yourself come back from it?
Due to the remarkable replies from readers about their own stelliums, this post evolved into a series. See the follow up posts here: Readers’ Insights into their own Stelliums and A Few Last Insights into Stelliums from Readers.
UPDATE 11/11/13: My new astrology/self help book, The Stellium Handbook: An Owner’s Manual for People with Stelliums or Triple Conjunctions is finally available. Read about it and download a free sampler of book excerpts here: Finally, The Stellium Handbook is Here!
Do I have any other posts about friendship on this blog? With four planets in the 11th, you bet I do!
- Readers Ask: Q&A about the 11th House
- Venus-Uranus Aspects: Two-Minute Friends and other Modern Relationships
- Neptune in the 11th House–Setting Boundaries in Friendship
- 11th House Transits—New Departures in Friendship
- Libra Alert: Personal Power & What It Looks Like in a Friendship
- Libra Alert: How to Stop Being a People Pleaser
- See more articles on the 12 houses here: Houses of the Horoscope.
- Download a chapter on the houses here: AGSA ch13-houses
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Sky Writer 
Donna, I’m sorry about your friend – how frightening. I hope all goes well with her recovery. No doubt her family is under intense stress right now, so they may be trying to maintain some control over the situation as best they can given how little control they have in a medical emergency. It’s terrible for you to feel cut off, but they might just need space and will relax when she’s better. You’ve clearly identified your own feelings and where it comes from – the stellium in the 11th.
I have a stellium of Mercury, Venus and Pluto in the 1st house, with an unrelated conjunction of Moon, Ascendant and Uranus. Lots of 1st house emphasis! Great for self-reliance, but has been very lonely at periods in my life, and off-putting to others. With my NN in Libra, I work at sharing and relationship.
By: leslee on February 17, 2010
at 5:51 am
Oh, I know you’re right–they were all as frightened at the possibility of losing such a precious soul as I was. I’m not angry with them, just trying to get past those dreadful feelings of exile.
A 1st house stellium? Being so out in front with everything all the time must be difficult, and yet every feature in the charts is a gift given to us and that we have to give the world. I’m sure you’ve given plenty! Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 17, 2010
at 7:34 am
Oh, I wasn’t thinking you were angry, but hurt. Hard not to be, given your own distress.
Yeah, Uranus just inside the 12th and Pluto in the 1st, with stelliums, would really like to hide so much and can’t! Always felt so utterly exposed. Key has been eccentric and accepting friends.
By: leslee on February 17, 2010
at 8:39 am
Dear Donna,
I understand how very dear and precious friendships can be. I love and trust my friends on a very deep level, so much more than my family, so I can understand how shut out you feel. If something ever happened to my friends – I would have to be there in a NY minute.
I’m a Cancer too, and I love my friends so completely. I have a stellium of Mars conj Uranus in Cancer in the 4th with Jupiter in Leo there too. And an 8th house moon, so I know what being intensely emotional is about! I, too, have Mercury and Venus in Gemini – so I desperately try to intellectualize my feelings to avoid dealing with them. hahaha. Doesn’t work, does it? Thanks for sharing – I think you’re tops. That that doesn’t break us makes us stronger – and great teachers!
Love and light to your dear friend.
best wishes, Kim
By: Kim on February 17, 2010
at 6:45 am
Thank you, Kim. We are quite a lot alike–that Cancer/Gemini dichotomy.
By: Donna Cunningham on February 17, 2010
at 7:30 am
Donna,
You have been an incredible blessing to me today for your sharing has brought clarity issues that have caused me deep sorrow.
Ur-Jup-Merc in Libra close conj. on 3rd/4th
flows into my Pluto/IC in 4th
square to Moon/Asc, Desc
opposite Chiron
Today, Saturn is sitting on top of my Uranus, exact. Pluto therefore is tossing my stellium a square.
The Moon is conj. my Chiron.
You, are my tr. Moon and tr.Saturn gift today and I am grateful! 🙂
My stellium’s expression was never smiled upon within “home”, not by parents, siblings, other relatives nor members of the community in which I was raised and once again reside, for it is staunchly conservative and tends toward suspicion in anything it deems as ‘progressive’ or different.
I was often punished early in life if I shared my perceptions and due to this I repressed myself to the extreme in much of my adulthood until just a few years past.
I cannot count the times someone I loved told me that I ‘intimidated’ them even though I had no idea how that was possible.
Yet with all of these placements it was my nature to want to share with those closest to me and to express that stellium, and still is, yet as of this day I have yet to reside with anyone that I do not ‘challenge’ in some manner, without ever intending to do so and with no aggression nor forcing of my viewpoints upon another. I have always ‘invited’ others to consider what I share, yet even so, meet often with the anger produced by deep discomfort in others when I show them something (intentionally at times, though usually just by going about my life), they wish not to see.
Reading what you shared set off all the right lights..and I am feeling such a lightening of heart taking place.
Thank you so much for pushing past your reservations for you have brought me a precious gift! Kachina
Oh, whoopsed it in my frenzy of hitting keys..Pluto/IC 3rd. UGH..My Virgo-ness is really showing today.
Thanks for tolerating my need to clarify that. {{smiles sheepishly}}
By: Kachina on February 17, 2010
at 6:59 am
Thank you so much, Kachina. You’ve found the right place to use and express all the gifts of that 3rd-4th stellium through the writing on your blog, in2themystic. You have blown me away more than once. Folks, see a couple of articles Kachina has permitted me to reprint on this blog here:
Letting Go of Survivor Guilt–Learning the Limits of your Responsibility for Others
Saturn in Libra: How to Set Healthy Boundaries
Today’s post on her blog is about the fact that Chiron and Neptune are exactly conjunct. If you love Chiron, don’t miss it. Donna PS. How come y’all can make links clickable in comments and I can’t?
By: Donna Cunningham on February 17, 2010
at 7:40 am
Donna, I don’t want to upset your friend either, but I’d just like to respond from my heart — as a web site writer, you come off logical, reasonable and intelligent galore (as well as witty as all get out) –but let’s say — worse case scenario… hmmm….in person, you really are this emotional, intense whirlwind — well, gosh, it would seem that your friend loves you as you are. The real you. All emotional and all intense.
I don’t understand why you were barred from seeing her. I would think that having you at her side would be therapeutic and supportive on a deep level. Family has its place, but we don’t choose them [consciously] like we do our friends. In many ways you two are probably closer than she is with her family….
Maybe now that you have faced this great fear and ‘outed’ yourself, maybe you two can discuss this when your friend is up to it and lay down some rules that family will abide by in case of a future event. Of course, my stellium is in my 8th house with sun, pluto, uranus and jupiter, so you can surmise that I am an intense, emotional personal, too:)
By: Trishia Jacobs on February 17, 2010
at 7:53 am
Thank you so much, Trishia. I’m sure my friend and I have a bit of processing to do, to say the very least. I did finally get to some anger after posting this, but truly, at times when your life is on the line, you do what you have to do to survive. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 17, 2010
at 8:34 am
Risky post, for sure, but your heartfelt intention is clear. You’ve quite the courage and loyalty! I pray that you and she will meet again, even if not in the physical. 🙂
The stellium shows up in my 4th house, with Venus, Saturn, Moon, and Mercury. What’s more the grouping forms the base of my bowl, while leaving houses 1 & 7-12 empty. Talk about ‘all the eggs in one basket’!
This has brought joy in my work with Mother Nature, training in family counseling, etc. The challenges, well, those emerge in the same areas above!
Thanks, Donna!
By: Leo on February 17, 2010
at 9:47 am
Saturn, Mercury & Venus in my second house of scorpio. What I value is not necessarily what others in my life value and are therefore not thought of as important enough and usually thought of as trivial in those times of push comes to shove. Not being supported or not having my values respected or acknowledged and me left to the wayside makes me feel as though I am not important enough to those who are important to me, I get depressed and withdraw. When the sky clears, the criticisms stop and tensions are gone I feel like a great weight has been lifted. I am again accepted for who and what I am rather than what those around me think I should be. I keep telling everyone – I accept you the way you are faults and all, please return the gift. I know this is kind of generic and I guess I am being like you Donna, not wanting to give the details. I am afraid some of it will seem trivial and some of it will be a little to discomforting – to me or to those reading this comment – not sure which. I can be a little stern and set in how I want things in my home and what I expect of my kids, grandkids, etc. I have some traditional values and some that are very new age. I think the new age stuff outweighs the traditional. So maybe when these two sides clash is where the resistance comes in – could this be an aha moment!
Nanette
By: Nanette on February 17, 2010
at 9:53 am
Donna – Thank you for sharing your vulnerability with us, your friends here in cyberspace. I’m sorry that your friendship is going through such a scary time and especially sorry that you’re not able to visit. It’s kind of you to try and understand the situation from your friend’s family’s perspective, and I’m sure being the evolved Plutonian that you are, you wouldn’t want to raise a ruckus at such a time.
I have an empty 11th house, but its ruler is Cancer, so my friendships seem to go through phases, with me almost always being emotionally involved to a greater extent than my friends. I speak from experience when I say that good friends are like angels and their presence in our lives can be very healing. I’m sorry your friend’s family doesn’t recognize that. When I had my bout with “Frozen Shoulder”, I felt very isolated and alone — I would’ve been grateful for a friend such as you.
I have a stellium of planets in my 2nd house (Libra Sun/Venus/North Node & Scorpio Neptune/Mercury), and I’m still trying to figure out their true significance. I have talents (mostly hidden) and I have strong values, which have evolved throughout the years. I seem to go through long, life-changing phases in my life, and I always emerge a different person. One of the reasons I don’t have a lot of friends is that most people don’t share my 2nd house values, or they say they do, but I observe something else. So I bless them and let them go. I’ve also acquired a lot of 2nd house “things” throughout my life, and I periodically purge and let the things go as well. When my husband and I recently downsized, the full sized Salvation Army truck almost couldn’t accommodate everything I donated, which was the approximate equivalent of a fully furnished one-bedroom apartment. It felt good to let it go. I kept only what I loved, with my husband being what I loved most of all. I don’t need a lot of things, but I do need a lot of love.
By: LB on February 17, 2010
at 9:54 am
“One of the reasons I don’t have a lot of friends is that most people don’t share my 2nd house values, or they say they do, but I observe something else. So I bless them and let them go.”
LB, I find this true too! I have Saturn, Venus and Mercury in the second house.
Nanette
By: Nanette on February 17, 2010
at 10:23 am
Hi Nanette – I’ve come to realize that having so much in the 2nd house is both a blessing and a responsibility, since I absolutely live my values. Sometimes it can be very lonely and I often feel as if I’ve chosen “the road less traveled”. For instance, I’ve had to part ways with several friends because of their drinking and driving. I quit drinking many years ago (for many reasons), and while I don’t begrudge anyone an occasional drink (or two), the whole drinking/driving thing just doesn’t work for me. And let’s face it, most social occasions involve drinking and driving. So I rarely see them, if ever. And the truth is, I don’t think we have very much in common these days anyway. With so much in the 2nd house, hypocrisy is a big turn-off for me.
LB
By: LB on February 17, 2010
at 11:02 am
LB, are you my lost twin? (LOL)
Nanette
By: Nanette on February 17, 2010
at 11:13 am
Oh Nanette, Just had to tell you, your last comment about us being twins made me laugh out loud! I’m still chuckling over that one. LB
By: LB on February 17, 2010
at 11:25 am
LB, I am glad it gave you a good chuckle!
Nanette
By: Nanette on February 18, 2010
at 11:05 am
Thanks for sharing, Donna. That was some tough stuff and I do appreciate you going out on a limb. It was quite the reach, I’m sure!!
I’ll have to get back to you all on my stellium, but I have one in Libra. My big question is when I read my chart with equal houses, my stellium is in the 4th, with the ruler being Virgo and the fifth house starting at 21 Libra.
When I go with Placidus/Tropical houses, the 5th house begins in Virgo and includes the stellium. I’m kinda confused, here… What would you suggest?
By: kristy on February 17, 2010
at 10:12 am
Hi Donna,
Sorry to hear about your friend.
Thank you for this article on stelliums. I have not found a good book, or anything to help me understand the main flavor of so many planets coming together. Ebertein’s “Planetary Pictures” is about as close as I can find.
I have a stellium in the third and my son has one in the sixth house. I am learning as I go along how these things work.
With me, communicating is so important. I have no relationship with my only sibling and I hate to drive.
My son’s Moon in Cancer squares three of the planets in his sixth house stellium (Venus, Jupiter and Saturn). He will stop eating and make himself sick if he has an emotional challenge. As a child, he cried every day he went to school. The big news of the day with the other children was always if he cried that day or not. Unfortunately, he built up a “wall” (a Capricorn shell to protect his soft Cancer heart).
If it helps at all, just remember that Pluto tears things down in order to facilitate the phoenix that must rise from the ashes. Yeah, these transits are no picnic, but most of the time we come to understand them in retrospect.
By: Pat on February 17, 2010
at 10:29 am
Hi Donna, I hope your friend will soon be better and that you’ll be able to see each other. I understand the sheer feeling of terror you must have experienced when you realized you might not see her ever again. 😦
I have a stellium in Virgo (Sun conjunct my Dsc, Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn) in the 7th, as well as Pluto in Libra there. So, relationships are at the core of my life. I’ve met a lot of very different people from different cultures and different countries, and I’ve had a lot of fun with them.
Yet, natal Pluto in the 7th taught me that it didn’t matter how many pals you had or whether you were in a relationship… in the end, you were on your own and nobody could reach you.
Transiting Pluto in Sagittarius just proved that… over and over again, until I felt just like what you wrote Donna, far from everything and everybody, an total alien.
It’s not the nicest feeling to experiment with an overcrowded 7th house. But well… that’s life.
By: Karen on February 17, 2010
at 10:49 am
Thanks for this, Donna. I have three planets — Sun, Venus, and Uranus — in the 11th house and friendships are terribly important to me, more so than family. I’m a bit lost right now because I lost a lot of friends over the past couple years after I went through a Plutonian transformation. The new ones will come, but I won’t quite feel complete until they do.
By: Katie on February 17, 2010
at 11:02 am
Wow, Katie, I can surely relate to that temporary loss of friends during a transformation. When I joined Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA) many years ago, I had to reevaluate most of my friendships, as they were mainly codependent ones where I was the giver and healer and they were really in no shape to give back.
I let quite a few of them go, the ones that couldn’t handle a shift to a give and take relationship, and so I was quite lonely. I knew however that it wasn’t wise to go looking for new friends, because they would just be fitting the old model, so I just waited. And better frienships did eventually come along. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 17, 2010
at 11:19 am
First, Donna you are brave and courageous to share this story. From someone quite familiar with long-term parking in the Land of Exile (Uranus score 61, Pluto 62) your words are nothing but truth … and welcomed with an open heart. I feel my Plutonian transformation (a 10 year process so far) is lonely and extremely difficult. Friends gone. (Sun, Merc 11h in Sag, so ouch.) Everything gone actually. Building anew. But I am beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel. Finally. And I believe the new chapter, if I can get there, will be what I had always known my life could be. Wise counsel to try to patient so that the right new friends arrive, rather than try to shoehorn people into one’s life that may be a part of the old patterns.
Cosmic hug to you too Katie.
By: Victoria on February 18, 2010
at 4:14 am
Oh. my Victoria, you have been in exile for such a long time and faced it with courage. Thanks. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 18, 2010
at 4:38 am
Hey Donna!
I hope you’re friend is getting stronger as we speak, and will soon be out of the woods. And I think that everyone will agree how much we appreciate for sharing this with us. We don’t see you as a loser, but as a strong and caring individual.
Now, a stellium. Mine is in my 1st house: Uranus, Neptune, Moon and Jupiter. And no i’m not being out in front. My whole life I feel like no one really understands me, because Neptune makes me blurry. I so want to be understood, so I try to be opet, to put everything out in the open, and there’s always a missunderstanding. But, that’s life, I’m really happy with who I am 😉
By: niki on February 17, 2010
at 11:12 am
Niki, yes, of course Neptune makes it hard for the real you to come through. Instead, you evoke other people’s fantasies about who you are and what you could be to them–whether good or bad. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 17, 2010
at 11:21 am
Yeah, thtas’ true. And i forgot to mention, about stellium vulnerability: My 1st house is mostly in Capricorn. So Pluto has just finished my Neptune and it’s heading towars natal Moon. I’ts been hell of a ride but i know there’s more to come. Preparing for some big clashes with Mommy Dearest 😉
By: niki on February 17, 2010
at 10:35 pm
Yeah, that’s true. And i forgot to mention, about stellium vulnerability: My 1st house is mostly in Capricorn. So Pluto has just finished my Neptune and it’s heading towards natal Moon. It’s been hell of a ride but i know there’s more to come. Preparing for some big clashes with Mommy Dearest 😉
By: niki on February 17, 2010
at 10:35 pm
Hope your friend heals.
I love you. ::hug::
By: nray on February 17, 2010
at 11:36 am
Thank you, Neeti. It makes me happy to know you. this is the first time I’ve ever had a friend as far away as India, and yet with email you don’t seem far away at all. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 17, 2010
at 11:57 am
Donna this is SO beautiful, your vulnerable, unmediated by the mind sharing. Your feelings are precious gems that give us all insight into our human nature. Its such a deep place to go with you. Thank you so much for a divine place to touch today. I’m so sorry you are yearning to deeply be a closer part of your friend’s struggle. I do understand it and the empty feeling too. My stellium is in the 1st house (as I commented in the Neptune section moon-neptune-sun conjunct in Scorpio). I am self reliant, independent and now that I have reached mid life..sometimes achingly sad for the support of others that I have somehow manged to inadvertently cut out of my life! With a Libra ASC, I am often finding crazy amounts of magic in tiny moments of connection. I drink them in. I don’t enjoy this set up, it has just happened. Like your 11th house scenario.
Thank you also for mentioning ‘Neptune makes it hard for the real you to come through. Instead, you evoke other people’s fantasies about who you are and what you could be to them’. yes indeed. I call that the Marylin Monroe aspect. I have felt people yearn to connect with a ‘me’ that doesn’t exist! Which makes the 1st house scenario seem like a joke that is being played on me 🙂 …. that I yearn for true support but have people come to connect with a projection…thankfully this is only some of the time.
big hugs to you Donna, heartful lady…
By: josie on February 17, 2010
at 12:05 pm
Did you really think we wouldn’t like this post?
I have a stellium too, in the 6th house. and yes, it all did come down on me once upon a time (my 11th house is empty, btw, so i really cherish YOUR friendship too).
Let’s see. I was alone, I got sick, my cat died of sickness, two dogs killed the other one of my cats, and all of my chickens, i took medicine which made me sicker, bees invaded my bathroom so i couldn’t use it (the medicine made the bathroom visits more crucial!!), i had no one to go to… Never did i feel so alone… And i live in fear of all that happening again..
Big hugs to you indeed and i am so sorry about your friend.
By: mimi on February 17, 2010
at 1:21 pm
ps but after all that, things got WAY better for me; i got married, and got more cats 🙂
By: mimi on February 17, 2010
at 1:22 pm
Amazing story, Mimi. It does sound like it made you very vulnerable. There is a Bach flower remedy, Star of Bethlehem, You can get at the health food stores that helps release the fear we hold in our bodies after a trauma–it’s like we go around with a certain tension in the body afterwards, so that we hope we can ward off something like it in the future. It’s especially good with healing massage. (Body workers, see a book by Daniel lo Rito.)
All of you who are sharing your stellium stories are adding to my store of knowledge too, and especially this new insight about the meltdowns. And, yes, I honestly do go into conniptions before publishing something that self-revealing, although this time I at least trusted enough to see the humor in it. It’s something I’m making myself do in order to reach a more powerful level of writing. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 17, 2010
at 4:14 pm
Thank you for posting this, Donna.
If a stellium is a gathering of 3 or more planets or points, I have one in my 8th House (Sun/North Node/Chiron), my 9th House (Saturn/Venus/Moon) and a potentially powerful one in my 2nd House (Pluto/Part of Fortune/Jupiter/Uranus).
With that 2nd/8th focus, Death and Money have been constant themes in my relatively young life and that 9th House focus keeps my optimism and faith constant and strong despite the storm outside. And I’m emotionally, almost viscerally, attached to what I believe, that “shining vision” which has carried me through unbelievably tough times.
Now I have to look at my chart and discover what Houses are having energy taken from them because of this 2nd/8th/9th focus!
With this article in mind, I know my 11th House, ruled by Mercury in Pisces on the cusp of the 8th, is lacking as I have no friends! The people I see on a daily basis are those I encounter when I run errands or have appointments (how Mercury is that?). There’s chit-chat, nothing too deep, and they know very little about me (remember, Pisces is involved).
But I do have a way of slicing through the B.S. and recognizing when something is “off” and then offering that kernel of advice they’ve been looking for. And then I’m gone, off to my next bit of business.
There aren’t any deep friendships, though. A partner, yes — my Libra South Node LOVES that! –, but no friends.
In fact, as I think about it, even though I’m an Aries with a Leo Ascendant, I suspect that 8th House Sun/North Node/Chiron (all in Aries) make me appear as a somewhat muted, mysterious, confoundingly confusing version of Aries Sun-Leo Rising and nothing like the bombastic, energetic, devil-may-care individual you’d expect.
And that Saturn/Venus/Moon — Saturn/Venus in Aries, Moon in Taurus, all the apex of a Yod with Jupiter/Uranus and Neptune in Scorpio — prevents me from ever leaving the house without looking put together and as elegant as possible, despite how I feel on the inside (Neptune in Scorpio trine Aries Sun, et al creating the illusion)
Anyway, now I’m thinking perhaps I should start channeling some of that Sun energy BACK to that Ascendant and be more Aries/Leo. It’s exhausting being everyone’s patient, caring, benevolent “psychologist”! :^)
By: Duse on February 17, 2010
at 1:23 pm
HI, Duse, glad the article is giving you some insights to work with. Three planets can be a stellium, though 4 is more commonly seen that but not really the nodes or points, or even the angles (ASC, MH) because then you really only have two active forces. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 17, 2010
at 4:18 pm
Dear Duse, I really like what you and Donna wrote here and couldn’t agree more! Good insights, are you an astrologer too? I am also working through some 8th house and 2nd house issues . . . it can feel very intense and overwhelming at times. I hope to discover and keep in touch with some astrology friends. Hope to hear from you and have a wonderful day!
By: Ostara on February 3, 2017
at 9:46 am
I have Pluto in the 11th house – I keep to myself mostly except for family. I generally draw people that have hidden issues and use me to work through them. Is that what Pluto in the 11th house (leo) means?
Nanette
By: Nanette on February 17, 2010
at 1:32 pm
Yes, Nanette, that can be one manifestation of Pluto in the 11th. I really should write about that one day. If you’ve ever read my book Healing Pluto Problems, then the relationship issues and healing work I talk about there would apply to friendship. There’s a tendency to form very strong, exclusive relationships with just one or two people and to hold them so tight against the isolation that they become too important–“you and me against the world,” no one else understands me, friend of the friendless, and other Plutonian things.
You become their healer, but eventually they get better and venture out on their own, and you feel forsaken and vow never to get close again. Ever hear Willie Nelson’s song, “Angel with a Broken Wing?” or maybe it’s “Angel flying too close to the ground.” Or people betray you because you’re holding them too tightly and you decide not to have friends. Healing Pluto Problems. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 17, 2010
at 4:24 pm
Hi Donna – I’ve only been reading for a few months. I totally enjoy your writing – thanks for putting “you” out there. Reading it is a treat for me.
I have 5 planets in Scorpio – 2nd house. Sun, Moon, Venus, Jupiter and Neptune. Some years ago I decided to have my chart read because I didn’t feel an affinity to my Scorpio Sun. Imagine how I felt when I learned I have four other planets in Scorpio also. I’m pretty sure this will take me many lifetimes to figure out…but articles like yours surely help.
thanks again.
By: Nora on February 17, 2010
at 1:42 pm
Dear Donna,
First off, you are doing us all a great favor publishing that bit about stellium(s)…You have freed up lota of folks to talk about what the stellium is to them
So, Ms. Donna, thank you!!
I have Venus,Jupiter,Moon all conjunct
with a side of Chiron in Scorpio in the 6th.
It can be a major nightmare from hell….esp. when ol’ Mr. Pluto rides through…..(1991)….Never mind how intense it makes me seem to others
….and “different “….instead of taking most things peronally (Scorpio) I take Everything personally….I lose perspective frequently on things and fixate on one thing till I have whipped it to death….I frequently wonder “Am I the only one who sees this going on? Do others pick up the vibes I am getting?”….it’ s like your nerve endings have nerve endings and on and on…..
On the plus side – I have had an amazing amount of work in the live
music /entertainment industry….Sometimes I can just put it out there that I need an extra $400….and ZAPPO …up comes a job for that exact amount. Scorpio Moon is a passionate, crazed, deep, deep, well of a Moon…and it enables me to ‘bring it’ to my audiences….Venus and Jupiter add to the mixture….I think the generic secret here…if you aren’t going through a major transit from an outer planet – to monitor oneself on these matters………easy to say, huh?
Thanks for putting it out there for us. I hope your friend is healing up well.
Blessings,
Molly K.
By: MOLLY on February 17, 2010
at 1:47 pm
thank you for sharing, Molly. Yes, I just bet you do some passionate and powerful music with all that Scorpio in the 6th. LIke I said, a stellium can be an amazing talent. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 17, 2010
at 4:26 pm
Hi Donna,
In one of those striking examples of synchronicity, I too have a dear friend who is recovering from a massive pulmonary embolism that almost cost her her life. She’s out of hospital now, was confined to bed for a time and is just now walking carefully about on one floor of her home (stairs are just too difficult). She just finished her doctorate, a task which involved a lot of sitting for a long period of time and thinks this may be a cause.
Of course you feel distraught! We are talking about a close friend in mortal danger. The difficulty is not being able to see her. I have not seen my friend either at the request of her spouse who feels the whole situation is so delicate that he must protect her energy. The people around her are family only too.
I hope this helps! My stellium consists of Sun, Mercury, Saturn, Neptune and Venus all in Libra straddling the 11th and 12th houses (first two in 11, last three in 12). My vacant houses are 4,5 and 6. I love to write too, so my refuge from all of this is writing my paranormal romance!
Love your blog!
I wish your friend a full recovery.
By: Barbara on February 17, 2010
at 1:56 pm
Very interesting, Barabara. Maybe the pulmonary problem makes people extra protective–when someone can’t breathe, you get really scared for them. My friend and I did have a really good talk this afternoon by phone after I wrote this, and it helped both of us a good deal. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 17, 2010
at 4:30 pm
Donna, I will pray for your friend! And you! We ALL need prayer.
I have PLuto/Sun/POF in 11, so I sorta know what you are talking about with the friends. Saturn rules my fourth, so also have a dearth of family.
If you ever want another ‘orphan’ for understanding, just call on me!
As to the nitwit that put that gawdawful comment on your blog: the Internet has given any rude person with a computer and Internet connection the ability to say any nasty and often ubsubstantianiated thing that comes to mind and send it to lots of people.
You are anything but pathetic. You are a talented, brave and compassionate soul who gives so much to your readers, your friends and the world.
By: MEL810 on February 17, 2010
at 1:59 pm
Oh, Meloh! Oh, dear, the “nitwit” that put up that rude comment was me. It wasn’t a real comment, it was a screen shot of a comment that I created that was meant to be a joke–my horrible fantasy of what people were thinking. But thanks for coming to my defense.
I HAVE had some rude comments from time to time. Like the time some arrogant nasty science guys put up a post on a Discovery forum about something I’d written and they started coming here in droves to put up vicious comments about how stupid astrologers are. I got smart enough to close the comment section after a while, but they kept coming for about a month, until I actually took down the post. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 17, 2010
at 4:37 pm
Hi Donna, i believe that friends are your mate, your child, your mother, your sister, they are your choose family, your heart family, yes my Uranus in 4th house is talking! (Acu rules my empty 11th house) so i understand you, and share your feelings.
The best wishes for you friend and a big hug for you!
By: Rosario on February 17, 2010
at 2:30 pm
I have a stellium in Libra (Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury, Pluto, Sun, in that order) in my 7th house, with the Sun crossing over to my 8th. Moon in the 5th is square all these. I have never been in a romantic relationship of any sort, I am 28 years old. I am constantly reminded of being alone- I have this deep yearning to be with a partner. There’s sort of a feeling that if I find someone, somehow everything will sort itself out. I think the planets in my stellium make some good aspects as well (sextile Neptune/MC except Saturn, which is sextile MC/Venus) so it’s quite possible that if I do find someone they will have traits that could be to my benefit. But I think probably a big part of the lesson here is that I shouldn’t require someone else to “complete” myself (such a temptation for a Libra!), in the end, like others mentioned, we are alone. With her it was her friends that put this into focus, for me, it is lack of relationships. Who knows, maybe if I really truly accept this I will find a relationship. That’s the kicker, eh?…..
Thanks for sharing, all.
By: Dizzy on February 17, 2010
at 2:32 pm
Thank you for sharing your pain. I have an 8th house stellium mars, pluto sun, mercury in Scorpios house. part of a yod that exits in my second (Moon). there have been many endings in my life I am now almost 70 and have learned how to live with all this energy, and use it in a helpful, peaceful way. It took me 40 years to get it right tho. I have followed you for many years, and have learned much from you. Keep up the good work. I really appreciate you. God Bless.
By: Barb on February 17, 2010
at 3:17 pm
Wow, Barb, 40 years of hard work on Pluto issues. That’s one thing about us Plutonians, we don’t quit trying to heal ourselves and we’re not afraid to work hard at it. I’m 67 going on 68 myself and started trying to fix myself in college. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 17, 2010
at 4:40 pm
Donna, my stellium is in the 3rd, house in Leo, Merc (leo) and sun + pluto (virgo). I guess I also have communication deep down in my bones. Hey, I’ve got an idea: let’s publish an ezine! We’ll even let other people get a word in edgewise every now and again.
By: Deborah Bier on February 17, 2010
at 3:26 pm
Thank you Deborah!! You nailed it! I also have a stellium in the 3rd all in virgo and “communication deep down in my bones” rings so true!!
By: Anna Denisova on April 24, 2016
at 2:34 pm
Hi Donna!
Hope your friend is doing better. Thank you for sharing something so personal. I appreciate how difficult that must have been.
I have a stellium in th 9th house (Virgo): uranus, sun, pluto and moon. Opposite jup conjunct chiron in third. (Part of a kite thing). I find the stellium hard to grasp. Which planet is the stronger, which is the dominant – all four are powerful planets – It’s easy to get lost in the details.
I’m a writer – very 9th – and despite all my published books have not had a real breakthrough. Today (!) was told my publisher is cutting my series, so am a little down hearted. Which is why I’m reading this blog, of course. Everything I do is focused on writing and getting published. It’s all I ever wanted and with a strong Pluto there’s lots of ambition, but with a Virgo heart, there’s also lots of worries. And everytime I get a rejection, I have to ask the same question: what if I fail? What do I do instead? And everytime it’s the same answer: There’s nothing else to do. The focus of the stellium is both a blessing and curse – It gives me lots of energy and determination, but it shuts out a lot of other things. I have no family, no children – but a few very good friends who are there for me. Friends are important (Mercury in 11th, in Libra), much more important than family in my experience.
So what do I do when the stellium is challenged by a major transit? I write. Something. Anything.
Thank you for your wonderful blog!
Lol
Natalie
By: Natalie on February 17, 2010
at 3:30 pm
Oh, Natalie, do I ever relate. Since my stellium is in Gemini, writing is another way I put heart and soul into that narrow part of the zodiac. And writing is all I ever want to do. I’ve had a couple of times when I wrote mainstream books and they didn’t sell and I was so downhearted I didn’t want to go on writing. But of course I went back to it. At least our stelliums are in fixed signs, and we can always adapt our writing to new topics and styles. Maybe when Pluto gets to trining those Virgo planets of yours, you’ll hit the right genre. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 17, 2010
at 4:48 pm
Pluto (in my 2nd house) is trining as we speak – my stellium is right in the first ten degrees of Virgo – so no fixed sign or house. Right now it’s jammed between Uranus and the Sun. Heading for a Natal Pluto and then the Moon. I’m not sure what to think about that – This should be fun …
I’ve written in every genre there is, except Sci-Fi. I’m almost there everytime, then falls like Sisyphos from the mountain. So close I can taste it, then it just disappears. And there’s never any warning! Perhaps it’s some self-destructive pattern I can’t seem to see yet.
I think I read somewhere that Pluto is tough no matter what transits, but a trine should be a bit easier than a square or opposition. I hope!
Thank you!
Natalie
By: Natalie on February 17, 2010
at 7:04 pm
You got a great response to this heartfelt post, Donna! I loved it…and although we’re not friends in the traditional sense, I feel close to you–perhaps we might be called 11th house “friends” too, because we connect in such a Uranian way through the internet. And as you know Uranus is the natural ruler of the 11th house, and Uranus rules all this activity in cyber-space.
And….I have a Sun/Neptune/Venus stellium in Libra on the Descendant, and am loving your posts about Saturn going into Libra. Saturn hasn’t hit this stellium yet, but I’m holding a place of honor for him, and hope he is kind….!
By: elizabeth spring on February 17, 2010
at 3:46 pm
Hi, Elizabeth, oh, to have Saturn going over a stellium in Libra, and to be one such consumate professional astrologer, counselor, and writer as yourself, all your hard work has to have a payoff. I have had some really good career progress under Saturn transits. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 17, 2010
at 4:50 pm
Thank you Donna for such an open and illuminating post. This was obviously not easily divulged; but I assure you that it was helpful for others….as generally things go. 🙂
It was particularly interesting for me because I’ve often beat myself up over not having more friends/spending more time with friends….something that doesn’t necessarily add up with a Sag Sun/Leo AC.
Your post really struck a chord with me because I found that I was on the exact opposite spectrum from your experience. I have a 5 planet stellium in the 4th house (mercury,saturn, venus, sun, and neptune) and have always had trouble with stagnating in my “home.” I tend to nest away and rely on the relationships that I already have with family (and old friends that are virtually family) because they are familiar and comfortable. Making new friends is something I constantly want to do, but am always afraid to as it never lives up to my expectations of 4th house familiarity. This is continually a source of anxiety and anguish and I often find myself envious of people like you who have a wide circle of friends they love.
It may be that “a friend is not a family member,” but a family member also isn’t a peer, and having peers is absolutely invaluable…so congratulations on being so wealthy!
By: Courtney on February 17, 2010
at 3:52 pm
Donna,
I completely understand how you feel, being an extremely plutonian aquarius, with a libra stellium in the 12th…as you already know. I wish the best for you and your friend. I know it maybe easy for me to say because I am not currently going through your ordeal, but in utterly challenging times I always like to remind myself that everything happens for a reason..that there is a method to the madness. Survival is not a question.
Also I admire you even more for your bravery in opening up and exposing your vulnerable side to us readers. It takes a lot of trust and self confidence, and Im sure your readers recognize that..and for the ones that don’t, it is an issue they need to resolve within themselves rather than a problem with your reaction.
Astrology can sometimes become very emotionless and formulated. You story humanizes this, more than sometimes, esoteric field. Thank you for sharing.
By: Inaness on February 17, 2010
at 3:53 pm
Inaness, what is it like to have a Libra Stellium in the 12th house?
By: mimi on February 18, 2010
at 10:41 am
So many amazing comments to an amazing post. I’m learning a lot.
Have a 6th house Gemini stellium. 6th house issues definitely erupt in my face every now and again. I think they cause me more (day to day) grief than any other natal placement.
By: hitchhiker72 on February 17, 2010
at 3:54 pm
Hitchhiker, thanks for sharing. With that stellium, the question of Right Livelihood–of finding your true life work–has to be a core issue for you and one that takes a considerable time to sort out. One thing I’ve found with Gemini planets in the vocational houses is that there’s a tendency to change or shift jobs and/or careers every couple of years.
It can look flakey to the outside world, and yet the point of such a placement is to learn a great many skills and have a great many experiences, with a great and ever-growing transferability of skills. It’s what you’re supposed to be doing, so trust it. In an economy like this one and given the rapid development of all information-based technologies, it gives you a great advantage. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 17, 2010
at 4:57 pm
To what issues specifically are you referring ?
By: mimi on February 18, 2010
at 10:42 am
Donna – thank you so much for your post. I hope your friend pulls through, and you do, too.
I have five planets in the opposite house, the 5th. Oh, joy, romance, a loving child are part of my life. Yes. All the time. Creativity has been harder to come by, but I feel I should be special with a gift to offer, in fact I feel compelled by it. When Pluto crossed through that house and hit Mars, Neptune, Saturn, Mercury, and Venus – well you can imagine. On second thought, don’t.
But I want to tell you that I feel lonely sometimes too – and I envy people with profound friendships. Sometimes I feel my sphere is too small and self-involved. I’ve never had community, being raised in the army I have no base of origin, and it’s hard for me to develop intimate relationships with others in any way but as lovers or children. So there’s the other side of it!
Thanks again.
And since you invited us to, my blog is Astro4Business.com. I blog about the intersection of astrology and business.
By: Ellen Longo on February 17, 2010
at 4:09 pm
Hi Donna, Thanks for these reflections on the stellium! I haven’t read through all the comments and your responses to them, cuz it’s 2 am and I’m tired, need to go to bed. But I want to let you know that you’ve given me a lot to think about.
In the 10th house, I’ve got Sun, No. Node, and Venus in the late degrees of Cancer, and Pluto and Mercury in Leo (7 & 10 degrees). And ALL my planets are within an exact trine between Gemini Uranus conj. Moon in the 9th and my Asc. in Libra. So I have 8 empty houses!
No wonder I’m so mission driven and focused, I guess. For a long time, I didn’t have a private life at all. I didn’t even own clothes I could relax and hang out in. BTW, I’m a nonprofit/NGO kind of gal, never worked for a corporation. But leisure? What’s that?
Interestingly, things changed somewhat when I got married and moved to Europe (at age 57!), and the planets all shifted to the right side of the chart. But I’m still mission driven.
I’m going to have to look at all those empty houses. Thanks, Donna.
Suzanne
By: Suzanne Duarte on February 17, 2010
at 5:23 pm
Dear Donna,
Thanks for having the courage to post this. I know exactly what you mean about feeling like you are alone on the edge of the universe–about 15 years ago I took a job overseas and things didn’t work out; I thought I had been leading a lonely life here in the U.S., but there I experienced an isolation and loneliness beyond anything I’d ever experienced. I resolved to find a life partner, and after many bumps in the road, I finally have a good, solid marriage which is a great blessing and comfort. I wanted to actually get married for the precise reasons you state: no rights for non-family-members when the chips are down.
Like Ellen, I have a 5th house stellium in Virgo that includes Sun/Saturn/Mercury conjunct, plus Neptune in the 5th–and preceded by Venus in Virgo in the 4th. I share her difficulty in forming close relationships with friends, and also have feelings that I’m probably too self-involved, and I also am driven to make a contribution. I also went through absolute hell when Pluto transited this stellium, and my first Saturn return was no picnic either, although I’ve just weathered the second relatively intact.
Speaking of relatively intact, your Healing Pluto Problems was a Godsend to me–Pluto in Leo in the 4th squaring Moon/Mars conjunct in Scorpio in the 6th. Blood family ties have not been very pleasant for me. In this Aquarian Age fortunately there is a growing awareness that some of us need to find our tribes based on our spiritual affinities. I read your blog every day and you are definitely part of my tribe! Hang in there.
By: Karen on February 17, 2010
at 5:28 pm
Hi Donna, I hope your friend has a swift recovery…however at the same time I hope all lessons are being learned from this experience which I think they probably are for all involved.
I have a Sag Stellium (Mercury, Saturn, Venus, Uranus Sun & Asc) all in the 11th & 12th house the sun is just straddling my Asc. I think my theme in life is being too wise & too young. I feel like I have a close connection with the universe (12th house, Neptune on the Asc and Pisces Moon Squaring everyone!) and I am too aware of the themes & lessons in my life to actually experience them first hand. Its almost like having the second sight and not having the urge to (or being blocked from experience) what you already know. Does that make sense? Or knowing what the “right” action would be but being powerless to do anything about it. I am the youngest child out of 6…imagine 5 elder siblings & 2 parents telling you what you already know! And I know it because I see it! I feel it! I downloaded it! Let me experience it please, let me try something new please! Let me walk this path in my own way please!
I think I can look at my stellium like a rushing train that starts in the 11th, being shaped by friendships & society, pushing into the 12th to be shaped by the universe & divine knowledge and ending with my Sun Asc that is to take all that energy and express it outward in the most unique, funny, Sagittarian, endless wandering mystic kind of way.
By: Janelle on February 17, 2010
at 6:10 pm
Donna,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with your stellium. It must have been very difficult to open up like that about something so personal. I have a 7th house stellium in Cancer. This post is an eye-opener for me and so true. I hope your friend has a complete recovery. I will pray for her. I personally know someone who had blood clots in his lungs. He is doing fine now.
By: Kim Jazwiecki on February 17, 2010
at 6:38 pm
Kim – I also have a 7th house stellium in Cancer (Mercury, Venus, Uranus, and Jupiter) I am curious to hear what your experience of this has been? With Pluto opposing this stellium as it transits Capricorn, I am eager to hear from others in the hope that I can learn something helpful to me during what has been a long trying time and promises to continue for a long time. I do not have the degree of astology skills demonstrated by most here, but have been a “fan” and hobbyist since the age of eleven. I am currently planning a major move (house is for sell) cross country and hope to study astrology once I’ve completed that transition. I hope to combine my social work/counseling skills (LCSW) with astrology, (similar to Donna). Is writing a feature of stelliums in general? I also love writing and have had the desire/ambition to write since the age of six. Having a 6th house Sun in Gemini though, I am inconsistent in whatever I do and have had multiple careers (radio announcer, high school LA teacher, CPS social worker, mental health clinician) but continue to write in one form or another throughout my life.
By: Kelly on June 26, 2010
at 1:49 pm
Donna,
You’re so NOT a loser! So grateful you shared about yourself and about stelliums. I have been trying to mine the wisdom of my own stellium–Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars in Cancer, all conjunct the MC. I read up about stelliums, the midheaven…but I realized that huge void at the bottom of my chart was speaking volumes to me. (I got distracted by the wattage at the top!) I suspect I have much 4th house/Cap work to attend to, which I’ve avoided doing thus far in my life and is overdue.
With transiting Pluto opp this natal stellium, it is kicking my ass as it enters the 4th house/Capricorn/IC. Transiting Saturn will square the stellium, conj my Libra Asc, which also squares that transiting Pluto. I don’t fully understand how it all will play out, but I know it’s going to be BIG! And deeply tranformational.
Glad to read that you had a chance to reconnect with your friend by phone. Hope your friend recovers quickly and well.
By: Jane on February 17, 2010
at 10:07 pm
So true, Jane, about easily getting distracted by the wattage a stellium puts out. That goes for the sign as well as the house–for me, with a Gemini stellium, it’s my writing, and I could write all day every day and not pay attention to whether it’s earning me any money or not. (Empty 2nd house.)
Also a good point about how a big transit like Pluto can force us to pay attention to those empty houses. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 18, 2010
at 3:40 am
Donna, as anxious as I’m sure you were when you wrote it, this post came out as eloquently and beautifully as all your other work. As someone who writes autobiographically, I can attest that yeah, it is REALLY hard to write about your own experience and to sort of “admit defeat,” so to speak. But the fact that you can and did do it does not surprise me, considering how well you do understand and can communicate so many human condition issues. (That’s another Gemini 11th House gift of yours- you’re really writing for a world audience, not just for a niche market.) That said, though, I completely understand the feeling of deep lonely almost-paralysis that comes from realizing your friends are only friends and not really family. I know I’ve tried to communicate it before and been unsuccessful, but that’s part of the reason I’m so hung up on having a healthy and normal romantic partnership- I’m afraid that soon enough, all my friends will have one, which will take priority, and my parents won’t be here, and then what do I do?
My Scorpio stellium of Mars, Saturn and Pluto is basically in my 6th House (Pluto’s just 5 degrees away from the cusp). I am definitely a perfectionist and workaholic, which is good and bad, for obvious reasons. I’m also recovering from an eating disorder, which has been a factor since I was 15.
Thinking my best thoughts for your friend and for her quick recovery.
By: lucywatchthesky on February 17, 2010
at 10:12 pm
Thank you for your affirmation of my work, Lucy. We’ve had several 6th house stelliums responding to this post, and I’d like to say thanks to all of you for taking time off work to let yourself be heard! Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 18, 2010
at 3:43 am
Donna, I think there is a reason for which Saturn is the co-ruler of Aquarius – because Aquarian concepts, including friendships, must take time to develop and they should naturally be experienced during the mature years.
Because friendship is the most difficult relationship one can have – IMO. Why?
1. A friendship does not feed the ego – it just feeds you! A friend won’t make you the center of his universe, he’ll encourage you to be the center of your own universe and you must be capable of doing that.
2. A friend won’t heal your wounds, but it can teach how to do it yourself;
3. Meetings with friends have to be terrible fun because they always end, they are always short! ALWAYS! Friendships are about letting go, not about clinging or keeping. You let go so you can live your life, win, lose and then come back to tell about it.
4. Friendships are for the people that can handle them! Not everyone can handle kids, a powerful career, or a dream mate – the same goes for friendships. Not everyone likes chocolate cake, and by the same rule, not everyone can do friendship – so choose friends carefully!
Everyone talks about friends, few are aware of what they are talking about, usually friends are tools for getting a relationship! And you know what? Relationships that hang on are those that find the path of friendship – not many do.
So mostly, friendships, are about the individual, they keep you alert and young and alone, honest ad free. And everyone is ‘alone’ – perhaps plutonians are just more aware of it. The essence is the same.
It’s so bizzare that Pluto, representing the sign Scorpio – a sign of merging of everything, creates this feeling of loneliness!!!
Sorry for the extra-long post – I have Mars-Venus cnj in Pisces, 11th house, my Moon and Sun are in Aqua, 10th. I am passionate about the topic of friendship! Ever since Pluto started transiting my Neptune, ruler of Pisces, I experienced the feelings that you have now many times, and I felt betrayed! I let everyone go and it is for the best, I will always love my friends but I see them and myself more clearly now.
You’ll get through this, there is no other way! And maybe your friend should teach her kids more about respect and friendship – and I say it will all my Piscean Venus love!!!!!!!!
By: criss on February 17, 2010
at 11:32 pm
Such profound and beautifully written thoughts about friendship, Chriss. Thanks! Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 18, 2010
at 3:45 am
great post on friendship! I find that as i get older, true friends are even harder to find. And the few I have are rare gems.
By: mimi on February 18, 2010
at 7:05 am
Lots of Kisses, from Argentina.
I have a stellium of Sun, Venus, Neptune, Node, Ascendant in the 1st house, all this planets, opposite Moon in 7th .Lots of 1st house emphasis 🙂
Many blessings for You and your friend, dearest Donna.
By: Cyn on February 18, 2010
at 12:11 am
I have a similar chart to you, so mixed, and contradicted emtions.
By: Sandra on December 4, 2015
at 2:41 pm
Hi Donna, I already knew that you were one of the best astrologers in the world, I can now also check the height and gradeur of your spirit, surely this is not only the stellium, a big kiss…
By: eduardocouniago on February 18, 2010
at 4:11 am
Grandeur of spirit? That makes it all worthwhile! Thank you, Eduardo. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 18, 2010
at 4:39 am
Hi Donna,
I have a 3rd house Virgo stellium with Mars and Uranus-Pluto. For extra flavour, Gemini is intercepted in the 12th house. Yes, the stakes are always way too high when I have something to say or write and I wince every time I hit the publish button. I’ll probably be shaking in a corner after I submit this comment.
Peace to you and your friend.
By: Michelle Piller on February 18, 2010
at 7:35 am
Ah, you do understand, Michelle. And yet, I’ve seen a number of your articles, and they were excellent! I wonder, does the insecurity ever go away when we break new ground in our writing? Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 18, 2010
at 8:31 am
Stelliums in Houses
1 Self reliance, loneliness , offputting to others, no one understands me
2 Values different things from others in their life, feels judged, hidden talents, acquires things.
3 Difficulty with siblings/ communication so important, publishing
4 Difficult to share a home with others who find her intimidating
work with Mother Nature, training in family counseling, stagnating at home
5 Hard to be creative, doesn’t have friends – wants deep friendships, too self involved,
6 Health issues, pets, career confusion, artistic talent? Workaholic, eating disorder
7 Relationships important, met people from all different cultures, do not require someone else to complete yourself
8 Intense emotional person, death and money, endings
9 Writer – when things gets bad, write
10 No private life, very career focused, mission driven.
11 Focus on friends, perhaps no family or children, friends more important than family
12 Second sight – already know stuff, old before their time
Anyone else?
By: mimi on February 18, 2010
at 7:37 am
Wonderful summary, Mimi!! Well done! I really should create a follow-up article with some of these insights to add to our astrological literature more permanently. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 18, 2010
at 8:33 am
please do, and hopefully you’ll get more responses
By: mimi on February 18, 2010
at 8:38 am
Terrific, mimi! It’s going up now, then.
Folks, I’ve just created a follow-up post, based on brief excerpts of some of your comments. If you commented here and for some reason don’t want it in the article, just let me know after you have a look. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 18, 2010
at 10:14 am
I’m glad I could be helpful (or should I say that my Virgo stellium is ?).
Thanks Donna for your attention to your readers, it’s great to learn from you and the other people commenting on your blog. 🙂
By: Karen on February 18, 2010
at 12:20 pm
Donna, I too was touched by your post. Although not quite a stellium, I have Sun, Venus and N Node in Pisces in my 7th, and I find that I am so focused on partnership and one-on-one interactions that my comfort level with groups in general has suffered.
By: Jeffrey Kishner on February 18, 2010
at 7:57 am
Thank you, Jeffrey. It’s true that a concentration of energy in one house can be the source of excellent accomplishments–for you, it’s the awesome collection of information on relationships in Sasstrology. But, yes, that focus comes at the expense of balance in other areas of life. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 18, 2010
at 8:36 am
Donna,
thank you for your beautifully written post and insight through your personal journey… very generous and brave of you…
sending reiki light and prayers to you and your friend.
-Pamela
By: Pamela on February 18, 2010
at 7:59 am
No stellium here but with my 11th house moon I can certainly relate. My best to you and your friend. This is important. Thanks for sharing.
By: Nikki Neal on February 18, 2010
at 9:47 am
No stelliums here, but I just wanted to say what a brave and wise post you have written, and to remind you (in case it hasn’t already occurred to you) that you can only be excluded physically, never spiritually. That spiritual bond between you and your friend is as strong as ever, maybe stronger as she hovers closer to the world of pure spirit for a time. In fact, your spiritual strength may be helping in her recovery. Perhaps, even, this physical exclusion is a painful but ultimately valuable gift from the universe that will strengthen your spiritual bonds with your friend.
There is a paradox in the kind of sharing you are doing, as it makes people seem weaker and more vulnerable just as they are, in fact, displaying great strength. Astrologers learn the most, I think, from studying their own charts and studying the way transits affect them; learning from clients is the next most important source of learning; and studying the charts of celebrities and famous people is a distant third, though you’d never know it from reading the typical articles in astrology books and magazines. There are reasons why it’s easier to demonstrate astrological principles by referring to celebrity charts, but the limitations are obvious.
I celebrate your bravery and hope to be able to emulate it myself one day. (Not quite there yet!) I will, however, say that I have a strong Pluto and can relate to the anguish you’re feeling only too easily, despite my lack of a stellium. I think most of us whose charts drive us toward astrological studies can relate to this experience of being excluded and misunderstood.
By: Margaret on February 18, 2010
at 10:52 am
thanks for all that, Margaret. As for using celebrity charts in my writing, I do that because I am not comfortable using clients’ charts. I made a mistake with that early on, and even though they had willingly given permission, seeing themselves in print was another matter and fairly traumatic for them. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 18, 2010
at 7:21 pm
No, of course we can’t use client charts! Which is another reason why your blog and your willingness to share your own experiences is such a treasure.
By: Margaret on February 19, 2010
at 9:19 am
Donna, thanks so much for sharing your experience. My stellium is in the 7th house… Sat, Merc, Venus, Sun in Cancer, with NN in Cancer as well. I have a plethora of ’empty’ houses, all my natal planets are crammed into 4 house. My focus in life has been relationship oriented–of which most have not worked out happily, but mainly just a focus on other people. I had an astrologer tell me once, that “I feel I’m more important, that other people feel I am…” I never quite understood what triggered that comment, but perhaps it’s true… all the focus and effort on ‘others’ has never been returned to me, and I’ve never quite understood why *ha, ha* like in ‘do unto others, as you would have them do unto you’ *ha, ha*? Never the less, I guess I’d have to describe my stellium in Can. in the 7th Hse as that I can’t think or see clearly about myself, because my focus is always away, towards someone else. After many years, I’m learning not to expect anything from anyone else! By the way, I love the ‘quilt block’ motifs in your sites ‘reply column’! I’m a quilter, so I noted them right away! Thanks again for sharing Donna… and I love reading your blog!
By: Leslie on February 18, 2010
at 11:27 am
P.S. Speaking of people being “put off”, a comment another poster made… I believe people are ‘put off’ by me as well… and perhaps it’s my Scorpio moon? Imagine… having your focus on others your entire life, but having them be put off by you! What a strange situation, and also rather lonely. Life is definitely continuing education *ha, ha*!!!
By: Leslie on February 18, 2010
at 11:29 am
‘I had an astrologer tell me once, that “I feel I’m more important, that other people feel I am…”’
Perhaps this comment qualifies for the “awful things astrologers say to clients” post. The astrologer probably didn’t mean it the way it sounds. But isn’t everyone important?
By: Margaret on February 18, 2010
at 12:50 pm
Hey, Donna. My second response. I’ve been thinking about stelliums all night, as the many comments have come in to your wonderful post.
I realized that earlier this week there were 7 out of 10 planets in two signs: Aquarius and Pisces. Before the Moon moved on, only Saturn, Pluto, and Mars were not in those two signs. What a concentration of energy in any charts birthed during these days!
I had written in my blog about it, and things to watch for; how people can get complacent in their business lives when everyone seems on the same page with the same interests. But those planets outside the stelliums remind me of the angry fairy godmother in Sleeping Beauty, the forgotten one that caused all the trouble while everyone was oohing and ahhing over the baby.
Now you’ve got me thinking about this in terms of stelliums and the planets that are outside – perhaps these parts of ourselve may make more trouble because they feel left out!
Anyway, more great food for thought in all the comments, and Mimi did a wonderful job putting the list together.
Again, since you invited, my blog is http://astro4business.com.
Thanks.
Ellen
By: Ellen Longo on February 18, 2010
at 12:15 pm
What an interesting observation, Ellen, that about the planets outside the stellium. I’d imagine it would be particularly true of planets that didn’t have any or many aspects, which can happen when they’re in a different degree range than the stellium planets. And what an apt image, that of the angry fairly godmother. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 18, 2010
at 7:23 pm
I have a stellium of mars, sun, mercury, uranus, and north node all in Scorpio the 12th house, starting with mars conjunct my ascendant. I have always been highly emotional and I view my emotions as a gift. not everyone can tune into others so easily. I have a lifelong fascination with the occult which actually arose out of catholic school. I had my first tarot deck and Ouija Board before most kids knew what that kind of stuff was; all of my friends were not into that stuff anyway.
By the 5th grade I just KNEW god did not exist and evolution was more likely than a creator. It seemed that I had much more complex issues on my mind as a child, and this was both rewarding and frightful at the same time. I would not trade my insights for anything, even if they have caused anxiety in the past.
This is where the negative side plays out. I have always been anxious and have had many periods where I had to take time to rest and find my center. Periods of isolation, in various manners, have been a part of my life since childhood. I have also had to deal with increasing restrictions, both psychological and physical, as I have a square of the sun, mars to Saturn in Leo in the 9th house. I have had existential meltdowns concerning my changing (Scorpio) abilities and where i can provide something concrete to the world, not just empathy.
By: mysticskye on February 18, 2010
at 4:00 pm
You’re one of several people who replied with a stellium in Scorpio, possibly all born in the same year. It has to be quite a powerful and intense combination, and, yes I’d imagine the meltdowns must be especially tough to deal with. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 18, 2010
at 7:26 pm
Donna-What a great post!
I just have to chime in on behalf of 12th house stellium’s since we are underrepresented here ( I think I read one other commenter with a 12th house stellium), naturally, we prefer to remain rather private:)
My mercury is in my 12th though, so perhaps that is why I will (more or less) out myself.
I’m not going to say anything too concrete about a 12th house stellium other than if I didn’t have my Sun in the 11th and my Moon in Aquarius, I’d probably be more a less a hermit.
The 12th house emphasis on dreaming, communing and spacing out does probably prevent me from manifesting as much as I think I’m capable of in the 6th house realm….Though as Uranus currently transits through my 6th house I’m waking up a bit to this reality….
By: fern feto spring on February 18, 2010
at 4:25 pm
ummmm I wish I had time to write more about this… I have 7 planets in the 11th house! Friendships and community have been a very difficult challenge for me. Saturn (in Scorpio, 2nd house) squares most of those Leo planets – Venus, Jupiter, Sun, Mars, Mercury & Pluto (Uranus is 29degrees Cancer). I am always attaching myself to groups, communities and movements but invariably end up feeling totally isolated. It seems that a stellium creates a situation that makes it very difficult to see outside of yourself. I will try to come back and say more – an interesting topic to me, indeed!
By: Laurie on February 18, 2010
at 6:58 pm
Interesting, your observation about a stellium making it hard to see outside yourself. I suspect you’re right, Laurie, especially if there aren’t any oppositions. We’re all learning a good deal about stelliums in this wonderful exchange, aren’t we? Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 18, 2010
at 7:29 pm
Hi Laurie, seems you and I have similar charts. My experience has been like yours. Do you have chiron in the 5th house opposing that stellium?
Syra
By: syra on February 19, 2010
at 8:22 am
Dear Donna, you don’t know me and I don’t know you but that nasty reply to your blog about stelliums say more about that person than an attack on you. The day we all learn that everything is interconnected and that love makes no distinction between friends, family, animals, plants, minerals and so on is the day humanity will have made one large step to understanding the universe. So keep going kid!!!! You’re doing a great job. The person who wrote that reply has a lot of heart-centred understanding to do.
Jackie LION
By: Jacqueline LION on February 19, 2010
at 4:27 am
Jackie, Everyone, that comment was not a real comment, it was my attempt at a JOKE. It was a fantasy on my part about what people would think. And I typed it into a commment form and took a screen shot of it. Apparently it misfired, and people thought it was real.
I sometimes think my sense of humor is seriously off-kilter, because people just don’t get it. When I’m making a tongue in cheek joke like that one, people think I’m dead serious and find me really peculiar.
And then when I’m saying something in dead earnest, they laugh like crazy and I can’t fathom why it’s funny to them. It doesn’t make any difference whether it’s written or in person. I hate smiley faces and won’t use them–they’re sort of like laughing at your own jokes. If you have to TELL people it’s a joke, then it ceases to be a joke. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 19, 2010
at 5:24 am
snork. I’ll bet all the sagittarius people got it 😉
By: mimi on February 19, 2010
at 6:38 am
LOL! Oh, no, Mimi, they will soooooo not get it! I have this one (and only one) Sag friend, and when I make one of those backward ironic jokes, she’s always convinced I’m being stupid and looks down her nose in utter withering scorn and corrects me.
Like one time I was talking about how much I wish I had artistic talent, as my ability to draw is at about the level of stick figures. So I was making a pun, and I said I had Venus envy. And she tsked and said, dripping with scorn, “Donna, it’s PENIS envy.” Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 19, 2010
at 6:48 am
Gotta correct you, Donna. I’m a Sag and I totally got the joke! However maybe my Gemini Moon, Jupiter, and Ascendent had to explain it to my Sun.
By: Ellen Longo on February 19, 2010
at 7:06 am
that makes two of us, Ellen. 🙂
By: mimi on February 19, 2010
at 7:11 am
I stand corrected!! Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 19, 2010
at 12:54 pm
And then when I’m saying something in dead earnest, they laugh like crazy and I can’t fathom why it’s funny to them. It doesn’t make any difference whether it’s written or in person.
Welcome to my world. It’s always Opposite Day in Gemini Sun-, Moon-, Ascendant-, or stellium-Land.
By: lucywatchthesky on February 21, 2010
at 1:13 am
Is your friend not into astrology? Because I got Venus envy immediately and loved it:) And I’m a Sag …. Sag’s are good people too. I think I’ve even had Venus envy before when others seems to be loving the good life and all I was doing was work, work, working!
By: Karen on August 28, 2010
at 8:10 am
Donna, you inspired me to write a blog about my own 11th house, since I don’t have a stellium.
Oh, and I readily got the joke right away!
By: Nikki Neal on February 19, 2010
at 10:20 am
Donna, thanks for this great post. Putting one’s vulnerability out there for others to see is very scary. It almost makes me not want to comment.
I have a 4th house stellium with Sun, Venus, Mercury, and Vesta in intercepted Capricorn. I love to be at home and do most of my work and recreation there. But early home life was fraught with abuse and abandonment, and in true Capricorn fashion I was the scapegoat for my family’s deep-seated problems.
My stellium is also part of a T-Square with Pluto, Moon and Saturn, so I can’t hang the whole situation on the stellium. But suffice it say the physical home is where I was most vulnerable, when it is the place I should have been the most safe.
By: jc on February 19, 2010
at 11:47 am
That, Jeny, is real vulnerability! The remnants of such abuse and abandonment leave such residues in the body/mind at a cellular level that it’s hard to feel safe. Homeopathy is powerful, also HBLU (Healing from theBody Level Up) Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 19, 2010
at 1:03 pm
Such an amazing post and very courageous. I am sorry to hear about your friend and also have great empathy for your situation. I very much identify with the feeling of not really belonging. This was a very moving post. I am sure as others have said that your friend will know in her heart how much you are thinking of her and love her and I wish her a full recovery.
I have a stellium in the 9th house – Sun, Mercury, Venus, Saturn (oh and the North Node and MC nestled in there too!). Everything is in Aries apart from the Sun sitting a few minutes into Taurus. My whole life has been geared towards visionionary work, writing (I note Mimi’s comments above), dreams etc and I have a massive pull to live abroad (learning Portuguese as Portugal calls me!). Mercury also sits at the apex of a perfect to the degree yod with Uranus and Neptune. It’s as though everything is slinging itself towards 9th house matters! Reading this I feel like I want to investigate my stellium a lot more.
By: Lua Astrology on February 19, 2010
at 12:05 pm
Ah, yes… I am familiar with the “no family, no children, no mate” life style. I have no siblings, no children, my parents died years ago, as did my husband. I am what I refer to as a “solitary,” a person alone (but not a “solitary” s a type of meditating hermit). As a solitary, I, too, place an inordinate amount of reliance on friends. Such a demand on the friend relationship is often disastrous, as non-solitaries have “obligations” to others in their lives.
I don’t have any stelliums (stellia? Or is it “STELLA!!! ala the Streetcar…) per se in my chart, though I have clusters of planets and asteroids at varying degrees in the 2nd, 4th and 8th houses, while my 5th, 6th, 9th and 10th houses are all vacant. My Leo moon and Uranus occupy the 11th house depending on the house system. My Scorpio Sun resides alone in the 3rd house.
In 2006, I experienced a traumatic, abrupt and sudden end to an anamcara relationship. The sense of isolation was brutal, and lingering even now. That experience has made it difficult to imagine how to answer the current planetary, astrological heeding to find one’s tribe, to connect in community. And that block is amplified by the long-standing and pervasive exclusionary and divisive nature of our world now.
Ah, well, Donna, all we can do is continue to try to connect with those who locked in their own separate worlds as well as those who think the only connections they need are those prescribed by society – the connections of family and no others.
Always remember – that which doesn’t kill us will make us stronger. I think…
Jann
PS: I never did thank you and your friend for the great advice last July to use Magic Erasers when cleaning, in addition to my trick of the strategic use of bleach. So, thank you… and Mr. Clean.
By: Jann Kinz on February 20, 2010
at 8:29 am
It’s so poignant, the way you describe the life of a solitary. I do feel that way sometimes, and yet I also need the solitude for my work. It’s just that quality of sometimes being too much of a good thing. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 20, 2010
at 12:43 pm
hi Donna – lovely and touching post and I wish you and your friend well. I can relate to everything said here (I have Mars/Mercury/Pluto Stellium in late Virgo in 5th). I wonder if the intensity would be observed on a lesser level if the stellium spanned different decantes? That the transiting focus might disperse into very slight differing levels that could be re-inforced elsewhere in the chart?
By: Tony Vowles on February 20, 2010
at 2:01 pm
That’s a very interesting thought, Tony. I have never really studied the decanates, but you might want to seek out some of the older astrologers who’ve used it for years. The AFA crowd, for instance.
It’s possible that any difference in the effect might be due to the time lapse involved in transits when the planets in a stellium are widely dispersed. I have Uranus, Saturn and Venus in the first decanate of Gemini (Gemini/Gemini?) , but all close enough conjunctions that transits to them are quite close together in time. The fourth planet in the Stellium, Mercury, is in the 3rd decanate of Gemini (Gemini/Aquarius?). However, it is so far away from the first grouping that transits might be as much as 10 years apart. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 20, 2010
at 3:58 pm
Hallo, Donna!
Thank you very much for this post and for your confidence.
I’ll try to share what I feel
I have stellium (Moon, Mercury, Mars) in 11th with the Sun very close (2 degree and 27 minutes) to the cusp of it. I’m not strongly connected with my family. But I never have the friends I’d like to have, though I dreamed to live in the community (big or tiny) of like-minded people. The cusp of the 11th house is in the Cancer and I need friends with a deep feelings and deep views. And it extremely hard to find the profoundness I seek for.
All my life my stellium push me in quest of “the Holy Grail” or something like “individual contact with Highest Wisdom” (by F.Sakoyan definition of 11th H)
The very truth about my stellium is also in this quotation from Stephan Aroyo: “…Their search for intellectual security also leads them into vasr systems of though. The most effective way that a person with a strong 11th house can achieve the security he or she seeks is to establish a strong sense of individual purpose which not only fulfills his personal needs but also harmonizes with the needs of society as a whole”.
That is!
And through “being on Pluto” experience I was brought when my wife after 11 years of marriage left me for other man. It last for nearly a month but then a really new life had started. Much more interesting then previous 11 years!
Deilf
By: Deilf on February 20, 2010
at 3:45 pm
Hmm. That is interesting–it would seem that the 11th house stellium brings the yearning for like-minded souls but doesn’t necessarily produce them. I believe that had I stayed in my small rural home town, I would have been a very lonely (even ostracized) individual because I am so different. But because I went to New York City where you can find a community of people with the same interests you have, I enjoyed a great variety and cultural diversity of friends. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 20, 2010
at 4:02 pm
I live in the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, more then 23 years. I’ve met a big variety of people here, but I’ve not met a width of views and depth of inner experience I long for. Only separately – width without depth or depth but too narrow. I do my best to be not very exacting (particular) and I have some friends. But (alas!) not those I always dreamed about.
All my life I’ve worked in small groups. Those groups were groups of like-minded people. But in each of them I feel myself being detached from others. I think that Sun-Uranus square in my chart (and Venus-Saturn cohjunction) keeps me alone, though I long to dissolve in relationship (Dsc in Pices, Venus-Neptune quindechille).
Deilf
By: Deilf on February 21, 2010
at 2:15 pm
This sounds like one of those issues it takes us a lifetime to work through, Deilf. Difficult, though, to feel that lack of fulfillment over and over. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 21, 2010
at 3:22 pm
Thank you, Donna, for comments!
Yes, with my Jupiter retrograde in Capricorn in square to Pluto and quindechile to Saturn and MC it looks like it will take a lifetime to work through… Deilf
By: Deilf on February 24, 2010
at 5:41 am
Hi Donna,
I’ve only recently started reading your blog, but I thank you for sharing your courage and honesty here. I also want to thank the various readers who’ve also shared so much of their own insight into their lives. It’s very inspiring.
I have 2 stelliums (though, neither is tight in orb) in Libra/11th (Mars, Saturn, & Pluto) and Sag/1st (Moon & Uranus)/2nd (Neptune). I feel they’re very connected, though, as Sag and the 11th have a lot to do with politics while Libra insists on justice.
I relate a lot to LB and Nanette who’ve mentioned that our values really shape the relationships and close ties we form. As you have mentioned as well, with an 11th house emphasis, my friends (lovers included – maybe the Libra/11th house connection, especially with Mars and PLuto there) are my family.
I clash a lot with my family of origin (Moon conjunct Uranus both square IC) with regard to my view that family is a matter of choice rather than some type of law. I demand a lot from my friends and have a strong sense of loyalty (the Libra stellium/11th), though, I’m often conflicted as to which ideals my friendships should share, and I’m one to profess that “the personal is political” and vice versa.
I’ve had too many arguments with friends about our political beliefs, especially with regard to issues of social justice.
I don’t really see these pieces of my chart as acting somehow independently so I can’t really list certain planets as having their particular influence … in this case, I really see my 2 stelliums as deeply interconnected … maybe even a result of their rulers (Venus/Pisces/4th and Jupiter/Scorpio/12th), respectively) being in a very tight trine as well.
I’d say my intensity within my friendships (and lovers) also comes from the fact that I’m actively constructing a social network that in many ways is my very foundation (maybe the 11th house ruler being in my 4th house, almost exactly conjunct my IC).
My intensity and whether my friendships can handle it becomes a sort of test of fire of the actual sense of loyalty my friends have; I feel that underneath my fears of betrayal and manipulation by others is a sense of devotion, and I might put on a show to pretend that it’s easy for me to let go of people when the reality is that it’s far from the truth.
I see the Libra stellium of Mars, Pluto, and Saturn as the guardians of my Pisces IC/Venus.
My high ideals are also an expression of my Sag stellium (Moon/Uranus close conjunction sharing Sag with Neptune), and I demand a lot from politicians and authority figures (also an expression of Pluto conjunct Saturn & opposing a conjunction of Sun/Mercury) of any sort. I agree with Noam Chomsky who says if we are to give up our own power to any authority, the burden of proof should rest on authority.
As you can imagine, I also feel tremendous guilt (Saturn conjunct Pluto) if I don’t live up to my own politics … as will probably be always the case … I strive to live a life more congruent with my politics (Moon conjunct Uranus & Mars/11th sextile Uranus/1st – mutual house reception), but I’d say the closest any idea can get to reality or vice versa would look like an asymptotic relationship.
I apologize to anyone trying to follow this, but as I said before, I do feel a lot of these themes I mention come from both stelliums … and both stelliums include more than half of my chart. :p
Cheers,
Iconoclaste
By: Iconoclaste on February 23, 2010
at 3:08 am
Iconoclaste, so are you actually a politician? thanks for posting.
By: mimi on February 23, 2010
at 6:37 am
Hi Mimi,
Oh, no. I was involved in a lot of activist organizations from when I started college until the year right after graduation, but I’ve taken a break from that level of involvement for the past 3 years.
I’ll support whatever grassroots efforts on occasion now, but mostly try to keep myself informed while trying to live a lifestyle that is eco-friendly and aware of various social issues.
My lack of involvement now is actually a big source of guilt that I have, but I’m trying to see this as a “break” of sorts while I try to figure out what to do next. This reply, actually, is dripping with guilt. lol
best,
Iconoclaste
By: Iconoclaste on February 23, 2010
at 3:37 pm
Hope your friend gets better. My mother had pulmonary embolisms like that about three years back. She got better. I have moon and mercury in the 11th in Gemini – I know how important friends are.
By: Kate on February 23, 2010
at 6:29 pm
Hello! Great post~ just wondering – what orb do you use to define a stellium?
By: Kerrie on February 25, 2010
at 11:22 am
Hi, Kerrie. What I observe is that they don’t all have to be conjunct within, say, an 8 degree range, but they all string together and seem to work together, especially with a series of aspects from the same transiting planet. Let’s say that natal planet A is conjunct B but not really C or D, but B, C, and D are within range of one another. When they’re all being drawn into a shift by the same transiting planet, it’s kind of like a series of dominos.
To test whether they function as a unit or not, observe what it feels like over a period of months when the transiting Moon crosses them. I always had my beginning students follow that practice of observing what it felt like when the Moon crossed each of their planets as a way to really get to know their charts. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 25, 2010
at 11:38 am
Hi Donna — I hope I understood your request correctly, which was that we comment at the end of these popular posts as to why we think they elicited such a strong response.
I think people responded to this particular post because we can all empathize with the feelings you expressed; we’re all vulnerable to some extent, and in certain areas of our lives this is especially true. I think the fact that you shared your private feelings so openly, encouraged others to do the same – people were moved beyond their usual limits by a greater need to let you know that you weren’t alone. I think many (but not all) people are under the impression that it’s bad manners to leave anything more than brief, superficial comments, and that it’s particularly bad form to share anything of a deeply personal nature –unless of course, you have your own blog. Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think so.
By: LB on February 28, 2010
at 2:27 pm
Hello,
I just read this blog for the first time. I have a stellium of planets in Libra in my first house. My asc. is 25 deg of virgo with Mercury in conjunction at 27 deg. Then my stellium kicks off with my moon, venus, saturn, jupiter, and pluto all in a line. Pluto is directly on the cusp of the 2nd house. I am now going through my first saturn return, and pluto is squaring saturn, and uranus is conjunct my desc. and will opposing this stellium.
My life has always seemed to swirl around the issue of self vs. others. Independence vs. dependence. It’s hard to walk the fine line. The opposote house and sign issue has made it difficult to objectively understand the central issue(s). Now, however, I am looking back on my life and can see the stellium playing out. I have always been strongly influenced by others; their opinions, beliefs, styles etc. sometimes to the detriment of my own individuality. However, I have come along way in learning the value of myself, while still leaving some room for others. Relationships are still very difficult; I am still very influenced by them and feel like they are a threat to my individuality. At other times, it seems as if my life is always about other’s and not myself. Thank you for your post. I always have read such shallow and unimaginative things about stelliums. It’s nice to read the perspective of someone who actually has a stellium.
Thank you so much,
Amy Jo
By: amy jo on March 28, 2010
at 4:03 pm
Thank you, Amy Jo. Stelliums are quite profound. Do read the two follow-up posts on that one, because we got wonderful insights into stelliums in all 12 houses as people shared so deeply and honestly about their own experiences. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on March 28, 2010
at 5:17 pm
Oh Donna, reading this post made me cry. For you and for me. I have no idea whether a Pluto singleton in the 11th is anything like your stellium, but your post resonated so deeply with me. I have never before experienced anything so intense as the the feeling of complete aloneness, where a single soul cannot reach me. Until recently.
Death with betrayal and loneliness – no matter how logic can look at those feelings, they still exist in all their glory. And then you managed to publish your most private hurt on the internet. You have my complete respect. I’m so glad you’ve drawn me into your world. Thank you for everything.
By: tizereyes on March 30, 2010
at 8:05 am
You do get it, Tizer, and that means a lot. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on March 30, 2010
at 10:46 am
Oh my gosh, holy stellium. There are so many affected by one! I have a 10th house stellium, Pluto, Sun, Mercury and Mars. Saturn squares everything but Pluto from the 7th, and Jupiter squares the entire stellium from the 2nd. Uranus and Jupiter are transiting my fourth right now and opposing it, while Saturn sits right on top of it.
Boy howdy, how this stellium has been a MAJOR part of my life. I know many talk about the 10th house emphasis on career, but I think it’s important to note it is also the house of the father, so with a stellium here, one’s father has a huge impact, I think, on one’s life, and career. With Pluto there, my father was a Plutonian for sure also, but he lived out the darkest aspects of that. He was abusive, had a secret/dark life, and a public role, and we were bound to protecting his reputation, and not disclose his/our family secrets. He was a preacher with a giant shadow.
I have experienced much healing around that stellium and have been instrumental in breaking the silence in my family. I was the youngest of 10, and felt I came into that family to bring it all out, confront it squarely. (and nothing like Pluto squaring that stellium, planet by planet, to purge any remaining psychic debris!) Now there is a huge emphasis on career (saturn is conjuncting the stellium). My whole life I have felt such a strong sense of being here for a very specific purpose, to fulfill a mission.
It is very interesting to see how I am living out the higher frequencies of that Plutonian stellium, in contrast to my father’s shadow. While my father was hugely dysfunctional and abusive at home, he also served the poor and downtrodden, which I still hold as a value. (I really want to get ahold of my father’s chart, and see how it shows up).
I know my work is out in the world and in the public eye, but I have healed my relationship to power by experiencing it’s abuses, while also learning to carry it with integrity and impeccability, and not shy away from my own power. But it is empowerment, versus tyrannical power over others. With this stellium, I often find myself in the middle of situations where power is being abused, and I am the one to challenge it for those that can’t.
The lessons I learned from being powerless, have taught me great empathy toward others, and about how to be a powerful person in the world, but for the benefit of others. I am very much a fierce advocate for others now in the realm of human rights, and am making career goals to further that mission. Yet sometimes I feel other areas of my life lose out, so that I can fulfill that 10th house mission, which sometimes I grieve, but accept somehow. The greatest fear is missing the mission, and with Pluto there, it is, of course, an obsession 🙂
By: gracebound on April 7, 2010
at 9:35 am
Wow. Your comments about power are very insightful and helpful. I have Saturn/Neptune conjunct in the tenth – perhaps that explains my father’s deception and secrecy versus his persona which I became consicously aware of in a traumatic fashion during my Saturn return at age 30, when Pluto was also transiting my tenth house. I also have a Pluto/Moon conjunction in the 8th house, all in Leo. My father also has a Pluto/Moon conjunction in his chart, but I do not remember where (need to do his chart again as it was done a long time ago and long since misplaced). I don’t know if this makes sense, but I have always felt a strange identification with him that is extremely uncomfortable while at the same time not feeling any real connection with him at all! It’s like it is all on the subconscious level and very profound. I believe I have experienced his secret life at various times through dreams, thoughts, and fantasies that don’t seem to be my own and thus, have struggled with a sense of guilt by association – I feel like he pulled me into his world without my conscious knowledge or consent…only in the last ten years have I realized that I was violated by his world somehow…does any of this make any sense? Sigh…
By: Kelly on June 26, 2010
at 2:13 pm
It all sounds very difficult and disillusioning, Kelley. There’s an article on Saturn-Neptune aspects on this site that I think you’ll relate to, and don’t miss the comment section for that article, as people with that aspect shared very deeply about family issues that have affected them profoundly. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 26, 2010
at 3:39 pm
I read your post, and Pluto connections with a father are tough, no doubt. I realized at one point that I had a trauma bond to my father, even though I haven’t had a relationship with him in almost 20 years. And strong Pluto aspects seem to lend themselves to taking on guilt by association, or proximity, to someone dark. Only this last year have I felt myself starting to get free of that, and put it back where it belongs, on him. Survivor’s guilt seems to be another Plutonian reality sometimes…And 10th house issues, I have found, aren’t all about career, but can emphasize reputation and the father. My father had a split between his public/private persona, and as a family we were expected to protect his public persona, at great costs to ourselves. (My mother has a stellium in the 12th house in Cancer, and she was the secret keeper/enforcer in our family. 3 of the 4 planets in her stellium in the 12th are part of my stellium in the 10th. I blew open the secrets in a public way). Breaking silence has been a process, one I am still in. It seems to be a process of layers. It’s good to be realizing what you’re realizing. You can begin to get untangled from someone else’s power stuff. Best to you.
By: Gracebound on June 26, 2010
at 4:55 pm
Thank you Donna and Gracebound! I will visit the Saturn Neptune info, Donna. This issue is definitely hard to get clarity on!
By: Kelly on February 7, 2011
at 10:06 am
I also wanted to add on that 10th house Plutonian stellium, and having a preacher for a father, that I have come across an immense amount of Plutonian types who had preachers for fathers who then transmuted that power and energy (and often darkness) into a larger vision of protecting the environment (Julia Butterfly, John Muir), social reform (Dorothea Dix, Malcolm X), politics (Kenneth Kaunda, 1st president of Zambia)or it was the seed for their music career (Tori Amos who wrote the famous song, Why do I crucify myself every day? Nat King Cole, Aretha Franklin) or writing career (James Baldwin), or psychology (Carl Jung), philosophy (Neitzsche, who was a staunch critic of religion) or became preacher’s themselves of a more liberal variety (Jay Bakker, son of Jim and Tammy Fay, started an LGBT friendly Revolution Church)and then there is the musician Marvin Gay, who was murdered by his preacher father. Most had a tenth house or Plutonian emphasis, or both. Fascinating to look at what becomes of preacher’s kids, and their astrology…
By: gracebound on April 7, 2010
at 10:16 am
Thanks for that info about Marvin Gaye. And, as you say, his 10th house stellium is squared by Pluto.
By: nray on April 7, 2010
at 10:42 am
1st house Pluto square Saturn in the 10th, no less. They apparently had a power struggle at the end, and his shooting was considered manslaughter, not murder. My bad. But you know, I realized it’s Humor Month, and I’m doing my Plutonian thing over here, focusing on Marvin Gaye’s death!!! I am laughing out loud at myself right now. That IS the humor. (As one roommate once said when she saw my stack of trauma-drama movies I brought home from the video store, ‘When are you going to lighten the *@#* up?”) I think I might go to the humor page now…..
By: gracebound on April 7, 2010
at 12:42 pm
Thank you, Gracebound, for sharing about your Dad. Neptune/Saturn CAN signify a spirtual authority, but in worst cases, a spiritual authority who is a fraud, lacking in compassion where it counts, hiding the shadow side of Neptune behind the authority.
You know, in the midst of all this turmoil over the sexual abuse scandals in the Catholic Church that so many astrologers have been attributing to the transiting Saturn-Pluto square, we’re losing sight of the fact that a Neptune-Saturn aspect if forming in the sky as well. It’s the final quincunx/inconjunct between Neptune in Aquarius and Saturn in Virgo. Fabienne Lopez contributed an article on that transit on this blog last fall, and now it’s in range again from later this month to the end of July. (See it at https://skywriter.wordpress.com/2009/09/10/the-saturn-neptune-quincunx-and-its-part-in-our-economic-woes/.) Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on April 7, 2010
at 3:46 pm
Wow. I have Pluto transiting first and squaring 10th house Saturn and Neptune and transiting Saturn conjunct 10th. Also squaring Uranus transit of empty 4th house, opposing 7th house stellium.
I keep wanting to become an astrologer, at this point for survival!
By: Kelly on February 7, 2011
at 10:17 am
Hi, I’m sorry about what is happening with your friend. That is terrible. I’ve found that friends are family just as much as blood relatives can be, and in moments when we might lose them it is just as devastating.
I found this site a little while ago and honestly know very little about astrology at this point. But when I got my chart done a few years ago it was surprising to me that I had 5 planets in Capricorn (venus, mars, saturn, uranus, neptune), all with at least one conjunction to another (venus conjunct mars and saturn, mars conjunct saturn and neptune, saturn conjunct neptune, uranus conjunct neptune…). I don’t really know what this means about me, but I’ve never felt very capricorn.
However I’m a pisces sun, so I always attributed certain emotional aspects of myself (depression and escapism) to that. Although I took the outer planet tests and my scores for pluto and neptune were really high, along with saturn which was ridiculous, go figure. Perhaps I’m just very neptunian?
I identify pretty highly with all of the signs I express (Libra rising, fish sun, Taurean moon, Aquarius mercury) but my stellium is in the third and fourth houses and I read that the fourth house can sometimes be deeply hidden. I do not know.
However, I believe that my stellium has made me feel the need to communicate and understand people, essentially all the more human parts behind played out falsities and the sort of crap you have to get past to know someone (uranus and neptune in the third). Whether or not that is true I have had friends and intimacies with people from backgrounds and lives very different than my own, and it has often been difficult because I’m very devoted, but I’ve found I grew a lot with each and seek out the freaks and sufferers because I get them, I guess. It opens me.
In terms of communication right now I’m in university studying languages, because it turns out I’m pretty good at picking them up…perhaps the capricorn influence? I have read that capricorns are pretty traditionally minded but I never was, and still I am more interested in revolutionizing than stagnating. I think that’s part of the capricorn deal though because Annie Lennox and Patti Smith are both capricorns and don’t seem to follow anything but themselves.
With my venus, mars, and saturn (mars and saturn 1 degree apart) in my forth house, I suppose I should be more home and family oriented, and perhaps history inclined, but I’m not in the sense that seems to be the assumption of the 4th house. I do not identify with a home, actually, I’ve always felt that wherever I went there was part of me to find there, and if I was there and here and other places, my heart couldn’t be in just one. My family is a group of incredible people who I love and cherish, but I don’t feel that blood-close with any of them except my sista. They are spread all over the place, maybe that’s why home is everywhere, and my parents are both too intellectual for me to have ever identified that easily on levels other than the mind.
Could have to do with being heavily capricorn. The being overly responsible at a young age thing was definitely in me. I’m 20 now and doing my thing 1000 miles away from everyone I grew up with, which is great because my family home wasn’t home, ever. Despite my denial of any rooting attempts, I do like to create beautiful and loving temporary homes. I just get restless and need to go after a year or so. Explore the world or something. Interestingly my jupiter, chiron, and MC are all in cancer, the opposite sign, in the 9th. Maybe it’s balancing the home desire with desire for travel, so soulfully I recognize every new city as home in some way.
I can’t do any better then this though. I should further educate myself in the planets. I hope that your friend will get better or has gotten better since you wrote this post! Thanks for writing it, even though it must have been so hard, it is the best article I’ve read on stelliums and pretty much the only one which helped me understand how to look at my own through my eyes.
A thought I just had…probably there is no relation but someone who once mattered very much to me, a childhood friend, was killed a few years ago and I found it very hard to communicate about it. In fact I still don’t really talk about the people in my life who have died and their families, who I knew sometimes better, but what did help was writing about it. I wrote a lot about her, and about the harsh things I was seeing then (saturn transit??), maybe I was falling back on my third house. But that was when my concept of home changed quite significantly. How can you come home to something that should be but isn’t and can’t be anymore? How can that be home? It just seems too much like betrayal. Enough of that though.
Your site is really cool, the insights are great and I’ve come to a few astrology websites but none are as personal as yours. It helps because I find it hard to relate on superficial levels, and for others like me who are emotional and experience minded, it’s good that someone is writing from a real place about more abstract things… it has certainly unhazed some things for me.
By: robyn on April 8, 2010
at 9:13 am
HI, Robyn, so glad you wrote. You were born, I gather, in the late 1980s to early 1990s in a very special interval when Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn were close together in Capricorn. Those who were born then and who also had some of the inner planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury or Venus) in Capricorn had huge stelliums in that sign.
You’ll find out much more about yourself as you go deeper into astrology, but the major thing to know is that you are much more influenced by those outer planets (Uranus, Neptune) than necessarily by the sign Capricorn. Study up on Uranus and Neptune and you’ll find much to identify with–lots of articles on those two planets on this blog. But realize that astrologers are only slowly getting to know what your very special generation is about. Donna
PS. Things are fine between my friend and I. She is very slowly recovering, but it’s a long way back.
By: Donna Cunningham on April 8, 2010
at 1:19 pm
Hello Donna!
I hope your friend recovers fully.
I have two stelliums in my natal horoscope, one in Virgo in the 3rd house (Moon/Mars/Uranus/Pluto) and the other one opposites it from Pisces in the 9th house (Sun/Venus/Saturn/Chiron).
Yes, analyzing communication is very important for me. My siblings (I’ve five siblings!) are very important for me, too. We have strong bounds to each other as we all have powerful 3rd houses but we do have times of difficulties, too. And those times are really DIFFICULT!
Right now, I have Saturn transiting through my 3rd house, and Uranus transits through my 9th house. During the last years we have had some issues, again. Both of these transits just got to the point where they don’t touch any of the planets of the stelliums any more. I thought I would feel a relief but no, on these very days there was, and still is, an ISSUE again.
I left my home country over 20 years ago. It was my own free will decision. I had often a feeling like I am excluded from my siblings, not only since I live abroad, already as a child I had this feeling of being out of space (thanks, Donna, you made me actually understand where it comes from!) Anyway, no matter how well I understand where these feelings of not belonging to or being excluded come from, it does hurt. And I believe it is a life time job to face these feelings and to learn to live with them. Every single time I thought I learned it now and the next time it hits me I find I’m starting all over again. I do believe that I learn every time a little bit but will I ever be master of these feelings? Don’t think so.
Donna, you make me laugh – I’m very good at entertaining myself, too 🙂 This is where my 9th house stellium starts to work with triple power.
Thanks for this very personal post. I wish you strength at this difficult time, Donna.
By: Jaana on April 18, 2010
at 1:04 am
Thanks so much for sharing that about your 3rd house stellium, Jaana! How very convoluted–and important–those relationships with your siblings must be. (You must be born in 1966-67.) There’s an article here that talks about the 3rd house moon: https://skywriter.wordpress.com/2010/02/13/things-you-may-not-know-about-the-3rd-and-12th-houses/ Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on April 18, 2010
at 4:42 am
I was born in 1965.
Althoug the relationships with my siblings are sometimes very exhausting they still are very very important for me. And I think I would always forgive them, no matter what.
Saturn is a far part of the Pisces stellium but I feel it works through the Virgo stellium quite a lot. I always experience that if one thing changes that changes everything in my life. Rulers of all other houses but 3rd and 9th are parts of the stelliums and those stelliums are in the 3rd and the 9th houses. So I pet that’s no wonder there are never tiny little changes in my life but huge total turns like everything would be from one day to other totally upside down.
Thanks for the interesting link!
By: Jaana on April 18, 2010
at 5:57 am
Donna, I’m a newcomer to your site but a longtime fan of yours. What a great community you’ve gathered, and thanks for telling your story so frankly and honestly.
Myself, I’m at a loss with my Virgo stellium (Venus Retrograde conjunct Uranus and Pluto in the 7th, with Moon in Libra thrown in for good measure). What’s more (worse?), Mars in Scorpio in the 8th is sextile Venus and both are inconjunct Saturn Retrograde in Aries in the 1st creating a lovely Yod which boomerangs to the Moon opposite Saturn. House 11, as well as Houses 3, 4, 9, 10 and 12 are empty.
So, most of my energy seems fruitlessly tied up in House 7. I largely feel as though I’m at other people’s mercy most of the time. The cure, such as it is, has been Old Taskmaster Saturn in House 1 who painfully taught me to be self-sufficient.(Ascendant is actually Pisces, not Aries, so there’s also a little war going on over in the 1st). It hasn’t been pleasant getting to this stage but Saturn turned out to be my friend. Who’d have thought?
By: Will on April 18, 2010
at 12:35 pm
Thanks for telling us how that 7th house stellium works, Will. It sounds like you’ve learned to use Saturn well for balance. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on April 18, 2010
at 1:29 pm
Will, I want to talk astrology speak like you and Donna! I also have Saturn in the 1st house and have to agree wholeheartedly that Saturn makes you learn to be self sufficient and not to rely on others. I never thought of it that way, so thanks for my aha moment today!
Nanette
By: Nanette on April 18, 2010
at 1:56 pm
I have Mars in 1st opposite my 7th house stellium which i think helps me balance my focus on others with a self preservation bottom line.
By: Kelly on February 7, 2011
at 10:22 am
Good interpretation, Kelley! Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 7, 2011
at 11:03 am
Hi donna, i only read the begining of your article but please dont take it personally as i was crying before hand and i just have no focus right now. im sorry to hear about your friend though,
i found your website because i was looking for help concerning my intense 12th house stellium in my solar return chart, i have the sun, venus, chiron, neptune, and jupiter there. if you count lilith, i got that too. all planets are in aquarius, jupiter in pisces.
i cant focus. i cant talk about anything else at the moment except how alone i feel. i feel like there are walls closing in on me. i have friends but everything is locked inside of me. i broke down in front of my mom today. i cant explain to her what im going through. anyway i just started getting into astrology a few months ago… so i know basically about the houses and the signs and a little about the aspects but i still havent gotten the hang of identifying the specifics. i guess that stuff just comes with experience which i dont have…
um i just want some help with what should i do to ease this pain. i know i should probably get some therapy or talkto someone but im a broke 19 yr old and i couldnt bring myself to ask my mom for that today, even though i know she would do anything for me in a heartbeat.. they dont call it the house of self undoing for nothing huh… p.s. some small stuff ive done is meditate, focusing solely on grounding myself because within the first few times i tried meditation i become lightheaded and dizzy, my head is really in the clouds…
some insight i can offer about the 12th house:
extreme sensitivity to others moods, to the point where i can feel the physical sensations of someone who is standing close to me. in a group i noticed i unconsciously stand next to the most relaxed person, to the point where i keep repositioning myself so i dont seem like a weirdo (blame it on my libra moon/ aquarius sun). so i just end up standing/sitting as far as possible.. venus conjuct neptune i believe makes me very delusional in my relationships.. i am at best a tragically self sacrificing martyr, and at worst a savior wanting to “heal” everyone.
ok im sure we all get the point now lol.
by far, the hardest part of this aspect is the intense empathy that accompanies it. i am literally a psychic sponge. if someone is nervous, i get nervous. my friend told me about a happy dream, i got intense visions and felt her joy. its okay when its nice, but i can feel the bad emotions more, and i often change the subject when someon talks about “how scared they were”. avoiding people who are especially difficult comes naturally, in fact i avoid EVERYONE it seems. i really want to reach out because i know this is not healthy for me at all, i just want to feel alright, so that i can get through this unscathed as soon as possible. what can i do to protect myself from this awfully draining influence?
By: vah on April 21, 2010
at 7:37 pm
I am sorry you are going through such pain, Vah. It sounds like you are an extreme empath and wide open psychically at present. Read the comment sections of my recent posts about Neptune, and you’ll find ideas about how to shield yourself from soaking up too much ofothers pain. You do need to give to yourself the right to seek help and let your Mom help you pay for it.
As a temporary measure, so you can mobilize yourself to get the help you need, I’d recommend you look at the articles on this site about the Bach flower remedy, Sweet Chestnut, which is available at most health food stores and is for “the dark night of the soul”. I’ve taken it a number of times when I was in a very bad place and also have seen its impact on lots of people, and it shifts a person’s outlook enough in just a few days that they can allow themselves to get the help they need. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on April 22, 2010
at 1:53 am
thank you for your reply, i did check out the articles on neptune and found some interesting things about setting boundaries. i tried it out today more or less at a birthday gathering with a lot of people, and i noticed a definite improvement. i could relax and just sit comfortably, of course everyone there is already relaxed i suppose, but i kept my “psychic shield” up just in case. (i tried the boat visualization).
more importantly the articles concerning setting boundaries within relationships really opened my eyes to some of the reasons why i am so “open” at the time. im basically holding the door open for certain people, and of course everything else gets through that portal..
i feel bad that i only wrote about the negative stuff but i trust everyone to take what they read with a grain of salt because there is of course a lot of very positive aspects of my stellium. (also feel bad about adding fuel to the fire concerning the 12th house)
i have noticed, lotssss of dreams, helpful in figuring out my true feelings on a situation, a release of emotions which are only overwhelming because ive suppressed them for a while or just denied that they existed, but emotions are of course essential and so increased awareness of them, which i really do need (im getting a crash course in feeling)
intuition intuition intution,
and another thing is this whole world of spirituality opening up to me, or better put the true nature of everything. i can just see how everything is truly connected in such a great way. and not just that it makes sense intellectually, i just know, i can feel how connected we all are and its just beautiful. blah i dont like talking about it cause i cant explain it right.
ahh okay i talk wayy too much at once! mars in gemini, ok enough!
By: vah on April 24, 2010
at 12:52 am
Vah, That’s terrific that you’re learning so much about spirituality so quickly–soaking it up and getting the insights you need. Just hang in there and it will begin to make sense how it is all connected. That’s one of the strengths of Gemini–to make connections between things that aren’t obviously connected…transferability of knowledge and skills. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on April 24, 2010
at 12:58 am
my second comment, since the first one was about my solar return. i have a 6th house stellium in capricorn, mercury, saturn, uranus, neptune, and north node. im only 19, so im preparing for a life of illness and disease..
im just kidding lol.
By: vah on April 21, 2010
at 8:27 pm
hey Vah, don’t worry about that 6th house stellium. I have one too, and while i have had my share of problems, it has not been serious disease, but things that I can manage by exercise, good eating and generally taking care of myself.
I’m a 58 year old woman and I can do pushups and ride a bike back and forth to work up and down hills. I’m pretty fit.
When I was 19, I was clueless. you’re way ahead of me, good luck.
By: mimi on April 22, 2010
at 5:40 am
thanks for the good advice mimi. i wish i could just balance on a bike!
i was giving it some thought and yeah your right. ive always had an interest in eating healthy and stuff like that so it makes sense, and im most comfortable when i have a specific routine, which is why ive always liked school. a definite plus! 🙂
By: vah on April 22, 2010
at 4:22 pm
Hi Donna; Here is my stellium:
There are three planets in my 4th house:
Sun in the Fourth House 4th hs
Moon in the Fourth House 4th hs
Neptune in the Fourth House 4th hs
I don’t know what this signifies, but I do know that home life has always been challenging with a truly difficult sibling, but adoring parents. I have been left alone by my sibling to handle my Fathers death in 2002 and I live with my elderly mother now, there to help her through her end of life experience.
I have always wanted a home-based business, but have not yet hit upon the best thing to make that happen…
Any insights would be much appreciated.
Thanks!
By: nanncoo on April 26, 2010
at 9:39 am
Wow,with the Sun and Moon both in the 4th, you are surely all about the home and family. There ought to be a home-based business for you, but without seeing and analyzing the chart, it would be hard to get a picture of what it would be. (AND I am retired from doing charts.) I’d say 1)look at the sign the Sun, Moon, and Neptune are in and 2)think about Neptune-related lines of work. If you’re not too burned out, you might provide care in your home for a child or elderly person. Or, perhaps it is along the lines of psychic/intuitive counseling. Or something artistic/creative. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on April 26, 2010
at 2:37 pm
hello, Donna!
my stellium is quite heavy – Sun, Moon, Saturn, Neptune AND Uranus on Capricorn, 6th house. six conjunctions altogether (including the Venus-Neptune on the cusp of Saggitarius). i can put my heart and soul into work, be very serious and dedicated, and come up with intrincated shit. at the same time, i have to be sure my work is very very important. but recently i’ve been going through a major transformation on what i feel is worthy of my efforts, so it’s all a mess. i pay too much attention to detail, in bad times this means i get sickly obsessed with a thought, a person, a situation, cling to past events and ideas, i keep locking myself up on security patterns that get in the way of new experiences (even renewing old relations!). you know that feeling of talking and talking over the same stuff all the time? every conversation seems the same, even if the words are different? i’ve been living on low energy, can’t push myself forward, i feel as if i was chained down to LOTS of stones… my mind is so stuck it seems empty. and when i get tired of all that crap, i realize i’m just a young, lonely, bitter and lazy person, who is uncapable of letting things go and enjoying the moment, doing my chores joyfully and being nice and open to others – so i beat myself up with self-depreciating inner comments, which drag me further down the pit and increase isolation…
i haven’t figured out yet what am i supposed to do to restore balance, time goes by and puff, i’m still here, still the same, still still. oh well.
By: beatrixmiranda on August 6, 2010
at 8:43 pm
Hello, Beatrix, you are part of a generation of young people born with Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn all conjunct in Capricorn, and many, like you, with faster moving planets as well. It is certainly a complex combination (stellium, they call it) and will take many years to figure out how to use it well. The limitations placed on your group by the changing economy play into it as well–Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn have to do with societal condtions. It’s a very tough thing to figure out, but stick around, as I think astrology can help. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on August 15, 2010
at 1:10 pm
Do any of you readers have a stellium in one of the houses of your birth chart?
Yes, I do. I have sun,mercury,mars in scorpio in my intercepted 5th house(libra). I also have my North Node and Uranus in scorpio in my 5th house.
What part of it is the joy of your life?
It seems to bring romance and creativity into my life. I feel a kind of need to experience life and to help other people do the same thing. To me, we go through life with so much anger and disappointment, we’re living lives we hate, around people we hate,while working at jobs we hate or we think we have to base our lives on. I think it’s a waste of life, in my opinion. I think we should find ways to work jobs we love and do things we love and see the beauty that’s around us or we should try to make it beautiful if it’s not.
I’ve also found the creative/artistic part of me that was locked away and unable to express itself over the last 5 or so years and I see the world in a whole new and better light. I couldn’t see it before.
And what part creates a terrible vulnerability when push comes to shove?
It seems to be that it’s denied me having children. I’ve always wanted children and I no matter what, life seems to deny me that. It may give me problems with my relationships and my self expression,creativity and sense of identity. I’m not sure though.
Have you ever had a meltdown in that area of life, and what was it like?
I don’t know how to answer that to be honest.
How did you help yourself come back from it?
As far as wanting children. There’s still a part of me that hopes.
As far as self expression,creativity and identity, I’m working on it right now.=-)
By: Robin on August 23, 2010
at 12:48 pm
Hi Robin, I have already left a comment regarding the trouble part of my stellium, but never thought of the good part of it. So, even though I have had it tough financially most of my life, my stellium has seen to it that I always had what I need to take care of the responsibilities life has handed me, (raising 3 grandchildren on a limited income for the past 12 1/2 years) and has handed me some of the things I have wanted! So, I can honestly say, that when I always thought we had nothing, we always had food, a roof over our heads, and some type of income, to get us through. We could have easily been one of those families that have lost it all! So I am greatful for that stellium. (It is in my second house!)
By: Nanette on August 25, 2010
at 7:23 am
Hi Nanette,=-)
I think that’s wonderful that you’re trying to see the good parts of your stellium influence.
It’s true, we can look around us and see all those other people who have so little, while there are those who have so much materially and take it for granted.
It’s a beautiful thing, that you’re aware enough to be grateful for all the good things that you’ve recieved and the gifts that you’ve been blessed with within yourself. =-D
I’m happy for you, that you’ve been able to do well, even while raising 3 grandchildren(that’s brave in itself)=-).
Thank you for very much for sharing with me.
You’re words are inspiring.
By: Robin on August 25, 2010
at 1:27 pm
Hi Donna,
I have a stellium in the 7th (moon, pluto, uranus) and in the 10th (sun, mercury, jupiter, with mars conj MC in the 9th) and have often felt my life has always been just all about work and relationships.
As for the vulnerability piece, I totally agree. I had a 15 year career with a worldwide corporation and when I got let go from the company 2 months before my 40 birthday, very few people understood how devastating that was to me. My ex-husband said, “Just go get another job.” But I felt like I had been raised at that company and literally ‘bled it’ so to speak. It took me years to emotionally recover from it. For the past 7 years I’ve built up another career in a different area of business, but just got laid off this past March. While it wasn’t as painful as the first time, it’s very hard for a 10th house sun to deal with.
As far as the 7th goes, I’ve always felt the 7th represents all important intimate relationships, so I’ve included my best friends as 7th housers. As far as romantic relationships, I’m a serial monogamist and have had 4 major relationships in my life. Have only been married once thus far; got divorced 8 years ago after finding out that my husband had been cheating a la Tiger Woods. That betrayal and failure affected me deeply because I haven’t really had a significant relationship since.
So what do you do when you have no job/career and have no primary relationship and 6 of your 10 planets live there? Start over by focusing on yourself and figuring it out the best you can is what I’ve come up with. But I do have BFFs (one I’ve known 22 years and the other 10 years) who I consider ‘intimates’ upon whom I rely for emotional support and to whom I provide a lot of emotional support.
Sometimes I wonder if strong Plutonian types just have to burn it all to the ground to rebuild it better … to get to the dove, so to speak.
I don’t know … I thank God for leading me to yoga after this past lay off because it’s the only thing that has kept me sane. That, my friends and the belief that it can’t all be for naught. I continue to have hope, faith and love but I absolutely agree that while stelliums can be a major strength, they can also be a major liability when the going gets rough. But, I now believe that our greatest strengths are also our greatest weaknesses. e.g., I’m a good communicator but I talk too much. Mercury in Sag, I can keep up w/ my Gemini mother like no tomorrow:)
I’m glad to hear that your friend is recovering and that you’re working through the pain of not being considered family. I consider my very close friends family; they’re often nicer to us and more support of us evolving than our real biological families are.
Namaste,
Karen
By: Karen on August 28, 2010
at 7:59 am
My 3rd House Stellium make’s my Mind work like lightning. Granted the Scorpio Planets are intense, but have learnt to use Writing, especially Poetry as a way of expression. I do try to use a lot of Humour, that I would not have done when was younger.
Locally where I Live, there is a lot of Paranoia from Neighbour’s. So I turned an intense situation, into a Humourous Poem about where we live.
Some Neighbour’s thought it was brilliant, and asked me to send it in for Publication to the Landlord’s Magazine. So I did.
When I got back from a trip last Year. I recieved a Letter from the Landlord’s Organisation, saying they had made a note of my list of complaints. I thought what the heck?
Anyway the Maintenence Officer came around, and said he had read my Prose, and could see the funny side of it, but he told me, not many in his Organisation had a sense of humour. He apologised to me for the misunderstanding.
It never was put into the local Magazine by them.
For me it was using those Scorpio Planets and Neptune, into alleviating symptoms.
I have found laughter with my Stellium to be the best remedy, despite how intense a situation might appear.
By: Peter on September 17, 2010
at 4:51 am
Good use of your 3rd house energy! I have Mars in the 3rd and I’m usually getting into trouble with my neighbours about my pets!
By: nray on September 17, 2010
at 9:47 am
Hi Nray,
I’ve seen a lot of Pet problems around here. Not the Animal’s, but to do with the Neighbour’s who are after their own Pound of Flesh.
Too bad you can’t toss them a few Dog Biscuit’s, and maybe that’ll come em down. 🙂
I have Mars in my 3rd too, but try to avoid what’s around me, because they are not worth the energy. A few of my Neighbour’s feed off negativity. It provides them with nourishment.
I do understand your circumstances though, and sympathise.
By: Peter on September 17, 2010
at 10:32 am
Thank you, Peter. I’m being very polite and cooperative about this. But it strains one’s credulity that grown kids can be scared of a little cat and their parents are encouraging this fear!
By: nray on September 17, 2010
at 10:40 am
Another thing I do with my 3rd House Stellium, is, I’m a keen Cyclist. With Venus, Mars and Jupiter, in Scorpio, plus Neptune in Conjunction in early Sag, I needed a physical outlet for all that energy.
I took up Cycling 6 Years, and even though I went up and over the Handlebars back in 2004, and broke my left Clavical. I got back on my Bike Six Month’s later, after I had mended.
Living in Mid Wales, which is one of the most rural parts of the UK, I have got wide open spaces all around me, as far as the Eye can see.
I live on the Coast, but within minutes, I have left Cardigan Bay behind me, and am heading up into the Hill’s.
I did a 40 Mile Cycle a few Week’s back, up into North Wales.
So I try to get the best out of my 3rd House emphasis.
I was in London last Month where I am from originally. I saw Cyclists out and about, and thought all that Traffic would drive me Nuts nowadays. 🙂
By: Peter on September 18, 2010
at 4:17 am
Hi Donna,
I’ve got a five planets stellium in the 12th house (end of libra, last three-four planets are within 10deg. from the ascendant): venus, the sun, saturn, the moon and pluto.
My life has changed tremendously in the past two years. Apparently it has been for the worse…when I was younger (i’m 28 now), I invested enormous amount of my energy in one direction: it happened to be study (as I hear it’s a 9th house affair). In any case as I was advancing towards my degree and- inherently for my results- towards the high side of the professional world, I started claiming or needing more and more freedom for myself.
On a personal level, the immediate effects were great: I was deeply happy, I was free. However switching that energy from ‘the structure’ of the university or of professional organizations into something as vague as ‘the inner ground’ had tremendous consequences…at first at least (but I haven’t yet overcome that first phase). What I had built for the outside came crashing down: it was that sort of a ‘it’s either us or them’ situation. And ‘them’ wasn’t really anybody- just a passive state of meditation. But then again ‘us’ became increasingly meaningless for me- my transformation in that regard was almost chemical (and seemingly irreversible)- I just couldn’t do it anymore, I was a different person, I had dramatically lost interest for the academic/professional system of thought and action- and paths to compromise were all fake.
So, what happens when switching direction and life options in a stellium setting? when you’re not pushed by the world, but quite the opposite- with an equally great and legitimate force? Mind blowing, dramatic and not nearly over.
(By the way, I am not aware of any transits that have triggered this process).
mos
By: mos on October 31, 2010
at 6:17 am
Hi, Mos, sounds like you’re nibbling on both sides of the mushroom. (Remember Alice in Wonderland–one side of the mushroom made her very tiny; the other side made her too tall, until she finally got it just right.) You’ll get to the place of being authentic and comfortable, don’t worry. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on October 31, 2010
at 2:07 pm
Hi Donna,
I love your blog. Thank you so much for all the priceless sharing and giving that you do for all your readers on a continual basis!
I really am quite a novice at astrology, and was wondering if I could get some input (even a sentence or two) as to what a stellium in the 8th house could mean to one’s life in general. I really am clueless about all of this, and would be greatful for some insight into something that has been on my mind for quite sometime now.
I have the Sun, Mercury, Pluto and Uranus all in the 8th house, in Virgo. My Midhaven is also in Scorpio. Is this considered a stellium? If so, what do I need to be aware of? Is there any recommended reading you might suggest for me to follow up on?
Thanks, Donna. I truly appreciate your time. Happy 2011 too!!!
Sincere Regards,
Claudia~
By: Claudia on January 2, 2011
at 3:40 pm
You do indeed have a stellium in Virgo and in the 8th house with lots of potential. Use the search engine on this site and look for articles here on the 8th house, on Mercury-Pluto aspects, and on the Uranus-Pluto conjunction. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on January 3, 2011
at 2:21 am
Hi Donna,
Just discovered this blog. I don’t have a stellium. But all the answers to the blog have been so helpful. And I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the books you have written. I was abused as a child, did not talk about it ever to any one until I was 50 then decided to heal my self and get rid of all the negative “talk” in my head. Your books were the first step to this healing. Then followed some therapy then I was able to talk about it. Even to tell some members of my family. Some of the family didn’t believe me but the intense reading I had done and counseling had already prepared me for that event. I met these objections with the understanding that these particular family members were reacting from their own sense of insecurity. And I was able to let it go although at first I was hurt that they did not believe me.
Just wanted to thank you Donna for the beautiful work you are doing. I am 73 now and have to say I am a very happy person. It isn’t some one that makes us happy it is our acceptance of our self.
Have learned so much about Astrology from this blog and from all the people who have been sharing their experiences.
Darlene
By: Darlene on February 7, 2011
at 11:56 pm
How wonderful to hear that Healing Pluto Problems helped you so much. I know the healing process can be a very difficult and draining life process, but I am so glad to know the long-term effects have been happiness. Thank you for sharing it. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 8, 2011
at 5:09 am
Hi Donna. I was planning on reading without much comment but this post (and your pain) called to me. Even though it was a year ago, the words are present for me. I hope your friend is well now.
I can relate to your fear of being exposed for being too dependent (on your friends), not wanting to share what feels too personal (strange that you wouldn’t want to share what’s in your 11th house…is this house somehow connected to the 8th, 12th or Pluto?) and your blog rules for sharing. So many times, I have left a post in draft form because the writing is cathartic enough without me actually having to share it (my Mercury in the 8th is part of a stellium). Sometimes, I force myself to share it by scheduling the publish date to sometime in the future when I feel that the moment of fear will have passed.
I don’t have an occupied 11th house like you (wow, 4 planets in Gemini!), but the ruler of my 11th house is Venus (Gemini) and it’s in the 7th house. I wrote a post about how when my friends get married or involved in a committed romantic relationship, it feels like we become divorced. I’m faced with the knowledge that I’ve been thinking of myself as my friend’s mate. If you feel embarrassed about feeling that your friends are your family, then I know you can imagine how embarrassing it is to realize at the church that you’re jealous of/angry at your friend’s mate for taking your friend away.
I can also relate to your feeling that your friends are your family and how you’ve kept that a secret from yourself. My Moon is conjunct Uranus in Scorpio in the 12th. My friends were/are there for me emotionally when my mom wasn’t/isn’t/can’t be. So when they get married, it feels like a death. Last year, I “joked” (my 8th house stellium isn’t really joking) about wearing black to my friend’s wedding…and I did because I dress according to my mood. It was a summer wedding. Although it was painful, I have become less emotionally dependent on my friends since then…and am learning the lesson of truly being single. As you know, it’s hard to be single with so much Gemini energy in the chart. We’re built to have a twin! 🙂
I write this to thank you for sharing such a personal experience with us. I’m so glad that I’ve committed to learning more about astrology (and you and your readers) from your blog.
By: Jara on February 8, 2011
at 8:33 am
Thanks, Jara–sounds like you share the trepidation at writing about such emotional issues in a blog. I’ve gotten better about it, seldom want to toss a post in the trash. My friend had a very long way back from her Near Death Experience, and has only recently gotten off oxygen altogether. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 8, 2011
at 12:45 pm
You’re welcome. That’s wonderful news about your friend! Although it’s been a long journey for her to breathe unaccompanied, all progress is a miracle. I’ll send some positive thoughts her way for her continued recovery.
I do share your trepidation, but I’m not quite where you are in hitting “publish”, yet. I have Mercury-“stoppers”. How did you become less afraid to trash a post?
By the way, I’m looking into getting some California Flower Essences based on your suggestions. Some vervain is on my shopping list.
By: Jara on February 10, 2011
at 8:59 am
What I meant is that when I write something terribly personal like this post, I agonize over publishing it at all, then make myself do it (being more self-revealing is one of my goals for this blog), and then spend much of the day wanting to go back and put it in the trash. I don’t have any trouble trashing posts that are no longer relevant.
Vervain is very calming, and it especially helps Uranian/Aquarian types when they get wound up…like about things that aren’t “fair”. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 10, 2011
at 9:34 am
Novice at Astrology and trying to understand my birth chart and all its aspects and configurations… etc. I have an 8th house stellium… Sun, Mercury, Jupiter, Uranus, Pluto and the point, not a planet… Part of Fortune.
I suppose that’s why I’m into Astrology and all of the mystery school ‘stuff’. I’m so completely absorbed into the ‘hidden’ so I guess that’s how some of that gets worked out.
I want to find so much more on the 8th house stellium to study.
Thanks for sharing. Bless your heart and all of the pain you’ve experienced.
~”The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain…” – Kahlil Gibran
By: Sheila on February 12, 2011
at 8:14 am
Hi, Sheila, you’re going to learn a lot about yourself and others in your astrological studies. There are many articles about the 8th house here on Skywriter. Start with https://skywriter.wordpress.com/2010/12/04/readers-ask-qa-about-the-8th-house/ and https://skywriter.wordpress.com/2011/02/01/everything-you-ever-wondered-about-the-8th-house%e2%80%a6/ and also use the search engine at the top of the right hand column. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on February 12, 2011
at 8:29 am
I hope your friend gets better.
Personally with a stellium in 8th house, I think the worst thing is that when the hard transits come around (Saturn/etc), many things go wrong for an extended time. It’s often disasters after disasters without much help at all. Sometimes I wonder whether I have too little faith in God or God have too much faith in me being able to handle these consecutive Saturn tests.
By: Nathan on February 15, 2011
at 12:26 pm
My stellium is in mid Libra through mid Scorpio and starts in the 11th and jams the 12th through my Scorpio Asc. Saturn is hitting the early end of it and Neptune/Chiron are trining the middle. Many friendships have evolved/shifted, and I now work 30 plus hours a week for a faith based social service agency. I got the job through my Libra friend; her Sun sits on my node Node. I actually have two part time jobs in legal and educational support. North Node/Mercury/Moon in Libra conjunct Neptune/Jupiter/ Asc in Scorpio. Work means less time to fritter away on those agonizing Libran niceties. Less judgment of others, lots of seminars on relating, kids, spirit. I now work for hours on spreadsheets. Balancing kids,home, me. I am a workaholic at work and have to stop stretch and breathe. But for the Grace of God manifests hourly as I help clients in similar circumstances to my own with crazy maker Pluto nasty spouses, financial chaos, boundary issues, power imbalance. Being Ok helping one person person at a time has been hard. Also have to put on my own oxygen mask. Many miracles have manifested both personally and at work.
The work empowers me as the money has enabled me to stand strong against a dysfunctional spouse with a benevolent public persona and his chaotic, controlling personal self.
Donna, each of your books have literally fallen in to my hands at crucial moments and I keep “Healing Pluto Problems” in the bathroom reading drawer. Lol!! Your kindness and wisdom gave immeasurably helped me for over twenty five years.
Wishing your dear friend healing “beyond reason” and thank you for the caring community that you nurture for all of us!!!
By: Kelly on March 6, 2011
at 5:20 am
Thanks for your kind words, Kelly. Healing Pluto Problems is still in print after all these years, and I still hear from folks like you who are finding it helpful. My friend took almost a year to get off oxygen and to be able to drive, but she’s amazing.
That’s some stellium you’ve got, but it sounds like you’re using it really well. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on March 6, 2011
at 6:06 am
Hi Donna and All,
I was fascinated by the recent Q and A on May 14 by the 11th/ Libra combinations of stelliums. My take on my own glut of planets, which us listed above is this: all that Libra charm and Scorpio charisma could go to very superficial purpose early in life. The challenge I have had is to find my authentic self and live from that place while serving and allying myself with like minded peers who support and help it grow. Now that I am 52, I see the skills I have and I don’t get to use them for a better face, house, partner, worldly position.
For many years I rebelled against standards of beauty, convention, material concerns. Chiron lives at 17 Aquarius in my 3rd and opposite my 9th house Uranus in Leo. They square my Scorpio Asc which is the final point of the stellium. I still raise my voice to Barbie girl!Ha!
Now I try to use my gifts of writing, tact, insight to improve what I can in myself and to walk humbly but with awareness. I tell the story of people in need and match them with resourcesNow I try to use my gifts of writing, tact, insight to improve what I can in myself and to walk humbly but with awareness.
professionals with clients. Ironically I eschewed all group affiliations as a college student- except when I picketed with the striking dorm workers and skipped class to do it.
I had excruciating anxiety about my competence and standing in my job for seven months and guilt about working and balancing family because I worried about pleasing everyone. The work is now part time; I love it and it is a great match for me.
Stelliums can make you feel either singled out or chosen. You have to work hard at an ordinary life to draw on the deeper gifts of the stellium without the temptations of entitlement, arrogance and hubris. My stellium is now a beacon of joy, gratitude, and purpose.Transiting Saturn is sitting with 11th house Venus, the starting point of the cluster. As it moves to Sun, North Node,12th house Mercury, Moon, and then into my Scorpio Neptune, Jupiter and ASC I hope to find more ways of aligning action and intent. Namaste!
By: Kelly on May 15, 2011
at 4:55 am
An excellent analysis, Kelley. I had to smile when you said you either feel singled out or chosen. Me too, with stelliums in the 11th and the 1st. and it’s quite a fine line between the two of them. When you’re outstanding, you DO stand out, and there are times when that’s a strain on your sense of belonging. I’m glad you’re starting to love your stellium. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on May 15, 2011
at 5:05 am
I have an extremely powerful stellium in my 7th house in Libra. It includes Mercury, Venus, Neptune, Pluto, Saturn, and Jupiter!! Venus conjuncts Pluto and sextiles Neptune. Needless to say my life has revolved around my relationships since I was old enough to chase boys (preschool!). Every choice I’ve made in life is because of my relationships. I don’t remember the last time I was single, and the thought of being single makes me panic. It’s a tough stellium that makes me extremely vulnerable but also extremely loving and devoted, creative, and artistic. I am very grateful to have Saturn there too as it tends to ground me in reality without which I would be in serious trouble. My Sun in Scorpio in the 8th doesn’t help matters much and my poor lonely moon in Aquarius in 11th house is severely overshadowed. I’m learning and trying to figure out how to make the best of my stellium and how to work with it in reality and for myself rather than for somebody else. Of course that doesn’t mean i’m going to do it while single. 🙂
By: Katey on June 5, 2011
at 10:05 am
I got here searching on “stellium” in google, and I love this post! I’ve been spending a long time trying to figure stellia out. I may just have a “super stellium”–4 planets and 2 Lady Asteroids jam-packed in 32 degrees of my chart, houses 1 and 2!! To be precise, Asc 18Vir56. Mars 09Li51, Pallas 17Li24, 2nd House 18Li30, Saturn 21Li47, Pluto 26Li48, Jupiter 07Sco04, Ceres 11Sco27 (3rd House starts at 17Sco, so it’s all packed in there pretty good!)
The only thing I’ve been able to figure out (heaven help me, I’m in the middle of my Saturn Return!) is that there are a LOT of money problems. With my Sun in Capricorn, Dad (Saturn) has been really hard on me, sitting there in my 2nd house–but I love him anyway.
By: Michelle on July 21, 2011
at 11:30 am
Neither the 1st or 2nd is a “legal” stellium without the asteroids, which no one counts. Still, with a Pluto-Saturn conjunction in 2, there’s plenty to work on. See the series on 2nd/8th house financial issues starting here:
https://skywriter.wordpress.com/2010/04/23/money-and-pluto-in-the-2nd-house%e2%80%94failing-for-spite/ Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on July 21, 2011
at 12:49 pm
So I can’t join the party, huh? Funny, other astrologers have called my Saturn-Pluto-Jupiter lineup a stellium, which *is* the case unless you’re just a absolute stickler about the orbs being 10 degrees or less…and I don’t see why it’s “illegitimate” to include asteroids…or where you get the idea that “no one” counts them. Oh well, I guess I’ll move on then. Best of luck to you.
By: Michelle on July 21, 2011
at 1:27 pm
Hi everyone
I have a stellium of mercury, neptune, vertex, sun and venus in scorpio 6th house quincunxed by a aries moon and squared by mars and saturn.
Ruler pluto is in the 4th house of virgo.
I am an invalid. Many years of illnesses, wrong diagnosis, new medications, hopes raised/dashed on and on.
4 cats and 2 dogs, after many years most of them disappeared, only one died in my arms of old age.
When i work (cleaning, gardening, beauty-fying at home) i work till i drop.
Passionate about astrology for 26 years now. So grateful for it.
Main goal is to find my lifework which i could do from home. But for everything you need a degree. I am not good at tests. Feel to stupid.
Love and laughter to you all.
By: Heidi on July 29, 2011
at 3:54 pm
Welcome to Skywriter, Heidi. Why not try doing some astrology from home. You can do it over the phone. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on July 29, 2011
at 4:13 pm
Hi everyone
I have a stellium of mercury, neptune, vertex, sun and venus in scorpio 6th house quincunxed by a aries moon and squared by mars and saturn.
Ruler pluto is in the 4th house of virgo.
I am an invalid. Many years of illnesses, wrong diagnosis, new medications, hopes raised/dashed on and on.
4 cats and 2 dogs, after many years most of them disappeared, only one died in my arms of old age.
When i work (cleaning, gardening, beauty-fying at home) i work till i drop.
Passionate about astrology for 26 years now. So grateful for it.
Main goal is to find my lifework which i could do from home. But for everything you need a degree. I am not good at tests. Feel
too stupid.
Thank you so much for replying
Well, i feel that i do need approved qualifications as a Astrologer for to do so. It is the mathematical side which i am not good at and this is required in getting qualification. 9th house Saturn.
Since my early 20’s i have learned about Numerology, Ess.oils, Herbs, Nutrition, Health and healing. My Gemini Asc. loves learning.
I know that qualifications would tie it all up for me. Chiron return is in store for me. Maybe that will give me one more push to attempt it.
With my 6th house stellium helping and being of service is very important to me.
Love and laughter
Heidi
Love and laughter to you all.
By: Heidi on July 29, 2011
at 6:55 pm
Donna, thank you for sharing this most painful experience. It has helped me see even more clearly what my Son’s has been going through lately.
He has Jupitar/Moon conjunct his ascendent (within 3/4) in Virgo and Saturn (within 6/7 in Libra), which also conjuncts his ascendent. There are 6 “planets” within 30 degrees, 5 within in his first house (including the Ascendent and the Sun (in Libra), along with the above 3) and Pluto in early second house. Quite a bit of stuff going on. He has always been different than others, answering to his own drum beat, and has a love of and desire to excel in theatre. His planets all fall within the first three houses–Mercury, (2nd), Uranus/Mars (conjunct in 3rd-1 degree) all in Scorpio; and Neptune sitting on his IC in Sagittarius (with the exception being Venus in Virgo in the 12th–all alone). So many empty houses!
As he has the big three all there in the first house (sun moon and ascendent), when an outer planet (or any planet really) touches them it can be quite impacting. He definitely has been hit by the current issues affecting the country, unemployed for about 18 months, then employed part time for 5 months which recently turned into a full time job at a law firm. He is now trying to recover financially/emotionally/physically/etc. This began when Saturn was entering his 12th, and when it touched his 1st he went through the worst of times — great depression, somewhat suicidal. Especially after Saturn had touched his Venus and his relationship fell apart (very important with Sun in Libra). Saturn is now aspecting his Sun, yet he was just offered full time work. His attitude has also been much more upbeat and realistic and it looks like things may be on the mend. Hopefully he will not experience anything quite like this first Saturn return again as it has been quite a lot to deal with!
Ascendent – 22 Virgo 36
Jupitar – 25 Virgo 55
Moon – 26 Virgo 55
Saturn – 1 Libra 59
Sun – 14 Libra 22
Pluto – 21 Libra 24 (2nd)
Mercury – 9 Scorpio 9
Uranus – 23 Scorpio 25 (3rd)
Mars – 25 Scorpio 36
Neptune – 20 Sag 15 (IC 21 Sag 35)
By: Linda on September 24, 2011
at 9:45 pm
I, too, am a Cancer with Mercury and Venus in Gemini in the 11th House. But my stellium is on the 12th House. What brought me here is a karmic mate, much younger than me has a stellium in his 4th House, there are six placements if you include the North Node, this is Sun, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, Mercury… He is lost right now. I don’t know how to help him or even if I should. He acts like an egomaniac but his chart sure says something different. It is a sad case. Any advice?
By: Haunted Parkersburg Tours on September 26, 2011
at 1:45 am
There are a couple of articles about that Cap stellium on this blog–type it into the search engine at the top right hand corner of the opening page. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on September 26, 2011
at 7:32 am
Hey there. I have a stellium in capricorn in the 5th house. The stellium consists of mercury, venus, mars, uranus, neptune, and the sun. (Note: pluto and moon in scorpio, asc. In virgo, saturn in aquarius, 7th house.) I am a hopeless romantic. I base my opinions of myself upon my significant others’ opinion of me. I can qualify as a sex addict but appropriately and not doing anything illegal. I obsess about my lover and can be a bit extravagant in my affections. I have been lucky in love and have dramatic love relationships. I don’t have children, yet I live for the possibility of them. Everything I do, I do with them in mind. I only date people I see could be a prospective father. I find it hard to express myself but I badly want to be famous, the epitome of self expression.
By: Nicole on October 22, 2011
at 5:30 pm
I hope your friend is well. I was really touched by this and your expression of a genuine connection with someone I gather you consider family not by blood is remarkable. Your friend is truly cherished as I have family I wouldn’t let near me with a 10-foot stick and mother I wouldnt allow in a room with me near a plug. I think that you’ve found your spiritual family in your friend beyond earthbound “biologies in hierarchal primates”. Your family (blood or not) is yours to live and cherish beyond what others think or say (I have a 12 house-4 planets-stellium so I dogmatically stick to convictions beyond this plane). Your are a friend most people don’t even realize grace this generation and age and I hope this experience didn’t sway you far from that grace as you truly carry the gift of friendship.
By: Touched and inspired on November 27, 2011
at 9:33 am
All is well, Bret, thanks for your good wishes. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on November 27, 2011
at 7:19 pm
Hi Donna! I hope this message meets you in good spirits. I stumbled upon your blog trying to see if stelliums have any influence on career choices..(any thoughts?)
I think stelliums react in natal charts in individualistic ways. What I mean is, I have a heavy 7th house with a stellium in taurus, gemini mercury and jupiter (sun,moon,mercury,venus, jupiter all in 7th house), and the common assumption would be that I’m a “people person” or that “relating” would be a very important part of my life and that’s true to an extent. I enjoy people, but I prefer to be solitary. I enjoy my own company more. Could this be my plutonic aspects making this strong case, maybe? Lynn Koiner has an argument where people with stelliums in a particular house, tend to find balance by moving into the opposite house because of all that concentrated energy. I happen to think my life at this point exemplifies this. With every transit, my 7th house throws all kinds of parties, so I detach from all that house represents, and focus on the 1st house of self and identity, and what that entails. Scorpio rules my 1st house with Pluto in Scorpio in the 12th house less than a degree close to it. Lynn Koiner also says such 7th house heavy people are the least likely to marry or stay married, and I agree in MY life. When in a relationship, I focus all these energies into it, it’s my natural chart thing. I know the other person, better than they know themselves. I nurture and give and I lose myself in the process. When the relationship/friendship/partnership falls apart (and it would when pluto comes with her renewal paintbrush to re-decorate) I have to start all over, trying to rediscover who I am as separate from that person. I don’t mind this at all as I learn a lot about myself and who I am or want from my relationships with people, but I have a feeling the Universe urges me to stay balanced and in tune with my identity from the get go regardless of whoever I happen to form a partnership with. The only way I am able to achieve this is when my relating is detached, like when I’m counselling friends or family, or exploring other people’s lives, talking to strangers etc.
I have wondered if 7th house stelliums influence career choices, as I would love to have some oprah like talk/counselling show, but deep down, I just want to live in the woods by a lake, and paint, and write, make stuff and play music, and just live on the simple things. I detest.. DETEST thinking about how to make money or get by.
with love.
By: A.K. on April 20, 2012
at 6:36 am
I know two years has passed since this post was posted, but with a 7th house stellium in capricorn (sun, venus, mercury, mars), I think I pretty much identify with most of what you are saying. I’m just so glad to know there are other people out there going through the exact same problems as I am going through now. I have my Gemini moon in my 12 th house one degree away from my ascendant, unlike your Pluto. And, and that, to a certain extent, has urged me to explore who I am as a person, in solitude, without anyone else influencing me. So glad to know you, even when I don’t.
By: Christine on August 11, 2014
at 8:33 pm
Hi, Christine, glad it helped. Though that near-loss of my dearest friend is long in the past, thankfully, similar feelings do come up from time to time–have through my entire life, really. What helps it to pass is to remember all the times it did pass. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on August 12, 2014
at 5:59 am
hi Donna,
I have 4 planets in Gemini- Mercury, Venus, and Saturn in the 12 th house and Sun in the 11th.
the feeling of being cast of and betrayed by friends and really close people have a devastating effect, the inner landscape becomes one of desolation and sorrow.
<i hope you have passed you icy ground and are back in the sunshine. thanks for being brave and sharing you story.
By: Monika Abraityte on May 6, 2012
at 12:17 am
I can see that you do understand how friendship can become so important and the threat of losing it so devastating. Thankfully, my friend is well now, and the days we spend together are very happy ones. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on May 6, 2012
at 12:57 pm
After feeling like all I have are my friends while they have their friends plus family and significant others, I decided to start looking to my 11th house. Lo and behold, Ifound out that I have a stellium in my 11th house in Scorpio (Moon, Mercury, Mars and Pluto within 10 degrees)
Reading this article really resonates with how I have been feeling and opens my eyes to how high and personal my expectations are of my friends…oops. Thankfully my almost as strong libra influence allows me to rationalize these feelings sometimes.
By: Claudia on July 10, 2012
at 12:04 pm
Ah, Claudia, been there, done that–I can so relate. Donna Cunningham
By: Donna Cunningham on July 10, 2012
at 12:17 pm
Great article Donna! Makes sense… Mercury, Uranus, Neptune conjunct and Saturn in my Sagittarius fourth house. I dedicated a lot of time raising my siblings when I was younger, now I at times find myself in the same patterns. This explained a lot for me, thanks again.
By: Cancer Scorpio Virgo Sagittarius on September 9, 2012
at 7:14 pm
Hello to everyone ! I have also a stellium in the 6 th house: Uranus, Jupiter both in Sagitarius, Saturn retrograde 4th grade in Scorpio and Pluto retrogade in Libra; my vertex is also in scorpio in this house 6th grade. My first five houses are empty, except my north node is in the 1st house in Cancer.
I am/ was very concerned over my work until now( I’m 29 and I’m a doctor), very concerned to be”good” in what I do, worry that if I skip a litte that is not good and feeling very guilty when I did that. I still am so, but now I made a step back because I’ ve reached to the conclusion that work only don’t bring me nothing good and make me feel very lonely. Despite my step back , still I really need to be usefull and make some work for that although I don’t know if I will have a benefit from that. For me too this is not an easy energy :).
By: denise on October 17, 2012
at 8:07 am
I have Jupiter, Mars, Uranus, Pluto and a retro South Node (Ketu) in 11th house virgo. I have a seventh house moon in taurus, 1st house venus and Neptune in scorpio and 12th house sun and mercury in Libra.
I have a great affiliation and feelings for my family despite differences. lost my father at 18, divorced and have a kid. so strong my feelings for my daughter as a dad that i got her custody at all costs. friends always mattered more than the family but never ever had very close friends with whom i cud share everything and always sacrificed friends for family. Even while going thru divorce i confined with none and rather drifted away from all my friends and they wondered why i was avoiding them. today, i feel i have no friends, cant blame anyone but self. i can say getting into marriage itself was a reason to drift away from my huge friend circle. I had mixed friends but was always happy with them while i always suffer due to family.
If stellium in 11th house is supposed to make me strong on friends, i wonder why opposite is happenning…
By: kumar on March 23, 2013
at 5:29 am
I have Pluto, Saturn, Mercury, Venus in the 7th house (Placidus) or Pluto, Saturn, Mercury, Venus, Sun in Leo. (1947). I am surprised I didn’t find someone like that here. It’s really not easy.
By: Luc Myngheer on December 5, 2013
at 6:41 am
Hi, Luc. I know it’s not easy–my younger sister has Pluto-Saturn-Sun conjunct in Leo in the 6th (tons of serious health problems). It was because of her that I first got interested in studying conjunctions between the slower-moving planets more than 40 years ago, and it certainly is one of the most difficult. My hardcopy book, Healing Pluto Problems would give you a lot of new insights and information. It’s available at Redwheel/weiser.com. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on December 5, 2013
at 6:47 am
What beautiful and poignant blog, Donna. I’ve only just caught this. It is so well explained and deeply felt and I hope your dear friend pulls through, even though it is a long journey. I can relate to your feelings about friendships being so important and a real life line to you. i don’t have a stellium in the 11th house, but I have Jupiter in Gemini there, and the north node in Gemini. I belong to a lot of groups ( evening classes, dance troupes, have magazine/email subscriptions,dance troupes, voluntary work commitments etc) and I so understand about how friends can be family to you. I consider some of my very closest friends to be family. But it’s true, they are not family, especially in circumstances like these, so I really felt your pain and despair. I have Venus in the 7th house in Aquarius, plus a group of asteroids in Aquarius (Juno, Lilith and Pallas Athena) so i think the group/friendship/Uranian theme definitely runs through my chart. My fifth contains three Sagittarius planets: moon and mercury (conjunct) near the beginning and then there’s the Sun, near the end of that house. I look forward to reading your Stellium book, as I do have other cojunctions eosewehere, which I mentioned on one of your other sections in mutable signs (Virgo and Pisces) . Thank you for such insight, and you know you are very , very lucky, because real friendship has got to be one of the best treasures in life. Keep us updated on your friend, who is so lucky to have you. 🙂
By: zoraidagitana1965 on December 5, 2013
at 7:22 am
Thank you, Zoraida, you do understand! My friend did recover and continues to be one of the joys of my life. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on December 5, 2013
at 7:52 am
So glad to hear it. Wonderful 🙂
By: zoraidagitana1965 on December 5, 2013
at 8:35 am
Hi Donna,
The comments are immeasurably long, so forgive me if anyone else has said this. First off, glad the friend is better (so easy to see when it’s the last comment). But I wanted to let you know about my experience with an 11th house Libra stellium. I have Saturn(10*)-Jupiter(15*)-Mercury(21*)-Pluto(23*) there. I’m HORRIBLE in groups and have always had difficulty making friends. I’m okay with smaller groups, but especially at the start I’m quite shy (Virgo Sun). Having an awesome group of friends that I can always hang with and confide in (like on the tv show) is something I’d love!
I did, and do, have small groups kinda like that. As a teen I had my group of cousins I was always with. Then in my later 20s developed some friends to go out with to the bars etc. It was more like a few friends to go out with separately. Now I’ve moved across country and finally made friends with these three girls from work that I hang out and talk to often, tho one moved.
But aside from my cousins, finding groups or friends was never easy. It’s something I focus on and worry about enough times. Trying to add other people to it or find a good group of gay male friends to hang with is difficult too. I’m guessing something to do with Saturn in the mix doesn’t help that Jupiter luck with friends you always read about.
Not sure if this goes with the mix, but Venus is off in the 12th at 7 Scorpio. Mutual reception with Pluto. Does that involve it in the stellium?
Anyhow, groups and friends – making them, keeping them, and dealing with them – can be a real pain. Uranus is coming in to oppose them all. Would you start reading Uranus oppose Pluto now even tho it’s last of the group and won’t technically be opposed for a long while? Or since Saturn is being opposed and it’s triggering all the conjuncts, then it counts?
Sorry so long.
Joe
Virgo sun, Taurus moon, Scorpio rising
By: Joe on December 12, 2013
at 1:44 am
Hi, Joe. I’d say both Saturn and Pluto would make group membership difficult–group politics, cliques, and infighting would make them somewhat of a minefield. Plutonian types tend to become a target of other people’s projections. With Saturn and Uranus part of my 11th house stellium, I abhor group politics and have never wanted to be a group officer. I pay my dues to support the work of my astrology groups and to keep up on what’s going on in the field, but that’s the extent of my activities.
With an 11th house stellium, we have so much of ourselves bound up in friendship, and we tend to want and to think we need too much of any one individual. It’s best to know what you CAN get from an individual friend, and to only expect as much as they are able to give. If one friend can’t meet a particular need because they’re just not built that way, then turn to another friend who’s better at that. Otherwise, you build up resentments and hurt over the unmet expectations.
I’d suspect that would be all the more true with it in relationship-directed Libra, and it puts a lot of pressure on the relationship to want more than a friend can give. And then with Pluto in the mix (PLUS Venus in Scorpio, the mutual reception), you may have an intense desire to hold the person tighter to you than is reasonable to expect of a friend.
Am I right that part of the reason things go wrong and the relationship goes bad is that you have secret crushes on your gay male friends and the sexual tension builds to a place of discomfort, especially when the other person doesn’t want to take the relationship in that direction. (How do I know that? As a fellow 11th house stellium, squaring the South Node in Pisces in the 8th, the stories I could tell!
Hope this helps. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on December 12, 2013
at 6:07 am
There was definite build up resentment with one friend who was my best friend and I had expectations that he just couldn’t be what I wanted. I also did have a little crush on him in the beginning, then later when my Neptune squared my Moon-Uranus Opposition on the Desc/Asc respectively, the lines got really blurry and I thought I had deeper feelings for him. It was a very confusing time to say the least. There’s been more times where the other person has had a crush on me and I just keep them in the friendzone or with one we fooled around at first, but I wanted to just be friends. It’s very blurry in the gay world where friends can be your lover and vice versa. Seems to happen with a lot of people I know. A lot of my crushes tend toward straight guys tho, haha. I’ve always believed in the old adage that friends make the best lovers. Maybe it was someone with my similar aspects who came up with that. haha.
And lots of times it’s not that friendships always go wrong, just making them in the first place can be hard. Harder to make new ties when you’re older and people have already found their circles. People like to be more acquaintance-y and I like deeper and meaningful. Don’t see much use for fair weather friends, but I’m trying to have lower expectations.
By: Joe on December 12, 2013
at 1:39 pm
So with my 11th house Stellium of Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury, and Pluto in Libra being opposed by Uranus and squared by Pluto – not so easy with the making and keeping of friends? Uranus is just one degree passed Pluto, but it’ll probably hit again during a retrograde and Pluto is just passed Jupiter and approaching Mercury at 21*. I’m guessing I’m in for a still a long-ass transformation to the friends? Ugh, do I even bother trying to make good, close friends?
By: Joe on July 8, 2016
at 5:14 pm
Hey there! Great blog. I have a stellium in the 11th house. Sun @15, mercury @14, venus @7 and saturn@29., all in virgo. Moon aspects them from 5th house.. It’s a magical world I feel I live into. When I was 7, we had to locate from one place to another.. Also because my mother passed away and guess who I missed the most a friend called Shashi 🙂 now I miss my mother more. I am going thru one of those dark phases from last 2 years and have been telling myself that I will be fine soon. Your blog did give me strength. Thankyou for writing.
By: Deepti on July 1, 2014
at 7:12 am
Glad it helped, Deepti. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on July 1, 2014
at 10:18 am
I know this article is old, but I’m just reading it. It made me cry and I felt your fear in hitting the publish button. It made my anxiety level go up, for you lol. I do hope your friend is doing much better? I have a 5th house stellium. Virgo is on the cusp and Libra is intercepted with 0-1 deg of Scorpio there too. I have a 25 deg Pluto and 26 deg Venus in Virgo outside of the interception and a Libra Mercury 3 deg, Uranus 5 deg, Jupiter 17 deg and Sun 21 deg packed inside the stellium. Chiron opposition at 3 deg Aries in 11th house intercepted. My uranus in Libra is part of a Yod sextile my moon in Sag in 6th house conj my descendant by 3 deg and both are quincunx Saturn in Taurus in 12th trine mars in capricorn in 8th which is square my stellium. I have never had a lot of close friends. I’ve had lots of associates, and I can be closed off. I hate exposing myself. Sometimes I have to push myself to be more open, but when things go wrong for me, I go into solitude and off the scene for long periods of time. I can be sociable when I am with my Aquarius best female friend, and my best Male friend is a Gemini both of them have Venus in Aries and maybe that’s why? I’m not sure, but being out in a group with people I don’t know is difficult for me. The older I’ve gotten the worse it is now. I know my planets have progressed out of the stellium, but now my rising is Cancer and I’m even more shy than I was when I was younger. P.S. I’ve only been reading up on astrology since 2010 so this is new to me, I hope I explained myself correctly as I am not well versed in aspects and explanations of houses and tying it altogether with my life and then explaining it. Thanks for reading.
By: Nikki on March 23, 2015
at 1:46 pm
I have a stellium in Ascending, moon, Mercery, Mars, Jupiter in Leo and Venus in virgo, and I find I go hard into the seventh house and have all involving 1 on 1 friendships where I lose parts of myself for them, as in going hard to not be selfish and that causes me drama because I usually deny myself and get nothing from it except a lesson. Finding my stellium explains why I am so overwhelming and intense. Leo ascending explains so much!
By: Khal on May 31, 2015
at 6:52 pm
Five years later (my first time on your blog resulting from a search), but this post was such a blessing to me. Thank you for braving your soul, as I felt that energy. 🙂 Thank you.
By: Lu on July 30, 2015
at 1:04 am
Thank you, Lu. If you have a stellium, you might get lots more insight from the additional articles on that topic on this blog. I also have since written a guidebook for people with stelliums to make the most of those combinations (a series of conjunctions, usually). It’s The Stellium Handbook, and it’s available on my website, MoonMavenPublications.com. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on July 30, 2015
at 1:50 am
Hi Donna, thank you for writing this post as it has been very helpful to me. I have a friend with a 4 planets stellium in Libra (saturn, mercury, jupiter and pluto) in the 1st house and then closely following that, moon in Libra conjunct sun in Scorpio in the 2nd.
This friend is the most kind individual I have ever met, who, I believe, doesn’t receive enough for all the love he gives to others. He works very hard, in part because he supports his elderly parents and also because he feels the weight of the world on his shoulders.
Recently he has been working even harder, has received bad news about family and had his beloved car totaled in a minor accident. In short, lots of bad luck! And this person, who does not believe in astrology, asked me (partly in jest) to see if there was “something in the stars” that was causing these issues. I then realized that Pluto is about to square all 6 planetary bodies over the next several years! (There is also a mercury retrograde happening over these planets which start at 15 degrees Libra and go to his sun at 4 degrees Scorpio.)
I really want to help my friend to see if I can help guide him through this transit, or at least give him something to work with.
My interpretation of this pluto transit is that he is being asked to pare down his life. Less work, less shouldering of responsibility (I’m pretty sure his dominant planet here is saturn), and less spreading himself thin (did I mention he’s also a marathon runner?). For the mercury retrograde, that is at least a temporary situation that will get better in shorter time. It’s almost as if this mercury retro is an opportunity to consider what’s to come if he keeps up his current lifestyle.
Would you concur with my interpretation? If anything, would you add in some advice for him?
By: Christie on September 15, 2015
at 12:22 am
A heat-breaking situation, but transiting Pluto takes us deeper and helps us work differently with old patterns. You sound like a very good friend, and he can use one in getting through this.
I have several articles on this blog about Mercury retrograde and how to use it positively. Check them out. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on September 15, 2015
at 2:57 am
Dear Donna,
I pray that by now your friend is in a better state and I wish you get the courage to face that plutonian hard loneliness, and thanks for sharing it.
I have (sun, mercury, mars, venus, uranus, neptune in the 1st house in capricorn, and moon in cancer in 7th house).
My early life was really hard as I was neglected and abused (but I thought that was normal and everyone experience the same thing), yet as I reached my 20s I started to explode with emotions (extreme anger, extreme sadness).
My greatest vulnerability is myself, I judge myself every second, I am self counsicous all the time, I feel that I am so lonely but at the same time being in a relationship is so hard.
By: Sandra on December 4, 2015
at 2:34 pm
So sorry for what you’ve been through, Sandra, and hope it gets better. I hope you can overcome that self-judgement, but I know it’s not easy.
My friend’s illness was some years ago, and thankfully she has recovered, but boy did that “all alone in the world” feeling bring up childhood troubles! I know you understand! Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on December 4, 2015
at 6:25 pm
“you have to face the fact that at the very core of your being, you do not belong. At that profound level, you are alone…
it feels like I’m in exile way out on the edge of the solar system…”
Hello Donna.
I know this post was written a few years back, making me a little late to the discussion, but I feel inclined to respond anyway. I came across your post here this morning when I typed “neptune eleventh house transit” into the Google search bar and was offered up some results.
Among the first few of them was another blog post you’d made “11th House Transits—New Departures in Friendship” which I clicked on and read. While reading it the side menu to the right of the page shared links to other relevant posts by you, one of them being this one. The title of this post caught my eye.
Particularly your use of the word “vulnerability” in it as I have quite a few Pisces planets in my natal 11th: Mercury conjunct Mars there, Venus and the South Node, too. In my chart, these planets are also the rulers of my Sun, Moon, and Ascendant – so it’s probably safe for me to say that I can relate deeply to some of the personal reflections you write about here.
When you touched briefly on how your friendships were a central factor in your life because: “I have no family around me, no children, and no mate, but my friends are far, far better companions than anyone I’m related to or have ever gone out with.” you had me – hook, line and sinker.
My friendships have always been important to me. Central to my life. I also have no family around, no children, no significant other, and not having these types of relationships, which are pretty common to most people’s lives, has never bothered me much because over the years friends in my life have come to be surrogates for these things.
Also, not only have I noticed how important “friendship” situations factor into my life – but I’ve also seen that wherever I go, in any setting, people seem to really like me, to want to engage me, to offer me a sort of instant popularity within the group dynamic. Have you found this to be true for yourself, too? I used to think it was due to my having the Moon in the 1st in Gemini with Taurus rising and so can come off as friendly and inquisitive but also stable, sweet and comforting (which I like to think I am, on my best days, at least. lol) and have read in a few different places that the Moon in the 1st inclines one to do well with the public in general – but nowadays I understand this ability to “merge” into the group so well to be very much a manifestation of some of that 11th house energy.
For one thing, I’ve encountered this sort of open acceptance to the group by very different populations of people who have come together in the spirit of very different things: I am a member of a shooting sports club, and also a member/facilitator of a buddhist meditation group; and am loved in both circles – to give you some idea of what I mean.
I could provide a slew of other juxtaposed examples, but the point of that would just be to emphasize how despite my lack of other more immediate relationships as represented in the 3rd and 7th other air houses, the resources of that planetary cluster in my 11th has provided me with the circumstances to get to choose stand-ins for siblings, or partners, and so in a way I’m not really lacking these things after all. They are there, but just not in the typical way – and there’s an element of freedom to the relationships that the conventional situations of being connected by “blood” or by the institution of domesticated partnership we refer to as marriage might not afford me. And this feeling of freedom is maybe my truest partner; I have Uranus conjunct my Descendant in Scorpio.
Thinking about it this way has lifted my spirits a bit.
Truth be told, I stumbled in here this morning because I was feeling pretty lonely and somewhat disconnected from others. You wrote: “When push comes to absolute shove, like when that friend is critically ill, you are not family, and you’re excluded. And then you have to face the fact that at the very core of your being, you do not belong. At that profound level, you are alone.” And I swallowed pretty hard while reading over those words. I’ve got some situations occurring right now which reflect the realizations you point toward in your statement. And while I do have a 12th house sun, and a hard Saturn/Moon contact, so know solitude and its gifts/curses well – the sadness of feeling like an exile in the world can be pretty heavy at times, still.
But I have to acknowledge that coming out here into the social sphere of the internet this morning and reading your post made me feel like I was sharing conversation over coffee with an old friend. I’m happy to have found it out here, even if it is a bit dated.
The funniest thing is, this isn’t the first time I’ve found comfort in your words during a heavy transit to my 11th. Years and years ago – when I was a teenager in the mid-nineties- you used to write a “Dear Abby” type of column for Dell Horoscope Magazine.
I’ve been an astrologer forever, and was a subscriber to the magazine back then. Under a Saturn transit through my 11th at the time I had been transplanted 1500 miles from “home” and was having a lot of trouble adjusting to life in a new place. I was excruciatingly lonely and missing my old friends. On a whim, I wrote to you – really not expecting anything to come of it – but lo and behold, much to my surprise, I received a letter back in the mail from Dell informing me that my letter had been chosen for publication – and that you were going to offer up your insight to me.
I remember being so psyched! And grateful. I can picture the cover of the issue (a crystal ball being held in two hands with some astrological glyphs scattered all about), which I wish I still had now, but after many moves and many years later, regrettably, don’t. Funny, I haven’t thought about that for years.
It seems like maybe the ocean of Pisces in my 11th house has a lighthouse on its shores which deserves to be commemorated with a plaque bearing your name. Because even though we’ve never met or even spoken to one another directly, and probably never will – you’ve been a friend to me. And for that, I thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
metta-j
By: Jason on January 17, 2016
at 5:59 am
You do sound like a kindred soul, Jason. It’s not an easy life path for sure. The 11th is similar to Uranus and to Aquarius, both of which tend toward instant and exciting but temporary or intermittant connections with others, but not to permanence.
In my case, Uranus in Gemini is in a close triple conjunction with Venus and Saturn, with Gemini Mercury also in the stellium but not conjunct. My friends have all been exceptional people in some way, of diverse ethnic, spiritual, political, cultural, or social backgrounds, but wrapped up in expressing their own talents or interests and thus not especially available.
I guess we just grin and bear it–when an 11th house stellium is good, it’s very, very good, and when it’s bad it’s horrid. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on January 17, 2016
at 7:07 am
Thank you Donna for this amazing and helpful post!! I am finally getting a grip on my 3rd house stellium in Virgo. It is such a breakthrough after a long search!!
I have Jupiter, Moon, Mars and Saturn in this house, and my 1st, 10th and 7th house are empty. I strongly identify myself with the area where I live. I feel very lonely when I can’t move around and explore it and connect to the neighborhood. It looks like I substitute with this total immersion and a Virgo-like dedication to it a denial of my career possibilities, marriage and taking care of my image. My first childhood memory – I think it is symbolic – is that of reading (3rd) a sign on a shop in my natal town.
I used to be this way. Now whenever I got cut off of the opportunity to blend with my surroundings I turn to writing, and it is also self-absorbing! I have more than ten diaries and I write just about everything that occurs and happens (Virgo meticulosity again I guess) to me, it is sometimes absolutely crazy, although very privately (sun and venus in the 12th); this obsession started after I split up with my partner, who was more of a traveling companion, I understand now, and when Pluto started trining the stellium.
Besides, I am a teacher and came to a realization(Saturn in the third?), had to…that my pupils are not my children and that they come and go back to their families and grow up, and it leaves me out in complete loneliness (Uranus in the 5th adds to that as well).
I have read that it might help to ease so to say the heaviness of a house by directing your efforts to the opposite house and that is what I am doing now with astrology I guess, heading for the higher knowledge and distracting from the overwhelming details of my everyday surroundings which keep my mind analysing 24/7, if it hadn’t been for astrology I would be hopelessly lost. This turned out to be both a blessing and a curse as I , again, found myself misunderstood and very lonely in my circle of friends.
Right now I am having a triple transit of Pluto, trining my Mars and Saturn conjunction in the third, squaring my natal Pluto and nearing the Descendant. I am pretty scared but hoping that this final grand passage of Pluto will make the best of me and transform my third house showing its treasures to the world.
By: junehisummer on April 25, 2016
at 1:18 pm
Writing–and other forms of communication–are an excellent use of a third house stellium–and this trine from Pluto is an excellent time to investigate other ways to use this talent. With a Pluto transit, it’s time to go much deeper into more psychological or healing studies that you will probably teach or write about as your knowledge unfolds. I often observe that “when the teacher is ready, the student appears.”
If you haven’t seen my ebook on stellium, you’d find ways to put all the pieces of your stellium together, with its many potentials. It’s called The Stellium Handbook, and is available at MoonMavenPublications.com. Donna Cunningham
By: Donna Cunningham on April 25, 2016
at 1:33 pm
I am so grateful I can share this on your website and be understood as I myself did when getting to know the stories of other stellium-readers.
By: junehisummer on April 25, 2016
at 1:23 pm
Thank you for this. Really. Love n’light.
By: somniumzim on June 27, 2016
at 4:47 pm
I have an 11th house stellium of 4 planets. I used to joke in my youth I was a friend to all and a lover of none. 15 years ago I experienced the dissolving of the astral/emotional component of the personality. It was a stunning event. The first year or two afterward was a very carefree, on top of the world time. Then I discovered I could not reach back to maintain any friendships or make new ones. The juice had permanently evaporated. There was no connective glue to work with. Now I am relearning how to engage but it is really just going thru the motions. It seems on my path home to spirit, what was once perceived as a lucky positive attribute has served its purpose and all that remains is an empty shell.
By: johnb on July 7, 2016
at 6:01 pm
Oh, my, John, I can empathize with what you’re going through. With my four planet stellium in Gemini (three of them within 7 degrees of the sign), friendship was extremely important to me. However, I went through a number of phases when several close friends were lost to me (they moved away, I moved away,no longer similar interests, even when several died at once of AIDS.).
One crucial phase was when I joined the Adult Children of Alcohol 12 step program, and as I grew, I became more and more aware of codependent relationships where I was trying to “help” the people. When that pattern became intolerable, I went through a lengthy and lonely phase of not making new friends until I had changed enough within myself that I was meeting and becoming close to people who didn’t fit the old pattern.
So, you might want to take a look at the transits to your own 11th house planets to see what’s shifting within you. Regards, Donna
These phases of loss seemed to correspond with difficult transits to the three planets conjunct in the 11th, and I had to rebuild my network.
By: Donna Cunningham on July 7, 2016
at 6:19 pm
Thank you. The experience, I found out, was an initiation. It was a
shocking physiological event that simply removed the charge from the
emotional vehicle. All the juice so to speak, went to the mind and now
that arena is being filled until I suspect it too will one day fill
itself and burst revealing a larger vista. There is a honeymoon period
but when it settles in, there is the realization that not only do you
not need to fill time with emotional experiences between friends, but
that you couldn’t if you wanted to. I’m sure eventually there is the
confirming that loss is impossible and simply a temporary dream of
separation. For now, I am learning what it’s like to have one or two
less eggs in the basket of time and space. The ego puts up a good
tantrum but its years are numbered! Thanks for the astrological
insight. I became interested because I wanted to learn where loss was
felt most in order to accept it and make peace with it, so to wake up to
eternity less grudgingly. Yours, John Barbieri
By: johnb on July 8, 2016
at 2:53 pm
Glad it was helpful, John.
By: Donna Cunningham on July 8, 2016
at 3:18 pm
Sounds like me Donna 🙂
I have a stellium in Capricorn in 11th house as well. Actually almost of my natal chart covers from house 10 – 12 (From Sagittarius to Aquarius).
Venus & Sun in Sagittarius (house 10), Mercury + Neptune + Uranus + Saturn in Capricorn (With Saturn in the end of house 11 and Mean Node in Aquarius house 12 (True Node is in Capricorn house 12.)
Again: my 10th house (MC) ruled by Scorpio, 11th house ruled by Sag, and 12.. Cap…
The part you describe the dark side of Stellium comes right to me. Even I appear as a talented and usually, I charm others easily by my uniqueness, but deep down in my heart, I fear of losing many things, I self-criticize me, see clearly of others’ weakness and doubt on their loyalty. Their weakness make me so intense and even I seek for leadership and attention from the crowd, I still think I don’t belong to the spot light.
Even I do think myself of a harmony chart, since those signs, and aspects fix well with another planets of mine. Like Capricorn do well with my Pluto in Scorpio in 9th house, and Jupiter and Moon in house 6 with Leo, Chiron in Cancer (house 6). Even My Mars retrograde in Gemini house 4 still matches well with Leo and Sagittarius and my Aquarius rising sign. May be a little bit trouble with Mercury in Capricorn.
However, due to my strong influence by my Cap Stellium in House 11, together with the opposite house 6, I feel that all my energy use for work, reputation and career, also with a touch of traveling & Philosophy. Because of that, I feel that I always am alone, even I have friends, I join community, but somehow, I feel that no one really care for me, no one really sees me as friends, because no matter I care for them, ask them, talk to them everyday, they will never talk to me back unless they need my help, or my advice.
I am not their priorities as well. They always have someone who call special friends, best friends for them, and normally, my expectation goes frustrated.
When I talk to them about those things, they told me to stop over-thinking, stop making life complicated. I wish that I can be simple, but the way I am is like that, with a complex nature that make me smarter than other people, more talented but more cursed than them.
Actually, I can be friends well with people in the generation of Capricorn Stellium like me, but if they don’t have the strong energy in their natal chart, again, no one can stand for me.
I spent many years to master the art of expressing myself in a clear way. Even now I am gifted by many things, but like I said, the Stellium in Capricorn House 11 with a strong connection to house 10 and 6. It makes me loner in the path I choose.
My dominant planet is Saturn- Uranus (Capricorn & Aquarius), then Sun (Leo) & Jupiter (Sagittarius). Thanks for Air and Fire energy that I prone to be optimistic and light hearted than the pessimistic, dark, heartless Capricorn. 🙂
Sorry to let you read a long reply.
By: Kim Thien Luu on October 2, 2016
at 12:29 am
With a stellium, Kim, there are many challenges, to make all those energies work together. Stelliums are not for sissies! And Capricorn is a sign that takes on harder challenges than most, so it can take longer to integrate and master all those skills. But you are clearly moving that way. Best wishes, Donna Cunningham
By: Donna Cunningham on October 2, 2016
at 6:07 am
Hi Donna!
I’ve recently started investigating stelliums, only to find out that I have a stellium in the 11th house and all in Aquarius. I have Sun and mercury tightly conjunct, and a saturn that’s 10 degress off of the Sun. I also have Pallas tightly conjunct the Sun and Mercury, however I’m unsure how to interpret it exactly. I’ve found with my Saturn there, highly dignified, a lot of what you described in terms of being alone really hit home for me. I was raised in foster care and put in at a young age along with 3 other of my siblings. I tend to have distant friendships that are based on the values of equality very very highly. The friends I do have are very intellectual and abstract and/or wide in thought. I also have a 7th house Pluto which is definitely at odds with what Saturn wants to bring about. I’ve learned though that I have to allow people to be themselves and also myself, and only just recently. It has definitely made a huge difference in my life and has brought a lot to the fore front in terms of relationships and society in general.
By: Nikia on November 22, 2016
at 7:38 pm
I just discovered today my husband’s Capricorn stellium in the 11th. Many many many friends he is so popular! I have the Capricorn stellium in the 12th and prefer the company of myself 😉
He also has Sun square Pluto and 29 degree Saturn in his stellium. He’s an Aquarius Sun, Pisces Rising; I am Capricorn Sun, Aquarius Rising. Our MC is Sagittarius. We both have really intense energy.
I’m excited to dive more into this. Thank you always for your words. They are magic to me.
By: ananda on April 6, 2017
at 11:18 am
Hi there, I really appreciate the article and I feel like it applies to me. All of my planets are in my 11th house in Aquarius and Capricorn with the exception of my sun in 10th, Jupiter in 9th almost on mc, moon in 3rd almost on ic and Saturn in 12th pisces. I’m 22 tomorrow and in 2020-2021 Saturn Jupiter and Pluto are supposed to begin to transit my 11th house. I can barely hold a job and I have very few friends and fewer ways of making them but I’m hoping that my life will change dramatically for the better. Otherwise there will be no other choice than the rope I’m afraid because life is terrible for me. Anyways you made me feel lots of hope so much appreciated
By: Brandon on January 3, 2018
at 6:40 am
glad it helps!
By: mimitabby on January 3, 2018
at 7:38 am
I haven’t written anything in a few years. I’m a great admirer of Donna’s Work. I own two of her Books. I’m a third House Scorpio Stellennium. I also have Neptune there in Sag. Whilst I admit that can be an intense placement, if you discipline the Mind, its amazing what you can accomplish for yourself. Since 2014, I’ve been on a bit of a constant Road Trip Cycling with my Brompton Folding Bicycle. I accomplished a successful Whistle Stop Tour of Europe travelling by Train and covering six Cities in 7 days. The Journey was well over 3,000 miles when I did it in August 2014. I took up using an Exercise Ball in November 2014, and have been doing it ever since. Then I discovered a Gift for an Electronic Keyboard in November 2015, and have kept at it ever since. My personal circumstances are quite exceptional. I’m a sufferer of Congenital Glaucoma. Had my Goniotomy Surgeries aged 4 and 6 Months old. I have been working as a Volunteer for the Royal National Institute of Blind people in the UK for almost six years. Dealing with personal Sight loss creates an identity crisis I alone had to face. Yet if you look deep inside yourself, you can find the answers. Its true what is said, what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger. Had to endure personal bereavement of both my Parents just over the last ten years. Yet I faced the Shadow and an uncertain future. Yet I know this is my time now, and try to make it a good one. I realised that when I got back from Europe in 2014, I was called an Inspiration and a Trailblazer on Facebook by the Brompton Folding Bicycle Community. You only have to look deep within yourself and turn a negative into a positive. Sorry didn’t mean to waffle.
By: Peter on January 4, 2018
at 1:14 am