“But NOTHING happened!” Why Big Transits Can Sometimes be a Bust

© 3-28-2015 by Donna Cunningham, MSW

 A longtime Skywriter reader wrote to ask a question that had been bothering her for quite a while. She said that despite predictions of big changes in her life, major transits had often produced little or no effect in the way of happenings. I understood what she was saying about big transits and nothing happening. I have observed such things with myself  and others, too–clients and friends or loved ones. When I examined their lives more closely, it became clearer that the long outer planet transit correlated with internal changes that moved them. Eventually and only gradually, under internal and/or external pressure, did they take action to change their approach to life and to significant others. It’s often something like a realization that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. These inner shifts come first in most of the slow transits. Only then does something take place that the world can see. For instance, the gradual development of health issues can be one of those internal processes, especially if slow-moving transiting aspects to the Ascendant or planets in the health houses (6th, 12th, or 1st) are involved. How astrology is an asset is that knowing about potential health risks in advance can prompt people to change their lifestyle and take better care of themselves. As an aside, why do I include the 1^st house as a health house, you may wonder. The 1^st can represent your physical vehicle and conditions or limitations you were born with that are a part of your appearance. Transits to the 1^st, and especially to the Ascendant can represent the outer manifestations of conditions that were slowly developing while the transiting planet was moving through the 12^th. (And, yes, the Sun is part of your physical makeup as well, but this is not an article on medical astrology, nor am I a medical astrologer.)

Examples of how the Internal Process Affects External Developments

 To use myself as an example, I’ve been quite anxious for several years about the Pluto-Uranus square repeatedly touching on my Cardinal Sun, Moon, and Midheaven at 12°, 14°, and 18° of the Cardinal signs, all in short order.  So far, nothing catastrophic, not even the deaths I was worried about for two major women in my life with serious health issues. (Since Diana is the Moon Goddess, it’s no coincidence that both of them are named Diana.) However, as is often true with big, slow aspects like this, for me the process has been about internal developments that slowly manifest in big changes in my approach to the world. I found my stamina slowly decreasing, and I had to learn not to be such a workaholic. I have very gradually let go of several major pieces of my career, like no more conference appearances or public lectures, no more classes taught, and resigning from my Dell  Horoscope advice column after nearly 20 years. As a result of letting go of these things, I’ve had to become a better businesswoman—quite foreign to my nature—in order to meet expenses. I’ve also had to find other things to occupy myself with, like the drawing classes I’m loving. I’m finding out that I actually do have a bit of unsuspected talent at art. (The fish shown here is a recent drawing, a birthday gift to a Pisces friend, who promptly framed it.) Another memorable example comes to mind. Years ago, I taught astrology classes as a volunteer in an alcohol treatment center. Neptune was traveling through Scorpio then (yes, that long ago!) and one of my students was a Scorpio, with several planets in that sign. I predicted many things happening for him during those transits. To my embarrassment, NOTHING, but NOTHING happened, at least on the outside. Eventually, I realized that most of the change was happening for him on the inside. After drinking himself into devastation and intermittent homelessness for many years, he was sober and totally committed to his recovery and to service to other alcoholics. Enough was enough, and the Phoenix had risen! So, we need to learn to examine the internal process during big transits by Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, or Pluto, because that is the underlying impetus for external events. A shift in your feelings toward others and toward conditions in your life, even if you’re not talking about that shift, can catalyze changes. An aside to astrologers:  keep this principle in mind when you make predictions to clients, to avoid their disappointment if nothing happens like you predicted.  Examine the inner process thoroughly first. Folks, as kindness to a very tired old lady, please do not expect me to comment on your transits or analyze them for you. However, I think all of us would benefit from hearing about your experiences of transits that didn’t look like much on the outside, but that were part of an important shift on the inside. Share your thoughts with us in the comment section.