By Judith Gayle | Political Waves

THE GOOD news, as I write, is that Uranus has left the building -- at least as regards the Sun (conjunct Moon, today) forming the T square with Mars in Gemini and Pluto in its final visit with its old pal, the Galactic Core.

This bunker buster of an aspect has been plaguing us for over a week, and if you follow the news, you've seen the uptick in violence, posturing and argument it's produced.

First, a caution about running with scissors -- don't. This kind of energy produces accidents, cuts, stabs and head injuries, not to mention fires and explosions. This week I managed to snip an entire portion of my knuckle right off, attempting to trim some frayed edges on a towel. Two of my mutable buddies poked holes in their hands (ruled by Gemini) as well, with one reporting she was also attacked by the dreaded scissors-turned-enemy. So, my advice? Wait a few days before you begin that origami project.

Pluto went direct a while back, giving us a forward thrust into the dark energies of extremism and power plays, propelling itself toward the finish line of its grand experiment in Sagittarius. I had a laugh when I turned on my television the other day and saw the face of O.J. Simpson -- in my mind, O.J. is the poster boy for Pluto in Sag. Fancy that; he's resurfaced for Pluto's finale.

Way back in the early '90s, Simpson's long and theatrical trial for the murder of his wife was the first example of the new Sagittarian fascination with the legal system (religious, philosophical, educational, and international systems as well) combined with the dark underbelly of secrets, power and dark emotions that is Pluto's signature -- this was our first taste of Pluto's newest form of obsession. This was also, in my memory, the first genuine "media swarm" phenomenon, with "all news, all Simpson" for many months, dividing opinion into heated arguments that turned the average citizen snippy and obnoxious (little did we know how THAT would escalate).

Mr. Simpson, it appears, did not heed the potent lessons Pluto tattoos on the arm of egomaniacs it catches in its embrace; a man with legal baggage should think twice about being in the same room with a personal posse and a gun. Because he's a slow learner, I suppose, O.J. was there at the opening gate of this energy, and now here he is again, as Pluto races to the finish.

There are examples of this T square energy everywhere you look, with its hot rhetoric and unwillingness to compromise. Gemini, of course, communicates and Mars confronts. For instance, in the last few days MoveOn.org put out its now infamous "General Betray Us" advertisement in advance of David Petraeus testifying to Congress. There's more than a hint of the Sagittarian "blurt" in that message, along with its penchant for "speaking truth to power."

The president, it was reported, was angered by this ad; I have no doubt. The Republicans went into attack mode, with presidential hopeful Rudolph Giuliani buying a full-page ad to attack Hillary Clinton's comment that the Petraeus report required "a willing suspension of disbelief." The Republicans insist that Hillary is the person to beat; you'd think they were on her payroll, given the amount of Hillary-talk they generate. Rudy accused Clinton of "spewing political venom" and "defending MoveOn.org." 

In a counterattack, FOX News suggested that MoveOn and its membership were "Jane Fonda Trotskyite hooligans" and "ban the bomb, nuclear freeze" types. That commentary says more about "fair and balanced" FOX as a "news provider," methinks, than about MoveOn. A recent study found FOX viewers among the least well-informed about national and international affairs (and Comedy Central's Daily Show/Colbert viewers most.)

This week we were treated to video snippets of a disgruntled and highly emotional young journalism student being Tasered by University of Florida campus police. The young man just wouldn't quit talking -- he was fired up, probably understood that this was his "moment" and decided to grill the speaker, John Kerry, on a variety of controversial topics, among them why John hadn't pursued the voting irregularities in Ohio that cost him the election, and why impeachment of the president had been taken off the table. Kerry, in his defense, was taking all this in stride even though the questioner had "used up" his time, but it didn't sit well with the campus authorities, who wrestled the resisting offender away, finally stunning him with a Taser.

The film made its way into the media, causing the public to question issues of police brutality and freedom of speech; it also made its way into international media as another example of the current brutishness America employs toward those it seeks to control. Sadly, they probably heard the young man's paranoia at being arrested for "inciting a riot" and his cries to onlookers that the government was trying to kill him; I expect some believed it might.

The T square is bringing up egregious examples of what A Course in Miracles calls attack/defend behavior, identifying it as the "language" spoken by ego, our "false" self. The ego, as Course defines it, is unwilling to take responsibility for its own desires and activity, so it projects its guilt out on others, maneuvering to make itself "righteous." It is not capable of having a civil discussion based on evidence, having already decided the outcome it demands as more important than truth. Frankly, that sounds to me like the entire last seven years with Bu$hCo. as standard-bearer for America -- and sadly appropriate to Pluto's "love-in" with the GC. We're being asked by the Universe to put away duplicity and become authentic; this is the kind of behavior we must leave behind if we are to become the people we want to be.

There's an upside to this potent period of conflict, of course -- the whole "poster principle." The young man in Florida is now a poster child for freedom of speech and the use of excessive force; the MoveOn flap has illuminated the issues of military compliance with the Bush administration and the emotional argument for "supporting the troops," while MoveOn itself has earned its poster for political, if somewhat less than graceful, candor. Posters are like spotlights, shining on what needs review, giving us a point of truth to ponder in the gloomy halls of our misdirection and confusion.

As you read this, the Mars/Pluto opposition will be exact. The energetic signal of the Galactic Core will be washing down upon us, bringing in more fresh energy to impact us in unknowable ways, and toward an unpredictable future. The transformational energy of Pluto is giving us the most potent picture of the mysterious and primal GC imaginable, making these final days of input more vital than ever. Don't shrink from it, embrace it -- it leads the way into our liberation from ego-demand and false voices. It informs us with posters and outrages and long-awaited clarity and takes us onward into our evolution. We will walk away from these brief celestial moments forever changed.

It would be good form at this point to remind you that, according to the old saying, truth will set you free but first it will piss you off. If you find yourself unreasonably angry, count it all good -- you're dismayed, you're awakened, you're informed -- hooray, you're ALIVE! But be careful you don't fall into a Mars trap and impale yourself on words or deeds that will require your vital energies to diverge from the more direct path of enlightenment; mopping up a mess you've created carries a price tag. Better to count to 10, breathe and get a massage -- or write a thoughtful letter to the editor of your local paper -- or join a grassroots movement or a volunteer organization. Anger is energy, drawn from what, if you are like me, feels like a less-than-adequate amount these days; better to use it in helpful, productive ways than to shotgun it out at whatever has goaded you. (Attack, defend, ego...yadda.)

We will soon welcome in the soothing energies of the equinox and come to a new collective agreement -- let's be clear about what we want next, personally, nationally and globally. Let's take the hard-earned lessons of the spring and summer and renew our dedication to becoming peaceful, creative, collaborative people. Yes, we're surrounded by bullies but fewer than we think -- there have always been a few who lead the parade and those who follow mindlessly. Thanks to our guru George Bush and the daily posters that have turned our eyes toward truth, many more of us have become mindful in the last years. The parade is less impressive than you might imagine, and the moment is at hand to decide on a new direction, a new parade route, a new creative endeavor.

Let the remaining marchers march -- you go your own way, stepping high, keeping your vision, listening to the higher angels that lead you along the path of renewed reverence for life, for peace, and the delightful possibilities of a world that practices love and compassion in all things. Oh, and remember, for a while yet -- scissors, running? Don't.


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