March of 2013 witnesses a very rare alignment of celestial heavy-hitters, namely an Isosceles Trapezoid. This highly symmetrical pattern keys off the ongoing Uranus/Pluto square, the defining aspect of our times, although the next point at which these two will be exactly squared is not until May. Filling out the pattern are sextile aspects from each end of the square, joined by inconjunct, with two additional inconjuncts forming an internal “X” from the four corners of the trapezoid.
Essentially, this pattern is composed of two interlocked Yods, bound together by a stressful square. Yods, also known as the Finger of Destiny, are formed when two planets in sextile along the base of the Yod are each inconjunct to a third planet at its apex. Yods represent fated or predestined events, situations which cannot be avoided, for good or ill, and reap karmic benefit or punishment.
The planets in question are Uranus in Aries, Jupiter in Gemini, Saturn in Scorpio and Pluto in Capricorn. Often when a trapezoid forms in the sky, a key component is one of the more swiftly-moving inner planets, indicating a fleeting or transient nature, but here, moderate to major slow movers are involved, giving the pattern much more stability and durability than would normally be the case. The first of the six exact aspects that bind and create this pattern occurs February 13, and the last on May 20, but March and early April are dominated by the trapezoid, with four exact alignments within a five-week period, and all planets are within orb of their relative aspects throughout the period.
Several other planets and minor bodies of the solar system will conjoin the principals in this complex pattern, but to begin at the beginning, let’s discuss the various primary energies interwoven into the trapezoid’s structure.
The Uranus/Pluto square forms the backbone of the pattern, and is the longest-lived portion of it, being in effect for almost three years, from June 2012 through March 2015 (for a detailed look at 2013’s exact squares, see my article “Galactic 2013, Part One” in the December 2012 issue of Daykeeper Journal). Essentially, this is a conflict of action (first-quarter square) between the forces of change, challenge and innovation (Uranus), coming from a rebellious, iconoclastic stance bent on individuation (Aries), and those of entrenched power structures (Pluto) coming from a hierarchical, traditionalist stance bent on conformity (Capricorn).
This is never good. That is, it can lead to something very good indeed, but the process is often ugly. Tension, strife, open conflict and turmoil: these are the likely results of this combination. This mix represents the individual versus society, free-form versus structure.
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