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WOODRUFF ON ASTROLOGY | WOODRUFF ON ASTROLOGY | WOODRUFF ON ASTROLOGY | WOODRUFF ON ASTROLOGY | WOODRUFF ON ASTROLOGY
As this is the first of what will be a quarterly column for Corridor, an introduction is in order. Let me start with a question. The same perennial question I’m asked by lots of different folks from lots of different backgrounds: “Do you really believe in astrology?”
My answer is annoyingly another question, “Do you believe in the screwdriver you use to screw in a screw?”
I’ve practiced astrology professionally since the first Moon landing (it really happened, Google it), and the fact that astrology ‘works’ continues to astonish and occasionally waylay me. Although there is no definitive answer as to why it works. Ask 50 different astrologers and you’ll have 50 different opinions flung across the universe.
Sometimes I’ll answer the question with a more abstract question: “Do you believe in art?”
Astrology is firstly an art. Those other 50 astrologers might ascribe a scientific, philosophical, or spiritual sheen to astrology. But no matter. Astrology is first and foremost an art.
So what is art?
The astrologer-as-artist is a middle person, someone who mediates between the various dimensions that comprise life. And in the process, they unite the terrestrial with the cosmic. As the Jungian astrologer Liz Greene puts it:
“The images, sounds, words and forms which the artist utilizes are languages which can communicate the meaningful patterns of levels of reality which would otherwise be incomprehensible or incommunicable to the rational mind.”
Commenting on astrology the culture critic Camille Paglia adds: “Rationalists have their place, but their limited assumptions [about astrology] … must be kept out of the arts. Interpretation of poem, dream or person requires intuition and divination, not science.”
Consider the last time you saw a piece of art that moved you deeply. Most likely it spoke to each part of your nature: the emotional, intellectual, intuitive, and maybe even physical. I once had a client in New York bolt from the room after I broached the topic of his extreme Martian temper as it impacted the women in his life. Never having met his partner he drilled me with, “What did she tell you?"
“Above us only sky,” as John Lennon put it. There’s no requirement to believe in heaven or astrology. Heaven is a crap shoot but we live and breathe astrology 24/7—astrology is in our blood and bones.
You’re up with the sunrise and down with the sunset. The Moon changes shape and your boat rises and falls with the tides. Each day of your week is presided by a different light or planet—Saturn for Saturday, the Sun for Sunday. You’re smitten and in love under Venus’ influence. And then you're hard and raring to go (Viagra-free) during a thrust from Mars. Mercury is retrograde? Forget it! — your computer just froze. And so it goes.
In this column, I’ll offer commentary and suggestions on how men can align with the various planetary transits that dominate each season.
A quick footnote: Although the planets, Sun, and Moon are beyond gender—over time a language developed in Western astrology that borrows heavily from psychology, with its concepts of the feminine and masculine—the yin and yang qualities—of life. Of course, these characteristics are not the purview of any one gender. Men and women contain a mixture—or perhaps neither as we’re coming to understand in our current cultural moment. But that is a longer discussion for another column.
The autumn of 2021 is caught in a colossal turnaround of cosmic forces as the planets Saturn (the reality principle) and Pluto (destruction and rebirth) change their direction. Translated: October will feel like your life has re-engaged with destiny—but at a price. Stalled plans that went stale will find a new impetus and direction.
Because life is always about ups and downs occurring simultaneously, this return of momentum comes with a caveat. Namely, Pluto’s forward motion and the planet’s continued dismantling of the sign Capricorn. This transit echoes one of Picasso’s key axioms: “Every act of creation is, first of all, an act of destruction.”
Here are pointers for the guys of the following Sun signs.
ARIES: Pluto’s hard angle to your sign places you in a nuclear reactor. There’s tremendous power at your disposal but with it the fear that you might annihilate anything or anyone that hampers your momentum. Although sometimes you just need to make a mess. You can apologize later. Insensitivity might be the surest way to break free from self-doubt—or your tendency to over-intellectualize and stay stuck in your head. You discover success when you find ways to work independently. There is nothing sadder than an Aries male taking orders from another guy. Especially if he considers the other fellow to be an asshole. Famous Aries guy: Quentin Tarantino
TAURUS: Your tendency is to stick to the ship until it sinks. And in doing so exhaust every possibility or angle that you might have missed otherwise. Your tenacity is admirable up to a point. But don’t drive yourself towards a ‘tipping point’ and the exhaustion that follows. Usually, your body will throw signals by displaying symptoms or tics—all of which should be honored. Yours is an instinctive wisdom, hardwired by nature. Retreat into the natural world when you feel fried. A forest hike, a lush garden, a swim in the ocean, will reset your mainframe. Famous Taurus guy: Salvador Dali.
GEMINI: Your mercurial nature might give the impression that you’re not serious or committed. That’s a mistake, especially now with Saturn bringing gravitas to your bag of tricks. Achievement will depend on placing yourself into a schedule or system that disciplines your everywhere-all-at-once mindset. Problems or seeming dead-ends can be solved with what the Tibetans call Crazy Wisdom (get the book here). This mindset takes advantage of your talent for being on and off, lazy and diligent at the same time. Famous Gemini guy: Paul McCartney
CANCER: Pluto, the god of “what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger” has refashioned your crab shell into a sleek Teflon model. If you felt waylaid or thrown off course during the past couple of years know that destiny demanded some under-the-hood adjustments. Now you’re ready to invest your efforts into a project the requires a steady application of will. And sobriety. Keep in mind Thoreau’s insight: “The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.” Simply put, you get what you pay for. Famous Cancer guy: Kevin Hart
LEO: You're accustomed to getting your way with whatever your imagination deems necessary to your creative survival. But 2021 started to counter this tendency, forcing you to apply yourself like the common folks do. All of the fire signs have a difficult time maturing. They’re also not keen on the word ‘no’. But lions are doubly prone to cling to childlike ideals. Saturn opposing you now indicates that you’re ready to invest in fine-tuning your already stellar talents. Study and discipline bring rewards. Replaying old habits bring diminishing returns. Famous Leo guys: Stanley Kubrick.
VIRGO: Remember in the Wizard of Oz when Toto pulls back the curtain and reveals a powerless old man and his collection of show-stopping gizmos? You don’t want that to be you in 30 years time. You’re a maven when it comes to running (and re-running) your popular programs, schedules, and organizational systems. But the universe requires something unfamiliar and fresh now. Allow for the unexpected and the unplanned to guide you to a new jumping-off point. And then, well, jump. Famous Virgo guy: Kobe Bryant.
LIBRA: The fall kicks off with a burst of high octane Martian energy and super-sharp focus. You can sustain your momentum by anchoring your intention to a tangible project by mid-October. The more you move out of your head and commit to a pragmatic approach the smoother your ride. You’ve been blessed with an inordinate amount of charm and beauty, see if you can apply your gifts to the advancement of others too. Sharing wealth brings you the greatest form of satisfaction and honor. Famous Libra guy: Neil DeGrasse Tyson.
SCORPIO: You take pride in knowing that you’ve left no stone unturned and yet, behind you right now, is a brand new mystery awaiting your sleuthing skills (hint: it involves your interpersonal relationships). The autumn is about embracing out-of-the-blue revelations and following clues and crumbs that didn’t originate from your loaf of bread. Perhaps your partner or an associate is offering you solutions or insights you hadn’t considered yet. Allow for surprises—shocks that shore up your innate trust in the Tao—the flow of life. Famous Scorpio guy: Pablo Picasso.
SAGITTARIUS: You’re caught in a bit of a push-pull as your ruling planet Jupiter moves away from Saturn’s weighty drag. This means your urge for freedom is still tethered to your notions of responsibility, commitment, and slowing down a tad. Look at it this way: your intuitive mainframe’s being overhauled and upgraded, preparing you for the long haul in the years ahead. You’re the zodiac’s most colorful dreamer. But occasionally some shade and shadow are required to highlight and put in relief your brightest ideas. Famous Sagittarius guy: Samuel L. Jackson.
CAPRICORN: You go through the most peculiar changes when it comes time to commit to a goal. First there is a big draft of doubt. Followed by a rearrangement of priorities and restructuring of schedules. (No one knows how to manipulate time better). Then the networking begins. Although you prefer to work alone, others are essential to fueling your climb to the top. I mention all of this to reacquaint you with your innate skill for achievement. It might not be as inspired or glamorous as some of the other signs, but who cares once you’ve won your prize. Tortoise and the hare. Rinse, repeat. Famous Capricorn guy: Timothée Chalamet
AQUARIUS: Viewed astrologically, cultures unfold in precise 20-year cycles. And your sign has set the terms for the two decades ahead. What does this mean? Well, the same ideals that defined the 1960s are returning. Namely a focus on the enhancement of humanity rather than more crownings of kings, industrialists, and Kardashians. You’re at the forefront of spearheading ideas of equality, tolerance and freedom. Right now we need your unique, sometimes eclectic or eccentric takes on self-expression—ideas that benefit brother- and sisterhood worldwide. How to shift from ideas into actions? That’s your assignment this autumn. Famous Aquarius guy: Franklin D. Roosevelt (see what I mean?)
PISCES: Everything is relative for you—and this is a blessing and a pain in the ass when it comes time to anchoring your dream to a method that brings success. Because Neptune, the planet of ecstasy and delusion is still moving through your sign, find a way to tune into frequencies that are beyond this world, but still grounded to the earth. That means giving equal due to both sides of your nature. The dreamer and the scientist. Look what fellow Piscean Albert Einstein achieved by blending his imagination with his rational mind. Hint: That hobby you’re involved with that seems like no big deal? Make it a big deal. Famous Pisces guy: George Harrison
Frederick Woodruff’s weekly musings on pop culture, astrology, and fate appear regularly in his WOODRUFF Substack. You can subscribe for free here.
His new book All Across the Universe: The Astrological Beatles arrives in the spring of 2022.
