Career Direction?

[sandyv63]

I grew a wild hair and I finally went to college when I was almost 40. In 2005 I got my BS in Management and last year I got my MBA in finance. Being the persnickety Virgo that I am, I managed to maintain a perfect 4.0 all the way through. I decided that I wanted to move to Southern California (Irvine area) to pursue my new career but in spite of all my efforts, I'm still in Naples (Florida.) I expected to have a new career by now, 13 months after graduation, but I am getting nowhere fast. I understand that transiting Saturn aspecting my 4 Virgo planets will be challenging, but this is ridiculous. I cast a chart for the time that I contemplated my career challenges and the chart is attached. I am assuming that Virgo at the MC validates this horary chart for the question that I am asking and Venus in the 6th house shows the pleasant, if unchallenging job that I am currently at. I'm hoping Sag rising indicates a cross country move in the near future. Jupiter in the 2nd house surely indicates (FINALLY!) a decent salary, something I have never experienced in this lifetime. Saturn at the top of the horary chart in the 9th house maybe means my hard work in attaining an education (which I still have to pay for) will soon pay off, perhaps within 6 months since it is 6 degrees away from the MC? I'm sure I'm missing most of what this chart is presenting so any help would be greatly appreciated. I've really been getting depressed over this and I suppose I need an objective interpretation (and some encouragement.) Thanks for helping a neurotic Virgo.

[archergirl]

Hi there,

What, exactly, was the question? If there is no clear question, you're not going to get a clear answer. Also, could you please include the time/date/place from whence you cast the chart? I prefer a slightly different format to the one you're using, in order to have a look.

Take note, however, that the Ascendant is very very early and the Moon is void of course in this chart: the matter will not come to a resolution, and the question is somehow premature. What I would suggest doing is think on the issue until you have some clarity about what you really want to know, and then create a new chart. 'Career direction' is not exactly clear! Horary is frightfully specific. 'When will I get a good job?' or 'Should I move to Irvine this summer?' or 'Will I find a good job in California?' are all suggestions for a clearer chart.

I would also recommend *omitting* all the asteroids you have in the chart (horary doesn't use them) and selecting Regiomontanus houses for your next chart. Regiomontanus has a much better degree of accuracy (important for Virgos) than Placidus houses.

Thanks!
AG

[sandyv63]

yes, I do see your point. I thought about what I really wanted to know and I posed the question at 11:26 this morning. The chart is regiomontanus, as requested. The location is Naples, Florida, 81w48, 26n09. My new question, well actually it's a two part question, is: when will I get a new job and will it be here in Naples or will it be in California?

I have to admit I don't like this new chart. Mars in the 12th house can't be a good thing. A fixed rising sign makes me feel like I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. Saturn in the first house might indicate I need to resolve my health issues first (allergies and hypothyroidism.) The Sun and Venus in the 10th house seem promising, but a fixed sign on the MC again makes me think I'm not going anywhere. Please tell me I'm wrong. I really hate being wrong but in this case, I think I can make an exception...

[archergirl]

Hi sandyv63,

It does look like you'll be staying put.

Mars in this case rules the place you live in now, Naples. It sits on your angle, in a fixed sign.

Califas is shown by Saturn, also in your first house, so we could say that both places are options for you right now.

'The Job' is shown by Venus, angular and in dignity in the 10th. It applies to both the Sun (you) and Mars (Naples). However, the aspect does not perfect until Venus leaves the sign of her domicile and moves into peregrination. This can mean either that the job is not especially great, or that it involves a certain amount of travel (peregrine meaning "wandering"). The aspect doesn't perfect immediately; I'd give it a unit of 'four', so, four weeks or four months.

You, the Sun, have already squared Saturn, so we can take this to mean that you have sort of given up on the idea of Califas for the time being, or that it hasn't offered you what you thought it would. The Sun's next aspect is to Mars, Naples.

The Moon in detriment in the 6th does indeed speak of health issues; the fact that the Moon's next aspect is to conjunct a retrograde Jupiter speaks of reoccurring problems; allergies are a good example!

But listen: as a widely-traveled Sagittarius, I would ask: if you want to live someplace, why don't you just move there, instead of worrying about finding a job first? There is a certain amount of trust one needs to have in life, that the mighty Universe provides all things at the right time. This might not seem to be a 'safe' option, but as someone who has lived and worked in three different countries and backpacked through a dozen more, I can guarantee that *where you live* is by far the most important thing for a happy life. It doesn't matter how good of a job you have; if you live in a place you don't like, you will be miserable, or at best lead an empty sort of existence. If your heart is calling you to Califas, then move to Califas; find yourself any sort of job to pay the bills, and then work on finding your dream job. "The Good Life" is far more about your surrounding environment than most people give credence to.

Best,
AG

[sandyv63]

Ah, the "good possibility of a definite maybe" answer! Story of my life... What keeps me here is chronic financial shortfalls. I've been to where I want to live and it is VERY expensive! Maybe I should ask another question - will I find a job if I move to CA? Right now I don't have the $$ to make the move sans a job in-hand. Rent, airfare (travelling with a LOUD, demanding cat), moving my stuff cross-country, and getting a car (used, of course) once I get there is going to cost a few thousand. I was thinking of just getting another job here in Naples but there are a couple of problems with that scenario. First, this is a resort town and the type of job I qualify for is not easily found. Second, and this is the one I am having the most trouble with - I don't want to commit to a job that will keep me here for at least a year. I am too emotionally attached to this idea of moving west and to get another job here feels too much like a defeat. I am having a hard time giving up the dream, if even only temporarily.

I totally agree that where you live is extremely important. I recently went through a Saturn transit of my 4th house. Life was miserable. Now it's Mars transiting the 4th and I am still not happy (but better off compared to when Saturn was there.) The health issues are annoying but must be dealt with. I'm thinking that perhaps the Moon approaching a retrograde Jupiter has to do with my gaining control of my weight issues. I have both the Moon and Jupiter in Aries in my 12th intercepted house natally (not really conjunct - about 10 degrees apart) and I was never able to gain control of my weight while my hypothyroidism went undiagnosed (I was GAINING weight while only consuming 750 calories a day!) Now that I am on Cytomel I've been dieting again and so far, I've had decent results. Maybe this upcoming conjunction means I will conquer the weight issue. The allergies haven't been nearly as recurrent. They've only become a real issue these past few years.

Well, at least I'm not getting a definite NO at this time. I just don't know why there are so many roadblocks in my way. Finances are difficult to get around in such an expensive part of the country. I don't want to end up homeless (abused childhood issues...)

[archergirl]

Heck, sell all your stuff, buy a second-hand car in Florida, and drive with your noisy cat. It'll cost much less than shipping a bunch of stuff (believe me, I'm the Queen of Shipping). Plus, are you determined that it has to be Irvine and only Irvine? There are plenty of neighborhoods in the surrounding area that may be equally as nice but more affordable. Financial issues are a real drag; but sometimes it's good to give yourself a breathing space from worrying about all this stuff. Take a road trip. Don't be in a hurry to reassemble your life in exactly the same old way. The path to liberation is through trying new things, new ways of being.

I dunno. I don't mean to offend, but it seems to me that people invent all sorts of excuses for why they shouldn't be happy and in control of their own lives right now.Life is neither 'safe' nor 'dangerous'. It is, to use an old chestnut, *exactly* what you make it.

But this is off the topic.

AG

[sandyv63]

Oh sure, drive cross-country in an 11 year old not-very-reliable car with a loud cat who gets car sick. You really know how to torture me.

I am not averse to just picking up and moving; I've done it a few times. And I am sure my first apartment in CA won't be in Irvine. Waaaay to expensive. Stupid expensive. But the surrounding areas are still very expensive so moving without some $$ is plain fool-hardy at this point. It's not like I haven't made the (enormous, obsessive) effort to get situated across the country. I don't (ever) do anything half-a$$ed. It seems the universe is determined to keep me here for whatever reason for the short term (and I say that optimistically...)

Granted, I am not a patient person but I've been at this for well over a year. I have had "reputable" astrologers tell me I'd be there by certain dates, all of which have passed. I do make and sell jewelry and I have a couple of upcoming events where I may be able to sell some stuff, but I am not counting on this to supply the funds I need to make the move. Hey, maybe I should ask that very question: Will my jewelry making business be successfull enough to support my move to CA? The horary chart is attached for this question. You sure are an inspiration, AG!

Well, I am liking this chart MUCH better than the chart for my original question. Sag rising looks promising, and so does the Sun and Venus in the 6th house. The Sun near the 7th house cusp seems to be a good omen as well. Hey, the Moon is in the 2nd house! That can't be bad. It's approaching Jupiter, also in the 2nd house. Hm, Jupiter in the 2nd house sounds good to me too. Could this possibly be my ticket to CA?

[archergirl]

Hang on, not so fast!

The short answer to 'will I profit?' is 'yes'. The amount, however, is 'not that much'. The Moon and Jupiter are both in bad shape: the Moon in detriment and Jupiter in fall. This is a fairly clear picture of your financial situation. The fact that they conjunct in your money house gives you a positive answer.

Interestingly, however, if we take the 10th as the 'business' of selling jewelery, and the 'money of the business', e.g. your profit, both are in dignity: Mercury is very strong by domicile and angular in the 7th, and Venus still has a little time left in Taurus. She sits in the 6th, which you can say is 'profit from the jewelery' or simply the jewelery itself, since Venus is of course the natural ruler of 'pretty things'.

More interestingly, however, is that Saturn, ruler of your 2nd house, sits in the 9th of 'long distance journeys'. However, Venus moves to square Saturn, indicating that the jewelery selling in and of itself will not be enough to get you there. It IS on the way there, though, and surely that is worth something.

I totally agree that if you keep finding obstacles in your path, there is something that is keeping you there, and for some good reason. You may never know what it is, but it is a good idea to trust these things. Southern California, as you know, is rather prone to fires; maybe the good Universe is saying that if you went right now, you'd be caught in one.

I keep flogging Eckhart Tolle to people as I absolutely love what he has to say about simply surrendering to where you are exactly at this moment, and not struggling against it. That doesn't mean to say give up on the things you want, but you may find that, if you give up resisting living in Naples, and simply accept that this is where you are and what your situation is, you will find yourself somehow mysteriously freed to find ways to change your situation. It takes surrendering the mental picture of what you think 'should' happen, and accepting, totally, what 'is' happening. I have to say, it is very liberating to look at the world this way.

But work on that jewelery; it's a good start, and you may find the stimulation of creating and selling gives you more 'zip' for the things you want to do.

xAG

[sandyv63]

Buzz kill.

But seriously, I appreciate the advice. I understand very well the concept of surrendering to where I am, etc. I just have a difficult time implementing it. Oh this Aries Moon....

Funny, I never expected the jewelry to provide the means for my escape, I mean, my move west. But if it will help with the finances, I will be grateful. My whole life I've felt like I was in suspended animation. I hate that feeling yet it seems to be a constant companion. Then I (finally) went to school and got a decent education and silly me, I thought that meant I would finally accomplish something. But it feels like whatever I do, it's never enough. I do nothing, I get nowhere. I do something, still, I get nowhere. Or at least it seems that way.

I really envy these people who can plan something and then accomplish it without (constantly) hitting roadblocks. The only thing in my life that wasn't littered with roadblocks was getting my education. Everything flowed so wonderfully. Well, it took me 20 years to actually do it, but when I did, everything fell into place. I loved that feeling as it was something I never experienced before. Now I want more and it seems like I can't have it no matter what I do. I suppose I could look at the bright side and say the universe is protecting me from some unknown danger, but that excuse is wearing very thin. It is very difficult for me to just sit back and wait. I have a lifetime worth of experience so you'd think I'd be brilliant at it by now!

[archergirl]

I have an Aries moon, too, and I promise, it's possible both to wait AND surrender. It just takes a little more practice for us...

I'm not sure where your focus has been as far as career goes: I mean, you can do an awful lot with an MBA. Have you considered widening your scope?

If you also need some helpful hints, Liz Greene's Career Horoscope on Astrodienst is fabulous. It'll set you back around $45, I think, but I found it worth the cost. I ordered mine just this year, having spent most of my youth and all of my 30s wandering around, unable to decide what I wanted to be when I grew up. I have finally concluded that, for me, it doesn't matter what the exact job is, as long as it's in the wider field I've chosen for myself (medicine and social care), and as long as it has to do with helping people. That gives me a very wide range of things I can do.

And maybe this is a *process* for you; like something you undergo and come out the end of and don't realize you're out the other side until you are, if you know what I mean. It can seem difficult, but to quote my favorite Kansas song: "Nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky." Your transits will have a lot to do with it, as you know.

Keep the faith, man.
AG

[sandyv63]

Well, the MBA is in finance, a subject that completely intimidated me. I had a wonderful professor who not only correctly "diagnosed" me as right brained, but also gave me the encouragement to tackle something that I was completely insecure about. I enjoy numbers, not typical of right brained people with our limitless imaginations, but I have always had a problem with algebra (but excelled at geometry, like most right brainers do) so I pretty much avoided financial types of classes and jobs. My very last semester of my BS in management required a financial management class and to my complete and total surprise, I did extremely well and I enjoyed it. I dreaded this class the entire year I waited to take it so this was a nice and unexpected surprise. This gave me the courage to not only get my MBA, but to get it in finance. I was in "time to take on some big challenges" mode. And then I graduated and it all stopped.

Before I completed my MBA, I got a job with my local public school district as the Budget Specialist for special education. There was no practical training for this job and nobody else in the department had a clue about what the job entailed, so it was trial by fire time. Again, I was horribly intimidated (that terrible fear of failure thing I suffer from) and I had to learn the job mostly on my own, which meant I was not as efficient as quickly as I wanted to be. But alas, I conquered the job and now I am bored silly. What keeps me there, besides the lack of opportunity elsewhere in this town and the shaky economy, is that the people are mostly wonderful. My director is so very supportive (another Virgo) and she has been a real inspiration to me.

Prior to this job, I worked at a miserable company where employees were treated with disdain and corruption was a way of life. I was really traumatized there and like my current situation, it took a very long time for me to get out and find another job (again, not for lack of trying.) To go to a place filled with supportive, wonderful people was a real blessing and I have to admit, I am a bit fearful of finding myself in another miserable company. This town is notorious for bad management, mostly because there is very little industry here. Talent retires here, it rarely works here.

Transits - well, let me tell you. During the five years I was in school getting my degrees, Pluto was squaring my Virgo stellium. I understand transiting Pluto squares can be devastating, but I seemed to thrive under all four of them. Then Pluto trined my Moon and sextiled my Mars and nothing happened. At least I don't think so. Now Saturn is visiting my Virgo stellium and I am getting nowhere fast. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaargh! Soon rx Pluto will revisit that trine to my Moon so maybe some nice, powerful woman will help me in my career endeavors, but I don't think this is how it will play out. Mars is going through my 4th house, keeping me discontent and restless with my living arrangements. Still, I'm much better off than when Saturn was just there. Transiting Uranus was opposing my natal Venus, fueling my desire to MOVE and taxing me financially, but it has moved off now. Uranus is about to go, or maybe it's already there, into my 12th house. This should be interesting. Jupiter is going to be trining my Virgo stellium soon but I don't seem to benefit from happy Jupiter transits, maybe because my natal Jupiter is in my intercepted 12th house. Transiting Neptune isn't doing anything right now.

My progressed ascendant is in the critical 29th degree of Gemini and should move into Cancer within the month. I have no idea how or if it will affect me. My progressed Sun is separating from a conjunction to natal Mars and it is approaching an opposition to my natal Moon. I don't expect to become patient anytime soon. My progressed Sun, Pallas, Juno and Ceres are all in the 6th house. Not sure what effect this has either. Progressed Venus crossed into my 7th house a couple of years ago. Rather than a marriage, it brought me PB (the cat) who is very much like a husband as he is demanding, possessive, and he thinks he can tell me what to do. It is approaching Neptune, something else I am NOT looking forward to. Neptune is my only natal angular planet and sometimes I'd like to shoot it out of the sky. Progressed Vesta and Mars are also in the 7th. The progressed Moon is painfully squaring my natal Sun, but it is separating. Some hope there... The next aspect will be a square to Venus, more grief, and then a simultaneous trine to natal Jupiter and sextile to natal Saturn. Not at all sure what to expect from that. Lastly, my progressed MC is 6 degrees into Pisces. I'm sure once my progressed Ascendant moves into Cancer, they will be very happy with each other. At least they will both be in water signs. If any of this suggests a move to the west coast anytime soon, I'd sure like to hear about it. If insanity is imminent, please refer a good counselor.