I wrote to you about this in August to get you ready, but it bears repeating now that the day has arrived. Here is a recap of important points I sent you previously, with some additions below.

Saturn was in Libra for more than two years, a time for us to straighten out imbalances in relationships and in the greater society, as well as to address issues of justice, equality and fairness. This applied not only to Libras, but to any person, nation or company with planets in Libra. For instance, the USA was born with Saturn about halfway through Libra and we had our "Saturn Return" from Dec. 2010 to Aug. 2011. The final part of that coincided with our AAA credit rating being downgraded after the debt ceiling fight in Congress. Saturn is famous for meting out punishment for bad behavior, although it's fair and also rewards good behavior. Hopefully, you examined your relationships, looking for where they were out of balance.

When Saturn goes into Scorpio (where it will remain until until 2014-15), we will have tests about how well we share common resources, such as water, which is expected to be the next big battle. The environment is another hot topic. Scorpio relates to cleaning things up, getting rid of what's not healthy or serving us. It's a great sign for fresh starts. It also relates to money and power, the financial industry and economics. Saturn has a reining in function, so we will watch to see what regulations are imposed on the banks and markets. Saturn arrives in time for a US Presidential and Congressional election with a huge influence of big money on politics and discussions about entitlements and wealth redistribution. My September episode of Looking Up discusses Saturn in Scorpio in detail. You can watch it online for free.

In your own chart, look for the house where Libra shifts to Scorpio. That's where Saturn is visiting and presenting you with personal tests to see how mature and responsible you are. It can also help you get that part of your life in ship-shape. When it goes Retrograde, it gives us three chances to work on something, especially if it contacts a planet from the range of degrees through which it backtracks. The next Saturn Retrograde is from 2/18/13 - 7/8/13, moving between 4-3/4 degrees and 11-1/2 degrees of Scorpio. If you include the time frames when Saturn moves forward through the retrograde degree range before it backs up and again after it resumes forward motion, the period in which you'll get three connections to your chart goes from 11/14/12 to 10/14/13.

Something I didn't mention in the prior newsletter is how Mercury also enters Scorpio on Oct. 5, just hours ahead of Saturn. Of course, it's visit is shorter than Saturn's, but still longer than usual for Mercury to be in a sign because of its upcoming Retrograde backtrack. It will be in Scorpio until 10/29 and return 11/14 to 12/10 to finish its business. While there, it turns us into natural psychologists and researchers. We think deeply, have serious discussions and probe beneath the surface. It's possible to unearth resentments for healing and forgiveness. This is also a good time to attend to financial paperwork or investigate investment instruments. Since Mercury Retrograde contributes to changing one's mind, it might be smarter not to make major decisions between Nov. 6 (yup, Election Day - yikes!) and Nov. 26. The back-up range is between 18 degrees of Scorpio and 4 degrees of Sagittarius. If you have planets in that range, what they represent is likely to seem to backslide for a brief few weeks.

Mercury begins its Retrograde in Sagittarius, where it will travel 10/29 to 11/14 and return again 12/10 to 12/31. Moving back and forth between the sign of privacy (Scorpio) and the sign of openness and exposure (Sagittarius) is bound to reveal some secrets. The first such border crossing is just a week ahead of elections and might contribute to what is often called an October Surprise in politics, right around the time of that Full Moon. Full Moons are famous for bringing things to light. In your own life, look for opportunities to face your personal boogeyman and dispel its power through knowledge and positive visualization.

To find out how the planets affect YOU, contact me to schedule a personal reading.

When studying astrology or your chart, you might like to have handy my Cheat Sheet outlining the keywords for planets, houses and signs. You can download it for free from my website. You can also download the free 2012 On a Page that shows the planets' retrograde dates and degrees. These tools are incorporated each year in my Janet's Plan-its calendars.

The biggest planet in our solar system spends about four months of every twelve appearing to go in the opposite direction of its usual motion. During this time, progress seems harder to make. Around the days it begins and ends its reverse phase, matters related to travel, education, media and legal affairs can seem to stagnate.

Jupiter usually provides a global perspective. However, from June 2012 to June 2013, Jupiter is in Gemini, focusing us more on local issues and community needs. Gemini is the sign of conceptualization. The retrograde time frame is a good period to return to ideas that were discussed previously but not implemented, and which can now be reviewed and refined.

If you have a planet in the backtracking range of 6 to 16 degrees in Gemini (or in the opposite sign, Sagittarius, or either of the the two perpendicular signs, Virgo and Pisces), you might need to address a situation where there is either too much or too little information regarding whatever that planet represents. Anyone might be inspired to resume studies that were intermittent or interrupted. The retrograde period is a good time to re-connect with old school chums or neighbors.

If you're one of my Connecticut readers, you might be interested in attending this introduction to your Venus sign. It will take place in a cool boutique that caters special events. Just $25 includes a delicious gourmet meal. Advance reservations are required. Contact the Ritz Crystal Room at Remember When. Come and bring a friend for fun evening!

For those of you near Boston, this will be a full afternoon of examining techniques to go beyond the basics of astrology in examining potentials for love in a chart. We'll explore Arabic Parts, asteroids, midpoints, return charts, additional ways of viewing Venus, progressions to determine peak years for relationships, and my specialty, the Vertex, a potent and little understood point. Their website has meeting place and price details.