Loss, Fear and Adapting to a Changing Economy

Susan Miller on Loss, Fear and Adapting to a Changing Economy
Being Creative in the Face of Harsh Realities
By Molly Hall, About.com


Tough Love

The well-known Susan Miller is one of the most down-to-Earth astrologers I think I’ve ever talked to. She laughs a lot, and she really cares about her readers, saying she wants to be a “best friend,” a “cheer leader.” She noted that at a recent (August 14th) event at the Apple Store in New York, everyone asked about money, not a single question about love. There is a lot of anxiety about what's happening with the economy. So in a time when so much is ending – jobs, businesses, entire industries – she becomes the best friend that gives it to you straight.

I had called to get her insight on the September aspects, and why she’s been talking about “harsh realities” ahead. It’s unusual for someone like her to pinpoint a specific date, which is why people are curious about her honing in on September 17th as a turning point.

What’s the Deal with September 17th?

Susan identified the window of time from September 14th to the 23rd as a period of volatility. And this, she says, culminates into a climax at September 17th, saying “I’ve never seen so many aspects on a pin.” Earlier that week, Saturn will be exact in opposition to Uranus, bringing tensions to a breaking point.

And if you look at the chart for September 17th, you see three squares to the destroyer of dead forms Pluto and three oppositions to shocker Uranus. All that creates enormous stress that favors dramatic change, and the loss of stability. There's also a Mercury Rx square Pluto that day, so that there can be no more denial about what's happening. It's the eve of the September 18th new Moon, which is why Susan had said before, "Rarely has such rough astrological weather been packed into such a tiny envelope of time. September 17 will produce the most severe aspects, and the new moon September 18 will demand us all to start drawing up a plan for the future, mindful of all that has been revealed earlier that week."

Mars and the July 7th Eclipse

But with all those planets pulled taut, what she’s also looking at here is Mars as the exploder, as it moves over the same (14-15) degree range of Cancer as the July 7th eclipse. Says Susan, "It is triggering the news of the July 7th eclipse. It will be delivering a packet of information." She says it's likely going to be about the economy. Or, it could be Earth changes. But, she adds as an aside, "We might hear more about Michael Jackson, what really happened to him at that time."

Mercury Rx in September

Says Susan, "And then Mercury is Rx the whole month, with its tendency to create mechanical failure." On the 17th, in its reflective state, Mercury squares Pluto, so the "harsh reality" may have a sting to it. Susan says, "It’s almost like a pie in your face….when Pluto is read as unfair or very forceful. It's like the government saying you have to pay more taxes. It's all this reality in Virgo (Saturn's transit in Virgo), down to the gritty details, shoved in our face. We’re going to have to have a plan. But Mercury in retrograde makes it hard to come up with a cohesive plan....it's likely to be fragmented. And that's okay."

Cracks in the Facade

She talks of the need to make choices on the fly, without being sure if it's the "right" one for the long term. After nearly a year of an economic downturn, reality is sinking in that it's not going back the way it was. Says Susan, "I have this theory. I’ve seen all these stores empty (in New York City). I figure almost …after about a year, the floors starts caving in. And the pain gets so great that you can’t keep up the façade anymore. It’s facing reality, like the monster landlord that's demanding more rent. We almost have to go to Plan B." If something's not working, let it go and look around for unexpected alternatives.

The Harsh Job Market

It's getting rough out there and people are being treated ruthlessly. Says Susan, "I’m seeing companies firing people with no notice, escorting people out of the building like they're criminals. At one California mobile company, you were given a note to show up in Room A or Room B, but you didn't know which group was being let go. Then the CEO's say, 'We just don’t have the money. And well, you’re in the wrong room, so collect your things and goodbye.' This is damaging peoples psyche."

(Continued )

Stop Banging on Closed Doors

Saturn is winding down it's time in Virgo, but won't change signs until October 30th, when it goes into Libra. Says Susan, "I have noticed every time Saturn changes signs, the wind changes directions in the part of the chart it touches." This fits in with the theme of doors closing, since Saturn makes it real clear that it's time to try a different approach. "Saturn will keep twisting your arm," says Susan, who shares her own example.

After getting let go from a major corporation, she tried to knock on the doors of other major corporations. And that might be what many of us do in the job market....it makes sense, right? But after hitting wall after wall (a sign of Saturn's endings), she asked for guidance, and right there, on her coffee table, saw an article about "Stephen King making a fortune on E-books." And that's when she started publishing her own e-book on "The Year Ahead" for each Zodiac sign. "Saturn will then stop giving you pain, because he’s so pleased that you’ve tried something different. But you have do that first step and crack the ice," she says.

Time to Re-Think Work

Says Susan, "We have to remake ourselves …find new solutions…even if it’s the wrong solution it’s ok, what matters is we make a decision." It's important to have an experimental attitude, she says. "Keep on plugging. It's a work-in-progress." She says to look at Jupiter, where luck lies, for clues on how to open the doors. And your relationship with Pluto is key, especially if transiting Pluto in Capricorn is aspecting your natal planets. "If it's in a hard angle, it tells us where it's going to be challenging, but a harmonious one can put you on top of the mountains!" There may be ways to get government grants, or get involved in government programs or big corporations, if that's the case for you.

A Big Shake Out

She says, "This is one of those shake outs..coconuts are falling out of the trees, and what’s left standing is what’s valuable, and what's not is on its way out." Being creative might mean being entrepreneurial, and getting involved in emerging innovations. She describes how she had a friend in the old-school print film business. "I told him, 'you’ve got to get into digital. He froze, he should’ve folded the business quickly. The tsunami is coming. You can’t freeze, cause it ‘ll take you out."

She continues, "Look at what you love. Education is great, if you can afford it. We are creatures of habit, and hunker down when faced with great change, but we have to see it. September is going to be a transitional month, and it will be painful for everybody. But we learn the most in pain, my mother used to say."

Handling Life's Blows

Yes, this fall looks like it brings a series of cosmic punches our way. But Susan likens it to doing the real work when we're in the boxing ring, not when we're resting on the sidelines with someone pouring water on our heads. she says, "The work of life is being in the ring and taking those punches, getting stronger. And we're going to be stronger."