Rejoice, Taurus-Suns! and Taurus-risings :) Jupiter will soon be leaving Aries to visit Taurus for a year! Jupiter represents good luck, joy, expansion, opportunities, higher education, and personal growth through our interests, experience and spirituality. He also governs publishing, travel, foreigners and exposure to other cultures. At best, Jupiter brings a wealth of knowledge, understanding, growth, opportunities, and also financial gains. At worst, overindulgent, excessive, wasteful, and unable to get past "dreaming" to make dreams a reality.

Jupiter enters Taurus on June 4 at 6:56 a.m. PDT / 9:56 p.m. EDT and will stay through July 11, 2012. He retrogrades on August 30 at 10 degrees, turns direct on December 25 at zero degree, and then retraces his steps over the first ten degrees of Taurus all over again before continuing on to transiting the rest of Taurus through July 11, 2012. That's a full year of uninterrupted visit in the sign that governs material worth, financial security, and tangible possessions (in the physical plane); and self-worth, our value system, and special talents/gifts (in the spiritual sense). Maybe our wallets get fatter or maybe we overspend. Maybe we gain a greater sense of self or develop an overblown ego. Maybe we learn to create opportunities for ourselves instead of waiting around for things to be offered to us. Or maybe we learn to recognize when opportunities are knocking at the door. How will you make use of Jupiter's Taurean transit in your life?

Upon entering Taurus, Jupiter quickly allies with Neptune (inspiration/insight), who is transiting her home sign of Pisces and is focused on the higher purpose, our interconnectedness, and how we can all benefit or ruin each other through our decisions/actions/inaction. Jupiter's first week in Taurus can be a period where our actions are inspired by our higher self and thoughts driven by what represents 'the greater good'. Do watch out for overoptimism or being overly generous. Jupiter and Neptune getting along too well might give the effect for a false sense of security.

From the moment Jupiter begins his transit in Taurus until early 2012, he will be under the umbrella of a semi-sextile with Uranus in Aries (radical change/breaking away from the norm), a sextile with Chiron in Pisces (old wounds surfacing needing to be healed), and a trine with Pluto in Capricorn (restructuring foundation/purging unnecessaries). Since the slower moving celestial bodies are still within the early degrees of the zodiac signs they are transiting, Taureans and those with fixed & cardinal sun signs who are born early in their signs may experience these Jupiter alignments more readily and undeniably than others. Those with natal planets/house angles between 4-6 degrees of fixed and cardinal signs may also notice certain areas within their birth charts triggered and gain extra focus during this time.

For those born with their natal Jupiter in Taurus, you're lucky enough to have your Jupiter Return. Jupiter Returns occur every 12 years, approximately, and usually coincide with major life events in both or either the external world or the more personal, inner journey. Whichever it may play out for you, if you are going through a Jupiter Return, take advantage of Jupiter's blessings especially during the first 12 months of your return. This is typically a time for new ventures.

Jupiter's links with the slower moving celestial bodies will perfect on the following dates. (all dates reflect North America Pacific time zone and influence is strongest within the immediate days before and after the exact dates):

• June 8, 2011 ~ Jupiter sextile Neptune-rx at 0 degree, 55 minutes
• June 28, 2011 ~ Jupiter semisextile Uranus at 4 degrees, 20 minutes; 1st of 3 occurrences
• July 2, 2011 ~ Jupiter sextile Chiron-rx at 5 degrees, 12 minutes; 1st of 3 occurrences
• July 7, 2011 ~ Jupiter trine Pluto-rx at 5 degrees, 20 minutes; 1st of 3 occurrences.
• November 18, 2011 ~ Jupiter-rx Trine Pluto at 5 degrees, 57 minutes; 2nd of 3 occurrences.
• December 6, 2011 ~ Jupiter-rx sextile Chiron at 0 degree, 58 minutes; 2nd of 3 occurrences
• December 12, 2011 ~ Jupiter-rx semisextile Uranus at 0 degree, 38 minutes; 2nd of 3 occurrences
• January 17, 2012 ~ Jupiter semisextile Uranus at 1 degree, 16 minutes; 3rd of 3 occurrences
• February 14, 2012 ~ Jupiter Sextile Chiron at 4 degrees, 32 minutes; 3rd of 3 occurrences. Happy Valentine's Day :)
• March 12, 2012 ~ Jupiter Trine Pluto at 9 degrees, 20 minutes; 3rd of 3 occurrences.

How might Jupiter's transit in Taurus manifest in your world? Look to the Taurus-ruled house/s in your birth chart. Match the sign with the house cusp/s on your birth chart. Use the list of zodiac sign below to identify the Taurus zodiac sign on your birth chart then click here for an explanation of Jupiter transiting those solar and/or natal houses.



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For those without a birth chart, you may use your Sun sign or Rising/Ascendant sign, if you know it. Look for your Sun and/or Rising Sign below then click here for an explanation of Jupiter transiting those solar and/or natal houses.

• Aries-Sun or Aries Rising ~ 2nd House
• Taurus-Sun or Taurus Rising ~ 1st House
• Gemini-Sun or Gemini-Rising ~ 12th House
• Cancer-Sun or Cancer-Rising ~ 11th House
• Leo-Sun or Leo-Rising ~ 10th House
• Virgo-Sun or Virgo-Rising ~ 9th House
• Libra-Sun or Libra-Rising ~ 8th House
• Scorpio-Sun or Scorpio-Rising ~ 7th House
• Sagittarius-Sun or Sagittarius-Rising ~ 6th House
• Capricorn-Sun or Capricorn-Rising ~ 5th House
• Aquarius-Sun or Aquarius-Rising ~ 4th House
• Pisces-Sun or Pisces-Rising ~ 3rd House

Alternatively, you may cast your own birth chart at alabe.com for use as reference -- birth date, time, and place required.

Are you celebrating a birthday? Schedule a session for a Solar Return (birthdays) or 3-Chart Package Reading (detailed natal & overall outlook for the next 12 months). Or you might consider giving a loved one the gift of insight.

Have a question or need a quote for a more customized reading, ask me here.

What significance do planets, signs, and houses have in astrology? Planets have the function, the job to do. The style/manner they will use get that job done is defined by the zodiac sign they occupy. Where in our life the job gets done is determined by the house the planet occupies/transits. So, when Mars (aggression) is in Aries (bold), he is more assertive than when he is in Cancer (sensitive). When traveling through the 10th house (professional life), he may bring his confidence and motivation in matters relating to our career. While in the 11th house (friendships), we may be more inclined to having our social calendar packed with activities. Having the foresight for what may be coming up or receiving confirmation on what may be happening now are ways astrology can be beneficial ... as above, so below.

Related articles:

• Transiting Jupiter in Natal Houses
• Current Planetary Transits
• Solar Returns Explained ~ your personal year
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"Sharpening up Jupiter" - Image credit and copyright to the European Southern Observatory/F. Marchis, M. Wong, E. Marchetti, P. Amico, S. Tordo.