My friend accuses me of being a “growth junkie”–but how can I help it right now? We’re experiencing the third and last opposition of Saturn & Pluto, a “challenging” aspect that made its debut one month prior to September 11th. We’ve also got a series of potentially cataclysmic eclipses, the final one erupting just after Solstice. This summer comes in like a lion—but how it goes out is up to us.

We humans have reached a critical juncture, and the stakes are high. The apocalypse is no longer a paranoid fantasy as our President (I use the term loosely) talks of using nuclear weapons. Add threats of bio-terrorism, escalation in violence against civilians globally, and depletion of natural resources. It’s a recipe for world destruction.

We also have the opportunity for radical transformation, through raising our collective consciousness and creating harmonious relationships with people from different races, religions and nationalities. Exemplifying this shift, 500,000 people participated in a peace meditation in Sri Lanka on March 15th—the largest such gathering in history. We also see individuals traveling to Palestine as part of the International Solidarity Movement, putting their bodies between Israeli tanks and Palestinian civilians.

Individually and collectively, we’re being asked to release what no longer serves us, to get real and grow up. Pluto is the God of the Underworld—ruler of death, rebirth, transformation and healing. Crisis is one of Pluto’s favorite strategies for getting us out of old, stuck, self-destructive patterns or situations. Pluto’s bumper sticker, during this accelerated growth period, might read, “If you’re not in crisis, you’re not paying attention!”.

As Pluto travels through Sagittarius, belief systems, governments, international & race relations, and faith are all in a state of crisis. With Saturn (planet of manifestation) now in Gemini (communication, information) and opposing Pluto, the shadow side of Sagittarius is coming out in full force. What used to be on the cover of Paranoia Magazine is now front page news in the New York Times—revelations about the “shadow government”; rampant sexual abuse in the Catholic Church; the FBI’s use of torture; you can probably think of others. Now that the monsters are out of the basement and into the light, we can destroy the old models and create something new.

During an Eclipse period, everything seems to reach the boiling point. Our lives may feel out of control as we deal with whatever we’ve repressed the past 6 months (since the last set of eclipses). It’s not unusual to get sick, as we physically detox, while simultaneously detoxing on a collective level.

The Solar Eclipse on June 10th (between Lunar Eclipses on May 26th and June 24th) is a particularly dramatic one—a rare Annular Eclipse, when a string of pearls appears in the sky. The Sun, Moon, Saturn and North Node will all be in Gemini in the 8th house, opposing Pluto. Our work is to communicate what is hidden or repressed. Radical honesty and the willingness to surrender are allies on this tumultuous journey. Rely on them.

With the South Node in Sagittarius, an attachment to dogmatic truth is our downfall. It’s time to reevaluate our belief systems, open them up to rigorous examination, perhaps throw them out altogether. Fundamentalist religious beliefs and ways of thinking only breed hatred, intolerance, violence and war. Nationalism, a kind of secular fundamentalism, is equally destructive.

At Summer Solstice, the Sun, Saturn, North Node and Mercury are all in Gemini in the 12th house. Will we settle for another season of deceptive double-speak from a corrupt government? Or can we achieve the ideal manifestation of this configuration, let go old belief systems, realize a dramatic shift in consciousness, and create global community based on knowing that we are all connected?

Pluto, Neptune and Uranus are all Retrograde (appear to travel backwards) most of the summer. A Retrograde planet is on an inner journey to find a higher expression of its principle or archetype. Both Neptune and Uranus, planets of radical transformation, are in Aquarius—community, social change, technology & equality. We can assist the collective healing process by inwardly seeking a new vision for growth in these areas, planting seeds for change that will come to fruition when the planets go Direct (move forward) this fall.

The summer ends with Pluto going Direct on August 26th. As Pluto emerges from its own vision quest, are we ready to heal our relationships with people different from us? To transform our belief systems, government and use of power? Are we ready to be reborn?

It’s up to each of us to make that decision and take action— whatever you’ve been waiting for, the time is NOW.

Emily Trinkaus, Virgo, is an astrologer, writer and peace activist residing in Portland. For information on individual readings, or to receive free bi-monthly Astro-Reports, email astrologista@yahoo.com.