With the arrival of 1995, we find Jupiter — the planet of expansion — returning to his own sign Sagittarius for the rest of the year (Jupiter stays about one year in each sign.), spreading his conservative influence over the nations. (This was foreshadowed by the flamboyant return of the conservative GOP to the House and the Senate at the last elections.) This influence will be felt in the sphere of religion, medicine, law, governmental administration, foreign policy, philosophy, abstract thinking, spiritual aspiration, higher knowledge and education, publishing, travel, exploration in faraway lands and space, the expansion of virtual reality and inner space. We can expect a return of moral and spiritual values, a resurgence of spiritual quests and crusades, the renewed search for the meaning of life, the beginning of a religious revival, more philanthropic activities, an overall greater feeling of optimism, and a sense that we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with unlimited possibilities and opportunities.

As Jupiter returned home to Sagittarius, his brother Hades (Pluto) also joined him on January 15, 1995, to stay through January 26, 2008. But while Jupiter is a conservative who upholds tradition, his brother Pluto — the planet of transformation — plows through tradition like a bulldozer, or rather explodes it like an earthquake or volcano. So look forward to earth-shaking changes in the Sagittarian House with each passing year. Pluto's purpose is to cut the dead wood and eliminate what is old and outdated so that we may erect higher and more splendid structures to the Glory of the Universal Spirit, the Inner or Higher Self, "the Light that lighteth every man and woman" from within. An era of great spiritual transformation and revival lies ahead. And because we will not voluntarily let go of old belief systems and crystallizing practices, Pluto is here to give us a hand in order to "let go and let God." Remember to remain flexible and adaptable, because "he who resists change will be destroyed by it."

Now Uranus, quick and unpredictable — the awakener — has returned, on April 2, 1995 through March 11, 2003, to his home sign of Aquarius, where he will raise issues that concern society at large, promote humanitarian endeavors, and contribute to positive changes on the planet. This progressive combination is bound to spur much scientific, technological, social and intellectual advancement. It will encourage quick and radical changes, design a revolutionary model of the global society, and bring us one step closer to the New Age of Aquarius (yet another 500 years hence). In order for each individual to express his creative originality, intuitive genius, and love of freedom, we will need to learn to express appreciation and respect for each other. We will need to replace competition with cooperation in order to realize our hopes and wishes for a better world in which to live. We will also need to transcend selfishness and greed with altruism, compassion and love and strive to develop the highest form of friendship, the kind that gives and unites soul to soul and asks nothing in return.

Chiron — the wounded healer — is a homeless planetoid which

moves in an elliptic orbit between Saturn and Uranus in a 50 year cycle. He helps us learn from our wounds and failures by creating a bridge between the visible and invisible dimensions of consciousness and guides us to discover higher knowledge to heal our souls. He will be entering Libra — the

sign of association — on September 10, 1995, and for 15 months he will teach us what we need to know in order to keep our sacred promises, heal the many wounds we both recieved and inflicted on others, and find liberation in the fulfillment of all our commitments. Expect much interaction with and through others in order to heal the relationship between your inner man and inner woman, which will bring about the rebirth of your inner child during this healing period.

The Ascending Lunar Node (North Node or Dragon's Head), which runs backward around the zodiac in a 19-year cycle, will be leaving Scorpio to enter Libra on August 1, 1995, where it will stay for about 18 months through January 26, 1997. Both the Ascending Lunar Node and its opposite, the Descending Lunar Node (South Node or Dragon's Tail), are indicators of spiritual opportunities for soul growth. The South Node offers opportunities to tie up loose ends and wrap up unfinished business, thereby enriching our souls by paying our karmic debts. The North Node, on the other hand, offers more possibilities and opportunities to apply our acquired skills to new ventures so we may further refine our spiritual faculties, increase our experience and knowledge, and strengthen our soul power. South Node in Aries indicates the need to reform ourselves, curb bad habits, and acquire new skills. North Node in Libra opens new opportunities for solid associations and true commitments to others — to talk the talk and walk the walk.

Finally, Mars — the fiery planet of action — goes retrograde for three months once every two years. The three months retrograde period between January 2, 1995 and March 24, 1995 in Virgo (practical organization) and Leo (creative expression) offered us the opportunity to evaluate our past actions, redirect our passion, and focus our energy in a new direction. As we set our game plan on a new goal, we will work hard to reach it during the next two years (1995-1997), before Mars becomes retrograde again on February 7, 1997. At that time we will re-evaluate how successful we have been at reaching the goal we had selected in 1995, and hopefully learn from it so we may be more successful at reaching the next goal in the following cycle (1997-1999).

As Jupiter, Pluto, Uranus, Chiron, and the Lunar Nodes all move from imaginative, receptive, feminine signs to active, dynamic, masculine signs, the paradigm is shifting drastically from creative imagination to dynamic application, from immaterial dream to tangible action, activating change and transformation leading to a new world order.
  — Jean de Galzain
  — Rays from the Rose Cross Magazine, September/October, 1995