Dear Ralfee:

My boyfriend and I are having communication difficulties and it looks like he will move out of our apartment in March. What is going on in my chart now, and through March, that deems this a positive move or would suggest otherwise?

My birth data is August 28, l966, St. Paul, Minnesota, 11:37 am. My boyfriend's data is November 24, l962, Madison, Wisconsin, 10:14 am.

Seeking in San Francisco

Dear Seeking:

You're in the midst of several significant transits, all of which point toward changes in your relationship. In fact, so much is going on in your chart, it's impossible for me to comprehensively cover each and every planetary configuration, but I'll try to highlight the most important influences.

First, transiting Uranus is opposing your natal Venus. Uranus always catalyzes change, and transits of Uranus to Venus are famous for dramatically affecting relationships. What was once solid ground starts to rumble. Our partner leaves. Someone new enters our life. Or, we suddenly feel the need to separate.

Uranus is currently moving through your Fourth House, which is, quite literally, the house of the home. When Uranus moves through the Fourth House it disrupts our nest. We move, remodel or in some way change our living situation.

Venus rules relationships. Your natal (birth) Venus is in your Tenth House, the house most commonly associated with career, so you're probably experiencing upheaval in your professional life, too. Venus also rules (is the key planet of) your Seventh House, which is the house of partnership. As Uranus opposes Venus, it's stimulating the need for greater emotional independence. This urge for personal freedom is irrepressible, making it almost impossible to hold back your feelings. And you're not likely to think before you speak.

Second, a comparison between both your birth charts reveals communication as an on-going theme of your relationship. Your boyfriend's Saturn  sits on your Moon, in your Third House, which is the house of communication. This isn't easy. While there are many positive contacts between your charts, recent planetary activity has brought this Saturn-Moon conjunction into the limelight. The effects of a Saturn-Moon conjunction between charts can manifest in many ways. On the positive end of the spectrum, the conjunction signals a deep and lasting connection. On the not-so-positive end, it creates a climate of inhibition. Because it's your Moon, you may experience your boyfriend as judgmental or critical. This claustrophobic environment could make you hypersensitive, causing you to be self-conscious not only about what you feel, but also about how you express those feelings.

Third, transiting Saturn moved into your Seventh House in March of 1999, at the same time Uranus started its first opposition (challenging 180 degree angle) to your Venus. Saturn scrutinizes structure. When it moves through the Seventh House, Saturn reviews how we relate. Saturn's careful and determined inspection reveals what's solid and what isn't. Dysfunctional patterns come to light, making it difficult to relate in the same old way. It would be valuable to look back and see what issues surfaced at that time. If a relationship isn't built on solid ground, Saturn's transit through the Seventh House often signals separation.

No one separates because of the stars, but the planets can reveal challenges and illuminate the causes of conflict. As I mentioned earlier, your relationship has a lot of positive connective tissue. You can use the current transits of Uranus and Saturn to recognize what needs to change and, then, work together to establish new ways of sharing your feelings.

It's likely you'll go through a few more shifts before you make a final decision. Uranus will oppose your Venus again in October, so count on surprises. Also, anticipate opportunities for reconciliation—if that's what you both desire.

Ralfee