Barbault’s Basket (A Planetary Configuration)

Moments in the Flow…Will a Triad of Outer Planets Save This Century?

Hello again,

In case your social media has not brought you into contact with one of the countless articles on an unusual astrological configuration, I’ll give some background here which includes my own point of view. It may be quite different. Most if not all the articles I’ve seen include Barbault’s ideal view of this basket formation as the best thing seen for the 21st century.

I don’t argue with this, but as a Sagittarian, I like to explore the whole picture. Which right now may seem like an iridescent balloon flying against a bright blue sky while an arm comes in from the right, hand holding a long, sharp needle.

No. I won’t actually burst that bubble…I promise. Much of it does sound good to me. But there are some things to know because if you are like me, you are waiting for something to at least tone down what seems to be a daily parade of insanity and overload of bad news. And this may bring some but not all of what you desire and the whole expression could take longer than we’d like.

In a post last week I spoke about this mental overload and the morning practice I have started to help me release fear and look forward with optimism. I know that seeing positive potential helps this happen. But having overly high expectations is another thing that can bring a big letdown. So I promise that once I finish with the ‘reality portion of this article’ I have some interesting news about a long ago formation that came close to this basket in its nature and how it did change the world for the better.

Reality

One thing I would mention first is the actual nature of a new name for Barbault’s Basket. When you break it down, it doesn’t describe what we’re seeing: the name is Mini Grand Trine. It bothers me because after 50+ years of knowing a trine is a 120-degree aspect between two planets and a Grand Trine is a full, triangular figure made by three planets, usually in the same element, I can only see a Mini Grand Trine describe a small image of the full triangle. Both the regular and the grand trines are seen as a supportive influence where things come and are accomplished easily, although the grand trine is considered most auspicious.

However, in the configuration taking place there is only one planet pair in one 120 degree trine aspect and both are in the air element: Uranus in Gemini and Pluto in Aquarius. Then, between these two, in the exact midpoint when they reach the same degree, is another planet. It is in the Fire element: Neptune in Aries. Both Uranus and Pluto make a 60-degree aspect (half a trine) called a sextile to Neptune. Some say the sextile is an aspect of helpful opportunity where there is ease of relationship.

In this case we may find the surprising downloads of intuition (Uranus in Gemini) supported by the visionary aspect of new creation (Neptune in Aries). From the other side, we may find transformation of electronic capabilities (Pluto in Aquarius) receiving that same support.

I can see it as a basket if you include the curve of the circle, which most don’t, and picture a flat line with sides leaning right and left.

As a basket or, if you must, a mini grand trine, there is a powerful flow between these outer planets that mark generations and have a deep effect on the experience of life on Earth. That part is true. And it can be very good. But it’s not always as positive as we might wish.

Because another thing you can see in the basket is the use of electronically operated Drones for warfare and other attacks on human and natural life while the authority who directs these is hidden. Regarding Pluto in Aquarius…the sextile helps authoritarian power over the people, through surveillance and energy influences that may be delivering mind control.

Polarity is in all life and experiences on Earth, including astrology signs and aspects. We live in a world that moves either toward positivity or negativity. And we can’t always assume that moving toward positivity brings the most benevolent outcome. A good aspect assists a thief as well as a surgeon’s hands.

The idea of having a handle for the basket is also not what we see now. In order to have a that we would need an aspect to both sides and one at the apex opposite the middle of the basket. To have that we’d need a planet opposing Neptune and now that would be a planet in Libra. What we have is a year with Jupiter, only for a brief time in 4 Leo. And this opposes one side of the basket, Pluto in Aquarius. Connect them and you have a larger basket (see image above).

Jupiter in Leo trines Neptune in Aries and sextiles Uranus in Gemini. It is significant the way it is because of those expansive effects on these planets and because the Evolutionary Lunar Nodes shift into South Node Leo and North Node Aquarius later this month. We may have some unexpected luck if our chart has a connection to the Jupiter sextile aspect to Uranus while we are all having some foreshadowing of our evolutionary work to come.

The Basket of the Boomers

The ongoing sextile between Pluto and Neptune began in 1944. The aspect will end in 2035. While in this sextile Pluto was in Leo from 1939 to 1957-8 and Neptune was in Libra for its full cycle in 1943 until 1956.

Uranus entered Gemini in October of 1941, but it retrograded and reentered for the full cycle in May of 1942. It remained in Gemini until August of 1949.

During the 1940s the three outer planets came close to the same exact degrees of their signs but only two achieved the same degree at a time. However, the long-lasting configuration had effects.

Military Aviation Museum

One of these was migration due to war and the loss of home and property and for some, the loss of life. War increased the use of airplanes. Another was the creation of Big Band music. And then there was the end of WWII in 1945 and the formation of the NATO alliance of allied countries for mutual defense in 1949. The creation of Israel, where they sent the surviving Jews, and where we have a crisis now with Pluto opposing the Natal Leo Pluto and Neptune opposing the Natal Libra Neptune of its birth.

Neptune in Libra is about relationships, peace, harmony, and the arts. Pluto in Leo (father and children) brought the first generation of children who received a focus of attention and value and the shift of power from Royalty to Hollywood Stars and Sports Heroes. Uranus in Gemini expanded use of electronic products and other new inventions. What began as listening to radio news and live plays and going to the movies, would expand into television.

Neptune in Libra sextile Pluto in Leo saw returning soldiers marrying and having babies…the Baby Boom. And the GI bill (1944) was there, offering ways to buy your own home and more.

Some of this changed life for the better, but it was the children born with this configuration that went on to create famous shifts in the consensus culture of the US and elsewhere. It happened when they came of age during the challenge of Pluto and Uranus in Virgo to their natal Uranus in Gemini.

This generation with Pluto in Leo and Neptune in Libra would produce powerful, seductive, and beautiful music, as well as films and literature. The Beatles have been said to have changed the world in many ways. Musically they brought in the orchestra, Eastern spiritual sounds, and each album was unique. The performers influenced the political opinions of their listeners who, with Neptune in Libra, were interested in peace, justice, and idealized relationships.

Tookapic on Pixabay.

Uranus in Gemini also produced independent thinking that overturned the beliefs of their parents and the generations before them. They began the late 1960s protest marches, joining the fight for racial equality, women’s rights, gay rights (the words used then) and the anti-war movement. They created their own styles for hair and clothing (Like jeans? Guess who wore them first), and protests included the burning of bras. Free love, birth control, and more travel became part of their lives.

Not all of this changed things for the better and there was also a rise in the use of drugs, from the mellow pot days and LSD to other, harder drugs and pills. But it also brought in a time when spirituality became a focus, including the exploration of Hindu culture and oriental medicine. Astrology was in a famous song from the hit Broadway Musical “Hair”.

The Basket Generation

This time beginning in 2026 must produce a different effect as the signs for Pluto are Aquarius (detachment, freedom, equality) and Neptune in Aries (spiritualization, dissolving, or overidealizing the individual self) are not on the same wavelength as the one Boomers were surfing. But we can see more focus coming on energy as the source of healing and we might have a consciousness shift into the move away from war. We can hope that Uranus in Gemini brings ways to use power that doesn’t poison the earth and ways to clean up the mess we’ve made in the oceans and elsewhere. But the future holds what it will. No one saw the Hippies coming…believe me.

Many of you will be there to see what this will be…as it begins with this generation’s coming of age challenges in approximately 2043 when Uranus is in Leo and Neptune in Taurus both challenging their natal Pluto, and Pluto is still in Aquarius until 2044 when it enters Pisces.

See you next time!

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