The moment of the 9:11 event of aeroplanes crashing into buildings in America was a deep shock to everyone with the subsequent emotional reactions depending on each person's point of view, prejudices, and political information sources. I personally felt enormous grief - rationalising later, I think the grief was for the survivors who had lost family and friends, for those who helped the rescue operation and clearing up; for all those family, friends and helpers of all such warlike killing over the world over time; and for the human race as a whole that we have that violent aspect in each one of us that can erupt into destruction at any time.

Like most people aware of the power of absent healing, I tuned in to look and channel what energy I could for the highest good of all involved. Apart from all the physical effects, I seemed to see the entire area contained in a huge column of pale yellow light reaching up as far as my consciousness could go. There seemed to be many souls flying up and out, and many flying down and in to help. And also it seemed that a huge cloud of darkness that had been gathering in those places was dispersing and evaporating. This, it seems to me, was the gift of the should, including the terrorists, who 'died'. Such a gift, I see as having been agreed upon at a soul level as part of this life, and mostly not consciously made by the personalities.

Saturn in Gemini and Pluto in Sagittarius are representing the two great camps - the American government and its supporters, and the 'terrorists'. One way of looking at this is that America is Saturn trying to lay down the law and control the situation, and Pluto is the 'terrorists'/Taliban overthrowing the status quo with their own philosophy. But if we look at it the other way round, we could say that the Taliban is Saturn in Gemini communicating their traditional way of doing things, and America is Pluto working at the destruction of the other side in Afghanistan with more than one agenda. Is it possible to get rid of the world of terrorists by bombing a country or killing one man? We need to not take sides if we are to have Aquarian style detached vision. There are those on every side who will fight and that's for them to do - but we do have the choice to work at understanding and calming our own violent reaction and inner battles. This, and holding the essential worth of humanity in mind, is more likely to promote peace.

There were many aspects in the chart of that moment showing peaceful solutions possible. I was in America for two weeks just following the event and what impressed me about the American people was the expression of human worth and connection. The event provoked a sense of vulnerability in Americans that seems to enable more emotional realness in relationship. I think it was this that attracted those displays of support from other nations - initially not support in war, but the natural empathy and compassion of which humanity is capable.

There are two more moments of opposition between Saturn and Pluto looked at from the Earth's perspective. The initial contact, in any group of three, sets the scene of operations. The second one, late October/early November 01 (as I am writing this), allows for re-consideration of the events and the following reactions. The third and last contact, May 02, offers opportunity for solutions to rise to the surface. Our most important work right now is standing like well-rooted trees in the flood of emotionality, so that when the water goes down (Jupiter into Leo during 2002?) we can continue to build the global family connections that have become possible with easy flight and the internet. We certainly have the opportunity to bring ourselves into the Aquarian age of communication for the social good of everyone.

With love, Margaret