The story of OJ Simpson's fall as an American sports hero was a bookend drama that began and ended Pluto's transit through Sagittarius. All the themes are there -- the courtroom scenes, the victims' relentless pursuit of justice and his surreal attempt to reclaim his life in the spotlight, even though the fame had turned into infamy. In her final installment in the OJ series, Eileen Grimes shows how OJ embodied the walking wound of a culture obsessed with celebrity, including the notorious. She sees him as an archetypal figure, someone who has stood out for a reason, and been a catalyst for cultural purging and deep change.

And then there's the man OJ, and his inevitable date with karmic destiny, marked by Saturn transits that are astonishing mirrors. It's closure for Eileen's series, and with OJ in prison now, the end of his run for his life. Eileen says the hand of Saturn has been waiting for him to trip up, writing, sometimes its amazing how we can measure time by Saturn’s cycles, and see that the “cosmic cop” in our solar system has a very patient manner, and knows that we really cannot get away with things - especially murder.

Now contained both physically, in jail, in a way that reins in his runaway natal Saturn-Pluto in the 12th house, a new chapter begins for OJ. Eileen calls it a cage within a cage and maybe now he can begin his journey toward true soul freedom.

• OJ Simpson: Running for His Life, Part VII
• Click here for Part I in the Series

The Chinese New Year begins January 26th, in the sign of the Ox, in the element earth. The Ox is a working animal (some say beast of burden), and a valuable asset to a family that lives close to the land. It heralds a year of plodding, but steady progress, and the careful building of things meant to last.

Author Suzanne White has returned in 09 to grace the site with an overview of the Year of the Earth Ox, and a preview prediction for each sign. The strong, enduring Ox puts muscle into whatever does, and in Earth, has the ability to alter the landscape. Writes Suzanne, It suggests an environment dominated by cautious pragmatism rather than quixotic dreaming. Things will get done.

• Chinese Calendar (Find your Sign and Element)
• How Chinese Astrology Works

Let's entertain hope! Starting today, Jupiter's expansive essence will be soaring in Aquarius, a sign of progressive thinking, originality and a humanitarian outlook. That's at it's best, of course. And Jupiter pulls toward the highest ideal, with signs and serendipities of being on the right path, following the lucky star. Jupiter guides the search for meaning, reaching for higher truths. Aquarius likes to be mingling among the people, and is tuned in to the vibe of the whole. We could see unexpected changes come out of group efforts, through networking, friendship circles and citizen actions.

The world of technology is likely to speed forward with progress. In his Astrology of Culture blog, Eric Meyers of Astrology.com points out that it's the year we're all supposed to upgrade to digital television. The need for universities to rein in expenses, and restructure the budgets could bring a rise in online education, already a growing trend. Aquarius rules air and the distant corners of the universe, and the quest for truth could involve the mysteries of what's going on in space, and in our own earth environment. Maybe there will be more disclosure with the E.T. thing, and why our clouds come delivered as parallel lines, and their impact on Earth and our own energetic fields and health/well-being. The major planets in earth (Saturn, Pluto) will direct that bubbly Jupiter-inspired idealism in practical ways. Lots of communities and regions will take matters in their own hands, and look for fresh, cleaner energy solutions to resource and sustainability problems.

In fashion and style, we could see sleek, futuristic, cool and shiny. Out of Hollywood and elsewhere, we could see more stories about aliens, time travel and eccentric characters. Stories about those that dare to be different, or mass awakenings that change history, could rise to the surface of culture. The stranger and taboo face that's part of the human experience, portrayed by Aquarian actors like Christian Bale, becomes a societal focus. And we'll likely see more epics like HBO's John Adams, that celebrates the ideals of independence, humanitarian values and a society that makes a point to include the most downtrodden in the social web. Jupiter in Aquarius turns us all into champions for the underdog and lovers of individual freedom, ready to join forces for causes that bring real change.

The Bush shoe incident by the Iraqi journalist has sparked spontaneous shoe hurling around the globe. The Uranian spirit of revolution took off, in a Piscean theme, since Pisces rules the feet. Uranus is facing down Saturn, primed for quirky, visually remarkable acts. The gesture, as authority meets the people says, we stand together against all brutal acts of violence.

There's something poignant about old shoes...they tell a story about the day-to-day, walking in the world. I couldn't bear to look at my Dad's old nearly flattened penny loafers after he died. They bear the marks of rhythm of daily plodding, stagnation or bursts of momentum. That and standing in the facts on the ground, analyzed carefully for integrity (Saturn in Virgo). And they bring to mind that timeless truth, "walk a mile in my shoes," before you judge me. From Montreal to Bagdad, Washington to San Francisco and across Europe this weekend, the shoes are flying. There was even a odd incident in Miami on Friday, with thousands of shoes left by who knows who on the highway.

In related news, I just discovered that Jessica Murray has a blog on her MotherSky site. She writes about the scenario that's unfolding in Gaza, and has the courage not to give O a sleepy pass...but to listen to what he's saying, and whether it's balanced or not based on her sense of what's right and just. And that Pluto in Capricorn may well bring home the lesson, that the days of bowing to the patrician, just trust me to be the moral compass, are over. That it's a time for the heart of compassion, a truly egalitarian view that respects all sides equally, to come through the people....walking the walk, in their shoes.

She writes, We are entering a post-father-figure era. Obama's dreadful pandering was as much of an omen as the New Year war crimes to which he was referring. No leader, no matter how charismatic, no matter how vastly superior to the toxic clown he's replacing, can take the place of an individuated populace alive with self-awareness. The Uranus-Saturn opposition overhead echoes this idea. The global superpower of the years upcoming is not a politician, nor any one person; it is an informed citizenry. As we make our way to the Full Moon of January 10th, we must begin to realize that we are on our own.

Venus moves into Pisces today, under a restless sky, and the Earth rumbling beneath us in some places. The sensitivity of Venus in Pisces adds color and depth to all this raw emotion surging. The Moon is waxing this weekend with the Half-Moon in urgent Aries, with tensions to Pluto, Mars and the Sun. If you're agro, it's likely to be passionate and enveloping. And the tender moods can bring on the moist eyes and make your heart feel full to breaking.

The last sign, the watery, feeling Pisces, is known for seeing the best in people and situations. And it's an empathic one that swims in the collective waters. With all the edgy emoting, it's easy to get absorbed in someone else's drama, or soak up bad vibes while out and about. Venus is about creativity, and in Pisces, all the nuances of the human experience can be elevated to the sublime. And there's an everyday art to staying open-hearted about it all, without being submerged by it.

Tips for making the most of Venus in Pisces: Dive into your imagination with your art; seek out culture that elevates your spirit; take lots of baths or soak in the hot tub; write a heartfelt letter to an old friend; watch a tear-jearker; enter the world of a vividly written book; add the occasional siesta to your afternoon; visit the ocean; walk in an area of natural beauty; escape into the Neptunian dark of the cinema; participate in a global meditation for peace, or focus your heart on a troubled area; forgive yourself or another; have a good cry; show compassion to someone that's struggling; nurture the love in your life.

If you're sensing a lift in the mood, it's the luminous winds of Aquarius. Yesterday Mercury moved into Aquarius, after glancing Jupiter in the last degrees of Capricorn (tradition, the past). This wraps up the old, and gives us fresh eyes for the new year. It was the first of three Jupiter-Mercury conjunctions, that'll help shake us out of the trance of gloom from unfolding events (the next dates are January 17/18 and February 24th).

Mercury's role as messenger is enigmatic in this sign, with Aquarius known for its leaps of logic. What's running in the thought-stream gets zapped with electricity, creating excitement, and a sense of uniting for a common cause. Out of the collective restlessness for reform on all fronts, we could see astonishing new currents with the potential to carry us forward. Being ruled by both Uranus and Saturn, Aquarius has a breadth of vision that takes the comic energies and integrates them with Earth realities. It's fertile ground for innovative breakthroughs that heal or transform real world problems.

It's time for an end of the year review. Saturn's retrograde starts today and lasts through May of 2009, bringing a chance to make finishing touches on any projects. If there's a fallow period with this transit, there's no better time to make refinements that resolve a health issue.

Since Saturn is the planet of carefully considered progress, it's a grace period, to tie up loose ends, and mull over plans for the new year. You can go back over what you've done, and use that Virgo fine-tooth comb, to make sure it's a thorough job. Saturn's lessons are about doing it right, even if it takes a long time, so the end result is something you know is structurally sound.

Here's some breaking news that keeps the Void theme going... Shelley Ackerman of Karmic Relief is appealing to Obama to make a slight schedule change on Inauguration Day. On CNN's I-Report, Shelley is calling on Obama to wait until the Moon is in a 'more favorable spot,' out of late degree Scorpio, void-of-course. When the Moon has left its last aspect, and has yet to enter the next sign, it's said to be void-of-course. The Moon is the emotional soul of the chart, and in v/c, could set a vaguely disconnected mood when he takes the oath.

Shelley writes, PLEASE humor the astrologers who care so much about the success of your presidency, Mr. President-Elect, and let the bugles play, the poets read, the dancers dance, the clerics pray and have Aretha sing an encore, but stall in any way you can and say "I do" at 12:30 pm.

And if he waits until then? The Moon will be exalted in Sagittarius in a nice aspect to lucky Jupiter on the Midheaven. We cannot eliminate the annoying Venus-approaching Uranus opposite Saturn aspect, meaning that 2010 looks a little dicey, but the better placement of the Moon should help considerably.

It's widely believed that some of the Founding Fathers were wise to astrology, and aware of the best times to initiate new things (like an independent nation). It's not so far-fetched, when you consider that Ben Franklin put astrological info in his Poor Richard's Almanac. Shelley knows it's a long shot, but says it's worth a try...to me, that shows true patriotism. With Jupiter moving into Aquarius soon, maybe some of the surprises of 2009 will be about re-awakening to these planetary currents. And how working with the cosmos can set the right tone for new beginnings.

It makes my head spin (in a good way) to read Robert Phoenix a vanguard artist that lifts out fascinating threads from current culture, with astrology as one way of seeing meaning. He calls it Astrology for the Now Age. Now he's experimenting with collective visioning, in a meeting tomorrow called, Gathering in the Void.

This is serendipitous to what I've been exploring, so I just have to pass it on to readers. Phoenix writes that the nature of time is changing, along with the break down of the mass mind. What that leaves is a Void, a rich landscape that's fertile ground for experimentation. Enter Jupiter in Aquarius, and the stage is set to harness the power of the mind, both on your own and collectively. What kind of power does this give us? Are we just witnesses to the destruction of life, or do we have the power to create a more just, compassionate, abundant, loving world?

Writes Phoenix, It has come to my attention that we are in a unique phase where through our attention and intention, we can actually change various timelines. In essence, we are not slaves to time or fate and while we are not omnisicient and cannot control all of creation, we have much more influence than we understand. We are not mute and paralytic in the face of war, famine or poverty. We have the ability to impact the very nexus of will as it manifests into the world.

Living is an act of creativity and powerful imagination, being evoked from a place of passion.

He's calling this the first in a series of catalytic events, going with the momentum of expansive Jupiter in Aquarius (beginning January 5th!). There's sure to be more of this kind of connecting in 2009, as each person becomes a visionary for the kind of future that's unfolding. The alternative to choosing your visions is to be vulnerable to the ones out there, designed to shape mass perception. And I think many of us know by now that it's not coming from a consciousness with the well-being of the world in mind. To find out more about the Gathering, see Robert's new Moon in Capricorn, report, with details at the bottom.

A trip to the store today has me wondering...is it just me, or are folks looking extra distressed these days. When times are tough, it's all the more urgent, to find inner strength, and to be able to go to the Source for renewal. Some of the dis-ease can be managed from the inside out, and lucky for us, the planets support the kind of strategizing that'll give us the strength to handle it. I'm right there with this, realizing that I've got to become stronger, too. From little things like cutting out sugar, to making time for more meditation, I'm trying to meet the urgency of the times by making myself stronger. The Hopi did prophesy that the river would be moving very fast!

So many planets now in Saturn-ruled Capricorn. And the new Moon even fell on Saturn's Day (Saturday). That's why Canadian astrologer Wendy Guy writes about the new Moon in Capricorn lunation -- that takes us up to January 10/11 -- as a time to make friends with Saturn. With Saturnian energy in charge, the key is keeping Saturn happy. Guy writes, That means planning ahead, being responsible, clearly defining your goals and doing whatever is necessary to achieve them. Saturn in Virgo can be a taskmaster, but its agenda is not to be mean but to improve, strengthen and support you in attaining those goals.

With New Year's Eve around the corner, this lunation has the feel of a working holiday, with planetary pressure to take a serious look at how you're managing things like your time, resources, health. The obsession with details means that Saturn in Virgo helps to see how habits give you a lift or bring you down. It's a chance to become more solid within yourself, while also cultivating the flexibility to keep making refinements. I bought a bag of organic apples with the intention to eat one a day...to keep the doctor away. Another timeless truth, like drinking 8 glasses of water, that's somehow hard for me to stick to. But these earth sign planets bring you back to the basics, and make you resolute about doing the best you can with what you've got. That can lead to some New Year's resolutions that can be organically woven into the structure your life.