David Petraeus, former director of the CIA, turned 60 a few days ago. And what did the American people give him for this milestone birthday?

Infamy.

Prior to the story of Petraeus stepping down as head of the CIA due to revelations of an extramarital affair, if you’d asked me who the head of the CIA was, I would have said, “give me a second” while secretly checking my iPhone.

Now I know.

Confucius believed one could only become a sage after age 50 (“I knew the decrees of Heaven“) and at 60 had achieved some inner peace (“No sound irritates me“).

“Sage” is a word little used in my universe, unless we’re talking about a spice rubbed on chicken. In our Internet age, no one is a wise sage, we’re all librarians curating information.

Will this sudden break from the world launch Petraeus on the ascent to wisdom and inner peace?

Saturn in Scorpio

You may have noticed that Petraeus is a sun-sign Scorpio, which is the sign associated with sex. The scandal isn’t the sex, it’s the getting caught. Usually Scorpio is too smart and clever to be caught. Has this Scorpio set his own trap?

With Saturn beginning its transit of Scorpio, sex may be more in the news, even than it is today.

I hope we don’t have two and a half years of Saturn-in-Scorpio sex scandals. If this story is accurate and 50 percent of women and 60 percent of married men have affairs, it’s gonna be one long Saturn transit.

Since Scorpio also rules money shared with others, these public divorces may also contain public airing of money issues.

Fun.

Relationship Issues

If I look at Petraeus’ chart with the knowledge he had an affair but from the vantage point of trying to help someone who’s made a decision that’s changed his life, I would focus on mother issues.

Liz Greene is the master of seeing parental relationships in the chart. I’ll put on my Greene hat as Petraeus’ chart stands out to me as containing an inner female with a drinking or substance abuse problem. The inner female may come out as a female partner while Petraeus wears the emotions of a general.

Petraeus has moon in Cancer close to Uranus, although he may have moon in Leo. Uranus on the moon is an unpredictable mother. In Cancer, mother was sometimes very motherly and sometimes not-to-be-found, off searching for comfort maybe from substances and also from her own family.

Today your mother is mothering you and tomorrow you have to take over and help mom out of bed.

That creates a lot of anxiety and desire to rescue.

Saturn and Neptune are conjunct in Libra in Petraeus’ chart, square Uranus/moon. Mother may have also been depressed. Neptune in Libra seeks the ideal mate, a beauty with a poetic nature and strong sense of fairness. When mother (and other women) are in the right mood, there is no greater pleasure to be had than being in their company. It’s just the other “moods” that cause the problem . . .

If I were a fortune cookie, I might say to Petraeus, “Bad luck with women.”

Mars is in Sagittarius right now and is almost finished with its month-long transit. It happens to be transiting Petraeus’ Venus in Sagittarius. Mars on Venus in the fire sign of Sagittarius is risk-taking and adventuresome.

If Petraeus has the problems with women his chart suggests, this Mars transit may have said, “I’m breaking out to have some fun. I don’t care what it costs.”

This fun didn’t begin a month ago, I believe, from my brief glance at the story. But Mars might have decided it was time to face all the repercussions that arise from following your risk-taking behavior over the cliff.

I’m guessing the true breakup of his marriage occurred while Saturn was transiting the later degrees of Libra (last year) and Petraeus had his second Saturn return. Both he and his spouse were probably very depressed about the state of their marriage (happens to a lot of folks, really). Sometime last year was probably a true breaking point.

If Petraeus and his wife were holding up the idea of a perfect marriage, they wouldn’t be the first couple to do so. With the American focus on marriage, it’s difficult to tell the world that you are one more couple that isn’t making it.

Mars will soon move into Capricorn and will return to its natal position in Petraeus’ horoscope activating the Uranus/moon, Mars and Saturn/Neptune T-square. I’m guessing that Petraeus will go forcefully forward on his new path and may even have a few moments where he tells others what they can do with their news stories.

Saturn transiting Scorpio will oppose Petraeus’ Jupiter in Taurus. Regardless of what’s truly occurring in this man’s marriage, he will be paying the financial price. She’s keeping the house.

No Sound Irritates Me

Sometimes while watching Britney Spears or Lindsay Lohan in their public meltdowns, I thank god I didn’t have to have my own emotional upheavals in public. We all have our crazy moments and most of us don’t have to see those moments on the cover of People.

If you have chosen a path that takes you into the limelight, your travails might be more pronounced but hopefully so will your learnings and joys.

The events set in motion this week for Petraeus will probably take most of the Saturn-in-Scorpio transit to fully resolve.

Saturn’s transit of Sagittarius, in about three years, will be conjunct Petraeus’ Mercury. There will probably be a book at that time (which may help with the finances).

Writing is cathartic for many. Maybe it will help Petraeus go to the place of “no sound irritates.”