Can Planets Influence human Life?

(Excerpt edited from an article written by Kaye Shinker for Astrological Investing in reply to one of her students in 2009.)

OK  There is a long answer but here's a short list:
Mercury Retrograde 
Mercury's apparent forward, stationary, and backward movement as seen from our planet is always the astrologers best example of how muddled brains all over the world can get.  The best current example is the TARP program passed by the Congress and signed into law all during a Mercury retrograde. I discuss this phenomena in my Textbooks for Financial Astrology Book 1 Lesson 2.
Your average student astrologer will probably have a long list of Mercury retrograde events. Most are pretty funny.

Happy Solar Return and Natal Planetary Conjunctions
On the day you were born a pattern was set. Every year the Sun comes to the exact same position as it was on the day you were born - the transiting Sun is conjunct Natal Sun. So much energy focused on that particular day of the year can make you happy or depressed. So we manage and celebrate the day it by giving you ice cream and cake and sometimes we invite your friends over to sing songs - but if you are really lucky an astrologer will read your solar return chart. A Solar Return is a chart drawn up at the exact time the Sun returns to the exact same degree is was on the day you were born.  An astrologer using this chart can assess and predict the themes that will arise for you during your next “solar year”—the 12 months that happen from one birthday to the next.

You probably get used to the energy and moods of  the Moon since it returns to its natal position 13 times per year, however, Mercury returning to its natal position can often produce a really great idea, Venus can bring a note from an old friend and Mars can make you super energetic when they return to the position it occupied in your natal chart.

Jupiter returns to its natal position about every 12 years. Watch carefully for this event -  usually something really nice happens around that date! Jupiter's energy bring expansion, opportunity, luck and in general good vibrations.  You need to watch for the sextiles, squares, trines and oppositions of Jupiter and Venus to planets in your horoscope chart as well so you can anticipate that they will bring
 some special gift your way.

About every seven years Saturn really whacks you and pushes the book of life right in your face and says study up. Saturn is the planet brings astrologers clients. No one can explain your lessons or understand your Saturn transit better than an astrologer.

Saturn can be just down right mean. He can take away your love, your money and your health and throw it in the trash. He refuses to return it until you learn your lesson.  Saturn wants you to learn your lessons and learn them so well you won't forget. Right now Saturn is opposed my Sun and I am learning to live by my wits and write lengthy prose to a young astrologer named Leah, my student who asked me "Do planets influence our daily life?".  Hell ya! Saturn forces you to get up and get your act together.

The other planets Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto tremendously affect you and your peers about the same way. You should all get together, call it a study group;  you WILL learn your lessons whether you want to or not!

Eclipses
Then there are eclipses. They interrupt or rip the electrical field that protects the earth's atmosphere. In 2005 there was an eclipse visible over New Orleans.  In August everyone there learned a lesson as did the folks who were devastated by Rita.  If an eclipse aspects your natal planets the sensitive areas of your life that will be triggered.  Beginnings and endings occur and often we’ll begin a new stage in our life.

Everything I mentioned above influences companies large and small as well!  You can read about them in the Textbook for Financial Astrology.

Leah didn't really want that long of an answer  Sorry!

(Kaye Shinker passed away suddenly in November, 2011.  She is greatly missed.)