Transitions of a New Year: Basic influences that lead us over the threshold to 2016

As we approach the end of 2015 and the start of 2016, we do so in the light of Venus’ entry into firey Sagittarius. Looking out my window in the middle of the night, I saw Venus bright in the Eastern sky. Now at 0/11 degrees of Sagittarius, Venus heats up our love life considerably. New Year’s Eve is less than two days away now. We approach a major annual transition time. And the year begins with some major activity behind us as well as some significant changes ahead. 

 As I write the    Sun  is at 8/24'56" degrees of Capricorn , in the first decan of Capricorn.  That highlights aspects of the Sagittarius energy and sociality, as it introduces a more sober and serious side to all Sun-related activities and to the earth sign areas of our lives/charts. 

The Moon  is at 8/14’27” Virgo, also an earth sign. Earth energy is growing stronger in the areas ruled by the Sun (how we live out our purpose) and Moon (our emotional energy and equilibrium). From what I can tell of what many people are reporting, the urge to purge is great now as we prepare for leaving the past behind and get down to building a new life and moving into more earth-based areas of development. 

Bringing ourselves into greater awareness of our body-mind-spirit connections is a theme that has many laying out plans for creating, building, growing, and establishing stronger connections between personal goals and the collective consciousness. The result will show in how we bring into form those ideas and ideals that we say matter most to us and that contribute to becoming better stewards of the elements and the planetary health and well being. Look to where the Moon in Virgo is in your chart, and note how that area/house and the following, Libra, are sources of light and guidance for you over the next few days and into the New Year. These two areas of your life are ripe for new energy and the sorting out of what your priorities are. How you make the transition from the old year to the new is an indicator of where your focus and energy is being directed now.

Communications is the realm of   Mercury. Mercury is currently in the last few degrees of Capricorn, 28   1’34”. The New Year will begin with Mercury in the anaretic degree of 29 degrees (the last degree of the sign). This is a crucial degree that signals the completion of some major areas of our lives. On January 3, 2016, Mercury will enter Aquarius. Mercury’s completion of its transit through Capricorn may extend into those first two days of the year, the sense of needing to complete old business and rid yourself of anything that is trapping your energy or spirit. You may find that you speak or write out final agreements, sign papers ending old connections, or continue clearing out whatever remains a block to forward movement and new growth. All forms of communication will be involved, and your desire to deal with practical matters will reach a culminating point. When Mercury enters Aquarius, you will feel a greater sense of freedom as well as a sense of having taken care of a lot of unfinished business.

Today’s news is   Venus’ entry into Sagittarius at  0   11’35”. Venus shifts from the energy of its transit through deeply emotional and intense Scorpio to that of the more pleasure-driven and light-hearted Sagittarius. Heating up Venus’ quest for pleasure, the transit through Sagittarius  is now less focused and more apt to be in search of adventure, caprice, and seeking that which appeals to our highest ideals or basic needs and desires. Having spent time searching into the depths of our being with the transit through Scorpio, we now feel relieved of the pressure or need to understand our motivation instead we seek whatever we find meets our needs. Focus is now on seeking experiences. You want to feel free to seek whatever your heart desires in the way of love, romance, beauty, and pleasure. You may find yourself planning trips or seeking to move to a different culture. Moving out of any ruts or regular patterns now seems much more likely than not. Don’t be surprised if you wake up with the urge to travel, explore, or discover something completely far afield of what you typically have been involved in. 

Another change is approaching, and that is that of Mars which is currently transiting through the final degrees of Libra. We find   Mars is currently at 27/42' 1”degrees. By January 3, Mars too will change signs. In Libra we have used our charm to get what we want, and have been rather unsure about any changes we have sought to make. The ambiguity we may have been feeling is rooted in the fact that instead of looking at what we really want to do, we are still trying to figure out how to please everyone with our choices and decisions. The gift or growing edge of Mars’ transit through Libra has been to become clearer about who we are and what we need and want. Acting on that understanding is now going to become more important than it may have been for some time. In part because of some of the other influences which have been holding us back or forcing us to discover the flaws in our plans. Delays have enabled us to work out what it has been that has held us back or led us to act as we have in the past. We now prepare to take a more measured, thoughtful  approach to any dealings or actions (when Mars enters Scorpio on January 3, 2016). 

The planet  Jupiter which entered  Virgo in mid-August of this year, will remain in this earthy position until September 9, 2016. Currently, Jupiter is at 23 degrees of Virgo  . Jupiter will form  a pleasant conjunction, both being in the same sign, as we approach New Years. This lends itself t a pleasurable week, and of some unexpected gifts and bonuses to end the year on. Jupiter brings with it optimism, abundance, good fortune, generosity, joy, and encouraging experiences. And much of what Jupiter honors us with at this time can be found manifest right before us. Results and rewards are practical and down-to-earth. This is a time when body, mind, and spirit are working in tandem to bring into being what we seek through the clarity of our vision. 

The Great Teacher Saturn is at 10 degrees of Sagittarius  at this time. About mid-cycle its transit through Sagittarius (2014-2017) Saturn is challenging us to make progress in areas where we seek to achieve. It also asks that we wisen up and move onto the next stage in our development. Any delays or blocks can be seen as Saturn’s way to teach us enduring patience. During times in-between, we have the chance to better understand our motivation and ways we have helped or sabotaged our own growth and movement. 

These in-between times allow us to test out our theories, grow deeper or grow up, identify our priorities, determine how our priorities align with our values, and reestablish whatever skills, habits, focus or adjustments we need to make in order to move ahead. If we are still trying to live out some fantasy ideal or continue to identify with only one driving aspect of our nature, we get way laid and sidetracked. We want to be careful not to keep running around the same track expecting new avenues and adventures to ope to us if we have done nothing, made no preparations, or have not prepared ourselves for what is going to give us the skills, education., training, or focus we need to thrive. 

One of the most important changes that has taken place is the culmination of the Uranus -Pluto   first quarter square. Uranus in Aries has been making 7 exact squares to Pluto in Capricorn since June of 2012. On March 16 of 2016, the final square to Pluto occurs. Earlier that this most recent cycle was the cycle that began in 2007-2012. It was during this period of time that the ‘game board’ was set up for the series of Uranus-Pluto squares that began in 2012. The period when things were brewing or bubbling beneath the surface. In 2012 and over the past four years, we have seen the impact in the growing problems around war and territorialism that seem to have no solution nor end in sight. The growing number of people who find themselves refugees is another indication that the way Uranus-Pluto reveals how manipulation, violence and events and developments that continue to disrupt civilizations worldwide. All this is not only calling our attention to corruption and systems (financial, social, religious, information/communication) that are falling apart as part of the transformative and disruptive nature of this profound energy. What is falling apart, may not be put back together. What is learned and discerned now, can lead to new ways of handling the problems that must be addressed to mend the woundedness that has torn us apart. 

 This series of squares has not happened in over 500 years. The last time this happened was during the time of the French Revolution. We have our own world revolution going on, and in our individual lives, we are being purged of whatever has been holding us back from setting out on the healing journey that we need.  And these squares  between Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn have had a significant impact on everyone and in everyone’s lives-individually and collectively. In fact according to astrologer, Bill Herbst of Mountain Astrologer Magazine, this Uranus-Pluto cycle will have a civilizational impact on history and all societies. Whenever the out planets make one of the ten astrological cycles (different from the 35 year cycles of the inner planets).  Herbst  refers to the outer planet cycles  as messengers providing us with archetypal symbols that point the way toward how we use our power, energy, and intentions

As the year ends Uranus  is at 16 degrees of Aries . By now you probably are well aware of where Uranus and Pluto are in your chart/life. You might want to review how the changes, especially that which has come like a bolt out of the blue, have had an impact on the what you have done and how you have done it. And how your life is in the process of coping with the major changes that have taken place in your life over this period of great transformation.  By March you may have more to deal with. Since we measure astrological events and influences in long phases rather than by exact dates or times, we will be dealing with the impact an aftermath of these cycles for hundreds of years to come. What we do and change now, will have a long-term impact on the future of the world.One pebble in the ocean sends out a ripple, and alone it is not that powerful. Combined with all the other ripples, it becomes a massive power source. Use your energy and power wisely. Take stock of how you are having an impact on life now, and adjust your sails for the journey ahead. 

Another long transit is that of Neptune   in Pisces. Ruler of the imagination, intuition, creativity, dreams, visions, and illusions/delusions, Neptune’s transit through the watery depths of Pisces call for us to surrender to the Divine Sacred, and to at the very least, pay attention to our intuition. There is more to life than what meets the eye, and when we overemphasize one way of perceiving or processing what we are taking in, we limit our vision and understanding. All great scientists, philosophers, authors, and inventors have emphasized the role of trusting what is beneath the veneer on the surface of life. Hunches, intuition, imagination, sensory input, gut instinct, dreams, and all forms of extra-sensory perception, are tools to be honored and utilized. Tools are useless if you don’t use them, so Neptune in Pisces awakens us to what gifts we have to help us discern and trust what is.  As the year transitions, Neptune is at 7 degrees of Pisces . Take some time to listen to what is beneath the surface of your awareness and consciousness.

The other half of the dynamic duo, Pluto  is at 14/59 degrees of Capricorn , just reaching its halfway point in its long transit through this earthy terrain. Pluto, the Great Transformer, has been digging deep into our lives, shaking things up.Also part of the Uranus-Pluto square cycle, Pluto is not only shaking up the area of  your life that it is transiting, but is also shaking up our general way of approaching just about every aspect of our lives.  How are you using your power, and how are you called on to use it from now on? Again the call to ‘grow up’ and move into the roles you have been prepared and called to is strong. Ambition, political action, responsibility, and obligations are all within the realm of Pluto in Capricorn. What are you called to contribute or create? How are you preparing and honoring your gifts, skills, and talents? When we fail to live up to our potential, we fail not only ourselves but all those who count on us to live out of our strength and power. 

Chiron,   the Wounded Healer is also transiting the sign of Pisces  

at 17 degrees. How are you healing? What wounds have been left unattended? How have you been coping with old wounds and imbalances? How are you learning through the healing process, and what do you sense still requires more time, energy, insight, atonement to bring about healing?

And the crown on the cake of this New Year’s essay is the new cycle featuring the Virgo/Pisces axis of the North Node   in Virgo opposite the South Node in Pisces. The North Node indicates where in your life there is movement, endings and beginnings, and points where you are leaving behind one set of lessons to start a new set. Look at the houses that are ruled by Virgo and Pisces. Sometimes there is overlap in a chart. By that I mean a house or sector of your life will have the energy of two signs (perhaps Virgo on the cusp and Libra somewhere in the house itself). When this happens, you want to watch the transits of the North Node (very slow cycle) to see which area of your life is most affected. 

The North Node which is now in Virgo, brings on the new lessons and stages of our lives. It is the gateway to shifts and changes in energy, focus, and skills and challenges ahead. The North  Node is at 24 degrees of Virgo . Nodes appear to be in retrograde (though they don’t move, the Earth does). So it will move from 24 in what seems like backward motion by degrees).  Notice where that is in your life/chart, and be aware of what signs, indications, hunches, or natural processes and developments are beginning now. The shift from the Libra/Taurus axis, changes the type of energy and focus that affects this area now. 

The counterpart to the North Node is the South Node. It is at 24 degrees of Pisces. The South Node represents the gifts of the soul, what we were born equipped to bring into our quest and search for our life purpose. With the focus being on Pisces, it asks us to pay closer attention to those gifts we have either not used or have abused in some way. And the gifts of Pisces include compassion, intuition, spiritual connection, imagination, creativity, and fantasy. If we have any issues with substance abuse or for that matter, any kind of distored use of energy, now will be the time we learn how to use those gifts for good not evil. 

The Nodes passage through the Virgo-Pisces axis will be challenging for us because we will be required to rely on our own gifts and talents more than we ever have. So for example, if you have actively worked to avoid paying attention to your intuition or dreams, dismissing them as irrelevant or ‘just fantasy’, your challenge will come in learning how to understand their meaning in the context of your own perspective and interactions with others in your own life. We will be challenged to befriend our shadow (undeveloped, underdeveloped, unconscious, or misused) aspects of our subconscious and consciousness. 

As you approach the New Year, remember that letting go or releasing does not mean you never have to deal with those issues, relationships, or aspects of yourself and your relationship with others again. It simply means we move on from here in our development, and the real challenges will be those areas will show up as practical chaos in our everyday lives (Virgo North Node) and opportunities that we must discern whether or not to accept. This will appear to arouse and awaken us to those hidden treasures in our subconscious and unconsciousness, our past successes and failures, that which remains a mystery, and our connection or lack thereof to the Divine Sacred. What is being called forth now is for us to surrender to that Sacred force that guides, guards, and directs you through whatever challenges or opportunities open up for you from here on out. 

We may be able to rationalize our way through one sticky mess or relationship or inner struggle after another, but at some point our ability to surrender our own need to control, resist, or otherwise prevent ourselves from recognizing how the Divine operates in and through us.  Finding some type of model or tradition or pathway to help you discern what is calling for attention may help. However, be certain that whatever way you go in search of guidance, you do so with a sense of respecting and honoring each individual’s right and need to discover for themselves, what they came here to do and learn and be.

One of the main aspects that's going to affect how we use the Virgo-Pisces North/South Node axis energy has to do with Mercury's placement. Mercury will be making strong aspects to the Nodes, and will trigger a wide array of complications, gifts, challenges, and mountains to climb in regard to our communication. Notice  where the transiting Mercury and your own Natal Mercury are in your chart/life for indicators of how this is going to look and manifest in your own life. For example, if your Mercury is in Aries, a fire sign, it may caution you to think before you speak more. Or it might ask you to allow what you understand on an intuitive level to become more tempered and compassionate and less connected to having to have the last word or be considered the expert of everything you know a lot about. Letting go of the need to be accepted or recognized is part of this North Node/South Node Virgo-Pisces axis. Acceptance will come more from within now, and that is where it needs to be in order for new growth and development to take place. 

Honoring the ways of  Spirit and understanding our place in the ongoing unfolding of Creation leads us on the path of Harmony. 

Full Moon in Cancer, Sun in Capricorn A Week of Transition and Celebration

Full Moon in Cancer at 3:11 A.M. on Christmas morning, December 25, 2015. The polarity represented by the Sun in Capricorn and the Moon in Cancer is that of seeking a harmonious balance between our need for privacy, a home base, and a sense of safety and belonging with our need to maintain our reputation and connection with the community as a whole. This week is also the time when the Winter Solstice takes place. On Monday, December 21 the Sun enters Capricorn and we enter the season of Winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Summer officially begins in the Southern Hemisphere at that time. 

On Christmas Day, December 25-26, Uranus in Aries stations direct. That means it comes out from its orbit behind the Sun and begins moving forward. These times are significant. During it retrograde cycle, Uranus went from 20 degrees of Aries back to 16 degrees. It stations now at 16 degrees and will again transits forward over the same degrees it has been retrograding in. Anyone with planets or aspects between 16-20 Degrees of Aries has been feeling this strongly. Changes have been coming in this area of all our lives, and we might want to look back at what we have learned over this past retrograde time for reflection. The best ways of dealing with the wisdom we have gained from the Uranus transit is to be open to new ways of perceiving, conceiving, understanding, and responding to old situations or condition. We have to find new ways of incorporating our past into our present. We leave nothing behind, but we weave it into who we are becoming and how we are choosing to live from here on out. What didn’t work in the past, can teach us about what we want to avoid or change from now on. 

Think of Uranus in Aries as the Revolutionary force of your life. What has been turned inside out, and how are you using the lessons? What flashes of insight or creativity out of chaos types of experiences have you had this year? Understanding this enables you to experiment with new ways of  coping, dealing with others, and finding yourself and your purpose in life. 

Our urge to purge and bring the year to completion is fueled by the energy of the Capricorn Sun.  We also use this energy to organize and plan for the upcoming year. This is an excellent time to begin bringing to completion what is needed in order to free up energy and time for other long-term projects and goals. We are more likely to see how we’re going to establish the structure and shape of the projects that matter most to us at this time. For the next week we will be bringing some projects to their final stages, and in other ways, we will be planning and organizing for the long haul. 

Mercury, which has been in Capricorn since December 9 remains there until New Year’s Day. The new year will begin with Mercury’s entry into Aquarius. For the remaining two weeks though, communication remains in the stable, grounded influence of Capricorn. Saying what we mean and meaning what we say—the key essence of this transit. Using our communication to bring ideas into form, thought into action, and the intangible into the tangible realms of our daily lives. 

Venus remains in Scorpio until December 30, when it enters Sagittarius. For the remaining week of Venus’ transit, we remain under the spell of Venus’ passionate and deep search for meaning and connection. We are very much ruled by our unconscious desires and any unresolved issues during this transit. We may feel incredibly vulnerable as we have been awakened at a very deep level of our need for connection and lasting love. Discerning those needs is something going on beneath the surface regardless of what appears to be happening around us. It is a season for listening to that which wakes our hearts to our deepest passions and desires. We know what we want, and are not willing to settle for anything less—the Scorpio energy of awareness of who we are so active at this time.

Venus’ shadow side in the Scorpio transit has us looking for monsters under the relationship bed when there are none. We want to avoid ‘making mountains out of mole hills’ when it comes to love, romance, and relationships. Venus forms a sextile to Jupiter on December 23-24 lending an air of happiness and joy to the holiday season. Things run more smoothly than usual, and travel and festivities are favored. 

Mars remains in the muted and ambiguous energy of Libra until just after the first of the year (transits into Scorpio on January 3). Mars puts on a face of charm and fairness during this transit through Libra, not wanting to do anything that offends anyone. The problem is, we are apt to act as if we aren’t upset, when we have every right to be. In our efforts to be cordial and congenial we may also resort to being passive aggressive or dishonest about our true feelings. Watch to see where you are failing to stand up for what you feel is necessary or essential for your best interests. Sometimes with Mars in Libra, we can use our charm to get what we want, and deceive ourselves and others in the process. Act with as much integrity as you can, and be willing to stand firm in your own truth as you entertain and converse with others. Avoid putting on inauthentic faces or making false promises during this transit. Use your energy and take actions that honor all involved. 

Through the Week:

On Sunday early evening (PST) Mars in Libra forms a seisquiquadrant to Neptune in Pisces. This lends an air of fantasy or impulsiveness to our actions. We may find things a bit disorganized or disorderly, and we may not be very practical when making plans. It might be a great time to brain storm, but not such a great time for actually moving forward with new plans or trying to solve unresolved issues. We want to wait until our minds and lives are a bit more organized and grounded than they seem to be during this influence. Later Sunday night Mercury in Scorpio squares Uranus in Aries. Here’s a pretty impulsive and disjointed aspect that might lend itself to some of those not-so-clear fears and fantasies that we tend to create when we’re feeling down or vulnerable.  Better to get some rest, and to channel fears into something productive or creative (wash the dishes or paint a picture) rather than letting yourself fall into the pity pit. And if your need and desire is to be better understood, see what you can do about letting yourself be more accepting, tolerant, and forgiving—of yourself first, for that is where the real action is. Within ourselves. We can’t love or forgive anyone else, if we don’t know how to do this to ourselves.

Monday brings a nice Mercury sextile to Chiron, the Wounded Healer. Mercury in Capricorn and Chiron in Pisces allow us to be more sensitive and understanding in all forms of communications. When taking the gentle, easy-does-it approach, we find ourselves able to reach others. Being aware of our intuitive understanding of others, helps us communicate more clearly and with a greater ability to get our point across. Words can not only be comforting but also can bring healing and much needed compromise. On Monday, the Sun enters Capricorn and we cross the Threshold of the  Winter Solstice. We welcome the turn toward the light from the darkness, as we begin our journey forward. The days in the North begin to lengthen, and we move through a period of great transition and transformation. For all who celebrate the Winter Solstice, this is a pivotal time to focus energy and attention on inviting in Light, Inspiration, and Compassion. 

From Tuesday night on through the week, the waxing moon will be in Gemini, and will be forming a series of aspects on most of the major planets. Our emotional lives will be super charged with the Gemini energy leading up to the Moon’s transit into Cancer late Christmas Eve. The Moon enters Cancer at 28 minutes past 9:00 P.M (PST( on Christmas Eve) and reaches her fullness by 3:13 A.M. PST. A beautiful, sacred full Moon lights Christmas Eve and Day this year. 

Mercury forms a semi-square to Neptune in Pisces and it might be a good idea to avoid over-celebrating with anything that can cloud your judgement or thinking.  It’s a great time for story-telling and enjoying music, dance, and creative fantasies. 

On Christmas Eve morning (middle of the night) you may find visions of sugar plums dancing in  your dreams when Venus forms a sextile to Jupiter. This aspect buoys our feelings of joy and love, making us feel loved and more compassionate towards others. Nice given the season. 

Mercury trines Jupiter on Christmas Day giving us a broader perspective of  how joyful and abundant our lives can be. We feel greater compassion and a sense of wanting to reach out to others at this time—in a very real and tangible way. Our words are honeyed and oh so sweet as we express our love and devotion to those we love in whatever ways we communicate that love.  We may both receive and send out good news, and may feel a deeper connection to that which makes our lives meaningful. It’s a good time for filling our forms and writing letters or applications. And late in the evening Uranus in Aries stations for its direct motion. 

On Saturday, December 26 Saturn forms a semi-square to Mars. This aspect reminds us to be patient and to stop pushing to make things happen. Everything happens according to Divine time, and this time is for resting, waiting, and taking care of what is right in front of us where we are. Take some time off. Set cares, worries, and deadlines aside. Be mindful of where you are and of the gifts of life to be cherished. There are still some things that need to be handled before we can move forward. Any problems, challenges, or healings that need to take place now require your attention. Turn frustration into the energy you need to take care of what needs taking care of right where you are. 

Have a blessed week, and enjoy the beauty that is in and around you. Give from the heart, the love you feel, and avoid worrying about what more you coulda, shoulda done. Be at Peace, and let the Peace of the  Divine come into your life and heart. 

Sagittarius' Dynamic Energy Fires Up New Moon

Week of the New Moon in Sagittarius

The week started out on Sunday with a big Mars in Libra at 16 degrees square to Pluto in Capricorn. Also on Sunday, the Sun in Sagittarius formed a nice sextile to Mars as well.  Venus  in Scorpio formed an uncomfortable seisquiquadrate to Chiron the Wounded healer in Pisces making it hard for us to figure out what is blocking us from connecting on more intimate levels. Scorpio and Pisces stir up deep-seated memories and links to whatever is blocking intimacy and connection in our lives, particularly in the areas which are ruled by these two signs. It’s the week when energy is building to the New Moon in Sagittarius on Friday, December 11. Early in the week we are in the dark of the moon, when our thoughts and feelings dwell in unconscious territory. What is stirring beneath the surface is preparing us for the passageway that is opening with this next New Moon. 

Mercury in the last degree of Sagittarius squares Mercury in Sagittarius forms a square to the North Node in Virgo. This is a turning point time when we need to take care of any old, unfinished business so we have a clear path ahead. Changing outwork patterns of thought and behavior is now essential.  View this time as a connection between the past and the future, and use your  practice of presences as you maintain a clear idea of how the past has affected the choices you now face. What have you learned that can help you make this transition? How have you garnered support and strength? What or who have you neglected to consider as you have focused on your own path and goals? Consider how reaping what we sow applies to you at this time, and do what you can to mend any fences that need mending. Ahead on the path there is much to be done, and it behooves us to respect and honor those who support and encourage us. We must be discerning and kind at the same time. And we must also see how our own outworn patterns have interfered with the healthy and even flow of the life we have been living. 

The Mars in Libra square Pluto in Capricorn has a strong and powerful effect on us as it makes it difficult for us to figure out how to satisfy our desires or find answers to difficult questions. The potency of this aspect lasts throughout the week, easing some but bringing up those issues that seem to block us at every turn. Rather than giving in to feeling overwhelmed or beyond hope, it is necessary to practice being mindful and present as we assess what we have going for us. Counting our blessings, or taking inventory of the resources and support we have, help in combatting feelings of hopelessness or futility. Keep breathing as you work your way through some of the feelings of panic or fear. Energy is high as are passions, and though we don’t want to squelch desire, we may need to practice patience and remember that Divine timing does not necessarily coincide with our idea of ‘right time’. Be present and remain calm and intractable in a solid awareness of bounty and abundance. What is meant to come, will in time.

On Monday the Moon changed signs from Libra to Scorpio. Coincidentally, the Pacific Northwest where I live, is being inundated with rain during this lunar cycle. On both Monday and Tuesday the main aspects have to do with the Moon in Scorpio making a series of aspects to many of the planets. The main thrust of our attention is on a deeply emotional level. We may feel that our emotions run the gamut from anxiety to joy, and then into fear and trepidation to excitement and exuberance. These emotional responses come out of the depths who we are, and provide us with a way to tap into our own depths. We become very aware of the range of our emotional temperament at this time. It’s almost the kind of energy we might feel on a full moon. During the dark of the moon when it’s transiting Scorpio, we wake up to any insecurities, fears, or tension that may have been laying dormant for a while. It all rises to the surface as a consequence of our walking through the daily activities of our lives. 

Late at night on Tuesday, the Sun trines Uranus in Aries. We might receive a surprising late-night call or find ourselves coming up with some answers to some heretofore puzzling questions or dilemmas. It’s a time when we may be flooded with new ideas and come up with some unique ways of dealing with the basics. Energy during this transit is dynamic and energizing (I’m up in the middle of the night writing—the energy is potent and allows for a focused approach to dealing with ideas and situations).

In the middle of the night on Wednesday, the Sun in Sagittarius squares Chiron in Pisces. This may find us lost in dreams that hold keys to healing and dealing with our woundedness. It may also result in restlessness and early morning wake up calls (almost as if someone taps us on the shoulder to remind us to wake up to what is going on within our own psyche and lives). At 6:35 P.M. (PST) Mercury enters Capricorn. The transit of Mercury, the planet that rules communications of all kinds, is very methodical and plodding during this transit. All aspects of communication are much more grounded and pragmatic than they are in some other transits.It’s a time to get a lot accomplished. We have the tenacity and focus to be more logical and organized. 

It is a good time to reorganize, put things in order, and structure whatever is necessary for what you are preparing or in the process of creating or planning. Finishing up details, getting ready for change, and making certain what is essential and appropriate is in place. Communication reflects a more practical or basic tone, and we are apt to take a no-nonsense approach to most dealings under this transit. This transit of Mercury lasts until January 1, so it seems an appropriate time for clearing our, cleaning up, sorting through, and preparing for the changes that are ahead. We want to be ready to take advantage of the energy of the New Moon in Sagittarius for it unleashes energy that allows us to put our ideas into motion and our dreams into action. 

The Moon enters Sagittarius on Wednesday, and forms a conjunction with Saturn Thursday morning. This aspect may have us pondering serious questions and wondering how well we are learning the lessons of life we are meant to be learning.  Mars in Libra opposes Uranus in Aries on Thursday morning as well.  

The Sun and Moon both in Sagittarius on Friday will find us thinking large. Expectations expand as we prepare for a time that ushers in a great deal of growth through action and adventure. The New Moon in Sagittarius forms a square with Jupiter in Virgo and it will form a trine to Uranus. The square to Jupiter may trigger our desire to act on some of those expectations, but we want to be aware that we can only do so much at a time. Pace yourself, and sit down and outline a path for tackling some of the ideas you have now. Look beyond the present to see how you might plan for a more systematic approach to entering the new year. It’s not that you won’t get a lot done and set out on some brand new adventures, but you need to make sure you have a plan of action in place so you are taking care of details and grounding your actions in sound decisions with the necessary support and resources.

The New Moon in Sagittarius’ trine to Jupiter in Virgo emphasizes our desire to bring ideas and imagination into form and function in our lives. Now is the time to allow the energy of our desires to fill us with the energy and momentum we need for moving ahead as we take the risks that open us to some brand new adventures. The Moon in Sagittarius also forms a trine to Uranus in Aries, meaning that we circumstances and our own attitude opens us up to making changes that serve us well. Step out in the direction of that which, while it might seem a bit scary, does open you to more fulfillment and greater growth than we have been prepared for in quite some time.

The New Moon in Sagittarius is exact in the middle of the night, early Friday, December 11 morning. This New Moon ushers in a dynamic lunar cycle when we are propelled forward with a sense of courage and drive that makes us feel we can do anything. You might want to pace yourself, but there definitely is an openness to this cycle. We can make progress in many areas provided we are prepared, diligent, and consistent in our approach. Whatever changes are made between the New Moon and the Full Moon in two weeks will benefit you and will make anything you are working on much more likely to flourish and prosper. Enjoy the New Moon in Sagittarius as you enter an active and powerful cycle to take you into the New Year.  The energy of Sagittarius is dynamic and congenial, and awakens the capacity within us to build, create, and energize whatever areas of our lives we focus our attention and actions on. 

Sun highlights Saturn's Lessons

Sun conjunct Saturn in Sagittarius: Saturn’s Lessons Brought to Light By the Sun

If you thought you were through getting in touch with what Saturn was arousing in you as it transited Scorpio (awakening us on the subconscious and unconscious levels), you are in for a big surprise.  If I”d only glanced at what Saturn was doing, I might have saved myself some aggravation. Saturn, the Great Teacher, is transiting Sagittarius, and making some powerful aspects to many of the other planets. This week will highlight the areas in our lives where we are meant to learn and address necessary lessons.

Yesterday, Sunday November 29, for example, Saturn in Sagittarius formed a square with Neptune in Pisces, muddying the waters of perception and initial impressions. If I had thought about it, I might not have walked into a car dealership and had a rather uncomfortable experience with a salesman. As it was, the situation itself is fraught with hidden agendas, manipulative practices, and sleight of hand kinds of tactics. None of these skills do I have in any abundance. Nevertheless, I learned that Neptune in Pisces (where my own sun sign sits) makes my intuitive senses highly attuned for detecting traps and tricky situations.  Neptune in Pisces had me enjoying the day, equipped with good friends, warm clothes, camaraderie, and a willingness to test the waters.

I found that I could depend on my instincts and intuition to lead me in the right path. I knew what not to do or say, and certainly when to spot a bad deal. So despite the day not going as I had planned, Saturn’s lesson of the day was to remain still, listen from both the inside and out, and trust myself to know where I or anyone else was off base in the perception area. That was a lesson worth the journey.  And it prepared me for today.

On Monday, November 30, the Sun in Sagittarius forms an exact conjunction with Saturn in Sagittarius.   It’s time when the Sun shines the light on the reality of who we are and what is going on. We can learn how to discern how time constrains our desires to a certain extent. When our desires are bursting to come into manifestation, we need to be able to determine what is feasible and what is not. That does not mean we give up and go home. It does mean we have to tap into our own resources and determine, perhaps, a better plan of action. Especially if what we have been trying to do is preventing us from growing, prospering, and expanding. It is time to finish up what you’ve already started, to clean up any messes that are blocking or inhibiting your growth and development, and expand your perceptions beyond the limitations you may have artificially put on them or that are imposed on you.

During this transit, its probably a good idea not to start any new projects or make any new deals—particularly involving finances. Spend time putting things in order, creating order where there is chaos or clutter, and finish old business before starting something new. We may feel compelled emotionally to forge ahead, but it’s really better to relax a bit more, get some rest, and easing up on accepting new responsibilities or taking on new burdens.  Spend some time and energy clearing, cleaning, sorting, and completing what needs the finishing touches put on it. Follow through with one or two tasks or goals, to the end. And then take a break and break up the patterns that may have led to some habits or behaviors that no longer serve you. Adjust the attitude, clean the lens, and set your sites on something more uplifting.


Mercury’s transit through Sagittarius from November 20 until December 9 provide some good opportunities and some excellent timing for activities and projects that involve working together. Communication of all types, and activities on and with computers is favored when Mercury forms a trine with Uranus in Aries. All types of communications are favored including metaphysical, spiritual, social, electronic, intuitive, and all forms of media. We may feel highly attuned with all the fire energy that is active now. Look to the houses/areas of your life where fire signs rule. Notice where Saturn is transiting Sagittarius to determine where your biggest lessons are to be learned.



Mercury provides the means and channel for improving communications and for learning how to trust your own intuitive knowledge.
Some unexpected advantages and/or opportunities now arise. Uranus in Aries is the master of shocking and surprising us, so who knows what good news is just about ready to change your life. Tuesday, we start the month of December with Mercury forming its  trine with Uranus. Energy is already building towards this trine making this a favorable time for all forms of communication. Our senses are heightened.  Also a great time for creativity and bursts of imaginative ideas. Listen to your intuition. 

Also on Tuesday, Mercury forms a square to Chiron in Pisces making it likely that some will speak through their own woundedness, and create some emotional waves in the process. Tread gently, and step away from anything that might be smoldering beneath the surface (in yourself or that you sense in others). Walking around or away from firestorms is the safer route at this time. Part of the problem is people feeling a lack of confidence or self assurance. As a result, they may strike out or inadvertently misjudge, overreact, or strike out.  It’s better to avoid this kind of situation if possible. Not a great time to reach a consensus or arrive at a decision. Wait until cooler heads prevail.

On Thursday, November 3, the last quarter square of the Moon in Virgo to the Sun in Sagittarius forms. The last quarter square of the Moon to the Sun usually indicates that a point has been reached when it’s time to decide what stays and what goes. Discerning what is working and feasible and what is not, is now crucial before moving into next week’s New Moon phase. This last quarter square emphasizes much of what is going on this week—slow down, table important decisions, and don’t push the river. Stop trying to make things work or happen that are not meant to be. This aspect plays a particularly powerful role in the areas of our chart ruled by the mutable planets of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces. Anyone with one of these signs ruling any of your planets, the Sun, the Moon, or your ascendant is bound to feel the impact of this square strongly. Go gently about your business.

On Friday, November 4 Mercury in Sagittarius forms a square to Jupiter in  in Virgo.  This aspect creates an information overload for many of us. We become bogged down in  minutia and logistics. We may feel the need to find a way to channel some of this abundance of energy, ideas, and information into something that provides us with a bit of grounding. Energy is frenetic and unpredictable because everyone seems to be overwhelmed. The pressure is building, and plans may go awry. Another indication that we need to slow our pace just when it seems like we need to speed up and hurry. Not the case. Take it easy and cut back some so that you don’t burn yourself out. Notice if you have a tendency to want to unload and run on and on about situations or plans. Take a deep breath, again slow down, and simplify. Keep it simple, and you’re less likely to end up the week exhausted and overwrought.  Guard your health as well. Get enough rest and exercise. Ease up on the pressure, and find time to kick back and relax.

Friday night Venus leaves the sign of Libra and begins her journey through Scorpion, and do things heat up! Our passions rule during Venus’ transit of Scorpio. We want what we want and we want it now! And if we don’t get our way, we may show signs of jealousy, possessiveness, and drama. Venus’ passion is unrelenting during the transit from Dec. 4 through December 30. We will be caught up in a wave of emotional and passionate fervor over the duration of this transit. Channeling this into creating beauty and expressing our passions through service, kindness, and creativity is probably a good way to focus our energies during this time.

Nothing is going to be calm, cool, and collected about the coming week. We want to take it easy and be gentle with ourselves and others. We also want to remain vigilant about how we project our unhealed or unresolved issues onto those around us. It’s time for being mindful and diligent about being accountable for our own behavior and attitudes. It’s important to remember that  the way we treat others has long term ramifications, and we want to treat those who are on our side with the kindness and respect they deserve. Avoid all unwarranted conflicts and allow that we are not the only ones who have been struggling. We’re all in the boat together, and we need to be mindful and compassionate now, more than ever. Love is reflected in Love.

Powerful Full Moon in Gemini peaks Wednesday, November 25.

The  chill is on in the Northern climes, and the Moon is waxing toward fullness. As I write the waxing Gibbous moon is 68 % full. It will reach its fullness on November 25 at 2:44 P.M. PST. Known as the Full Beaver Moon, the Full Moon in Gemini comes at the time when the beavers are busy building dams on rivers and streams in preparation for winter. For us in the North, we are also preparing for colder, harsher weather, and long winter nights. Last night the first quarter square of the Moon appeared in the clear night sky.

In the early morning hours before dawn we will be able to see the Comet Catalina as it travels near the Moon and the planet Venus. If you’re up early enough, look towards the Moon and then to the left a bit to catch a glimpse of Catalina.

As the Full Moon peaks in the air sign of Gemini, we feel compelled to purge and rid ourselves of whatever is blocking our paths or preventing us from ridding ourselves of aspects of our shadow that keep us looped into negativity and conflict. At the time of full moons, things come to a head. Whatever has been building or growing now makes its appearance. Ready or not, what you see before you is what has come about from whatever needs to be cleansed or removed from the path before you.

The Sun, Saturn, and Mercury all sit within close conjunction of one another. The Sun on the day of the Gemini Full Moon is at 3/20 of Sagittarius, Saturn is at 6/58 Sagittarius, and Mercury is at 8/02 Sagittarius. That a potent lineup of energy.The Moon at 3/20 Gemini lines up directly opposite the Sun and aspects both Saturn and Mercury directly as well.

All caution and care needs to be used at this time. What is appearing and making itself known now, is powerful and beyond simple explanations. Being careless or cavalier with this kind of energy can be devastating. It is time to lay low, something no usual for full moon celebrants, but something that is needed now. Avoid using any type of mood-altering substances at this time. The veils are so thin at this Full Moon and at this time of the year. The world experiencing a heightened sensitivity as the collective stories are touching nearly everyone on some deep level. Eliminate negativity in your thinking, speech, behavior, and heart. And do not mess around with darkness in any way. Avoid those who do.

One reason that it is so important to be careful at this time is that the Full Moon affects us on a deeply emotional level. And when lunar energy disrupts our emotional balance, we are apt to be struggling with more that the usual kinds of experiences, inner imbalances, and needs than usual. While we may think we have ‘everything under control’, when our shadows are disturbed, we are faced with some of the most difficult aspects of our personal growth and development. It’s not a good time to presume we are able to go it alone. Our spiritual practices, those that remind us of how we are connected to the Divine Truth and Love, help provide us with a greater sense of security and much-needed guidance. Seek calm and inner peace, and focus your thoughts, prayers, and meditations on lifting your emotional vibrations and being mindful of what grounds you and brings you peace.

The emotional focus of this Full Moon in Gemini may raise the level of fear, anxiety, and guilt. Prayer, meditation, and mindful acts of kindness and compassion can counter this. This is all exacerbated by the square that Saturn is forming with Neptune.The day after the Full Moon in Gemini and the Sun in Sagittarius as well as Saturn in Sagittarius forms a square to Neptune in Pisces. This is a pretty difficult aspect, and brings on challenges that bring whatever we’ve been dealing with, into a new perspective. We’ve been prepared and put through a series of trials, and we have been tempered like precious metal. Now we are called upon to see what we have actually learned. Rather than drowning in feelings of helplessness, fear, or anxiety, mindfully work to lift your thinking through actions as well as the constructive use of your problem-solving, decision-making skills. Most importantly though, is relying on your faith in the Divine to see you through the challenges. Surrendering to that Good is the most powerful way to combat the struggles with negative forces.

The Sun and Mercury both conjunct Saturn and the squares they have formed to Neptune, help us see the serious nature of this time. As individuals and as the collective whole of humanity, we must use our understanding of God’s goodness to align ourselves with what is best for all of us, not just what feeds into fear, anger, and manipulation by those who only understand the eye-for-an-eye mentality. We do not live in a world that can afford to live without a true acts of compassion, love, and kindness. Good overcomes evil. Good is generated from our acts, thoughts, and energy.

Mars offers a hopeful sextile to Mercury emphasizing the importance and power of our words, ideas, thoughts, and prayers. Our minds are sharper under this influence and we feel more motivated to act courageously and with compassion. Put energy and action into whatever builds up, heals, and affirms. Mars also forms a sextile to Saturn which gives us more energy and helps us tackle difficult situations with greater stamina and drive.

Complex and difficult problems can be tackled better at this time.
Pay particular attention to any areas of your life where grief, anger, or suppressed energy need to be addressed. What we suppress becomes depression in our lives. Now is the time to allow yourself time, space, and permission to forgive and seek forgiveness, to rid yourself of guilt and stop perpetuating guilt on others through your own lack or willingness to forgive and let go. We are all in the perfect place for where we can do our best right now. Do it, and add to the healing we all need so much at this time.

Cause no harm, to yourself or others. Live in peace, and send that peace into all the dark places where it is needed to bring about wholeness, unity, and healing. Let God’s light shine from within us and radiate in all the cracks where light is needed. Enter this Full Moon in Gemini energy armed with compassion, understanding, and unselfish Love.

Mercury moving into Sagittarius, Neptune Staions Direct: Holding to the Center

Moon Glow                                                                                                                                 Catherine Al-Meten Meyers

We cross the mid-way point in November, and enter a week of natural shifts and changes. Moving as we are deeper into the darker times in the North and the lighter times in the South, we find ourselves carrying some heavy burdens and responsibilities. We feel with compassion and empathy, for those who lay in harm's way and who suffer from the violence that pervades human activity. This week as we seek to understand how our lives are linked to all, we learn we must struggle where we are. Transition and transformation are intricate parts of our human experience. This week ushers in the second week of the lunar month of the New Moon in Scorpio. Imagine this as your deep dark secret place or as the unformed, unfinished teenager of your soul. We all have that part of us that acts from a place of almost pure emotion and raw truth. And when the storms come or the world we love is hurting, we may act out from that part of us. With all the recent movement with in the Scorpionic depths, we have been washed over with a lot of raw truth and passion that may require some sorting out. 

The lunar month that began on the New Moon in Scorpio, has triggered emotional storms, especially in areas where Pluto has been transiting Capricorn.  Venus at 8 degrees of Libra, Mars at 2 degrees of Libra, and the retrograde North Node at 29 degrees (the anaretic/last degree of Virgo), are ares of your life where there is much energy and conflict related to relationships. Our need for equity and balance,  and a square deal, stand on shaky ground at this time. What we seem to want  may not necessarily be what we are going to get nor is it necessarily what we need. We do have a  definite need to know who we are in order for us to stand in that truth at this time and into the future.

A crucial juncture when the inner planets have just changed signs (Mars entered Libra), the retrograde North Node is transiting over the final degree, indicating more emphasis on endings and beginnings. The past may make itself felt in the presence. On Thursday there is the first quarter square of the Moon in Pisces to the Sun in the last few degrees of Scorpio. On Thursday November 20, Mercury enters Sagittarius, a couple of days ahead of the Sun. On Sunday, November 22, the Sun enters Sagittarius. What you communicate as Mercury enters Sagittarius, sets the tone for the next phase of life.  Use your voice wisely, and with intention, and avoid promising more that you can deliver.

Planets are not only changing signs, but are also turning out of their retrograde orbit of the Sun. Last Thursday, November 12, Mars entered Libra. Fire and Air mixed to fan the flames of intolerance and to release tensions and hidden tensions. The Moon in its transit of Capricorn has been making some highly emotional aspects to Uranus in Aries, Chiron in Pisces, Jupiter in Virgo, Neptune in Pisces, and the Sun in Scorpio. Triggering emotional turmoil beneath the surface. It has resulted in many feeling overwhelmed by a boiling cauldron of mixed emotions.

The Moon conjunct Pluto in Capricorn makes for a deep and penetrating journey bringing us closer to our primal connection with the meaning of life and death. We are reminded of our longings and passions as Pluto continues to transform all areas and structures that help shape and support life. As we are reminded of how trauma has woven its way into different areas of our lives and psyches, we experience an awakening of sorts. What is needed during this time is the ability to tame the primal urges and contain some of the reactive measures that we use to release our emotional turmoil.

The Moon’s close connection with the Great Transformer Pluto, involves some of the deepest lessons we have each to learn in whatever area of your life this is hitting. For me, it comes in the third house where it has a strong impact on all forms of communication. Look to whatever house Pluto is making that long transit, and notice how you have been handling your emotional health. How has your communication been a reflection of any turmoil, upset, conflict, or deep areas of concern to you? What are your focusing on, and how does your communication reflect your authentic self?

This aspect focuses attention on the relationship we have to Mother. How has our role with our own mother, or as a mother, defined us? And how is that role changing at this time. What is going through major redefining? How are you nurturing yourself, and serving others as well? How are you handling the many roles you have, and who are you outside of any role you have taken on? It is essential that we identify and answer the question for ourselves, “Who am I and who am I in relation to the Divine as I understand that essence? How am I learning to let ego-driven needs go so that my life and the act of life itself, is actually allowing all of me to breathe and express myself?

Pluto in Capricorn digs deep into us to uncover and regenerate the essence of life. With Mars in Libra, we can expect more direct action and movement. Mars brings ideas and entities into conflict in an effort to carve out the steps and foundation for a new layer of our being. We have come through a long period of turmoil and transformation. Once the plans are created, the ground of our being prepared through in depth toil and deep searching, the time arrives for rebuilding. As the week begins, spend some time reflecting on what your emotional temperature has been like since the New Moon in Scorpio late last week. With all the violence and tragic loss of life in both Paris and Beirut, we are once again united in our culture of violence—a culture which continues to knock us off balance. How in your own life have you been seeking ways to find your balance? What have you learned that is helping your understand how you need to build a new foundation for the future? Pluto the planet that is the symbolic representation of energy related to birth, sexuality, passion, death, and transformation, can turn us inside out as we explore our human nature from a place of depth and discovery. How are we being called to grow and develop at this point in our lives?

This is a week that begins with the Moon at 20 degrees of Capricorn. In an exact conjunction with Pluto, this moon feels like a heavy week. The waxing Moon grows in intensity as it moves toward fullness next week.

On Tuesday Mercury in 23 degrees of Scorpio  forms a semi-square with Venus  at 8 degrees of Libra. This aspect aggravates us in areas of communication with or about romance, love, relationships, and aesthetic evaluations and emphasis on beauty, harmony, and peace keeping. We may feel edgier than usual. Look to see what within is getting projected out onto other people or situations. What within you is calling for some attention and support? How are you feeling slighted or manipulated, and what can you do to change that? A time for listening to the voice within, the emotional, psychological, spiritual, and intellectual games are heavy handed right now, as so many grapple to balance themselves on shifting ground.

Also on Tuesday Mercury conjuncts the Sun. We find ourselves more open to hearing others out and of truly seeking solutions to problems. We are more capable and anxious to communicate clearly, and we know who we are and therefore speak from a place of congruence. Whatever we communicate at this time, carries more weight and strength, and is likely to be in alignment with harmonious principles. Notice what kinds of communication you are involved in early on Tuesday and throughout the day.


The Moon enters Aquarius over night on Tuesday, and that evens us out emotionally. We may get much more altruistic and detached about situations and conditions that were creating a heavy and oppressive burden—burdens of an emotional and spiritual nature. With the Moon in Aquarius, we seek a common ground and innovative ways of handling difficult situations or problems. We work better in teams or through coordinated efforts.



Wednesday is when the planet Neptune stations direct, and begins its orbit out from behind the Sun into direct motion. Neptune in Pisces has been moving back and forth over the same area in our life—the territory of  imagination, illusion, intuition, and spiritual depth. Whatever is working its way up from our subconscious into the area of your life where you have Pisces, is the area that continues to be explored. As Neptune begins retracing its steps, notice what areas have become more clarified, and what seems yet to be resolved. Neptune can be both a blessing or a curse, depending on what we are willing to face in ourselves, and what we try to slide over or dismiss. The direct station occurs at 4:33 A.M./PST and may occasion an early morning wake up call, through dreams or an early morning meditation or prayer.

On Thursday, the First Quarter square of the Moon in the latter degrees, 26 degrees of Aquarius to the Sun at 26 degrees Scorpio,  rattles us and reminds us of what may hinder or challenge our plans and pathway at this time. It’s the time to check in, monitor your progress, and make any adjustments you deem necessary. Rather than freaking out about upsets, delays, or blocked paths, welcome the chance to revisit decisions, choices, or directions. Take a break and rest in motion. It is not necessary to abandon your ideals or plans, but it is necessary to flow with the river in the direction it is going. How are you in or out of synch?


In the mid-afternoon on Thursday Mercury in the late degrees of Scorpio forms a semi-square to Pluto in Capricorn just a day before Mercury changes signs. One last, deep, and profound triggering of communication that comes from a place of transcendental and profound understanding and wisdom.  Use your spiritual practices to deal with whatever comes up at this time. Develop simple practices using your mind, your breath,  and your body to ‘dance out’ your turmoil or work out the excess and scattered energy you might feel. Reflect on the depth of understanding you have gleaned over the last year or two. How is that helping guide your way?

On Friday at 11:44 A.M./PST, Mercury enters Sagittarius. The energy of Mercury in Sagittarius lights up communications and speeds it up as well. Things begin to move at a more rapid pace, and conversations, discussions, and interactions of all types increase. At 5:55 P.M./PST, Venus in Libra squares Pluto in Capricorn putting a damper on smoldering passions and repressed emotions and feelings. There seems to be more manipulation and emotional black mail at work where relationships are in trouble. Trying to hold onto something that is no longer working, results in increased levels of jealousy, possessiveness, and repressed anger. Putting on a happy face only results in covering the smoldering embers and creating more smoke—veiling the true nature of our feelings. Issues with fear of abandonment or isolation lead to the use of passive-aggressive behavior. If such feelings arise under this transit, notice what it seems to be connecting you to? What happened in the past that you fear might happen again? How likely are you to make similar choices? Just observe what triggers feelings of hopelessness and panic.

Early Saturday morning, notice any dreams or revelations that coincide with the Sun’s semi-square to Pluto. As the Sun in Scorpio seeks reveal its final messages and direction from the depths, its semi-square to Pluto may give us some revelation or puzzle to solve. Accept anything that seems confusing or in conflict with your desires as a message for how to proceed from here. The Moon completes its transit through Pisces on Friday morning, and enters Aries, the position of new beginnings and fresh starts. Saturday is the day when the Sun in Scorpio is in the 29th degree—a time of finales, completions, endings, and last ditch efforts.

In the early evening  on Saturday, Mercury in Sagittarius forms a seisquiquadrant to Uranus in Aries. This triggers a firestorm in our minds and communication heats up. We may find ourselves dealing with some unexpected or shocking communication. We may receive news that weighs on our minds, even though the news may be good. At a time we may be seeking to keep our feet planed firmly on the ground we find ourselves now fired up and propelled into action on many levels. Find a soothing practice for keeping yourself calm amid the storm of activities and communication. It’s not bad, it’s just a definite shift of energy. For those who are more comfortable with the watery depths and flow of life, this may be a little hard to get used to.

We are moving into Sagittarius time. The Sun enters Sagittarius on Sunday, November 22. The party is just beginning. Use your brain, breath, body, and passions to guide and ground you in flight.

New Moon in Scorpio: Listen to What’s Calling to Be Created Within

Colony of Bees forming a New Hive                                               Catherine Al-Meten Meyers

On Wednesday, November 11, 2015 the New Moon in in the fixed sign of Scorpio occurs at 11:47 P.M. EST/8:47 P.M. PST.  Both the Sun and the Moon are at 19 degrees, 1 minute into the sign of Scorpio. Mercury  at 15 degrees is in a loose conjunction with Sun and the Moon as well. Virgo remains a strong influence in our lives/charts, with Jupiter at 18/28 degrees of Virgo, the North Node at 28/16 degrees of Virgo, and Mars in the 29th degree (anaretic degree/last degree) of Virgo as well. Mars in the last degree of Virgo signals a major change, completion, or ending for all things related to Mars. Having just passed through the North Node, this signifies a time of major transition in this area of your life. Someone is leaving or has left, and movement has already begun or will be making its appearance soon.

The New Moon, a time for new beginnings, is naturally coupled with the remnants of what has died or ended in your life/chart. Since these planets are in Virgo, the natural ruler of health, hygiene, and the need for honoring and caring for our bodies and daily habits and rituals, it is a time when we may become more aware of our health and areas that need tending to. Get more rest, be intentional and mindful with your nutrition and hygiene practices, and take time to put your work space in order. Reconsider areas where you may need to let go of work puts undue burdens and stress on you. Take time to listen to the deep urgings of your soul. What is longing to be nurtured? What is being put to rest, and what is worthy of seeding deep within so that the winter sleep can bring it to life in spring? Whether you are in the Northern or Southern hemisphere, this is a time when we tend to our fields, and prepare for the months ahead. What are we setting aside to support us later, and how are we tending to what needs weeding out, stored away, or brought out for the upcoming periods of creativity and production?

With this New Moon in the fixed sign of Scorpio, it is time to dig deeper into our personal mysteries as well as the mysteries that surround us. What about your current relationships require you to recommit or discover how you can come into a closer alliance and a more mutually supportive type of partnership? How might you delve deeper into what one another needs and desires, and into what has been keeping your from working together, if that has been a problem. Notice how your own fears and self doubts keep you from committing to a deeper relationship, or keeps you from being willing to accept yourself and your partner as he/she is?  How are you driving a wedge between one another? Listen to what may be going on beneath the surface, and allow your own sense of compassion to enter into the relationship.

If you are not currently in an intimate relationship, spend this time exploring the mysteries within you and those that keep you distanced from an ongoing relationship at this time. It may be a healing time, and if that is so, what needs to heal within you? How have your past relationships helped or harmed your sense of what love is? How have past relationships helped shape and form your ideas about what you need and want? About how you are capable of both giving and receiving love?  Notice where your experience have stood in stark contrast to who you know yourself to be. Spend some time meditating on what it is you seek in any alliance or partnership, and what it is that keeps you from discovering that in a more intimate relationship at this time. Perhaps during this time of transition, transformation, and healing, the growing has to come from reconnecting with the person your might have lost along the way—the you that can stand outside any relationship and still find wholeness and the capacity to feel and express love, creativity, and compassion.

The Scorpio New Moon sits together with the Scorpio Sun, radiating healing light and potent energy meant to be shone on that relationship which most warms your heart and infuses you with purpose and meaning. Time now to focus your energy into learning, growing, and developing your best self in what you choose to do and with whom you choose to spend your time and life with. Allow the passion and energy to well up from the deepest places within you, and focus your intentions, energy, and activities on generating a ripe and nurturing environment for bringing that to life.

The New Moon and the Sun in Scorpio form a harmonious sextile to Jupiter in 18 degrees of Virgo and a loose conjunction with Pluto, the Great Transformer, in Capricorn. Both Jupiter and Capricorn in earth signs, mean that there is a great need to build something with the energy being generated at this time. Time to envision what our heart’s desire and to put our time, energy, and resources into energizing these areas of our life. Put the seeds into your soul that will bring forth that which you long to see growing. Rid yourself of whatever negative patterns of thinking, talking to yourself and others, or stories you tell about who you are that block your good and keep you and others from seeing your light shining. Those of us with personal planets within 16-22 degrees of the fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius) will feel the energy of this New Moon most strongly.

On Sunday, November 8 the Sun in Scorpio forms a trine to Chiron, The Wounded Healer, in Pisces. This is a very powerful indicator that we now have within our power and reach, the ability to heal from old wounds and learn how to move forward in a more positive and self-nurturing  manner. We long to figure out what the crux of any problem is now, and do have the capacity to do so. We may tend to be more open to discovering what the truth is, and may feel less afraid and anxious about what might have caused us to be fearful in the past. It’s a good time to build our confidence and grow through examining our experiences to see what we have gained that can support and nurture us from now on.

On November 8, Venus enters Libra, (7:31 A.M. PST/10:31 EDT) bringing a desire for more romance and a love for deeper and more enjoyable kinds of pleasures. From November 8 to December 4, Venus transits Libra and brings us a sense of joy and harmony in all areas of our live. In particular we seek closer ties and bonds, and want to bring a sense of refinement and richness to how we live and how we interact.  We may feel a greater desire to find a more perfect union (sound familiar?). There is a reason this phrase was coined…it is a deep need in us for it gives us a sense of meaning, purpose, and belonging, and it allows us to grow and create more abundantly. This is what motivates us at this time.

As Venus has moved into Libra, she has passed through the gates of the North Node. A new phase of life is beginning for us now. We have crossed over a threshold, and now enter into a period where we can see how the past with all its losses, struggles, and disappointments, is now ready to give birth to the gifts that come with healing, growth, and positive change. We are making new connections and feeling more confident reaching out for what we desire. We enter into a time when we may feel more like we’re in a lucky twilight zone kind of place in our lives. As we become less afraid of facing ourselves as we truly are, we find our fears were baseless. What we feared, even if it came to pass, leaves us in a much better place than we could have imagined. The future is ours for the taking, and the only thing that will hold us down or back is if we talk ourselves out of our own good. This is a time when we enter into more cooperative and mutually satisfying relationships and partnerships.

When Venus forms a contraparallel with Chiron in Pisces on November 8, we discover that our relationships always have something to teach us. Look at both the positive and negative aspects of relationships to see what they can teach you about who you are and what your respond to or not. Notice how a bad situation can be avoided in the future as you enter into new relationships, and dig deeper to define who you are and what your real, felt needs are. Notice how you might have taken what was offered, instead of insisting on what you needed. Notice when you put up with what was unacceptable, cruel, or unkind, when you needed to walk away. Notice how you might have given up pieces of yourself to fill in the cracks in someone else. What are the essential needs you have and what do you require in any relationship? Know yourself at this new level of being where you are, and don’t be afraid to dig deeper and face yourself. You have nothing to lose except a false idea of who you are or who others are, or both.

On Monday the Sun in Scorpio trines Chiron in Pisces bringing a very positive and healing aspect in whatever areas of your life/chart this takes place. This is a special blessing. Be open to receiving it and acting on what it releases you from and opens you to. Later in the evening (7:16 PM/PST) the Sun in Scorpio forms a quincunx to Uranus in Aries. This brings about a  surprising and perhaps shocking change of events in our lives. What we had planned on, may fall apart. We may find that our schedules or arrangements don’t work out as we had planned. This is a time to test our patience, and to remind us to get more comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty. Remember, life is dynamic and often uncertain.



On Tuesday,  Mercury in Scorpio (15 degrees) sextiles Pluto in Capricorn. Remembering our capacity for patience pays off when Mercury forms this aspect to Pluto. By seeking a greater depth of understanding into our  psychological makeup and by listening to and learning how to trust our own insight and intuition more, we are capable now to look more deeply beneath the masks, facades, and buried secrets that have blinded you in the past. This also allows us to slow down, develop greater patience, and learn to be more selective and discrete when we make choices now. Examine your own decision making process, and reevaluate how your come to make the choices you do. What needs to change in your process? Learn how to be more discerning in how you live. 

Mercury also forms a semi-square to Mars marking a stressful time. Conflicts, arguments, and disruptions that result in our feeling edgy and cranky, can be countered by slowing down, back off, and releasing ourselves from any undue stress and pressure we have put ourselves under. Not a great time to be trying to meet deadlines or working with people whom we come into conflict with. People clash over different interests and priorities. Best to back off and slow down under this aspect.

Wednesday, the Day of the New Moon in Scorpio, the Moon makes a number of aspects all day leading up to the New Moon (discussed earlier in this article)

Thursday as the new lunar month begins, communication (within and with others) is affected. Mercury  trines Chiron in the morning hours. Communication including dreams may be enlightening. We begin to understand how the way we communicate (to ourselves and to others) has a powerful influence on our health, well being, and our ability to hear and be heard.

Mars enters Libra on Thursday as well, calming some of the more destructive and earth-shattering actions of Mar in Virgo. Cooler heads begin to prevail now. From November 12 until January 3, 2016, Mars in Libra pours on the charm. It may also be more difficult not to see all sides of the story. Libra tends to insist that we look at all sides to any issue, seek equity in spite of the odds, and see the best and  worst case scenarios. Consequently, it may be hard to decide on any right action during this time. The phrase wishy-washy comes to mind. It may be a time when we are not quite sure what the right direction or choice is for us. This would be a good time to go back over some of the lessons we learned earlier in the week about what we need. The growing edge of Libra in Mars is to know what is right for us and to stand in that truth regardless or in light of what we know about everyone  else and all the options. We do have to know who we are and we have to be willing to stand in our own truth, especially when it comes to taking action.

On Friday November 13, Venus in  Libra forms a sextile to Saturn in Sagittarius.This is a stabilizing influence in all areas ruled by Venus. Love, romance, art, music, beauty, and all that brings harmony and balance to our lives. We gain support from those in authority and/or older people or established relationships. Though communication may be subdued, we receive a sound and steady kind of support that we feel from a place deep within. We know who and what we can count on because we honor who and what we are. We feel more balanced and comfortable in the movement that is being generated in different areas of our lives. We receive support that we need, and we are more comfortable with the dynamism within us and that which is propelling and guiding our lives.

Also on Friday, Mercury in Scorpio forms a sextile to Jupiter bringing the close of a week of deep and profound learning, insights, and realizations nearly to a close. We feel a more profound sense of peace because we have a clearer idea of what we are learning and who we can count on as we come to understand the significance of our journey. We feel more positive and capable, and we set out to take care of some tasks and projects we may have been putting off. Filling out applications, applying for new jobs, taking care of business, writing, reading, making and keeping appointments, and handling chores are all favored. It may be that you take a short trip, or get out of your routine and start some new phase of an exercise routine or other lifestyle change.

On Saturday when Venus forms a quincunx to Neptune in Pisces, we may have a spate of self doubt and insecurity. Old habits leave their shadows and those shadows peak up on occasion causing us to lose perspective and feel emotional upset. Acknowledge the source of any such insecurities or doubts, and recognize how they take hold and keep you under their control. Who’s in charge? Take the reins, and ride in the opposite direction. You know how to disengage from the shadow folks. Now is the time to enjoy and revel in the new start you have taken. Don’t get sidetracked. Instead, put your hands into soapy water, run down the path and back again, or bake a cake. Do something to lift yourself back into the light.

However you enter the energy of this week, be sure to wake up early one morning and look out to the East to see Jupiter, Venus, and Mars in the closing days of their beautiful alignment. Cast your eyes to the skies and heavens to see the glory of the Universe, and feel the glow of your own spirit as you live life from the heart. Enjoy your week. And be sure to plant the seeds of goodness within and in all you do.