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.