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.