Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of November 29th - getting honest with ourselves | itching for a fight

How To Listen
Tilt your head slightly to one side and lift
your eyebrows expectantly. Ask questions.

Delve into the subject at hand or let
things come randomly. Don't expect answers.

Forget everything you've ever done.
Make no comparisons. Simply listen.

Listen with your eyes, as if the story
you are hearing is happening right now.

Listen without blinking, as if a move
might frighten the truth away forever.

Don't attempt to copy anything down.
Don't bring a camera or a recorder.

This is your chance to listen carefully.
Your whole life might depend on what you hear.
... Joyce Sutphen

completely honest by bright white kite

There are 24 shopping days until Christmas. How is this possible?

OK. We have a Sagittarius Sun so we are all burning Sagittarius fuel and feeling a bit like what it feels like to be a Sagittarius. There is expansion, passion and fire. We should all be standing a little taller now.

(yes, we might need the right boots - and what the hell, they are probably on sale)

This particular holiday season is influenced by Virgo where Sagittarius ruler Jupiter is hanging out. This will make it particularly busy - we need to stay organized, we will all be working, servicing others and attending to (and likely buying) practical things.

(I had an email from a customer asking me about a bracelet "does this have a function?" - at first I thought this was a very odd question, but then I knew Jupiter in Virgo!)

On Monday afternoon (and Tuesday) the Moon is in Leo - this would be a good time to take a creative risk. Enabling other people to shine more brightly puts the spotlight on us, too, somehow. On the other hand a lack of attention (or appreciation) can be challenging now (see yesterday's post).

Monday is the last hard aspect with Neptune and Saturn until mid January - we can use the next few weeks to work out how far off course our ships have drifted (dreams vs reality) and how to get ourselves back on track. The more major a course correction we need before the next storm hits, the more volatile the activity we are probably seeing now. If we are still blaming someone or something for our current situation - the sooner we let that crap go, the better, and faster, we get the outcome that moves us forward.

Then it's December 1st and the energy changes right away.

On Tuesday Mercury trines Uranus in Aries (brakes off) - this feels like information coming at us quickly and suddenly that allows us to see something (or ourselves) in a new light - Mercury squares (tension) Chiron in Pisces - this feels like, well, maybe ...ouch.

We may be compelled to speak up. We may hear about an out of the blue opportunity. Whatever happens, comes with the caution flag out (this isn't a stop, just a stop and think). New information can be freeing and painful.

The wound that’s triggered may be a result of us saying the wrong thing or discovering the right thing too late or at the wrong time. On the other hand any opportunity to see something in a new light is a good thing. And our triggered vulnerabilities brought to the surface is a good thing, too. We can't toss off those self limiting beliefs if we don't get them out of the closet and into the trash can. With Chiron involved we know whatever happens this information/opportunity is healing. Some kind of uncomfortable truth may be shown to us or a space where we have gotten carried away becomes clear. The results can lead to liberation and authenticity. And I realize that sounds airy fairy, but it's the best I have right now.

(did I say there were 24 shopping days until Christmas?)

EXAMPLE for Mercury in 11th house - we might be compelled to say something on Facebook that startles people about who we really are and we can't "unsay" it. The blow-back might force us to think about and deal with the way we hide who we are to "fit in" or "stay safe" in social spaces. 

On Wednesday the Virgo moon says "let's get this mess cleaned up". So we do. We could be dealing with paperwork or co-worker issues or something with a pet.

Mercury squares Jupiter. Venus (love, money, women, art) moves into Scorpio - making whatever is happening here more intense. What we want (Venus) will be deeper (Scorpio) - shallow stuff will not hold our attention now. People may want more from us than we can give. We might over promise. We could speak about what we believe in ways that are over the top. We might say something we don't even believe when we get caught up in this energy. Let's give others a break when they do this, too.

Thursday is the last quarter Moon in Virgo. Something is winding down.

Intense aspects at the end of the week with Mars (war, anger, initiation) squaring Pluto (power, control, destruction, rebirth) - both strengthened and working together. Something is building/itching toward a fight. I'll talk about this in a couple days - just know this will be added pressure, intensity, tempers flaring, crankiness, edginess as we build toward this ...  xo all

feeling sorry for yourself?

insecurities 2 by xxprettywhenucry
Asteroid Chiron (wounded healer) stationed direct today in Pisces.

This could intensify our recognition of the space we "go it alone" or are "treated worse/have less/receive less attention than other people" - it sometimes manifests as the space we "feel sorry for ourselves".

And I don't say this to trivialize it or to make it something less than something real. It's real. It can eventually manifest as physical illness.

It's time to call it out of the shadows and give it an armchair and a hot cup of cocoa.

Chiron's issues (shame, vulnerability, inadequacy, emotional pain) including health issues, will get some kind of movement now.

The irony with Chiron is that this is often the space we can heal others whether or not we can heal ourselves.

That thing we can do for others but can't seem to do for ourselves - the good advice we always give but don't follow - those spaces are connected.

For some of us instead of a foul mouthed Jiminy Cricket (anyone remember Jiminy Cricket?) sitting on our shoulder telling us how awful we are, we do the job ourselves. And then because it’s now part of our self structure, we will hang onto that conviction with a death grip (as if it were something precious ... because it is actually - it's part of our gift to the planet, but we have to transform it first).

The salve/cure is always empathy - cue Brene Brown. There could be a breakthrough moment with this now.

If you have any planets 16-21 degrees of the mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) you have probably been working through something in your Pisces house since Chiron went retrograde in late June. You may not get what you need from others with this. Self nurture. Read some Brene Brown. Play some Adele. Give yourself a break.

sometimes we hear the music that is always there ....

"Sometimes it's okay. Sometimes it's not one desperate act after another. Sometimes we hear the music that is always there. As the old Irish homily goes: "The most beautiful music is the music of what happens." It is not necessary to run to a remote, quiet place to hear it. It is here already, always. The essence of eternity is how we experience the present. The witnesses are here in ourselves. The fullness of our inheritance denies nothing."
- Terrance Keenan

home by dechobek

This morning's void Moon advises us to avoid any store sales since impulse purchases won't fit or work right or will be of little use. Ack! That's probably drastic for some - but buying things we had previously planned to buy usually works best during void moons.The Moon moves into Cancer this afternoon so a focus on home, family, belonging, nurturing sounds about right.

It could make us (and others) a bit moody but today will be a bit of a breather for most. Take it.

Tomorrow and Sunday will be more intense so let's enjoy the leftovers while we can .....

xo all

(my car is in the shop ... again - I usually just swipe hub's truck but it's been making my shoulder/arm/hand issue worse, so I'm going to rent a small car for the weekend and take myself to a movie this afternoon and go with Kella and Chris to take Sully to see Santa tonight - enjoy your day everyone!)

FULL MOON in Gemini | taste as much as you can ....

"Taste as much of this as you can. Swallow what you need and spit out the rest." - Taizan Maezumi

thanks by kariiissa

With the Sun in Sagittarius we know without following the moon that tonight's Full Moon is in Gemini (Sagittarius polarity sign). It is the culmination of June's New Moon in Gemini, so something from that time is finishing. Also energy from the New Moon two weeks ago is reaching its peak now. The Gemini/Sagittarius polarity is mutable. It's flexible, adaptable and thrives on change.

Mutable signs are restless and prepare us for the change of seasons. They are the breakdown and break away before the breakthrough.

Gemini is ruled by Mercury.

(who also rules Virgo - Mercury was the messenger of the Gods and the Messenger God)

and Mercury rules our 3rd house of day to day communication and language. It also rules siblings, neighbors, local travel, early education, transportation - movement. Its polarity sign is Sagittarius, where our Sun (and Saturn and Mercury) is hanging out right now, rules the 9th house of the larger world aspects of movement. So big picture thinking and processes, philosophy, higher education, foreigners, long distance travel, etc.

During a Full Moon we always have the Moon and Sun in their polar positions (that's what creates the full moon!) so the energy we are working with is the play between the two signs in this case Gemini and Sagittarius.

Tonight's Full Moon is a bit more complicated than usual though.

With Mercury conjunct Saturn (exact yesterday) and squaring Neptune tomorrow and Mercury ruling Gemini - this Full Moon feels like the kick off (wait why do we say kick off, does anything actually start with a kick off?) to the Saturn/Neptune journey (first exact line up on Friday) we will be going through together in 2016. Actually, we are well into the journey now - some of it was just playing out behind the scenes.

Full Moons illuminate something, they show us what we are holding on to. In Gemini this is about communication and learning, opinions and options. Gemini is the sign of change; it holds the space of the crossroads.

The Saturn/Neptune square asks us what we really believe in now. Or maybe it shows us what we really believe in now by what happens to us and what we do with what happens to us.

Saturn represents discipline, time and rules - he reigns over the material world; the things that give life structure. Saturn tells Neptune to, "sit up straight, obey authority, get a job, to pull himself up by his bootstraps." Neptune rules the metaphysical world. He represents our dreams, our imagination, the things that give life meaning. He asks Saturn to feel, to have a heart, to show compassion, to understand that not everyone has bootstraps to pull up.

We all carry both these archetypes and they work out their energies and move their stories forward through us.

On their own neither of these big boys would give us a functioning world. They need each other. And individually we need to balance both these parts of ourselves. We need Saturn's structure to bring the dream to life and we need the dream (Neptune) to give our life meaning and purpose.

Neptune is all over this Full Moon, so things may not be quite as they seem. With Gemini there is always a choice, a spotlight on some new information. If we are unsure what is real or where to look for balance - check your natal chart. Where is 2-6 degrees Sagittarius? Focus on that.

If you have planets 2-6 degrees Sagittarius, Pisces, Gemini or Virgo you will feel this New Moon strongest.

As always, get out and walk in it - this one is challenging - don't go walking into a tree or a ditch or something. You don't have to be able to see it, don't worry about clouds, it's there, you'll feel it.

And Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the U.S.

xo all

REMINDER on Friday the Saturn/ Neptune square is exact at 7 deg Pisces. If something's dissolving, please just let it go. If something vague and imaginative needs to be firmed up - work on that - baby steps.

the light of late November ....

Praise Song
Praise the light of late November,
the thin sunlight that goes deep in the bones.
Praise the crows chattering in the oak trees;
though they are clothed in night, they do not
despair. Praise what little there's left:
the small boats of milkweed pods, husks, hulls,
shells, the architecture of trees. Praise the meadow
of dried weeds: yarrow, goldenrod, chicory,
the remains of summer. Praise the blue sky
that hasn't cracked yet. Praise the sun slipping down
behind the beechnuts, praise the quilt of leaves
that covers the grass: Scarlet Oak, Sweet Gum,
Sugar Maple. Though darkness gathers, praise our crazy
fallen world; it's all we have, and it's never enough.
 - Barbara Crooker


autumn neighborhood by gnato

After this week we will know what we are dealing with from the Saturn/Neptune square - it will unwind itself over the next 10 months, but the issues will be on the table. They probably already are. A square always means there is work ahead.

Mars is active today - we are taking action, maybe with a key person. The Moon is in Taurus. We won't be rushed. Others won't be rushed by us either. Settle down. We are craving security and the comfort of things we can see, smell, touch and taste - a great day to get things ready for Thanksgiving, if you are in the U.S. Tomorrow (Mercury square Neptune) we could see traffic delays, information and agreements dissolving, wet weather, etc so get your stuff done today if you can.

Vesta connects with the south node (now in Pisces) allowing us to disconnect (dissolve) from things and people that do not fit/work anymore. Remember, Jupiter is in Virgo so everything expands through discipline and details now. Baby steps people. If we can relax and put important decisions on hold for another week or two all the better. We’ll be facing issues around what roles we’re playing and which ones we’re releasing. It's a process. Simplicity is a strength now. There are opportunities for those who have a precise plan and a way of executing it, so we'll take a broad view of future possibilities that may take some time to come to fruition. November and December are foundation building time. Balance.

Back tomorrow with the Gemini Full Moon! xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of November 23rd - Neptune Saturn Square | Full Moon Gemini | NOTE If you are hosting Thanksgiving dinner, think about lots of wine (or wait maybe no wine!) and plastic knives and forks, yes, things could get that dicey!

just a dream by Amr Elshamy


OK,this week we have the first of the exact squares between Saturn in Sagittarius and Neptune in Pisces (two more in 2016), a Full Moon in Gemini and Chiron stationing direct - if you are getting together with family members who hold dissenting beliefs for Thanksgiving ... well, good luck with that. Lots of paths that have diverged in the wood, maybe much longer ago than we would want to admit will be made clear now.

We start the week - Monday - with an opposition between Venus in Libra and Uranus in Aries. An opposition is exactly what it sounds like. So we have Venus (love, money, women, art) all snuggly in Libra (balance) the sign she rules. Suddenly she is at odds with Uranus (independence, freedom, rebellion, stuff from 'out of the blue') in Aries (initiating energy, action, anger, war) where he has recently been freed from his south node tie up.

This could indicate a sudden change (inspiration, perspiration or disintegration) for Venus ruled stuff - love, money, relationships, women, art. Expect the unexpected here. With Uranus, this stuff could flip on us again, so know that whatever happens - if it's good - enjoy it, appreciate it, be grateful. If it's not what we had hoped for - let's not overreact - think Libra and balance, be diplomatic. We will get through it. With Uranus changes just lead to more changes. And Uranus in Aries is answering to Mars who is a bit uncomfortable in Libra. If last week was a bit of a clusterf*ck for you - this aspect could bring a conclusion of sorts.

it all matters ....

echo of small things by karezoid

"It all matters. That someone turns out the lamp, picks up the windblown wrapper, says hello to the invalid, pays at the unattended lot, listens to the repeated tale, folds the abandoned laundry, plays the game fairly, tells the story honestly, acknowledges help, gives credit, says good night, resists temptation, wipes the counter, waits at the yellow, makes the bed, tips the maid, remembers the illness, congratulates the victor, accepts the consequences, takes a stand, steps up, offers a hand, goes first, goes last, chooses the small portion, teaches the child, tends to the dying, comforts the grieving, removes the splinter, wipes the tear, directs the lost, touches the lonely, is the whole thing. What is most beautiful is least acknowledged. What is worth dying for is barely noticed."
 .... Laurie McBride | We Are Called To Rise

Mercury enters Sagittarius and information speeds up. Opportunities may present themselves now (yes with Saturn here they will come with the price tag of hard work - we get to decide what is worth it or maybe life forces our hand) - communications involving learning or teaching, ethics or travel (all Sagittarius ruled things). Our Sag house wakes up now and with Saturn here we will be made to walk our talk. The stuff Saturn has been sitting on since September gets some movement. Great energy to be "salesy", yes, the "s" word. Others can be convinced if we really believe in what we are saying, writing or peddling. There is also truth to be said/heard now - with Jupiter in Virgo it could sting - be kind and compassionate (Neptune in Pisces). A fact vs. fiction wake up call is here/coming.

The BIG idea can provide the enthusiasm that gets us thinking/moving/dreaming and the small things (and steps) will move us forward. (back up your computer this weekend always a good idea before or after Mercury changes signs). xo all

.... we are still going, you and I

a hopeful transmission by c a martin
"If you're reading this, if there's air in your lungs on this November day, then there is still hope for you. Your story is still going. And maybe some things are true for all of us. Perhaps we all relate to pain. Perhaps we all relate to fear and loss and questions. And perhaps we all deserve to be honest, all deserve whatever help we need. Our stories are all so many things: Heavy and light. Beautiful and difficult. Hopeful and uncertain. But our stories are not finished yet. There is still time, for things to heal and change and grow. There is still time to be surprised. We are still going, you and I. We are stories still going." .... Jamie Tworkowski

The Moon is hanging with Neptune in Pisces today - procrastination and escape will be so easy. Our moon lives in imagination where all our possibilities are kept alive simply because we never choose to live them out. Keep that in mind now as we settle down and get to work. Venus is in a tricky spot. If we do not know what we want, probably better to wait if we can. We've got the Moon squaring Mercury - so logic and emotion are at odds. I dreamed a great idea last night, but this morning it just feels like a whole lot of work. I'll just sit with it and focus on the tasks at hand (Virgo!). First Quarter Moon means challenges to what we started at the New Moon - that's ok, we got this thing- just building bigger muscles, right?

xo all

... our default setting



"Just as many machines reset themselves to their original settings after a power outage, human beings reset themselves to something altruistic, communitarian, resourceful and imaginative after a disaster, we revert to something we already know how to do. The possibility of paradise is already within us as a default setting."

- Rebecca Solnit

LOVE this quote from environmental writer Rebecca Solnit ... Today, Neptune stations direct squaring Saturn and things get a little fuzzy (or fuzzier!). Remember our expansion comes through Virgo - careful - I might even say cautious, small, measured steps, attention to detail - we need to pay attention to how we say things and what we say - words change worlds now folks.

xo all

Saturn in Sagittarius Square Neptune in Pisces for Creatives | the Dreams vs Reality Transit - Part III



OK to recap from Part I and Part II now that Saturn has moved into Sagittarius (and this started loosely when he stuck his head in last winter, but more strongly recently when he unpacked his bags and kicked off his shoes and lasts through the end of 2017) he is squaring Neptune in Pisces (Sagittarius naturally squares Pisces - think pie chart here).

This square will be exact three times over the next 10 months, due to Neptune and Saturn retrogrades  - Nov 26, 2015 at 7 degrees, June 17, 2016 at 12 degrees and Set 10, 2016 at 10 degrees. And remember even when an aspect is not exactly exact it may be still close enough, often for long periods, to be felt.

Squares are tense aspects - they push us into a new action (oppositions push us into a new decision, trines remove obstacles, sextiles show opportunities, etc). Everyone is going to work with this square before Saturn leaves Sagittarius at the end of 2017. Here's a post with info on Saturn in Sagittarius that could be helpful, too.

This is the big deal transit of 2016.

getting comfortable with what is foreign

Foreign is never comfortable. The work of Candance Pert and others tells us that we are literally craving, in our very cells, what is familiar.

It's not because what is familiar is good for us and what is foreign is bad for us. And in fact it often works the other way around. It's just how our bodies work.

It is hard not to be following the news this week, and actually I am not one of those 'pink paint' people who advise turning away from what upsets us. I know so many people who tell me they don't watch the news because they don't want to see any bad news and this is exactly the way of thinking that brings this bad news to our door so we can see it.

We are, as a collective, working through a transit of Saturn (limitations, time, boundaries) in Sagittarius (big picture, foreign travel, people at a distance, immigration) so it is not surprising that the current events in the world are being shown through the lens the media is presenting to us.


Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of November 16th - New Pisces Karma Cycle | Going With the Flow |

magical art - the secret garden by emla

Monday's ambitious Capricorn Moon can have us powering through our duties and responsibilities - sign agreements, make sales, decisions. There are really no void moons during working hours this week - YAY! (well, late Monday afternoon) so things ready to launch are pretty good to go - remember we have Jupiter in Virgo, so take care of the details and don't launch anything half-assed.

On the other hand, remember we have Jupiter in Virgo (is there an echo in here?), and we may be too detail oriented and miss the forest for the trees - if you are a maker, well, this is the holiday season, if it's ready to ship, get it somewhere where someone can find it.

We are in a waxing, productive Moon phase. If we have been tired or drained this is a building time of the month with energy returning.

Venus conjunct Black Moon Lilith in Libra could be some kind of competition/comparison with pink paint poured on top of it or someone or something that smiles to our face and then cuts us off at the knees. Or maybe this is some kind of insider/outsider thing with the power to wound us. Watch for it.

NEW MOON in Scorpio 11/11 - This Time PLEASE, PLEASE Actually Write the Damn Intention List!

new birth by jojoesart

Wednesday's New Moon at 19 degrees Scorpio has multiple excellent, positive aspects. This moment in time joins our deepest (Scorpio) emotions (Moon) and our mental ability (Mercury) with our creativity and self (Sun). What cannot be accomplished with everything working together this way?

First we have the Sun and Moon sextile to Jupiter.

Jupiter brings expansion and good luck - even wealth and happiness. Sextiles are positive aspects but require some kind of action on our part - so please, please, even if you have never actually sat yourself down and written out your intention list at the New Moon before, do it this time. Even if month after month you read these posts but just skim over the part where we physically write this stuff down, and I understand, really I do,

but - this month, actually do it ... either Wednesday night or Thursday.

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of November 9th - FRESH starts, OPPORTUNITIES, multiple brakes OFF

oprisco photography

This is a week of fresh starts and opportunities. There may be some blockage in our personal chart (ie a limiting belief met as karma) but in most areas of most of our lives things will be moving full steam ahead now!

First of all - we have a Grand Trine (remember a trine means brakes off, well think of a Grand Trine as removing multiple brakes all at once) involving our Sun, Pluto and Jupiter.

This is about our goals, our reputation and authority figures (Capricorn themes - Pluto is in Capricorn) - sex, death and rebirth, birth, reproduction, divorce, other people's money (Scorpio themes - Sun in Scorpio) and our work, health, co-workers, pets (Virgo themes - Jupiter in Virgo). This is major favorable energy right now.

Astrological Influences - The Big Picture for Creatives Now | Part II

https://instagram.com/p/u_pCX-NIdS/
Part I of this overview is HERE.

We talked about the 'outer planets' - this is the collective energy at play.  

Now Saturn and Jupiter are outer planets, too, but they affect us differently so I will call them 'middle planets'. They aren't the astrological inner planets (Mars, Venus, Mercury and the Moon) that affect our day to day happenings and moods - they are kind of the space where we as individuals meet the collective.

Basically, (and that's a loaded word, so we'll flesh it out a little) Saturn is about constriction and Jupiter is about expansion. Jupiter feels good. Saturn feels bad. This isn't really what is happening, but it will often feel like this.

Astrological Influences - The Big Picture for Creatives Now | Part I

http://www.prettydesigns.com/20-martin-luther-king-quotes/
I thought I should take a step back from the weekly astrology posts to post about the big picture a bit.

We are living through a period of unprecedented change and uncertainty - we all know this.

We see it in the outer world and we see it in our individual lives.

Every time we get settled in something or someone or someplace that feels like 'safety' ... the rug gets pulled. The walls we thought were made of concrete by that 3rd little pig were actually the fake plastic stuff with the toxic gray paint.

This is not innately a bad thing or a good thing (well, except for the toxic gray paint) - the good/bad part is always up to us - that free will thing and all.

Anyhoo, for an overall look at the planetary energies we look at the 3 outer planets. These guys move slowly and their impacts are more long lasting.

These are the multiple major influences we are, as a collective, living through all at once. Any one of these transits could send us to the madhouse so having them all of once is the reason most people are struggling to stay grounded.

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of November 2nd - going deep .... plus did I mention that new cycle of working from our hearts, well here we go ....

 

November is going to be BIG.

We are midway through autumn now and well into Scorpio season (even though it's still Virgo, Virgo, Virgo!). 

Scorpio is all about mastering the fine art of release - letting go of what is no longer needed, weeding out the stuff that has, well, died, to create space for something new to find us.

There is always, always new stuff coming.

Nature really does hate a vacuum, so as we release old thoughts, feelings, wants and habits, we automatically attract the people and circumstances that mirror who we are without those thoughts, feelings, wants and habits. Our only job is to clear the space.

Mars (action, initiative) will be in Scorpio for many weeks in 2016 - this energy isn't going anywhere.

We still have the North Node in Libra so we are connecting and reconnecting with others. Libra moves into Venus next Sunday and triggers that node of fate - lots of relationship and interpersonal stuff going on now. Venus and then Mars will also stumble into the old Uranus/Pluto square beginning next week so as the leaves dry up and fall from the trees we may be asking ourselves "has this relationship / business / job / location - dried up, too?". Then, carrying this energy of re-evaluation, the North Node moves quietly into Virgo and we proceed into the first of three Saturn / Neptune squares, this is the dreams vs. reality transit that will reshape everything. But, let's not go there quite yet ....

We have Jupiter in Virgo inconjunct Uranus in Aries. Maybe we prepare for one thing and something else happens instead. We could beat our head against the wall pushing to make the first thing work, but it would undoubtedly be best to go with the flow and stay flexible. 

Luck (Jupiter) favors the flexible (Uranus) action (Aries) that is accurate and refined (Virgo).

On MONDAY - Mercury moves from civil and balanced Libra into deep and disruptive Scorpio for the next 18 days. This is about intense communications and profound conversations. We won't ask how someone is doing, unless we really want to know because they will tell us. What we need to find out from others will be uncovered - what others need to find out from us will be uncovered, too. We can see how this can be a good or not so good thing depending on how many secrets we are carrying!

Do you have any natal planets in Scorpio? They will be receiving signs and alerts now - pay attention.

Whatever that thing is that requires thorough analysis or investigation - this is the time for that.

Put down the magazine and pick up that good, thick book that has been gathering dust on your shelf.

Remember we still have a lot of planets in Virgo and Mercury rules Virgo - so a whole lot of celestial energy will be in Scorpio stealth mode right now. Virgos and Geminis in particular (both ruled by Mercury) become even more Scorprionic. This energy can be manipulative and Scorpio isn't always right (no one is), just don't tell them (or anyone else, we are all working this energy now) that - just quietly and thoroughly (think Virgo again) verify information. Everything deep and dark really doesn't need to be said out loud or shared in public. I heard Brene Brown say on a recent radio interview, "you share a story when your healing is not dependent on the response you receive from the sharing" - that sounds about right here.

I always back up my computer again when Mercury goes deep into Scorpio - equipment and cars can get wonky. This is not the best time to learn/communicate about something brand new. This is a good time to deepen some knowledge or line of inquiry we already have going on.

Go deep not wide with this energy.

(business example - if you are a maker planning an email campaign or postcard blitz during the next 3 weeks, and, yes, it would be the perfect time for it - better to offer something else - ie better - to existing customers than going after new people or better to contact stores you have contacted before and have a relationship with or struck out with previously, and send them a new - ie better - offer, etc - you get the idea - instead of thinking expansion outward, think about deepening existing circumstances)

MONDAY/TUESDAY is actually not a bad time to launch something (we can definitely wait for that Scorpio New Moon mid-month though!) if we have been precise with our work and attentive to details because this is the day Venus conjuncts Mars in Virgo (Mercury ruled) and kicks off a new two year cycle!

Remember, I said November and December would be foundation building time!

Typically Mars and Venus join together once every couple years or so, but in 2015, due to Venus's long retrograde last summer they meet up three times - this week is their third (and last until 2017) hook up. 

The first one back in Aries was a beginning but really more about harsh realities and survival and overcoming a crisis - this involved the Venus themes of love, money, women, beauty and Mars themes of action and anger. Then on September 1st, they met up again and rehashed everything.

It's been a tough transit for many people.

This new cycle (24 degrees Virgo - check your natal chart - is the sweet spot for getting what we want with this) is about as far away from the last cycle as we can get - this one is about being unburdened and new and about what we are really here to do.

It's time to lay down the baggage of the last two years and open our hearts. The love (and money) will find us.

"Do what you love and the money will follow" is not something I believe is literally true in the sense of "earning money from the thing we love doing". 

BUT I do believe, and this cycle will definitely be a game changer for many people, that doing what we love releases old thoughts, habits, wants and feelings of resistance and magnetizes us to people and circumstances that mirror who we are without this resistance.

This creates the space for the good stuff (really the stuff money can buy and the stuff money can't buy) to show up.

We have Mercury in Scorpio to ensure a deep impact for whatever we are cooking up, which is why we want it to be good, launching something that isn't really ready could get us noticed and not in a good way - which is why I'm thinking long term and foundational with this energy.

With Venus and Mars conjunct we can attract what we want. With Virgo involved it has to be high quality. Mercury in Scorpio wants it to hold up to scrutiny and have some kind of deep significance - don't waste this energy on flash in the pan whoseewhatsees.

But, of course, sometimes flash in the pan whoseewhatsees are only recognizable in hindsight ... but if we cook up one of those just be prepared to be known for that flash in the pan whoseewhatsee. It's like we always double check our work and the one time we don't double check is the time our boss pulls our report out at a big meeting with upper management and there is a glaring mistake we didn't catch, ouch. Or that new bracelet we made that maybe needed a little more finessing and isn't quite reflective of our brand and style finds it's way to an editor at Lucky Magazine and ... well, you get the idea. I am not saying this to make us any more crazy than we already are - we can only do our best.

If we keep our eye on the details, do the work and reach a little further than we think we can, but just a little - we are working a Sun/Neptune trine from November 3-11, reaching too far is probably not recommended and it's easy to get carried away now (I pulled my shoulder putting on my coat, yes, my coat, it's been two weeks and still hurts - reaching is not my friend right now) - we could strike gold here.

If this wasn't a business blog (even though you may have to squint and stand twenty paces to see that these days) I would also mention that Mars (masculine energy) and Venus (feminine energy) joining together would be good for other things, too (wink).

WEDNESDAY (void moon so production, no new starts) and THURSDAY are also great creative days, so attention to creative work, children, fun, love are favored. We need to show up and get involved here.

FRIDAY - the sextile between the Sun and Pluto is exact. If we have any adjusting or clean up that needs to be done - today would be a good day to be doing it. With the Sun in Scorpio aligning with Pluto in Capricorn, Scorpio's ruler - we can focus like a lazer beam. This is a closing sextile so any victory now will have been earned over time. If we started something last January when the Sun was in Capricorn - this week will be the reward for that work.

We have some REALLY BIG energy coming in November, including the first of three Neptune/Saturn squares (dreams vs reality) and the Nodes shift. Depending on your chart these changes may override stuff I have written here, so I will post about them in a couple days.

I wasn't able to get to the Full Moon post last week. I hope everyone had the chance to go outside and walk in it! My own Full Moon was quite stressy/messy - disagreements, simple misunderstandings turned into the kind of mountains requiring Sherpas and oxygen masks and perspectives sealed in concrete on all sides. Um, yes, that sounds about right ... and there was the beautiful Maine skies, coast and clean mountain air, too.

THEN I did a quick blog post (about muttering, yes, I said muttering) but then somehow lost most of it adding another picture and I don't have enough enthusiasm for the subject matter tonight to rewrite it. Blogger is officially driving me nuts. xo all