Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of October 9th - busy busy, relationship issues, a focus on what isn't there or isn't going to work, a surprise that hurts, power struggles, transformation, pajama envy, Jupiter dives into Scorpio, Venus comes home to Libra

boy germs by selfhaircuts

This was supposed to post Sunday morning, not sure what went wrong. Another crazy week ahead - buckle up!

On SUNDAY, diplomatic and clear-headed Mercury joins the Sun in balanced Libra. This concludes the Mercury/Sun cycle that started on August 26th - maybe that date means something to someone. This is excellent energy for a "meeting of the minds" about serious matters (Libra's ruler Venus is squaring sober big-daddy Saturn). Information (Mercury) or maybe a sibling could "bring something to light" (Sun). With Saturn in Sagittarius this is also good energy for negotiations around legal issues, foreign issues, travel, education, big-picture planning, etc. Relationship issues will be particularly intense this week.

Remember Mercury is in Libra now - kind coupled with strategic language will move the conversation forward and keep even those with very diverse views on the same page.

MONDAY is a U.S. holiday. Even if you aren't working the Moon's move into Gemini will make the beginning of the week busy with lots of information and communication coming in. Serious Saturn is trining the Leo North Node - we can be sure that patience, hard work and stepping into our responsibilities are moving us toward our best future! Take serious advice and serious people seriously now.

The Sun, still hooked up with mental Mercury is squaring Pluto exactly now. Whatever this Mercury/Sun conclusion is we are dealing with can be particularly powerful, even karmic. Power struggles within relationships are likely. In a world that feels so out of control everyone is trying to control their own little piece of the pie. The truth will need to come out, but remember all truth is subjective - we all have different truths!

Struggles may be beneath the surface with everyone smiling and saying nice things out loud. But we will be able to feel what is not being said or what the words really mean.

WORDS ARE POWERFUL NOW.  Take this seriously. Words can destroy or transform - so what's it gonna be?

There is still a hell of alot of mental pressure within the collective. So much black and white thinking in a world filled with people being kept apart by black and white thinking. Keep this in mind. Let's give each other, and ourselves, a break when needed. We are all truly doing the best we can.

On TUESDAY, we have the big news of the week when Jupiter hits 0 degrees Scorpio. We are going to explore this indepth in a post this week, but this is a good time to know what house/houses hold Scorpio in your natal chart and the theme of those house(s). Figure this out or ask me - he is going to be there for over a year!

This is where our obsessions, compulsions, focus, lucky breaks and expansion will be coming in the next 13 months. Jupiter couldn't really be Jupiter for the past year in Libra with the other cardinal sign planets (Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn) forming tense angles and breathing down his neck. For better or worse he is freed up now. This transit could make some of us very ambitious.

Jupiter expands whatever he touches and Scorpio deepens our experience of them. Let's watch for any Scorpio themes - other people's resources, loans, debts, inheritances, insurance, taxes, investments, mortgages, banks, death, birth, sex, reproduction, jealousy, power struggles, revenge, obsessions, power struggles, crime, stuff that is buried, family karma, compulsions AND any Jupiter themes - legal issues, travel, foreign, education, marketing, weddings, religious, higher-thinking, our beliefs, optimism, the media - that catch our attention now because it will mark what is first at bat (or most important) for us in this chapter of our story. The Scorpian issues will expand - especially the theme of your Scorpio house, which will be different than what I have written above unless you are an Aries rising! The Jupiter issues will deepen. We'll talk about this in the dailies. And we'll look through the signs and houses.

Our astrological universe is grouped into three "sections" - the personal planets (inner), and, yes, in astrology we call the Sun and Moon planets to simplify things: the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus - these planets change signs from every couple days to every few weeks so they are always in motion. Their transits most impact our day-to-day lives, but they are very transitory. They keep everything moving. The very outer planets - Uranus, Neptune and Pluto - they mostly influence the collective and those collective influences trickle into our lives. They move slowly, staying in a sign from a few years to many, many years. Their changes take us longer to work through and are much longer lasting, sometimes their changes within our lives are permanent. In-between the inner and outer planets we have Jupiter and Saturn. They influence both our day-to-day lives and the collective and are the bridge from the the inner to outer. With Jupiter we evolve through growth and with Saturn we evolve through restriction. Both Jupiter and Saturn are changing signs over the next few weeks! This is a big deal and indicates big changes ahead in both the collective and within our own personal lives. Those changes start this week.

ALL WEEK we are impacted by first Venus and then Mars squaring Saturn and opposing Chiron. There are some flies in the ointment and they are the green ones that bite. Ouch! 

So what we want/need (Venus) and the action we take to get it (Mars) meet limits, constraints, problems that will not be easily solved. 

The focus is on something we are missing, something that doesn't work or something that is in our way. 

There is also an opposition between Mercury and Uranus at the end of the week at the same time Mars opposes Chiron - this could be especially surprising and hurtful.

There are not alot of easy answers right now. We will just have to toss on some old clothes, jump in, get dirty and do our best.

THURSDAY we have the last quarter Moon in Cancer (Sun square Moon). This is the 'crisis' point of the Moon's monthly cycle - we are kind of sorting out what is working and what isn't in preparation for the New Moon next week. This isn't the best energy to launch something new - the Moon is waning and our energy probably will be, too! We could want to just go home, find some flannels and climb in bed! But the square to the Sun (in Libra) and Venus's pending move will keep our relationships and connecting with other people in the spotlight.

Make some time to relax and focus on home and family though!

Fair and balanced Venus will head into her home sign of Libra on FRIDAY. Libras and Libra risings get more attractive - both easier on the eye and able to attract what they want. All of our natal Libra houses get more attractive, too. I will write a post.

There are no void Moons during work hours. See you in the dailies. xo all

Mercury Inconjunct Neptune | new solutions to an old problem, unexpected events, strategy

family game night

The energy of yesterday's Full Moon is still strong today.

The Moon is connecting with Uranus (surprise, the unexpected, the future, rebellion) and Jupiter (expansion, luck, big thinking). Jupiter will make the Uranian surprises BIGLY and the Moon will make sure we feel them. Keep this in mind.

The Aries Moon will go void at 2:58PM EDT until she moves into Taurus at 6:38pm EDT. Maybe close up early - certainly don't start anything or send any important communications out during the void - unless you want "nothing to come of them". The Moon is exalted in Taurus encouraging comfort - good food, a hot bath, a warm blanket - we could all use some Taurean comfort this weekend. This is good weekend lunar energy for a massage, cooking, getting our hands in the dirt - do something that soothes your soul.

Today, we have Mercury (in Libra) inconjunct Neptune (retrograde in Pisces) and Pallas (retrograde in Taurus). So we have a Yod (called a finger of God; ie fate, cosmic course correction) which is an isosceles triangle in the sky, pointing at Mercury the planet of - communication, conversation, ideas, thinking, siblings, our local neighborhood, transportation.

The Yod is formed through inconjuncts which are tense aspects that can't be easily reconciled (the Mercury stuff) and sextiles - Neptune and Pallas which is where the opportunities/solutions/gold can be mined.

Communications with other people (Mercury in Libra) can be tricky. Our unconscious slips of the tongue might mean something. Pay attention to the words that get stuck in your head now.

We need to be very clear with our language (we talked about this in the Full Moon post).

We need to be fair (think - compromise). We need to be practical. Solutions might not feel quite like a win-win, but with this strong Aries Moon we want to avoid an all-out-war. Solutions ironed out now can create real stability and security (especially around financial issues) and would be worth the effort.

We need to be certain (and it won't be easy) that we are being understood. And that we are understanding the other person. We need to talk. We need to listen. Both parties views need to be valued.

It can be hard to get the right words out, but if we do, the sextile (opportunity) between Pallas (strategy) and Neptune (dreams) can create real stability here. Think about the kind of strategy a war general would think about. Practical. Measurable. Look for patterns. Set time-frames and budgets and goals. And remember the other person is a war general, too, and you are both on the same side, even if you feel very much at odds right now.

TOGETHER we could make something real that seems very pie in the sky. We have the energy of a cosmic course correction at our back now!

With both Pallas and Neptune retrograde, whatever this is, it won't be a brand new issue/situation. 

Although it could be the first time we put on our big-girl pants, took our proper seat at the table and actually talked it out or acted to iron out some practical, workable plans. 

Revise whatever isn't working for both parties. This needs to be fair and balanced. Don't give too much or too little. It won't be easy. 

But solutions that create real stability are possible now.

Imagine yourself unfurling a parchment paper map/course of action onto a mahogany table. You and the other person are each holding the paper. Both standing on different sides of the table with no one at the head of the table. There is equality here.

It is your goal to bring God/the Universe (Neptune!) into the bargaining room.

Everyone might not get everything they want (the inconjuncts pretty much assure us of this), but everyone WILL need to feel treated fairly and to be practical, if the exchange is to be successful. We must be strategic and clear-headed like Pallas. We are warriors!

That's the scenario to unlock today's sextile - opportunity for greater security and stability, especially regarding resources and finances, within our relationships. The Finger of God pointing to Mercury tells us to get clear and speak up. Good luck!!

xo all

Some of you might remember I am turning a Shasta camper into a photo-booth. It has been slow-going for multiple reasons (UGH - one year since I bought it, three years since I registered the domain name CandidCamper.com - and yes, I am losing sleep imagining dozens of people in my local area turning campers into photo-booths rendering mine useless by the time I get this damn thing finished).

Last week, I finally pulled the trigger (after dozens of hours of research) on the purchase of the photo-booth shell to go into the camper - the piece that will house the lights, computer, printer, etc.

I could use it in the camper, but then also wheel it out of the camper and onto the dance floor, etc, if it was needed elsewhere.

It came in the mail during last week's "getting ready for the yard sale, clean everything out, life is chaos" and I tucked the box into a corner of my studio unopened.

Yesterday I opened the box and pulled out the cabinet.

It is extremely well made. A corner has been slightly crushed underneath during shipping so it doesn't sit level on the wheels. I can see it was well-packed but not well enough packed (I am an expert packer having shipped thousands of glass test tubes and glass frames over the years - if you ever need packing advice I am your girl - except for suitcases I am impatient with those and just cram stuff in).

The mistake that caught my attention yesterday though isn't the shipping damage to the cabinet, the problem is the cabinet - at 22" square - doesn't fit through the Shasta camper's 19" door!   

photo-booth shell

I never thought about the damn camper door!

The cabinet is made of metal and doesn't come apart. It was expensive. So I have a gorgeous cabinet, but I can't get it into the camper. Of course, a couple months ago the whole camper was in pieces and I could have easily stuck it in there. But not now.

Just moments before opening the box I had typed a blog post saying one possible way the Full Moon could show up was with a "why the hell didn't I measure twice and cut once" illumination and here was mine. And did I say this thing was expensive. Ouch!

This morning I am thinking like Pallas - the warrior Goddess. I need a strategy. I could toss a fit over the shipping damage. But, I won't. Although I will mention it. I just need a smaller bottom (hmm, the story of my life right now!). Maybe a different base without a cabinet.

I have to make some plans before I approach the guys who made this thing.

They were already going to fabricate me a shorter middle section for seated clients in the camper, but now instead I need a different base. And my budget is very small for this. Like I need it for free and I need it tomorrow, but I can see how this might not work out for them. Ha!

First I need some strong tea and a walk at the reservoir to clear my head. And then a plan.

And, yes, I bought it on Etsy. xo all

Full Moon in Aries | October 5th - whole vs. good, mind readers wanted, double check the info, keep the receipts, how are we underestimating ourselves

"I'd rather be whole than good." ... C.G. Jung

bright full moon by claire solo

The Full Moon is always a time of tension - it's a time of Sun opposite Moon. Oppositions are pretty much just what they sound like. There is a reason police departments and emergency rooms are uber busy during Full Moons!

This month we've got the Sun in Libra at 12 degrees  (ruled by Venus - peace, women, balance, fairness, love, cooperation) and the Moon in the opposite sign of Aries at 12 degrees (ruled by Mars - war, young men, initiative, passion, courage, anger, violence, independence).

This is the culmination of the Aries New Moon that launched the lunar year back in April, maybe something from that time is finishing up. Feels like years ago, doesn't it? I am aging in dog years now, how about you?

At the Full Moon things culminate or come to light. Results are delivered. Stuff finishes up.

The Sun is conjunct Mercury so a spotlight (Sun) could be directed onto a conversation or message or idea. The opposition to the Moon in fiery Aries tells us something here is too demanding or creates contention or is simply unfair. Or maybe our head is at odds with our emotions (instincts). Imbalances within relationships could be highlighted. Self-interest could be highlighted - this is the Aries Moon after all!

The Sun and Mercury are loosely inconjunct dreamy Neptune (in Pisces). There could be a lie, illusion or some rose colored glasses involved. Maybe our too high hopes mislead us. Or old insecurities fog up the glass and make it hard to see what is real. Keep this in mind.

We are not mind-readers but might think we are, sooo -

Double check the information. Keep the receipts. Be able to show your work. Spell it out. Get expectations in writing. To recap - the Full Moon could expose some information, but all may not be as it seems. Mars and Venus are both in Virgo - the facts/truth is in here somewhere. Continue to be logical and practical and attend to the details. Something hidden or unacknowledged or something we have been avoiding (do not allow things to go unsaid now) will likely be the thing that trips us up later. Take care of the loose ends so there will be less for Saturn to unravel in a few days. 

How our actual world is different than our comforting illusions could be highlighted here.

This is also the day Venus finally meets up with Mars - so we have the Sun in Libra answering to Venus conjunct Mars and the Moon in Aries answering to Mars conjunct Venus. It just makes whatever this relationship thing is "me vs. him/her/them" a bit more incestuous and tightly bound.

Our wants/needs and action are lined up now, but Mars and Venus are headed toward that meet-up with Saturn next week, so everything isn't a honeymoon for the universe's favorite couple. Maybe we get what we want, but it's not quite what we thought it would be. Maybe the promotion we had been hoping for comes through, but the added duties and responsibilities take a higher toll than we had anticipated. If we go for our freedom now, we have to be willing to live with the consequences.

This doesn't mean we don't take the action we are called to take. Taking the action changes the results/consequences. When we shift today's energy, tomorrow's energy must change, too. That's why we can't look too far ahead now - with the South Node in Aquarius we just don't know what we don't know. We will just do our best with whatever we are facing. Just use whatever resources you currently have (facts, money, intuition, courage, time, love, optimism, your super-power, etc) when dealing with whatever you are dealing with.

Decide. Then decide to not look back. When we hit the roadblocks up ahead we will deal with them. We won't allow the roadblocks to make us think we have chosen the wrong thing. If we didn't choose at all or chose the other path there would just be different roadblocks.

This doesn't mean we act foolishly though. Whatever we are dealing with, with Saturn laying in wait up ahead, we must be honest, patient, do the responsible thing and basically be a grown-up with any situation we are dealing with.

The Full Moon is in a T-Square with Pluto - God of the Underworld. 

What is gone and isn't coming back? What is dead that we are still feeding? What is waiting to be born?

Aries rules our first house of ourselves. Aries is about me, me, me and it should be. It's where we start. If we don't start with ourselves, and many of us don't, we won't even know where we want to go!

C.G. Jung, father of both modern psychology and modern astrology, said, "I'd rather be whole than good." And by whole he didn't mean perfect. And by 'not good' he didn't mean bad.

looking ahead ...

Jupiter is just days from his Scorpio ingress. He will be in Scorpio from October 10, 2017 through November 8, 2018. In Scorpio he will be answering to Pluto (ruler of Scorpio) who is in Capricorn answering to Saturn (ruler of Capricorn), who is about 14 (?) weeks from being very strong in his home sign of Capricorn (late December). By January, we will have Jupiter and Pluto and Saturn all answering to Saturn!

But we still have a couple months when Saturn is still in Sagittarius, so Jupiter, the ruler of Sagittarius will be answering to himself. Which is good for us because he is the astrological Santa Claus!

This is why I have been saying get those BIG changes rolling before the end of December. Because Santa Claus will soon be answering to Scrooge. And not Scrooge McDuck either, the real-deal Scrooge with the scowling face and the miserly attitude. We will talk more about this later. It won't all be bad, don't worry. Winter might be coming, but that means hot chocolate and warm sweaters. There are always perks!

Scorpio rules all the stuff we push down deep and don't want to look at. The taboo stuff. The stuff polite society doesn't permit us to chitchat about. There is a reason Scorpio follows Libra. In Libra we partner. We balance things out. We seek peace and fairness. In Scorpio we push aside those Libran niceties and we get real. We cook the relationship down to its essence rather than take it out half-baked to get approval and look good for the neighbors.

No one will be left scratching their head and wondering what we meant.

At least once Jupiter leaves Libra we won't be dealing with his squares and oppositions to the outer planets in cardinal signs - Uranus (in Aries) and Pluto (in Capricorn) - it will be easier trines and sextiles for Jupiter in Scorpio - you lucky Scorpians, you!

In the meantime if we haven't cleared that Jupiter in Libra relationship elephant from the living-room (mine is looking rather saggy, baggy these days, but still manages to somehow block the coffee table)

then the Aries Full Moon and the days/events that follow will be our final chance to push his ass out of the house. We don't want him thumping around over our head when we head down into the basement (Jupiter in Scorpio).

Yes, basement! I know what you are thinking. Our flashlight will go out and the wall switch will fail to work. The wooden steps will splinter beneath our feet. The door will mysteriously lock itself behind us and the whole place will smell like wet laundry left in the washer for three days. Exactly. The good news (and the bad news) is that everything in the basement is something WE put there.

We are going to dig this forgotten/avoided/hidden stuff up and carry it home gently like a mama cat carrying her kittens. We will notice how we use other people's energy and resources and how they use ours (among other things - where is your Scorpio natal house?).

Vampires do not really only come out in the night and there are consequences for the things we do in the dark ....

Can you tell I have Halloween on my mind this morning??? Don't forget to get out and walk in the Full Moon. xo all

Venus Trine Pluto | looking for love or money in all the wrong places, how much do we really value ourselves, relationship issues, compassion, feeling vulnerable, our rough edges rubbing against other people's rough edges

forrest heart by niebezpiecznygroszek

Venus (love, money, values, self-esteem, women) in Virgo trines (brakes off) Pluto in Capricorn.

This follows Mars trine to Pluto on Sunday, which was about clearing the way for self-empowerment, but we can see from the news when the God of War (violence, guns) cooperates with the God of the Underworld (death, destruction) the potential for the wrong people with the wrong ideas to become empowered greatly increases, too. There are no words for this madness. The Moon is in Pisces so the energy of compassion, tears (water), feeling our vulnerabilities, sadness, losing our boundaries and coming together, once again, through tragedy continues .... as long as we continue to allow the corporations to set our agenda via the blood money they pay our Congress people they will continue to politicize issues such as guns and the environment to divide us and benefit themselves. With the Pisces Moon opposing both Mars and Venus our emotions (and anger) will be harder to work with.

Today, it is Venus's turn to dance with the Underworld energy. Love (Venus) has the power to destroy, but also the power to create. We could have some deep insights now into what we really value, what is really pushing us to do (or avoid) the things we do. It will be important to value ourselves and maintain high standards with our heart, body and money now. This intense energy can make some things hard to resist. Diving deep into the whys is the way to the treasure here.

Why do we want what we want?

The Venus/Mars dance of October could play out something like this - events early in the month conspire to get us clear on what we really want and then Saturn shows up to throw some roadblocks and cold water on our plans and then at the end of the month tensions and issues arise that force us to take action/move forward. Then we are off to the races. Sort of. 

We could be looking for love (and money) in all the wrong places. It is very easy to slip into unconscious patterns, but also easier to see them now. A sense that there is a certain destiny (Pluto) with our actions/needs/the people we meet continues this week.

If money (Venus) is stretched thin, it is good energy to eliminate unnecessary expenses (Pluto) rather than seeking to increase income. The more we value ourselves, the more money we will attract. If expenses have already been pared down just give something of value to someone else - Venus is still in Virgo, so small steps can create big energetic shifts.

Know that once you put money into a bank (have more than you personally need in astrology speak) it moves from your 2nd to 8th house - from Venus territory to Pluto's. It becomes "other people's money". And the way it grows and the way you hang onto it changes. Both these spaces - our resources (2nd house) and other people's (8th house) can work together now. It is good to remember they are two different things though - your resources/self-worth and your bank balance! An investment in your 2nd house - your skills/what you love and value can pay off later by providing you with "more than enough".

Venus rules relationships and today we also have Black Moon Lilith (out-of-bounds woman) squaring Chiron (wound) AND Mercury squaring Juno (still in sober Capricorn). It won't be easy to cross the line and do something taboo/un-tame without triggering something painful. But Lilith can't be controlled and in Sagittarius the sky really is the limit for her. Relationship agreements (Juno), both spoken and unspoken, could run into tension and stress. What are we really committed to? Communication (Mercury) is key, honest - even if uncomfortable - words are needed. Whatever is going on, our equal relationships still answer to Venus and she is in Virgo - so practical action and dealing with what is right in front of us - our current situation in a grounded, common-sense way is still the way through the sticker bushes.

Remember we have the North Node in Leo - following our heart is the way forward - and the South Node in Aquarius - detachment, looking too far ahead, over-thinking is what we need to leave behind.

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of October 2nd - what we want meets what we have to do to get it, facing the music, truths and illusions, relationships, us vs us plus them, avoiding dark alleys and men with excessive pocket lint

45 by stefa-zozokovich

Here we go! This is going to a big week and a BIG month.

On MONDAY, the Moon is void until 10:26AM EDT when it moves into dreamy Pisces for the next couple days. Pisces Moons are great creative energy, great for meditation and prayer and encourage compassion, but could also make us a bit too sensitive, vulnerable, more likely to pick up other people's burdens as our own (boundaries are thinner) and likely to drift off course. 

Keep this in mind because Mars and Pluto are close enough to yesterday's exact trine to create payoffs for working hard and following through on our goals now. 

Staying active is the best way to resolve/release old emotional patterns with this planetary lineup!  

On TUESDAY, it is Venus's turn to trine Pluto. The energy of "I want this" (Venus) combined with "and this is what I have to do to get it" (Mars) is in a smooth conversation (trine) with powerful Pluto!

This is earthy energy, so working with what is happening now in a grounded, practical way (Virgo) and taking action (Mars) toward what we want (Venus) can evolve (Pluto) a situation to a new level. This will likely focus on Venus and Capricorn themes - women, love, money, beauty, self-esteem, values, work, career, authority, responsibility and progress in a Virgo manner - one step in front of the other, organized, practical, healthy (you know the drill!).

Any obsessive tendencies or self-esteem issues with work (Capricorn) or power (Pluto) could come up so we can see what is happening and re-align our actions/feelings with what we truly care about. The ways we are not valuing ourselves or not giving ourselves permission to change and thrive could be reflected in what is happening. This would be an excellent time to start couple's counseling if we are stuck to our knees in the muck with another person. Life on planet Earth is not always easy. 

At night the Moon will oppose Mars making everyone testy or antsy. Digestion could be tricky. Eat light.

On WEDNESDAY, the Moon is void most of the day. This is not a good day to start something you would like 'something to come of'. The Moon goes void with a square to Saturn - this is a restriction, maybe a feeling of "less than", some kind of emotional coldness - definitely don't launch anything into the world until after the Moon gets into "me, me, me - have I said it's all about me" Aries at 4:40PM EDT. Problems that crop up before this time will be much ado about nothing. This would be a good day for visualization, creativity and inner work with the Neptune/Jupiter/Sun mash-up, but save the action for late in the day.

THURSDAY is a big day. I will write a post! We have Mars and Venus finally meeting up on the same day as the Full Moon in Aries. And we have the Libra Sun conjunct Mercury at the same time (which means the Moon is opposite Mercury so our head and gut instincts opposed). And it makes a t-square to Pluto. Full Moons bring culminations, endings, things to light, the luna-tic out in all of us. There are also confusing inconjuncts to Neptune so it will be hard to know what is real and what is illusion here. With Pluto and Mars (Aries ruler) it could be explosive or violent - this is in play since Sunday's trine and all week actually. This is alot about the masculine/feminine and our self/relationship polarities. We will pick our way through this in another post. People could be impulsive. Please don't venture into any dark alleys with a flashlight looking for your lost cat. The cat will be OK, but I can't be sure about you.

As we consciously work with Mars (action, initiative, anger, masculine, how we get what we want) and Venus (receptivity. attraction, diplomacy, feminine, how we attract what we want) this week the energy of the Full Moon will increase our potential. The results this Full Moon brings will almost certainly culminate or "bring to light" accurate/precise (Virgo) actions (Mars) focused on mending or adjusting whatever it is we want/need (Venus). That sounds a bit word-salady, but we'll flesh that out in the dailies. Results could be directly proportional to the amount of work we have put in so far. Yes, I know, that scares me, too.

I am out of time tonight.

Heads up - next Sunday we have Venus squaring Saturn - so that looks like a potential roadblock with whatever we are conjuring up this week. And Mars will square Saturn three days later. So, Saturn will definitely slow down our progress and/or demand we step up to the plate in a bigger way and/or shine a light on what is wrong or missing and/or deliver us some unavoidable consequences  - we'll just have to deal with what comes. We'll use the astrology to be more prepared, but not let it stop our action NOW. What we do NOW changes what lies ahead of us.

Mercury and the Sun meet up in Libra on Sunday, too, kicking off a new Mercury cycle. We will talk about this later.

For the early part of the week just get moving on what you want - focus on what is most important. Don't start anything or do anything important during the voids and we'll get clearer on that Full Moon as we get closer!

And we'll take a step back and look at the big picture. Jupiter will be in Scorpio in just a few days and we are all going to have to go a little lot deeper ...

xo all

The second day of my garage sale was a bit of a bust. My first two customers were both men in suits (maybe coming from Church but strangely alone, kind of spooky actually) - the first one walked over to a baby pack and play marked FREE. He picked up the new mattress pad inside and walked away - without the pack and play, just took the mattress pad rendering the pack and play kind of useless. I didn't think to yell after him in time because I was distracted by the second man who picked up a $.50 toy and proceeded to empty his pocket, yes, lint and all, into my outstretched hand for a grand total of $.42 which, of course, obligated me to say, "close enough" as he walked away without thanking me.

The day pretty much proceeded from there.

I did meet another new neighbor though - I never even noticed the old ones disappearing - I am left wondering who they were and where did they all go? The other good news - no ice packs or fresh insect bites mostly thanks to hubs' quick thinking when we found the yellow jacket nest - I will post a picture in the morning light. Such a clever fellow.

Mars Trine Pluto | empowering action

spidey one on one by kopfstoff

Welcome to October!

We kick off this action packed month with today's trine (brakes off) between active and energetic Mars (Virgo 16 degrees) and transformative and karmic Pluto (Capricorn 16 degrees).

This is about action (Mars) collaborating (trine) with transformation (Pluto).

Mars in Virgo says let's clean up this mess (I am on the 2nd day of my yard sale - the "just get this crap outta here day"), let's fix this thing, let's do it right this time, let's not put off until tomorrow what we can do today.

We only get a Mars/Pluto trine once a year and the energy will only be around for a couple days - make something happen here

(in my case a cleaned out storage space - yes, I finally got the last one emptied, of course it looks like my house threw up all over my front porch right now - ugh!).

The moon is in Aquarius - good for connecting with groups, humanitarian activities (the FREE PROJECT signs are going on all my leftovers today!) and unique, creative work. An Aquarius Moon is also a good time to release the Aquarius shadows - so bye-bye distractions (boxes of junk), bye-bye detachment (I spoke with more neighbors yesterday in one day of 'yard-saling' than I have in 6 months), bye-bye Aquarius stubbornness (everything I priced yesterday with the thought of "well, I can't just GIVE it away", today I am giving away).

I am going to talk about this in tonight's weekly because we will have Venus meeting up with Pluto by Wednesday - and then a BIG Full Moon in Aries at the same time that Venus finally catches up with Mars - another HUGE WEEK. This will be about what we want (Venus) and what we are willing to do (Mars) to get it. Saturn will be active and provide some obstacles.

For today, think about how you can move past whatever is distracting/distancing you and onto your own path of power/transformation! And yes, it might just be the crap cluttering up our closets or inboxes. At least it's a place to start.

xo all

During the last week I have pulled a muscle or bruised a rib - since I am, of course, self-diagnosing I am not totally sure - on my right side. Had muscle spasms in my left back that scared me so much - the last time I had back spasms I ended up immobile for a day or so - I took 8 year old muscle relaxers, which worked BTW although I don't recommend doing this, and then yesterday was bit my a yellow jacket on the tip of my finger while reaching for a donut my daughter delivered during my yard sale. So I have been laying in bed at night with ice packs for a week. I know this is all related to my yard sale and not just the achy body, over-doing it part - I will not part with my stuff easily even when the stuff is dead (to me) ... hoping today's trine cleans out all the buried muck without any additional ice pack injuries. Wishing all of you the same!!

Mercury into Libra | the art of gracious language, if you can't say something nice, chatting up the neighbors, indecision, instead of telling it like it is try finding some common ground

awake by lord celeborn

Mercury (communication, ideas, thinking, siblings, local neighborhood) moves into Libra (balance, fairness, diplomacy, passive-aggression, indecision, peace, art, beauty, women) today where he/she will hang his hat until October 17th.

Successful words are more tactful now - more focused on what the other person needs/wants. That splitting hairs and checking for typos Mercury did back in Virgo cedes way to saying it nicely. 

Although until mid-October with Mercury (Virgo's Ruler) in Libra and Venus (Libra's ruler) in Virgo - their mutual reception could give us the best of both worlds - kind words that are also grammatically correct and precise!

Our thinking could be more indecisive now. Not because Libra is wishy-washy so much as just able to see both sides of any situation. Libra's polarity sign Aries can make fast decisions because the energy can focus most easily on one point of view - their own. Ha! And because this is the way life seems to works we will often be faced with a decision at exactly the time all this energy makes decision-making hard - go figure.

Libra is the natural ruler of our 7th house of other people. Life gets more complicated after the 7th house. Do you have any planets in your 7th house or in Libra - these are the archetypes we usually set up our lives to have played out by other people - how's that working for ya'?

Libra wants everybody to be friends. Diplomacy, both in our personal lives and the larger collective, if actually attempted, can improve tense situations now. The gentle art of persuasion via a lighter touch can work, too. Mercury in Venus is a good listener because Venus actually cares about other people!

Words that make people feel loved and appreciated and beautiful will be the right words.

Our natal Libra house gets a visit from multi-tasking, inquisitive Mercury. So things in the area of our life naturally ruled by Libra get busy. 

For today, Venus is opposing foggy and dreamy Neptune so keep in mind someone could be painting a prettier picture of something than is actually factual. The mutual reception with Mercury should help us sort this out.

To be successful our words are more polite now. We need to listen. If we want our communications to hit their target we need to make the other person feel listened to. 

Conversations become kind of a dance here. We wouldn't tear off our dance partner's trousers and leave them standing there with hands covering their under shorts and last shreds of their dignity.

We wouldn't tell them they are a crappy dancer even when they step on our toes and smudge the tops of our favorite shoes. 

A type of kindness and civility prevails on the dance floor. We smile. We talk about the things everyone can agree on.

With the floor spinning beneath our feet we still manage to find common ground.

That is the energy that moves communications, ideas and conversations forward now.

With another planet in air it is also an excellent time to get a head cold. Do whatever you normally do to prevent that. xo all

Jupiter Opposite Uranus, Pluto Stations Direct | powerhouse day, let's just say THAT

p and o by bubble-gum-heart

Maybe re-read Thursday HERE because I probably won't be repeating what is there.

Pluto is stationing direct at 16 degrees Capricorn. 

Planets are uber powerful when they station and Pluto is our most powerful planet. He has been retrograde since April. If you have any planets or points at 16-17 degrees Capricorn (or the other cardinal signs to a lesser degree) you have been certainly feeling this. Partly when Pluto starts covering entirely new ground in late October and then completely by late December you will never, in this lifetime, have to deal with whatever has been churned up again. Never. Ever. Life has changed and Pluto change is permanent. You are almost there.

For the rest of us, whatever Pluto has been backtracking over - what house is mid-degree Capricorn in your natal chart? - will now be moving forward. He won't be covering new ground until October 23rd, but it could feel like a great load is lifted now. Blockages could be removed in an instant. The earth is tilled and ready for new plantings. If this has been gumming up the works for you, you will feel this shift, and yes, I am talking to you Scorpio (but not only to you).

If you wonder why Scorpio energy can be so manipulative - maybe take into account their ruling planet is retrograde almost half the year! How else are they going to get anything done - ack! Jupiter is coming Scorpio - hang in there.

It could be a bit like that feeling when you take off a bra at the end of the day (hubs feels the same about socks), especially on nights we are channeling our inner magician. Nothing up my sleeve. But wait. Presto. Change-o. And we pull out that tight fitting garment. We haven't really noticed it while we were wearing it. We got used to it. But now that it's gone, we do notice the lifting of the pressure. Everything else feels better, too. 

As Pluto shifts forward, we will also feel the pull of two conflicting energies - the third (of three) Jupiter/Uranus oppositions in Libra and Aries.

The first was on December 26th at 20 degrees, then on March 2nd at 22 degrees and now at 27 degrees. People with planets or points around 27 degrees of the cardinal signs - Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn - will feel this one strongest but we all will to some degree. Something could also have shifted in early June when Jupiter stationed direct. This energy will continue to be in play for the next week or so, but peaks today.

I talked about this quite a bit in the weekly and all year actually. The gist of the day is in the weekly.

We are just a couple weeks before Jupiter moves into Scorpio (for the first time in 12 years!) and a few months before Uranus, the disruptor, moves into Taurus.

Since 2010 when Uranus moved into Aries, natural ruler of our 1st houses of self - we have ALL had our personal identities rattled. Our Aries natal houses have been shaken up.

My first astrology teacher back in the 90's said that when Uranus moved into Aries - many people would lose their minds and fall into the chaos. And if people hadn't found their center by the time Uranus moved into Taurus (April 2018) shaking up the things ruled by our 2nd houses - our resources, self-esteem, our values - we were in big trouble.

We don't have to be in big trouble. We are aware of what is happening. We are waking up. It is Uranus's duty as we head into the Age of Aquarius to bring us outside of Saturnian law regardless of what that looks like. We are defying our father. And it will be messy because Saturn is coming home to Capricorn (for the first time in 28 years) at the end of December, so the old man is far from down and out. I think he's been pumping iron in the extra room in the off-years. And just before he gets home he will trine revolutionary Uranus. It is going to be interesting!

In U.S. politics my thinking when I first looked ahead at all of this was that Mueller (brought in to replace Comey whom Trump fired through revenge invoking the curse of Regulus and promise of the Leo eclipse) would announce something about the Trump/Russia investigation this week eventually leading to Trump (Uranus) resigning and passing the baton to Pence (Saturn) in December. But I am not sure of anything anymore. There is just no way to look too far ahead.

Uranus is charged with disrupting the status quo. It rips apart our safety net. It tears up our contracts. It breaks up stagnant energy. It is electricity. It gets our *ss moving. Uranus is the higher octave of Mercury - the way Aquarius is the higher octave of Gemini - Uranus is like Mercury on steroids ... and we have all seen how powerful Mercury is.

Opposing Jupiter everything is magnified. This can make whatever is happening seem much LARGER than it actually is. Oppositions can bring endings. An ending or SURPRISE now will be either massively disruptive (Uranus) or massively positive (Jupiter). Either way it propels us forward.

Aquarians have been feeling this (relationships vs self) since Uranus is their ruling planet and we have the South Node in Aquarius now. It is the energy we are releasing. Overthinking, retreating to ponder things through, detaching and disconnecting - Aquarius shadow stuff - isn't going to cut it for any of us. We need all players on the field. All hands on deck - if we are going to right this ship.

The bottom line - we should feel a lessening of the pressure with Pluto direct (think the bra out of the sleeve maneuver or the socks tossed across the room). A blockage removed. For some it could be massive. Power moves. Perfect timing. Relationship issues around freedom/the future, ourselves/other people. Unexpected events connected to results and endings. Things could seem much more important and much larger than they actually are - keep this in mind.

Today is one of the most powerful days of the year. Instead of thinking "let's see what happens", let's step into our own power. No scapegoating. No blaming. No playing the victim. We are all much more powerful than we think we are. In some space within each of us we are all ready to move on.

xo all

Mercury Opposite Chiron | healing words, hurting words, verbal triggers, let's be compassionate with ourselves and others

conversation by Daisy-M

The Moon is void until 12:24 PM EDT - this is not a good morning to launch something new. Sleep in if you can or go for a long walk and enjoy some unencumbered Sagittarius Moon optimism for a couple hours.

After lunch EDT the Moon moves into Capricorn. It will be time for us to get to work. Be responsible. Take care of business. Be respectful of other people's time and boundaries as well as our own.

There has been a story building all week. See the weekly HERE

Today Mercury (26 degrees Virgo) opposes Chiron (26 degrees Pisces). Words have an elevated power to both heal and hurt now. Think through what you are saying and hearing - is your response out of proportion to the situation? If it is, you can be sure an old wound is being triggered.

For example, this is how road rage works.

(and yes, be cautious when driving today, too, with Mercury involved and this could also involve a sibling issue, also Mercury ruled).

Hubs used to get really crazy in traffic when we were younger. I could never understand the big emotional response he would get when someone followed closer than he would like or pulled too quickly in front of him.

(obviously there are times when this could be a big deal, but he would make a way bigger deal out of little - non emergency - happenings of this than was called for)

Being cut off (other spaces where we have been cut off, where someone has shut us up, where someone appears to be have gotten "ahead of us") -

being followed too closely (other spaces in our lives where people are on our back, where people have been nipping on our heels, breathing down our necks, where we have not been fast enough)

 the themes driving activates are pretty universal - we've all been there.

When we feel an emotion that is out of proportion to what is happening we know it is activating something else - something our physical or emotional self is holding.

We have all kinds of "other people" issues playing out now. Relationships that have been steady as a rock for 20 years (is there really such a thing) are not so stable these days because Pluto in Capricorn is squaring Libra and Aries (our relationship axis) plus we have Jupiter in Libra.

Today, the Sun (in Libra) conjuncts Vesta. This shines a spotlight on a relationship issue, especially if we have a situation where balance, beauty or fairness is lacking. 

With Mercury not only opposing Chiron today (our childhood wound), but also squaring Black Moon Lilith - there will be a taboo issue no one wants to talk about. But somehow it will be.

That Chironic wound is unlikely to be ignored.

Finding an answer isn't as much the point of all of this right now as much as drawing our attention to the wound. It won't be comfortable. Comfort can be over-rated when we are housed in bodies per-programmed to crave what is familiar. Keep this in mind.

Let's be compassionate with ourselves and other people now. We really are all fighting a hard battle ....

xo all

Mars in Virgo Trine Pallas in Taurus | patterns of behavior, strategy, working the process, perseverance, creativity

time time time by muszka

First check the forecast HERE for this week's major energy patterns.

The Moon is still in "big-picture" Sagittarius today and making some tense aspects including a hook-up with serious Saturn. Although our mood could be a bit flattened, the combination of Saturn's feet on the ground/strong foundation and Jupiter's (Sagittarius ruler) head in the clouds/build it BIG isn't necessarily a bad thing, right?

It sounds like a recipe for success, long term success, which is a perfect fit with today's perfecting aspect -

Mars (in Virgo at 13 degrees) trines (brakes off) Pallas (in Taurus at 13 degrees).

Mars rules action, initiative, war and independence and Pallas rules creative intelligence, strategy, war and patterns.

Practical action (Mars in Virgo - take the next step, cross your t's, do what makes sense) along with structured, creative problem solving and pattern recognition (Pallas in Taurus - establish a new pattern/schedule/plan that builds on what is already working but put your own creative spin on it). 

This moves whatever we are working on/dealing with forward more smoothly (trine).

With all of this earth (Virgo/Taurus), stuff is going to take time to germinate. This isn't the energy of something that is fast or explosive. This is slow growth that lasts.

This starts with a plan. Something that builds on WHAT IS ALREADY WORKING. Then we do the day-to-day practical work the plan lays out. Create a pattern to be followed. Work the process. Progress will be steady and noticeable. 

Perseverance is required.

xo all

Mini Astro Lesson - Taurus and Virgo are naturally trine each other. Rulers of our 2nd (our resources, our values, our self-esteem) and 6th houses (work, health, day-to-day activities) the themes of these houses naturally compliment each other, too. They work together so smoothly we might only notice them when they aren't working. We work (6th house) and make money (2nd house). We value ourselves (2nd house) and so we do the work needed to stay healthy (6th house). You get the picture. The other natural trine here (earth signs) is our 10th house (Capricorn) which rules career/public life, you can see how this house fits in here, too.

There is natural law at work here. If you go to astro.com, free horoscopes, natal chart and enter your birth data - your chart will include a little graph at the bottom where you will see lots of little symbols including triangles. Those triangles are some of your super-powers. They are your planets and points that were in just the right houses and just the right degrees when you were born to provide you with your personal arsenal of "brakes off". Check them out. Google the attributes of the planets and houses involved. Make a word salad. Sit with that for a bit.

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of September 25th - painful truths, hard to find the right words, negative self talk, surprising news, big pushes forward, here we go!

shine even in the darkness by muszka

On MONDAY,  Mercury (in Virgo) squares Saturn (in Sagittarius) -

then on Wednesday, he/she opposes Chiron (in Pisces) - this makes the first three days of the week tense and stressful - stock up on the good chocolate and the red wine NOW.

Some painful truths might come out over the next couple days. Problems could come to light and the answers could be hard to find (maybe check that left side sofa cushion there is always something find-able under there).  Everything doesn't have to grind to a halt though. With Saturn in the picture, the solution may take time and some elbow grease. But with Saturn time is on our side.

Think the situation through.

It will be easy to say the wrong thing and put our foot in our mouth. Or maybe the right words don't come easy or don't come at all. Maybe we are talked over or just don't get our chance to speak. Maybe the less said the better.

It will be easy for our thinking to go negative. Keep in mind this is a fast-moving transit. With the other energies at play this week, it could be easy to make a mountain out of a molehill.

If it actually is a mountain, there will be actions we can take later in the week to deal with it. Remember we still have a heap of planets in Virgo - small precise steps, organization, stick to the facts.

And we have the Sun in Libra - think 'diplomacy', think 'balance', think 'fairness' - and brush your hair. Appearances matter now.

This is great energy (Monday) for solo work that focuses our mind on one thing for a long time. We could get alot done, but not alot of different things done. This is not the best energy to communicate (Mercury) with authority (Saturn). Not the best time for business negotiations. We could get caught up in the minutia (Virgo) and miss the big picture (Sagittarius).

The Moon is in Sagittarius so we could be focused on Sagittarius themes - education, travel, foreign issues, politics, weddings, the media, public relations, grandchildren, legal issues, religion. The Moon's squares first to Venus and later to Jupiter could leave us a bit scattered.

By TUESDAY, the approaching Jupiter/Uranus square is almost certainly being felt. See Thursday for the details. The Moon's conjunction with Saturn flattens out our mood. The Moon squares Mercury - our emotions and our head are in tension. Judging and being judged does not feel so good. Again this is Virgo/Sagittarius stuff. Two energies that naturally square each other. Sagittarius always wants more but Virgo knows how to use what we already have. Keep this in mind.

On WEDNESDAY, Mercury (in Virgo) opposes Chiron (in Pisces). Something hurts. Sticks and stones can break our bones, but words can never hurt us - turns out to be a LIE. Use Virgo - stick with the facts, be practical, stay calm, do something with your hands - put one foot in front of the other.

The Moon moves into "all-business, just get 'er done" Capricorn after being Void until 12:25PM EDT. People are more serious and concerned about their own safety and security for the next couple days. We might not be as emotionally available to each other now - keep this in mind when people want their space or seem colder than usual. Our emotions (Moon) need structure (Capricorn). I am not really sure what the hell I am saying with that- but it feels right. We have the first quarter Moon so whatever we started at the New Moon in Virgo is officially off the ground and we encounter our first obstacles.

The big news this week is the final Jupiter/Uranus opposition on THURSDAY. We will be feeling this all week. We have had three of these since Jupiter went into Libra last year.

The final opposition this week could bring a surprise ending to the Jupiter/Uranus story which started on December 26th - although in some ways really started back in 2010. 

Results will be either massively disruptive or massively positive. Or both.

With Uranus anything goes, so cross your fingers with this one. 

If you have planets or points around 27 degrees of the cardinal signs - Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn you will feel this one strongest. It has been building all month really.

 *****

People ask me how to handle Uranus transits. With Saturn transits you need to do the serious, responsible, hard work. With Neptune transits you need to stay grounded, meditate (but not over-meditate), make art and then close that art room door and go deal with the real world - avoid escaping. Read non-fiction. With Pluto we need to go deep, let go of things that are dead (we will know they are dead because they will be leaving). You know that movie heroine who goes into the dark basement even though we are all screaming from our seats for her to get in her car and drive to Target for a cheap locket that will break in a week

(warning shameless plug ahead- my locket will not break in a week, it will last the rest of your life, it is available HERE)

well we need to be that girl during a Pluto transit. Pluto transits just have to be survived. Ha!

With Uranus transits, there isn't alot we can do once we are in them. The more "stuck" we are as Uranus approaches, the more dramatic the results of the transit. He will get us from A to B in the fastest, most direct manner and does not care at all if we are dropped on our ass in a prickly field of cacti.

The more we are moving and changing before the transit the less we will feel his disruption. Note - he will be moving into our Taurus houses in April. Find what house he rules in your natal chart (or ask me!). That house theme is about to be shaken up! And Taurus is fixed earth - our Taurus house is a space we most naturally hunker down and get stuck. It's going to be interesting folks!

 *****

Jupiter through Libra for the last year has been about balance within relationships, fairness, diplomacy. During this time Jupiter has done two things three times.

He squared Pluto three times (remember we talked early in the year about that elephant hiding behind the couch - that relationship issue that was going to get bigger and bigger in 2017 until we dealt with it) and he opposed Uranus three times.

This week is the final Uranus opposition. These boys don't move quickly so the energy will be sticking around awhile. We felt this in late December/early January, late February/early March and now late September/early October.

If outside forces are not pushing us into new terrains, this energy could be making us antsy and impatient. I will do a full post about this.

Also, on THURSDAY, Pluto stations direct (expect a post) after a five month retrograde. He moves toward a trine (brakes off) with Mars in Virgo which will be exact on SUNDAY. This one feels like PROGRESS. It will give us the strength (Mars) and staying power (Pluto) to achieve our goals!

Happening hand-in-hand with the Jupiter/Uranus opposition makes me think of something moving in a brand new direction. There is some kind of perfect timing here.

If we had some bad news/problem situations earlier in the week this is the energy we want to use to take right action!

The bossy Capricorn Moon trines (brakes off) Mars. This gives us extra energy and the drive to get things done.

On Thursday night the Moon will conjunct a strong stationing Pluto - lots of volatile emotions, jealousy, compulsion, possessiveness - this is in Capricorn so some chilly winds could be blowing! It could be a good night for a deep conversation where we MIGHT keep a level head, but I think I will pass on that and go to sleep!

On FRIDAY, Venus (in Virgo) opposes Neptune (in Pisces). One of the reasons so much is happening is that we have all these planets in Virgo working their way through Neptune and Chiron oppositions!

On the same day Mercury will move into Libra. So we have Mercury in Libra answering to Venus (Libra's ruler) and Venus in Virgo answering to Mercury (Virgo's ruler).

This strengthens both Venus and Mercury.

Venus/Neptune is good energy for art, music, using our imagination. A good time for true forgiveness and compassion, but also good energy for deluding ourselves with more pink paint. Leave the credit cards at home. On the other hand, if you market something to women - fantasy sells, so figure that out.

Our energy might be low today. This is not the best time to sign a contract because we could miss important details. It will be easy to try and avoid the unpleasant stuff we don't want to deal with. I know it is Friday and we all just want the week to be over - but try not to let the details slide or to give more than the situation warrants. Boundaries will be leaky. I swear if I get another insect infestation with this Neptune aspect I am going to shutter my house and go live in my car - which I shouldn't joke about because of course many people have shuttered their houses and are living in their cars. A good day for meditation. Maybe not so good for jokes about homelessness.

We could be inspired to create something beautiful now. The world needs more beautiful. Let's do that.

xo all

back this week with some dailies, plus a look ahead at the big transits of 2018!

Sun Into Libra | Equinox - the Sun begins to fall, bringing things into balance, natural cycles, those pesky other people, the beauty in everyday things

BAGO by schude

At 4:01PM EDT today the Sun moves into Libra - a day with an equal balance of daylight and dark.

The Sun begins to fall (weakens) as we move into longer nights and shorter days. It is the opposite down under (the Sun begins to strengthen). Western astrology is based on the Northern hemisphere where we move into Fall - which is not only about leaves!

I have had a few emails from people linking me to videos about the end of days (meaning the end of all our days!) being 9/23. But don't fill up the credit cards just yet folks. I could imagine the end of civilization, maybe some kind of ice age, coming during the Age of Capricorn. But we have a couple thousand years of the Age of Aquarius between us and then.

I know we are mostly exhausted, but let's not give up just yet. Saturn has been stopped for a long time and this is really zapping many people's drive. There have been losses and roadblocks and it is going to take work to get to where we want to be. It is like we are saying to ourselves, "I see these possibilities over THERE, but they are going to take alot of work and I am tired and not sure I want to do it anymore." Let's use nature's cycles to realize whatever it happening in our own life is a cycle, too. It seems that whenever the energy starts to feel like this - those doomsday prophecies are picked up by the news.

Don't forget we are all in this together. Even at times when it feels like we are all alone! Sometimes we just need to be shaken so our resting energy is provoked. Maybe we are like that bottle of ketchup and would get all clumped up without some agitation.

If we have tripped or "fallen" maybe we could try thanking this 'trigger', this 'benchmark' for what we are learning. I know it is hard to do that! And I have to somewhat spit those words out right now myself - sorry if I hit you!

But imagine a life where everything went our way all the time. Would we really want that? And we know we don't, because if we collectively did, we would have that. This doesn't mean we want whatever is happening to us to happen to us when things go wrong - but the more we focus on what we don't want, the more "don't want" there is to focus on.

The Sun in Libra is excellent energy to focus on beauty - where is the beauty in our life?

Can we use all these laser-focused planets in Virgo to see (Mercury), feel (Venus) and touch (Mars) the real beauty in our lives? Can we see the beauty in the stories behind our wrinkles and gray hairs? Can we see how the stories make those lines and twisted follicles beautiful? And now that we have seen that in ourselves can we see the beauty in other people's scars and blemishes, too?

We still have alot of inner planets in Virgo so the Virgo practicality and putting one foot in front of the other will still be a focus, but now the Sun (our life force) shifts into the sign of balance, compromise, relationships and fairness.

A light (the Sun) will be shone on what is out-of-balance or what is unfair, particularly within relationships. The curtain is drawn back and our Libra houses (and their themes) wake up. 

In some ways, because Libra is about weighing things out (nothing is cut and dried here like the wheat during Virgo season) things are harder when the Sun is in Libra. Libras sometimes (not always) appear wishy-washy, but it is because they were born between Summer and Winter - they can see both sides of everything!

With the Sun in Libra we will all be burning Libra fuel. We move ahead through balance, compromise and through our relationships with other people. 

We move into the shadow of Libra when we are passive-aggressive, pouring pink paint on garbage and pretending it is a Barbie dream house and putting what everyone else needs/wants ahead of ourselves thus building deep pockets of resentment that will explode all over us and everyone else by the time we get into Scorpio season. These are our no-no's now. Keep an eye out.

(the North Node is still in Leo - oxygen mask on our own face first)

Write your Autumn bucket list. What do you want to do, see, experience? Think about that.

xo all

Sun Sextile Ceres, Venus Sesquiquadrate Pluto | spreading seeds, feels like a hug, back to square one with something, vampires suck, maybe stop looking for the reason, last day of summer ... sniffle

goodbye by Ciril

The Sun, about to make his move into Libra and kick off a brand new season tomorrow, has a comforting sextile (opportunity) with mothering Ceres today (Goddess of the seasons!) at 29 degrees. Whenever universal timing offers up something like this (synchronicity) it pays to pay attention.

People with the Sun sextile Ceres in their natal charts are often generous with their gifts/talents/resources. They are fertile. Maybe not always in the pro-creation of actual children, but they are able to spread their seeds (gifts, talents, resources) and have those seeds germinate. Conflicted, they also make great hoarders.

With this energy in play today for all of us it would be good time to take action with the seeds we are spreading (this could be a good time for a mailing or email campaign, but we would have to be quick about it since the Sun changes signs tomorrow at 4PM EDT). And also with the stuff we are hanging onto that has outgrown its season.

This could show up today as something that feels like a hug ... I hope we all get one! Maybe some good advice, a warm cup of coffee, a smile just when we need it!

The other thing we have going on today - besides all the stuff I wrote about in the weekly - is Venus (now in Virgo) sesquiquadrate Pluto (in Capricorn).

Sesquiquadrates are 135 degree aspects and are considered 'minor' aspects. I usually don't write about them here, because I don't have time to look and there is so much else to write about, but I find when talking to someone about their natal chart that it is often the minor aspects that give them those Oprah "aha" moments.

Sesquiquadrates fall between the trine (90 degrees) and the inconjunct (150 degrees). With trines we find things falling into place smoothly, talent we don't have to work for, stuff comes to us easy-peasy and we often take this stuff for granted. With inconjuncts things are out of balance, the two energies are not congruent, they don't get along, they can't work together, one side needs to adjust to the other, win-wins don't happen.

Sesquiquadrates are the middle ground. There is ready ability here but without the balance to have the success we are looking for. In the natal chart they lead to faulty planning or difficulties through inflexibility. They give us a kind of tunnel vision. We have an urge to do something or to cause something to happen in a very specific and very controlled way. We don't always look at the real circumstances clearly - which are always changing! - because we are too focused on the "goal". We don't adjust when the situation changes. We don't see how this could all work so much easier if we just adjust!

So sesquiquadrates usually require some kind of disappointment or loss that forces us to be FLEXIBLE.

So, Venus (freshly into Virgo) and Pluto (9 years into his 16 year journey through Capricorn) are 135 degrees apart today.

This could be the time when a loss or disappointment shows up to teach us the gift of flexibility.  

Maybe we could have put alot of energy into the details of something and it feels like we did it all for nothing. We could be back at square one. Maybe we are trying to make the environment conform to our plan and that is not really how life works. Ugh!

So now, moving forward, our planning will be more realistic, more flexible, more allowing of life to take its course and get us to the place we are wanting to be!

This could also be, since this is Venus/Pluto - about toxic relationships. Vampires (energy suckers, time suckers, resource suckers), obsessions, power plays are all themes of Plutonian relationship dynamics. Maybe the blinders come off. Remember we can only change our own behavior, not anyone else's.

Since the Sun is still in Virgo now the way through are those small, practical steps - if you are not a terribly practical person ask yourself what a practical person would do, or find one and actually ask them. Find a routine. Take it one day and one thing at a time.

Sometimes it is best to let go of trying to find the "reason" something is happening or the "lesson" in the loss. You have absorbed it. Trust that you have grown from it. You don't have to analyze (Virgo!) the thing to death.

And remember the North Node of our collective way forward is in heart ruled Leo and a healthy heart is passionately self-loving. If we wouldn't want it for someone we love we shouldn't allow it for ourselves either. Keep this in mind.

More info about the energies at play this week in the weekly forecast HERE

xo all - enjoy this last day of summer (or winter if you are down under)!

New Moon in Virgo | looking past what isn't working, cleaning up, doing the mending, moving on from the mess

cake go boom by schude

If the Leo Solar Eclipse on August 21st had been a regular New Moon this would be the day we would be putting that energy to bed.

Instead the Solar Eclipse energy is in play until at least the next eclipse in Aquarius in mid February,

but in some ways we are moving on now, especially after we get through the next couple days

(I find specific eclipse events, especially losses, sometimes happen almost exactly to the day one month before or after the actual eclipse, sometimes two months).

This morning's earthy New Moon in Virgo (Sun and Moon in Virgo at 27 degrees) AND also Mars, Mercury and Venus, this is very unusual - imagine a baby's chart if born today(!) - moves us past the last two New Moons that were both in fiery Leo. We also have both Saturn and Uranus going to enter earth signs (Capricorn and Taurus) over the next few months.

Earth is the new black. We can certainly feel that one!

That last New Moon (Solar Eclipse), and the energies at play before and after, has drop-kicked our attention right where it needs to be. And now here we are in Virgo, trying to clean up Leo's mess ... again. This is why the Pluto in Virgo generation is exhausted - imagine being charged with a lifetime of this!

This Moon is complicated. It is opposing Chiron (in emotional Pisces). The Virgo/Pisces polarity of healing and surrender (letting go) is very much activated. Chiron is the wound that can't be healed. Something here can't be fixed/cleaned up no matter how hard Virgo tries to make it work. Something will require an acceptance of an imperfection or acceptance of a vulnerability.

Maybe we just don't have the right info/tools/skills/resources/timing - whatever this is.

The Moon is inconjunct unpredictable Uranus (in Aries). This could create a sense of urgency. We need to fix this thing right now. Or maybe the problem itself hits us out-of-the-blue. Either way, the inconjunct tells us there is no perfect fix here. The signs involved - in this case Virgo and Aries have no middle ground. There is no real fix. There is just an adjustment we will need to live with. In astrology you will always find important points being made multiple times. You will see one thing in a chart that says something and then you will find another aspect that says the same thing (sometimes you will see things three times).

Today's chart is defined by the fact that we can't put Humpty Dumpty together again.

Mercury (in Virgo) is opposing Neptune (in Pisces) now. And because Mercury is ruler of this New Moon (rules Virgo) and Pisces is activated via the Moon (and Sun's) opposition to Chiron in Pisces - this Mercury/Neptune opposition's importance is increased. Probably alot. Neptune rules our imagination and opposing Mercury (our mind) we know that not all is as it seems now.

I could even be totally misreading today's chart - keep this in mind!

This is not a good time to make an important decision because things can look better, or worse, than they actually are. Nothing will feel certain. 

This is our brain (Mercury) on drugs (Neptune), but in the same way people who are drunk can't always tell they are drunk, we could think we are making stone cold sober decisions when we aren't. The facts can be skewed. We could get side-tracked away from what is real.

We could be very tempted to do what is easy rather than what is right. This is one apple we don't want to bite.

The best use of this New Moon energy is to do our Virgo!

We might have to respond to something that we can't make 100% better, but we will still have to respond. Focus on the details. Use commonsense. Do one thing at a time. Do your best. Know that it won't be perfect. Nothing in nature is perfect. Know that perfect isn't the point.

Even though with all this Virgo - it's going to feel like it is!

There is talk in the media about a doomsday of September 23rd. I don't see anymore of an astrological doomsday on this date than any other date lately. There are many places we could be living that feel like doomsday right now! When the energy on planet Earth reaches a certain crisis point the Earth itself will make changes. Keeping ourselves centered and balanced helps everyone. Note - this doesn't mean pouring pink paint on our problems and pretending they don't exist. It's Virgo season we are going to have to do the work. 

For more info check the weekly HERE.

New Moon Guidelines

Set your intentions and make your affirmations for Virgo themes (or your natal Virgo house theme!) for the best outcomes - health, quality over quantity, service to others, attention to details, work, co-workers, employees, day to day activities, cleaning, organizing, pets.

INTENTION TIPS: Let the earth guide you this month, plant your feet firmly on the ground, clear your head, write what your physical self, grounded by the earth, wants - not what you think you should write. Write your intentions down by hand in script on a blank piece of paper, speak the words out loud, maybe burn the paper and give the ashes back to the earth - release your attention from these things knowing your intention is known.

Life has heard you. Know these things are already yours.  

What do you do next? Do what is right in front of you.

xo all

(I find setting my intentions when I see that first little piece of the waxing Moon works best)

Venus Into Virgo | nothing constructive about criticism, the power of discrimination, taking a closer look at what we want and what we already have

Audrey Hepburn by bluesaga331

Today, Venus, after crossing over the 28 degree Leo eclipse degree, moves into stable and practical Virgo until mid-October when she comes home to Libra.

Since Venus naturally rules our 2nd and 7th houses (Libra and Taurus) the themes of these houses - love, money, self-esteem, values, relationships, women, beauty, our resources - are subjected to Virgo's keen focus and attention to detail now.

We will be analyzing what we want and what we have. We will be analyzing our relationships.

The problems will stand out. We won't be able to miss them. And since what we focus on grows, sometimes things get worse before they get better during this transit. But this is excellent energy to fix what needs fixing and accept (or eliminate) what just isn't fixable.

Our Virgo houses get a visit from lovely Venus. Virgo Suns and Ascendants get more attractive - both easier on the eye and able to attract what they want. Our natal Virgo houses get more attractive, too - what is your dream for your Virgo house?

We have a New Moon in Virgo late tonight (we will talk about it tomorrow) so now is the time to think about that!

Venus in Virgo is about loving the details of something, enjoying the work, appreciating the craftsmanship and complexity of something or someone or some situation - yes, also, noticing the imperfections, Virgo can't miss those, and choosing not to dwell on them.

Venus in Virgo works for her money. She gets us clear on what we want. She gets her hands dirty (and then she scrubs them clean). Venus in Virgo can make love critical. We can use this discrimination and ability to see things clearly with our work and make things more beautiful.

We could also use this energy to criticize the people we love. But let's not do that. Constructive criticism is not possible. It's still criticism. Nothing constructive there.

Things could get bitchy and people could get hurt. With people, it's always best to work on ourselves and not others. We will then attract from others something different as they mirror the something different we project onto them. We can't change people into something they're not. So we allow Venus (love) to soften Virgo (critical thinking, seeing what is wrong).

Here is a story I wrote on the blog a couple years ago. Right now hubs and I are sorting out our own Eclipse mess and it's a good reminder for me now, too. We didn't get the boat into the water at all this summer .... and that's another story.

*****

Hubs, a Virgo rising, bought a Hurricane Sandy wreckage boat. He's been working on it for almost 3 years. It finally went back into the water last week. It's docked about 15 minutes from our house in the river. We went out yesterday morning (river to ocean). It was my first time on the boat. As we were loading the things we brought with us I noticed George running a towel along the floor of the entire boat with his foot. We would carry a few things into the boat, I would head back to the truck, he would swab the deck and then join me at the truck. Three times he swabbed the deck.

This is the kind of thing that used to drive me nuts.

I might have said "for Pete's sake the boat is going to get a little dirty you know - we'll just hose it off" or I might have worried about his inability to just enjoy the fruits of his labor and relax for 5 minutes.

But I thought about Venus in Virgo; about the attention to detail this man I loved had put into something he loves (and my own Virgo mid-heaven that zeroes in on this kind of stuff) and I said, "you certainly keep this boat clean".

And not in a bitchy, 'meaning the opposite of what I say' kind of way, but purely from an openhearted space. He responded, "well, I spent a lot of days cleaning it ... and I forgot to bring a hose." We laughed. With Venus in Virgo we are reminded, in small ways and big ones, that we get what we pay attention to. 

***** 

Venus in Virgo can bring a woman/women to help with Virgo themes or focus us on a woman/women who is important to our Virgo theme - work, health, paperwork, organization, our day-to-day routine, service to others, co-workers, the people we hire and our pets. Venus energy into these areas can make this stuff more enjoyable and smooth off any rough edges.

There is lots of other stuff happening today, too, so be sure to read the weekly HERE .

We will talk about the New Moon tomorrow - start thinking about your New Moon intentions for those Virgo themes listed above! xo all