FULL MOON in Leo | we're us, but we're not

nothing beats a lion by lionique

Think about what a Full Moon looks like - it's the brightest moon; a completely lit circle. There is nothing obscured in the shadows, everything is visible.

During the full moon, something comes to light. 

Every Full Moon in January is called the Wolf Moon, probably after the wolf packs that howled hungrily outside Native American villages amid the cold and deep snows of midwinter.

(and by this time of year our ancestors provisions were running low and their tummies were rumbling, too - this is built into our DNA - we are hungering for something, too, now).

Our Sun is in Aquarius so we know the Full Moon is in Aquarius's polarity sign of Leo the lion. Both the Sun and Moon will be at 3 degrees so this is the space in your natal chart (3 degrees Leo, 3 degrees Aquarius) ripe for illumination.

With any Leo Moon generosity pays off and feels really good - we'll give the other person the benefit of the doubt, an extra big tip, a hand shoveling out, our brightest smile (an old man just smiled at me and totally turned my day around, I need to smile more), the keys to our car

 - maybe not our actual car, but the keys are a good first step or maybe a keychain, yeah we'll give them a keychain - you can get one HERE, even lions take baby steps sometimes - although I think it's stealthy baby steps toward their prey, but you get the idea.

Leo rules the 5th house of creativity and fun. If you are not snowed in today - it would still be a good time to pretend you are. And if you are snowed in, just remember although Netflix marathons can be great, they are a waste of this Full Moon energy when we should be creating our own stories! Give yourself the gift of some creative time now. The Full Moon is our peak energy of the monthly cycle - use it or lose it.

With the Leo/Aquarius polarity and all this Capricorn energy this is about our personal ambition and our devotion to our "flock". It's not about giving ourselves up to the group, but about remaining ourselves within a group setting while integrating. We're us, but we're not. We're them, but we're different.

During this Full Moon we have Mercury retrograde's journey through the waning Pluto/Uranus square bringing maybe some discord and discomfort to what is revealed. The Moon is inconjunct Venus in Capricorn so maybe we don't get exactly what we want with this (although something worth celebrating could certainly be uncovered now, too!) AND remember we have lucky and expansive Jupiter conjunct the North Node of our collective fate reminding us that things are falling into place in our Virgo house RIGHT NOW.

Somewhere among all this chatter is our soul mission, quietly waiting to be discovered.

All we have to do is right in front of us. What gifts and opportunities have we been given? How can we make the most of them? Our Capricorn houses get busy, busy, busy. xo all

Mercury stations on Pluto | January 22nd - stock up on ice cream

lucy in the sky by elif karakoc

Today, as Mercury stations and prepares to move direct he lands right on top of Pluto (in Capricorn) and squares Uranus (in Aries).

(imagine we move our finger through a flame and halfway through we stop and turn around - that space where we slow to a stop and start to reverse - well that space would be pretty intense, it might even necessitate an immediate ice cube and some ice cream later, chocolate chip mint, of course)

And we face our first storm of 2016.

(and with perfect synchronicity one third of the United States is preparing for a blizzard - stock up on ice cream, yes ice cream, when your power goes out and you have no way to heat the hot cocoa you ran out at the last minute and bought - I will be devouring the ice cream I have stockpiled on my front porch and snickering at you through my chattering teeth - yes, in a blizzard I'm like that, I will share if you're nice though)

It may have started for you last week or last month, but it's really been coming for years. We move through the end of the Mercury retrograde which has been happening within the chaotic Uranus/Pluto square and reactivating that.

This could be some shocking news that is probably unwanted.

Something Capricornian and security focused maybe - a change we don't want to make.

Fixed energy. A long term plan is needed even if revisions will be required later. Maybe some technological or cosmic breakthrough. Possible power struggles, lies, intimidation, hmm .... . it also gives us the ability to drill down deep and focus. Mars in Scorpio - secret motives and actions are possible. Shock and awe.

Brilliance is out there. Cue Uranus.

As Mercury (consciousness) passes over Pluto (karma, soul) expect to feel a pull toward something else (Uranus). This weekend's Full Moon in Leo (ego) will illuminate what we need to see (post tomorrow).

Remember that although we are on the brink of something wonderful - our ancestral DNA is registering the danger of change and leaving all of us edgy and worn out. When something drains our energy it is natural to want to sort it out ourselves - definitively and right away. However, often for a situation to be cured, we first need to disentangle from our urge to treat it.

To assume because there is a problem it is our job to intervene and impose a quick solution is a very "entangled" way to live. Of course, we can be too "disengaged" also. Sigh. This stuff is tricky. Again I advise ice cream.

Astrological energy like this weekend's has a way of getting us where we need to be in the most expeditious way possible.

It knows we want to go to the market and that we are headed out the door toward Hwy 9 where there is a 3 hour traffic jam, so it coaxes us toward a new route with a sudden craving for that jasmine iced tea only available at the other market on the opposite side of town.

And we may never know about the traffic jam we missed and end up griping when we drive all the way across town for the iced tea and the jasmine bin is empty. 

And with Pluto and Uranus and Saturn energy all balled together like this it might feel more like everything is falling apart than a cool glass of iced tea. We will hang in there. Whatever is happening will be sorted out over time (Saturn). More in the weekly forecast here. Full Moon post tomorrow. Hang in there, February will be much lighter! Get the ice cream. xo all

Venus into Capricorn | January 23rd - comb your hair

fashion and the fantasy by little flair

Venus moves into Capricorn on Saturday.

Venus attracts. Capricorn Suns get more attractive. Our natal Capricorn house becomes more magnetic.

(speaking of attractive and magnetic - have you seen my lockets? blog readers get 10% off anytime with coupon code blogreader)

Since Capricorn is a serious sign ruled by taskmaster Saturn, the stuff Venus rules gets more serious. Venus rules art and beauty, love and money, our values and partnerships. We will naturally handle these things more seriously and attract situations that require us to get serious about this stuff.

We will look at the people, things and situations we have partnered with like a father checking out his daughter's new boyfriend. Other people will check us out as if we are about to date their precious daughter.

If we want to be taken seriously we will need to look the part now.

We attract (Venus) what we want by respecting Saturn (ruler of Capricorn) - don't make that important sales call or fire off those important emails wearing your pajamas and slippers with your hair in a messy bun.

That might have worked last week while Venus was still partying in Sagittarius, but for the next month (and the month after that - Saturn is co-ruler of Aquarius which is Venus's next stop) get dressed, comb your hair, put on some shoes. xo all

life unravels where it cannot unfurl ....

unravel series by jon jacobsen

Today the Sun moves into contradictory Aquarius and Mercury (still retrograde in Capricorn) squares Uranus in Aries (this happens again at the end of next week when Mercury is moving direct and happened on December 20th before Mercury's retrograde). This is tradition and authority being questioned, challenged, maybe upended. Maybe a bold new idea is generated and we take action, maybe some old information threatens our structure, maybe we step away from the crowd a little bit more, maybe someone else rebels against our authority. Squares are tension that push us into a new action - where have we just had enough?

If you have any planets 16-17 degrees Aries or Capricorn in your natal chart you will feel this transit the most.

Aquarius, the humanitarian, can sometimes view life from twenty paces. Maybe the only way to see anything clearly is to take a step back from it - of course, too many steps and we face a stony future devoid of empathy and geared solely toward the "greater good". Balance in all things. We move from earth to air today. Support your immune system. xo