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.