Venus Square Pluto | Mercury Sextile Pluto - wanting what we can't have, wanting what someone else has, wanting more, deep thinking, honest communications, what our yearnings are trying to show us

shhh by theluckynine
See the weekly forecast HERE

Today, we have Venus (strong in Libra) squaring (tension) Pluto (in Capricorn) at 17 degrees with Mercury (in Scorpio) sextiling (opportunity) Pluto. If you have been watching the beautiful waxing Moon, it probably won't surprise you that we also have the first quarter Moon (in Aquarius).

Pluto squares are about power, passion, control and truth.

Maybe we don't have something we want and with Venus we will be feeling the space that sits empty/maybe stagnant with our longing - there could be manipulation, obsession, compulsion, power plays involved here.

These are the emotional reactions that tell us something deeper is going on - within us. We have squashed something down that we don't want to look at and now it is rearing its head in misshapen ways. Likely coming out through relationship issues, financial issues or issues involving women (or beauty/aging). Calling out for attention. Calling out for communication.

Maybe we want more than is even possible from a situation/person. Maybe we are comparing ourselves to other people. Maybe our ambitions with something are not in line with divine timing.

Whatever this is, the opportunity (sextile) lies with today's Plutonian contact with Mercury (communication, conversation, local environment, siblings, transportation, information, thoughts). Something from that Mercurian word salad, most-likely the "communication, thinking" themes present the real opportunity for growth here.

This isn't so much about getting what we want as it is about looking at why we really want it. Venus has been a big player in 2017, none of this is really new news. It could be a fresh situation though. Maybe not.

Think through what is happening. Think about what you are feeling. When have you felt this way before? What is this current situation really stirring up? What are you really afraid of? Maybe this kind of thinking process is enough. Maybe this thinking needs to shared/communicated with another person, though not necessarily the person you are dealing with (if that is what is happening).

Maybe a mentor or authority figure (maybe an actual Capricorn person).

Maybe after working it through ourselves mentally, an honest/open discourse within the relationship/other people involved will allow us to figure out what is really going on. The energy may not be quite ripe for a solution, but maybe the tension (the square) can be diluted enough that we can all sleep at night.

Today's energy could push yesterday's optimism into the "punch drunk" territory. Keep this in mind. 

We also have the first quarter square Moon (in Aquarius). Whatever started at last week's New Moon - and something ALWAYS starts, the reason we set our intentions is to have some input - hits an obstacle.

With Aquarius we could need to consider outside points of view or maybe what we are doing isn't meeting with the approval of others. If we are feeling defensive or defiant - take a breath. This might require some flexibility and Aquarius is fixed air - not wanting to bend. Can we bend without breaking? Without losing control? Not because we are doing anything wrong, but because maybe there is a better way we can't see through the dense Aquarian "know-it-all" energy.

And yet we need to follow our heart here. This isn't about tossing away our authenticity, but let's stay flexible. We can't bend so much we snap in two like a twig, but we can't remain so stiff we will surely break anyway. The first quarter Moon is the time of adjustment. So adjust.

The Aquarius Moon every month is good energy to work with people via the internet and attend to independent online work.

xo all

Sun Conjunct Jupiter | do you feel lucky, hidden resources coming to light, if more isn't better, staying positive, when you change the way you look at things the things you look at change, taking action, doing something new

by raetselleben

The Sun meets up with expansive Jupiter at 3 degrees Scorpio today.

See the weekly forecast HERE where we explore the "lucky" aspect of this transit. We all kick off a new Jupiter cycle and if you have a birthday this week you will be exploring this Sun/Jupiter energy all year! You lucky duck you!

A light (the Sun) shines on a Scorpion theme (or the theme of our natal Scorpio house) and it expands in a Jupiterian way. Something is growing here. Likely our optimism about a particular situation. With the Sun exposing Jupiter, ruler of our beliefs - we have the chance to change/expand our world-view to improve a situation.

This is all happening in Scorpio and Scorpio rules the taboo. The stuff we have pushed down deep and don't really want to look at. Certainly the stuff we don't talk about in polite society; sex, death, taxes. In Scorpio, we merge - ourselves and our resources with other people.

Maybe, something in the shadows is brought into the light now. The Jupiterian energy creates expansion and - although it doesn't offer a notarized guarantee of a positive outcome - due to the power of positive thinking, usually things will turn out well in the long run. 

Maybe an opportunity or resource we hadn't previously considered comes to our attention now.

We could find we have more power than we thought we did or more additional outside help

(possibly even via a Santa Claus figure - Jupiter - or a father figure - the Sun).

This is excellent energy to get something started. Do you know the theme of your natal Scorpio house? There is a natural fresh start offered there, but any area of life can benefit from a kick-off that carries this powerhouse combination.

The fly in the ointment with Sun/Jupiter in Scorpio is that problems can get magnified and grow now, too. Expansion sounds good in theory, but much depends on what is expanding! And more isn't always better. Remember the jam study.

The good news for us - bad news for the fly - is the very fact this situation has our attention and energy NOW tells us there are opportunities ripe for development in here somewhere.  

Cast a wider net. Stay positive.

There could be a connection with information from the October 18th Mercury/Jupiter conjunction. Something there gains traction here.

It's important to remember Jupiter is a planet made up entirely of gases. We could take something too far over-the-top now. That's what this energy is pushing us to do - to take a chance, to go for it.

The Moon is in stable Capricorn today, but by tomorrow will be in anything-can-happen Aquarius and we could be moving far outside our comfort zones especially in regard to money and relationship situations. Keep in mind we are flying in a hot air balloon.

By Saturday/Sunday our Jupiterian optimism could be as deflated as the balloon which has now landed. I hesitate to even write this, since I am sure some readers with strong Virgo or Saturn placements will see this as a stop sign. It isn't.

The balloon has given us a wonderful view of possibilities. These are real things. 

Every move we make, every chance we take, shifts our current timeline (and yes, I'll be watching you*).

By next week we will have a better view of where this all stands. The Sun will have "enlightened" us, Jupiter will have expanded the situation and we will be ready to take action.

Please don't take this as a call to sit back and wait until next week.

Life doesn't work this way. What we do today impacts next week. And the weeks after that. We can only connect the dots looking backward, never forward (who said that? Steve Jobs I think). We can't see how everything is falling into place until later.

The North Node is still in brave and heart-centered Leo - move toward what your heart wants.

The Moon is in Capricorn. Let's get to work - our potential for success is greatly increased now. And let's buy a lottery ticket, too, because you never know ....

xo all

* although now that I think about the Police lyrics they may not fit terrible well - still a good song though.

And speaking of police, Olive's barking yesterday afternoon alerted me to a 'police situation' in my own backyard - well, front yard. A storm was kicking up and I usually ignore Olive's barking during storms since she gets stressed and uber-determined to alert me to anything that moves out there, even something like a blowing piece of paper. She barks at the window and then runs toward me. Back and forth. Again and again. And again.

For some reason I got up and went to the window to see what intruder ie lost receipt she was barking at this time.

There was a line of about 10 policemen dressed in black riot gear sneaking along my neighbor's fence (across the street). Their movements were in unison almost like a marching band, but instead of oboes and tubas they were carrying guns and shields. It was gut wrenching for a moment there.

I should mention I live in a very quiet, very small town and this particular house is right next to the town hall which contains the state police barracks!

The police proceeded to break in my neighbor's front door and charge into the house. Of course, I went upstairs for a better view and pulled over a chair, cursing myself for having sold George's old binoculars at the yard sale (every single time I sell something I haven't used in 15 years I need it. what the hell is that?).

Anyhoo, they proceed to, I assume, since I can't see what is happening inside the house, this particular neighbor always has their blinds closed - tear the place apart for a few hours.

The police finally leave. I can't tell if any of my neighbors leave with them because the action had moved to the side of the house out of my view.

The front door opens and I can see the outline of someone inside the house. They look like they are fiddling with the broken lock, etc (I should say I wasn't sitting and watching all morning, but I did seem to be looking at all the right times!). Suddenly a GIANT cross drops from over top of the front door and hangs there on a rope. Like a two foot tall cross. On a door that has never even held a holiday wreath.

I am thinking this is either a prayer to the Gods to leave them in peace or a signal to someone that the place isn't safe to enter, the way red crosses on doors would alert outsiders that sick people were in a house and not to come in. It's very ... odd.

I don't know these neighbors. And there is a wide assortment of them in different ages. The women all seem to go to work (or they go somewhere fairly regularly, sometimes with children buckled into carseats). The men all seem to walk uptown for cigarettes and coffee and then slink back into the house. They were friendly enough during the Memorial Day Parade when they gave Sully the candy they collected from the marchers who tossed toward their side of the street.

I have been googling 'drug bust farmingdale nj' but so far nothing. Maybe the drug bust was a bust.

There seems to be fewer cars over there. Of course, hubs has been suspicious of them since they moved in and now feels vindicated. His suspicions were mostly due to his thinking that 1. there are just too many of them and 2. one of the bedroom window's lights is too bright and on all the time. That nothing good/legal could be happening in a bedroom that well-lit.

I am not so sure. I tend to think most of the time it's the hidden stuff we have to watch out for. Except I can't anymore because I sold those damn binoculars!

At least I have my 18 pound guard dog to alert me when my neighbors get arrested ... or a slip of paper drifts into our yard. And hubs to keep an eye out for bright lights and suspicious groups of people. Now I just need to hunt up a new pair of binoculars ... probably at someone else's garage sale.

Mercury trine Neptune | instinctual decisions, healing conversations, sensitivity, creativity, compassion, connection, fantasy, facts are slippery, softening our words, silence is golden, body language

Us by goodmuiscgoodpeople

Today we have Mercury (in Scorpio) trining (brakes off) Neptune (in Pisces) at 11 degrees.

Our greatest ease comes through connecting these two energies.

Maybe we make decisions (Mercury) using our intuition/imagination (Pisces) - I wouldn't make any BIG decisions with today's energy though - since the truth could be slippery. Maybe something we hear or read or say (Mercury) is healing/connecting (Pisces). Maybe the answers (Mercury) come through meditation and prayer (Pisces). Maybe our thinking (Mercury) is creative (Pisces). Maybe it is time to speak (Mercury) our dreams (Neptune) out loud.

If we are talking about or learning about (Mercury) Piscean/Neptunian subject matter - healing, spirituality, art, poetry, music, photography, addiction issues, escapist tendencies, etc - our mind won't be focused on the details, but we will be able to feel the bigger picture here.

Maybe without focusing on the dots, the dots can finally be connected. 

Our senses, especially if not fogged up with sugar (at least in my case), are heightened now. We know what people are really saying no matter what words they are using and other people will be picking up on the subtle, often unconscious, clues we are putting out.

So, if someone says to us today, "why are you so angry?" and at first we think they are nuts and we are not angry. Well, maybe we will stop - we have the benefit of astrology! - and go a little deeper (scan our body for tension, feel their words instead of immediately discounting them). They could be picking up on something we are not wanting to look at/talk about. On the other hand with Mercury trine Neptune - they could actually be nuts. It will be hard to tell. :)

Silence could speak louder than words now. Really listen.

Mercury and Neptune are sextiling Juno (in Capricorn).  

So, today's communication is likely to offer the greatest opportunities (sextile) within partnerships (Juno ruled) - both personal and business (Capricorn).

Contracts and commitments can be talked about in a way that is connecting rather than alienating now. Both parties can feel heard. Our dreams can merge together. Scorpian secrets and taboo subject matter (Mercury is in Scorpio, don't forget) can be discussed.

There is alot of water involved so emotions could run high. The sextile to Capricorn should stabilize the whole thing though and the energies involved should help soothe the situation.

Mars is in Libra - nobody really wants to fight now anyway.

We truly are all in this together.

Remember, see the weekly forecast HERE, that the Sagittarius Moon goes void from 12:44PM EDT to 8:12PM EDT and then moves into Capricorn. You know the drill with that one.

xo all

Sun into Scorpio | what makes your heart beat so hard in your chest that you fear it will explode like a ripe watermelon tossed off the back of a moving truck - do more of THAT

.everything else by corollary


See the weekly forecast HERE.

Late, last night the Sun moved from Libra into deep and murky Scorpio (and my Scorpio friend tells me she wants me to find words other than deep and murky, but really what other words are there - ha!).

With Jupiter recently ingressed into Scorpio, too, the Sun and Jupiter will be traveling close together (exact on Thursday) for the next few days.

Through November 2018 - Jupiter in Scorpio - what we do in the dark/what we carry in the shadows expands. During the Sun in Scorpio season (through November 21st) a light is thrown on this stuff. Likely through a greater intimacy with someone else/other people. And also through a greater intimacy with ourselves.

Trust issues and control issues bubble up. Mars is in Libra as of yesterday shifting our energy toward shared experiences.

Scorpio is about passion. What are we passionate about? What makes us excited? What makes us so angry we see red? What makes our heart thump so hard in our chest that we fear explosion?

I have a Scorpio friend, yes, the same one solidly opposed to "dark and murky" who told me she is most passionate about time alone with a good book. 

Well, maybe this is a time for her to admit this need to herself openly - schedule a good chunk of weekly time to read (rather than a few minutes here and there while waiting in the car for her kids), schedule time to research for good books, leisurely visit the library, join a book club, etc. 

She could think about the subject matter she is most passionate about - in her case, European history. How can she take her passion with that deeper? How can she use her passion to deepen her connection with other people?

Since Neptune square Saturn - the major transit of 2016 - it has been hard to know what is true. It has actually always been hard/impossible to know what is true (because we are all looking out through different eyes and seeing different things), but since last year everyone has pretty much been awake to this.

It has created a great deal of instability and discomfort for all of us and in particular for people who need things to be black and white.

People who need to be right. People who need to be good. People who need to be in control. Where is Capricorn in your natal chart? Where is Virgo? Where is Saturn? We all carry this energy to a greater or lesser extent.

And, of course, we can only be right when we label someone else as wrong and we can only be good when we label someone else as bad. Without scapegoats we would actually have to own our own crap. And no matter how many New Age books tell us otherwise we will never really be in control during our days on Planet Earth.

There are probably other realities for that.

The more I look at astrology charts and the more I talk to people about them, the clearer it becomes that our road maps (natal charts) and the subsequent transits over the course of our lives to those road maps are more relevant and more nuanced than we could ever imagine. Our beliefs, the way we see the world (our natal chart) become our reality, our way of connecting with the world, and then the world reacts/responds to us.

Maybe the biggest question we all face right now is how to live our own truth, even when that truth is not supported by other people and even when that truth does not support other people. Ouch. What is it we want that we don't want to look at/own up to?

And just as important - how can we hold a space for other people to live their truth even when we do not agree with them? Even when it hurts us. More ouch.

Modern life is not for sissies.

We are living in the days between the Age of Pisces (religion, patriarchy) and the Age of Aquarius (science, equality).  

We can see far enough ahead now to understand that we could get this science/equality thing very wrong, very fast, if we are not careful.

If we lose our heart (Leo). If we lose our connection to our passion (Scorpio).  If we lose our connection to each other (Neptune). It is Pisces that rules our eternal connection, spirituality, love. Aquarius rules disconnection and chaos. What do we really need to carry with us because there is only so much room on the ark.

xo all