shifting sands ahead .....

Untitled by Irina Joanne

OK, let's take a breath before the next round of shifts starting tomorrow and see/feel where we are.

We are on a brave new quest with Jupiter's return to Sagittarius - just keep in mind this is a year-long quest. We don't have to do everything in the first week!

We have Mars - the planet of our action, our initiative, the way we go about getting what we want - leaving Aquarius after six MONTHS. The last time Mars was in Aquarius for this long was in 1971! He moves into Pisces on Thursday where he will stay for about six WEEKS.

Aquarius is not Mars favorite place (neither is Pisces!) - and he had to deal with the South Node there (what we are releasing) and because Aquarius is a fixed sign - this left Mars squaring Uranus in Taurus, opposing all the Leo energies (including the North Node of where are heading) and then squaring all the Scorpio we have been working through with Venus! This has been challenging us since May. Although Mars can still perform in Aquarius, he isn't fond of Aquarius penchant for - over-thinking, digging in too doggedly to a mental position, detaching - Mars wants to just go for it. And Aquarian energy does not work like this.

Now, he (as us) moves into Pisces. This would be a great time to rest if we can rest. If our life is not set up to rest for the next six weeks (Mars is going to really, really want to nap!) and I know mine isn't, and yours probably isn't either, we are going to have to be careful we don't slip up and sabotage ourselves by - zonking out, drifting off purpose, totally losing our boundaries, escaping with another glass of wine, going on a shopping marathon, taking action based on what we are seeing through our rose-colored glasses, vegging out with too many Netflix marathons, letting things slip away.

Maybe we should put a rubber-band on our wrist and snap ourselves awake every hour!

We are going to have to muster whatever reserves we have to stay on top of things for the next few weeks. AND we are going to have to prioritize rest and escape somehow, too.

We are NOT going to push because Mars in Pisces can't push. It will be like pushing jello up a hill - nice for the guy behind us who isn't pushing and gets a delicious strawberry dessert tossed at him that he didn't have to work for - but not so nice for us; the ones doing all the work. On the other hand Mars in Pisces is excellent energy to go within, to meditate, to make art, to heal, to work with our intuition, to work with our dreams - this is the energy of the spiritual warrior and having this compassionate energy during the holiday season is a very, very beautiful thing - a gift to us.

Mars in Pisces won't be squaring Uranus and Venus and the Nodes anymore, but he will be squaring Jupiter (freshly home to Sagittarius) and these are our two BIG unlimited energies. And Mercury is stationing retrograde in Sagittarius, too, so our thinking is surely going to be more optimistic, obviously a good thing, but also more unrealistic and more over-the-top.

This can get us so caught up in what is possible, some far-out-there dream that we toss the baby out with the bathwater - and it's pretty freakin' cold out there for babies, we jump from that plane (adventure!) without checking to see if our parachute is working or if we are even wearing a parachute.

We party like it's 1999 ... and it ain't 1999 no more folks.

Think rubberband. Think wrist.

#kidding #notkidding

The day after Mars finally moves out of Aquarius we have Venus stationing direct (25 Libra) and Mercury stationing retrograde (13 Sag). Now all three personal planets have changed sign or direction within just two days - how often does this happen?! Friday is a very big day, but big things don't always happen when energies are exact. Sometimes they happen as the energies wax or wane. I would still expect Friday to be a big day.

We have been going back and forth through Venus over relationship/financial/resources/self-esteem situations since early October. We have made decisions and had to deal with other people's decisions - maybe multiple times (!), we have weighed things out, we might have had to let something go (relationships, money, power). Things have been up and down and out of balance.

This energy will shift forward and we will regain some balance now. We are following up on decisions that we made a few weeks ago and again asking ourselves - What do I really value? What do I want? What do I need? Have I been too focused on what isn't mine?

And because Venus is STILL squaring the nodes - remember they moved into cardinal signs, too - we are STILL making decisions - and yes, some of this is out of our hands -  and these decisions are going to impact us for a long time. The North Node in Cancer - which I am going to write a big post about - is asking us to root ourselves in our new decisions and grow something from this stronger, smarter position.

Maybe we may have worked ourselves right around in a circle to the same place (maybe not)! Either way, we are different people now. If we haven't totally wasted the last few weeks and that would have been pretty much impossible - our decisions will be better, stronger and smarter than they were in October.

So now we have committed to something with relationships or money and we will know where we stand ... but we are not finished with our work here

because Venus will still be walking degrees she walked twice before until December and because Mercury - it is not a coincidence these stations happen at the same time - now takes some part of this story - the deepest part - remember he is headed back into Scorpio where much of the Venus retrograde took place - backward again.

Venus has shown us what we truly value. Now Mercury says, "hold that thought"..

Something needs a re-view, re-vision, a re-novation, a re-location - think "re" here - with our thinking, with the paperwork, with the information, with the idea, with the conversation. Squaring foggy Neptune it is going to be hard to tell what is real and what is bullsh*t.

And keep in mind Venus (because Uranus has changed signs, too) is moving toward another opposition with "anything-can-happen" Uranus - remember that opposition during the Kavanaugh hearings?! - and the North and South Nodes - because they moved into cardinal signs last week - are still squaring Uranus, only from new positions. We have to stay grounded.

By early to mid-December we will know what we are doing. By the end of December/early January we will be moving full-steam ahead.

(just keep in mind we will never totally know what we are doing and we are never totally full steam ahead plus I can't see your natal chart transit which could countermand all this stuff)

If we can't wait - if decisions must be made and strong decisive action taken, and this could certainly happen - what do we do?

Well, we work with what we have. We have a lifetime of experience that got us to this place. We already know what to do. We already know when something is too much. Just know it is likely, because Mercury is retrograde, we will have to go back over some things and revise them. It's not a time to bet the farm, but most decisions are not that big. Most decisions can be tweaked later and as we move through the remainder of 2018.

We need the time between now and the end of the year to get things right. But we can't just take a powder for the next six weeks or we will sabotage the whole damn thing.We'll wake up in December/January with nothing to move full steam ahead with.

We have to be smart and we are smart. We can make progress during Mercury retrograde and Mars in Pisces it just won't be progress in a straight line.

Straight lines are boring.

xo all

Also keep in mind that next spring Uranus is going to move back into Taurus (this time not just for a few months like he did from May through last week, but for a few YEARS) - so we can't do the Venus/Taurus stuff the same way for much longer anyway - the way we do relationships, the way we earn and spend money, the resources we value, the way our self-esteem connects to our wallet, the way we toss our old crap into a landfill, the way we disrespect the "mother" - this is all going to change. For all of us. Big time.

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of November 12th - Mars finally out of Aquarius after 6 months, Venus stations direct, Mercury stations retrograde - hold that thought!

The Involvement by 7oretta

OK guys, here we go again. We are moving through our second week of adjustments now as even more energies change course.

This week ALL our personal planets (except the Sun) change signs or directions so we will feel these shifts in our individual lives. Keep in mind some things will continue to be undecided - just like the mid-term election results!

Some situations move forward, others grind to a halt.

These are the important aspects I see for the week:

SUNDAY - Ceres enters Scorpio
THURSDAY - Mars sextiles Uranus and then enters Pisces (after 6 months in Aquarius!!)
FRIDAY -  Venus stations direct (25 Libra), Mercury stations retrograde (through December 7th)
SATURDAY - Mercury squares Neptune

On SUNDAY, Ceres (mother issues, nurturing, the seasonality of our lives, compromise, power sharing, division of resources) dives into Scorpio (death/rebirth, power, loss).

More and more I like thinking of Ceres as the ruler of Taurus (sorry Venus, but you will forever have Libra) - this would make Ceres in Scorpio (Taurus polarity sign) in her detriment now. A planet in its detriment - opposite its home sign - has an extremely narrow focus of expression.

What this stirs up will depend on what house (house's theme) Scorpio rules in your natal chart, but collectively, she will activate Scorpian situations/issues around shared finances, other people's money, taxes, loans, inheritances, shared resources, reproduction, sex, intimacy and death/rebirth.

We could face situations (and something could have hit us like a thunderbolt within the last few days as she opposed Uranus) that make us aware of the ways our own power is limited in any of these areas or the ways we are not as safe as we thought we were. Compromises will be made.

During her transit here we will uncover personal sources of resilience and power. Ceres will be in Scorpio until January 25th.

We start the work week with a serious Capricorn Moon on MONDAY. This is the time to focus on work, responsibilities, getting things done. A good day for career and working with authority figures and stepping into our own authority. Work on goals (especially long-term goals), within limits, do what needs to be done, yada yada.

The Moon will hook up with Pluto at 12:57PM EST - this speaks of intense experiences and passionate/deep emotions. Maybe power struggles with a woman/women or pressure from a woman. Obsession. Manipulation. Taboo stuff. Whatever we have going on - we are feeling it.

On TUESDAY, the Moon has a short void from 10:13AM EST to 10:43AM EST then moves into Aquarius focusing us on  - friendships, the goals that bring us into connection with other people, our future, whatever we are doing on the internet, our groups and causes and new experiences - for the next couple days.

A monkey wrench is tossed into that Capricorn situation - goals/authority/career/responsibility - in the afternoon/evening as the Moon squares Venus and then Uranus, although sometimes Uranian squares will resolve themselves almost as quickly as they appear - maybe they will drag the Venus tension (love/money) away with them!

Aquarius is fixed air and the Moon here wants what she wants, but we need to stay flexible.

The week starts to flip on us by THURSDAY when Mars, planet of initiative and action, FINALLY leaves Aquarius - yes, you can begin to exhale now Aquarius, Taurus, Scorpio and Leo - and heads into dreamy Pisces. But first he sextiles (opportunity) Uranus inviting us to try something new and different.

Action Mars is not a happy camper in the drifting Piscean waters, but maybe after six months in Aquarius, where he wasn't happy either - he can at least catch a nap once in a while!

Mars is our masculine energy - he (as us) wants to go out and make things happen. Pisces in where we allow things to happen; we go with the flow. With Mars in Pisces, there is just no way to "force things" - stuff will go or it won't.

Mars (our actions) will be working through our emotional intuition now. We'll need to use our inner guidance and work with divine timing.

Our natal Pisces house - is shaken awake and its theme (where is Pisces in your natal chart?) is activated. We are used to just going with the flow here, so Mars moving in could be just the kick in the a** we need to get moving.

Keep in mind Mars is still Mars even though he is wearing a toga and smoking some of those funny cigarettes Michigan just legalized. He (as us) can still get things done.

The key to working with Mars in Pisces (think spiritual warrrior now) - and he will be here through the end of the year -  is to continue to initiate, continue to take action, continue to move forward, but to avoid pushing.

And we will know we are pushing because whatever we are trying to do won't be working.  

Mars in Pisces is also a kind of perfect storm for self-sabotage, so stay moving and AWAKE.

Also on Thursday we have the First Quarter Moon as the Moon (in Aquarius) squares the Scorpio Sun. This is the first tension/challenge to whatever kicked off at the New Moon last week. Maybe Scorpio wants to go all-in and Aquarius wants to step back and detach. When we check to see what the Moon does next for our way through this challenge - we see the Moon moves into a trine with Venus (in Libra) so things will move forward through diplomacy, cooperation, balance, since Venus is retrograde - maybe taking a small step backward. Kindness matters. At 10:58PM EST the Moon will sextile (opportunity) Uranus (in Aries) opening us to change and trying new things. Then the Moon goes void until 11:41PM EST when she moves into Pisces.

This will naturally draw our focus to Piscean themes until Sunday - what is hidden or put away or done behind the scenes, secrets, the ethereal realms, imagination, hospitals, spirituality, addiction, healing, art, illusions and delusions, etc.

On FRIDAY we have the biggest energy shifts of the week as Venus stations direct and Mars stations retrograde on the same day!

Venus stationed retrograde on October 5th and since that time we have been going back and forth over what we want/what we really value. The ways we have been too focused on the things that aren't ours. HERE is a post about the retrograde.

Now Mercury (wait a minute Venus, hold that thought!) stations retrograde - and we know how strong planets are at station - and then immediately squares dreamy, fuzzy Neptune.

Venus's retrograde has made clear to us what we want; what we value. Mars into Pisces is giving us a new way of going about getting it (by allowing!) and Mercury - passed that retrograde hot potato from Venus - is charged with figuring this thing out (ideas, conversations, paperwork, daily actions). Mercury will start with the big-picture and then as she moves back into Scorpio - ironing out the intimate details, looking at the stuff that is under the hood, scrutinizing the numbers - then reversing course and moving over this stuff for a third and final time.

A retrograde Mercury brings the usual re-minders. We are doing the "re's" - re-thinking, re-doing, re-viewing, re-kindling, re-inventing, re-visiting whatever is happening in our Sagittarius/Scorpio houses. Collectively - our beliefs, the big picture, Sag themes like travel, higher education, weddings, politics, legal issues, the media, publishing, foreigners, everything outside your comfort zone, exploration, your beliefs and higher thinking and Scorpio themes such as other people's resources, other people's values, intimacy, other people's money, spouse's income, loans, debts, taxes, inheritance, sex, reproduction, life/death.

All of this pulls us into mid-December and right around the time Venus starts covering brand new territory.

For now, know that Mercury is going to square Neptune at the very start of her/his retrograde at the end of this week. This speaks of the possibility of a lie, an illusion, a delusion - and by this time we have Mars, the Moon and Neptune all in Pisces! Our rose colored glasses will be wearing rose colored glasses. And Mercury, retrograde in Sag is answering to Jupiter strong in his home sign - so everything will feel big and IMPORTANT.

And maybe it is, but maybe it isn't and either way -

the truth/facts will be hard to come by - whether our future is so bright it hurts our eyes or we are seeing the lights from the oncoming train, is hard to say - just know we will be going back over this stuff for a few weeks. 

We don't know what we don't know yet, but we will know later. Keep moving, Keep allowing. By mid-week, stop pushing so hard - life has your back. When it's over it's ready to begin. Trust this.

I will write more as we move through the week.

xo all

back up your files!

Jupiter into Sagittarius | galloping into our future, starting from an older wiser position, growing younger, shaping the energies for the quest ahead, the ducks start lining up, the dangers of too much too soon, that new door to the left where'd that door come from?

..... by Frozen-photo

At 7:38AM EST Jupiter glides up from the depths of Scorpio and soars into the clear blue skies of Sagittarius. The energy is rising within us. It can be disconcerting and toss us off balance. But it will feel good, too.

We are not the same people we were in October 2017 when Jupiter plunged off the high board into our subconscious - looking under the covers, into our past, behind closed doors, at our bank balances, in between the sofa cushions.

Every journey through Scorpio is a journey of death and rebirth.

After any Scorpio cycle there is a part of us that is NEW. We have transformed. We have explored the depths for the last year and now we are just wanting fresh air, new adventures ... and freedom. 

Sagittarius is a fun-loving sign (ruled by Jupiter and ruler of our collective 9th house) - Sag rules travel, freedom, adventure, foreigners and what is foreign to us, immigration, legal issues, the judicial system, higher education, politics, the media, good luck, faith, religion, the church, weddings, optimism, truth seekers, boldly going where no man has gone before, the quest  -

it also rules carelessness, taking shortcuts, thinking we are right, making assumptions, throwing pink paint on problems and hoping they will go away, overconfidence, impatience and superficial bullshit.

Many of these themes will expand in the collective consciousness throughout the next year. There is likely to be some big news event with these themes over the next few days.

Sagittarius is a fire sign like Aries and Leo.

Fire signs like action - their reasons for taking action are different though. Aries energy wants to climb the mountain, first because it's there and second because there is a competition going to see who can get there first.

Leo energy wants to climb the mountain because they have heard there is a film crew waiting at the summit :)

Sagittarius energy wants to climb the mountain to see what the hell it feels like to climb a mountain and how it feels to reach the top. They want the adventure; they want the quest.

(they could be unprepared and throw their back out 100 yards from the summit, too, then they will turn their convalescence into a party for the sherpas and make THAT the adventure)

Some part of our life can surely use a little adventure. The real gift of Sagittarius is the freedom to be who we really are - how are we going to use this gift?

Just keep in mind this is a year long transit (although with a powerful kick-off that many people could be already feeling) and we are only in the first few hours.

Our view broadens now.

Why didn't I see that thing/idea/solution/twenty dollar bill in my coat pocket before?

Overall this will be a wonderful transit of expansion - Jupiter, the Santa Claus of the zodiac, fat and happy in his home sign - and he hasn't been home in 12 years!

(what was happening in your life twelve years ago? how far have you come? in multiple ways through multiple aspects we are all going home now, too)

We will talk about this alot as we move through it.

Of course, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't remind everyone that Jupiter - the kids should leave the room for this part - like Santa Claus, is entirely made up of hot air. 

It's why we overspend/overeat/over-everything during Sagittarius season.

It's why no matter how thoughtfully we have created that holiday wish list - and yes, I can see your totally adorable swirly thingamajigs, smiley faces and those hearts dotting your i's - we don't always get exactly what we want.

Santa doesn't always deliver.

(Saturn does though and he is home in Capricorn, so will help us ground this thing in something real and practical and tangible AND he will make us work for it)

With Jupiter things can look better than they actually are.

We could fly too high too fast.

Issues could seem bigger than they actually are now, too. Or maybe we are just expecting too much. Problems and delays may cut into our plans - remember Venus is still retrograde and about to pass that baton to Mercury for HIS retrograde IN SAGITTARIUS and SCORPIO (!), so maybe the plans were just too BIG to begin with? Things don't have to be all or nothing. It could feel like it though.

Keep in mind Vesta's seat at the table with Pluto in today's chart, so whatever we are doing - if it isn't something we can devote ourselves to - we are going to need to get up at night and keep the fires burning and if it isn't worth losing sleep over and adding a few gray hairs - if it isn't worth all of that, we are going to need to make an adjustment.  

Our time/resources are valuable. Treat them as such.

We are probably going to be back and forth for a few more weeks - we want this, no we want that or we just don't know what the hell we do want.

That's OK. That's what retrogrades are for!

xo all

If you didn't get those New Moon intentions set yesterday - fear not! After the Moon moves into Sagittarius this afternoon (the Moon is void until 1:59PM EST so not before then) she will conjunct Jupiter - Sag's ruler and the Moon will be waxing (growing) making today/tomorrow an excellent time also!

This is a powerful manifestation portal so set specific affirmations only if you are certain. You don't want to get what you want and then take a good look at it in the bright light of day and say, "what the hell was I thinking?".

I like to set mine with a trust that life has my back. Because life does.

Maybe try some of these:

1. I use the power of my thinking to inspire and delight my soul
2. I am always at the right place at the right time doing the right things
3. I let go and let God
4. The universe protects and inspires my strong and healthy foundation.
5. God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.
6. I spread my roots far and wide. I welcome the fruits of my labor and the sweet gifts of life.
7. Wealth. Success. I am a money magnet.
8. I am healthy. I am happy. I am grateful.

New Moon in Scorpio | using our power for good, how devoted are we, transformation, deep waters, restoration, huge portal for change, manifestation, what have we learned in the past year? what have we lost?

On Wednesday, November 7th at 11:02AM EST the Scorpio Moon meets the Scorpio Sun at 15 degrees giving us our annual New Moon in Scorpio.

The Moon is trine dreamy and imaginative Neptune (in Pisces) and sextile - opportunity! - the Scorpio Moon's ruler Pluto.

At the same time we have Jupiter trining the North Node (newly minted in Cancer) while both are trining Chiron and Pluto sitting with Vesta (in Capricorn).

Scorpio New Moon's are powerful portals for change and this one comes as we close out - Jupiter leaves Scorpio tomorrow - Jupiter's year long slog through Scorpio's deep waters (#metoo). What have we learned? What have we lost?

The New Moon's trine (brakes off) to Neptune is powerful energy for healing and creativity.

Whatever is birthed now - like one of those underwater births where the baby just slides out (or at least this is how I picture it in my head!) should glide right into place.

Keep in mind this is Scorpio (power/control) we are talking about so you want to be sure you know what you are doing with this energy! Nothing in Scorpio is without some risk and that trine to Neptune could also allow a fast descent. Boundaries dissolve.

The trines to Chiron suggest the potential for deep healing.

Pluto - the ruler of Scorpio and so the ruler of the New Moon - is sitting with devotional Vesta suggesting the power of this New Moon lies in our ability to devote ourselves - time/attention/resources - to what we are creating. It - whatever it is - a project, commitment, whatever we are taking on now -  will need to be honored.

We will have to be vigilant to keep the fire from burning out! We need to be sure it has worth because much is being asked of us to make it work. And of course Pluto is in Capricorn and answering to sober Saturn.

If it is worth it and we work it - this is the energy to move mountains.


With the North Node's move into lunar-ruled Cancer - we are surely going to be feeling everything more intensely for the next year. Here is the starting line.

A couple examples :

EXAMPLE for Virgo/Virgo Rising - this New Moon is happening in your 3rd house of communication, information, ideas, writing, siblings, transportation or your local neighborhood, so something here is BEGINNING/new. The trine to Neptune speaks of a smooth flow with your 7th house - partners/partnerships. This is powerful energy for life-changing conversations, contracts, communications - just keep in mind what is being asked of you in terms of commitment/devotion.

EXAMPLE for Aquarius/Aquarius Rising - this New Moon is happening in your 10th house of your career, your calling, your achievements, your achievement goals, dad, business, authority, responsibility, so something here is BEGINNING/new. The trine to Neptune speaks of a smooth flow with your 2nd house of your money, your values, your resources and self-esteem. Keep in mind this is a trine so things will not have to be forced, but will fall together. This is a kind of do what you love and the money will follow aspect. Again just keep in mind what is being asked of you in terms of commitment/devotion.

For everyone - the Scorpio New Moon is an uber POWERFUL portal for manifesting. This one is especially potent for attracting "rewards" based on what we have devoted ourselves to in the past and for those "rewards" to become the bedrock of whatever we are building now. If the thing sitting in front of us is not something we are wanting to continue to dedicate ourselves to (more ashes than rewards!) - THIS is a powerful time for a shift toward something more authentic.

The ladies in Libra at the top of the chart - and remember Venus is still retrograde so going to walk this eclipse degree AGAIN and opposing Uranus - make me think we need to be building something balanced, something attractive, something that creates win-wins, something nurturing that takes into consideration the seasonality of its timing (Ceres) - with Pallas there, something smart and strategic.

Scorpio is uber powerful, so be prepared to commit to what you start now.  Actually commit as if your life depends on it ... maybe it does.

We either do whatever it is we are doing 110% or we don't do it at all. There is no middle ground with a Scorpio New Moon.

And know that sometimes not doing it at all - especially with a trine to Neptune, the planet that rules endings - just letting it go (the idea, the plan, the thing that we used to be devoted to but just aren't anymore) is ok, too. 

It allows a creative void for the energy to fill. It may take some time for life to get us lined up with something else. And that is OK. Saturn is in Capricorn. Time is on our side. If it's not your jam anymore it's not your jam anymore.

You may have to release your place in line, so you can go get into the right line!

This is an important month to set New Moon intentions.

Scorpio is very powerful and this is the energy that rules our secrets. If we don't set this stuff consciously - our unconscious will attract what we already line up with - and this may be a good thing - especially if we have allowed Jupiter to do its job this past year, but could depend on what we have stuffed in there - we don't know what we don't know!

I vote for conscious intention setting now - we just have to be clear on what we want/need or really we have to be clear on what we want/need to FEEL. Because we are very likely to get it.

Set your intentions around that.

AFFIRMATION TIPS: get into a positive frame of mind - always make affirmations from a positive place (positive meaning both happy and certain) - write your affirmations down by hand in script, speak them out loud - then release your attention from them knowing that your intention is known.

Know these things are already yours.

xo