North Node in Cancer, South Node in Capricorn | part 1 - facing our ghosts, the karma of our ancestors, dependency issues, the chickens come home to roost, nurturing ourselves, allowing ourselves to be vulnerable

On November 15, 2018 the North Node moved into Cancer and the South Node (of the Moon) moved into Capricorn.

The North Node is like a collective North Star - where our Earth family energy is heading - our best path for growth, and it asks us to do/feel things that are new to us, that make us uncomfortable.  The South Node is what we are leaving behind/what we have outgrown even though it may still feel comfortable.

Much of the time Nodal events (planets interacting with these points) bring internal situations/lessons/stressors/gifts, and then, around the time of the Solar and Lunar eclipses, the events play out in the external world.

Before mid-November, the South Node was in Aquarius - we were collectively releasing detachment, group think, over-thinking, hiding out in the crowd/audience, our "alien" spaces. The North Node was in Leo - we were striving to follow our heart, put our own oxygen mask on first, take care of the children, take the center stage of our own lives, create something we can be proud of, ROAR.

How did we do with this?

Did we allow ourselves to be distracted by technology? Detached from our hearts? Over-think things to the point of inaction? Did we step back into the safety of the group (choosing sides, aligning even more strongly only with people who agree with us)?

Or did we create something we are now proud of? Did we take care of our children/our inner child? Did we make some time to play? Did we step up, take the lead, stand out?

Did we follow our heart (Leo) or our head (Aquarius)?

Hopefully, as a collective we moved toward our heart. If you think about the immigration issues/children at the border - did we use our heart or our head? The artificial intelligence/robotics/internet push - heart or head? Did we allow the Aquarius South Node (what we are releasing) to loosen our grip on any impulse to connect mostly with like-minded people? Sometimes it is easier to see the ways we fall short, but the conversations around these issues stirred hearts certainly. The seeds were planted for more change and progress as we spiral and evolve through these spaces again.

So now, and through May 5, 2020, we've moved into new energies and because the Nodes move backward - they take us through energies we have already experienced. And this is even further emphasized now because the Cancer/Capricorn polarity rules history.

The Cancer/Capricorn polarity reminds us to recognize and appreciate the past without getting too attached to it. 

Our tribal/familial energy - his-story and her-story - visits us now and we are pulled into circumstances similar to those of our ancestors 

(and our own past lives), 

so we can choose differently this time, finish what they started, make the amends they needed to make, even earn the rewards they were denied. 

We can also find any benefits we have been allowed to own from their/our misdeeds (through the misuse of Capricorn energy) detaching from us, too.

Capricorn is a patriarchal energy.

Ruled by Saturn - builder of time and rules and structure and careers and hierarchy. Nothing "real" gets built without Saturnian energy. His-story. "Corporations are people." The ways we make ourselves invulnerable. Our hard edges. Our survival instinct out in the world. 'Life is a battlefield". "It's a dog eat dog world." Our stiff upper lip. The Capricorn energy is about stability, history, security. It's the sign of "father". And, with this mindset/with these beliefs, in order to survive, to order to keep his family/tribe alive, father (as us and through our leaders) has had to do a whole lot of stuff that isn't very warm and fuzzy.

Cancer is a matriarchal energy.

Ruled by the Moon - our emotions, nurturing, home, family, food, our roots, her-story, how we take care of things, the ways we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, our soft spaces, our innate survival instinct. "Home is where the heart is". "There's no place like home." Any quote by Brene Brown. The Cancer energy is about stability, history, security. It's the sign  of "mother".

And this isn't a masculine vs feminine thing or a man vs woman (although it might look like it at times) - these are both feminine energies!

As we move through the South Node in Capricorn - and keep in mind this is happening with both Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn, so the South Node is going to meet up with THESE GUYS (authoritarianism on steroids!) - we are asked to release those Capricornian things that have outlived their usefulness - the things/beliefs that may have previously kept us (and our ancestors) safe, but are now only keeping us stuck.

At the same time, as we move through the North Node in Cancer - we are asked to embrace this gentler part of ourselves. To use our Moon. To feel our way through things. To allow ourselves to be vulnerable (admit when we are wrong, show a weakness, let down our guard, trust someone else). To stop judging vulnerability as a weakness. To take care of ourselves and prioritize self-care and the care of vulnerable people/places and things. To face issues of dependency. To face our childhood (and ancestral and past life) emotional patterning with steady, unblinking eyes. To look within for rewards instead of looking for rewards in the outside world - praise at work/likes on social media are feeling a whole lot less satisfying now.

With this polarity ancestral stories, past life stories, childhood stories that are keeping us in fear and staying stuck will be released. The circumstances and people we will meet - what it takes to release these worn cords we struggle with - will depend on how tightly we are holding onto whatever is no longer working.

We will talk about this as we move through it over the next year and a half.

I was born with this polarity which probably means I understand it well and also don't know it at all!

I have learned to appreciate the small beginnings of things, to appreciate babies and baby steps, soft spaces and ease. Vulnerability is an issue for me (from a childhood, past lives, ancestral energy that made it clear showing weakness would kill you/make you lose) and with this energy in my 3rd house - a discomfort with not knowing, an inclination toward fear-based thinking "is this the safe/right thing to do?" that leads to yes - staying safe and right (although this has shifted and doesn't work anymore) - but missing out on a whole lot of good shit. I will write more about this in future posts.

We have been transforming Saturnian systems since 2008 and although it might feel like authority has a tighter grip than ever; like we have less control than we did before - what is really happening is the reins are being handed back to us and it's been so long since we have held them, we don't know what to do with them, so they are flying about like long hair in a wind storm for any idiot to grab hold of them! As we step into our responsibility in saner ways that prioritize nurturing, this will all shift.

I will add to this post as we move through these energies and it will pop back up to the top of the feed. Hope something here is helpful.

xo all

Mars into Taurus | taking care of the nuts and bolts of life, the touch that feels like love, stopping to smell the roses, physical work, results over time, stubborn determination, digging in until we are up to our knees in mud

Mars, needing a bit of a break, after a few weeks in Aries (a space he rules, but where it is go, go, go and push, push, push and surely even Mars can grow weary of that, can't he?) and after his explosive meet-up with Uranus (still in play - and isn't THIS interesting news for Tuesday night when Mars conjuncted anything-can-happen Uranus) moves into the green pastures of Taurus today.

Mars in Taurus will wake up our Taurus house - a space naturally inclined toward doing the same old, same old and where we can get a bit "set in our ways". Taurus Suns and our other Taurus planets will get a visit from Mars sometime over the next few weeks, so they get some revitalizing sunshine and a WAKE UP call.

For the collective energy, things tend to slow down when Mars ingresses into Taurus. If we are ready for this time to "stop and smell the roses" - and keep in mind that North Node in Cancer, this is a year to nurture ourselves and take care of ourselves - if we have done our "starting" and are now ready to work with what we have accumulated at a less brisk pace - this is the time the run turns into a walk. It's excellent energy to recharge empty batteries.

If we have something going on that requires speed and pushing, we could get incredibly frustrated now - and keep in mind, Mercury is in drifting Pisces and approaching her/his retrograde and will not be doing any pushing either.   

There is no out-running this "slow and steady" thing.

Taurus is the space in our natal chart that naturally encloses what we are here to nurture, preserve and grow. It may be a space we have a bit less passion and ambition because we most naturally feel the need to sustain what takes root here. A bird in the hand thing usually applies to the theme of whatever space Taurus occupies in our natal chart. The energy is cautious because the thing we are holding/carrying here is precious.

It can also become the fear-based space where good things go to die - and then we carry around a bunch of dead stuff like a crate of rotted vegetables and wonder why we are so tired all the time (and smell like moldy cabbage). What house does Taurus rule in your natal chart? What is the theme of that house? Don't know? Shoot me an email (or comment) and I will check for you.

Taurus gets results through self-sufficiency, by bringing situations 'down to earth', by being sensible.

Mars in Taurus loves physical work. This is the time to dig into something and not be afraid to get our hands dirty. Here the rewards come through sustained growth and immediately, too. Think about how good it feels when our physical body is tired; when it has been well-used - the good night's sleep and strong muscles that follow.

Some things to watch out for now - Taurus gives us stubborn determination, but also stubborn everything else. Let's not dig our heels in so deep we find ourselves in mud up to our knees when this transit is over.

If Taurus is stubborn and she is, it's only because it rules really important things - the kind of things that have to be nurtured and preserved and seen through to the end, but too much stubborn just gets us STUCK.
 
Mars in Taurus can bring procrastination. If you find yourself putting off to tomorrow .. well, everything - realize it is probably time to give yourself a break. Get out in nature. Take a bath. Then move back into the thing you have to do. Slowly.

There is no multi-tasking in Taurus. Just do one thing at a time. That's how things will be done and how they will be built to last. Choose a project to work on during this transit and see it through to completion. Our patience increases as we focus on one thing and on long-term results.

Taurus is the nuts and bolts of life. She rules our second house of everything important money can buy and everything important money can't. She rules food and nourishment. She rules the sensual touch that feels like love. She rules our resources - our money, the planet. She rules our self-esteem and values.

Ruled by balanced and beautiful Venus (hopefully Ceres someday which feels right to me) our lives could get maybe more imbalanced until they topple over or we are forced to remove something from the more loaded side or add something to the weaker one.

Venus is in steady-as-a-rock Capricorn (until March 1st), so this earthy/practical thing is multiplied now. AND she is on pace to meet Saturn (Cappy's ruler) on Sunday - which always feels like some kind of "test". Taking care of the things we have is important now.

_______________________

The Moon is in Gemini today. She will square Neptune this morning (EST) - do you remember your dream? And then she moves onto an opposition with expansive Jupiter late this afternoon. Hearts open. Not a bad day to celebrate the ones we love.

xo all and Happy Valentine's Day

Mars conjunct Uranus | going out with a BANG

At 1:20AM EST Tuesday night Mars will conjunct Uranus at the final degree of Aries - the sign Aries rules. This energy is in play now.

Mars is our passion, our initiative, our action, our anger. Uranus is fast change, the future, liberation, something radically different.

This is a lightning strike (or a strike while the iron is hot situation).

It can make us (and other people) impulsive. It can make us accident-prone.

It will be so hard to be patient!

This is the energy of break-ups, breakdowns and breakthroughs.

Anger and passion can erupt suddenly now and be hard to control. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if something is escalating in an uncomfortable way - take a breath and a step backward.

THE BEST USE OF THIS ENERGY (especially if we have planets or points around 29 degrees Sagittarius or Leo because we are getting the nice smooth trines here) -

1. truly express who we are - this aspect doesn't say we are going to like the outcome, just that we will feel the push to "go for it", if this is something you need to do, this is exactly the energy that will help you to do it

2. release outdated roles and outgrown restrictions (remember the ongoing Neptune/Saturn sextile is dissolving Saturnian boundaries)

Anything that feels even remotely like a cage or collar is going to feel WAY too small. 

3. make some kind of radical move, do (Mars) something different or differently (Uranus) - this is EXACTLY the energy we need to make a leap from our outdated/stifling crap to new and different crap (ie circumstances).

Again, remember, new is not always better. New is just new. Sometimes new is better though.

Also remember when it comes to change and Uranus - we don't always have a choice.

This is "shortcut" energy.

Uranus can get us from here to there very quickly.

And we have the courage and the strength to put something into action here. Something that smells like authenticity (although nobody actually wants to smell your authenticity - keep this in mind - this is a metaphor).

Something that tastes like freedom.

There is a "this is your last chance" kind of feel to whatever we have going on. And for some situations ... it will be!

Keep in mind - LIFE IS FLASHING A HUGE "PROCEED WITH CAUTION" SIGN AT US.

If this action/move is something you have been thinking about for a long time or fits into your long-term planning - it could be the time to go for it. If this is something that just popped into your head and is risky - it is definitely the time to get your head examined.

(and actually Mars rules your head, so take care of your head now, too)

Within hours after these two heavyweights meet, Mars in going to move into Taurus (figuring out how to survive/thrive in the new circumstances, consolidating resources, slowing down and taking a breath, etc). And after spending a few more weeks hanging out at the 29th degree of Aries, Uranus will follow him.

Keep in mind Neptune is sextiling Saturn off and on this year and that transit is being simulated this week by Venus. With Neptune/Saturn working together we aren't supposed to be rowing upstream battling a moving current. We have a sailboat now. The rowboat is back at Aunt Ida's lake-house attracting opossums. We just need to set our sails in the direction we want to go. And yes, we have to have our crap (sorry for all the 'craps' not sure why I am talking like this, I blame Uranus/Mars!) together to a certain degree, that's how Saturn works - the sails need to be there, they need to be pointing - do sails point? I have no idea - in the right direction. We just have to ready ourselves for the WIND.

On the other hand maybe the Uranus/Mars IS the wind.

Mercury is in Pisces now, you are going to have to use your intuition with this part.

If you have planets or points in the cardinal signs around 29 degrees you will feel this energy strongest.

Planets on/near 29 degrees ARIES (conjunction) - a strong push into something else, CANCER (square) - a threat to your stability that creates tension/frustration and forces you to stand on your own two feet or do something radically differently, LIBRA (opposition) - something/someone from the outside brings a threat/ending/need for change likely leaving you in a position of having to make a decision CAPRICORN (square) a threat to your authority that forces you to do something you wouldn't normally do - sometimes the rules are made to be broken dear Capricorn even by you - or do something radically different; a break with tradition

xo all

there is a bit more about this in the weekly post HERE - check Wednesday

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of February 10th - shocking change, volatility, take a chance NOT a risk, break-ups, breakdowns, break-throughs, liberation, then stuff starts to stabilize and slow down

The following are some of this week's big aspects:

SUNDAY - Mercury into Pisces, Moon/Mars/Uranus with Mars trine Galactic Center
WEDNESDAY - Mars conjunct Uranus (near Eris, 29 degrees Aries)
THURSDAY - Mars into Taurus
SUNDAY - Venus sextiles Neptune
MONDAY - Venus conjuncts Saturn (16 degrees Capricorn)


Mars - action, initiative, passion, anger - is uber active this week, still hanging out with angry sister Eris and set to meet anything-can-happen Uranus.

Expect sudden changes, shocking news, impulsive action, threats and counter threats - it's drama on the high seas folks, Captain Jack Sparrow time - aargh!

People with planets and points at the end of the cardinal signs - Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn - will be feeling this chaotic energy strongest. 

On SUNDAY, our Aries Moon is sandwiched between Mars and Uranus - this could activate Wednesday's volatile changes for some people. People are itchy and restless. Drive safely. No dark alleys. You know the drill.

The Moon goes void at 6:48PM EST dialing up the wonky, but then enters stabilizing Taurus (where the Moon is exalted) at 8:28PM EST which will calm the day down. She will sextile Mercury, freshly bedded in Pisces, making tonight a good time for Pisces progress via art, imagination, meditation, compassion, healing. Netflix marathon - ok, drinking yourself into oblivion - not such a great idea.

Mercury ingresses into imaginative and sometimes delusional Pisces where, due to her/his upcoming retrograde she will hang her hat until April 17th!

A retrograde Mercury in Pisces will be confusing at the very least.

We talked about this next part last week, but I'm tossing it in here again in case you missed it.

"Mercury rules our thinking, our communication, our ideas. He/she is considered in her fall/detriment in Pisces (because she rules Pisces polarity sign of Virgo). Virgo's Mercury likes things clear and concise - she wants B to follow A and is sure things would move more efficiently if everyone would just dot their i's and cross their t's.

Pisces (ruled by Neptune and ruler of our collective 12th house) is the space where rules/boundaries are more fluid. B might follow A. But just as easily A could drift right on past B.

It is the space of imagination, universal love, our dreams, spirituality, our connection to each other through the ethereal realms and our emotions, the ways we escape, the things we do last, the things we put away, addictions, delusions, hospitals, prisons, addicts, victims, saviors, martyrs.

You can see how fast-moving Mercury would be quite out-of-whack here.

So maybe our thinking slows down a bit. Our words drift off course. We started to say this and now we are saying that. The words that were so clear and crisp in airy Aquarius, don't come as easily because maybe we start feeling their impact on the other person now. Or maybe we start feeling like one of those old anti-drug commercials but instead of eggs - it is our brain frying on the sidewalk."

Whatever we have going on over the next few weeks keep in mind the story will be back and forth and all over the place!

Mercury in Pisces can be wonderful energy for artists, poets, musicians, meditation, spirituality, healing. With Mercury (ruler of Gemini) in this universal space our words can cast even more powerful S-P-E-L-L-S - keep this in mind, especially while Mercury is retrograde and things can back-fire!

The next few weeks might be the time to let our mental defenses down and just feel it. Or to guard against this very thing - depending on the situation!

On WEDNESDAY, and this is in play all week, but exact on Wednesday, we have Mars meeting Uranus in Aries.

These two meet every couple years and kick off a new chapter together. Happening at the powerful 29th degree, with Mars set to enter Taurus (blazing a trail for Uranus) the NEXT day (which should help things cool down a bit hopefully), with Eris nearby and opposing Pallas - this has a bit of a powder keg feel to it.

Sudden change. Unexpected (and liberating) news and action. 

This is EXPLOSIVE.

With Pallas in Libra, ruling our partnerships/relationships - if this is a break-up there probably won't be any "we can still be friends", with this one. Compromise/cooperation = nope.

This is empowering energy to take a chance, especially with something LIBERATING/different/forward leaning - just not too big a risk, OK?

Breakthroughs are as possible as break-downs and break-ups. Take a different action. Try something else.

The next day, THURSDAY, Mars moves into Taurus.  

This will help stabilize the Mars/Uranus dis-order as we focus on our resources/values.

Keep in mind Mars is clearing the brush for Uranus, set to move back into Taurus next month. So whatever we have going on now (and while Mars is in Taurus) is going to connect to Uranus's long, upcoming transit - maybe not in specifics, but within a more general theme.

Take whatever is happening now seriously.

You want to stabilize whatever this is as much as possible with Mars (action, initiative, courage, passion) in Taurus, before Uranus gets in there! Taurus is that comfortable space in our chart we rely on to ALWAYS BE THE SAME - Uranus - think "bull in a china shop" here - is disruptive. Something is very likely to get broken. Better we deal with what we can for the next month, so we have somewhat of a handle on it before Uranus (no handle on this guy) gets in there for seven years!

With Mercury in Pisces and now Mars in Taurus - life will begin to slow down. Our actions will become more deliberate.

Mars in Taurus steadies our actions and requires we practice patience.

With Taurus it isn't so much about doing anything new (although yes, the Moon is waxing!)  - this is about building on and taking action with "what we already have".

Things won't move quickly, but the things we take action on now will be longer-lasting. 

Success comes to the turtle and not the hare. Whatever we are doing, we need to be prepared to keep on doing it. It may take some time. With Taurus this will be about our security and stability. Also the theme of your natal Taurus house!

People will have a tendency to be more stubborn and unmovable now - we will all be digging in our heels and refusing to change course (hence the slow down). Mercury's upcoming retrograde indicates some course corrections though. Remember the KISS acronym - keep it simple sista'.

That crazy, complicated thingamajig we were thinking about doing - nix it for now. That thing that looks just too basic to work - yeah do that thing. This is excellent energy to get out in nature and get our hands dirty, too. 

Mars will be in Taurus until March 31st.

On SUNDAY the 17th - and I am jumping ahead a bit because this all starts to get within orb on Sunday, the 10th, Venus sextiles (opportunity) Neptune and then the next day, MONDAY, conjuncts Saturn. This is going to re-activate the Neptune/Saturn sextile we are moving in and out of this year. See Thursday in THIS POST.

This is working for the dream, dissolving limits, a sacrifice that stabilizes a situation - maybe we have to give up what we want for what someone else needs or some kind of delay/denial/responsibility coming before the opportunity.

Venus steps into this story-line and when she conjuncts Saturn a new chapter starts with Venus/Saturn.

Venus (love, money, relationships, beauty, our values, our resources, women ) reaches a LIMIT. This transit can be hard on our relationships and our wallets. Karmic lessons/tests here with love and money. Some relationships will end. Others will reach a solid commitment.

(between this and the Mars/Uranus what a week for Valentine's Day?!)

Relationships that kick off with Venus/Saturn are often either business focused or May/December. Take love/money/resources seriously now. Start a budget. Venus/Saturn can be lonely - because with Saturn here we just can't feel the love!

We will talk about this during the week, but I wanted to toss it into this week's since it is a very different energy than the Mars/Uranus and some people may have this transit more in play than the explosive one.

I will pop back in and add the Moons tomorrow, out of time this afternoon!

xo all


On the day Saturn exactly conjuncted my natal Venus a year or so ago I had to renew my driver's license. I told this story back then, and thought maybe with this week's collective Venus/Saturn conjunction it might be a good time to dig it back out, so here goes -

I could have renewed by mail - this option is given out randomly in NJ and for years I complained that I was never selected and had to truck my butt down there to the Motor Vehicle Commission and get in line. This year I finally had the "just-mail-it-in" option, but had procrastinated the whole thing until the very last minute and had to truck my butt down there anyway.

It was pouring outside. I put on some waterproof eye make-up, spent extra time doing my hair, a crazy amount of time picking out just the right scarf, etc - I brought a mirror and an umbrella. You get the idea. Serious (Saturn) attention to appearance (Venus).

The rain and winds stopped just in time. The lines inside were very short. Everything was going my way. I get to the clerk's window and she says "remove the scarf", then "step back to the line and do not smile". Yes, New Jersey has a 'do not smile in driver's license' thing (somehow this is not hard for us here in N.J.). And, we also have a new 'your face fills the entire box' thing, so the license barely shows your hair, etc. WTH!

I remove my carefully selected scarf, relax my face and try to smile with my eyes. "Have a seat" she says, waving her hand toward the waiting area.

I leave 20 minutes later with what is surely the worst photo I have ever taken in my life.

Certainly the oldest looking photo.

It look me about 30 seconds to think about old man Saturn sitting on my precious Venus (!) - appearance (Venus) on official document (Saturn), bringing age (Saturn) to beauty (Venus). I tried to think about a fine wine and about the myriad experiences that I wouldn't change for a second that had produced these lines/spots on my face, but all I could see was this ghastly photo staring at me from my wallet.

This wasn't even my mother's photo.

I had skipped an entire generation and become my grandmother.

Hubs said, "not a bad photo - you just look serious and it's only for three years." Which depressed me even further - is this how I actually look and what the hell am I going to look like in three years?! - and why was he giving me even more sober Saturn! Ugh.

My Venus in Sagittarius doesn't want to hear this crap. I decided to purchase a new wallet that night - something Venusian to house my old man scowl.

Of course Venus/Saturn could have brought something else entirely. Something much more challenging. I tell myself it was actually pretty clever of me to give the energy this space to work itself out. Plus I have a new wallet.