Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of February 20th - the slap in the face that clears our head and spins us around

Tidal Wave by Chrissie Cool

This is a BIG astrological week (understatement).

On Monday, the Moon (in Sagittarius) conjuncts Saturn and aligns nicely with Jupiter. The energy is on our side to work with Sagittarius issues - legal, foreign, travel, higher education, wedding, philosophy, politics, publicity, marketing, media - and particularly in association with someone else. Saturn (time, authority, stability, work) adds security and structure to whatever we are working with. This is good energy to deal with authority figures. Or step into our own authority.

Mercury (communications, news, conversations) hooks up with Uranus so there could be surprising news or an out-of-the-blue meeting or conversation now.

On Tuesday, the Moon moves into 'just get it done', all-business Capricorn. Mercury moves into an easy alignment with Jupiter (news expands, conversations and communications are expansive .. and could be over-blown). Jupiter is retrograde so talks could be centered on old issues and what needs to happen to move things forward.

The Sun (now in Pisces) conjuncts the South Node. This energy will carry us right into the space of Sunday's Solar Eclipse at 8 degrees Pisces (what house is 8 degrees Pisces in your natal chart?).

Something is being eclipsed out, coming to light or moving to a new level. A spotlight (the Sun) is thrown on something from the past (South Node).

Wednesday is a BIG day. We will probably start to feel this on Tuesday. Mars (in Aries) squares Pluto (in Capricorn). Mars squares Pluto opposing Jupiter - this is a biggie. Squares are tension and tension between the active, impulsive, angry and war-like Mars and the powerful, karmic ruler of death and destruction, Pluto, is not something to take lightly. There are power struggles and confrontations. With Mars a major player in Sunday's Solar Eclipse - the situation will be related to something from the past.

This could be the slap in the face that clears our head. Badda bing.

The tension might allow us to move something large and unwieldy out of our way. Or it can bring us face to face with a challenging situation that requires our instinctual action.

On Thursday, the Moon is void until lunchtime, EST, so don't start anything new until after you've had your mid-day meal or 3rd cup of coffee - depending on what kind of day you are having! Mercury is again communicating with Saturn so talks with authority or conversations about security or things we are building over time, should go smoothly. Situations involving Sagittarius themes - legal, foreign, travel, higher education, wedding, philosophy, politics, publicity, marketing and media - get some structure, confirmed plans, some legs placed under them.

On Saturday,  Mercury moves into Pisces. I'll do a post about this later in the week. In Pisces, Mercury (communication, ideas, news, conversations) reminds me of those 80's commercials "this is your brain on drugs". It's great energy to work with our intuition and imagination though. The illogical becomes logical now. Just what we need, right - ack?!

On Sunday (the energy carries us into next's week's aspects), we have the BIG Solar Eclipse New Moon in Pisces (8 degrees). Up is down and down is up. That situation from Tuesday and Wednesday (that had been in play for quite some time before this week) clicks into place and with Uranus in the driver's seat could EXPLODE upon impact. Think tidal wave.

This is ginormous fresh start energy. But something has to end first. And there could be wreckage. Or water damage. Know that the breeze from the door that is slamming shut is forcing another door open. This won't be something we have planned - this will be something else. There is magic afoot.

I'll do a post about this later in the week by sign.

In the meantime use the powerful and positive Mercury energy to get any information, reports, news, communications, dealings with siblings, teachings or transportation issues out of the way before Friday. And use your knowledge of the astrology at play to keep a cool head - not by sticking it in the sand - but by having faith that things are unfurling just as they should be. Because they are. xo all

wizards vs muggles | straddling two worlds - stuff kicks up after Saturday, get some rest

KMag#57 by haania

February (the first eclipse season of the year) is a very important period of 2017. Can't you feel it?

Right now, we are in between two powerful eclipses - in between karmic events - straddling two worlds.

Eclipses are a kind of cosmic reboot; like when we download new software and have to turn our computer off and back on for the newly downloaded material to function properly.

Except in this case, we are the computer, and our connection to a changing cosmos gets "reset".

Eclipses are some of the most dramatic means life has to draw our attention to spaces that need to change. They allow us to move from one level to another in some area of our lives very quickly. They can have influence weeks before and sometimes kick in 1-3 months after they have happened (often to the exact day). They work in cycles astrologers call Saros cycles.

This month we have two eclipses and they are each part of a different cycle.

The first eclipse, on February 11th, was the Lunar eclipse (Full Moon, 22 degrees Leo) - this one had mostly easy aspects and was the first (since 1999) of the new Aquarius/Leo eclipses.

The next one (and last until August when we have another cycle of two eclipses that connect to the February 11th eclipse), on February 26th (New Moon, 8 degrees Pisces) is the final Pisces/Virgo eclipse. Here's a list of eclipse dates and polarities by Susan Miller. The eclipse on the 26th is a doozy.

On Saturday, the Sun moves into Pisces. Pisces is the ethereal realms. Ruled by Neptune, Pisces is about everything that cannot be physically held - everything mystical, everything magical, everything hidden. It rules water (I hope they've damn well fixed that dam) and has no boundaries. Pisces also rules imagination, compassion, intuition, escapism, addiction, dementia, lies, illusion, spirituality, things/people/situations put away and hidden from view.

We will need more meditation, more SILENCE, more sleep for the next month - keep this in mind.

At the same time that our Sun moves into this watery realm (I see it as us universally burning these themes as fuel - this is also going to make all of us much more sensitive) the Moon comes into its three quarter square position. This is called the waning part of the Moon. The Moon is moving into the last quarter of its monthly cycle - it is in its fall. The Sun, in Pisces, will be exactly squaring the Moon, in Sagittarius. And Pisces, currently housing the South Node and Chiron, is a very powerful space right now. Then Mars will trigger the Cardinal T-Square. Ouch.

We have had Saturn anchoring the situation and giving us some stability, but that aspect will start to fade this weekend. This sounds like Alice down the rabbit hole time to me.  Next week's astrology (including Mars squaring Pluto - issues over power, control. government, independence, rebellion, anger, the drumbeats of war) is rather gnarly. Then Mercury moves into Pisces and we really won't know what to think. Logic will be challenging. On the plus side we will have access to greater compassion and intuition. These things are not to be discounted. So, there's that.

The stuff we think can't go up another notch will go up another notch. More people will wake up.

And this will all lead us toward the eclipse on the 26th.

It's important to remember as we move through this year the future is an incomplete equation.

We are nine years into a Pluto in Capricorn cycle designed to dismantle our power structures. 

We have six years until Pluto moves into Aquarius. 

If we imagine this as a linear journey, and it isn't, we are in the home stretch. 

Chaos is the new normal. This entire thing is way more challenging if we try to control what is happening. The stuff ahead of us looks nothing like the stuff that is behind us. 

This is why it is all so tricky.

Not because it is all so bad, but just because it is all so NEW.

Remember our bodies crave what is familiar, not what is good for us.

My grandmother used to say "you will never know this little again". Think on that. If you can postpone major decisions/moves into after the next eclipse - do that. If you can't, know this is part of the 'fate-train' and do your best with the info you have.

Get some rest. Learn to meditate. Walk in the woods. Got to make some lockets. We'll talk later. xo

Valentine's Day Massacre ... just kidding

old couple by joyl

Valentine's Day has never been a big day/deal for me. Maybe because I've been coupled with the same rather unromantic fellow since Eisenhower was President, just kidding again, but maybe not, since I'm not sure exactly when Eisenhower was President - and have been programmed over time not to expect too much.

I'm mostly OK with that.

Some years the convenience store roses, the kind with the silver glitter that sticks to your face if you get too close -

(I've never understood the need to toss glitter on flowers, who is this idiot with the God complex, thinking to himself "these beautiful roses, they need ... something" )

the red ones on sale near the coffee counter, were resting on my kitchen counter by the end of that night. Other years, maybe when hubs was too busy for coffee (unlikely) or brought his own (more likely) or maybe just because those bins of flowers are there 24/7 now and don't catch his eye anymore (most likely) - he forgets.

I'm not complaining. Really (sniffle). No, really. I've known enough "romantic" fellows with colorful bouquets and guilty consciences that I sobered up pretty early. I don't remember my parents celebrating the day either. It's important to remember that love is a verb, too. And hubs did spend a couple hours last night working on my latest 'project'. I'll try to keep that in mind if my flower vase sits empty tonight.

Today's skies are a bit serious for Valentine's Day. We have 1. sober Saturn sextiling the Aquarius Sun. 2. Both Venus and Mars opposing the Libra Moon. And 3. we have Jupiter (retrograde in Libra) inconjunct Chiron.

Let's look at these in reverse order and see how they might apply to V-Day.

3. Jupiter is inconjunct Chiron. Remember Jupiter is retrograde, so the 'expansion' energy in our life is getting re-tooled in some way through June. Having this aspect in play on Valentine's Day makes me think of expectations being too high. Or some small thing that has expanded into a big thing, maybe because we have smooshed a whole bunch of other small things in there (the times he did or didn't do this or that or the other thing). Now it's an over-inflated balloon ready to pop. And since it's filled with all these sharp little things that might hurt if they stick us in the eye, or heart, the explosion could be dangerous. And painful. If something is painful now, pay attention. A universal focus on romantic "love" can make any lack of it felt more acutely. It is alerting us to an imbalance somewhere. A huge adjustment is probably not needed right now, but something needs to give a little bit. Maybe it can be us.

2. Venus and Mars are opposing the Moon. These are fast transits from last night through today. Let's look at Venus opposing the Moon first. This is the maiden vs the mother energy. I am kind of picturing a man coming home from work and a woman opens the front door, the woman he normally associates with motherhood - maybe because she is the mother of his children, maybe because she reminds him of his own mother or maybe because she mothers him - dressed up very sexy and different. So maybe he goes along with it, but maybe he is a bit uneasy with the transformation when he thinks about it later, something about it strikes him as wrong. Or maybe he goes along with it a little too happily and something about that, when she thinks about it later, strikes her as wrong. There is a kind of no-win built in here. On the other hand I have just written a paragraph with a whole lot of 'maybes'. You two could be having cookies and milk wrapped in satin sheets (is there still such a thing) or drinking silky red wine together in your flannels. Or maybe I am totally overthinking this. But you get the idea.

Now Mars opposing the Moon could be a protective energy or it could be an impulse and action toward independence, a tendency to compete, an ability to be self-sufficient. Maybe some kind of security challenge - that's all I'm going to say about that one.

1. Saturn sextile the Sun - this one is in play for a couple days. This transit shows the support of time, the well-weathered relationship, can be looked at fondly. The opportunity (sextile) comes from what is real and has been worked at. We could be ready to commit. I predict lots of engagements today - I hope they are ready to work hard (Saturn) and allow each other to shine (Sun). This is a 'drama-free zone' aspect here. If you got married today, the journey of your marriage would have some challenges, but this wouldn't be one of them. You'd be in it for the long haul (so make sure it is something worth hauling).

This is great energy to give yourself the structure and stability you need. Think about all you have learned over time. Give yourself a pat on the back. You are still here.

xo and Happy Valentine's Day everyone - let's let go of those expectations and appreciate what we have.

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of February 13th - where's that elephant and happy valentine's day

couple by seloart

We are in the season "between eclipses" (the eye of the storm) - that two week period we experience, usually twice a year, when things can change very quickly and energies (and emotions) can be intense. 

This month's eclipses (the next one is February 26th) are continuing some story from the September 2016 eclipse season and also wrapping up the New Moon energy from August 2015. Last week's eclipse launched a new chapter that will conclude with the August eclipse season.

What has "come to light" in your life - usually by way of something being eclipsed out or out of your way?

Seeing the higher perspective with whatever is happening is easier now - there is greater wisdom, and love, available to us. Our ancestors are standing right behind us. How can we translate this month's experiences into a better, happier life?

On Monday, the Virgo Moon is void until 3:43PM EST. We can get a lot of practiced and routine work accomplished. A good day for paperwork. Not a good day to launch something brand new or anything we want to lead to something else. Know distractions might come up and schedules can change.

The Moon is opposing fuzzy Neptune - making this an especially good time for us to be deluding ourselves. So stay grounded and don't bet the farm.

Late in the day Saturn (in Sagittarius) sextiles our Aquarius Sun - this is great energy for steady progress. We could get good advice or assistance from a father-figure or authority-figure.  A serious attitude and work ethic creates stability. Burning the midnight oil could be a good thing. If you can, sleep in Monday and work a later schedule - you will almost certainly get more done.

Some information may come to us now that will be important or resolve in about a week. There could be disappointments, but maybe just delays. Pay attention.

On Valentine's Day, there are a couple smooth aspects and relationships are front and center (actually this energy started Monday night) - does this surprise anyone? Commitments will be made. Gifts will be taken seriously- keep this in mind if you are doing something last minute.

The fly in the ointment is Jupiter's (retrograde in Libra) inconjunct to the wounded healer asteroid Chiron (in Pisces).

Whatever situation Jupiter has us revisiting could be a bit uncomfortable. If something is moving too fast or getting too big too fast we will feel the discomfort of the stretch of that now. 

Problems/weaknesses may come to light around what is out of balance or what is unjust. Situations where we are doing too much or too little need a re-evaluation. Expansion could be tempered (maybe temporarily). A careful assessment of what is growing is needed now.  Focus.

The shadow of peace loving Libra is denial so Jupiter is showing us that elephant in the livingroom (now through June) by feeding him peanuts. Lots of peanuts. He is, or soon will be, too big to tuck behind the living room sofa. Yes, even one of those five piece sectionals from Pottery Barn. Whatever the situation it will require ADJUSTMENT.

Question : WHERE'S THAT ELEPHANT? Hints below. Check sun and rising signs.

Aries - this imbalance is about equal partnerships
Taurus - this imbalance is about work or health
Gemini - this imbalance is about self expression
Cancer - this imbalance is about home and family
Leo - this imbalance is about self-expression
Virgo - this imbalance is about love or money
Libra - this imbalance is about you
Scorpio - this imbalance is about stuff that is hidden behind the scenes
Sagittarius - this imbalance is about groups, friendship, something public
Capricorn - this imbalance is about career, public image
Aquarius - this imbalance is about travel, higher ed, legal, relocation, publishing
Pisces - this imbalance is about shared resources, intimacy, loans, taxes, investments

On Thursday, Mars (in Aries) sextiles (opportunity) Mercury (flying through Aquarius this week). It gets easier to walk our talk. Our words and actions are supporting each other. This is good energy to announce something new or hear about it and make things happen with it. Words and news could bring an opportunity with friends, the internet or a group cause. Be assertive. Also the Moon is in deep, dark Scorpio, focusing some of us on other people's resources (partner's income, our loans, taxes, investments), fertility issues, research. Initiate.

On Friday, the Moon goes void at 2:38 pm. There could be some surprising news now (yes, again). This is almost a 24 hour void moon ending with the Moon's move into Sagittarius on Saturday. On Saturday, the Sun moves into Pisces. I'll do a post about this!

Heads up -explosive energy coming next week! xo all

Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Leo | the heart of the lion

lion roar by starkatts

Tonight's Full Moon has everything. 

The Moon, Saturn and Uranus make a Grand Fire Trine. The Moon, the Sun, Jupiter and Uranus form a Mystic Rectangle. Chiron in Pisces and Pluto in Capricorn aspect the Moon while Mercury and Venus are sextile and inconjunct the North Node. And of course, the Moon itself is at 22 degrees Leo and exactly opposing the Sun at 22 degrees Aquarius.

This may be a small eclipse because the Moon barely passes through the Earth's shadow making it barely visible (called pre-numbral) but it is making so many connections with so many energies it is very powerful. MAGICAL. And mostly positive.

Remember what a Full Moon does - something comes to light, something comes to fruition, something reaches its potential, maybe something concludes. It is always a time of Moon opposite Sun. An eclipse can trigger unexpected events - things are one way, the lights go out, and when they come back on things are another way.

It can eclipse something out. Lunar eclipses often bring a focus on relationships.

This Moon is part of a Grand Trine with Saturn (time, structure, work) and Uranus (change, sudden). These energies are working together. Sudden changes and unexpected developments will have a steadying effect. Change stabilizes the situation. 

The Mystic Rectangle is two oppositions (Moon/Sun and Jupiter/Uranus) supported by multiple smooth sextiles and trines. Expansion, sudden challenges, too much/too soon, over-the-top emotions whatever this is if it touches our chart - there are multiple beneficial energies helping us make this all work out smoothly. Focus.

We are working with the Leo/Aquarius polarity - something we are going to be talking about often over the next couple years.

Leo (naturally ruled by the Sun) is asking us to step onto the center stage of our own life - to shine. Leo is that noble lion; generous and heart-centered. At the same time Aquarius is asking us to work for the best outcome for everyone, to stay humble. 

We are asked to release the idea that for us to win - someone else has to lose. This isn't true. We are asked to release the idea that if someone else looks like they have won, that we have lost. That isn't true either. Think about it.

If we want to bring attention to something or to ourselves - we couldn't ask for better energy.

If we are trying to hide something - we couldn't ask for worse.

Whatever happens though there is an excellent chance it will all work out in a positive way ... for all of us.

Even if we are the emperor suddenly shown to be without clothes. Maybe it is our fancy clothes - whatever we are using to separate ourselves from other people - that need to come off. Maybe those suddenly exposed stretch marks, wrinkles and cellulite connect us to other people in ways our silks and satins can't. Maybe the stuff we have been hiding is exactly the stuff other people need.

We have to get used to shining. To being exposed. To standing out.

The world needs each of us to be our own hero now. Get over the idea that someone is coming to save you/us. We have to pull ourselves out of that well/onto that rescue boat/over that wall.

We have Saturn to keep all this crazy Uranus/Jupiter energy under control. Note that yesterday a federal appeals court denied (Saturn) the Trump (Uranus) administration's appeal on their travel (Jupiter) ban restoration. This story probably won't totally conclude until August (next Leo/Aquarius eclipse) and neither will our own stories that roar into the spotlight now.

But this is the same energy we are all working with. There are checks and balances. There are forces bigger than our own hands at play here. And everything is working out to all of our benefit in the end; every one of us.

Get out and walk in tonight's Moon. Imagine yourself a lion. Because you are.

xo all

Sun Sextile Uranus | letting your freak flag fly

welcome to the freak show by blacklacefigure

The Sun (in Aquarius) sextiles (opportunity) Uranus (in Aries) now.

This is good excellent energy to start something new!

The Moon is playing nicely with both Venus and Mars and she is waxing (growing) toward tomorrow's Full Moon in Sun ruled- Leo.  

All systems are go for our journey but there is one caveat. The road must be a road we have not traveled before. 

Since both Aquarius (although it rules groups) and Aries can be "go it alone" signs - one being individualistic and one being independent - this first step is likely a step we must take "on our own".

It could take us away from our comfort zone, away from the box, away from our peeps, away from the stuff that feels "safe".

The brave (and unique) girl gets the worm now.

This energy is about following our heart and not the crowd. Opportunities come through the way whatever we are presenting is different from established norms. JUST BE YOURSELF.

Sextiles are subtle energies so small things can lead to big things - the energies can also pass us by. Do something different today - a new route to work, read a book about some subject you are interested in but have never researched, sleep on the other side of the bed - you get the idea.

Or take that big bodacious leap into the unknown ... if not now, when? xo all

Mercury into Aquarius | just the 'alternative' facts, jack

A breezy day by Jana Cleve

Mercury moves into "new and unusual" Aquarius today, where he will hang his hat until February 25th. Having Mercury answering to Aquarius ruler Uranus can feel like a mini Mercury retrograde -

information can get skewed as alternatives are presented, opportunities can come through misunderstandings and sometimes it can feel like entire conversations/communications are nothing more than someone's need to disrupt or dispute (not necessarily a bad thing).

All these things can move our story forward now.

Aquarius is detached. It's often easier to diagnose other people's problems and situations and decide what they "should" do than it is to have an objective eye toward our own life.

That little bit, or lot, of distance between us and them makes it possible to see things with greater clarity. Our take on the situation is less guided by our 'feelings'.

Well, for the next three weeks it will be a little easier to apply this same objectivity to our own story - we can take just a little step back and see our own bigger picture, if we want to. Our compassion can get a bit dulled now though.

Ideas that catch people's attention this month will be ideas that are new and unusual. Innovation will blow in the wind like dandelion seeds in the spring. Keep your mind OPEN. And your hands. Your creative muses will literally be tossing stuff at you. Think outside the box - all the goodies are outside that damn box now. New strategies are needed. "Facts" will be up for discussion.

Conversations and communications can be disruptive.

Expect that people's communications will be more unpredictable and even rebellious. Telling people what to do will not go over so well right now - you say "do this" and they "do that". We won't want to be told what to do either. Keep this in mind.

Disruptive conversations and ideas can also come through the Aquarius or Uranian people (remember what I said about Uranus this year!) in our lives. 

Mercury has some easy aspects this month for those open to something else and those who are not so wedded to their existing ideas and language that the smooth flowing meeting with something NEW would be overlooked.

If we notice the pebbles (tapping on our shoulder) maybe we can avoid the rocks (hitting us in the head). If we notice the niggling idea that something could be done/said/written/presented differently and act on it, well, that difference can make all the difference.



Here's a post from the Shopify blog about Idea Generation.

xo all 

Jupiter Stations Retrograde | where have we been expecting/giving too much?

untitled by lover and the wild

Today, Jupiter begins his four month retrograde, stationing at 22 degrees Libra.

Maybe some push forward has run into a red light or a detour or a ditch.

Remember these are natural cycles we are working with - delays are helpful. Yes, even when we are sitting in the ditch, in the hot sun, with an empty water bottle and need to pee.

Maybe there is something ahead of us on the road we are avoiding. Maybe there is something that needs to fall into place, or catch up with us, or slow down to meet us, before we can move ahead.

Maybe there is something we need to fix. Maybe there is something we need to change - with Jupiter change usually involves Jupiterian themes so we could need more education or more experience with something foreign to us or more open-mindedness or more positivity or more faith.

Jupiter is the planet of expansion, the space where more is always more. In our world this doesn't always work so well. Stuff that keeps growing and growing and growing is not sustainable. That's what balloons and bubbles do right before they pop, that's what cancer cells do.

This is good energy to look at areas where we are just expecting (or giving) too much. With Jupiter in Libra, the sign that rules other people, this could be an imbalance, or injustice, within our primary (equal) relationships - partners, clients, specialists, competitors. If a return to balance is needed here - events will conspire to create the space for greater balance. Is that picture in our head of how something is "supposed to look" or how someone else is "supposed to act" helping or hurting us?

This is also good energy for improved focus. Imagine Jupiter's expansive energy (in all directions at once) being drawn backward, it creates the perfect vacuum for us to narrow in on that one particular thing. So, that's what we'll do now.

When our boss calls and says our company did not get that big contract we were expecting and belts must be tightened, it becomes very easy for us to focus on what we need to do right now. So that's what we do. Life doesn't stop. We keep moving. But we are moving ahead from this re-grouped space with a focused purpose. This is the energy of Jupiter retrograde. The expansion contracts. And if we are smart and consistent, we are stronger and wiser four months from now when we expand again from a solid, more condensed core.

This is an annual cycle - this year affecting Libra themes (partnerships, relationships, balance, justice) and/or the themes of our natal Libra house? Where is Libra in your natal chart?

Remember all planets have been moving direct for the last month, which is pretty unusual. We have felt this in the collective as GO, GO, GO - it's all been a bit too much hasn't it? Jupiter rules politics, foreign travel, higher education, the big picture, religion - events will conspire to slow things down with these issues so we can re-look at our expectations here.

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of February 6th - eclipse season!

that's when the audience died by linteephelien

We have a busy, active week ahead including the first eclipse of 2017 - something comes to light, culminates or is eclipsed out. The Moon is waxing so great energy to get things done and out there!

On Monday, Jupiter stations retrograde at 22 degrees Libra. Jupiter will be retrograde for four months.

During this time whatever has been expanding in our Libra house (or within our life in the Libra themes of partnership, relationship, balance) slows down. Our focus moves from growth to consolidation. Better to concentrate on one thing than to try to move in five different directions. Patience could be required.

In Libra, this can be good energy for relationship/partnership do-overs (is there someone you need to reach out to?) and do-overs that create balance. We have four months to get this stuff right (not perfect!) before Jupiter moves direct in June because then it will be full steam ahead until Jupiter leaves Libra in mid October. We'll be ready.

The Moon is in Gemini on Monday so there will be conversations, meetings, emails, errands, dealings with siblings and neighbors today.

On Tuesday, Mercury moves into Aquarius until February 25th. Our thinking will be more detached and forward-leaning.

Our Aquarius house is the space in our chart where we have been charged by the universe to do things differently. Mercury in this space can brings news and information that gets our Aquarius house moving.

After a month in serious Capricorn, Mercury (communication, conversation, ideas, information) is more than happy to buzz through revolutionary Aquarius, offering us access to cutting edge ideas and fresh information. Aquarius is the rebel, genius, criminal - conversations and communications will come through these filters.

The Moon is in Cancer today and not in the best aspect - issues around home, family, mother, real estate, patriotism - could get testy.

On Wednesday, that Cancer Moon hooks into the T-Square with Jupiter (retrograde in Libra) and Uranus (in Aries). This connects our home, family, mother, real estate situation with that partner/relationship do-over or balance do-over and Uranus makes sure whatever is happening is unexpected and surprising. Hold on. There is lots of emotion here.

On Thursday, the Sun (in Aquarius) sextiles (opportunity) Uranus (in Aries). Notice the unusual or  unexpected ideas we attract now and the people we meet. There could be opportunities for us here - pay attention.

On Friday, we have a Full Moon Lunar Eclipse at 22 degrees Leo. Something is eclipsed out or comes to light. This eclipse has the same degrees as the February 1998 eclipse if this time period is memorable to anyone. It wraps up whatever came to light in August 2015 and also connects us back to events from mid September 2016. I'll do a post about this later in the week. There's a Grand Fire trine at the Full Moon and it's anchored by steady handed Saturn - hard work will be rewarded. People will be making commitments. I predict many, many Valentine's Day engagements!

This is a big, busy week and eclipses tend to make everyone more emotional (plus we've got Jupiter stationing so things could feel over the top for some of us) - keep this in mind. I'll do some dailies as needed. xo all

Venus into Aries | being brave, loving a challenge, attracting something new

warrior by Grinch7

Today, Venus moves from Pisces (where she has been exalted) into Aries, where she is thought to be in her detriment

(what do you think - does the woman in the photo above look like she is in her detriment?).

Aries Suns and ascendants (first house Aries) become more attractive - both able to attract what they want and easier on the eye. Everyone's Aries house becomes more attractive, too.

She'll travel to 13 degrees Aries (by March 4th), station retrograde, reverse course (from our view on Earth) until she gets to 26 degrees Pisces and then station direct on April 15th (yes, the planet that rules our money will be very strong, that whole finger through a flame thing, on tax day). It will take her until June 6th to finally make her way into Taurus. This is a LONG time for Venus to be in Aries and Pisces. Whatever we are dealing with now/or about to be dealing with is going to take a few weeks to unwind itself.

It is long considered 'fact' in astrology that Venus doesn't like being in the "me-first", take no prisoners sign of Aries and answering to Mars. I think this view is certainly skewed by patriarchy.

It's true Venus (love, women, money, resources, values) ruler of Taurus (comfort) and Libra (relationship) can attract what she wants in a less assertive/aggressive manner in other signs, but there are lessons for all of us about stepping into our personal responsibility here.

In Aries, Venus functions best when she puts herself first (and we are heading into the Leo North Node in May, for a couple years, where oxygen mask on ourselves first will move the collective forward). In Aries, women need to be thinking "what's best for me?".

In Aries, Venus is a WARRIOR (and love is a battlefield ... cue Pat Benatar).

With both Venus and Mars in Aries now - we can feel a pull toward something new and a push to take the actions needed to get it/make it happen. In Aries, Venus loves a challenge, so that shiny object just out of reach, could become something like an obsession.

Maybe we'll get it, maybe we won't. Maybe the desire will fizzle out - we have a long retrograde to figure it all out. Whichever way the story evolves, the thing that has grabbed our attention will have re-awakened some part of us that needed to wake up. By April 15th, we'll be in a brand new space in regard to some situation involving our Aries natal house theme and/or some situation Venus rules - love, money, resources, our values - everything money can buy and everything it can't.

Something to keep in mind as we give ourselves permission to go after what we want is the impulsive nature of Aries. If Venus was always in Aries our relationships would last 15 minutes and the things we bought/valued would very quickly fall out of favor and we'd be on to the next thing.

Today is also the day Juno (marriage) moves into Capricorn (serious, commitment) and she is squaring Venus in Aries - so she will be a player in our Venus retrograde story, too. There could be competition or issues around authority or commitment within our relationships. 

Juno in Capricorn represents seasoned relationship (even duty), strengthened by firm rules and commitment. Venus in Aries is fresh and fiercely independent and almost precisely the opposite. 

There is tension between these energies, over the next few weeks, as we figure out what works for us now.

Couples in business together, business relationships, whatever we are committed to and feel a duty toward will be challenged with a wake-up call from something else.

For today and this weekend there is a lovely Taurus Moon (think: comfort, nature) - enjoy it!!

xo all

Mercury Squares Uranus | a change of plans?

enjoy the silence by Catliv

Mercury (communication, information) in Capricorn squares Uranus (the unexpected, change) in Aries. News can be unexpected, surprising and even shocking. Plans can change. Our thinking can change.

The Moon (our emotions, women) is in compassionate Pisces and squaring Saturn (red light, time, authority, hard work) in Sagittarius (foreign, legal, politics, higher education, media, weddings).

Doesn't this all sound rather exactly like ex-Attorney General Yates (woman/Moon/Venus) using her authority to put a stop (Saturn) to the ban (Saturn) on immigration (Sagittarius) - an unexpected announcement/change of plans. And then getting a termination (Saturn) notice (Mercury) from Trump (Uranus) - another unexpected announcement/change of plans. AND Venus in Pisces (feminine compassion) is right now covering the same ground that Mars in Pisces (angry but unfocused masculine, protective masculine) walked last week. I believe it was also a female attorney in Brooklyn that issued the stay on the order this past Saturday. Amazing! And this is all part of a much bigger story that isn't over.

Now, the same energy that is so appropriately being played out in U.S. politics is at work in our own lives, too. 

New information changes an existing structure. Trying to hold onto the existing structure isn't going to work. Rules and commitments are shaken up. This is wildcard energy. See the weekly for more information. This is actually the easiest week of February - pace yourself.

xo all

NOTE - the Moon is void from 12:35PM to 4:45 PM EST - don't start anything new if you want something to "come of it", know that not much is likely to come of any problems that rear their heads then either, a good time for practiced routine work, a bad time to sign a contract or make a large purchase

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of January 30th - news, ideas and important conversations

mirrors by unisexbluess

Lots of news this week, so let's jump right into it!

On Monday (exact yesterday), Mercury (news, communications) is conjunct Pluto in Capricorn. The conversations we are having and the ideas we are sharing can be transformational. We are digging deep into whatever is happening. We are looking for the truth here. This will be about work, business, authority, all the structural underpinnings of our lives and/or our natal Capricorn house theme.

Pluto and Mercury bring the energy of investigation. If there is something you need to research - well, put on your Sherlock Holmes hat and grab your magnifying glass, the time is now.

This powerful meeting, along with Venus's move into her lengthy Aries/Pisces story, sets up the week ahead. Mars is in Aries now and all the planets are direct - get moving!

Venus (women, love, money, our values, our resources) starts to hit the degree she will re-walk during her upcoming retrograde - pay attention to what comes up now with any of these themes because we will be dealing with it again.

On Tuesday, Mercury (news, ideas, communications) still dealing with Pluto's structure-transforming energy now squares Uranus (if you are following American politics- remember every time I write Uranus this year, you can think - Trump) in Aries. This is wildcard energy. Maybe we get some surprising or shocking news. Maybe a spontaneous conversation or communication creates an unexpected reaction. Maybe we read something that gets us moving. With a planet in Aries squaring (tension) a planet in Capricorn - this is like the young (angry?) upstart creating trouble for the seasoned old timer. Rules and commitments can be shaken up now. This is excellent energy to fight for changes to the status quo via our words.

On Wednesday, Mercury - damn he's busy! expect lots of news and conversations this week  - sextiles (opportunity) Chiron in Pisces. Whatever is happening has the power to hurt ... and the power to heal. Stay positive.

On Thursday, Mercury (again - news, communications, ideas, also keep in mind Mercury rules our local neighborhood, siblings and transportation, in case something here is happening) squares Jupiter. This gives me the hope that whatever is happening will turn out for the best. We will be making plans for the future. We will be dealing with Jupiterian themes - legal, political, foreign, travel, higher education, media - maybe something here has outgrown the way we are currently dealing with it or maybe something here needs to be protected. With the big picture coming into focus, it is important to keep our attention on the details. Try not to over-promise or over-commit now. Soap box style pronouncements (over the top news) and arrogance are more likely.

On Friday, Venus exits watery Pisces, where she has been exalted, and moves into fiery Aries where she gets a tattoo and buys a Harley. Whatever is happening this week and into next, with our Venus themed love, money, values, women or beauty story, will be playing out until June. We will be figuring out what really matters here; what we really love and need. We will have eight planets in this area of the skies at the end of February and into March - whatever this story is for each of us, it will be BIG.

In Aries, our love, money, values and women, get fired up. There is initiative and confidence here. Aries Suns and ascendants get more attractive - both physically attractive and able to attract what they want. And so does everyone's natal Aries house.

I will write a post later in the week - just pay attention to what is happening this week in these areas because it is going to matter over the next few weeks as we go back and forth over the details.

The planets are forming a Cardinal T-Square. Cardinal signs initiate (they start the new seasons) and with Mercury the focus on the T-Square - we will likely feel pressure to do something with the news and information we are dealing with. So we'll do something. Last year we had those mutable aspects - all decisions, stuff in flux and uncertainties - this year our aspects will be cardinal. We will be taking action and starting things.

Words matter now, and they can take us in unexpected directions this week. It's best to stay focused on the facts and figures. Let's stay in our integrity (wholeness). We'll try not to spout off wild stuff that we can't back up - we'll try to be a little more understanding when people we do not agree with do this.

If an argument has been brewing or a conversation has been needing to happen, well, this is a good week for the words (or news, secrets, etc) that need to come out to come out. It might not feel good when it is happening but there is healing, and a larger story unwinding itself, too .... and the eclipses are coming.

xo all

(remember although it might not always feel like it - we really are all in this together)

Venus Square Saturn, New Moon in Aquarius, Mars into Aries | cold water splashed in our face

new beginning by anne wipf

So, have we learned something over the last few days? Venus hooking up with Chiron and running into Saturn - ouch!

Today we have multiple energies converging.  

We have Venus (love, money, what we want) squaring Saturn (the wall).

Squares are tense aspects. With squares some tension is needed to stimulate action, but too much tension causes stress. The planets within us and outside of us are working at cross purposes - there are obstacles here.

In this case, and we have been building toward this all week, so this might not be something that happens today, but you might be feeling the stress of it today - this is the cold facts hitting us in the face via a lack of love, money or resources.

Now, the way through every Saturn problem is always time or work and most likely a combination of the two. The answer to whatever is happening now is never going to be a shortcut (so get that shortcut thing right out of your head right now).

Nothing is gained by closing our eyes or turning away. Not this time. There is a new beginning here. Find it.

We know there is a new beginning because at the same thing we have the New Moon in Aquarius!

I have been having trouble following the Moons because it is always so cloudy here I can never see them (we wouldn't be seeing the Moon today anyway, of course).

If you think about the symbol for Aquarius - the water bearer (although she is not actually carrying water, but water works for today's energy) - well, we could imagine that water being splashed right in our face - and yes, it is icy cold and no, she doesn't care that you just applied your mascara and have a meeting with your boss in 10 minutes.

Or maybe that water is washing something away so we can see some situation or person clearly now.

People think Aquarius represents independence (nope, that's Aries), but more accurately Aquarius represents individuality. There is a difference. Think about it. There is an independent spirit here, yes, but since Aquarius rules the 11th house of groups, it shows people bound together by a cause. So, in Aquarius we find a better way to work together so it benefits everyone or else we go our own way. These are the only two outcomes for Aquarius. Aquarius is the space in your chart where it's never going to work to follow the crowd just for the sake of fitting in.

Our rough, uncomfortable edges are there for a reason. 

With the Sun and Moon meeting up in Aquarius today (where is 8 degrees Aquarius in your natal chart - there is a fresh start here) and with Saturn being the traditional ruler of Aquarius and Saturn having this lengthy conversation, first with Mars, and now with Venus, and with us heading into an eclipse season dealing with Aquarius - whatever is happening now isn't over - and that's probably a good thing because the situation requires adjustment, right? We have to fix this thing.

The great thing about that cold splash of water is we have rinsed the stars from our eyes. We might have to do this thing ourselves. Yes, that is most likely the way we will have to do it. This isn't forever, but for today we will have our own back. We will forgive ourselves for whatever the hell we avoided that got us here. We get a fresh start.

NEW MOON INTENTIONS

AFFIRMATION TIPS for your monthly New Moon:  always make affirmations from a  positive place (positive meaning both light hearted and certain) - write your affirmations down by hand in script, speak them out loud. Then release your attention from these things knowing that your intention is known. Know these things are already yours.

(I would recommend doing the intentions tomorrow - we'll have Mars in Aries by then and the energy of billions of people celebrating the newness of the Chinese Year of the Rooster)

We'll wake up Saturday morning with Mars in his home sign of Aries - this is great energy to get new stuff started (if it's very new and important - wait a day or so for that sliver of New Moon in the sky) and great energy to get old stuff done and also great energy to have a rip roaring fight. He will hang here until March 9th. We might want to pace ourselves.

Our Aries natal house gets a wake up call.

Aries suns and ascendants get - even more than usual - fired up! Aries is independent and Mars is uber-strong in this sign that he rules.

I take this as another signal whatever it is we have to do to get this train back on track, is up to us.

xo all

the upcoming retrogrades of Venus and Jupiter | what do we really want

The Bee by Natalia Drepina

Normally I don't pay much attention to Jupiter retrogrades, unless he is backing over planets or points in my natal chart. He is retrograde for large chunks of time (four out of every thirteen months) and similar things seem to occur when he is moving forward or appearing to move backward.

But this year we have Jupiter in Libra and answering to Libra's ruler Venus and Venus is also retrograde (March 4th- April 15th) for part of Jupiter's retrograde amplifying whatever is happening.

Also remember we have Saturn - the other middle planet, along with Jupiter, that impacts both of collective energies and our individual energies in somewhat equal measures - still in Sagittarius and Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter - who, as I just said, is hanging out in Libra and ruled by Venus.

There is a strong picture here of VENUS RULES. So her retrograde will be felt.

Now, looking ahead to after the Venus retrograde, which is like looking at the dessert menu before we have even eaten our salad - but yes, let's do that! From May through November - we will have a passionate Grand Trine in Fire involving Saturn, Uranus and the North Node (by this time in "I am not afraid to shine!" LEO) - this will allow us to move mountains and more than make up for the crap we have to wade through before we get there, I promise. But first we will have to put on our waders, which I hope for your sake are very TALL, and get through March and the first half of April.

Now, let's look at the degrees so you can look at your natal chart (or ask me) and we'll see what areas of life we are talking about for you personally - you are also influenced, often strongly if you have no planets or points at the following degrees, by the general themes of a Venus retrograde we will talk about.

Jupiter will station retrograde on February 6th at 23 degrees Libra. He will station direct on June 9th at 16 degrees Libra - then he'll walk forward getting back to 23 degrees Libra and proceed into new territory sometime in early September (he actually entered his shadow period on November 11, 2016). If you have planets or points from 16-23 degrees Libra (or to a lesser degree the other cardinal signs since he will square and oppose them - Aries, Cancer and Capricorn) you will have multiple opportunities for growth (or waste) and expansion.

If you have something you are wanting to start do it BEFORE February 6th and Jupiter will help expand it! Let's use every moment Jupiter is in Libra!

Now, Venus, the piece of the puzzle we are going to pay the most attention to because SHE RULES, is going to station retrograde on March 4th at 13 degrees Aries and move backward until she gets to 23 degrees Pisces (you can see she is much closer and faster and covers more ground) and station direct on April 15th. If you have planets or points in your natal chart from 23 - 29 degrees Pisces or from 0 to 13 degrees Aries, you will feel this retrograde the strongest as well as people with Libra or Taurus rising, because your chart is ruled by Venus.

But we will all be impacted - particularly within the themes of the houses in our chart that house 0-13 degrees Aries and 23-29 degrees Pisces AND within the themes Venus rules - love, money, our values, women and beauty.

HOW THIS WILL LIKELY PLAY OUT - Venus retrogrades are typically times (her last retrograde was the summer of 2015) when events transpire to show us what we value. 

Relationships are tested. The way we handle our money (and other resources including the planet Earth) is tested. 

The retrograde period itself isn't a time to make major changes - it's NOT  a good time to start a business or love relationship that we want to last, for example - it's a time things happen to get us to clarity so we can take action, if we choose to, when Venus is direct (after April 15th). Got it?

When Venus stands still in Aries in early March (and think of a planet standing still as you stilling your hand over a candle - much more powerful, and in the case of a candle painful - than a moving hand) we will also have the Moon, Uranus and Mars (very strong here) in Aries. AND the Sun, Mercury and Neptune all in drifty Pisces.

Something within the theme of our Aries/Pisces houses - or involving the Venus themes of love, money, or values - could (to use Pisces terminology) "drift off course", "evaporate" or "fade away". 

Something/someone that looked like a sure thing or our next big thing may turn out to be anything but and something/someone we had written off as over might "drift back into our lives", "re-awaken" or "re-appear".

We move from Aries (I want what I want, I want it now, I want what's mine) to Pisces (we are all one, the bigger picture, connection) and back and forth again. We figure out what we really want, what we value. This process is important.

Remember we really need to be going after the right stuff this year because we have the greatest chance we've had in a great while to actually get it!

And we want to get this stuff figured out NOW - there is no longer any "I'll figure this out tomorrow". Tomorrow is TODAY. I don't write this so we will all run off doing crazy ass things without thinking about them (although that crazy ass thing that makes your heart sing that you have been thinking about for quite a while well this could be exactly the year for THAT).

I write this only so we are all paying attention. If we are putting off stuff until we have all our ducks in a row - well this is the year those ducks line up, so be ready. The row of ducks may only look like a row of ducks if we drink two glasses of wine and squint into the Sun, but at some point even that will be good enough to get us moving. I promise.

By the end of the year Jupiter will be in Scorpio, Saturn will be in Capricorn, by the middle of 2018 Uranus will be in Taurus, Neptune in Pisces, Pluto in Capricorn and the North Node in Leo - this stuff is biblical - we want to be on course, and STRONG. Heroes and heroines will be needed.

I have a friend with a daughter disappearing (Pisces) on heroin (Pisces). There is a little less and less of her everyday. In many ways this is all of our stories now in the spaces we aren't vigilant, isn't it?

I have been poking and prodding this girl's natal chart for the times and ways her mother might reach her.

We have Neptune, so strong in Pisces until 2025, coaxing so many people with beautiful, imaginative energy into the dark void of illusion and delusion with its promises of "escape" - we all feel it to varying degrees, don't we? When the South Nodes moves out of Pisces in May and the North Node moves into Leo and especially when Saturn comes full strength next December in Capricorn - heroines will be needed. I just keep thinking of that little letter "e" that turns heroin into heroine.

And how when we hear the word spoken out loud we think first of the drug and not the woman and how we need to change that.

I have no idea what specifically this means you have to do - I do know we have to do what is right in front of us and follow our heart - we need to trust that this will get us lined up with the right stuff. Eat clean and meditate - truly there are so many studies and we need to fight this fogginess (sugar, wheat, drugs)!

(so many people say they have terrible memories now - and we are made of our memories! on the one hand this fogginess might make it easier for us to let go of things since it detaches us - on the other hand it makes us detached from each other since we are not remembering the things that keep us together!)

For now let's take NEW action by February 5th, then we'll back off a bit BUT KEEP MOVING, we'll see what Jupiter's station and the eclipses in February expand and eclipse out.

xo all

Mercury Sextile Neptune | when a picture is worth a thousand words

Semidarkness by Natalia Drepina

With Mercury, our words and language, (in all-business, just get 'er done Capricorn) sextiling Neptune (strong in dreamy Pisces) for the third time since December 10th (look for patterns!), this could be a good time to bring some imagination and a little "pie-in-the-sky" language into our conversations and communications.

Sextiles are opportunities, but they are often subtle and we miss them.

This is great energy to talk about our dreams. Just saying the words out loud can bring us the clarity we need or maybe the person we are talking to says exactly what we need to hear. Or maybe someone else needs us to listen to them. Words are magical now - use them carefully or we can choose to let our images do the talking for us. 

We can use this energy in the reverse, too. We can ground (Capricorn) our dreamy, airy-fairy conversations in the real world. We need both grounded and stable Saturn (ruler of Capricorn - Mercury is answering to him now) and Neptune (our dreams and imagination) to get anything done. And here they are shaking hands again!

This is the year everyone gets 'unstuck' and sometimes unstuck means a physical change and sometimes it means the clouds part and the fog lifts. And what we believe changes.

Remember we live in a vibrational Universe, but also in a world of contrast.

Often creative people get “strategically placed” in areas that need huge energetic help.

People who carry the vibration of truth or beauty or patience or empathy or joy or courage, etc - you see where this is going -  can arrive like human “seed bombs” into the spaces and situations they are needed.

When we can begin to embrace the greater purpose to our situation we start to decrease the resistance to us moving along to something better.

Keep this in mind. Speak (Mercury) with compassion (Pisces).

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of January 23rd - wrap it up, get extra rest, new cycles at the end of the week

Synchronization by Alexan dru Crisan

On Monday, Mercury (in Capricorn) sextiles Neptune (in Pisces) so Mercury ruled conversations, communications, ideas or information focused on our goals, career, business or with authority will flow smoothly (or we could put the other person to sleep - ack!).

Mystical Neptune could also center those communications or ideas on art, healing, boundaries or what is happening "behind the scenes."

On Tuesday, the Moon is void from 12:30pm to 5:45pm EST. This is not a good time to start anything new. The Moon (in Sagittarius) in squaring Mars (still in Pisces for a couple more days) which could bring tension and struggle with legal, political, foreign, educational, religious, travel or wedding situations. Productive energy today through Thursday, but remember it is the dark of the Moon and we are wrapping things up or releasing stuff.

On Wednesday, Venus and Chiron meet up in Pisces. This could involve a situation about something we can't have or didn't get. There could be disappointment and hurt feelings now. This might take us back to whatever happened with last week's Mars/Chiron conjunction and will push us toward Venus's Friday square with "the wall" Saturn and the bold Aquarius New Moon.

On Thursday, the ongoing T-Square that impacted the inauguration chart connects with the Moon in Capricorn. Emotional career, business, goal or authority situations connect with power players Jupiter (expansion), Uranus (revolution, change) and Pluto (transformation). This can bring unexpected changes and power plays. Our natal Cancer house will be where to focus to ease the tension. The Moon is dark, wants to rest and in its detriment in Capricorn - not wanting to deal with whatever might be hitting the fan - take some deep breaths here.

On Friday, Venus squares Saturn and we have the New Moon in Aquarius. I'll do a separate post - this is a BIG day. Then on Saturday - another BIG day, Mars comes home to Aries where he'll hang out until March 9th and kick off a new two year cycle in our Aries house. This will have us more motivated, more courageous and give us more energy and initiative! Our Aries house will be WIDE AWAKE and ready to kick butt. The Chinese New Year begins and Mercury makes his annual conjunction with Pluto which kicks off another new cycle - this one in our Capricorn natal house and/or with our ongoing Capricorn themes - business, career, goals, responsibilities and limits. We'll talk about this in another post, too!

After we get a little sliver of New Moon in the sky - it will be all systems GO until at least February 6th. There aren't many GO periods in the early part of this year, if we need/want it - it's here.

After that, eclipse season is coming and will take us back to February 1998 - where were you then? That was a very challenging time for me and the eclipse is exactly conjunct my mid-heaven at 22 degrees Leo -a nail biter.

xo all

new world ... part II

Elle voulait voir (she wanted to see) by Leona Snow

Part I is HERE

Let's finish up this look at the inauguration chart by comparing it to Trump's natal chart.

The first thing I see is the Aquarius Sun in the inauguration day chart is conjunct Trump's 6th house cusp. The 6th house rules our health and work. This could give him energy and vitality with his daily work and also a focus on jobs, but also shine a light on his health (also the country's healthcare issues!) or bring to light issues with his health. I don't know if he ever had a complete physical - I remember his doctor was very vague on the papers that were released. Hopefully as he focuses on his day to day activities he will also focus on his health. He will certainly be focused on the 6th house issues of jobs and healthcare. 

His natal Sun and natal Uranus (2nd house - values, money, security) oppose the inauguration day Saturn (8th house - death, transformation, karma). Gemini Suns have been dealing with Saturn opposing them since Saturn moved into Sagittarius over a year ago and have another year to go. He has certainly faced many obstacles and succeeded. In this chart the opposition is pretty exact though. Saturn is time, work, restrictions. This shows obstacles, roadblocks from authority - he will need to focus and clarify his purpose

His Mercury (communication, information) is strong in the 3rd house (which it rules) of the inauguration chart - it will be hard/unlikely for him to stop tweeting! It opposes the inauguration chart's Mercury in the 9th house. Since the 9th house rules the media, legal issues, the courts, higher truth, foreign issues, foreign trade, immigration, higher education - his communications will continue to be at odds with these themes - no big news here.

There is an astrological configuration called a 'mystic rectangle' when we compare Trump's natal chart with the inauguration day chart. This is a connection with four planets. We have two planets in opposition to each other and separated by a sextile - it looks like an envelope. 

When found in a person's natal chart the envelope contains a gift - from the person to the world. When the person gives their gift to the world, they are rewarded in kind. 

In this case it involves Trump's 2nd, 6th, 8th and 12th houses. We can make a word sandwich with these house themes - (2nd) money, values, security, personal resources (6th) health, daily activities, work, (8th) death, rebirth, transformation, other people's resources, karma (12th) illness, lies, hidden enemies or alliances, stuff put away, secrets, self-sabotage, escape, addiction, imagination.

We'll have to see how this plays out.

There is also a T-Square here involving Trump's natal Venus/Saturn conjunction and the inauguration chart's Uranus and Jupiter. This one also involves the 6th and 12th houses and the 4th house of home, family, country. Since Venus is the ruler of Trump's mid-heaven (career, public reputation, life's goal) Taurus and his "home" is now The White House (his place of work) this year's Uranus/Jupiter opposition - one of the big ongoing aspects in 2017 - will be impacting him big time.

(and with his natal Uranus/Sun conjunction I think whenever I say "Uranus" in the weekly forecasts - and you can pronounce this either way, long a or short a, depending on your feelings about the President and these could change, too, as we move along - anyway, when I write Uranus, you can think Trump)

He has many challenging periods over the next year (through October 2017 at least) including the fact our total solar eclipse in August - what astronomers are calling The Great American Eclipse because it will be so visible in the United States - will be conjunct his ascendant (first house cusp, his physical self). Eclipses are giant cosmic resets and eclipse something out. This one will last for two minutes, so it's effects will be felt for two years.

He needs to be cautious, but I don't think he can/will be. Whatever he is here to bring us, he is going to bring us.

Asbury Park NJ Women's March

Think about Sunday's Women's March with millions of women marching around the world and the kind of energetic shift we will see over time from this - is there any other person who could have created this?

If Hillary had been elected I don't think we would have seen this. And not if Bernie had won either.

We are ending centuries of patriarchy and moving into equality. It takes what it takes. It won't be pretty.

And truly Trump's chart, as ugly as it is sometimes, also shows a larger than life energy for change and transformation, a passion to win and a deep caring for family and country. There are always diamonds - hopefully he/we will unearth them. Also as he changes us, we change him, too. The Universe is never static and free will is always present in all situations. We will hope, and work, for the best outcome for all of us.

People keep asking me if it looks like he will finish out his term. I think there are indicators he might not. Maybe if he makes it through October, he will finish. But when we look ahead to the inauguration of 2020 (2020 is going to be a HUGE year astrologically) his chart still fits right in with where we will likely be then. 

 
With Trump's natal Uranus/Sun conjunction his actions and outcomes really can't be predicted and now that his chart is enmeshed with the U.S. chart, the United States can't be predicted either. We also have the North Node moving into Leo in May - people who are not stepping into their own spotlight and responsibility might be looking for a "King". It's hard to say.

I have tried to write these two posts in as unbiased a manner as I could. 

 Here is a post I wrote about both Clinton and Trump before the election. But the astrologer is always present in any astrology forecast (and if you are a regular reader you know I am a bit of a negative thinker). I'm going to leave these posts in the feed for a week and then bury them a bit. They will still be searchable by subject. I want to keep this blog as nonpolitical as I can - although obviously sometimes events factor into the weeklies.

I don't want anyone to feel unwelcome here. We are all in this together and we need to remember whoever won the 2016 election would have been stepping into very similar landmines!

xo all

new world .....

new world by ceecore

I try not to talk politics here, but thought it would be interesting to look at the new administration's chart to see what we see. This post won't be here for long - I don't really want it in my blog feed, but a few people have asked me about it so I'll leave it searchable if you look for it another time.

Trump took the oath of office at exactly 12 noon. An astrology chart set up for precisely that moment in Washington D.C. - we'll call it the inauguration chart - will tell us alot about what he/and we will be dealing with for the next four years. We also have the ingress charts as he moves through his term - the chart for the day the Sun moves into a cardinal sign and ushers in a new season - but today's chart provides a good overview.  

Remember this chart would apply to whoever won the election, assuming they were sworn in at this customary time.

Then we'll add Trump's natal chart to this chart and we'll have something personalized to his Presidency (comparing two charts in astrology is called synastry).

First, let's see what the skies looked like at noon in D.C. We know alot about what is happening from this week's forecast and dailies. We know the Sun has just moved into Aquarius and the Moon is in Scorpio today.

Scorpio and Aquarius are both fixed signs that square each other. Since Trump was born with his Sun conjunct Uranus (ruler of Aquarius) he is the Sun in this chart - he would be anyway, but damn it is so, so accurate. The Moon in a mundane chart represents 'the people' or 'the public'. We have Trump squaring the people or the people squaring Trump. And we have the Sun and Moon in fixed signs so everyone's positions are pretty dug in and rigid. This is also the 'mommy and daddy are fighting' aspect that will probably represent the two political parties.

We have all planets moving ahead (no planets retrograde and this is VERY unusual) so he will be off to the races right out of the gate! No looking backward - he will only be looking ahead.

Noon puts the Sun in the 10th house at the top of the chart - the house of career and government. This is why I should have known the inauguration (moment he takes the oath) is precisely at noon - our founding fathers, many Freemasons, knew astrology and knew what they were doing here.

This year the ruler of the 10th house (Uranus) is in the 12th house in Aries. This shows Trump using initiative and energy and yes, anger or impulsive action (Aries) to change and revolutionize (Uranus) government, business, societal structures (10th house). Even though his recent appointments don't look much like he is "draining the swamp" - this configuration gives him the focus and power to create fast and maybe unexpected changes. With Aries in the 12th house, much of this work will be 'behind the scenes', maybe 'clouded in secrets, maybe even deception', somethings might just disappear or drift away or he could drift off purpose. He could have hidden enemies and secret alliances.

Aries is ruled by Mars (war, action) and Mars is in the 11th house of friends. And the 11th house, Pisces in this chart, also houses Mercury, Venus and Chiron. Remember we have alot of Pisces right now - why it's hard to tell what is real from what is not real. This will continue with this administration - hard to tell what is true.

Pisces in the 11th house makes friendships rather unreliable and mutable. If you are born with Pisces here you can't always count on your friends and they can't always count on you. With so many planets in this space our relationships with other countries will be a focus and will be subject to change.

Mars is conjunct Chiron - this could be some wounding to masculinity or the military (maybe the Navy since it's in Pisces, but I might be stretching things) over the next four years. Mars is also making a tense aspect to Jupiter in the 6th house which rules 'health' and work. Maybe something happens militarily that has a negative impact on our nation's health or ability to work. The Moon is also in that 6th house and represents 'the people'. This is probably not good news.

You might remember we talked the other day about Mars squaring Saturn (that was the live to fight another day post). The inauguration chart has Mars (military, action) in that 11th house (friends) squaring Saturn (authority, limits, walls) in the 9th house in Sagittarius (religion, foreigners, legal issues, the media). Squares denote tension and conflict. You can kind of see where this is going.

The U.S. is a Cancer country - born on the 4th of July, after all, and Cancer rules the 4th house of home, family and patriotism. In this chart we have Cancer strong in the 4th house and we have the ruler of Cancer, the Moon, in the 6th house of the nation's health (healthcare?) and our day to day work. This is a good indicator that Trump's focus will be on the health of the nation and getting people working. This is good. Now this is what we usually see in these inauguration charts (since they are always the same day and time). Every President wants to do good for the health of the nation, Trump does, too.

The good news - the Moon is sextile Mercury so Trump will have easy conversations with 'the people' and his words will make people feel listened to and comforted. Venus is sextile Pluto (my post from this morning) - this should be good for women's issues and money. I know that sounds unlikely at this moment, but I think tomorrow's marches for women around the country will make a difference! This is also about the country being passionate about what we love and loving what we are passionate about.

With Capricorn ruling the 10th (government) and answering to Saturn (Saturn rules Capricorn) in the 8th (death, rebirth, other people's assets, karma, transformation) in Sagittarius much of the government's focus will be on foreign policy, immigration, legal issues, religion, maybe the media.  And with Pluto - the planet of transformation and karma, in Capricorn in the 9th house squaring Jupiter (in Libra/6th house) and squaring Uranus (in Aries/12th house). Well, that's a whole lot of tension.

Some of these challenges are not so dissimilar to the ones Obama faced.

Jupiter (in Libra/6th house) has multiple aspects. Many astrologers see Jupiter as always beneficial, but I know from my own life that Jupiter's expansion (not to mention being literally full of hot air, well gases anyway) expands both positive and negative things. I am not liking Jupiter all squished up here in the 6th house and squaring the Sun, Pluto and the chart's mid-heaven and opposing Uranus. It feels like whatever expands will not be for the best or what needs to expand will get squashed.

It could be the 'expansions' of his administration run into a lot of roadblocks or are just not good for society.

The biggest challenge with the inauguration chart is a T-Square between Uranus, Jupiter and Pluto - all power players. Uranus opposite Jupiter in Libra - feels to me like unexpected, unbalanced and/or unfair actions that are either overblown (overstated by the media, maybe) or create big tension. Alliances can change quickly. This T-Square is challenging. We'll look at it again.

Well, I'm getting a headache and going to call it a night. There is alot more to look at. Hopefully will polish this off over the weekend by adding his natal chart to the mix!

Going to the Women's March tomorrow in Asbury Park, NJ. Have a wonderful Saturday everyone!

xo all