Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of December 18th - HUGE week, New Moon, Saturn home to Capricorn through the houses, Winter Solstice, Mercury stations direct, stepping into our authority, moving on, thoughts become things

through the distance by Julie of the world tree

This is a BIG week with a New Moon, Saturn's move home to Capricorn, the Winter Solstice, and Mercury stationing direct!

First, late tonight (Sunday) at 1:30 EST we have the Sun and Moon meeting up in Sagittarius.

This is a powerful New Moon - I wrote more on the Moon HERE - ruled by Jupiter and conjunct Saturn happening at a time when Saturn, the Sun and Moon are all sitting very near the Galactic Center. Although this is a NEW Moon offering a fresh beginning and fresh energy in our Sagittarius house - it is also an excellent time for releasing outworn beliefs as Saturn makes his final moves through this sign before coming home to Capricorn on Tuesday.

The situations/activities/problems we are dealing with at the New Moon are not new situations, but the Moon's trines to both Uranus and Pallas (both in fiery initiative Aries) shows us we have access to new and innovative solutions.

Try something else. Make a new game plan. Write down what you want to have happen/what you want to do next/what you want to receive/what you are ready to give.

This New Moon coming at the end of Sagittarius gives us the advantage of hindsight. What has this past month's Mercury retrograde taught us? What has been on our mind? What information has come in or been clarified for us? How can those teachings be applied now?

However we use this New Moon energy the results will begin to be felt quickly.

Saturn's move into Capricorn will solidify our words/ideas and when Mercury stations direct at the end of the week we will see developments and receive answers/decisions.

On MONDAY, the Capricorn Moon is ambitious. We can get alot done. Wrap up those holiday loose ends, too.

On TUESDAY, Saturn ingresses into his home sign of Capricorn at 11:50PM EST. Saturn has been uber uncomfortable the last couple years in Sagittarius answering to Jupiter. Now, for better and for worse Saturn can be Saturn. Collectively, the things he rules - government, big business, large institutions, the underpinnings of society - can get more stable and more stuck - although we still have Pluto moving through Capricorn (2008-2023) clearing out the dead wood. Rules are enforced. Daddy comes home.

Saturn rules authority and wants everyone to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. Let's hope we have some bootstraps - I think I left mine at a dry cleaners in 1997.

In our individual lives the beliefs we have been refining during Saturn's journey through Sagittarius become real for us, from the ground up, during these years in Capricorn. This means we have to take responsibility for them.

The way we believe life works becomes the way life actually works.

Our Sagittarius natal house gets freed up from Saturn's restriction. So yes, your problems are over and yes, there is a whole new set of problems over there. But at least they will be new problems/challenges/adventures!

His move out of Sagittarius will feel good, because this is a house we are not so naturally structured and regulated. If we have used Saturn well the last two and a half years we could see rewards for our past efforts come in now.

(NOTE - depending our your individual natal chart Saturn may not actually be moving house this week, for example in my own chart Saturn won't exit my 2nd house (hallelujah!) for my third until he gets to 18 degrees Capricorn. So although I will feel his shift into Capricorn - ruler of my 3rd house - I will feel it again, probably stronger, when Saturn actually arrives in my 3rd house (did I say hallelujah?!)

The other thing to keep in mind is that Saturn moving home to Capricorn AFTER the New Moon in Sagittarius - with Saturn in Sagittarius - may delay some of these changes a bit over the next 6 months as we work through the New Moon energy.

Saturn in Capricorn will require everyone to walk their talk. Responsibilities and limits will be defined. Do this, get that. Don't do this, that falls apart. I have said before our natal Capricorn house is an area of life we already take seriously.

Yes, winter is coming. But, trust me, unless you have been partying your way through the canned beans like it's 1999, your pantry is stocked. 

Here's how this could play out for you. If you know your rising sign (and you should know your rising sign) - that one could be more accurate than your Sun sign - check both:

ARIES (Capricorn 10th house) - Saturn coming home to your 10th house of career/public image says it is time to take this stuff seriously - yes, I know you already take this stuff seriously Aries! But, now you will be required to step up to the plate, step into your responsibility, change what isn't working to see results - there will be rewards over the next two to three years for the hard work you put into this area of life. Any slacking off/shortcuts will come back to bite you in the butt. If you are dragging around a dead career Saturn will see to it that it gets a nice funeral. A brand new career is possible. You might have to build it from the ground up.

TAURUS (Capricorn 9th house) - Saturn coming home to your house of travel, higher education, foreign people/places, legal issues, publishing, weddings, the media says it is time to take this stuff seriously. Sober and dedicated efforts made in any of these directions will pay off over time. A half-assed attempt at anything here will land you on it. For your sake I hope it's bouncy. The best news for you may be that Saturn is 'exiting stage left' your 8th house of other people's resources/money, debts, loans, taxes, sex, intimacy, reproduction, so situations dealing with these issues will start to ease up and rewards will come in for your hard work over the last three years within these areas. Do I hear a collective Taurean sigh of relief? YES!

GEMINI (Capricorn 8th house) - Saturn coming home to your 8th house of other people's resources, sex, death, intimacy, debts, taxes, loans, inheritance, spouse's income says it is time to take this stuff seriously. What is mine? What is theirs? What is ours? Over the next two and a half to three years these issues will become more clearly defined. I am not going to sugar-coat this, this is a tough transit. You have had Saturn in your relationship house for the last couple years, and that hasn't been a picnic either. Alot of what happens now will depend on what you worked through then. A relationship could end or maybe the intimacy just kind of fades to black for a bit. Now stuff has been known to "rise from the ashes" in the 8th house, but it is going to take work. And that is OK. The 8th house is your natural Capricorn house - the space you have always had to work - so now you have Saturn to give you a wall to push against. The wall is your friend. You've got this thing Gemini!

CANCER (Capricorn 7th house) - Saturn coming home to your 7th house of partnerships says it is time to take this stuff seriously. Relationships started over the next couple years could bring you additional responsibilities. Business partnerships will require firm rules of duty and obligation and firm boundaries. Existing relationships will become more clearly defined as parties become more self-sufficient and self-governing. If you are relying on someone else for something you should be doing for yourself or carrying for yourself, that kind of dependency will end. Committed relationships could strengthen and casual relationships could commit. Anything less than that will fade to black. Saturn's 'exit stage left' from your 6th house of health and your day-to-day routine should lighten your load in these areas. Whew!

LEO (Capricorn 6th house) - Saturn coming home to your 6th house of health and your day-to-day routine says it is time to take this stuff seriously. What you eat, how you move your body, what you do everyday, any health issues will require your committed focus. This is an excellent transit (the next three years) to "get your act together". Tend to medical issues as they crop up. Take care of yourself. There could be changes in your daily routine due to increased responsibilities/work load. Saturn is 'exiting stage left' your 5th house of children, romance, creative projects - something here that has required your hard work has peaked/culminated.

VIRGO (Capricorn 5th house) - Saturn coming home to your 5th house of children, creative projects, FUN and romance says it is time to take this stuff seriously. This is the Leo ruled house we have been talking about all year - what does your heart want? Well, you are about to find out dear Virgo. This stuff won't come easy - you are going to have to work for it and plan for it, but Saturn assures that much can be accomplished here if you step into your responsibility. Saturn is 'exiting stage left' your 4th house of home and family so pressure here will start to ease up.

LIBRA (Capricorn 4th house) - Saturn coming home to your 4th house of home and family says it is time to take this stuff seriously. The cracks in your foundation will be mended over the next three years or the whole place will be torn down. Additional responsibilities within the home or for family members is likely. Home businesses will require additional time commitments and hard work to succeed. Family situations will worsen if neglected. If you move homes during this transit the move is likely to be long-lasting and bring stability. Be sure any home renovations are done with quality products and responsible vendors.

SCORPIO (Capricorn 3rd house) - Saturn coming home to your 3rd house of communication, writing, speaking, the local community, siblings, transportation says it is time to take this stuff seriously. Thoughts become things now so think about what you are thinking about. Words need to be more deliberately used. Relationships within your local community or with siblings become more sober. You could be required to step up or into your own authority in some way. Learning, teaching, writing will bring rewards but require hard work. Official documents will be signed. Verbal and written commitments should be taken very seriously because they will be built to last. Saturn's 'exit stage left' of your 2nd house of finances should ease up the pressure here.

SAGITTARIUS (Capricorn 2nd house) - Saturn coming home to your 2nd house of finances, self-esteem and personal resources says it is time to take this stuff seriously. Start a budget. Do it now. Know where your money is coming from and where it is going. Streamline. Trim the fat. Saturn will firm up your financial foundation by requiring you to be responsible and disciplined with your resources. The best news for you is Saturn is exiting your sign - YAY! - the things you have worked hard with and committed to over the last two and half to three years will bring rewards now. 

CAPRICORN (Capricorn 1st house) - Saturn is coming home to your 1st house of yourself dear Capricorn. You are used to Capricorn/Saturnian energy because you have marinated in it since birth. Unlike the other signs when Saturn comes to call - you are ready for him! His move into your first house could require you to step into a new responsibility and deal with added pressure and authority. Your entire persona could change over the next three years. You will be ambitious. Well, OK, more ambitious. Is that possible Capricorn? There's that mountain. Here you are. Enjoy the view, because I know you are going to reach the top!

AQUARIUS (Capricorn 12th house) - Saturn coming home to your 12th house of what is happening behind the scenes and what is hidden from view says it is time to take this stuff seriously. Make the time to be alone. Make the time to meditate. Do charity work. Something will be pulled out of the closet and worked through during Saturn's stay here. Something major will end to free up the time/space. Saturn here is preparing you for the years ahead when Saturn moves into Aquarius on March 21, 2020. You will be ready!

PISCES (Capricorn 11th house) - Saturn coming home to your 11th house of friendships, groups and the internet says it is time to take this stuff seriously. Some friendships will end and others will become more committed. Your relationship to the "group" may require you to step into added responsibility and pressure. The good news for you dear Pisces is Saturn is 'exiting stage left' your 10th house of career so work pressures will start to ease up. Changes to your career are possible - if something ends now, it is meant to end - let it go. Rewards for your hard work at work could come in now, too.

On WEDNESDAY, the Moon is void all day so not a good time to start anything brand new. Venus will be trining Uranus which is good energy for social activities.

On THURSDAY, the Sun moves into Capricorn marking the Winter Solstice and the shortest day of the year. I will do a post. With Saturn near by this could be a more somber/reflective time than usual, but "serious" is the new black folks. An active Mars in the morning could make everyone testy. Walk away from any potential confrontations.

On FRIDAY, Mercury stations direct in Sagittarius. Answers come in. Decisions are made. Life moves forward. I will do a post.

By the end of the first week of January we will have all the planets, even Uranus, moving direct! 2018 should feel "new" right away - as opposed to the last couple years when we had so much of the sky retrograde we were kind of dragging ourselves forward with one eye on the rear-view mirror.

This year it will be full steam ahead.

xo all

New Moon in Sagittarius | starting from an older wiser position, growing younger, shaping the energies for the quest ahead, the ducks start lining up, that new door to the left where'd that door come from?

...... by Frozen-photo

We have our annual New Moon in Sagittarius at 1:30AM Sunday night.

This Moon will bring us back (emotionally/maybe literally), as it bangs up against previous Mercury retrograde touchstones, to late November/early December when Mercury squared Chiron, trined Uranus and conjuncted Saturn - all things the Moon is doing now!

Our Mercury retrograde re-visions, re-works, questions and answers play into this one. So, we have the energy of the New Moon, very late in the game, but likely at the time when we can make the best use of it!

The Sun and Moon are at 26 degrees Sagittarius - conjunct the Galactic Center (!), conjunct Saturn (moving home to Capricorn two days later), squaring Chiron (in Pisces) and trining Uranus and Pallas (in Aries).

Now Sagittarius is a mutable sign. The mutable signs prepare us for the change into the next season and this Moon really has her work cut out for her!

New Moons are the time to set new intentions and working with Sagittarius themes (and the themes of your Sagittarius natal house) allow the natural energies to work with us.

As the Moon naturally waxes (grows) over the next two weeks, and really over the next 6 months, so does whatever our intentions set into motion.

Sagittarius is a fun-loving sign (ruled by Jupiter and ruler of our 9th house) that rules travel, freedom, adventure, legal issues, higher education, politics, the media, good luck, faith, religion, weddings, optimism, truth seekers, boldly going where no man has gone before, the quest  - it also rules carelessness, taking shortcuts, thinking we are right, making assumptions, throwing pink paint on problems and hoping they will go away, overconfidence, impatience and superficial fluff.

Besides the monthly lunar energy of "new beginnings" this particular Moon has its own relationship with the other players in the heavens based on its position.

Yes, this is a NEW BEGINNING focused on our QUEST, but since this is happening at the end of Sagittarius and we are about to step into so much Capricorn, we will not be able to ignore the reality of our current situation.

We will not be able to skip steps or bypass any regulations. If we "do not pass GO, we will not collect our $200". Those tall buildings Sagittarius likes to leap, well we can still get to the top but we are going to have to take the stairs. Eat your veggies and do some stretches first.

The square to Chiron lets us know something here is going to hurt. Maybe something isn't the way we want it to be. We could be reminded of wasted time and resources. Whatever this is, it matters. Don't sweep it under the rug because Saturn is coming in with a Dyson.

Feel the pain. It's the price of our ticket for this ride on Planet Earth. Let's resolve to do better. We always, always get another chance.

The trine to Uranus lets us know there is something exciting and innovative about this New Moon energy and yes, it could take us by surprise. Maybe it is something involving the internet or the group or a cause. Maybe it is simply a fresh idea whose time has come. Head toward that. Yes, we might have some unfinished business here, but we can still set our sights, and take action toward, that. Whatever we do will need to be grounded in reality.

The trine to Pallas (also in Aries and stationing direct just hours before the New Moon) lets us know our re-worked strategies, passions and battle plans will be needed.

With Saturn so close and so strong our options will probably be limited. We have to work with what we have and deal with where we are. We will also have to work with what we have learned in the last month. B has to follow A now and we will likely have one eye on the road ahead and one eye on the rear-view mirror!

The Sagittarius rocket-ship could crash land in a couple days (if it ever gets off the launching pad) and we are going to have to truck our butts (and baggage) onto the Capricorn train that will,

yes, stop at every station, and yes, require us to work our butts off and even toss our backs out now and then when we need to shovel coal into stalled engines and clear snow from icy tracks. 

BUT the train's slower pace will allow us to notice/experience things we would have missed on our rocket ship ride and when we arrive at our destination (in about 2.5 years) we will be stronger and sager. Guaranteed.

There is so much happening next week I wanted to get this post up early.

If you do not always do your New Moon intention setting, it is a good idea to DO THIS ONE.

The North Node is still in heart-centered Leo and this is also a fiery New Moon, let your heart guide you.

As always, write your New Moon intentions down by hand in script. Use strong ink and a clean sheet of paper. Do this in a quiet, respectful manner in a clean space. Vesta is still near enough to Jupiter and Jupiter is the ruler of this New Moon. Light a candle, and keep it burning for as long as you safely can, to honor her devotion.

Trust the process. We have cast our spell.

People always say that affirmations "only work if we take action". And this is true, but not in the way most people think because the affirmation is action.

It sets the energy in motion. Words are not just words. If done properly, in the right frame of mind, they line us up energetically with the thing we are seeking.

The new moon is a time of darkness. Think seeds in the ground. Your words are your seeds. Next week is huge so make some time this weekend to think about how you would like to work with this energy.

xo all

Venus Conjunct Mercury | love is in the air, say what you want, balanced communications, balance the books, talking to women, getting along, tell someone you love them

fatigue curves 2 by boratarhan

We have a long Void Moon during the work day today, making this a good day for routine, practiced tasks, but not a good day to start/launch something brand new.

Many people will likely find a way to take the day off.

We have Mercury and Venus together at 17 degrees Sagittarius. They last met up back in mid-March when Venus was retrograde and now they meet with Mercury the one doing his backward thing. This is a nice aspect that makes communications (Mercury) balanced and diplomatic (Venus).

Say (Mercury) what you want (Venus).

No babble allowed now. Choose the words that reflect your most positive position - yes, meaning both certain and covered in pink-paint.

This is Sagittarius we are talking about - BIGGER is better. Be optimistic. 

(words always matter, but especially now, so if you are out to lunch today and biting into a tasty salad - I know you are eating salad right, that's not a donut in your hand is it - instead of saying "this isn't bad", a boisterous "this is delicious!" will attract more deliciousness your way now - truly, try it, this isn't new age hoopla, this is old age magic)

Pay someone a compliment.

Both Mercury (communication, learning, talking, writing, siblings, commerce, language, transportation - of things, people, ideas) and Venus (love, money. beauty. women, self-esteem, our values, attraction) are trining (brakes off) Ceres in Leo.

Ceres is about nurturing, growth, the seasons of our life - mothers, daughters. What are we wanting to grow here? What needs our care and attention? Again this is about our Leo house - the way we are meant to shine in the world. What our heartbeat is seeking that seeks our heartbeat right back. WHAT DO YOU WANT?

Mercury is still retrograde. He spoke with Ceres back on November 16th so this could be about re-thinking/re-hashing a previous conversation, asking again, talking about the issue again. Re-looking at some prior information.

Whatever it is we want - the first seed is always the thought that we want it. Then the words. Venus is making our conversations magnetic now. Be clear. Speak up. Talk to a woman. It will be easier to find agreement because we will feel the need to be in agreement. Balance the books. Talk about money. This energy is good for relationship communications, too. The Void Moon (in Scorpio) could help this along by making conversations intimate enough to be connecting, but not intimate enough for anything disagreeable/too challenging to surface.

Next week we have some of the biggest astrology of the year, so get some rest and have some fun this weekend.

I will write about the week ahead over the weekend. IT'S HUGE.

Tell someone (ok, lots of someones) you love them.

Say what you really want/like/need. Loud and proud.

Call your mother - or thank someone who has mothered you. Call your daughter - or thank someone who has allowed you to mother them. Hug a tree. Thank Mother Earth.

Mercury will trine (brakes off) Ceres one more time on New Year's Eve - this time moving direct - that could be the answer/decision/movement forward - full steam ahead moment set into motion now.

xo all

Venus Trine the North Node | lining up money/ love matters with our heart, journeying with an open heart, giving what we want to get, getting in proportion to what we have given away, born to do this

joan quote

Venus (love, money, beauty, self-esteem, our values) in Sagittarius trines (brakes off) the North Node in Leo (our collective way forward as we follow our heart/Sun).

Now our natal Sagittarius and Leo houses always enjoy an innate ability to work together.

But today's exact lineup of planetary inhabits in these areas at 16 degrees - (where is 16 Sag in your natal chart? where is 16 Leo)

VENUS and the NORTH NODE - give these houses/themes extra oomph.

Maybe with Venus sextiling the South Node - there is some kind of "reward/payback" here for money/love previously spent/given out. Trines can be subtle so the "reward" may not come in the form of a year-end bonus (although it might), but could be more like an internal knowing that things are going to be just fine. A sense of ease.

This would be a good time to give what we are wanting to get. 

Remember the trine is toward the North Node. The more we are able to do something new, the more we are able to connect with these energies.

If action is required (and it might not be and it certainly won't be big action) - this won't be something we don't want to do.

Leo/the Sun is about following our heart - so this will always be about something that is seeking us because we are equally seeking it. This would be movement toward something that requires us to work our Leo, work our Sun - to be brave and confident, to be creative - something we would be proud to be 'known' for. Something that puts us on our natural 'stage'. That provides us with our innately deserved 'crown'. Whatever these energies are lining up in our lives - we were born to do this.

Mercury is still retrograde promising twists and turns. Sometimes connections with the North Node during a Mercury retrograde could point us in an entirely different direction. Keep your eyes and heart open now. Venus is in Sagittarius so this may be more about the big picture. No matter what has come before for all of us we have many, many more wonderful days ahead.

Saturn comes home to Capricorn in 5 days.

What can we celebrate now?

xo all

Mercury Retrograde Conjunct the Sun | what information is being spotlighted for you? what has come to light? transparency, truth, it ain't over 'til it's over

11835547086 by kosmodisk

Moving backward (from our view on Earth) Mercury hits the halfway point of his/her retrograde - meeting up with the Sagittarius Sun at 17 degrees.

Called the Sun's inferior conjunction to Mercury - information, maybe answers, will 'come to light' now. 

Whatever a retrograde Mercury has us working on re-leasing, re-working or re-vising will be in the spotlight.

Remember that Mercury is still retrograde, so today's 'answer' is not the final, final.

BUT we can trust that what we learn now is the real deal.  

We are not through working with it though.

This aspect is good for giving a fiery (visible) speech. Good for business dealings. Commerce (Mercury) is active (the Sun) - with people making purchases more in line with their beliefs (Sagittarius) and how they see themselves (the Sun). Maybe just shopping for themselves. Our creativity (the Sun) is active and in flux (Mercury). Good for writing. We can do two things at once today and get alot done. People will be busy and active. And opinionated. 

Jupiter is sitting with Vesta at 13 degrees Scorpio - expansion/optimism of what we are devoted to.

Vesta is the Goddess of hearth and home. Her sacred flame in the temple of Vesta was kept alive 24/7 by the Vestal Virgins (Virgin meaning woman who wasn't owned by a man) to warm the city and provide a space of peace and stability.

Vesta has been in deep Scorpio since November 15th (through January 14th) asking us to honor our shadows. This doesn't mean we let our shadow energies (taboo, obsession, secrets, control. manipulation) run the show, but it is time we commit ourselves to understanding/honoring their place in our story.

During this transit we are intended to work with 'what we have been refusing to look at'.....

Sit with the parts of yourself that are fearful. Don't try to change anything. Just imagine yourself creating a warm and safe space for these denied stepchildren. Light a candle. Commit to keeping the fire burning today.

Vesta's meeting with Jupiter now will expand whatever this transit is about for us. If we can collaborate with (not control) Jupiter in Scorpio's incredible power and re-lease the fear/judgement - what would be possible here? Almost anything.

xo all

Mars into Scorpio | strategy, what we do in secret, compulsion, obsession, passion, strengthening our emotions, plastic wire ties

What grows in me by Anina-Bird

The Moon is in Virgo today focusing us on the nuts and bolts of whatever we have going on. If you woke up worrying or focused on a to-do list - this is why. Ha!

Late tonight and really very early Sunday morning we will have Mercury trining Uranus - with Sagittarius and Aries energies in play this is about assimilating an ideal/belief into our personal identity. It could also indicate a sudden change of plans (for the better), meeting new people or unexpected news.

If you sell things, tonight and tomorrow's aspects will be good energy for people to be engaging in commerce (Mercury). Purchases will likely be practical with that Virgo Moon, but they could be impulsive (Uranus).

The big news today if we take a step back is Mars moves from his detriment in Libra into a much stronger position in Scorpio (a sign he once ruled) until January 27th.

With Mars (action, initiative, passion, anger) here we will think about what we are going to do before we do it. Scorpio likes to premeditate. And, yes, that sounds slightly criminal and mostly devious, but this is Scorpio we are talking about! This energy works pretty well with the Mercury retrograde energy we are already dealing with now - re-do, re-visit, re-think, re-vamp, re-define.

We could be doing things in secret. Shh!

Mars here can be good for our physical energy since Scorpio is continually re-generating itself. So, maybe we go to bed exhausted and drained, but somehow we still wake up ready to give the world another go.

Because Scorpio rules our 8th house of compulsions and obsessions we could find our actions driven by our impulses. If you find yourself caught in a loop - STOP - ask yourself - why am I doing this again? why am I so mad? why do I want this so badly? what am I really trying to get?

We can get alot done with Mars in Scorpio (although Mercury retrograde will impact what we are able to accomplish) let's just make sure it is stuff worth doing.

Scorpio is our fixed water sign. It's job is to strengthen our emotions. But fixed water is well, kind of fixed. Think frozen. Think concrete. Think quicksand. It can make it hard to change course if we get too emotionally wedded to whatever it is we are focused on. Just keep in mind Mercury is retrograde. Stay flexible somehow.

If you are heading into the quicksand anyway, keep one hand on a tree branch, like they do in the cartoons, to pull yourself out later. But don't say I didn't warn you if the branch breaks.

Where is Scorpio in your natal chart? That area of life will snap to attention now.

This is also a good time to take action with Scorpio ruled themes - other people's resources, debts, loans, inheritances, mortgages, taxes, insurance payments, intimacy, sex, reproduction, death issues, stuff that is dead in the water (or caught in the quicksand). With Mars blasting through this collective area we will have more energy, initiative and control over these subjects than we usually do. Keep in mind we will also be more passionate about them and easier to anger.

On January 6th, Mars is going to meet up with Jupiter at 17 degrees Scorpio. This will expand whatever actions we have been taking with this Mars energy. So take strategic action from now until then. You have the benefit of astrology to see this magnification coming. Use it wisely.  

And you are smart as a whip. I can see you have already tied yourself to that branch with some of those nylon cables you had left over from hanging the Christmas lights. Smart girl.

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | let's take a look at 2018 - reality bites back, part II

I Was Broken by Martin Stranka

OK, back to the future!

Chiron moves into Aries in April (until 2026).

Chiron is called the wounded healer. Read the centaur myths for background. Chiron comes from the opposite side of the Sun, from the "otherness/darkness" of outer space. Chiron's placement in our natal chart shows us our own space of "otherness/darkness"; our wounded heritage.

Sometimes when we work with Chironic energies we find we can do more to help other people than we can do to help ourselves.

Chironic happenings make us more healed and more whole AND at the same time they make us more fragile and more vulnerable - so the cure and the wounding are both experienced at the same time.

If you were born with Chiron in Aries, this would show a kind of hypersensitivity to the idea of self in whatever house Chiron shows up. This is a wounding to our self-worth. It can show up as an inability to assert our own needs. It can make us over-reactive and over-sensitive to criticism. Since Aries rules the first house of our physical self - it could even make us accident prone, particularly in regard to accidents involving our head. It can produce headaches or situations we speak of as "a headache".

A musician friend with Chiron in Aries in his 5th house (also North Node 5th house) worked in a music store. The owner of the store wanted him to take on some students and teach them to play the guitar, but he always said no. He just didn't think he could do it, although he told himself he didn't want to do it.

Over the years as his money and joints got tighter and his love of music grew less enthusiastic, he found himself pushed into a corner (Aries requires us to be brave and we often, unless we have strong Aries/Mars in our chart, must have our backs against the wall to act) and finally agreed to try teaching - just "a few" students.

Three years later his 'few' students has grown to 60 students. He is the most sought after music teacher in his city. He teaches the children music, but he also helps them with their self-esteem. They tell him things they don't tell anyone else. They never miss a lesson. Their parents are amazed at the changes in their most bashful children. My friend's joints aren't as achy. His money isn't quite so tight. He is more self-assured, too.

He still has some issues asserting himself outside that classroom though.

Maybe it is something we can never totally 'fix' because it is the fragility, vulnerability and authenticity it opens up in us that is needed (for us and for other people - there is only one of us here) and not the actual healing (for us).

OK, so what does Chiron's move into Aries in 2018 mean to us.

It will bring a focus on our personal accountability to self. It will push into our awareness, any way it can (remember Uranus has just been creating chaos in this space opening everything up), whatever aspect of our personal existence we have abandoned.

Collectively, maybe the Chiron archetype itself morphs as we move into a new cycle with Aries, the first sign, the starting point. Maybe we can move from the 'wounded healer' into more of our own wholeness over the next few years. Surely we will be working with the more Aries/masculine woundedness - the spaces wounded by war and competition.

Some things this could bring up for us since our Chironic wounding is very much an inherited wounding - 1. Patterns we need to release, especially the stuff we have done in the past to keep us safe that is now keeping us stuck. So stuff will happen to us and we will react in our usual ways and either our usual ways will not work or we will see what we are doing in time to be brave (Aries) and do what is most loving and healing for ourselves 2. The childhood pacts and compromises we signed in order to be loved and accepted by others that are not very loving and accepting to us. We are starting a new cycle with all of this stuff. Those contracts have expired. We may find we aren't sure who we are for a while without these types of commitments and that's OK. Again we are starting a new cycle. We might have more questions than answers.

The years between now and 2024 when Pluto moves into Aquarius are a crisis point - crisis meaning both danger and opportunity.

There is alot of energy in 2018 that will focus us on being self-supporting and self-sustaining.

Where is Aries in your natal chart - this will be the house Uranus has been rocketing through the past seven years - something here is ripe for healing. 

The North Node moves into Cancer and the South Node into Capricorn - coming home - in part III.

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | let's take a look at 2018 - reality bites back, part I

I Found The Silence by Martin Stranka

I have been hesitating to look too closely at 2018 until we get through this month's Mercury retrograde on Saturn and Saturn's ingress into his home sign of Capricorn. Because we don't know what we don't know yet.

Some things are best viewed/felt from a closer perch. That menacing blob in the corner that looks just like the deadly Brazilian Wandering Spider we saw on the Discovery Channel last night from 20 feet away (one has never been spotted in New Jersey, but who knows I am sure they call the tenacious little fellow 'wandering' for a reason, right?) can turn into the rolled up sock we lost doing yesterday's laundry as we get within spitting distance. Of course, there is always that light in the distance that turns out to be a train, too ... so it can pay to be prepared.

Since I am out of a certain size rivet until today's UPS delivery and am pretty much at a production standstill with the donut-making aka locket business, for a few hours, let's take a brief look ahead.

I got back into astrology during a time I was feeling very uncertain about the future (wait, has there ever been a time I didn't feel this way ... uh, probably no!) and wanted to know what was going to happen. What I have discovered is there is not a 'thing that is going to happen'. The future isn't something waiting out there for us to meet up with it - it is more like a collection of possibilities.

Instead of buying into the idea that the future (Age of Aquarius) is either something like a utopian heaven or something like a dystopian hell, maybe we need to be more accepting of the idea that we are living in a magical, unfolding universe that we are influencing but not controlling. We don't get to know "what is going to happen" because there isn't a thing that is "going to happen". Yet.

Now through Astrology, which is a language that speaks through archetypes and patterns, it can seem that it is possible to look ahead because a good puzzle-solver can make some pretty good and often pretty accurate guesses, but guesses are still guesses.

If a dreamy Neptunian person is about to have stabilizing/restrictive Saturn transit her first house an astrologer could know she is about to be 'sobered up' in some sense.

But her lifetime of thoughts and decisions and actions will dictate what this 'sobering up' looks like.

If she is an artist using her Neptunian skills to illustrate a children's book maybe she will pull the book from the bedroom closet (where it had been gathering dust while Saturn transitted her 12th house) and get serious about finishing it. If she has been hiding empty wine bottles in that same dusty closet maybe she will get serious during a DWI arrest. Maybe both things will happen during the transit. Or maybe something else altogether. So we can see the 'sober up', but not so easily the way this sobering up will play out until we get to a closer perch.

That said, let's take a look at 2018 and see what we see while understanding we will get to a closer perch later and things will be clearer.

In or near 2018, four slow moving planets will change signs (very unusual) as well as the Nodes of Fate. Both Venus and Mars will go retrograde (not so common during the same year). We will have five eclipses instead of the usual four. The Aries point will be hit again and again by Saturn and Chiron. Multiple energies move into earth signs. Earth replaces fire. So we see lots of change, lots of feminine energy.

What we know:

Jupiter will be in Scorpio for most of 2018 - deep conversations, radical honesty. We can see what this transit is about within the collective as sexual harassment and unbalanced/corrupted power issues (Scorpio) expand (Jupiter) until the elephant in the room can no longer be ignored. Any similar imbalances within our own lives (intimate and financial) will do the same thing. If you have planets or points in Scorpio, Jupiter will conjunct them in 2018 (if he hasn't already) - if you have planets in Taurus, Jupiter will oppose them, planets in Aquarius and Leo will be squared. You can see how everyone will be impacted by this, but some people to a greater degree than other people. The lessons for this transit will be about authenticity and real power - not being afraid to speak up. Relationships are rock 'n rolling.

Saturn will be in Capricorn in 2018. Saturn was last in Capricorn in 1989 (what was happening in your life then?), he rules Capricorn and is very strong here (he is also the ancient ruler of Aquarius his next stop, so he will be strong for at least five years!). I am writing a big post about this, by sign, for later this month, so am not going to go deeply into it here. This is the 'winter is coming' energy. This is structure, boundaries and limits. Dad's home. So, yes, the party's over (why didn't anyone tell me there was a damn party, why do I always miss the damn party?) and we have to knuckle down and be in by curfew and study for the exam and mow the grass. On the other hand alot of really stabilizing things can get done when dad's home. It can feel good to get enough sleep and be prepared to ace our test and come home to a fresh cut yard.

Uranus will move into Taurus in May 2018. Taurus rules our 2nd house of what we own - our self esteem, our values, our possessions, our money, Mother Earth. Uranus will shake this stuff up for the collective. There could be some kind of shock to the banking system/money markets and/or the planet around mid-May 2018 when Uranus ingresses into Taurus. Over the next seven years the way we use and value money will be totally revolutionized. Over the next seven years the way we use and value Mother Earth will be changed and revolutionized, too. Since we are all part of this collective energy we will be impacted by these changes. Uranus's change of signs will also impact us personally as he shifts into a new space and interacts differently with our natal energies. Wherever he goes we can expect change and a need for greater freedom.

Chiron will move into Aries in 2018.

We'll talk about this in part II. In the meantime don't miss the monthly because December 2017 is a very important month and we don't want to be looking too far ahead just yet (says the girl who is looking too far ahead).

Time to make the donuts.

xo all

I haven't forgotten the personalized Uranus transit (starting May 2018) write-ups for everyone who volunteered - they are almost complete. I think they will be better read after we get through 2017's energies, too.

Mercury retrograde conjunct Saturn, Mars sextiles both | getting serious, thoughts become things, confidence needed, yes - you need a strategy

***by Daizy-M

Today we have a retrograde Mercury (news, information, communication) meeting up with Saturn (limits, responsibilities, authority, time) while both planets sextile (opportunity) Mars (in Libra).

Whatever Mercury retrograde has us - re-working, re-visiting, re-doing, re-thinking, re-leasing - will be front and center now.

Mercury conjunct Saturn is a repeating aspect. We had this on November 28th and it repeats again next month when both planets have moved into Capricorn - that's when we get the final, final.

In the meantime, whatever is happening now will be re-looked at. Maybe some discussion is dragging on. Maybe a firm commitment isn't looking quite so firm or a finish-line has been moved.

Today's sextile (opportunity) with active Mars in diplomatic Libra tells us headway can be made now. If we must deal, yes, one more time, with another tough problem/decision some progress can be made here - you are a General, you need a strategy.

What are your priorities? What are your responsibilities? Where are your boundaries? What action can you take now - remember the Universe can use whatever action you take to get you where you need/want to be.

While Mercury and Saturn are still in optimistic Sagittarius, the way through this is a type of confident and expectant fearlessness. 

And taking action from that space.

Thinking - "of course things are going my way" and then, before we know it, they actually are. Our heads/words (Mercury) are creating the concrete/foundation (Saturn) the next few years are built with.

Realize any delays or slow-downs now are part of the process. Where have our limiting beliefs about what is possible for us kept us boxed in?

There is some connection between that and whatever is happening now.

Notice the way our thoughts become literal things we can touch today - there is magic afoot people!

xo all

Chiron Stations Direct | feeling is healing, sharing what we have learned, make some chicken soup, clearing the ground for our future self to assert her will despite being awkward and feeling unprepared

hoping for a white christmas by photoflake

Chiron stations direct at 24 degrees Pisces (retrograde since July).

Especially if you have planets or points from 24-28 degrees of Pisces (the degrees he traveled during his retrograde) - or the other mutable signs - Virgo, Gemini and Sagittarius - you would be feeling this.

Read the Chiron myth. Remember what a 'myth' is - a myth is something that never happened that is always happening.

It would be a good day to honor the parts of ourselves/our heritage we have abandoned as unacceptable.

Chiron's direct motion today can indicate forward movement around a hurtful/difficult issue. Chiron doesn't heal the issue, but his station direct can create forward momentum. Remember the gifts of Chiron - once the wound is accepted - of compassion, empathy, a capacity to pass this hard-earned wisdom to other people in a way that penetrates them (since we have been there/are there) - we become magnetic.

(and speaking of magnetic - warning shameless plug ahead - I still have a few gazillion of these magnetic lockets to move from my house to someone else's this holiday season and they make wonderful gifts - blog readers get 25% off with the coupon code OliveReader)

Chiron's movement now could focus us, via whatever is happening in our lives, toward a space of vulnerability, a space that hurts, maybe a space where we have a little bit more to give.

Chiron is moving into brave and pioneering Aries in mid-April, so we could be feeling a push to get something wrapped up now to clear a space for that. Next year Chiron will require us to assert our will despite feeling awkward and unprepared.

In the meantime if you are feeling/healing this transit some ideas would be 1. share your journey/story with other people - what have you learned so far 2. be kind - with ourselves and with other people now 3. stay hydrated and get enough sleep - Chiron's station is a good time for physical illnesses to worsen a bit 4. honor the times we have overcome hardship - we are stronger than we think we are

Mercury and Saturn are approaching each other again - exact tomorrow - Mercury is retrograde - this isn't the time for big new moves.

The Moon is in Cancer - focusing us on home, family, real estate, home/family business, renovations, moves, our roots, mothering and trining Jupiter and Neptune. This is perfect energy to release any attachment to the past that is keeping us stuck as we dream and intuit a future of prosperity, security and kinship.

By this afternoon the Moon will oppose Pluto so interactions with other people could be complicated and difficult as we adjust to each other - time could be better spent cleaning out closets, in-boxes, etc. Pluto rules elimination - what needs to go?


xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | December 2017 - a look at the month ahead from big bang to long winter's nap ...

Porcelain by kamakebelieve

I thought I would put up a monthly for those who like to look ahead.

I will still be writing the dailies, but the Sunday weeklies will probably need to be put to bed for December to make way for my holiday shipping - time to make the donuts.

(Note - blog readers always get 25% off in both my Etsy shops with couple code - OliveReader - Polarity and Uncorked)

Below is pretty much the gist of what I would likely be writing about in the weeklies anyway except for the Moons which I will try to work in somehow.

We have a couple more weeks before Saturn comes home to Capricorn and the planetary energies are doing their best to bust us out of any comfort zones before the cement gets poured!

With Saturn in Capricorn we will be building from the ground up - it is never to late to start anew. How do we want to spend our precious days on planet Earth? What would we be happy if we never had to do again? What do we want to build this time? It is Sagittarius season and there is a whole big world out there.

December starts with a BANG.

On DECEMBER 1st, Mars (in Libra) opposes Uranus (in Aries). This is an abrupt change (unexpected action) or some kind of big push forward into new territory. No one will want to be caged in. No one will want to play by other people's rules - or any rules! Lack of progress can be frustrating. Mars in Libra wants things to remain balanced and diplomatic, but Uranus has other ideas.

We will likely get a clear look this weekend at the price we are paying to remain comfortably housed in our box. Don't worry. Wood crates are so last century - boxes are mostly made of cardboard these days - and we can bust our way out of those!

This energetic shift (this has been in play all week and for a few more days) will solidify something in our Sagittarius field by the time Mercury meets Saturn again on December 6th.

These energies don't always play nice. Keep in mind that we and other people could be impatient and even confrontational. Something started at the end of March 2017 could reach a testing/tension point this week. I have a friend who quit a new job she worked hard to get after one little thing went wrong yesterday - not such a good use of this radical energy.

People prone to making unpredictable moves (likely strong Uranus) or people whose "go-to" emotion is anger anyway (likely strong Mars), could really muck this up. But we all could, so stay frosty.

Mars/Uranus always brings the possibility of violence or an argument, so do your best to out-maneuver anything too wild and erratic. Take care with fire, electricity and power tools. Drive carefully. Look before you leap. This could be just what is needed to kick-start a stalled project/relationship as long as we are willing to try something new AND not take things too far too fast.

Venus moves out of her detriment in Scorpio and into sunny Sagittarius! Sagittarius Suns and risings become more attractive - both easier on the eye and able to attract what they want. All of our Sagittarius houses become more attractive, too! Where is Sagittarius in your natal chart?

We will be attracted to bigger and bolder and more adventurous people and schemes. Venus in Sagittarius is naturally hopeful and idealistic - this, especially coupled with its kick-off Mars/Uranus energy - will encourage us to explore a wider vista. Maybe sometimes the grass really is greener on the other side.

Venus themes - love, money, women, beauty, self-esteem, our values and resources - could offer us some kind of escape now - it is the season after all! - maybe something impractical or exaggerated. This might be just what is needed for now to get us unstuck from something else.

Don't use his energy as an excuse to buy more/bigger than we planned to buy. We don't want to be over-spending on holiday gifts now because the month is going to totally flip around on us later and we will probably come to regret it.

On DECEMBER 3rd, we have a Full Moon in Gemini and Mercury (Gemini's ruling planet) stations retrograde. Mercury is still conjunct Saturn (karma, limits, authority, structure, time) and the Moon and Sun are square to fuzzy, dreamy Neptune.

Most people think of Mercury retrograde as the time he/she is backtracking, but the story is LARGER than that - his journey (inside us) actually takes us over situations and issues THREE times - we go forward, we go backward (doing the "re's") and then forward for one final time after we've had time to re-access, re-examine (whatever the situation calls for) whatever is happening.

It brings delays and slow-downs. Stuff that is usually fast moving (Mercury is the fleet footed messenger), that carries us/our thinking/our belongings from space to space, gets wonky. Anticipate postal delays and shop early. Insure your packages. Double check your travel plans. BACK UP YOUR COMPUTER. This is not a good time for any large purchases, especially of complicated items.

I remember when most people had never heard of Mercury Retrograde and now it seems like poor Mercury (planet of communication and MAGIC) is being shamed/blamed for everything that goes wrong! This is probably because 1. the internet has exposed many more people to astrological teachings 2. most people are moving so fast now any sort of slowdown feels like a problem  3. it's a convenient excuse when stuff falls to shit (pardon my french), especially stuff that would normally be considered our fault.

Life doesn't stop because Mercury (or any other planet) is retrograde. Yes, it's not a good time to sign an ironclad contract (but how many ironclad contracts will we sign in our lifetimes anyway) because conditions will change later and we might be stuck.

But for most things that come up during Mercury Retrograde, we can change our mind later (yes, we're human, this is usually allowed). We can also wait. If we do buy something big now, especially something with fast moving parts, we can keep our receipts and we can buy that service contract we always refuse to spend the money on. If our hair colorist is on vacation and the substitute gives us a really bad vibe, maybe our roots can wait until our colorist gets back.

Yup, there's that waiting thing again.

(now life is tricky and Mercury is actually known as 'the trickster' and also a genius and knows that the best - and possibly only - way to develop patience is to encounter situations that require this of us - life sends us an opportunity to learn patience by practicing patience - in other words - delays, traffic situations, time spent waiting - you get the picture)

If we obsess over everything that can go wrong during a Mercury Retrograde we will miss our chance to experience everything that can go right.

This is the time we get sightings of what's arriving. Mercury says .... "hold up there a minute sister, don't rush forward too quickly. This may take a little time". With Saturn sitting pretty much right on top of him/her this is especially true now.

The Full Moon is too complicated to toss together in a paragraph, but here goes. It will be confusing. How confusing? Well, if you have any planets or points around 11 degrees of the mutable signs - Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces - you can tell me when it's over!

There could be choices. There could be fiction presented to us as fact. There could be fact that looks like fiction The Full Moon will bring something to light or to a conclusion, but we won't know if it is the real deal or more sleight of hand. Things that look over might not be. Things that look full steam ahead might not be.

The Moon is inconjunct Jupiter so we will probably want whatever we are hearing to be true, even if all kinds of buzzers are going off in our head that this is too good to be true.

With Mercury stationing retrograde at the same time we won't be able to sweep any inconsistencies under the rug because we will be hitting this degree (walking this path, opening this door) two more times! Let things unfurl a little here. A Full Moon in Gemini is great energy for second chances and multiple options - just keep those options open for a bit ...

On DECEMBER 4th, we have the first of three highly anticipated trines between Jupiter (in Scorpio) and Neptune (in Pisces). This is our dreams on steroids encouraging creativity, spirituality, compassion, romance. Angels are standing by. Ask for assistance.

The fly in the ointment with this (you can always count on my Mercury in Capricorn to point out the flies!) is Sunday's confusing Full Moon in Gemini.

We could spend this energy trying to figure out what everything that is happening actually means. 

If you find yourself pleading with life to tell you what the hell life is trying to tell you "what the hell should I do?" and not getting any answers - stop doing this and clean your closets. Give stuff away. The Moon is Full - create some space. Then ask again from a more sacred, humble place. xo

On DECEMBER 5th, Chiron stations direct at 24 degrees Pisces. Especially if you have planets or points from about 24-28 degrees of Pisces - or the other mutable signs - Virgo, Gemini and Sagittarius - you would have been dealing with this since late June/early July when Chiron stationed retrograde. By mid April 2018 Chiron will be completely finished with these degrees and yes, moving on into Aries. Do I hear a collective Pisces cheer? I thought so!

Sometimes Chiron transits show up as physical illness and could be especially felt around the times he stations (standing still/changing direction). We might need to take special care of our physical body now and/or give ourselves a mental health break.

We move through whatever pain, wound or vulnerability we are dealing with by A. surviving the transit and B. getting in touch with the real root of the situation, which often involves an old wound the current wound is reactivating. Often feeling is healing, sometimes it is more about managing the pain. I am sure Chiron (as well as Neptune) moving through Pisces has played a big role in the current opioid crisis.

The mid 60's born Chiron in Pisces group currently experiencing their Chiron return are invited to turn their erratic and painful (60's energy) "poison" into "medicine" and offer it in the spirit of healing and service now in whatever way is appropriate within each person's purpose and vocation ... hopefully we have enough left and awake in this generation (working through the collective separation from spirit/invisibility) to move the needle.

On DECEMBER 6th, Mars sextiles (opportunity) Saturn and Mercury conjuncts Saturn (again). Our Mercury retrograde story gets another jolt of reality, takes another karmic hit (can you feel the deep gunk being shifted?). Sober up. The sextile promotes taking action that creates long lasting results. Serious words, serious action produces real results over time.

Two days later on DECEMBER 8th, Mars moves out of his detriment in Venus ruled Libra and into Scorpio, a sign he used to RULE. Our power, courage and tenacity increases. Probably 10 fold. Well, Mercury is still retrograde so maybe 6 fold.

The next week is kind of quiet with exact aspects - keep in mind that, yes, Mercury is still retrograde.

On DECEMBER 18th, we have the New Moon in Sagittarius. Fire sign New Moons are especially effective "starter" energy. This one is conjunct Saturn on the uber powerful last degree of Sagittarius and squaring Chiron. This sounds like the final birth pains as we walk the very, very end of Sagittarius - with the energy around "counting our blessings" tossed in at exactly the most appropriate time of the holiday season. What have we learned about ourselves during the last 3 years as Saturn moved through Sagittarius? What beliefs have shifted? How has our Sagittarius house been impacted? How has our, and the collective's, working through issues dealing with the Sagittarius themes of religion, foreign travel, foreign people, higher education, expansion, faith, publishing, the media, our brother and sister-in-laws, weddings - changed us during this time?

This will be a big week.

On DECEMBER 20th, Saturn comes home to Capricorn until January 2020. This is the biggest astrological news/shift of the year. This is about integrity and responsibility - putting on our big girl pants and handling whatever it is we need to handle. Buy yourself a few pairs. Getting serious. Getting credentialed. Getting down to business. Facing reality. Whatever these words are bringing up for us will probably be on our agenda plus a whole bunch of stuff we can't see past the 'hoops we will have to jump through to prove ourselves and stay afloat' to know about them yet.

Capricorn rules winter and this is going to be a LONG one. If we haven't made a holiday gimme list for Santa yet - we need mittens. And a hat. And actually the coal we are usually hoping isn't tossed into our Christmas stockings will be a good idea this year. Hang onto the coal.

#kidding #notkidding

Keep in mind our Capricorn house is already where we take things seriously. Whatever area of life this is impacting for each of us, and I will do a post, has never been a walk in the park for us anyway. 

I don't think Capricorns have anything to worry about, since they have been marinating in this stuff since birth. So don't fret Cappys - you've got this thing!

Saturn transits "grow us up". And the things we commit to during Saturn transits will not be easily discarded. That's why we have been ' working through' following our heart for the last year and finding our flock the year before to get us in a better position for this cycle.

If we have to be poured into concrete at least we want to have a nice view of the ocean (or whatever our heart answers to) and to maybe not be standing next to annoying a--holes.

If you are already exhausted and these words make you want to lay down, believe me you are definitely Saturnian enough - I can tell without even looking at your chart - to survive/thrive your way through this one

(since, like the girl who brings her laptop on vacation, you have been working when you could have been drinking mojitos on the beach - the mojitos may be gone now, but you won't notice because you weren't drinking them anyway).

This is excellent energy for laying strong foundations and building things that last from the ground up.

Saturn (authority) has just been through the Galactic Center and Capricorn (Saturn's sign) has been pummeled by Pluto for years (since 2008). Authority isn't what it used to be. The limit that has been holding us back - which was never really real to begin with isn't even there anymore. It gets clearer everyday that the emperor isn't wearing any clothes. The Saturn archetype we carry IS a new man even if he still looks like the same old man on the outside.

Within the collective we'll get to experience how this all plays out - there is much karmic reaping and sowing during Saturn in Capricorn. And yes, we have a front row ticket. AND yes, we are also working the ticket stands and sweeping out the stadium. Maybe cleaning the ladies room, but I hope to hell not.

On DECEMBER 21st, the Sun moves into Capricorn kicking off the Winter Solstice and we all start burning Capricorn fuel. I am not going to say the word serious again (although I guess I just did) - this is winter we are talking about - our ancestors froze to death in their beds if they hadn't prepared well. We probably won't, but please prepare well because you never know.

The next day on DECEMBER 22nd, Saturn offers one final test as he semi-squares Jupiter (in Scorpio) and the following day DECEMBER 23rd, Mercury (in Sagittarius and answering to Jupiter) stations direct. Do I hear a Hallelujah that this happens before Christmas! On DECEMBER 24th, Jupiter squares the North and South Nodes challenging our sense of direction.

Mars trines (brakes off) dreamy Neptune on DECEMBER 28th - I'm planning a movie marathon or long nap for this one. 2018 is going to be huge and we'll need it!

And yes, I realize I just flew through the last week and it is too big for that!

We will talk about all of this as we move through it with the dailies.

We will get through this together and always keep in mind that even in the coldest days of winter there is hot cocoa and warm blankets and good books.

Winter has always been a good excuse to cuddle/huddle together with those we love. There's that, too.

xo all

Mercury Conjunct Saturn | black hole Tuesday, the rising divine masculine, stepping into our responsibility, will the center hold

take the spring by GlareUsy

Today we have Mercury and Saturn meeting up at 27 degrees Sagittarius. Yes, that is the degree (27-28) of the black hole at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy, that houses all the planets in our solar system including ours - the Galactic Center. 

This is the place where time and space were created so you and I would have a place to learn and grow and work and play.

Saturn (security, stability, the patriarchy, the rules, duty, judgement, authority) has spent quite a bit of time on or near the Galactic Center this year - getting a makeover or maybe I should say a make-under. And now he meets Mercury here.

The people and structures that carry the greatest load of the old Saturn archetype have felt this first. Everything that isn't solid as a rock has fallen or is falling. Our big institutions are on shaky ground. Our heroes have fallen from their outgrown pedestals (as they are stripped to their humanity). Our safety net has holes large enough that even our winter backsides, holed up with a hot chocolate and cider donut, can slip through easily.

(think about how the safety net has morphed into the internet as we have moved into the Age of Aquarius and the pros and cons of that)

As Saturn morphs and speaks to/through us via Mercury, as the divine masculine rises (it's not a coincidence Mars is in Libra answering to Venus today), as we are all handed back the stuff (responsibility for creating our own lives) that, through our patriarchal paradigm, Saturn has carried for us - THANK YOU SATURN - we are ready (ready or not) to take back the controls.

The life we begin creating now, the life we will be living in a few months, a few years will be all on us. Does this thrill or terrify us? Did you just scream "BOTH!", smart reader?! Yes, I will second that one!

Astrologers believe that planets are 'discovered' when humans are ready to use their energies. Saturn (limits, time, the father) used to be the farthest planet we knew about because he is the farthest planet that can be seen with our naked eye. Then along came Uranus and Neptune and Pluto. And Saturn became a bridge (along with Jupiter) from the personal planets to the outer planets. Now there are new planets being 'discovered' all the time and humanity is changing at an unprecedented rate! Saturn has been trying his best to hold onto his position during all this time, but he is tired or maybe out-"manned" now or it is just his time to let go of the reins a bit.

This is his final stop before he comes home to Capricorn in late December, whether he comes home a new man or an embittered one trying to hold onto something that is slipping away, is totally up to us.

In our personal lives today's energy - Mercury meeting Saturn - could be felt now as a stepping into our responsibility

(I have been writing about this for years - my Mercury - writing - is in Capricorn answering to Saturn and Saturn is one degree from my natal Sun in my 3rd house - ruled by Mercury - believe me I have felt this, even as I pushed the stuff I didn't want to be responsible for/look at in myself, onto other people anyway)

by having to speak clearly and seriously, come to terms with reality, set firm boundaries, make a verbal or written commitment, hear or say NO.

Something is officially stated here (I am, quite appropriately now that I think about, renewing my driver's license tonight). Something is slowed down. Something hits a wall. How big a something is happening for us depends on how far we need to shift right now.

AND, keep in mind Mercury is about to go retrograde and will walk this same degree next week and then will meet up with Saturn again in mid January when they are both in Capricorn - maybe that is the final, final grade. I wrote about this HERE - check Tuesday.

Between now and then whatever we think is finalized will likely evolve a bit - more choices, more questions, more facts to be sifted through.

And in some way, with whatever situation we find ourselves in now (situations all created by our previous beliefs, thoughts and actions), each one of us is asking ourselves, "will the center hold?"

xo all

let's tend to our words now - they are literally the building blocks of our future lives - and maybe because my natal Venus sits right on the Galactic Center, too - let's celebrate her/us!!

Venus inconjunct Uranus, Mars Square Juno, Mercury Trine Pallas | relationship issues, communicating new plans/ideas, revisions, we change the world by changing ourselves

O+A2 by fridaa-vl

We have three separate exact aspects today all indicating relationship tension/focus - so let's take a look at a way through these.

First we have Venus (ruler of Libra and Taurus, our 7th and 2nd house - relationships, partnerships, love, money, our resources, our values, our self-esteem)

currently in her detriment meaning not all comfy cozy in Mars ruled Scorpio, although not for long and we have Uranus (ruler of Aquarius and our 11th house - the new and unexpected, sudden changes, distant relationships, the internet, the future, technology) in Aries, although not for long either, inconjunct each other at 25 degrees.

Inconjuncts are the 'between a rock and a hard place' aspect. No wiggle room can be found here. Move toward our right hand and our left hand hurts. Move to the left and ... well, you get the picture.

A restlessness, felt within close relationships or possibly financial matters, could be making us or someone else, well, restless.

Maybe we need some space. Maybe they do. Maybe we need greater intimacy. Maybe they do. Maybe we (or they, if we are pushing this energy onto someone else so we can deal with it indirectly) only know we need something else/something more/something different.

Inconjuncts are part of a process. There are no easy answers.

If we are born with them there is a constant seesawing between the two spaces throughout our lives until we learn to maintain some kind of balance there (and even then the balance will probably be fleeting).

In this case, this is a transit so by nature it is transitory. It has something to offer us NOW, but it's NOT the whole story. Remember the charge for real intimacy doesn't need to be our independence - although real intimacy does require interdependence. We can see that right?

If you are feeling this one - this yearning for something that stays out past curfew and tastes like freedom - do something new and unexpected. Maybe something for yourself. But don't toss the baby out with the bathwater just right now (it's cold outside and babies don't like the cold so much).

We also have Mars (ruler of Aries and our 1st house of ourselves, the way we start things, our initiative, our passion, war and anger) currently in his detriment meaning not all comfy, cozy in Venus ruled Libra squaring Juno (marriage, partnership, relationships) in all-business Capricorn at 22 degrees.

Juno in Capricorn likely wants relationships to adhere to traditional rules, limits and commitments. She wants everyone to live up to conventional responsibilities. She wants B to follow A. And Mars in Libra can be rather passive-aggressive. Something here is creating tension. Maybe one person wants a bigger commitment than the other person is ready to agree to. Maybe a "rule" has been broken. There are many ways this could play out.

Squares are the challenges that lead to development, growth and change. Something has to give here. And we can only change ourselves. So what's it going to be?

The last leg of today's relationship trifecta - and yes, I am stretching things a bit to call this one 'about relationships', but I think it could be based on the other aspects - is Mercury (ruler of Gemini and Virgo, our 3rd and 6th houses - communication, ideas, thinking, local environment, siblings, transportation, the way things and ideas move, our day-to-day routine, health, work environment, co-workers, pets) currently in his/her detriment meaning not all comfy cozy in Jupiter ruled Sagittarius trining Pallas Athena.

Now Pallas is currently retrograde in fiery Aries. So the words/plan/communication (Mercury) that will work here (trine) is maybe not a totally new idea. Pallas in Aries blends our creative intellect with our actions and initiative. Maybe a system/strategy can be communicated (Mercury) now in a way that moves something forward, clicks something into place or allows other people to "buy in". Or maybe we are the only one buying in just yet and that is OK, too. Mercury is in his shadow (walking degrees he will walk two more times), so we will be dealing with this again or throughout the next few weeks as we review, re-invent and refine it.

It won't be all tied up with a pretty red bow just yet.

Bottom line for today - pushing other people to conform to our rules/wants is not likely to work, instead work on/communicate (this communication can even be internal since Pallas in Aries is fiercely independent) a revised plan or strategy for the future.

We change the world by changing ourselves.

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of November 27th - karmic shift, final exams kick off, serious conversations, stuff slows down, the "re's" begin, abrupt change, confrontations

Pilot's wife. Prayer. by Natalie Ciobanu

This is a BIG week with lots of twists and turns.

On MONDAY, we should have the energy we need to hit the ground running. Keep busy and on task to avoid any pessimism/judgmental thinking that tomorrow's approaching Mercury/Saturn conjunction could be stirring up. The Moon (in Pisces) is sextiling (opportunity) Pluto, so the root of a problem could be accessible now. Intense feelings could bubble up. Help someone else.

On TUESDAY, Mercury meets up with Saturn (limits, endings, reality, responsibility) at 28 degrees Sagittarius. The things Mercury rules - our thinking/communications, computers, ideas, the fast-moving stuff in our life, siblings, our local neighborhood, our cars (package deliveries - oh my!) slow down. Things get serious. Some things hit a limit/wall.

This is the last leg of our Saturn through Sagittarius journey that started back in late December 2014. This is also the degree where Saturn stationed retrograde back in March and April of this year AND this is the degree of the Galactic Center (the black hole at the center of our galaxy).

We are preparing to graduate, but before we get our cap and gown and anyone tosses flowers at us and hands us a gift card to Olive Garden - we have to get through our final exams.

Mercury in Sagittarius is about speaking our truth. The dark, underbelly of this is speaking exaggerations. Mercury hooking up with Saturn now (commitment, cement, structure) means that what we are saying (out loud and to ourselves) becomes our karmic contract/commitment.

We are literally breathing life into our reality through our words now. Choose carefully. Pretend there is a reporter following you around recording everything you say. No babbling. No gossip. No verbal nonsense. Use serious language and note I don't mean harsh language. Critical words can push things teetering on the edge right over the ledge here. Splat.

Now, there is a heaviness to this transit and for some a tendency toward negative/depressive thinking/language. If you find your thoughts headed in that direction say STOP. Yes, out loud. STOP. Positive thinking (this is all happening in optimistic Sagittarius for pete's sake) can make all the difference.

We could get news of an ending/resolution now or bring this type of news to other people.

Plans get finalized. Commitments and responsibilities firmed up. Signatures get put on dotted lines. Solid decisions are made. This is good energy for long term planning and serious conversations. Conservative ideas move slowly and steadily forward. This exam period will last until early December. Saturn doesn't require us to rush.

Now the fly in the ointment here, is that whatever this situation/story is for us - it could take a few weeks to totally unwind itself. Stuff can flip on us. Maybe we think we are getting an A and we come in with a C- or maybe a D turns into a B+.

Because Mercury is stationing retrograde on Sunday (December 3rd) at the same time as the Full Moon in Gemini (ruled by Mercury). There will be revisions, delays - you know the Mercury retrograde drill by now. With multi-everything Gemini there could be more options on the table. There could be more questions. Facts and information will need to be double triple-checked.

Mercury will conjunct Saturn again on December 6th, so we know this isn't over and it might not be until Mercury stations direct and Saturn is securely home in Capricorn at the end of December when the final, final results/grades are in.

Note the Moon is void until 11:30AM EST.

EXAMPLE FOR PISCES (Pisces Rising) - Mercury and Saturn are meeting in Sagittarius, your 10th house of career and public life. There could be important conversations (Mercury) with authority (Saturn) now. A formalized decision/responsibility/shift/ending is possible. But know that whatever happens may not be the final report card here. The Full Moon next weekend, coupled with Mercury's retrograde station and with the Moon squaring your ruling planet Neptune in YOUR sign, could bring changes and delays.

On WEDNESDAY, the Aries Moon offers us initiative and confidence. The Moon will square Pluto in the late afternoon bringing us focus and ambition - maybe a tendency toward jealousy or obsession. Our survival instincts will be sharp as a tack though.

On THURSDAY, the same Aries Moon is making some good aspects for business pursuits and then moves into Taurus (where the Moon is exalted) after lunch. Maybe get a massage, I think we are going to need to relax. Ha!

By late afternoon tomorrow's Mars/Uranus opposition could be making everyone testy and restless.

Note the Moon is void from 11:37AM to 3:38PM EST.

On FRIDAY, Venus moves from Scorpio into Sagittarius. Sagittarius Suns and Risings become more attractive - both able to attract what they want and easier on the eye. All our Sagittarius natal houses become more attractive, too. I will write a post.

On the same day Mars (in Libra) will oppose Uranus (in Aries). This is an abrupt change or some kind of big push forward into new territory. No one will want to be caged in. People will be impatient and confrontational. Something began at the end of March 2017 could reach a testing/tension point.

This kind of energy also brings the possibility of violence or an argument, so do your best to out-maneuver anything too wild and erratic. Take care with fire, electricity, power tools and driving. I will write a post.

EXAMPLE FOR VIRGO (Virgo rising) - Venus into Sagittarius makes your 4th house of home and family issues more attractive - this is good for a home business during the holiday season! The Mars/Uranus opposition involving your 2nd and 8th houses could push you toward something new/out-of-the-box regarding love, money, self-esteem, values and those of your partner. An unexpected expense, income change or bonus is also possible. If you feel pushed to respond too quickly/radically to whatever is thrown at you than is comfortable for you know that the energies support a step back and a deep breath.

On SATURDAY we have the first of three highly anticipated trines between Jupiter (in Scorpio) and Neptune (in Pisces). This is our dreams on steroids encouraging creativity, spirituality, compassion, romance. The fly in the ointment with this (you can always count on my Mercury in Capricorn to point out the flies!) is Sunday's confusing Full Moon in Gemini.

EXAMPLE FOR GEMINI (Gemini Rising)  - Jupiter in Scorpio trining Neptune in Pisces for you is 'brakes off' regarding your 6th house of day-to-day-routine/health and your 10th house of career and public life. Changes in your daily activities/health could lead you to a "dream job" or public recognition opportunity. Note, the next day's Gemini Full Moon coupled with Mercury's retrograde station and the Moon's square to Neptune could make things look bigger/better than they actually are. The good news if things go wonky - know this lucky aspect is going to repeat itself two more times next year (May and August 2018) and for you will again be about career/public life expansion. Make needed changes to your health routine and day-to-day activities NOW so preparation can meet opportunity THEN!

xo all

Mercury Trine Uranus | unexpected news, new ideas, out-of-the-box converations, unusual answers, freedom of expression

chess by ankazhuravleva

Today we have busy, communicative Mercury (in Sagittarius) trining (brakes off) revolutionary Uranus (in Aries) at 24 degrees.  

We can expect the unexpected now - news, ideas, ways of thinking. Breakthroughs are possible. With Mercury still squaring Chiron some breakthroughs may involve breakdowns.

This might tie in with yesterday's potentially painful conversation/words (and this didn't have to happen yesterday - I just list transits when they are exact - this is still in play now) - maybe an aha(!) moment is created from a painful situation that focuses us toward a new idea or unexpected solution/problem.

The message delivered could be shocking.

It might be painful or trigger an old injury AND it could also be enlightening and move our thinking/the conversation in a new direction. Stay open to your muses - the energies are ripe for NEW IDEAS to be picked like apples.

Now because Mercury is preparing for his upcoming retrograde and walking degrees he will walk again - we have a repeat of this Mercury square Chiron (painful words) and Mercury trine Uranus (breakthrough, unexpected, forward-leaning words) two more times after today - December 10, 2017 and January 6, 2018.

So something isn't over here.

Our words (and the words of other people) can be erratic, unexpected and spontaneous.

The Moon in Aquarius is amplifying the effects now, especially within groups. We will be better able to grasp new or abstract concepts. This is good energy for sharing ideas (don't be too preachy).

Our brains and tongues will be restless. Visit a bookshop - the information you need could literally drop right into your lap.

We will talk more about Mercury's upcoming retrograde in later posts. I wrote some about it HERE. Mercury is approaching Saturn and the two will travel together for many days. Our words will be serious and serious matters will be on the table. Saturn will slow Mercury down. Our thoughts (Mercury) will become solid things (Saturn) more effectively in the coming weeks. What are you thinking about, talking about, reading, learning, teaching? What do you believe, believe is real, believe is possible?

Enjoy your Saturday - this is a good day for news, communications, sales, writing, interviews, local travel, siblings, neighborhood matters. Good energy to upgrade (Uranus) a wonky/nonworking/out-of-date computer, telephone, car (Mercury). Venus is a bit wonky mid-day so there could be a bit of a tussle/headache around money, love, with a woman, beauty or a self-esteem/values issue.

xo all

Mercury Square Chiron | words that hurt, words that heal, don't overthink it, asking different questions, arrows that find their mark

*** by aleksesss

Today, we have Mercury (in Sagittarius) squaring Chiron (in Pisces) at 24 degrees.

With Mercury (words, ideas, communications, thoughts) in bigger-is-better, sky's-the-limit Sagittarius our words already have a tendency to come out with more force/bluntness than we might have intended.

They can fly out like arrows from the archer's bow - too late to take them back or send a warning shot by aiming a little higher. We can also be more forceful in expressing our views - which are the right views because they're ours, right?

Today's square to wounded-healer Chiron asks us to think before we speak. Avoid the temptation to try to convince other people we know what we are talking about. If what we are about to say isn't helpful TO THEM, and maybe even if we think it will be - just zip it. Save that off-color joke for another day.

If we are the ones on the receiving end of a thoughtless comment or sharp remark that stings it will pay to remember the other person's words may have been tossed out quite unintentionally. They don't know we carry an open wound from 1992 just above our right shoulder and damn if their carelessly tossed arrow observation didn't land exactly there. 

The fact it found its mark is what we want to be paying attention to. Think of the person as an angel with a message (who just happens to be carrying a quiver packed with arrows and looks like our mother, angels don't all show up with soft wings and choir voices). Not because we actually look "just like your Aunt Bertha in those pants", yes, the Aunt Bertha who died of diabetes in 2008 when she couldn't control that sweet tooth.

But because we are still thinking/obsessing about that comment hours later.

If our pain seems out of proportion to the situation asking ourselves - why do these words hurt - what open wound is this activating -  is a good use of this energy. This is a good time for journaling.

On the other hand this could be just the right time to speak (Mercury) our truth (Sagittarius). Someone is probably going to get hurt though. This isn't necessarily our problem, but let's know what our intention is before going public with painful information or snapping back at a thoughtless comment now.

Maybe Aunt Bertha liked to wear red and our red pants had mom remembering that. Maybe the square to Chiron is making mom more nostalgic. Maybe she always secretly coveted Aunt Bertha's booty. Maybe screaming at her that she has always favored our sister and isn't she the one who gave us sugary treats as rewards anyway and we are just sick to death of her rudeness isn't particularly helpful.

We will all be more mentally sensitive now.

This could also play out with a sibling (Mercury ruled) or our intellect. Today's energy could have us feeling we are just not quite up to snuff about something mentally. I have been feeling like this with my memory. I miss the days when the words I needed were right there where I last put them and I didn't have to rummage around in a brain, that feels like an unsorted sock drawer, to find them. Sigh.

xo all

Late tonight Mercury will trine revolutionary Uranus making it a good time to burn the midnight oil for new ideas. Either get to bed early to avoid it or plan to be up for hours!