New Moon in Sagittarius | what we do about what we believe

winter by Si3art

Today's New Moon is at 19 degrees Sagittarius. With the Sun and Moon both in Sagittarius we have lots of fire energy - the best kind for universal kick-starts.

(we may not have kickstarter funding but we can use magic!)

The days of the New Moon are dark and we are literally 'working blind'. This allows us to most easily feel our way into new situations and out of old ones. Our other senses are heightened now.

The challenge of working with our instincts during a fire Moon is that since instincts are pretty much habit, we could get caught up in the exuberance of the Moon and recreate the same situation we are leaving. Focus. Get clear. Remember that what is seeded at a New Moon will grow and with Sagittarius we are dealing with the 'big picture'.

The best use of this New Moon energy is to set intentions for Sagittarius ruled themes.

Sagittarius is a fun-loving sign that rules travel, freedom, adventure, legal stuff, higher education, good luck, faith, religion, prayer, optimism, problem solving, 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.

Sagittarius is a mutable sign. The mutable signs prepare us for the change into the next season.

Mutable signs are service signs and Sagittarius is in service through the exploration of Truth - this could be legal truth or political truth but its most especially spiritual truth - its highest purpose is enlightenment and expanding what is known. The lower level energies rule religious wars, legal battles and political bullshit.

Sagittarius is a fire sign like Aries and Leo.

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

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

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

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

This is the energy any new intentions set now will step into. What part of our life can use a little adventure? That's the space to use this energy most effectively! The real gift of Sagittarius is the freedom to be who we really are - how are we going to use this gift?

As always, write your New Moon affirmations down - I sometimes use strips on paper and bowls of rice, so I could jiggle them around now and then - but again this month I am feeling the urge to burn them and just know they are done. You don't have to make stuff happen with this, you just have to see what comes up and then take the action that feels right on that.

Trust the process. We have cast our spell.

People always say that affirmations "only work if you 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, it lines us up energetically with the thing we are seeking. The new moon is a time of darkness but there is lots of hidden action in the dark.

(yes, even that kind, all creation starts in the dark after all)

Look at what kind of experiences have been coming your way lately. How have you called them into your life?

My car has been in and out of the shop for weeks. Yesterday I finally got it back. I was happy to find I had to pay nothing at the service center since the repair was totally related to a recalled part. I high fived the dealer, drove home, grabbed Olive and my bags of packages to ship out and backed up in my driveway. I do this turn around thing in the grass, since it's hard to pull out due to traffic. And I backed right into hub's truck. Damage to both vehicles in one swoop. Not little minor scraping damage either. And I knew the energies yesterday said "go slow, be cautious". Expect the unexpected. And I pulled this exact same move (different car, different truck) maybe 15 years ago, except then it was more minor. Now, he rarely parks in this spot (although more often than every 15 years), usually he pulls up next to me and moments before the accident Olive was about to run into the road and I had to yell at her and grab her and my heart was racing (she never does this). I need to think about this. If anyone has any 'backing into myself' thoughts let me know.

Also the entire time my car has been breaking down (pretty much since our trip to Maine), my entirely unearned good health has been stalling out, too (which metaphysically speaking makes total sense). On my last trip to acupuncture - the acupuncturist asked me how much water I drink, told me I seemed a little dehydrated. What she actually said was, "how much water do you drink? how often do you go to the loo?" - this had me screaming WATERLOO - in my own head, of course.

Anyhoo, back to New Moons. There is often a wave of resistance that arrives when we begin stepping into our power. This resistance can manifest as physical health problems, relationships that mirror our shadows, self-sabotaging "mistakes" or when it seems like “fate” intervenes and creates road blocks or sends us  back to “feeling and playing small” - back to square one.

This "upper limit" thing, set by familial programming and energy patterns that is so common when we are in the process of shifting our self-definitions and expanding our influence and responsibility. Something gets in the way, often something that appears to be outside our control - this is all illusion of course, but how do we work through this? How do we move outside our energy patterns?

One thing we can do right now and it sounds like a small thing but there are no small things - is to set a few affirmations (some astrologers recommend 10, 11 feels even more Sagittarian to me) within the energy of this New Moon - it will just take you a few minutes of concentrated effort. Do it tonight.

Today's Moon is in a T-Square with Jupiter (Sag's ruler in Virgo) and Chiron (in Pisces). Since Sagittarius energy is about freedom and the big picture - we might be feeling stuck in the details and the "work" now. Health matters have cropped up. Saturn, hanging out in Sag, too, for the next couple years is making sure nothing comes easy now. That's OK - we will value it more later this way. Uranus (in Aries) is in a positive aspect and can help us get unstuck and move into something new. 

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of December 7th - ready to pounce

cat pounce by vlue

Ok, here we go. We will all be busy. The energy is similar to last week.

(this energy really breaks up around Christmas which will maybe give everyone one more thing to celebrate)

Mars has multiple major aspects. He squares Pluto and opposes Uranus. Both of these positions are challenging. Let's look at them separately.

1. Mars square Pluto (this aspect is past exact - it was exact on Sunday - but still in play).

We might ask ourselves now:

"Where do I need to stand up for myself? How can I focus my will? How do I express anger? How do I work with power? When is my anger out of proportion to the situation?"

Hubs used to get really crazy in traffic when we were younger. I could never understand the big emotional response he would get when someone followed closer than he would like or pulled in front of him.

Being cut off  - other spaces where we have been cut off, where someone has shut us up, where someone appears to be have gotten "ahead of us",

being followed too closely - other spaces in our lives where people are on our back, where people have been nipping on our heels, breathing down our necks, where we have not been fast enough -

when we feel an emotion that is out of proportion to what is happening we know it is activating something else - something our physical or emotional self is holding.

If we are conscious this week - we might note what is activated in us and work on releasing it in healthy ways. Physical exercise is very helpful right now.

Anger can be a “negative” emotion,  when perverted into rage or violence or when it is repressed, so that it squeezes out sideways in passive-aggressive responses and actions. But anger is passion, too. We can't get angry if we don't care. Passion is the energy of creation - passion makes the world. Anger is a similar energy alerting us to the need to remake our world when our creation has gone wrong. Let's try to stay conscious.

Mars (war, starting energy, the development of will, the expansion of courage, anger, selfishness, what we go after, violence) squares Pluto (power, control, karma, transformation, authority). A square is a transit that creates growth through tension and frustration. Something happens and forces us to do something. Mars is in Libra (women, love, money, values, art). Pluto is in Capricorn (integrity, solitude, business, power).

Toss all the parenthesized words into your salad and see what you come up with in your own life.

(interesting there was a rare woman involved in last week's shooting while Mars is in Libra)

This transit will affect us most strongly if we have planets in our natal chart between 11 and 19 degrees of the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn). Check your natal chart. Also see what natal houses hold Libra and Capricorn. Those will be the fields of play.

2. Mars opposing Uranus (this aspect is building, in play all week and will be exact on the 10th)

Mars (war, starting energy, the development of will, the expansion of courage, anger, selfishness, what we go after, violence) opposes Uranus (genius, innovation, technology, rebellion, eccentricity, fast change). An opposition is a transit that creates growth through opposition. Something or someone else is doing something to us. Something happens that requires us to make a decision. Mars is in Libra (women, love, money, values, art). Uranus is in Aries (starting energy, the development of will, the expansion of courage, anger, selfishness, what we go after, a love of the battle). You can see how this transit's similarities to Mars square Pluto makes it all the more powerful.

EXAMPLE - for Aries (rising, Sun in whole house astrology) : Mars (1st house) triggers Uranus (7th house) - this triggers the unexpected in a relationship. The other person (or you) makes an unexpected move. A bridge is burned. A fire started. Think this through first. Wait for the New Moon to make your next steps.

And of course we have the background Saturn/Neptune square requiring us to face reality and dissolving our illusions. Which sounds like a good thing until we are actually living through it. Also remember we are approaching winter and in the days of releasing what we don't need. Productive Moons all week, but expected the unexpected and with aspects to Jupiter, there will be a tendency to overdo things and have more to do than we can get done. Take time for yourself!

 (Note - if you are prone to panic attacks, this week's energy might bring one on. I had one last night. Haven't had one since March. Played Taylor Swift - Shake It Off. Went to bed early.)

On Monday, the Moon slides into Scorpio, conjuncting Venus and trining Neptune. Good time to focus on Scorpio stuff (Mon/Tues) - loans, taxes, insurance, finances, reproduction, death/birth issues. Venus trine Neptune can offer up a fresh start with a woman, love or income issue and help us attract what we need/want. Anything we have going on that requires intuition or Neptunian themes will get movement (brakes off). Some people will attract great inspiration (or possibly isolation - where'd everybody go?) - yes, those ideas really are already out there just waiting for the right person to "pluck" them like an apple. Be warned - commitment comes with the "pick".

Mars opposition is building - unexpected anger or angry actions can come anytime this week. Let's keep our heads. Negotiations can break down now. 

On Tuesday, there is a Sun/ Uranus aspect that brings the spotlight, an opportunity for sudden change or evolves us forward in some way. Anything that comes up quickly would have to be jumped on.

Mercury enters Capricorn on Wednesday where he will hang out for the rest of the month. Talks get serious. Communications take on a more professional tone. Watch peppering our conversations with nonsense and chitchat. Serious talk gets serious results now. Ideas presented to higher ups must be practical and structurally sound. Just the facts, jack. Mercury is answering to Saturn now. Take what you hear seriously, too. If you don't understand, ask for clarification. Mercury squares the Nodes of Fate and presents us with a crossroads. Make an adjustment.

On Thursday Mars opposition to Uranus is exact. Who is standing in our way? Who are we trying to control? How's that working for ya'? Whatever is happening between us and someone else is highlighted now - could be something that kicked off around November 24th is wrapping up or relate back to last weekend. Watch for fires. Don't leave candles burning. Drive safely. We'll keep our cool. There could be a lightning bolt attraction or leap for freedom that takes us by surprise.

On Friday we have a New Moon in Sagittarius - fire sign New Moons are very potent for fresh starts. There are also some other aspects (mystic rectangle - yes, there are things called mystic rectangles ... don't you love astrology!) giving this one the potential for something BIG. Will post about this in a couple days. Check the house of 19 degrees Sagittarius in your natal chart to scope out the territory. xo all

the story gets serious ...

age by samlin

I'd say I've been feeling my age this week, but actually I have been feeling this woman's age

(although she can thread a damn needle and I can't seem to make a jump ring without dropping the wire even though I treated myself to two brand new pliers for my busy season and a tabletop magnifier although maybe that doesn't count since I have never actually attached it to the table and just keep pushing the box with my foot when it wanders too close to my chair)

OK- so here's the stuff to finish up the weekly forecast.

There is potential for violence and danger when Mars (war, action, initiation) engages either Pluto (power, control, destruction, rebirth) or Uranus (rebellion, sudden upheaval, revolution) and Mars has been and continues to engage both.

On Sunday, Mars square with Pluto is exact. Mars/Pluto is aggression, bullies, force. With Mars (Scorpio ancient ruler) in Libra (ruled by Venus) and Venus in Scorpio - although both planets are in spaces where they are not so comfortable and usually not as powerful, they are strengthened by each other now. For better or worse. It's important for us to make conscious choices and take conscious actions. And next week we have Mars opposing Uranus retrograde in Aries. Mars/Uranus is accidents, explosiveness, hair trigger tempers - combine it with Pluto and we get riots, mobs, things out of control. Nobody wants to be subservient anymore. Nobody wants to be ignored. There is righteous anger here. Mars in Libra can offer up manipulation, jealousy and insecurity. Dangerous weather. 

(if you were on a boat I would suggest dry land and a trip to the local pub - actually avoid the pub, too)

Snooze buttons are turned off. We're awake now, right? This is a time for real heroes (not action figure heroes, truly we need less action and more kindness and compassion) and for togetherness. It's really not us against them - there really is only us.

Since Mars will be retrograde for many months in 2016 we really want to be in a better space before we start backtracking and doing this all over again. One of my first astrology teachers (in the early 90's) said the 2010's would be like the 1960's married the American Revolution. It had all sounded so exciting back then and almost romantic. I had imagined a pot smoking Thomas Jefferson with flowers in his hair and the Beatles riding through the streets on horseback carrying muskets and proclaiming "the British are coming" ... uh, not so much ....

There are ways to make productive use of this energy though. So, we'll find them. If we are facing a challenge, Mars/Pluto will bring us the strength, willpower and courage to overcome great obstacles. Just don't take this too far - there is the potential to get hurt or hurt others.

Mars/Pluto can be the catalyst we need to get us "unstuck". It's very good energy to restore or rehabilitate older, previously strong structures (yes, including ourselves!).

Mars/Uranus gives us the courage to address inequality. It shows us we do not always have to do things the way we have done them in the past. New actions get momentum with this. The momentum creates freedom. Mars/Uranus brings us the courage to change.

And remember, we have the beautiful Sagittarius Sun in the middle of this - illuminating the good stuff if we take the time to look, the higher wisdom, the bigger perspective.

Truly, I think humanity has always struggled with the same problems we face today. What made the past different was just far fewer numbers and smaller scale. We made all the same mistakes then that we make now, but our errors carried less cumulative impact. 

The past is important (although I doubt earlier
cultures were appreciably more moral or ethical than ours - probably more was just hidden out of sight). A rear-view mirror is essential for safely driving forward. 

But we can't move ahead looking backward. And we have to move ahead. There is no option to go back. We burned that bridge.

This weekend be safe. Stay away from fire (no actual bridge burning, please). Watch your temper. Give other people space. Be civil. Be kind. This would be a good time to practice gratitude for what we have. Neptune and Chiron in Pisces asks us to hold our hands and arms wide open to gather what comes and allow for those things that are leaving to slip away; to love our life as it changes .... so here we go. xo all

precision ....

"I have always cherished old things, used things, things marked by the passage of time and human events.

I think of my own self this way, as something much handled, much knocked about, as worn and polished with use and abuse.

As something serviceable, perhaps I should say. More serviceable for having had so many masters, so many wretched, glorious, haphazard experiences and encounters" ... Henry Miller

fingertip precision by earthhart

The Virgo Moon fills us with a need for precision, organization - a "want" to focus on the details. There may be limits, an ending, an authority figure in the doorway, a need to push ourselves harder. Wonderful energy for servicing others. Tonight she opposes Neptune and squares Saturn and the Sun forming a mutable t-square. What's real? What's not real? It can be hard to see/feel/know the difference now. We may all be up to our elbows in mud .... xo all

p.s. good news for those working through that "feeling sorry for ourselves/envy" thing - Venus in Libra conjuncting Juno will start to move us past this ... a rising tide really does lift all ships, there really is only one of us here ... 

At the deepest level, there is no giver, no gift and no recipient... only the universe rearranging itself.  - Jon Kabat-Zinn

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of November 29th - getting honest with ourselves | itching for a fight

How To Listen
Tilt your head slightly to one side and lift
your eyebrows expectantly. Ask questions.

Delve into the subject at hand or let
things come randomly. Don't expect answers.

Forget everything you've ever done.
Make no comparisons. Simply listen.

Listen with your eyes, as if the story
you are hearing is happening right now.

Listen without blinking, as if a move
might frighten the truth away forever.

Don't attempt to copy anything down.
Don't bring a camera or a recorder.

This is your chance to listen carefully.
Your whole life might depend on what you hear.
... Joyce Sutphen

completely honest by bright white kite

There are 24 shopping days until Christmas. How is this possible?

OK. We have a Sagittarius Sun so we are all burning Sagittarius fuel and feeling a bit like what it feels like to be a Sagittarius. There is expansion, passion and fire. We should all be standing a little taller now.

(yes, we might need the right boots - and what the hell, they are probably on sale)

This particular holiday season is influenced by Virgo where Sagittarius ruler Jupiter is hanging out. This will make it particularly busy - we need to stay organized, we will all be working, servicing others and attending to (and likely buying) practical things.

(I had an email from a customer asking me about a bracelet "does this have a function?" - at first I thought this was a very odd question, but then I knew Jupiter in Virgo!)

On Monday afternoon (and Tuesday) the Moon is in Leo - this would be a good time to take a creative risk. Enabling other people to shine more brightly puts the spotlight on us, too, somehow. On the other hand a lack of attention (or appreciation) can be challenging now (see yesterday's post).

Monday is the last hard aspect with Neptune and Saturn until mid January - we can use the next few weeks to work out how far off course our ships have drifted (dreams vs reality) and how to get ourselves back on track. The more major a course correction we need before the next storm hits, the more volatile the activity we are probably seeing now. If we are still blaming someone or something for our current situation - the sooner we let that crap go, the better, and faster, we get the outcome that moves us forward.

Then it's December 1st and the energy changes right away.

On Tuesday Mercury trines Uranus in Aries (brakes off) - this feels like information coming at us quickly and suddenly that allows us to see something (or ourselves) in a new light - Mercury squares (tension) Chiron in Pisces - this feels like, well, maybe ...ouch.

We may be compelled to speak up. We may hear about an out of the blue opportunity. Whatever happens, comes with the caution flag out (this isn't a stop, just a stop and think). New information can be freeing and painful.

The wound that’s triggered may be a result of us saying the wrong thing or discovering the right thing too late or at the wrong time. On the other hand any opportunity to see something in a new light is a good thing. And our triggered vulnerabilities brought to the surface is a good thing, too. We can't toss off those self limiting beliefs if we don't get them out of the closet and into the trash can. With Chiron involved we know whatever happens this information/opportunity is healing. Some kind of uncomfortable truth may be shown to us or a space where we have gotten carried away becomes clear. The results can lead to liberation and authenticity. And I realize that sounds airy fairy, but it's the best I have right now.

(did I say there were 24 shopping days until Christmas?)

EXAMPLE for Mercury in 11th house - we might be compelled to say something on Facebook that startles people about who we really are and we can't "unsay" it. The blow-back might force us to think about and deal with the way we hide who we are to "fit in" or "stay safe" in social spaces. 

On Wednesday the Virgo moon says "let's get this mess cleaned up". So we do. We could be dealing with paperwork or co-worker issues or something with a pet.

Mercury squares Jupiter. Venus (love, money, women, art) moves into Scorpio - making whatever is happening here more intense. What we want (Venus) will be deeper (Scorpio) - shallow stuff will not hold our attention now. People may want more from us than we can give. We might over promise. We could speak about what we believe in ways that are over the top. We might say something we don't even believe when we get caught up in this energy. Let's give others a break when they do this, too.

Thursday is the last quarter Moon in Virgo. Something is winding down.

Intense aspects at the end of the week with Mars (war, anger, initiation) squaring Pluto (power, control, destruction, rebirth) - both strengthened and working together. Something is building/itching toward a fight. I'll talk about this in a couple days - just know this will be added pressure, intensity, tempers flaring, crankiness, edginess as we build toward this ...  xo all

feeling sorry for yourself?

insecurities 2 by xxprettywhenucry

Asteroid Chiron (wounded healer) stationed direct today in Pisces.

This could intensify our recognition of the space we "go it alone" or are "treated worse/have less/receive less attention than other people" - it sometimes manifests as the space we "feel sorry for ourselves".

And I don't say this to trivialize it or to make it something less than something real. It's real. It can eventually manifest as physical illness.

It's time to call it out of the shadows and give it an armchair and a hot cup of cocoa.

Chiron's issues (shame, vulnerability, inadequacy, emotional pain) including health issues, will get some kind of movement now.

The irony with Chiron is that this is often the space we can heal others whether or not we can heal ourselves.

That thing we can do for others but can't seem to do for ourselves - the good advice we always give but don't follow - those spaces are connected.

For some of us instead of a foul mouthed Jiminy Cricket (anyone remember Jiminy Cricket?) sitting on our shoulder telling us how awful we are, we do the job ourselves. And then because it’s now part of our self structure, we will hang onto that conviction with a death grip (as if it were something precious ... because it is actually - it's part of our gift to the planet, but we have to transform it first).

The salve/cure is always empathy - cue Brene Brown. There could be a breakthrough moment with this now.

If you have any planets 16-21 degrees of the mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) you have probably been working through something in your Pisces house since Chiron went retrograde in late June. You may not get what you need from others with this. Self nurture. Read some Brene Brown. Play some Adele. Give yourself a break.

sometimes we hear the music that is always there ....

"Sometimes it's okay. Sometimes it's not one desperate act after another. Sometimes we hear the music that is always there. As the old Irish homily goes: "The most beautiful music is the music of what happens." It is not necessary to run to a remote, quiet place to hear it. It is here already, always. The essence of eternity is how we experience the present. The witnesses are here in ourselves. The fullness of our inheritance denies nothing."
- Terrance Keenan

home by dechobek

This morning's void Moon advises us to avoid any store sales since impulse purchases won't fit or work right or will be of little use. Ack! That's probably drastic for some - but buying things we had previously planned to buy usually works best during void moons.The Moon moves into Cancer this afternoon so a focus on home, family, belonging, nurturing sounds about right.

It could make us (and others) a bit moody but today will be a bit of a breather for most. Take it.

Tomorrow and Sunday will be more intense so let's enjoy the leftovers while we can .....

xo all

(my car is in the shop ... again - I usually just swipe hub's truck but it's been making my shoulder/arm/hand issue worse, so I'm going to rent a small car for the weekend and take myself to a movie this afternoon and go with Kella and Chris to take Sully to see Santa tonight - enjoy your day everyone!)

FULL MOON in Gemini | taste as much as you can ....

"Taste as much of this as you can. Swallow what you need and spit out the rest." - Taizan Maezumi

thanks by kariiissa

With the Sun in Sagittarius we know without following the moon that tonight's Full Moon is in Gemini (Sagittarius polarity sign). It is the culmination of June's New Moon in Gemini, so something from that time is finishing. Also energy from the New Moon two weeks ago is reaching its peak now. The Gemini/Sagittarius polarity is mutable. It's flexible, adaptable and thrives on change.

Mutable signs are restless and prepare us for the change of seasons. They are the breakdown and break away before the breakthrough.

Gemini is ruled by Mercury.

(who also rules Virgo - Mercury was the messenger of the Gods and the Messenger God)

and Mercury rules our 3rd house of day to day communication and language. It also rules siblings, neighbors, local travel, early education, transportation - movement. Its polarity sign is Sagittarius, where our Sun (and Saturn and Mercury) is hanging out right now, rules the 9th house of the larger world aspects of movement. So big picture thinking and processes, philosophy, higher education, foreigners, long distance travel, etc.

During a Full Moon we always have the Moon and Sun in their polar positions (that's what creates the full moon!) so the energy we are working with is the play between the two signs in this case Gemini and Sagittarius.

Tonight's Full Moon is a bit more complicated than usual though.

With Mercury conjunct Saturn (exact yesterday) and squaring Neptune tomorrow and Mercury ruling Gemini - this Full Moon feels like the kick off (wait why do we say kick off, does anything actually start with a kick off?) to the Saturn/Neptune journey (first exact line up on Friday) we will be going through together in 2016. Actually, we are well into the journey now - some of it was just playing out behind the scenes.

Full Moons illuminate something, they show us what we are holding on to. In Gemini this is about communication and learning, opinions and options. Gemini is the sign of change; it holds the space of the crossroads.

The Saturn/Neptune square asks us what we really believe in now. Or maybe it shows us what we really believe in now by what happens to us and what we do with what happens to us.

Saturn represents discipline, time and rules - he reigns over the material world; the things that give life structure. Saturn tells Neptune to, "sit up straight, obey authority, get a job, to pull himself up by his bootstraps." Neptune rules the metaphysical world. He represents our dreams, our imagination, the things that give life meaning. He asks Saturn to feel, to have a heart, to show compassion, to understand that not everyone has bootstraps to pull up.

We all carry both these archetypes and they work out their energies and move their stories forward through us.

On their own neither of these big boys would give us a functioning world. They need each other. And individually we need to balance both these parts of ourselves. We need Saturn's structure to bring the dream to life and we need the dream (Neptune) to give our life meaning and purpose.

Neptune is all over this Full Moon, so things may not be quite as they seem. With Gemini there is always a choice, a spotlight on some new information. If we are unsure what is real or where to look for balance - check your natal chart. Where is 2-6 degrees Sagittarius? Focus on that.

If you have planets 2-6 degrees Sagittarius, Pisces, Gemini or Virgo you will feel this New Moon strongest.

As always, get out and walk in it - this one is challenging - don't go walking into a tree or a ditch or something. You don't have to be able to see it, don't worry about clouds, it's there, you'll feel it.

And Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the U.S.

xo all

REMINDER on Friday the Saturn/ Neptune square is exact at 7 deg Pisces. If something's dissolving, please just let it go. If something vague and imaginative needs to be firmed up - work on that - baby steps.

the light of late November ....

Praise Song
Praise the light of late November,
the thin sunlight that goes deep in the bones.
Praise the crows chattering in the oak trees;
though they are clothed in night, they do not
despair. Praise what little there's left:
the small boats of milkweed pods, husks, hulls,
shells, the architecture of trees. Praise the meadow
of dried weeds: yarrow, goldenrod, chicory,
the remains of summer. Praise the blue sky
that hasn't cracked yet. Praise the sun slipping down
behind the beechnuts, praise the quilt of leaves
that covers the grass: Scarlet Oak, Sweet Gum,
Sugar Maple. Though darkness gathers, praise our crazy
fallen world; it's all we have, and it's never enough.
 - Barbara Crooker

autumn neighborhood by gnato

After this week we will know what we are dealing with from the Saturn/Neptune square - it will unwind itself over the next 10 months, but the issues will be on the table. They probably already are. A square always means there is work ahead.

Mars is active today - we are taking action, maybe with a key person. The Moon is in Taurus. We won't be rushed. Others won't be rushed by us either. Settle down. We are craving security and the comfort of things we can see, smell, touch and taste - a great day to get things ready for Thanksgiving, if you are in the U.S. Tomorrow (Mercury square Neptune) we could see traffic delays, information and agreements dissolving, wet weather, etc so get your stuff done today if you can.

Vesta connects with the south node (now in Pisces) allowing us to disconnect (dissolve) from things and people that do not fit/work anymore. Remember, Jupiter is in Virgo so everything expands through discipline and details now. Baby steps people. If we can relax and put important decisions on hold for another week or two all the better. We’ll be facing issues around what roles we’re playing and which ones we’re releasing. It's a process. Simplicity is a strength now. There are opportunities for those who have a precise plan and a way of executing it, so we'll take a broad view of future possibilities that may take some time to come to fruition. November and December are foundation building time. Balance.

Back tomorrow with the Gemini Full Moon! xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of November 23rd - Neptune Saturn Square | Full Moon Gemini | NOTE If you are hosting Thanksgiving dinner, think about lots of wine (or wait maybe no wine!) and plastic knives and forks, yes, things could get that dicey!

just a dream by Amr Elshamy

OK,this week we have the first of the exact squares between Saturn in Sagittarius and Neptune in Pisces (two more in 2016), a Full Moon in Gemini and Chiron stationing direct - if you are getting together with family members who hold dissenting beliefs for Thanksgiving ... well, good luck with that. Lots of paths that have diverged in the wood, maybe much longer ago than we would want to admit will be made clear now.

We start the week - Monday - with an opposition between Venus in Libra and Uranus in Aries. An opposition is exactly what it sounds like. So we have Venus (love, money, women, art) all snuggly in Libra (balance) the sign she rules. Suddenly she is at odds with Uranus (independence, freedom, rebellion, stuff from 'out of the blue') in Aries (initiating energy, action, anger, war) where he has recently been freed from his south node tie up.

This could indicate a sudden change (inspiration, perspiration or disintegration) for Venus ruled stuff - love, money, relationships, women, art. Expect the unexpected here. With Uranus, this stuff could flip on us again, so know that whatever happens - if it's good - enjoy it, appreciate it, be grateful. If it's not what we had hoped for - let's not overreact - think Libra and balance, be diplomatic. We will get through it. With Uranus changes just lead to more changes. And Uranus in Aries is answering to Mars who is a bit uncomfortable in Libra. If last week was a bit of a clusterf*ck for you - this aspect could bring a conclusion of sorts.

it all matters ....

echo of small things by karezoid

"It all matters. That someone turns out the lamp, picks up the windblown wrapper, says hello to the invalid, pays at the unattended lot, listens to the repeated tale, folds the abandoned laundry, plays the game fairly, tells the story honestly, acknowledges help, gives credit, says good night, resists temptation, wipes the counter, waits at the yellow, makes the bed, tips the maid, remembers the illness, congratulates the victor, accepts the consequences, takes a stand, steps up, offers a hand, goes first, goes last, chooses the small portion, teaches the child, tends to the dying, comforts the grieving, removes the splinter, wipes the tear, directs the lost, touches the lonely, is the whole thing. What is most beautiful is least acknowledged. What is worth dying for is barely noticed."
 .... Laurie McBride | We Are Called To Rise

Mercury enters Sagittarius and information speeds up. Opportunities may present themselves now (yes with Saturn here they will come with the price tag of hard work - we get to decide what is worth it or maybe life forces our hand) - communications involving learning or teaching, ethics or travel (all Sagittarius ruled things). Our Sag house wakes up now and with Saturn here we will be made to walk our talk. The stuff Saturn has been sitting on since September gets some movement. Great energy to be "salesy", yes, the "s" word. Others can be convinced if we really believe in what we are saying, writing or peddling. There is also truth to be said/heard now - with Jupiter in Virgo it could sting - be kind and compassionate (Neptune in Pisces). A fact vs. fiction wake up call is here/coming.

The BIG idea can provide the enthusiasm that gets us thinking/moving/dreaming and the small things (and steps) will move us forward. (back up your computer this weekend always a good idea before or after Mercury changes signs). xo all

.... we are still going, you and I

a hopeful transmission by c a martin

"If you're reading this, if there's air in your lungs on this November day, then there is still hope for you. Your story is still going. And maybe some things are true for all of us. Perhaps we all relate to pain. Perhaps we all relate to fear and loss and questions. And perhaps we all deserve to be honest, all deserve whatever help we need. Our stories are all so many things: Heavy and light. Beautiful and difficult. Hopeful and uncertain. But our stories are not finished yet. There is still time, for things to heal and change and grow. There is still time to be surprised. We are still going, you and I. We are stories still going." .... Jamie Tworkowski

The Moon is hanging with Neptune in Pisces today - procrastination and escape will be so easy. Our moon lives in imagination where all our possibilities are kept alive simply because we never choose to live them out. Keep that in mind now as we settle down and get to work. Venus is in a tricky spot. If we do not know what we want, probably better to wait if we can. We've got the Moon squaring Mercury - so logic and emotion are at odds. I dreamed a great idea last night, but this morning it just feels like a whole lot of work. I'll just sit with it and focus on the tasks at hand (Virgo!). First Quarter Moon means challenges to what we started at the New Moon - that's ok, we got this thing- just building bigger muscles, right?

xo all

... our default setting

"Just as many machines reset themselves to their original settings after a power outage, human beings reset themselves to something altruistic, communitarian, resourceful and imaginative after a disaster, we revert to something we already know how to do. The possibility of paradise is already within us as a default setting."

- Rebecca Solnit

LOVE this quote from environmental writer Rebecca Solnit ... Today, Neptune stations direct squaring Saturn and things get a little fuzzy (or fuzzier!). Remember our expansion comes through Virgo - careful - I might even say cautious, small, measured steps, attention to detail - we need to pay attention to how we say things and what we say - words change worlds now folks.

xo all

Saturn in Sagittarius Square Neptune in Pisces for Creatives | the Dreams vs Reality Transit - Part III

OK to recap from Part I and Part II now that Saturn has moved into Sagittarius (and this started loosely when he stuck his head in last winter, but more strongly recently when he unpacked his bags and kicked off his shoes and lasts through the end of 2017) he is squaring Neptune in Pisces (Sagittarius naturally squares Pisces - think pie chart here).

This square will be exact three times over the next 10 months, due to Neptune and Saturn retrogrades  - Nov 26, 2015 at 7 degrees, June 17, 2016 at 12 degrees and Set 10, 2016 at 10 degrees. And remember even when an aspect is not exactly exact it may be still close enough, often for long periods, to be felt.

Squares are tense aspects - they push us into a new action (oppositions push us into a new decision, trines remove obstacles, sextiles show opportunities, etc). Everyone is going to work with this square before Saturn leaves Sagittarius at the end of 2017. Here's a post with info on Saturn in Sagittarius that could be helpful, too.

This is the big deal transit of 2016.

getting comfortable with what is foreign

Foreign is never comfortable. The work of Candance Pert and others tells us that we are literally craving, in our very cells, what is familiar.

It's not because what is familiar is good for us and what is foreign is bad for us. And in fact it often works the other way around. It's just how our bodies work.

It is hard not to be following the news this week, and actually I am not one of those 'pink paint' people who advise turning away from what upsets us. I know so many people who tell me they don't watch the news because they don't want to see any bad news and this is exactly the way of thinking that brings this bad news to our door so we can see it.

We are, as a collective, working through a transit of Saturn (limitations, time, boundaries) in Sagittarius (big picture, foreign travel, people at a distance, immigration) so it is not surprising that the current events in the world are being shown through the lens the media is presenting to us.

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of November 16th - New Pisces Karma Cycle | Going With the Flow |

magical art - the secret garden by emla

Monday's ambitious Capricorn Moon can have us powering through our duties and responsibilities - sign agreements, make sales, decisions. There are really no void moons during working hours this week - YAY! (well, late Monday afternoon) so things ready to launch are pretty good to go - remember we have Jupiter in Virgo, so take care of the details and don't launch anything half-assed.

On the other hand, remember we have Jupiter in Virgo (is there an echo in here?), and we may be too detail oriented and miss the forest for the trees - if you are a maker, well, this is the holiday season, if it's ready to ship, get it somewhere where someone can find it.

We are in a waxing, productive Moon phase. If we have been tired or drained this is a building time of the month with energy returning.

Venus conjunct Black Moon Lilith in Libra could be some kind of competition/comparison with pink paint poured on top of it or someone or something that smiles to our face and then cuts us off at the knees. Or maybe this is some kind of insider/outsider thing with the power to wound us. Watch for it.

NEW MOON in Scorpio 11/11 - This Time PLEASE, PLEASE Actually Write the Damn Intention List!

new birth by jojoesart

Wednesday's New Moon at 19 degrees Scorpio has multiple excellent, positive aspects. This moment in time joins our deepest (Scorpio) emotions (Moon) and our mental ability (Mercury) with our creativity and self (Sun). What cannot be accomplished with everything working together this way?

First we have the Sun and Moon sextile to Jupiter.

Jupiter brings expansion and good luck - even wealth and happiness. Sextiles are positive aspects but require some kind of action on our part - so please, please, even if you have never actually sat yourself down and written out your intention list at the New Moon before, do it this time. Even if month after month you read these posts but just skim over the part where we physically write this stuff down, and I understand, really I do,

but - this month, actually do it ... either Wednesday night or Thursday.

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of November 9th - FRESH starts, OPPORTUNITIES, multiple brakes OFF

oprisco photography

This is a week of fresh starts and opportunities. There may be some blockage in our personal chart (ie a limiting belief met as karma) but in most areas of most of our lives things will be moving full steam ahead now!

First of all - we have a Grand Trine (remember a trine means brakes off, well think of a Grand Trine as removing multiple brakes all at once) involving our Sun, Pluto and Jupiter.

This is about our goals, our reputation and authority figures (Capricorn themes - Pluto is in Capricorn) - sex, death and rebirth, birth, reproduction, divorce, other people's money (Scorpio themes - Sun in Scorpio) and our work, health, co-workers, pets (Virgo themes - Jupiter in Virgo). This is major favorable energy right now.

Astrological Influences - The Big Picture for Creatives Now | Part II

Part I of this overview is HERE.

We talked about the 'outer planets' - this is the collective energy at play.  

Now Saturn and Jupiter are outer planets, too, but they affect us differently so I will call them 'middle planets'. They aren't the astrological inner planets (Mars, Venus, Mercury and the Moon) that affect our day to day happenings and moods - they are kind of the space where we as individuals meet the collective.

Basically, (and that's a loaded word, so we'll flesh it out a little) Saturn is about constriction and Jupiter is about expansion. Jupiter feels good. Saturn feels bad. This isn't really what is happening, but it will often feel like this.

Astrological Influences - The Big Picture for Creatives Now | Part I

I thought I should take a step back from the weekly astrology posts to post about the big picture a bit.

We are living through a period of unprecedented change and uncertainty - we all know this.

We see it in the outer world and we see it in our individual lives.

Every time we get settled in something or someone or someplace that feels like 'safety' ... the rug gets pulled. The walls we thought were made of concrete by that 3rd little pig were actually the fake plastic stuff with the toxic gray paint.

This is not innately a bad thing or a good thing (well, except for the toxic gray paint) - the good/bad part is always up to us - that free will thing and all.

Anyhoo, for an overall look at the planetary energies we look at the 3 outer planets. These guys move slowly and their impacts are more long lasting.

These are the multiple major influences we are, as a collective, living through all at once. Any one of these transits could send us to the madhouse so having them all of once is the reason most people are struggling to stay grounded.

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of November 2nd - going deep .... plus did I mention that new cycle of working from our hearts, well here we go ....

 

November is going to be BIG.

We are midway through autumn now and well into Scorpio season (even though it's still Virgo, Virgo, Virgo!). 

Scorpio is all about mastering the fine art of release - letting go of what is no longer needed, weeding out the stuff that has, well, died, to create space for something new to find us.

There is always, always new stuff coming.

Nature really does hate a vacuum, so as we release old thoughts, feelings, wants and habits, we automatically attract the people and circumstances that mirror who we are without those thoughts, feelings, wants and habits. Our only job is to clear the space.

Mars (action, initiative) will be in Scorpio for many weeks in 2016 - this energy isn't going anywhere.

We still have the North Node in Libra so we are connecting and reconnecting with others. Libra moves into Venus next Sunday and triggers that node of fate - lots of relationship and interpersonal stuff going on now. Venus and then Mars will also stumble into the old Uranus/Pluto square beginning next week so as the leaves dry up and fall from the trees we may be asking ourselves "has this relationship / business / job / location - dried up, too?". Then, carrying this energy of re-evaluation, the North Node moves quietly into Virgo and we proceed into the first of three Saturn / Neptune squares, this is the dreams vs. reality transit that will reshape everything. But, let's not go there quite yet ....

We have Jupiter in Virgo inconjunct Uranus in Aries. Maybe we prepare for one thing and something else happens instead. We could beat our head against the wall pushing to make the first thing work, but it would undoubtedly be best to go with the flow and stay flexible. 

Luck (Jupiter) favors the flexible (Uranus) action (Aries) that is accurate and refined (Virgo).

On MONDAY - Mercury moves from civil and balanced Libra into deep and disruptive Scorpio for the next 18 days. This is about intense communications and profound conversations. We won't ask how someone is doing, unless we really want to know because they will tell us. What we need to find out from others will be uncovered - what others need to find out from us will be uncovered, too. We can see how this can be a good or not so good thing depending on how many secrets we are carrying!

Do you have any natal planets in Scorpio? They will be receiving signs and alerts now - pay attention.

Whatever that thing is that requires thorough analysis or investigation - this is the time for that.

Put down the magazine and pick up that good, thick book that has been gathering dust on your shelf.

Remember we still have a lot of planets in Virgo and Mercury rules Virgo - so a whole lot of celestial energy will be in Scorpio stealth mode right now. Virgos and Geminis in particular (both ruled by Mercury) become even more Scorprionic. This energy can be manipulative and Scorpio isn't always right (no one is), just don't tell them (or anyone else, we are all working this energy now) that - just quietly and thoroughly (think Virgo again) verify information. Everything deep and dark really doesn't need to be said out loud or shared in public. I heard Brene Brown say on a recent radio interview, "you share a story when your healing is not dependent on the response you receive from the sharing" - that sounds about right here.

I always back up my computer again when Mercury goes deep into Scorpio - equipment and cars can get wonky. This is not the best time to learn/communicate about something brand new. This is a good time to deepen some knowledge or line of inquiry we already have going on.

Go deep not wide with this energy.

(business example - if you are a maker planning an email campaign or postcard blitz during the next 3 weeks, and, yes, it would be the perfect time for it - better to offer something else - ie better - to existing customers than going after new people or better to contact stores you have contacted before and have a relationship with or struck out with previously, and send them a new - ie better - offer, etc - you get the idea - instead of thinking expansion outward, think about deepening existing circumstances)

MONDAY/TUESDAY is actually not a bad time to launch something (we can definitely wait for that Scorpio New Moon mid-month though!) if we have been precise with our work and attentive to details because this is the day Venus conjuncts Mars in Virgo (Mercury ruled) and kicks off a new two year cycle!

Remember, I said November and December would be foundation building time!

Typically Mars and Venus join together once every couple years or so, but in 2015, due to Venus's long retrograde last summer they meet up three times - this week is their third (and last until 2017) hook up. 

The first one back in Aries was a beginning but really more about harsh realities and survival and overcoming a crisis - this involved the Venus themes of love, money, women, beauty and Mars themes of action and anger. Then on September 1st, they met up again and rehashed everything.

It's been a tough transit for many people.

This new cycle (24 degrees Virgo - check your natal chart - is the sweet spot for getting what we want with this) is about as far away from the last cycle as we can get - this one is about being unburdened and new and about what we are really here to do.

It's time to lay down the baggage of the last two years and open our hearts. The love (and money) will find us.

"Do what you love and the money will follow" is not something I believe is literally true in the sense of "earning money from the thing we love doing". 

BUT I do believe, and this cycle will definitely be a game changer for many people, that doing what we love releases old thoughts, habits, wants and feelings of resistance and magnetizes us to people and circumstances that mirror who we are without this resistance.

This creates the space for the good stuff (really the stuff money can buy and the stuff money can't buy) to show up.

We have Mercury in Scorpio to ensure a deep impact for whatever we are cooking up, which is why we want it to be good, launching something that isn't really ready could get us noticed and not in a good way - which is why I'm thinking long term and foundational with this energy.

With Venus and Mars conjunct we can attract what we want. With Virgo involved it has to be high quality. Mercury in Scorpio wants it to hold up to scrutiny and have some kind of deep significance - don't waste this energy on flash in the pan whoseewhatsees.

But, of course, sometimes flash in the pan whoseewhatsees are only recognizable in hindsight ... but if we cook up one of those just be prepared to be known for that flash in the pan whoseewhatsee. It's like we always double check our work and the one time we don't double check is the time our boss pulls our report out at a big meeting with upper management and there is a glaring mistake we didn't catch, ouch. Or that new bracelet we made that maybe needed a little more finessing and isn't quite reflective of our brand and style finds it's way to an editor at Lucky Magazine and ... well, you get the idea. I am not saying this to make us any more crazy than we already are - we can only do our best.

If we keep our eye on the details, do the work and reach a little further than we think we can, but just a little - we are working a Sun/Neptune trine from November 3-11, reaching too far is probably not recommended and it's easy to get carried away now (I pulled my shoulder putting on my coat, yes, my coat, it's been two weeks and still hurts - reaching is not my friend right now) - we could strike gold here.

If this wasn't a business blog (even though you may have to squint and stand twenty paces to see that these days) I would also mention that Mars (masculine energy) and Venus (feminine energy) joining together would be good for other things, too (wink).

WEDNESDAY (void moon so production, no new starts) and THURSDAY are also great creative days, so attention to creative work, children, fun, love are favored. We need to show up and get involved here.

FRIDAY - the sextile between the Sun and Pluto is exact. If we have any adjusting or clean up that needs to be done - today would be a good day to be doing it. With the Sun in Scorpio aligning with Pluto in Capricorn, Scorpio's ruler - we can focus like a lazer beam. This is a closing sextile so any victory now will have been earned over time. If we started something last January when the Sun was in Capricorn - this week will be the reward for that work.

We have some REALLY BIG energy coming in November, including the first of three Neptune/Saturn squares (dreams vs reality) and the Nodes shift. Depending on your chart these changes may override stuff I have written here, so I will post about them in a couple days.

I wasn't able to get to the Full Moon post last week. I hope everyone had the chance to go outside and walk in it! My own Full Moon was quite stressy/messy - disagreements, simple misunderstandings turned into the kind of mountains requiring Sherpas and oxygen masks and perspectives sealed in concrete on all sides. Um, yes, that sounds about right ... and there was the beautiful Maine skies, coast and clean mountain air, too.

THEN I did a quick blog post (about muttering, yes, I said muttering) but then somehow lost most of it adding another picture and I don't have enough enthusiasm for the subject matter tonight to rewrite it. Blogger is officially driving me nuts. xo all

muttering (and mothering) in the Maine woods ...

I spent a lot of time muttering to myself when we were in Maine last week (and eating ... and losing my gloves ... and eating ... and losing my gloves).

I caught myself, three or four times, actually speaking out loud and then looking around to see if anyone had heard me.

At first I thought "well, maybe I have things I need to say no one would want or need to hear" and my brain was kind of just reflexively spitting them out or I thought it was some kind of Full Moon madness since they say talking to yourself is the first sign

(Stalin and Hitler even passed laws to make it illegal).

But the more I thought about what I was rambling about (and I had the song Waterloo stuck in my head too, sometimes life is just not fair, folks) I came to the conclusion it was some kind of truth-talk squeezing past my inner scensors and when I thought about it even more I realized it was totally directed at myself (even when I appeared to be grumbling about something or someone else).

Mostly we think of stuff and then maybe we say it or maybe we write it down or maybe we just forget about it.We probably think a lot of the same stuff again and again.

Muttering is kind of the other way around - we think about it after we say it. Maybe it's like automatic writing (I tried that once, but gave up when my tea grew cold and my hand cramped up) or almost a kind of self-coaching.

In fact the word 'mutter' comes from the German for 'mother', so maybe this way of thinking isn't so crazy. Maybe when we mutter we are actually mothering ourselves.

Stay with me. (and yes, I muttered this part ... and sounded a lot like Rod Stewart when he was just the right amount of raspy - you're welcome)

We've got some interesting celestial aspects heading our way and synchronicities will appear if we are paying attention.

Muttering could be helpful in the sense it kind of connects us back to ourselves. For now I'm trying to listen to my mutter (in a mothering and not smothering way, staying open to the significance that maybe it is directed from me to me), paying attention to what I say under my breath and through clenched teeth, really hearing the words to that song I keep humming; trying to be loud and deliberate.

Maybe then it can settle down feeling listened to and understood. And I can get this damn Abba song out of my head .... xo all



At Waterloo Napoleon did surrender
Oh yeah
And I have met my destiny in quite a similar way
The history book on the shelf
Is always repeating itself
Waterloo - I was defeated, you won the war
Waterloo - Promise to love you for ever more
Waterloo - Couldn't escape if I wanted to
Waterloo - Knowing my fate is to be with you
Waterloo - Finally facing my Waterloo

My my
I tried to hold you back, but you were stronger
Oh yeah
And now it seems my only chance is giving up the fight
And how could I ever refuse
I feel like I win when I lose
Waterloo - I was defeated, you won the war
Waterloo - Promise to love you for ever more
Waterloo - Couldn't escape if I wanted to
Waterloo - Knowing my fate is to be with you
Waterloo - Finally facing my Waterloo

So how could I ever refuse
I feel like I win when I lose
Waterloo - I was defeated, you won the war
Waterloo - Promise to love you for ever more
Waterloo - Couldn't escape if I wanted to
Waterloo - Knowing my fate is to be with you
Waterloo - Finally facing my Waterloo

Weekend Update | Creativity Forecast for Creatives - Keep It Real, BITE Your Tongue (just a little love bite, don't gouge out a big chunk), Dream Big, Give it Your Best Shot

I am going away for a few days (YAY, Maine!) so thought I would do a quick update of the energies at play while I will be away.

We are finishing up that Mercury in Libra (communication, partners, equals, balance, art, love, women) square (think challenging here) Pluto In Capricorn (secrets, what's hidden, authority, structure).

We need to think communications through so we do not say something we will regret. There may not be any words that can get us where we want to go, so it might be best to just let things slide until next week with this. Note - I did not do this, spoke up about something yesterday and immediately regretted it. The scenario included every word I have used in italics (yes, I love italics!) in this paragraph and I knew we had an Aquarian Moon edging me toward rebellion and I still couldn't stop myself. My need for the truth won out even though I didn't.

Hopefully all of you handled/will handle things better.

(big breath)

On Sunday, we have something similar with Mercury opposing Uranus and inconjunct Chiron - so again we can step on some toes, there is opportunity here, but also the opportunity to hurt or get hurt. We could say the wrong thing. Venus is conjunct Jupiter (in Virgo) so our best moves still focus on VIRGO - do the work, make healthy choices, keep it grounded and real.

On Friday, the Sun moves into Scorpio (for sure, double Scorpio Hillary Clinton, will be taking no prisoners at the Benghazi hearings  - she's working with the same energies so she could say the wrong thing but something tells me she won't).

We all begin to burn Scorpio fuel and see what it feels like to be a Scorpio. Scorpio wants the truth and will not settle for any answer that is not at least a wee bit uncomfortable. The Scorpio area of our charts is where we all struggle for control. Facing fear is what Scorpio energy is born to do (we all have Scorpio in our charts, some of us more than others).

It's no coincidence Halloween is approaching!

Friday could be an intense day. Truth is messy. There is an uneasiness between just doing something and doing it right that requires adjustment. Safety doesn't win with these energies although not playing it safe can certainly backfire, too. Scorpio doesn't throw pink paint over problems and pretend they don't exist. Neither does Virgo. Throw these two energies together and we've got an overall vibe of authenticity. For better or worse.

Outcomes are never guaranteed and particularly not during Scorpio season. Just decide, then decide to not look back. Second guessing yourself is not allowed now (although again, if things can be pushed off until after next Tuesday when the energies calm down a bit, all the better). Also remember anything that is playing out that looks like it is all about them, is really all about us. It can be helpful to see it this way.

Venus conjuncts Jupiter on Sunday. There is opportunity for expansion here and an opposition to Chiron who is inconjunct with Uranus (there are advantages and disadvantage to having everything all balled up together in the skies) that cautions us to not take anything too far or expect too much. But if we use Virgo (Jupiter in Virgo is our go-to energy through next summer) to work out the details and fix what isn't working - we can use Jupiter to 'go for it' and Venus to 'have what we want'.

Fingers crossed for everyone here.

Personally, I always regret the road not taken more than the failure (although, yes, I regret the failure, too - I'm not a 'failure is my friend' kind of girl), know this about myself, so usually do the thing I see to do.

(and 9 times out of 10 it doesn't work, but maybe that 1 success is all we need anyway and the other 9 are just there for us to grow our muscles to handle the 1 - yes, that feels about right.)

The weekend could actually be quite lovely for all of us. 

Yoga / Meditation Bracelets - Lori Portka Art

This will get us through Tuesday. With so many planets in mutable signs the energy is great for juggling a whole bunch of stuff, not so great if we want to actually control any of the stuff we are juggling. We'll have to roll with things as they come up. We need to be adjustable. 

Just like my magnetic cuff bracelets with artist Lori Portka (warning shameless plug ahead) - have you seen these --->

Then next week we have a nice Full Moon in Taurus and things calm down a bit. Will write about that before then. Mid November lots of things shake loose including the south node finally moving out of Aries (since early 2014) and freeing Uranus to get whatever is stuck in our life moving. Where's Aries in your chart?

Have an amazing weekend everyone - need to get ALOT of work finished today! Hubs and I haven't taken a trip together in almost 3 years and even though this is only 4 days away, 7 hours from home and it will be COLD, we are EXCITED.

(for any peeps following my 'crash the party' story I will update it in the comments of the last post at lunch time - I hate when bloggers leave things hanging, although I realize I do this, too - don't hate me - it's almost as bad as Facebook people who post things like "such great news!!!" or "what the hell?!!" without any of us knowing what the hell they are talking about, drives me nuts)

xo all

Seeing the Forest AND the Trees - Weekly Astrology Wrap up for Creatives

"This burning…this longing…this shaky Aliveness. These are your only scriptures now. You are right on track." ... Matt Licata

autumn treeline by raceytay

If my regular weekly post was the forest (or one forest, we are all kind of walking through many forests at the same time), this mini addition will be the trees. Missing the trees means we plow headlong into .. well, trees - I guess. But not seeing the forest means that even seeing the trees (avoiding some, hugging others) doesn't actually get us anywhere.

So, here's this week's trees:

We are at the quarter moon - this is like - we've put the ball into play and it's out of our hands now. Not out of our hands forever, just out of our hands now. We have to trust the process and other people. It's a good time to let our minds be settled a bit with where things are going. This doesn't mean we are standing still, we are still moving forward and playing the game - we just can't control everything because the ball is not in our hands now (have I said that already?).

And if we are still holding the ball, because maybe we didn't set up that freakin' flock like I've been saying for the last two years (or maybe I should say team for this one) and have no one to pass the damn ball to - well, then just realize stuff is happening outside our control and we'll just set the ball down and stretch our back for a bit. We can stand up straighter now and see what everyone else is doing. Yes, those other people are still out there and yes,we still have time to gather a team (ie flock) for a hand-off, hand up, hand on our back.

For most of Tuesday we have a Capricorn Moon - this is a goal oriented, ambitious energy. Then in the late afternoon the Moon moves into Aquarius (this is where the other people come in) - it also goes void, so good productive energy, not good initiating energy. Let the stuff cook. Don't keep opening the oven door.

On Wednesday, Mercury in Libra squares Pluto in Capricorn for the third and final time. This could produce some intense and maybe uncomfortable conversations about issues we were dealing with in mid to late September. This will either wrap this stuff up or be some kind of final showdown. We've got Juno (asteroid) conjunct Mercury so there could be relationship loyalty and power issues here. Pluto will be pushing for the truth.

This can also play out as being asked to do things by people in authority we really don't want to do or people we don't want to listen to telling us things we don't want to hear. The Aquarius Moon will help us detach. Don't decide ahead of time what you are going to hear and what you are going to see because that will be what you hear and see. Go full Aquarius (the open minded genius/scientist here - not the rebel, not the criminal). But maybe try mouth shut, ears open and see what develops with that. Of course, Aquarians always say what they think, and we can do that, too - let's just listen first.

On Thursday, Venus in Virgo trines Pluto in Capricorn (brakes off). This trine strengthens Venus (love, money, values) by focusing us on what’s "correct" and/or what's practical. There will most likely be a woman involved here. Whatever this aspect touches for us will move smoothly.

Mars in Virgo will oppose Chiron (wounded healer), so some things, especially things that we are doing a bit obsessively (thank you Virgo) could backfire. Our actions can hurt others or we can be hurt by others' actions. There’s a need for some caution here.

On Friday, the Sun moves into Scorpio and we all dive a little (or a lot) deeper. More on this later in the week.

Note - the thing with dates and astrology is the dates I list are when aspects are exact. To get to be exact - planets and celestial bodies move toward and away from the exact point of contact. So although they are exact on a particular day, and really at a particular moment sometimes, we can feel them and they can activate stuff in our own charts, depending on the aspect, for days before and after.

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of October 19th - make some kind of move

Last night, Mars joined Jupiter bringing energy, movement and initiating action to a

new 2 year cycle of work and health

and it plays into a forming T-square for extra potency for the next 12 months!

This cycle began to set-up when Jupiter moved into Virgo on August 10th - but between Venus retrograde, Mercury retrograde, Saturn moving from Scorpio into Sagittarius and eclipse season most of us have had too much old stuff on our plates, or slipping off our plates, to notice.

Now we will.

BEST CASE - two years from now we will be fulfilled through the development of a personally meaningful something or other that is of value to others and we'll be enjoying the best health of our lives.

WORST CASE - we'll learn big lessons from two years of endless busyness, perfectionist pit-stops, tasks that have no personal meaning and we'll gain another ten pounds (or worse). This is definitely not the time to still be smoking.

We win or we learn. Or we win and we learn - yeah, let's do that.

Besides kicking off a new two year story with Jupiter (in Virgo) Mars' movement activates a T-square (when points in opposition also form a square with another point). A T-square enables drive and courage but can also create tension and conflict. Natal T-square people are very active. You know that go-getter who packs 30 hours into every 24 hour day and makes us want to take a nap - well, I guarantee she has one. Cardinal T-squares can be very impatient, but also enterprising and initiating. Fixed T-squares don't quite, but are also stubborn and they can hold on to problems for too long. Mutable T-squares are restlessness and change their minds too often, but are great at adapting to changing circumstances.

Last week we had Mars squaring Saturn and opposing Neptune, now he joins Jupiter and these 3 planets (Jupiter, Neptune and Saturn) give us the T-square we will all be working with for the next year. This will play out in our Sagittarius, Pisces and Virgo houses (check your natal chart). This is my 2nd, 4th and 10th houses (so basically money and values, home and work). If you want to know the space this story will run through in your own chart just contact me.

Until mid November we are still in the "dreaming it" stage - this time would be best spent with visioning and detailed planning. Let's use this Virgo focus and attention to detail while we have access to it (the Sun changes signs at the end of the week). Lists are our friend now. Virgo energy sometimes doesn't want to compete unless they know they can win or they don't compete because then they will have to do it really well again - if you are feeling anything like this right now, push through it.

From mid November (when Saturn comes into play) foundations get built. In January and February there is a pause in the action as things slow and separate and then March thru November 2016 we build the dream.

This dream doesn't have to be some big, ginormous dream. It just has to be ours. We need to be working from our hearts with this. If anything special was happening around May 2000 (check your Taurus house) there will be aspects that relate to that time period. Stuff will happen with or without our full participation, attention and intention, but the best way to use astrology is to make the best use of transits as intentionally as we can.

After the Uranus Pluto Square power struggle story we've all been working through, this new chapter is a welcome change.

This week with Mars (action, initiative) and Jupiter (good luck, expansion) bumping together it's a good time for some kind of initiatory action. Make some kind of move. Ambition is a good thing. I'm crashing an event I wasn't invited to - more on this later in the week. Then I'm going away for a couple days to recuperate from the stress of it all (me and public events are going together like peanut butter and mayonnaise these days - yes, that yummy).

Anyhoo, I'll try to get back to do the Moons and daily aspects tomorrow - there is lots of other stuff going on, but if we let this T-square happen without our intentional participation we will regret it, I promise ... plus I need tonight to plan my wardrobe and practice not sounding like I've been practicing .... and like maybe I was actually invited. xo all