New Moon in Capricorn | Saturday & Sunday - what we're made of (and no, it's not sugar and spice and everything nice)

shock by just a shadow left
When the Sun and the Moon are in the same space, as they are this weekend, all possibilities are on the table.

We have so much happening now - Mercury has moved back into Capricorn. Venus and Saturn are joined in Sagittarius. Jupiter is retracing his earlier steps in Virgo. The Sun and the Moon are having a party.

(although in Capricorn this party probably looks more like an all-night study session or late night at the office where they toss you a slice of cold pizza and some strong coffee and sternly advise you to keep working)

Uranus squares (what we resist persists). Jupiter trines (be wary of over-confidence). Chiron sextiles (and heals).

So, what might all this look like? Maybe we become aware of what we have and what we don't have. With so much energy encharged with looking behind us, maybe we second guess ourselves. Maybe the more decisive among us, just cut their losses and move on. For the rest of us, we see the chances we have missed (ouch) and the choices we have left. Or maybe we don't see any choices. But we will.

For now we just handle what we have to handle. We take care of business.

Maybe we realize we have been asking for too little and secretly hoping more will just fall into our lap .... in Capricorn's ability to withstand we can lose our knowing that we don't always have to settle.

My grandmother always said, "where there is a will, there is a way." 

Well, with Capricorn there is a will.

Capricorn is the sign that rules our public image, our career, our accomplishments, our ambition, our ability to hold the course and just keep going (still winter for most of us right folks?).

Even with a New Moon there are multiple celestial indicators that a new beginning now will not run smoothly. That's OK, we are not afraid of a little choppy water - we'll just take our time with this. There is no rush.

Capricorn is ruled by Saturn so we channel this energy - we use common sense, we get organized, we do things in an efficient way, we make responsible decisions, we keep our word, we think quality over quantity, we get up early (yes, I just want to sleep, too - next week will be better, I promise), we do the thing that is right in front of us.

For years, I have believed the pareto principle - that 80/20 thing, that 20% of the work produces 80% of the results, 80% of the sales come from 20% of the customers, yada yada. The idea that we have to have all this superfluous stuff, and energy expended, to get to the good stuff. I am willing to rethink this. Just because someone called it a "principle" and gave it a lovely Italian name doesn't mean it has to be true anymore and wear us all out. Maybe it's time to cut out what isn't clearly working instead of working on the assumption that it gets us something somewhere else.

We will all be looking at how much we are working and how much we are making and getting out of it and have to show for it - this isn't all about money. But it is about money, too.

We don't want to clutter up our life with loose ends now. We take care of our physical body (Jupiter is in Virgo until next summer - this is the best time in years to get real results from prioritizing our health). This isn't work til we drop stuff - nothing in the universe supports us hurting ourselves ever.

This is first chakra security stuff. Capricorn rules bones, skin and joints.

So if we are not getting what we need from relationships or activities that we spend considerable amounts of time on, our body and mind (depression is here, too) will tell us now. 

First center physical issues like fatigue, skin problems and joint pain that are ignored (ie we don't look at what we are getting back from what we are giving our energy and time to) lead to worse stuff like arthritis, allergies and autoimmune problems. This is an excellent time to create new routines for physical stuff.

If we know an area of our life that can use a Capricorn overhaul - that's certainly where this energy is meant to be used. 

We can wait until Mercury is direct later in the month to make our move, but we can plan our movements now. Mercury retrograde is great for rethinking and planning! Mars will be retrograde in Scorpio for a few months, Jupiter is retrograde now - we have to just go ahead and work with the times we are in. 

If now is when we feel the dissatisfaction, then now is the time the solution is available.

MONTHLY AFFIRMATION TIPS:

Some Capricorn new moon affirmation areas to think about: security, time, self-discipline, your brand and image, ambition, opportunity, goals, delegation, releasing control, father figures, reputation, your bones, knees, skin and joints

Some I will be working with include (note - these are from last year, this year I am going to be more specific - think Virgo precision since that's where expansive and lucky Jupiter is hanging out!):

1. I easily recognize, welcome and enjoy the work that leads to success.
2. I receive and enjoy positive recognition for my work.
3. I easily set personal and work boundaries that create time for me to do the things I love to do
- I shoot for 10 (see Jan Spiller's site for some ideas with these - she calls them monthly wishes, if wishes feels right to you and better than the word affirmation use that)

Get grounded - we're in an earth sign now, so this should be easier - always make affirmations from a  positive place (positive meaning certain) - write your affirmations down by hand in cursive, we want the letters all connecting and flowing together, speak them out loud. I used to write my affirmations on strips of paper and put them into a bowl of rice so I can mix them around every now and then with my fingers if things got stagnant - then release your attention from them knowing that your intention is known.

Lately I have been burning mine and releasing the ashes into moving water. I feel a little more connected with the finality of the results when I do this. Yes, you can flush them, but try to get outside!

Know these things are already yours. xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | week of January 4th - freedom vs. control, mercury retrograde - part lll

the game by vi mark

I cannot believe this week has taken three long posts just to list all the aspects. If you are having a baby this week ... well, he or she is going to be carrying some very big energy!

Good luck to the new mommies and daddies out there with that :)

See part I and part II 

We are in the Balsamic Moon Phase (here's a post on Jess's blog about that) so if you are not feeling the New Year "go-go-go, hit the ground running, fresh start thing" use this time to rest. You can't really go wrong with the Moons.

OK, back to this week- today we have the Sun conjunct Pluto at 15 degrees Capricorn. This feels like some kind of relentless ambition or a light thrown on some area of power. Whatever this is it is getting us ready for the New Moon in Capricorn at the end of the week.

On Thursday, Jupiter stations retrograde (yes, another retrograde planet).

This takes us back to the October 12th New Moon when Jupiter first entered the space he is about to retrace. You might remember we had a Jupiter/Pluto trine - a fresh start, wealth and abundance energy. I don't talk about that kind of thing very often (it's the whole glass half empty thing I think), so when I do, and I did, you might take notice!

There is a test with this transit (Moon square Jupiter) re: self control. We don't want to get over confident with this energy. Greed, extravagance are no-go's here. Remember, Jupiter is in Virgo - small, measured steps, just do the work. If something kicked off for you in mid October, this is your chance (through early May) to get all your ducks in a row with it.

Jupiter is stationing retrograde on the North Node of Fate and he is traveling with the Node of Fate for all of January and most of February! This is about connecting us with our fate. Since he is retrograde these connections may involve people, places and activities from our past. This will be about our work, health, daily routine or pets since the North Node (and Jupiter) are in Virgo (work, health, routine). Mercury will also be trining Jupiter during this transit (plus he is the ruler of Virgo!) - a VERY positive aspect. Check your natal chart for 22-24 degrees Virgo to see where this connection with fate will come from for you. 23 Virgo sits on the cusp on my 10th and 11th houses - so for me this will come through work (10th house) or a friend (11 house) - if you would like me to check for you, just let me know!

We'll talk more about this as we move through the winter, but let's keep our eyes, ears, minds and especially our hearts open. We don't necessarily have to say yes to every opportunity presented now, but we definitely want to take a phone number or business card!

I am going to do a 2016 year ahead post next - I have had a few people ask me for kind of an overview of the energies and also wanting to know when things are going to get 'back to normal'. The second part is easy because there is no 'back to normal' - life has reset for all of us.

It's like we've moved from the Serta perfect sleeper to the water bed - we just have to roll with it now even as our head bumps against the wall and we roll awake every time our partner takes a deep breath - that old mattress is sitting at the bottom of the garbage dump with two years worth of empty Hungry Man dinner boxes lying on top of it.

The mutable signs will feel this year the strongest. And with 4 Mercury retrogrades in earth signs in 2016, lots of physical changes to people's lives will be happening. Spring will be nuts. The way through everything is still Virgo .... we've got that part down .... 2016 will be a year of sobriety - we are all going to need a clear head for this one. xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | week of January 4th - freedom vs. control, mercury retrograde - part ll

everything is illuminated by c paos

OK, back to the week ahead - see part I here.

So, we have Mercury turning backward on Tuesday morning (also the Moon goes void around lunchtime so get things done and out the door early!). We can imagine Mercury leaning conspiratorially toward us, "OK, we've gone as far as we can go at this point in time - we need to backtrack a bit to recheck a few things, allow the stuff we've lined up with to catch up with us and gain a little more experience".

Stuff ruled by Mercury gets wonky because he is looking over his shoulder - this includes communications, electronics and transportation (think - stuff with fast moving parts - he is the fleet footed messenger, after all).

We get re-routed.

Now, we can try to plow ahead anyway and sometimes things must be plowed through - we will just know that some of the stuff we have plowed through, would have been easier to move through later or we will have to plow through this stuff again when Mercury moves direct and passes over these same degrees.

(Mercury spends about 1/3 of the year either retrograde, preparing to go retrograde or retracing his same retrograde path once direct. 1/3 of the astrological signs are mutable signs (cardinal energy begins, fixed energy stabilizes, mutable energy changes) and mutable energy follows fixed energy. It doesn't follow cardinal. In other words, the natural order of things isn't 1. start 2. change 3. stabilize - it is actually 1. start 2. stabilize 3. change then back to start (with the next season). Without the change/shift/re-do part the whole cosmos falls apart ... literally.)

As he backs up he squares Mars. Now he squared Mars last week, too but last week Mercury was in serious and proper Capricorn and Mars was out of sorts in peaceful Libra. This time they are both in better positions so the square is more potent. We can expect some not so nice things to be said. We can expect some agitation. We may be dealing with the theme of control vs freedom. We'll have to wait on outcomes. Mercury's retrograde in Capricorn this month will expose the cold, hard facts of the situation. This will be good practice for us for the rest of the year.

EXAMPLE for Virgo (rising or sun in whole house astrology) -  Mercury retrogrades in your 6th house of work, health and routine and squares Mars hanging out in your 3rd house of communication, siblings, local neighborhood. Maybe your work does not go as smoothly as you’d like. Maybe others challenge your way of doing things. Challenge a Virgo's way of doing things - how dare they?! Maybe your coffee maker breaks down or you drop your cellphone into the toilet - yes, sorry, this could happen, hold on to the damn thing. You could be dealing with an annoying health issue that is back or equally annoying co-workers or employees. By the end of the week, Mercury backs into your 5th house of creativity, children, fun, romance - you may shift your focus from what you need to do (6th house work) to what you want to do (5th house fun), at least for a while. Removing your attention from a work or health issue may be all you can do right now anyway and Mercury wants you to have a 2nd look at something in that 5th house.

Also, we have Venus (in Sagittarius) squaring Neptune in Pisces on Tuesday and conjuncting Saturn in Sagittarius on Friday - basically bumping right into the Saturn/Neptune square we will be dealing with all year (dreams vs reality).

There are a few ways this could manifest for us. We may need to deal with something going on behind the scenes; something hidden or secret. It may even be a karmic situation that needs to be worked through involving Venus issues - love, women, money, values. We could be dealing with Neptune/Pisces themes of healing or addiction, art, spirituality or anything that is hidden away - hospitals, prisons, secret romances, research, etc. Whatever it is we are dealing with it will have us wanting more or feel like an endless opportunity then the options narrow at the end of the week and we see the truth of it.

This week might offer us a midterm exam on how we are doing with the Saturn in Sagittarius transit we are working with until December 2017.

EXAMPLE for Scorpio (rising or sun in whole house astrology) - Venus in your 2nd house of values squares dreamy Neptune, maybe enticing you to spend more than you know you should or give more of your time and attention somewhere than you need to - maybe you ignore some obvious red flags regarding 2nd house issues of money, self-esteem or close relationships. Venus has captured your attention after all and it's hard to stay focused on what we need when we want something more - she's just so damn sparkly! Then Venus cozies up to tough love Saturn at the end of the week and you are confronted with a reminder of where you’ve wandered off the path with this stuff - the bills come due so to speak. Your credit card gets declined, your self esteem takes a hit or you collapse with exhaustion after giving too much to too many. This is more likely to happen if you’ve moved away from your area of primary focus with Saturn in your 2nd house this year : becoming more financially stable, disciplined and certain of what matters to you and what you value!

A key theme for 2016 will be separating the truth from lies and reality from illusion.

This is the ground our brave Venus travels now. Have we tied our hearts to something that is real or something that is an illusion?

xo all, back tomorrow with the rest of the week including Jupiter and destiny :)

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | week of January 4th - freedom vs. control, mercury retrograde - part l

Whatever anyone does, anyone says, in the past, now, everything, let it bounce off the rock . . . . . of yr gladness (yr mirror) - Jack Kerouac, Book of Sketches

confrontation by pedro luis palenica

Are we ready for 2016? It's going to be a wild ride! I am waiting for the Capricorn New Moon on January 9th to start thinking about New Year's intentions and fresh starts. I know with all the personal planets changing signs last week, many of us will be feeling the change and the need for "new, new, new" but there is lots of astrological action this week - maybe the most all year, and it might be best to see/feel where it all lands first.
 
To back up a bit, Mars just moved into Scorpio where he will be spending a lot of time over the next eight months (yes, I said eight months!) due to his 2016 retrograde. Mars is the planet of fight, flight or freeze (usually not so much freeze, but we will see that this year with his lengthy retrograde).
 
In Scorpio, he is the ultimate survivor. We will be, too - of course this also presumes there will be things going on we will need to survive!
 
Mars is very much at home in Scorpio, the sign he once ruled (modern astrology recognizes Pluto as the ruler of Scorpio). Mars likes action and aggression and Scorpio is the space we carry our taboos, fears and compulsions. They fit together like a hand and glove. Scorpio isn't afraid to be uncomfortable and in fact knows that any time of action in the space where all the secrets lie is the time when things can finally begin to get interesting ....
 
Hubs met a guy last week who had traveled the world and was a "professional adventurer" - his words. He was now making his rounds in a Mandalay motor home that broke down near George's shop. He is, I'm sure, terribly clever, brave and committed to what he is doing; he is also ... not very interesting. I'm not sure why. 

But I suspect because his adventures are all on the outside, he is not so interested in anyone else's adventures that are mostly happening on the inside. He was oblivious to any clues from the person he is talking to about where the conversation should naturally go next. He already knew it all. Hubs said it was like talking to a page in a book. He seemed to have forgotten what other people are for. 
 

If we have come to a space like this man where all our adventures are on the outside - the next few months of Scorpio will likely be very challenging, very uncomfortable. Scorpio is the space in our chart where we squirm, we sweat, maybe we turn away and we will have the planet of fight, flight or freeze spending much of 2016 here. We will put on our big girl pants for this transit ....
 

(more on Mars retrograde later but check your Sagittarius and Scorpio natal houses for clues - in the United States we could see citizen unrest, clash of ideologies, secrets and hidden enemies, freedom vs control - with the election in full swing it's going to be interesting)

Last week all the personal planets changed signs - Mars into Scorpio where he is very happy, Venus into Sagittarius where she is much happier than she was in Scorpio and Mercury into Aquarius where he/she is happier than in Capricorn. All this positive (for the planets) change right out of the gates will enable our feelings, wants, needs and actions to change, too..

First up - Mercury squares Mars. Mars (action, control, anger) in Scorpio squares Mercury (communication) in Aquarius (freedom, liberty, group consciousness). Our buttons will be pushed. There will be tension between what we do and what we think or what others do or think. This is not a pretty aspect and it won't be valuable for me to sugarcoat it. It makes this first week of 2016 challenging.

Second - Mercury goes retrograde at 1 degree Aquarius - he will quickly back into Capricorn (a practical earth sign) so we will all be doing the "re's" in physical, practical ways. Know that projects, jobs, etc, started this month will have to be "re-done" in some way later when Mercury moves direct. Mercury in Capricorn seeks to find the correct way to express the reasonable. Retrograde, we will have the ability to rethink conventional points of view. The slow downs and second looks we take now are necessary. Our New Year "change" energy will be challenged right out of the gate.
 
If we obsess over everything that can go wrong during a Mercury Retrograde we will miss our chance to experience what can go right.

This is the time when we get sightings of what's arriving. Mercury says .... "hold up there a minute, don't rush forward too quickly. This may take a little time girl."

Mercury is retrograding in an earth sign - and because earth signs are practical and grounded and well, earthy, these are the kinds of skills and thinking we should be applying to problems that might crop up now.

Mercury retrogrades are the the best time of year to do all the re's - reconnect, redo, rethink, repeat, dare I say relax (it's winter, remember) - in business it is a great time to reconnect with old customers (as opposed to looking for new ones), go back over old projects, revise and redesign things, repair things or buy recycled (rather than buy new, no new mechanical items now) - yes, I have a dog in that fight (literally, Olive is one tough cookie), but it's still true.
This is probably the most challenging Mercury retrograde of 2016 - take it seriously.

I will finish this up tonight, too much happening to write this morning we have - Mercury Retrograde while squaring Mars, a Sun/Pluto conjunction, Venus and the Moon squaring Neptune, Jupiter Retrograde, the Sun and Moon squaring Uranus, Mercury Retrograde changing signs, the Venus/Saturn conjunction, and a New Moon in Capricorn. Whoa baby, don't expect to sleep in!

For Monday, we have a moody (and deep) Scorpio Moon playing nice with the Sun and Pluto - good for dealing with authority and people in power, good for stepping into our power, just triple check everything. xo all - back tonight!