Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of June 6th - Venus delivers the goods

little voice by moonywolf

You might remember last summer (why does last summer feel like 10 years ago to me?) Venus had a nice long retrograde. We were all figuring out, by working backward, what we really value and how to align ourselves, going forward, with that.

At one point during that cycle, mid August 2015, Venus was conjunct the Sun at 22 degrees Leo (sitting in the same space as the Sun). We talked about a new cycle kicking off - building our new dream.

(an update on our dream later this week!)

This also closed out the previous Venus cycle which started back in January 2014, kicked off a new 8 year cycle for our Leo house and closed out the previous Leo house cycle from 2007.

Venus, planetary ruler of women, love, relationships, money, resources and self-esteem, has a cycle with the Sun with phases similar to the Moon.

If Venus was the Moon, the cycle we kicked off last summer (mid August) would have been her New Moon phase (in Venus speak called her inferior conjunction/morning star phase); it was a launching point.

And like the New Moon, where stuff begins in the dark - things started slowly and didn't really kick up until the end of October when, at 16 degrees Virgo, Venus was conjunct the Sun again and we were in her initiated phase and things were "full steam ahead".

This week, at 13 degrees Gemini, Venus hooks up with the Sun again and reaches her superior conjunction - if she were the Moon this would be her Full Moon phase where the energy peaks.

(note - at the end of March 2017, when Venus hooks up with the Sun at 4 degrees Aries, this current cycle will conclude and a new cycle will kick off, a 19 month Venus cycle and a new 8 year cycle for our Aries house)

So MONDAY is the Full Moon phase of the current Venus cycle.

With Venus conjunct the Sun in Gemini this is a time of OPPORTUNITY (yes, for our Gemini house but also our Leo house that launched this cycle and for those Venus themes I mentioned earlier), good news, payoffs and yes, culminations. This could be about us receiving news and opportunities from the current cycle and also about attracting what we want (Venus) by the information/communication (Gemini/Mercury) we put out (Sun).

This also ends the Gemini cycle that began in June 2008 (and we can continue back in eight year increments to get a feel of what these cycles have looked like for us previously) and starts a new cycle in our Gemini house! Whew, I know this probably sounds confusing. Stay with me.

Venus' cycles pertain to Venus things - love, money and self-esteem. If we have planets or points near these degrees (22 Leo, 16 Virgo, 13 Gemini) this cycle will figure more prominently in our life. And, of course, everyone can use the Venus cycles as touchstones to start, develop and end situations that are Venus ruled!

We also have the Cancer Moon (home, family, security) making a very nice alignment to Jupiter (expansion, good luck) on Monday. Circle Monday, June 6th, on the calendar!

The next day (Tuesday) Venus and the Sun will square the Nodes (of fate) - this connects whatever is happening to our past (karma) and future (dharma). A square denotes tension. Something outside our control is requiring us to take a new action. In this case, we are faced with a choice. Stay with our same old story or evolve/change something and head toward the future (and mostly we all say we want a different future and then we do the same old thing - me, too - ack!).

With Venus and the Sun in Gemini (ruled by Mercury) and the North Node in Virgo (ruled by Mercury) and Mercury ruling our communication and information - something about receiving or giving information could play a role here (Mercury also rules transportation, teaching, writing, fast moving things like computers, siblings and our local neighborhood).

Remember we still have the Mutable Grand Cross energy (literally a cross in the sky). Crosses are about sacrifice, so whatever is happening will come with some kind of trade off. If we want this we have to do, or give up, that. For example - if we want our business to make X amount of dollars we have to give up X amount of free time/family time/other activities to make that happen!

With Gemini there are always choices. With this square to the North Node of our collective destiny life asks us to 'pretty please' make the best one. In Virgo - the best choice will probably be the thing that is most realistic or that provides the most service or that is the best option for our health or the thing that is the 'next step' right in front of us. Virgo also rules organization, paperwork, pets, employees and employment. With so much forward momentum in these areas a little effort can turn into a landslide. This won't be some big crazy thing where we bet the farm - although it could absolutely turn into something big. Small is the new big this year. And yes, I know I've been harping on the same stuff all year!

On Wednesday and Thursday the Moon is in Leo which brings a natural focus to our 5th house of children, love, fun and creativity. The week heats up even more on THURSDAY when Mercury (in Taurus and ruler of our North Node and Sun right now) opposes (just what it sounds like) a retrograde Mars (in Scorpio) - this could be an argument or deep conversation probably about something from the past.

At the same time Pluto (retrograde in Capricorn) trines (brakes off) the North Node (in Virgo) through next Monday. This could remove a roadblock and get us moving in a new and improved direction!

There is the continued need to be flexible, weigh options, watch for things that are not quite as they seem and truths coming out. Mercury finally leaves his shadow period and begins to cover new ground, but if we have been holding off on that big moving parts purchase (computers, cars, etc) until the Mercury retrograde was totally over, I would still hold out a little longer with all the chaotic Gemini energy.

We continue to work with the mutable t-square - Neptune in Pisces, Saturn in Sagittarius and Jupiter in Virgo. In the outer world U.S. politics this 3 legged table looks a lot like Bernie (Neptune - about to go retrograde), Hillary (Saturn - currently retrograde and moving direct in August) and Donald (Jupiter - about to be answering to Mercury in his home sign).

All is not as it seems though and it isn't the best time to get clear answers or make firm decisions - some things just have to work themselves out and fall into and out of place first. Mercury will move into his home sign of Gemini on Sunday - more about that next post.

Things will be much clearer and look very different in July when Mars is direct.

xo all

New Moon in Gemini | June 4th - curiosity beats confusion

curious by estella mestella

Jupiter in Virgo, Saturn in Sagittarius, and Neptune in Pisces (three major planets, all in mutable signs) have been squaring off against each other since last summer. This has been stressing out the mutable signs (all of us at times, but particularly Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces) - lots of sleepless nights and nails chewed to the quick for these guys, I'm sure.

Life's been as wobbly as a three legged table for all of us! And with so much of the focus this year on the mutable (ie changeable) signs - everything is in major flux. Our dreams vs. the reality of our situation has been a major theme for a whole lot of people.

A couple people asked me last week who might win here - dreams or reality. Ha!

This is a Saturn vs. Neptune battle. Saturn (reality) is not so happy to be in Sagittarius - Sagittarius is big picture thinking and adventure and Saturn likes to focus on 'just the facts jack' and the tried and true. He wants us to work hard and Sagittarius likes to play.

Neptune (dreams) is very happy in Pisces, the sign he rules. Neptune and Pisces are in total agreement that all we need is our imagination and our intuition and we will be happy, happy, happy dreaming our lives away.

The problem for Neptune, and it's a rather insurmountable one, is that Pisces is our South Node right now - the stuff we have all decided "as a collective energy" we move forward best by releasing . And we've got our North Node - the space our collective energy is moving toward in "just get 'er done" worker bee Virgo, along with Jupiter (expansion).

My money's on Saturn (the reality police).

This doesn't mean our big bodacious dreams will never happen (life is as magical as ever!) - although to be honest, hell, they might not (if there is nothing solid to support them this long term energy will force us to deal with the reality of the situation, release this stuff and move on). Getting real can be scary and sad if we have been living in la la-land about something. When we get real new potentials emerge that we never dreamed of!

Anyhoo- back to the New Moon!

We have Gemini, that fourth table leg that's been rather quiet (and by the way the space we need to focus on in our natal and progressed chart for balance - picture that three legged table again, head to the missing corner!) occupied with the Sun and the Moon and conjuncting the beautiful Venus.

This is about relationships, money - choices, decisions. With Venus here this New Moon is VERY powerful and MAGNETIC. Set those intentions people!

Here's a link to last year's post with info on that - check bottom of post!

Gemini is our middle air sign - a sign of the mind, the archetype of the 'teacher' - the storyteller. If you are a Gemini sun sign this is basically the way you process life - you have been mentally exploring and noticing stuff your entire life - you are always ready to teach.

Gemini has more to do with questions than answers. Geminis are designed by birthright to know a hell of a lot of stuff that will never make them any money (unless they make it into the final rounds of Jeopardy) - Gemini is the sign of curiosity.

Gemini is also the sign of confusion and distraction. With so many things vying for our attention it is easy to miss the really important thing among all the noise. Potential can be lost, ends can stay loose, stuff can get spread so thin it pretty much disappears.

Sometimes we focus on too many things, because we are really afraid to fail at the one big important thing.

This ties back into Neptune/Saturn. Maybe as long as our dream is SO BIG it will tend to stay way over THERE (it can't fit in my small house that's for sure) - we can bring it CLOSER by making it SMALLER. This isn't about settling but it could be about settling in for what is real.

This New Moon carries the potential for us to be required to make a choice or decision (things will be much clearer by the 20th when we have that 2nd Sag Full Moon!), a new situation expanding or an old situation turning in a new direction. We might find ourselves reaching out to someone or for something and somehow missing the mark or maybe encountering some kind of large immovable obstacle (I did mention the Moon is squaring Saturn!).

With the New Moon forming a Mutable Grand Cross and conjunct Venus (at an important time for Venus which we'll talk about next week) this is about connecting and closing out karmic cycles from June 2004, June 2012 and June 2016. This is about love, relationships, money, women, what we value, the stuff money can buy and the stuff money can't buy- all our Venus themes.

This aren't a lot of definite answers now. Stuff is up in the air. It will likely be best to meet this energy with an attitude of curiosity - "oh, isn't this interesting". Stay flexible. Stay focused. Choosing a firm side with so much in flux could cause us to get tossed off our game later. If we must choose - head for solid ground (Saturn) with small, measured steps (Virgo). Reality needs to be accommodated this year.

xo all - don't forget to set your intentions!

out of life lines ....

confusion by psychic lexa

Today our Gemini Sun squares Neptune (strong in Pisces and hanging out with the South Node of what we are releasing). Issues become even more convoluted. Reality warps a bit. We are in the process of closing out karmic relationship cycles - I am going to post more about this in the New Moon (happening this weekend) post tomorrow!

Changing points of view, an inability to trust what we see and difficulty making choices is par for the course with this. Going with our 'gut' might not be the best way forward here - since our intuition is literally squaring our life force! Answers are not easy to come by now.

Remember we are closing out that Grand Earth Trine energy we have had access to for the last few weeks and right now Mercury (in Taurus) is trining (brakes off, smooth sailing) the North Node (our future best path) in Virgo - there is something here that over the last month has given us a little ground beneath our feet - something that has proven itself to work. Go with that for now.

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of May 30th - keep it in balance

vintage in camomile by malenka

I'm going to start with Monday even though I am writing this on Tuesday. Transits don't always appear to unfold at their most precise moment, so it is often just as useful to look backward as forward ....

Yesterday we had Mercury (words, communication, thinking) in Taurus (stability, stubbornness, grounded, value, money) trining (brakes off) a retrograde Pluto (transformation, karma) in Capricorn (business, commitment, time). This is a three-peat, due to Mercury's recent retrograde, we had this same aspect in mid April and a couple weeks ago.

There is something here about words we can count on or a conversation that lays it all out or something that has been proven to us being the way to go. It's a 'just the facts jack ' kind of influence. Mercury, Pluto (there is a North Node aspect, too, of our collective destiny here) - will allow us to focus on what we need to focus on and get our priorities straight.

(we've still got Jupiter in Virgo and are expanding through service, focusing on our health and the work that is right in front of us - details matter but perfectionism can derail us - note in a couple months Jupiter will move on to Libra and expansion will be all about partnerships, balance and who we know, any lack of boundaries and trying to go it alone will derail us - we've been lining ourselves up with the right flock for a couple years now, this will be the year it really pays off)

The Grand Earth trine we talked about before is starting to break up but we will still feel its impact on Thursday and Friday - good things can happen by just doing the work and showing up. This will be about what we value and hold dear - everything money can buy and everything money can't. If we have something to pitch or some move to make Thursday would be the day to do it.

The thing with trines is because they are easy, breezy aspects we often do not use them to their fullest potential. This happens with trines in our natal charts, too. They are the 'good karma' stuff we can count on that we sometimes take for granted. So whatever space this trine is working with in our chart we want to give it an extra push toward the end of the week. If you want to know where this is hitting for you just email me and I will check it out.

The biggest news this week is a Grand Mutable Cross and the New Moon in Gemini at the end of the week!

Now a Grand Cross is not a Grand Trine. This is not an easy, breezy, brakes off kind of aspect. You can picture a cross in the sky formed by planets (in this case Sun/Venus in Gemini, a retrograde Saturn in Sagittarius, Jupiter in Virgo and Neptune in Pisces) - the cross is formed by squares and oppositions - these are the tricky angles. In our natal chart squares and oppositions are the challenges we came in with. In our collective story - this particular Grand Cross, and they are not all that common, will run from today through the weekend.

This Cross is in the mutable (changeable) signs and could be about our options being at cross purposes. Multiple situations may come up. We have Neptune (dreams) and Jupiter (expansion) inflating our potential at the same time Saturn (time, authority, limitations) is bringing our feet down to earth or in a more challenging case holding our feet to the fire. Or maybe the solid thing we are building with Saturn (remember that dream we are building this year!) gets foggy and drifts off course. When Neptune confronts Saturn something is always released.

To work with Cross energy effectively takes balance - too much emphasis in any one place can cause us to shift off center. Stay flexible and keep moving! And yes, like actually moving, too - long walks would be a good thing now.

The New Moon at the end of the week will trigger the Grand Cross so we'll talk about that more thoroughly in another post on Thursday.

Just know for now that it might be best to remember the only thing that is certain is that nothing is certain. If everything seems to flip around on us this week, just know, OK, this is that mutable transit, this too, shall pass. If we get really thrown off our game we can use the fading Grand Trine energy to get our footing. Something has expanded in our lives in the last month under the trine - and yes, it may still be in its infancy, but feed that thing. There is something real there. The cross will kind of peak on Friday and take us into the New Moon energy on Saturday.

Also keep in mind Mars is still retrograde and moved back into Scorpio last Friday - this is that mucky stuff we have to deal with again. For me, some health stuff I thought I had moved past, roared back to life. Anything this has kicked up for us cannot be pushed under the rug. Mars has already walked the degrees he is walking this week several weeks ago and he will walk them again in a few weeks. This time it is the backward walk so we get to pick up anything we dropped/missed/skipped/avoided the first time. Trust me that we want a clear path for his final walk through later.

Retrogrades can work like this - we are walking a path. There is some kind of obstacle, problem, something or other that we see, but we kind of ignore it and keep going. Now normally this might be an ok thing to do because it's not our job to fix everything after all. 

BUT when we have to retrace a path during a retrograde it is our job to fix those obstacles, pick up the garbage, etc, because that is the point of the retrograde. It's saying, "hey over here, this stuff can't be ignored". 

Then we turn around. We walk the same space again - this is our third time on this patch of highway now - if, on our final walk through the obstacle is still there - the energy will either remove the obstacle in the most expedient fashion and maybe not to our liking or will force us around it and on to another path. It can also come back to bite us in the ass the next time we are on this road - often about a year or so later. 

Moons - Aries Moon Tuesday & Wednesday - initiate, get up and go. Wednesday - Saturn/Neptune square triggered - dreams vs reality, watch out for deception, get enough sleep, not a good day to make a clear decision, Thursday Moon is in Taurus - comfort, value, money. The Grand Trine is triggered - good luck with work, co-workers, pets, organization. Friday Balsamic Moon - reflect, rest, Grand Cross peaks - options, cross purposes, release.

Back in a couple days - time to make the donuts (or in my case, lockets) - xo all

Venus into Gemini | smarten up

nerd by silent-waltz

Venus (love, money, value, self esteem, women) moves into Gemini today.

Gemini Suns and ascendants get more attractive now (ie able to attract and yes, better looking!). Everyone's Gemini natal and progressed houses get to host a visit from lovely Venus.

With Venus in Gemini (ruled by Mercury) and Mercury in Taurus (ruled by Venus) - we will benefit most from this transit by making smart choices.

Gemini always offers multiple options which can be a good thing until it isn't anymore. And to make life even more challenging there isn't always a right answer and a wrong answer - there might be an answer that is better for the long run though. We are all playing a longer game now.

Venus in Gemini attracts through communication. If you have a business this could be the time that increasing your social media presence pays off (like ka-ching, Venus rules money after all).

This is a good time to - talk, read, make the call, write the note, tell the joke.

This is not the best time of year for introverts (sniffle). If that sounds like you - let's remember that comfort zones do not promote growth - all the goodies really are sitting right outside our self-made boxes! We can do this thing (ie small talk, light banter, jokes - yikes!).

Gemini rules the 3rd house of our early education. This isn't about high level conversations - nothing has to be profound; words over three syllables will not be necessary. This is about the kind of communication skills we all learned in grade school. Wide beats deep now.

The witty and street smart girl gets the worm this month.

We will be sizing things up quickly and others will size us up quickly, too. It's probably best to keep communications a little light, but in a way that people are left thinking we are more than a light weight (and I am talking intellect here, not squeezing ourselves into too small yoga pants or skinny jeans - exhale girls). Women (and money) may come and go now. Gemini is a mutable sign - we'll adapt.

We will be attracted to what makes us curious. Other people will find us, and our offerings, more attractive when we make them curious about us, too. Keep this in mind now.

Venus is opposing Mars (retrograde in Sagittarius) today - so this transit will not be without its challenges. It's like our Goddess walks into a party where everyone is chatting and having a good time and there is this guy in the corner and he might be a little angry or just very passionate about something and he is right away requiring some kind of BIG decision from Venus and all she really wants is to flirt a bit and talk about the Bachelorette's new season for 10 minutes.

We'll cover this transit more as it unfolds. xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of May 23rd - connection, decisions, conflict

cat conversation by who-is-chill

We begin the week with Mercury stationing direct (Sunday) - do I hear a hallelujah?!

And in another part of the skies Venus moves into Gemini, Mars (still retrograde) backs into Scorpio and we deal with the final clash between Jupiter and Saturn with the square they started last summer.

Mercury stationed direct on Sunday at 14 degrees Taurus. He will still be covering old ground (we will, too) for a while, but some choices can be made now and new options will start to be presented to us. Deals will be inked.

Whatever ground to a standstill back in April will begin to move forward. It will be easier to get a handle on whatever is happening from here on out, but all this Gemini energy could make us (and others) indecisive.

(we still have Mars, Saturn and Pluto retrograde, so it's not all systems go, but it's certainly forward movement)

With the Sun in Gemini and Venus joining him on Tuesday - there will be no shortage of Gemini fused activity, contradictions, communication and thoughts this week. People with a strong Mercury will have their heads overflowing with ideas and plans now - some of which will dissolve quickly like fluffy white clouds. Something could stick though.

When Venus (love, money, relationships, values) moves into Gemini on Tuesday - we will have Mercury and Venus in mutual reception (in each other's signs - Venus in Gemini ruled by Mercury and Mercury in Taurus ruled by Venus) - we'll feel an increased need for connection and an increased ability to relate to other people's ideas and points of view.

The male vs. female conflict from last week continues as well as the possibility of something 'explosive' in the news (like last week's missing plane) that draws everyone's attention into the same space and again the potential for something 'blowing up' in our personal lives (if this didn't hit last week). Stay flexible. Don't freak out. Things are in flux. With Venus moving through Gemini we will attract what we want/need by having multiple irons in the fire and working our ability to pivot and change direction as needed. I hope everyone has strong arches and good shoes.

There will be tension this week as Jupiter and Saturn form the last of the waning square aspect (began last August - the last square was March 23rd). This is part of the 'dreams vs reality' stuff we are all dealing with. Since this is the final square most of us will have a clearer idea about which dreams are best for us (and, yes, for some people - more practical or maybe more long-term) and which can be released instead of trying to keep every door open. We'll talk more about this later.

On Friday, Mars (retrograde) will step back into his beloved Scorpio. Remember we have an amazing and NEW journey ahead when Mars finally travels over new ground in Sagittarius in a few weeks - for now we are back in the Scorpio muck for a little bit to see what else may be hiding here. If there is more to a situation than meets the eye- here is where it comes out into the light to be seen. Examining the stuff that comes up and removing those obstacles - related to our Scorpio house and the fears that are holding us back - will allow things to move in a more streamlined fashion later. 

Will look at the Moons tomorrow - a heads up that the Moon (still in Sagittarius) goes void around lunchtime Monday (EST), so start new things early in the day and then take advantage of the void energy for productive, practiced work in the afternoon! xo all