New Moon in Capricorn | the climb

climb by little-moonshine

Today's New Moon is at 8 degrees Capricorn.

The New Moon is always a time of Sun conjunct Moon. They come together once a month (from our perspective) - the Moon is hidden/dark and we start a whole new cycle.

Let's look back at 2016 and see what we have survived and what we have achieved. Let's not worry about where we 'should' be or what we 'should' have done. Let's just look at where we are now. Where we are now is the perfect place to be to get to where we want to be next. There is nothing pie in the sky about Capricorn energy, It's a 'just the facts Jack' time of year.

Things are serious. Serious doesn't scare us.

This month we also have a retrograde Mercury joining the Sun and Moon. This is significant. It gives additional significance to this Mercury retrograde, too.

If you remember Mercury was just about to conjunct Pluto when he stationed retrograde pulling his energy away from Pluto. We know the things Mercury rules - communication, transportation, our local neighborhood, siblings - as well as the theme of our natal Capricorn house (where is Capricorn in your natal chart?), will have important roles to play over the next 28 days.

There is a lot of energy in Capricorn now (ruled by Saturn) -  responsibility, stability, maturity, security, ambition - this is serious stuff.

Can you feel the weight of everything that is happening in the world; the seriousness of it all? I can, too.

The Moon is squaring Jupiter (in Libra). Jupiter is opposing Uranus (in Aries). Uranus is trining Saturn (in Sagittarius) and tomorrow Uranus will finally move direct. There is momentum here. It feels a bit like a powder keg to me ...

Maybe the most important aspect is that Uranus trine (brakes off) to Saturn since a stationing Uranus is uber powerful and we still have Saturn in Sagittarius for the entire year of 2017 and Saturn is the ruler of this Capricorn New Moon.

There are opportunities here for people who are not distracted by the newest bright, shiny objects and can stay focused on the work necessary to make these opportunities pay off.

This isn't the best time to make choices, but choices are really mostly our rationalizations anyway. The reasons we cite for our choices are often coming from some other space in the past. Moving away from old habits is tricky ...

It is almost accurate to say we should make our choices based on what feels good. This way of looking at things breaks down the habit of self-rejection/sabotage by allowing us to embrace pleasure as our friend

(and for those who think making choices based on what feels good means the dishes never get done and the trash piles up - well, that might happen for awhile, but at some point it will feel good to clean it up - and that's when we'll clean it up). 

And 'what feels good' is different than addiction, which feels familiar, and that's something else to think about.

The energy of 2017 is very different than 2016 which was dominated by the Saturn/Neptune square of dreams vs. reality (and often illusion vs reality). The Saturn (sobering) in Sagittarius (truth) is sticking around though. Good-bye 2016, don't let the door hit you on your way out - or maybe go ahead and let the door hit you 2016, you deserve it.

The first two thirds of 2017 will be dominated by the Jupiter/Uranus/Pluto stuff and of course we still are dealing with that 'sobering truth'. And we have so many retrograde planets next year! We'll talk about this later.

Let's look at what this New Moon energy squaring Jupiter (with Jupiter opposing Uranus) might look like through the signs. Plus that Saturn trine. This is complicated, so your sign might sound a little all over the place.

Anyway here goes .... (if you know your rising sign - 1st house sign on the cusp - use that for best accuracy, and also check your Sun sign)

Saturn Square Chiron | Sun Conjunct Mercury - taking ourselves seriously

novooo by nikelena

The Sun is conjunct Mercury. A baby born today would be a good communicator, using language and interacting with others very early - later he would probably be a better talker than listener though.

For the rest of us, this transit can make for a very mentally active time. We could also be going here and there - lots of errand-type activities (Mercury rules not only the transport of words and ideas but the transport of everything else as well as the things we use for the transport like our telephones, computers and cars).  

With tomorrow's New Moon in Capricorn this is an excellent time for planning. 

With a spotlight (Sun) thrown on communications (Mercury) now - there could be answers. With Mercury retrograde, the answers may lead to more questions. Or maybe someone from our past reappears. Whatever happens now, whatever we are making happen now, it is probably best to use this energy to plan our way forward and take action on what shows up, but not make any firm commitments or decisions since all the cards are not on the table yet ...

Saturn is squaring (tension) Chiron. This one hurts. Maybe we get a 'no' from an authority figure. On the other hand maybe we need to step into our own authority and say no. It's a good time to remember we learn from experience not from success or failure. The results of our actions are often out of our hands.

Maybe some obligation or responsibility or debt needs to be lived up to - did we make a promise or commitment near December 2nd? Maybe some rule is rubbing us the wrong way or restricting us. Maybe something about whatever is hurting feels very familiar - that would be something to think about.

When I see Saturn (time) and Chiron (wound) together I think of the old adage "time heals all wounds". Maybe this applies.

With Mercury in Capricorn and Saturn the ruler of Capricorn - the best way to handle whatever comes up is probably to channel Capricorn. Mature, level headed reasoning is needed now. Personal ambition is favored (not on the backs of others I'd hope). We will survive if we take ourselves seriously. It's winter - stock up. xo

Capricorn and Piscean sextiles | maybe let's try releasing the habit of measuring everything ....

illusory by la-child

The Sun (in Capricorn) sextiles Mars (in Pisces). A retrograde Mercury (in Capricorn) sextiles Neptune (in Pisces).

Sextiles are like handshakes, they create opportunities. Something new is available here from the combining of these energies. It's not a sure-fire success or an iron clad contract, although it can lead to these things. There is agreement though. A sextile can be easy to miss because it's the thing that glides smoothly into place. It's sometimes easier to see the gift in hindsight.

This transit encourages independent thought and action. Courage is available here and change comes more easily. Pisces (ruled by Neptune) encourages change and action through vision and imagination.

We don't create vision. We receive vision.

We shut up. We listen. We still our brain. We move our body.

(I find I have to move my body in new and unexpected ways to get things unstuck. Almost always I have to be outdoors. After dangling from my front porch hanging Christmas lights a couple weeks ago, I felt like an entirely new person. Maybe I need a little more dangle and a little less ladder.)

We live in a time when we try to measure and quantify everything.

This measuring is part of the problem. It creates a kind of scarcity thinking.

When we think time is scarce we hurry. When we think money is scarce we get greedy or envious. When we think attention is scarce we show off. When we think acceptance is scarce we manipulate.

In another reality, one that is as close as the breath we just exhaled and as far away as the distant horizon, none of these things are scarce. Our culture of scarcity has embraced us so completely we have mistaken it for "reality". It isn't.

Neptune asks us to think about - how much cheap ugly does it take to make up for a lack of real beauty? How much entertainment makes up for a lack of play? How many adventure movies make up for a lack of real adventure? How much pornography for a lack of intimacy? How much money for a lack of real security?

The answer is always an infinite amount. We never have enough. Our cup is never full.

This may be good news for the shopping economy, in the very short term, but it's incredibly bad news for our health and for the health of our planet. We are so close to releasing this vision of artificial scarcity - we just have to release the habits and walls that hold us here in this old story and they are breaking apart more and more everyday ...

The Piscean energy encourages attention to our intuition while the Capricorn energy encourages us up that mountain.

Pallas (dwarf planet, warrior) has just moved back into Pisces, too. This Mars/Pallas/Pisces energy can be used to create more than religious or crazy fueled violence.

We can use this energy to step into our own new story. Possibilities that didn't exist within our old story lie right in front of us even if we don't know exactly how to reach them. Let's trust ourselves to know what to do when this time in-between stories has ended. xo all

a spotlight on the way forward ....

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!

I was hoping last week to get caught up with a few 'where we are now' and 2017 posts, but couldn't seem to make the time.

We'll get caught up this week.

For today - we have multiple things going on. Jupiter (20 degrees Libra) is opposite Uranus (20 degrees Aries). Mars (5 degrees Pisces) is conjunct the South Node. Retrograde Mercury (9 degrees Capricorn) is sextile Neptune (in Pisces) and our Capricorn Sun is trine (brakes off) the North Node (in Virgo).

The Sun trining the North Node could "shine a light on" our way forward. It is likely whatever happenings all the other energies are stirring up for us are really a way to focus us on our next step and get us to a place we are serious (Capricorn) about taking it.

With Mars (action, initiation, anger, war) hooking up with the South Node of what we are releasing - there is an impetus to let something go now. Addiction issues or situations where we play the martyr or victim could push some of us to find our bottom (solid ground). Boundaries are real things with this energy. We could feel invaded.

Since Mercury and Neptune are sextiling (shaking hands) and Mercury rules the North Node (Virgo) and Neptune rules the South Node (Pisces) - there is a way forward here. The simplest answer (not always the easiest since with all this Capricorn there will be work involved) will have the most support.

The big transit now is Jupiter opposing Uranus. This is a recurring one for 2017, too. This could put what we want to do or be or what we believe at odds with the other people in our life. This has been building for a couple days and will be around for a couple more days. We could feel rebellious. So could other people. Situations can seem larger than they actually are. Differences between ourselves and others will be overblown. Areas where we are feeling stifled will be challenging. We don't need to make some big explosive leap into something new (no big splashy new until after Mercury moves direct, please), remember we still have that Virgo North Node encouraging us toward those small, precise steps that will lead us to bigger and better things.

Back later today with the weekly - xo all

Sun into Capricorn | winter is coming ....

winter by voorikvergeet

Doesn't it feel better somehow to call the Winter Solstice the longest night rather than the shortest day?

The shortest day sounds like I am missing out on something. The longest night sounds like I can lie in bed and finish my book and still get a good night's sleep.

This is a good time during the busy holiday season to take stock of where we are, what we've done and where we are going.

This is a season when melancholy can set in if we aren't careful. We have to remember when looking at the bad stuff that was or the good stuff that never was - to own the fact we have survived it!

In Capricorn, the Sun gets serious. We are heading into the serious time of year - the time our ancestors could starve if they hadn't stocked up properly or catch a cold that would turn into pneumonia.

(Can a cold turn into pneumonia? I am one of those people who think it can, although I guess the cold has just left our lungs in a weakened state. I also think I can catch a cold from getting wet on a cold day, although science, and my local doctor, tells me it doesn't work that way. I know it happens though.)

If they hadn't prepared for winter, they wouldn't survive.

They would celebrate the Winter Solstice and go into hibernation for a few weeks (exhausted from the harvest, escaping the cold and, intuitively, the germs, too, I'm sure), venturing back out sometime mid-Aquarius season for some social interaction and hoping to trade whatever they still had plenty of to restock whatever had grown scarce.

This is true for us today, too. Without structure, responsibility and discipline - mandated by Capricorn's ruling planet Saturn - we'll be in trouble when the cold settles in and the stuff we need to survive is covered with two feet of snow and ice. I think I write this so often, that anyone who doesn't think this way (or know they need to hear this) probably wouldn't read this blog. I am sure I am preaching to the choir here.

Today is the Capricorn ingress and sets up the next 3 months, so it's a good time to look at where all the planets are and how the energies are working together.

Mercury is retrograde (in Capricorn!). Mars has just moved into Pisces. I know some astrologers think Mars in Pisces is kind of a "peace on earth" transit. It could be, I guess, but Pisces (ruled by Neptune) ability to dissolve reality can make it a treacherous space for fiery Mars (action, violence, war).

If Mars were a person he would be a passionate, impulsive (and easily angered) young man. And we all have this masculine, passionate, youthful, angry energy inside us. When we don't acknowledge this young man we meet him in other people and outside situations.

Collectively Mars into Pisces is a time of escape or surrender. He also energizes our Pisces house.

In my chart, for example, Pisces rules my 4th house of home and family. It's my roots and my mother or father (this varies based on our chart and interpretation). I have the planet Jupiter in my 4th house and Jupiter is the ancient ruler of Pisces making the whole thing more impactful (I blame all this for my inability to keep my house neat and organized). So, I know at some point during Mars transit through Pisces he will meet up with my natal Jupiter.

So, now Mars has moved in. Maybe I have more energy at home. Maybe I clean this place up. Since I have a home business maybe I have more activity there or more energy. Maybe I am more easily angered at home or attract this impulsive, passionate energy into my home through other people. Maybe I spend more time and energy on my family.

Maybe my plumbing overflows (like a toilet did 10 minutes ago here).

We'll look at the rest of the energies for the next 3 months over the next few days.

For now, stay safe.

Stock up (physically with things like food, candles, maybe wood and books - emotionally with family, friends, good memories and plans - and spiritually with meditation and prayer).

We saw what happened Monday when Mars moved into Pisces conjunct Pluto and Mercury went retrograde and Mars isn't exactly conjunct Pluto until the end of the month.

Today, just breath, take in the long night and let's acknowledge what we have all survived. 

NOTE - the Sun is squaring the Moon (in Libra) today - what we want and what we need are in conflict here. It's a good day to deal with our own stuff and not tell other people how to deal with theirs. We could attract challenging situations and tension. We may have to adjust to others. Just breathe. Tomorrow the Moon will hook up with Jupiter and we will all feel more optimistic. xo

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of December 19th - NOT quite time to decide, productive escape plus it could be a Merry , ie everybody gets along just fine, Christmas

where the wild roses grow by krowka7

Let's dive right in.

When we wake up Monday morning the skies are quite different than when we went to sleep. A new story is taking shape for all of us! Mars has moved into watery Pisces and Mercury has stationed retrograde in Capricorn. Whatever story kicks off now (and yes, it could already be in motion) will play out through the end of January.

When Mercury retrogrades we focus on the "re's" - we rethink, redo, re-imagine, rework, reconnect, release, relax (my wish for all of you this holiday season!). People and situations from the past can come back for another look. Our mind turns in toward itself. This is why it is so easy to misplace things, say the wrong thing, send the wrong email, etc - the stuff we can normally do without thinking, well we can't do that stuff very well when Mercury is retrograde.

Mercury's normal speed is very fast, so when he slows down we feel it. Breathe!

Expect that people will take their time getting back to you, that things will be delayed, that you will get to the movies at the wrong time or the electricity will go out and the show will be canceled. We are not meant to fly through life at 90 miles an hour when Mercury is retrograde - this is the one third of the year we are supposed to be looking backward and flying 90 miles an hour looking backward only works if you are a bumble bee.

For the rest of us our cars brake down, our computers zonk out and our systems go haywire which requires us to SLOW DOWN. With the holidays approaching, it's a good excuse to kick back!

With this retrograde happening in serious Capricorn, we will be personally focused on our natal Capricorn house themes as well as the universal themes ruled by Capricorn - government, business, authority, career, reputation, tradition, structure.

With Mars in Pisces actions could be indecisive, wishy-washy, escapist, healing, secretive, artistic - you get the drift (literally!). Pisces isn't Mars favorite place - it's kind of like putting a lit match into a glass of water - you get a whole lot of smoke and sizzle, but not much else. The good news is Mars in Pisces is excellent energy for compassionate and healing activities and for creating imaginative or other worldly (spiritual, religious) art.

Mars in Pisces gives us permission (not that we need any!) to binge watch Netflix (I've heard good things about "The OA" already), read five books in five days, daydream and run off to the ocean!

Escape is totally practical and productive now - just be sure not to overdo it in unhealthy ways.

Pisces Suns get more powerful (and maybe easier to anger or irritate) and our Pisces natal houses get more active (and maybe easier to anger or irritate) with Mars hanging out here!

Mercury's station is conjunct Pluto - the planet of karma and transformation. Also the ruler of all the taboo stuff we don't want to look at. So now we'll have to. This feels like an important decision is needed, but we really need the next few weeks to review things first. So, let's review things first.

Mercury will be retrograde until he/she stations direct on January 8th, but will not really be covering new ground until January 27th. Mars will be in Pisces until January 28th. I wouldn't start anything important, if you do not have to, until after these dates.

On Monday and Tuesday - the Moon is in Virgo - great energy for detailed work and for service to others to provide us with emotional support. Clean the house. Clean up your eating. Get organized. Good days for paperwork and to care for pets.

On Wednesday, the Sun moves into Capricorn marking the Winter Solstice. Now a light is really bring thrown on our foundations; the stuff that is holding us up. What do we do because we have always done it this way or because our father/culture did? What do we put up with to feel safe and secure? What needs to stay? What needs to go?

We are all burning Capricorn fuel now - so show up, do the work (even if no one knows you are doing it), think long-term and rock-solid.

The Moon is in balanced and other-oriented Libra and aspecting both Mars and Neptune (in Pisces). We will need to adjust to other people with whatever Piscean stuff we are dealing with - art, healing, secrets, addiction, escapism, spirituality, hospitals, prisons, the stuff, places and people that have been "put away".

On Thursday, the Moon goes void at 2:30pm so get things done early. There are aspects to Jupiter (in Libra) now that should lighten the load a bit.

Great energy to be with friends and partners and we have this for the next few days!

On Friday, the Moon moves into Scorpio. This is great energy to be intimate with others and deal with Scorpio ruled matters - other people's money, loans, taxes, reproduction, sex, taboo stuff. With the Moon working so nicely with Mars and the Sun (both in Pisces) - it's also good energy for dealing with authority figures, business, government, men, healing, art, addiction, fantasy, secrets, etc (see Wednesday's Piscean laundry list).

On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (first day of Hannukah) - Saturn (in Sagittarius) trines (brakes off) Uranus (still retrograde in Aries). Making changes to something we already have in place is favored here. Everything old is new again.

(take care with fire, candles and driving)

With Uranus there could be some real Christmas Eve/Christmas surprises!  

This is great energy for the old and the new to come together for the holidays.

It's also great energy for whatever we thought we had to put up with or whatever we thought wasn't going to work out to suddenly work out after all.

With Saturn still squaring Chiron we could be dealing with some added responsibility, father issues or authority stuff that could be draining or hurtful - this is fading now. We could also be dealing with Sagittarius themes - legal, politics, wedding, foreign, travel, education, media, publicity.

The Moon is void all day on Christmas. Expect glitches.

Also on Christmas Day we have Venus (in Aquarius) trining (brakes off) Jupiter (in Libra). This is good energy for us to get along with people who are different from us - for our relationships to be fair and balanced! There is the potential for everyone around our Christmas tree to get along this year and for people spending the holidays alone to feel perfectly fine about it!

xo all - back in a couple days