North Node into Leo | South Node into Aquarius - being visible

The skies shift today.

More immediately felt could be the Sun (in Taurus) trining (brakes off) Pluto (in Capricorn) at 19 degrees at the same time Juno (partnerships) stations retrograde at 18 degrees (in Capricorn).

Juno retrogrades have us re-looking at our relationships and commitments. In Capricorn, this could also be about our relationship to authority and to the power structures that support us.

Relationships and commitments are ripe for "re-structuring".

Juno stations at 18 degrees and Pluto is at 19 degrees. She doesn't quite meet up with the planet of transformation before she turns around. Whatever is happening here we (via she) aren't quite ready for this!

They finally catch up with each other in mid November. That's when the relationship transformation (Pluto) is confirmed. In the meantime, the next 6 months are a crucial period to figure this all out. Then in the fall, the power structures/allegiances shift. We had the Sun trining (brakes off) Juno yesterday, so much of this stuff will fall into place. In November, power will shift - major relationships/commitments can start, outdated/dead relationships will finish.

(since Capricorn rules government it will be interesting to see how much this transit factors into our current political machinations)

We also have the Nodes changing signs today.

Since the Nodes are points and not planets the energies are more collectively felt. On the other hand if we look at the North and South Nodes in our natal chart, and their houses, we will find how remarkably well just these two points mirror our entire story. Babies born for the next 18 months will carry these energies for their entire lives. And we all have a new "north star" to work with and new energies to release or transform.

My first astrology teacher said the North Node is unfamiliar space where we "make steady progress over time" and the South Node holds the familiar, comfortable tools we use to make that progress happen (it also stores the barbed wire and banana peels we use to trip ourselves up).

With the South Node in Aquarius and the North Node in Leo - we need to do Aquarius better so we can do Leo better.

And since our bodies are craving what is familiar (see the work of Candace Pert and others) the North Node can make us uncomfortable. That's OK, comfort can be over-rated anyway (except for right now during Taurus season - I even grocery shopped in slippers yesterday).

We will talk about this alot over the next 18 months.

For now, have a look at your natal chart (astro.com). Go to free horoscopes (top), natal chart. Look for not only your Leo/Aquarius polarity, but also the houses that hold your Sun and Uranus (the rulers of Leo and Aquarius) - let's say you have, like me, a 3rd house Sun and a 10th house Uranus - google 3rd house astrology then 10th house astrology - to see what themes those houses reflect, this will give you an idea of what you have to work with (and what stands in your way): Aquarius, and where you can make progress now: Uranus. Email me if you can't find this and I will tell you what houses to be looking at and what Leo/Aquarius polarity is in your chart.

Growth will come when we move from aloofness toward passion,

from an outsider to an insider perspective (this isn't about selling out or losing our own unique mindset, but watching from the sidelines isn't getting us anywhere, we need some skin in the game now),

from unique idea to creation, 

from the audience to the stage,

from being detached about an outcome to proud of what we have accomplished or attempted, 

from trauma, chaos and PTSD toward influence, effectiveness and leadership.

I read an article about Melania Trump's Instagram feed from before her husband was running for President. There is a certain mean spiritedness to the article I do not like, but the photographs and story they paint of Melania's "backseat" life are fascinating.

(will be interesting to see what she does with the next year and a half)

They sadly remind me a bit of my family album from when my daughter was younger. Not the chandeliers or skyscrapers though - ha!

For years I had thrown family photos into boxes and then a couple summers ago I took them all out to put them in albums. Seeing how few photos I was in was eye-opening, especially since I have so few photos of my own mother. I know I took alot of the photos but couldn't I have spent five minutes learning how to use the automatic timer or handed someone else the damn camera.

Lesson to all moms and grandmoms out there - we can learn alot from the millennials - get yourself in the damn picture! Get a selfie stick. Grab the kids. Whatever it takes.

I think this Leo North Node will be all about "photo-bombing" for me.

You can expect to see me everywhere.

I might even show up in your family photos ("Wait, is that Cat behind Aunt Dorothy at the family picnic? I didn't even know she liked tuna salad sandwiches.") - don't hate me for this.

I am just doing my part to move the collective forward by doing my "Leo".

I promise to comb my hair and check my teeth for poppy seeds first.

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | a look ahead at the month of May - part ll

starry eyed by just a shadow left

The current week's forecast is HERE

OK, so let's finish this look at May before May finishes - ha!

Now, every single month has a theme and at some point every month the Moon will connect with Pluto (this is currently happening when the Moon moves goes through Capricorn each month since that's where Pluto has been since 2008) taking us to the depths of that month's theme. We get to the core of what the theme is about for us so we can bring it up to be worked with. This is the time each month when the month's theme comes together and becomes clear to us.

And yes, sometimes we just bury the damn thing again. We're not ready to deal with it. Keep in mind though that Pluto will be in Capricorn until 2023 and these excavations are monthly. We are going to waste a whole lot of shovels and we might miss the gold buried among the rubbish, if we never move on from the first pile .....

This month the Moon will be in Capricorn (early am on the 14th through dinner time on the 16th) - going over Pluto, digging deep into this month's agenda - at the same time Mercury moves into Taurus (May 15th).

So the start of this year's Mercury in Taurus season (May 15th through June 3rd) will coincide with the Moon connecting with Pluto. This will color our new Mercury season with May's theme and we will probably see things coming together in new ways after the middle of the month. Now remember Mercury is still covering ground he has walked before - here is a post I wrote back in the end of March about Mercury in Taurus - the general info is still applicable but we won't be hitting these degrees again. This is our last chance to get this stuff right before he moves on to Gemini in early June.

On May 17th/18th we are dealing with multiple inconjuncts. What are those song lyrics "the stars are stacked against you girl - get back in bed" - well that fits pretty well.

We have Saturn inconjunct the Sun, Chiron inconjunct the North Node, Jupiter inconjunct Neptune and Pluto inconjunct Mars. Inconjuncts represent crisis. Now remember crisis is both danger and opportunity. This is how we grow. Whatever we are dealing with here and obviously with so many crisis points at the same time many people will be affected and some will be dealing with multiple things - it will probably be best to let things be the way they are going to be.

Slow things down.

We have Mercury in Taurus and the Sun in the late degrees of Taurus - it's time for a few deep breaths. Like, quite a few deep breaths. Like we'll turn ourselves into a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon (I'll be Lucy) with all the oxygen we will be sucking in. PLUS the Moon will be in Aquarius, along with the South Node for the first time in 18 years - this is alot to be happening.

We'll talk about this next week.

On the 19th Saturn trines Uranus. We've been feeling this for a while, but here is when it becomes exact. This is about change, maybe even radical change, that leads to stability. Find new ways of doing old things. Connect with your dad. Connect with your grandson. This is the new and the old working together.

On May 20th the Sun enters Gemini and kicks off Gemini season - well, actually Mars did that already last month! Mars will oppose Saturn the next day, so there could be a stop sign here. In Gemini life will become more diverse. Our activities will speed up. We will be talking more. We will be communicating. Gemini is the one month of the year when multi-tasking actually works.

You can see why I said next week is a BIG week, too.

Then on May 25th we have a New Moon in Gemini. We have Venus conjunct Uranus. We'll talk about all the stuff in this post as we move through it. I started a May series and thought I might actually want to finish something I start around here once in a while. Keep everyone on their toes.

All in all May is a very creative month. Some things come unstuck. We aren't totally covering new ground with many things but we have more clarity now around what we want and what we have. There are some surprises and ups and downs. Our collective way forward shifts (Virgo to Leo) - imagine we are all on this road together and we come to a fork in the road and we all head thatta way TOGETHER. 

(no, we are not all holding hands and singing Kumbaya - sniffle - but the truth is there is really only one of us here - we rise and fall together folks, but you knew that already didn't you?)

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of May 8th - pay attention to what is shifting

comet by just a shadow left

This is a BIG week. Yes, another one. Next week is big, too. Let's dig in.

On Monday, hit the ground running. Get to work. 

On Tuesday, the North Node moves from Virgo into Leo and the South Node moves from Pisces into Aquarius.

This kicks off a new 18 month cycle where we (as a collective) move toward our destiny by focusing on positive Leo expressions and themes and work through karma (again moving toward our destiny) by releasing and re-balancing completed and 'out of whack' Aquarius expressions and themes.

Our Leo (and Aquarius) natal houses get a renewed focus (in order for us to move our collective story forward) and because Leo is ruled by the Sun, the qualities of our natal Sun Sign are how we do this!

The space we find Leo (also the Sun) in our natal chart is where we are meant to "shine". It's where we are here to "take center stage" in some way.  

It's where we lead ... from our heart.

Ruled by the Sun, Leo truly is the king of the jungle. He is that proud, brave lion. Leo loves attention, applause and isn't shy about stepping into the limelight. In fact he must share his creativity with others and he isn't coy about wanting recognition. Not content to hide out in the chorus, center stage - and top billing - are where he needs to be. Now obviously, he (and we) can take this all a bit too far - Leo also rules greed and ego and arrogance. Some of that energy will rear its head, too, to be worked out. We'll deal with it. 

Leo rules our collective 5th house of creativity, generosity, children, fun, games and romance. Destiny will coax us in these directions by opening doors, windows, peepholes - whatever it takes!

Aquarius rules our collective 11th house of groups, the internet, charities, humanitarian causes, freedom, rebellion, astrology, invention. These are the areas ripe for release, karmic re-balancing (in favor of those 5th house activities), past life debts come due and past life credits are repaid.

For the last couple years I have been writing about crossing our T's and dotting our I's (Virgo!)- doing the thing that is right in front of us, prioritizing our health and the little things that take us to the big things.

Well, here come the big things. What have you been building? Big is the new big now. Yes, I'd say things are about to get BIGLY.

(that makes you nervous doesn't it - I can feel you squirming - it makes me nervous, too - maybe those butterflies have to grow in our bellies before we can release them into the world - yes, I know that's gross, retching up butterflies to save humanity - it's the only visual I've got right now, it's raining again here and I'm cranky)

Instead of the focus on the background nitty-gritty stuff we do - the focus will be on being brave enough to go a little bigger, to step into the limelight and take the center stage of our own life! Yes, our own stage. Don't worry we don't have to play Carnegie Hall - in fact Carnegie Hall rather insists that I don't! It's contractual. But there will be similar butterfly-producing events in our future. We won't be able to avoid them.

With Virgo it was most important to do a good job. In Leo, it's most important we bring our heart to the job we are doing and to be recognized for it.

This is a collective influence. We'll feel this in our individual lives in varying degrees, but we'll all find opportunities for a big old light to be lit on the thing we carry in our heart. Hiding in the crowd or staying emotionally detached or doing something for the good of the group isn't going to cut it.
 
We'll talk about this more over the next few months as we move through it.

We last had the Nodes in Leo/Aquarius between October 1998 and April 2000 and before that between January 1980 and September 1981 - if you had big changes during those periods (I know I did) you can, most likely, expect big changes within similar themes over the next 18 months, too!

The Nodes are hooked into a Grand Fire Trine until mid June with Uranus (in Aries) and Saturn (in Sagittarius) - this will get our Leo/Aquarius party off to a strong start.

PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT IS SHIFTING.

Also on Tuesday the Sun (in Taurus) trines (brakes off) Pluto (in Capricorn). This is good energy for dealing with authority, stepping into a leadership role, diving deep into something financial or values related and for having greater control over our own life.

On Wednesday, we have a big old Full Moon in Scorpio- post to follow. Something comes to light. Something concludes - maybe something began around the time of the Scorpio New Moon last November. The Moon itself is all about going deep with love - maybe we need to let something go to get something that represents what we are really worth - maybe we finally figure out we are really grateful to have what we have. This is a really great Moon for a deep cleaning/cleansing, too - closets, emails, pores - you name it!

The 3rd Mercury/Uranus conjunction makes whatever is going on now even more BIGLY. There could be more surprises, unexpected news and information, and with Eris nearby, the potential for another round of arguments, jealous clashes and angry words.

Third times are powerful. A blunt truth can be delivered now and now we are finally ready to hear it. Unconventional ideas and innovative communications are also possible.

Whatever is changing now, whatever facts we are facing - the outcome of all this will bring more stability as long as we do what needs to be done. It will be obvious what needs to change. There is energetic support for getting on with it. So let's get on with it.

On Thursday, the Moon is void until 1pm EST, so don't start anything new in the morning or push forward with something you want something to come of.

On Thursday and Friday, Mars (in fast moving Gemini) trines Jupiter (still retrograde for a little while longer in Libra) and squares Neptune (in Pisces).

With Mars in "let's do it all" Gemini there could be multiple options with whatever is going on or whatever news we hear and we could have to move/decide quickly. There will probably be one best way forward if we can stay grounded (totally possible with the Sun in stable Taurus) and keep the rose colored glasses tucked inside the eyeglass case.

The action we take might be a bit challenging for us, but the results will be worth the effort. Focus. Go deep, not wide. Peaceful and balanced solutions are totally possible.

This energy is flowing pretty smoothly in that direction provided we aren't over-doing our Neptune - too much imagination, pie-in-the-sky, escape, chemical substances - you get the idea.

Lots of Mars energy this week, so it's a week to take action.

With Mercury (words, communication, ideas) caught between a rock and a hard place between Uranus (unexpected, sudden change, rebellion, revolution) and Eris (let me just say um - Carrie, pig's blood, prom night - get the picture?) it's not all love and light. We can expect some words we didn't see coming and they might not feel good. But this is our 3rd go at this. We've had the pebble. We've had the rock. If we're still standing in the line of fire to get the boulder we can't really blame Sissy Spacek, can we? xo all

Mercury Direct in Aries | answers

the way we come undone by vampire-zombie

Mercury stations direct today at 24 degrees Aries. Normally he/she takes a little time to get going, but being in Aries and conjunct Uranus, whatever has been stalled could start moving forward very quickly. News can be sudden and unexpected. Announcements will take us by surprise. Answers come now.

If we have been fence-sitting about something the pressure will increase to make a decision or circumstances will conspire to make it for us.

Now is the time to apply what we have learned over the past few weeks. So what have we learned over the past few weeks?

We are likely still dealing with an old situation (or something that stalled around April 9th), Mercury isn't covering totally new territory until May 22nd, but the momentum now will be on moving forward with it.

Mercury is direct and within 1 degree of change-maker Uranus and we have the first quarter Moon in Leo - if you have a new idea now or are given new information, you probably want to run with it.

All the personal planets are direct for the first time this year - it took us 1/3 of the year to get here, but here we are. Forward, ho.

xo all (drive safely and take extra care with fire and power tools)

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | a look ahead at the month of May - part l

I am still procrastinating looking too closely at the days much further ahead than May. The seeds of our future are planted now. Our power is in the now. So let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. Plus any reader of my blog can tell you I lean toward negative thinking - more likely to write about the cloudy skies and pits of fire ants than the field of tulips I am standing in when I see these things.

And yes, it's good to know when to pack an umbrella and falling into a dark hole in the ground filled with biting insects doesn't sound all that cozy, especially during Taurus season, and maybe scanning for things like this does make us a little more safe and secure.

Maybe. Maybe not. I am pretty sure it takes our attention away from the tulips though ....

Anyhoo.

Let's take a sneak peak ahead at the month of May and see what kind of astro is kicking up.

(Each time I draw a Tarot card lately for the collective, which I do occasionally to get a feel of things, I get the two of swords. For anyone vaguely familiar with Tarot that's the card with the woman in a long white robe sitting on a stone bench in front of an ocean. We can see an island in the distance behind her and a waning crescent Moon in the sky. She is blindfolded and holding two large swords crossed over her heart/chest. To me this card usually signifies some sort of fence sitting. Our heart is blocked. There is something we don't want to look at. Our time is growing shorter and those swords look very heavy. It carries the energy of that frog in the pot .... ribbet.)

May is alot about MERCURY and also about SATURN and URANUS.

Let's start with Mercury.

He/she (Mercury is rather androgynous) stations direct tomorrow. It will take a couple days for her (and us) to get back to speed. Or maybe since he stations in Aries we will hit the ground running right out of the gate. It's hard to say.

Then she walks forward until May 21st when he gets to the space she turned around from on April 9th and finally on May 22nd he starts covering new territory (am I confusing you by flipping gender pronouns like this - well, good, staying on our toes for the small things is good practice for the bigger ones).

Mercury stations at 24 Aries. At the same time we have Uranus at 25 degrees Aries and Saturn at 26 degrees Sagittarius.

So, next week we will have a Grand Fire Trine, a Full Moon in deep, dark Scorpio and the North Node will move from grounded Virgo into fiery Leo. That's alot! The exciting part of 2017 is starting.

But let's stick with Mercury a little longer. Conversations, communications, ideas and information will be even more important than usual. Stay flexible. We don't want to dig in to a position too deeply that we become so entrenched we can't see any way out. The North Node, in Mercury ruled Virgo for just a few more days is squatting at zero degrees Virgo. Something is trying to get our attention. The stuff that comes up now will matter later.

With Uranus huddled up to Mercury - our thinking can change. That trine to stable Saturn tells me that changes in our thinking made now will provide us with more stability later. With that North Node (collective way forward) about to break into passionate and heart centered Leo - this is exactly the energy we need to break through our limiting thinking patterns. Remember we are set up to crave what is familiar not what is best for us.

Read/study something else. Talk to different people. Write the stuff down that catches our attention now.

With the South Node (what we are releasing) about to move into detached, group-oriented Aquarius it is time to THINK FOR OURSELVES. It's time to bring to the collective the very individual thing we are here to bring. Remember that flock that has been so important, well, maybe we are a bit lost in it now. Herd immunity works until it doesn't. And now it doesn't. That oxygen mask is going to have to go on our own face first for awhile. We are going to see what that feels like.

The world is maybe going to look a whole lot more selfish until we get our groove with this thing and figure out what stays and what goes, what works and what doesn't ..... trust the process.

Back on Thursday with part ll - xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of May 1st - stuff gets freed up

sometimes I think I can see by vampire-zombie

Good-bye "confused, stalled and month we spent all our time looking in the rearview mirror" April. May will provide some welcome energy to get us moving forward.

On Monday, the Moon is in security-oriented and moody Cancer and interacting with our ongoing T-Square. There could be a focus on home, family or real estate.

We continue to have Mercury (communications, conversations, information, thinking) conjunct "anything-can-happen" Uranus. So expect the unexpected for a few more days. If something "out of the blue" hits now our emotions could be all over the place, especially if the news is about a potential impact to our security.

The trine to stabilizing Saturn makes me think the news will be beneficial in the long run (even if it doesn't look that way now - although it might be good from the get-go) or will shore up our structure or bottom line somehow.

We are still in the energy of lightning bolt flashes of genius for the next couple weeks. Remember the idea/thought 'flows to/evolves through' the person/situation best lining up with the energy needed to make it "real". What are we lining up with these days - hint what are we valuing - ie giving our time, money and attention to?

Moon goes void at 4:23PM EST thru midnight. The rest of the week is clear of Void Moons (EST) during work hours.

On Tuesday, the Moon moves into passionate Leo. This is great, fast-moving energy for creativity, playing, interacting with children,

(notice how many times adults "tease" children and think they are "playing" with them - I used to catch myself doing this, too - sometimes I think if we could stop just this one thing we could change the world in one generation or maybe one week since the adult's energy would have to shift)

romance and fun. People will be expressing what they want now. The potential continues for unexpected news and new ways of thinking.

On Wednesday, Mercury stations direct. He will be pretty much standing still all week and very powerful. Post to follow. He won't be covering brand new territory until about the 3rd week of May, but it will still be the first time all year we have all the personal planets - Mercury, Venus and Mars - moving forward at the same time! Whatever has been held up since April 9th will be freed up (likely very quickly). This could already be happening. In Aries, answers, words and situations will be as blunt as they need to be.

Also on Wednesday, the Sun (in Taurus) sextiles (opportunity) Neptune (in Pisces) then on Friday inconjuncts (challenge) Jupiter (retrograde in Libra).

So from Wednesday through Friday - we have a Yod (finger of God) focused on Jupiter - planet of expansion and opportunity (also the energy of getting our hopes too high). Events will conspire to have us focusing on that Jupiter (what house is home to your natal Libra? I ran through some sign themes HERE) like a laser beam. Jupiter is still retrograde, so it is best to go deep rather than wide with this one. We'll talk about this later in the week.

A heads up that the energy from late June to late July will be explosive.

May isn't smooth sailing either so we need to take advantage of every opportunity now to get our ducks in a row. It's Taurus season - focus on what you already own and shoring that up. Get out in nature. Cook something. What can you do to make yourself more comfortable, to create more ease, more value?

We still have that Virgo North Node (for only a few more days!) - small things are big things. 

For example: if we value our time we won't waste it. Put the car keys back. Put them where your muscle memory most naturally wants to put them. So, let's say you've bought an adorable key holder for the wall by the front door, but you most naturally toss the keys on the coffee table. Stop trying to force yourself to use that adorable rack - yes, it's cute, but it doesn't create ease or comfort. Hang something else there and find an equally adorable bowl for the coffee table. Keys go in there.

Imagine you are Michael Jordan, shooting a free throw and it's the last quarter. Yes, you get to imagine cheering crowds and all that jazz, OF COURSE. Consistency is needed. You still have to put the keys in the bowl every time. But you can because you are Michael 'freakin' Jordon.

You aren't searching for your keys anymore. Your life gets more comfortable. You value time and TIME VALUES YOU RIGHT BACK. It gets more stretchy. It's a win-win. Make it easy and then just do it. And now I am imagining Michael Jordan's sneakers. W.T.H.

What we value - ie give our time, attention and money to MATTERS. The stuff we seek is seeking us - let's get serious about clearing up the crap standing in its way. xo all