Mercury Conjunct Saturn | black hole Tuesday, the rising divine masculine, stepping into our responsibility, will the center hold

take the spring by GlareUsy

Today we have Mercury and Saturn meeting up at 27 degrees Sagittarius. Yes, that is the degree (27-28) of the black hole at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy, that houses all the planets in our solar system including ours - the Galactic Center. 

This is the place where time and space were created so you and I would have a place to learn and grow and work and play.

Saturn (security, stability, the patriarchy, the rules, duty, judgement, authority) has spent quite a bit of time on or near the Galactic Center this year - getting a makeover or maybe I should say a make-under. And now he meets Mercury here.

The people and structures that carry the greatest load of the old Saturn archetype have felt this first. Everything that isn't solid as a rock has fallen or is falling. Our big institutions are on shaky ground. Our heroes have fallen from their outgrown pedestals (as they are stripped to their humanity). Our safety net has holes large enough that even our winter backsides, holed up with a hot chocolate and cider donut, can slip through easily.

(think about how the safety net has morphed into the internet as we have moved into the Age of Aquarius and the pros and cons of that)

As Saturn morphs and speaks to/through us via Mercury, as the divine masculine rises (it's not a coincidence Mars is in Libra answering to Venus today), as we are all handed back the stuff (responsibility for creating our own lives) that, through our patriarchal paradigm, Saturn has carried for us - THANK YOU SATURN - we are ready (ready or not) to take back the controls.

The life we begin creating now, the life we will be living in a few months, a few years will be all on us. Does this thrill or terrify us? Did you just scream "BOTH!", smart reader?! Yes, I will second that one!

Astrologers believe that planets are 'discovered' when humans are ready to use their energies. Saturn (limits, time, the father) used to be the farthest planet we knew about because he is the farthest planet that can be seen with our naked eye. Then along came Uranus and Neptune and Pluto. And Saturn became a bridge (along with Jupiter) from the personal planets to the outer planets. Now there are new planets being 'discovered' all the time and humanity is changing at an unprecedented rate! Saturn has been trying his best to hold onto his position during all this time, but he is tired or maybe out-"manned" now or it is just his time to let go of the reins a bit.

This is his final stop before he comes home to Capricorn in late December, whether he comes home a new man or an embittered one trying to hold onto something that is slipping away, is totally up to us.

In our personal lives today's energy - Mercury meeting Saturn - could be felt now as a stepping into our responsibility

(I have been writing about this for years - my Mercury - writing - is in Capricorn answering to Saturn and Saturn is one degree from my natal Sun in my 3rd house - ruled by Mercury - believe me I have felt this, even as I pushed the stuff I didn't want to be responsible for/look at in myself, onto other people anyway)

by having to speak clearly and seriously, come to terms with reality, set firm boundaries, make a verbal or written commitment, hear or say NO.

Something is officially stated here (I am, quite appropriately now that I think about, renewing my driver's license tonight). Something is slowed down. Something hits a wall. How big a something is happening for us depends on how far we need to shift right now.

AND, keep in mind Mercury is about to go retrograde and will walk this same degree next week and then will meet up with Saturn again in mid January when they are both in Capricorn - maybe that is the final, final grade. I wrote about this HERE - check Tuesday.

Between now and then whatever we think is finalized will likely evolve a bit - more choices, more questions, more facts to be sifted through.

And in some way, with whatever situation we find ourselves in now (situations all created by our previous beliefs, thoughts and actions), each one of us is asking ourselves, "will the center hold?"

xo all

let's tend to our words now - they are literally the building blocks of our future lives - and maybe because my natal Venus sits right on the Galactic Center, too - let's celebrate her/us!!

Venus inconjunct Uranus, Mars Square Juno, Mercury Trine Pallas | relationship issues, communicating new plans/ideas, revisions, we change the world by changing ourselves

O+A2 by fridaa-vl

We have three separate exact aspects today all indicating relationship tension/focus - so let's take a look at a way through these.

First we have Venus (ruler of Libra and Taurus, our 7th and 2nd house - relationships, partnerships, love, money, our resources, our values, our self-esteem)

currently in her detriment meaning not all comfy cozy in Mars ruled Scorpio, although not for long and we have Uranus (ruler of Aquarius and our 11th house - the new and unexpected, sudden changes, distant relationships, the internet, the future, technology) in Aries, although not for long either, inconjunct each other at 25 degrees.

Inconjuncts are the 'between a rock and a hard place' aspect. No wiggle room can be found here. Move toward our right hand and our left hand hurts. Move to the left and ... well, you get the picture.

A restlessness, felt within close relationships or possibly financial matters, could be making us or someone else, well, restless.

Maybe we need some space. Maybe they do. Maybe we need greater intimacy. Maybe they do. Maybe we (or they, if we are pushing this energy onto someone else so we can deal with it indirectly) only know we need something else/something more/something different.

Inconjuncts are part of a process. There are no easy answers.

If we are born with them there is a constant seesawing between the two spaces throughout our lives until we learn to maintain some kind of balance there (and even then the balance will probably be fleeting).

In this case, this is a transit so by nature it is transitory. It has something to offer us NOW, but it's NOT the whole story. Remember the charge for real intimacy doesn't need to be our independence - although real intimacy does require interdependence. We can see that right?

If you are feeling this one - this yearning for something that stays out past curfew and tastes like freedom - do something new and unexpected. Maybe something for yourself. But don't toss the baby out with the bathwater just right now (it's cold outside and babies don't like the cold so much).

We also have Mars (ruler of Aries and our 1st house of ourselves, the way we start things, our initiative, our passion, war and anger) currently in his detriment meaning not all comfy, cozy in Venus ruled Libra squaring Juno (marriage, partnership, relationships) in all-business Capricorn at 22 degrees.

Juno in Capricorn likely wants relationships to adhere to traditional rules, limits and commitments. She wants everyone to live up to conventional responsibilities. She wants B to follow A. And Mars in Libra can be rather passive-aggressive. Something here is creating tension. Maybe one person wants a bigger commitment than the other person is ready to agree to. Maybe a "rule" has been broken. There are many ways this could play out.

Squares are the challenges that lead to development, growth and change. Something has to give here. And we can only change ourselves. So what's it going to be?

The last leg of today's relationship trifecta - and yes, I am stretching things a bit to call this one 'about relationships', but I think it could be based on the other aspects - is Mercury (ruler of Gemini and Virgo, our 3rd and 6th houses - communication, ideas, thinking, local environment, siblings, transportation, the way things and ideas move, our day-to-day routine, health, work environment, co-workers, pets) currently in his/her detriment meaning not all comfy cozy in Jupiter ruled Sagittarius trining Pallas Athena.

Now Pallas is currently retrograde in fiery Aries. So the words/plan/communication (Mercury) that will work here (trine) is maybe not a totally new idea. Pallas in Aries blends our creative intellect with our actions and initiative. Maybe a system/strategy can be communicated (Mercury) now in a way that moves something forward, clicks something into place or allows other people to "buy in". Or maybe we are the only one buying in just yet and that is OK, too. Mercury is in his shadow (walking degrees he will walk two more times), so we will be dealing with this again or throughout the next few weeks as we review, re-invent and refine it.

It won't be all tied up with a pretty red bow just yet.

Bottom line for today - pushing other people to conform to our rules/wants is not likely to work, instead work on/communicate (this communication can even be internal since Pallas in Aries is fiercely independent) a revised plan or strategy for the future.

We change the world by changing ourselves.

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of November 27th - karmic shift, final exams kick off, serious conversations, stuff slows down, the "re's" begin, abrupt change, confrontations

Pilot's wife. Prayer. by Natalie Ciobanu

This is a BIG week with lots of twists and turns.

On MONDAY, we should have the energy we need to hit the ground running. Keep busy and on task to avoid any pessimism/judgmental thinking that tomorrow's approaching Mercury/Saturn conjunction could be stirring up. The Moon (in Pisces) is sextiling (opportunity) Pluto, so the root of a problem could be accessible now. Intense feelings could bubble up. Help someone else.

On TUESDAY, Mercury meets up with Saturn (limits, endings, reality, responsibility) at 28 degrees Sagittarius. The things Mercury rules - our thinking/communications, computers, ideas, the fast-moving stuff in our life, siblings, our local neighborhood, our cars (package deliveries - oh my!) slow down. Things get serious. Some things hit a limit/wall.

This is the last leg of our Saturn through Sagittarius journey that started back in late December 2014. This is also the degree where Saturn stationed retrograde back in March and April of this year AND this is the degree of the Galactic Center (the black hole at the center of our galaxy).

We are preparing to graduate, but before we get our cap and gown and anyone tosses flowers at us and hands us a gift card to Olive Garden - we have to get through our final exams.

Mercury in Sagittarius is about speaking our truth. The dark, underbelly of this is speaking exaggerations. Mercury hooking up with Saturn now (commitment, cement, structure) means that what we are saying (out loud and to ourselves) becomes our karmic contract/commitment.

We are literally breathing life into our reality through our words now. Choose carefully. Pretend there is a reporter following you around recording everything you say. No babbling. No gossip. No verbal nonsense. Use serious language and note I don't mean harsh language. Critical words can push things teetering on the edge right over the ledge here. Splat.

Now, there is a heaviness to this transit and for some a tendency toward negative/depressive thinking/language. If you find your thoughts headed in that direction say STOP. Yes, out loud. STOP. Positive thinking (this is all happening in optimistic Sagittarius for pete's sake) can make all the difference.

We could get news of an ending/resolution now or bring this type of news to other people.

Plans get finalized. Commitments and responsibilities firmed up. Signatures get put on dotted lines. Solid decisions are made. This is good energy for long term planning and serious conversations. Conservative ideas move slowly and steadily forward. This exam period will last until early December. Saturn doesn't require us to rush.

Now the fly in the ointment here, is that whatever this situation/story is for us - it could take a few weeks to totally unwind itself. Stuff can flip on us. Maybe we think we are getting an A and we come in with a C- or maybe a D turns into a B+.

Because Mercury is stationing retrograde on Sunday (December 3rd) at the same time as the Full Moon in Gemini (ruled by Mercury). There will be revisions, delays - you know the Mercury retrograde drill by now. With multi-everything Gemini there could be more options on the table. There could be more questions. Facts and information will need to be double triple-checked.

Mercury will conjunct Saturn again on December 6th, so we know this isn't over and it might not be until Mercury stations direct and Saturn is securely home in Capricorn at the end of December when the final, final results/grades are in.

Note the Moon is void until 11:30AM EST.

EXAMPLE FOR PISCES (Pisces Rising) - Mercury and Saturn are meeting in Sagittarius, your 10th house of career and public life. There could be important conversations (Mercury) with authority (Saturn) now. A formalized decision/responsibility/shift/ending is possible. But know that whatever happens may not be the final report card here. The Full Moon next weekend, coupled with Mercury's retrograde station and with the Moon squaring your ruling planet Neptune in YOUR sign, could bring changes and delays.

On WEDNESDAY, the Aries Moon offers us initiative and confidence. The Moon will square Pluto in the late afternoon bringing us focus and ambition - maybe a tendency toward jealousy or obsession. Our survival instincts will be sharp as a tack though.

On THURSDAY, the same Aries Moon is making some good aspects for business pursuits and then moves into Taurus (where the Moon is exalted) after lunch. Maybe get a massage, I think we are going to need to relax. Ha!

By late afternoon tomorrow's Mars/Uranus opposition could be making everyone testy and restless.

Note the Moon is void from 11:37AM to 3:38PM EST.

On FRIDAY, Venus moves from Scorpio into Sagittarius. Sagittarius Suns and Risings become more attractive - both able to attract what they want and easier on the eye. All our Sagittarius natal houses become more attractive, too. I will write a post.

On the same day Mars (in Libra) will oppose Uranus (in Aries). This is an abrupt change or some kind of big push forward into new territory. No one will want to be caged in. People will be impatient and confrontational. Something began at the end of March 2017 could reach a testing/tension point.

This kind of energy also brings the possibility of violence or an argument, so do your best to out-maneuver anything too wild and erratic. Take care with fire, electricity, power tools and driving. I will write a post.

EXAMPLE FOR VIRGO (Virgo rising) - Venus into Sagittarius makes your 4th house of home and family issues more attractive - this is good for a home business during the holiday season! The Mars/Uranus opposition involving your 2nd and 8th houses could push you toward something new/out-of-the-box regarding love, money, self-esteem, values and those of your partner. An unexpected expense, income change or bonus is also possible. If you feel pushed to respond too quickly/radically to whatever is thrown at you than is comfortable for you know that the energies support a step back and a deep breath.

On SATURDAY we have the first of three highly anticipated trines between Jupiter (in Scorpio) and Neptune (in Pisces). This is our dreams on steroids encouraging creativity, spirituality, compassion, romance. The fly in the ointment with this (you can always count on my Mercury in Capricorn to point out the flies!) is Sunday's confusing Full Moon in Gemini.

EXAMPLE FOR GEMINI (Gemini Rising)  - Jupiter in Scorpio trining Neptune in Pisces for you is 'brakes off' regarding your 6th house of day-to-day-routine/health and your 10th house of career and public life. Changes in your daily activities/health could lead you to a "dream job" or public recognition opportunity. Note, the next day's Gemini Full Moon coupled with Mercury's retrograde station and the Moon's square to Neptune could make things look bigger/better than they actually are. The good news if things go wonky - know this lucky aspect is going to repeat itself two more times next year (May and August 2018) and for you will again be about career/public life expansion. Make needed changes to your health routine and day-to-day activities NOW so preparation can meet opportunity THEN!

xo all

Mercury Trine Uranus | unexpected news, new ideas, out-of-the-box converations, unusual answers, freedom of expression

chess by ankazhuravleva

Today we have busy, communicative Mercury (in Sagittarius) trining (brakes off) revolutionary Uranus (in Aries) at 24 degrees.  

We can expect the unexpected now - news, ideas, ways of thinking. Breakthroughs are possible. With Mercury still squaring Chiron some breakthroughs may involve breakdowns.

This might tie in with yesterday's potentially painful conversation/words (and this didn't have to happen yesterday - I just list transits when they are exact - this is still in play now) - maybe an aha(!) moment is created from a painful situation that focuses us toward a new idea or unexpected solution/problem.

The message delivered could be shocking.

It might be painful or trigger an old injury AND it could also be enlightening and move our thinking/the conversation in a new direction. Stay open to your muses - the energies are ripe for NEW IDEAS to be picked like apples.

Now because Mercury is preparing for his upcoming retrograde and walking degrees he will walk again - we have a repeat of this Mercury square Chiron (painful words) and Mercury trine Uranus (breakthrough, unexpected, forward-leaning words) two more times after today - December 10, 2017 and January 6, 2018.

So something isn't over here.

Our words (and the words of other people) can be erratic, unexpected and spontaneous.

The Moon in Aquarius is amplifying the effects now, especially within groups. We will be better able to grasp new or abstract concepts. This is good energy for sharing ideas (don't be too preachy).

Our brains and tongues will be restless. Visit a bookshop - the information you need could literally drop right into your lap.

We will talk more about Mercury's upcoming retrograde in later posts. I wrote some about it HERE. Mercury is approaching Saturn and the two will travel together for many days. Our words will be serious and serious matters will be on the table. Saturn will slow Mercury down. Our thoughts (Mercury) will become solid things (Saturn) more effectively in the coming weeks. What are you thinking about, talking about, reading, learning, teaching? What do you believe, believe is real, believe is possible?

Enjoy your Saturday - this is a good day for news, communications, sales, writing, interviews, local travel, siblings, neighborhood matters. Good energy to upgrade (Uranus) a wonky/nonworking/out-of-date computer, telephone, car (Mercury). Venus is a bit wonky mid-day so there could be a bit of a tussle/headache around money, love, with a woman, beauty or a self-esteem/values issue.

xo all

Mercury Square Chiron | words that hurt, words that heal, don't overthink it, asking different questions, arrows that find their mark

*** by aleksesss

Today, we have Mercury (in Sagittarius) squaring Chiron (in Pisces) at 24 degrees.

With Mercury (words, ideas, communications, thoughts) in bigger-is-better, sky's-the-limit Sagittarius our words already have a tendency to come out with more force/bluntness than we might have intended.

They can fly out like arrows from the archer's bow - too late to take them back or send a warning shot by aiming a little higher. We can also be more forceful in expressing our views - which are the right views because they're ours, right?

Today's square to wounded-healer Chiron asks us to think before we speak. Avoid the temptation to try to convince other people we know what we are talking about. If what we are about to say isn't helpful TO THEM, and maybe even if we think it will be - just zip it. Save that off-color joke for another day.

If we are the ones on the receiving end of a thoughtless comment or sharp remark that stings it will pay to remember the other person's words may have been tossed out quite unintentionally. They don't know we carry an open wound from 1992 just above our right shoulder and damn if their carelessly tossed arrow observation didn't land exactly there. 

The fact it found its mark is what we want to be paying attention to. Think of the person as an angel with a message (who just happens to be carrying a quiver packed with arrows and looks like our mother, angels don't all show up with soft wings and choir voices). Not because we actually look "just like your Aunt Bertha in those pants", yes, the Aunt Bertha who died of diabetes in 2008 when she couldn't control that sweet tooth.

But because we are still thinking/obsessing about that comment hours later.

If our pain seems out of proportion to the situation asking ourselves - why do these words hurt - what open wound is this activating -  is a good use of this energy. This is a good time for journaling.

On the other hand this could be just the right time to speak (Mercury) our truth (Sagittarius). Someone is probably going to get hurt though. This isn't necessarily our problem, but let's know what our intention is before going public with painful information or snapping back at a thoughtless comment now.

Maybe Aunt Bertha liked to wear red and our red pants had mom remembering that. Maybe the square to Chiron is making mom more nostalgic. Maybe she always secretly coveted Aunt Bertha's booty. Maybe screaming at her that she has always favored our sister and isn't she the one who gave us sugary treats as rewards anyway and we are just sick to death of her rudeness isn't particularly helpful.

We will all be more mentally sensitive now.

This could also play out with a sibling (Mercury ruled) or our intellect. Today's energy could have us feeling we are just not quite up to snuff about something mentally. I have been feeling like this with my memory. I miss the days when the words I needed were right there where I last put them and I didn't have to rummage around in a brain, that feels like an unsorted sock drawer, to find them. Sigh.

xo all

Late tonight Mercury will trine revolutionary Uranus making it a good time to burn the midnight oil for new ideas. Either get to bed early to avoid it or plan to be up for hours!

Neptune Stations Direct | make a wish and open your eyes, drifting closer to solid ground, intuition, compassion, escape routes, truth, lies, the man/woman in the mirror

to make a wish by ESPRIT-CONFUS

Neptune stations direct today at 11 degrees Pisces. Pisces people and anyone with a strong Neptune or planets from 11-14 degrees of the water (Scorpio, Cancer, Pisces) and mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces) will feel this change of direction, although maybe not immediately.

Neptune rules our imagination, dreams, spirituality, escape, addiction, art, illusion, delusion, intuition, healing, hospitals, connection, compassion, sacrifice, the things put away, the ocean, the things we do last, the 12th house, the sign of Pisces. Like steam from a hot shower forming on a clean mirror he fogs up whatever he contacts, doubly so when he is moving backward (from our perception here on Earth) which he has been doing since June.

For people touched by this, and for everyone to some degree, especially since he has been very strong in his home sign of Pisces since 2012 (continues through 2025), this retrograde has been a process of something dissolving; fading away. Or maybe we have been what is fading away as we drifted farther and farther from solid land. Loss and gain through Neptune happen over time. The way water erodes rock or slowly creeps higher upon a shoreline. Now that he is direct we could feel rather unstable and uncertain as we regain our sea legs or more intuitively sure about something that isn't totally logical.

His last aspect before his station being a sextile (opportunity) to our Capricorn Moon is a good sign for practical, solid and lasting growth (well, as solid and stable as anything can be involving Neptune!) for our spiritual understanding/collective compassion for the next 6 months (until his next retrograde). Our dreams can become actual solid things. What are you dreaming about?

If you have planets or points near 11 degrees Pisces (Neptune's stationing degree) or a water or mutable sign you might want to take note of what is happening now and make yourself a post-it for the Full Moon in Gemini on December 3rd which will square this degree. Gemini rules information/communication/learning so something could come to light during that Full Moon that reveals something happening now is not quite what it seems.

Now that Jupiter is in Scorpio he will be trining Neptune in Pisces. The first trine (brakes off) will be on December 2nd, 2017, then on May 25th, 2018 and finally on August 19, 2018. This is wonderful energy for healing and compassion and making amazing art; for dissolving barriers and expanding connection. We feel empathy and compassion when the barrier between us and other people is dissolved. We heal when the barrier between us and wholeness dissolves. Our art and imagination come alive when the barriers between us and our muses dissolves. These time periods could also see us obsessed, manipulative and in water "over our head". Addiction, escape tendencies could expand. Truth gets stretched. It's not that we have to take the bad with the good so much as the bad is part of the good.

Remember with transits sometimes all we have to do is survive them. We just have to absorb the energy shifts. We evolve through that. We just have to be still standing or sitting or laying down (just not in a big, old wooden box) when the transit is over.

And with Jupiter in Scorpio for the next year our shadows will keep expanding until we are standing inside them in the dark groping for a light switch.

When I meditated on Jupiter in Scorpio and my own situation I kept seeing those giant fractal mirrors. At first I thought I was seeing broken mirrors, but later realized I was seeing a mirror made up of intentionally placed pieces.

It made me think about how our reality mirrors us very precisely. We all make each other feel exactly the way we feel. So however we make someone feel, whether consciously or unconsciously, will eventually become the way they make us feel. Instead of blindly groping around in the dark (although sometimes groping in the dark can be a good thing) we can choose to see what is really happening.

We can use this knowledge (you are mirroring me) to understand other people, to see/feel our impact on them, to resolve struggles quickly. 

So if someone makes us feel a certain way, we can know that we are either making them feel that way or we have made them feel that way. Or someone/something else has - there is only one of us here. 

With that knowledge we can consciously choose language and take actions with them that supports how we want to feel.

For example, Jupiter in Scorpio is alot about power and control within relationships.

So if someone is making us feel our own lack of power and control we can be certain they are feeling a lack of power and control. If we say and do things to make the other person feel more empowered and in control of themselves - the same will be mirrored back to us over time. It can't not be because we have changed, so what is reflected back to us (us!) through other people has to change, too.

This isn't New Age mumbo jumbo. Try it and see what happens. Think about the way someone makes you feel, conjecture they are feeling the same way and actively choose to make them feel differently via your words and actions - make them feel the way you want to feel. See what happens.

xo all

(Of course let's not do this at our own expense - Neptune rules martyrs, too - but we CAN help other people feel empowered without dis-empowering ourselves - if the action/words we are using dis-empowers us, these are the wrong words/actions. Do it/say it differently.)