Sun conjunct Saturn | a limit is reached, report card time, recognition for hard work, commit or quit, stepping into our authority/responsibility, the chickens come home to roost, the pilings go in, finding that box of Ronzoni

let it snow by Natalia Ciobanu

Today the illuminating Sun meets sober Saturn at 11 degrees Capricorn.

If the New Year has us partying like it's 2019, the party is over.

Once a year these big guys meet up and we get to see clearly what is really happening in our world and in the collective. Report cards are handed out now. A light (the Sun) is shown on reality (Saturn). We sober up. Happening this year in our Capricorn house, might make this annual wake-up call a little less startling since it is an area of life we are most likely already quite serious. What house does Capricorn rule in your natal chart? What is the theme of that house?

(we are going to talk about this by sign in the Solar Eclipse New Moon forecast coming within the next couple days!)

A limit (Saturn) is illuminated (Sun). A responsibility is illuminated. Consequences from our previous actions are illuminated (good or challenging). Chickens come home to roost. We put a ring on it. We get the raise, the account, the promotion, the pink slip. If we aren't serious about something, or haven't taken something seriously enough, it can end now. Commit or quit.

It might sound harsh and somewhat stifling ... and it can be, but there is lots of good that comes with this annual transit (says the girl with this active natally, so trust me on this one) and it will be in play during this weekend's New Moon Solar Eclipse, so in effect longer than it is in transit.

The good news - this is the perfect pivot point. Limits and boundaries create focus. Structure creates structure.

(Imagine you are in someone else's kitchen and they ask you to cook dinner - it would be totally overwhelming, right? You open their fridge and there are all kinds of foods in there and what are you going to do? How the hell do you know what is in all these plastic bowls and what do their kids eat anyway? Now imagine instead of them asking you to cook dinner, they ask you to cook the pasta. Now you have been given a structure. This is life with Saturn. It's limiting. You can't whip up your signature meatloaf. But the limit creates a focus. You know your next move and it's a real, solid thing. You can still get creative with the sauce, but you first need to find that box of Ronzoni.)

The Sun/Saturn conjunction kicks off a new chapter for Saturn (as us). Saturn starts over. Yes, we start at the bottom, but that's how we know the groundwork is done properly. That's how we know the things we are giving legs to, will actually support us. Saturn rules time and patience and the stuff like Rome that isn't built in a day.

Just take the next step. This Capricorn house of ours is set to be uber important over the next couple years - it's why I have been getting us ready, for years, with weather warnings (winter was coming). It's time to work. It's time to settle up our accounts. And I know you have that box of Ronzoni in there somewhere.

We have Mars in Aries supporting our courage and action. The Moon is in Sagittarius since last night and her only aspect today is a trine to Mars (brakes off, although yes, Saturn is applying the brakes - so there could be a push/pull with something or a hurry up and wait). The Sagittarius Moon supports our big beliefs and broader ambitions.

We really couldn't ask for a better, more solid way to start this particular year.

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of January 28th - information comes to light, we all think we're "right", the dream works if we do part 1, hotheads, ambition, challenges to authority, changes to what we want/need, valuing our freedom even when it hurts or makes us less secure, sh*t gets real, yes, even more real

where the sand meets the waves


Another HUGE week.

The major aspects in the week ahead are:

TUESDAY - Mercury conjuncts the Sun
THURSDAY - Saturn sextiles Neptune (1st of 3 in 2019)
FRIDAY - Mars and Eris square Pluto,
Venus conjuncts the Galactic Center
SATURDAY - Venus trines Uranus
SUNDAY - Venus squares Chiron, Venus enters Capricorn

The week gets more and more intense as we move along although that volatile/possibly violent Mars/Pluto is in play from around Wednesday on. Venus is very active this week so whatever we have going on with our Venusian themes - love, money, resources, women, self-esteem, values - is going to be a focus.

Look at that list and what Venus (as us) is doing this week - she moves across the Galactic Center (seat of creation, center of our Milky Way Galaxy) where she gets a new download (new information/new way of moving through the world) then she trines (brakes off/smooth energetic) unpredictable, liberating and forward-leaning Uranus (valuing freedom), squares (tension/obstacle) healing/hurting Chiron and finally moves into all-business Capricorn - where, yes, sh*t gets real.

This is within 72 hours!

To say Venus is a brand new girl would be putting it mildly.

Expect changes (long-lasting if we play our cards right) with what we love and value, what we think of as beautiful, the ways we attract money, the things we spend money on, our relationships, yada yada.

Keep in mind that trine to Uranus - sudden and unusual attractions or financial situations, surprises and bolts for freedom. Our Venusian super-power as we move through these transitional times is that NO ONE IS US (look at all the different women who have announced plans to run for President in 2020!).

Also keep in mind our brand new Venus is on a collision course (over the next couple weeks) with Saturn and Pluto. Relationships/money/what we want - it all takes work in Capricorn. Goals within relationships and with our money/resources are powerful. Now we commit or we get committed - ha! And this week's painful Venusian square to Chiron triggers something very old and very deep.

At the end of the week and over the next month this is more "growing up" stuff - figuring out the difference between what we want and need, setting healthy limits, putting on our big girl pants. If we are clingie and weak and passive and helpless and fearful with Venus in Capricorn (through March 1st) we are going to starve. It's winter - everyone is hoarding their last cans of beans and wanting to share the warm covers with someone who isn't whining about the cold and expecting other people to gather the kindling!

On MONDAY the Moon is in Scorpio (taxes, loans, investments, inheritances, intimacy, sex, life/death, reproductive issues, secrets) - we are in a closing cycle, so maybe are pushing to finish something. The Moon has productive aspects with Saturn, Neptune and Pluto today - good for purging/merging, digging deeply into the numbers or under the hood with something, getting intimate, dealing with authority/power issues. Get it done by 5:39PM EST when the Moon goes void, but continues to perform off that opportunistic sextile to Pluto.

On TUESDAY the Moon is void until 9:33AM EST when she moves into Sagittarius favoring a focus on our Sagittarius house themes or the general Sag themes of - travel, higher education, weddings, politics, legal issues, the media, publishing, foreigners, everything outside our comfort zone, exploration, our beliefs and higher thinking - for TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY & some of THURSDAY.

Mercury meets the Sun at 8 degrees Aquarius. Our thinking and our will combine. Maybe the conversation (Mercury) takes on a new life (Sun).

Information comes to light or brings things to a culmination (possibly something from late November).

(also note Mercury is walking the Sun's path from last week and still aspecting the Nodes of Fate, so pay attention to what you hear now, the people you meet, what comes to light - things could be important later)

In Aquarius and answering to Uranus and Saturn - there could be surprising/liberating information that stabilizes a situation (over time) or ends it.

This is good energy for clear communications - which is why it feels like "truth". We get it. They get it. This is a good time to make verbal affirmations - positive affirmations work really well for people who are born with Mercury/Sun conjunctions - and it is not that uncommon since the Sun and Mercury travel together. Our thoughts are more "self-centered" ie centered on ourselves.

Words will matter now for all of us. We are who we think we are. And happening in fixed air Aquarius, everybody thinks they are right.

EXAMPLE FOR CANCER/Cancer Rising (note house placements can be different depending on your exact chart Cancer) - this is happening in your 8th house of - other people's resources, other people's values, intimacy, other people's money, spouse's income, loans, debts, taxes, inheritance, sex, reproduction, so maybe something here, via written information/a difficult conversation/maybe through a sibling issue or local community issue or even a transportation issue "comes to light" now.

On THURSDAY we have the first of three powerful Saturn/Neptune sextiles in 2019 - this one at 14 degrees (Capricorn/Pisces). The next one is on June 18th at 18 degrees with Saturn retrograde and the final sextile will be on November 18th at 16 degrees with Neptune retrograde. THIS is the one with both planets direct. If you have planets or points in your natal chart between 13-19 degrees of Capricorn or Pisces (or Cancer/Virgo) - you will feel this opportunistic energy strongest this year.

This is where our dreams and reality meet. Hard work makes our dreams come true.

This is also a time of rewards for past work. This is excellent energy for creating a solid foundation around a creative/spiritual business or finding/building a dream home or home life. It is exact now, but really in play all year. Pisces rules the ethereal realms - your muses/angels are standing by to help you!

Remember Saturn is on a collision course with Pluto - MEANING THAT power structures that are not built on firm foundations will crumble - we already see this. We do not want to be manipulating/coercing/controlling/obsessing/back-stabbing when Pluto meets Saturn.

And we don't need to be anyway!

(And think about what things like "manipulating" mean because all the time we are unconsciously manipulating other people!)

Neptune (our imaginations/dreams/art/spirit/healing) is working WITH Saturn now - not like in 2016 and into 2017 when they were squaring each other! Instead of our dreams (Neptune) being trashed by reality (Saturn) or our foundations/goals (Saturn) drifting away (Neptune) something we've kind of gotten used to in the last couple years - now our dreams can be supported/grounded (sextile) in reality. Keep in mind Saturn stuff builds over time - so patience may be required here. And keep in mind Saturn/Neptune aspects often involve a sacrifice - we have to willingly give up this, to get that.

And after a few adjustments at the end of this week Venus will be in Capricorn and working with Saturn, too.

Rules are being re-written. Limits surpassed. Emperors shown to be without clothes (and this includes the spaces within ourselves that lay naked now, too). If we are working in any kind of snarky, corner-cutting, victim-playing or controlling way everything is going to bite us in the ass in the end.

We know what we want now. We know what really matters. Yes, Saturn demands we take responsibility for what we put out there and yes, this is all going to be work. Saturn is/will be a new man, but he's STILL SATURN.

EXAMPLE for Scorpio/Scorpio Rising (note house placements can be different depending on your exact chart Scorpio) - Saturn and Neptune are sextiling from your 3rd house of communication, information, writing, siblings, transportation or your local neighborhood and your 5th house of creative projects, your self-expression, what you give birth to, children, romance and recreation. What are you writing? What are you creating? What are you learning/teaching? What are you doing with children? Do you need to have more fun Scorpio? There is opportunity here in 2019.

The Moon goes void Thursday night at 5:33PM EST off a trine to Uranus and then moves into Capricorn at 7:47PM EST focusing us on our Capricorn house theme and the collective Capricorn theme of our career/work in the world/structures/authority/father - for the next couple days.

FRIDAY brings heightened volatility this week as an impulsive Mars (with angry sis Eris nearby) squares powerful Pluto at 21 degrees Capricorn (and aren't I excited since this is my hub's birthday to have this aspect exact in his solar return chart in his 4th and 7th houses and sitting right on my Mercury - fun times - ack!).

No dark alleys. Expect short fuses.

Power plays/grandstanding/testosterone overload. If you are dealing with a situation involving domination/who has the bigger whatchamacallit, keep in mind authority (Pluto) will win this fight. Even in his own sign and with his sister Eris backing him up, Mars isn't going to beat Pluto.

He will die trying though.

Expect intense competition and unbridled ambition. Manipulations. Obsessions. Jealousy. Your power could be challenged or you could be the one doing the calling out.

Mars (and Eris) in Aries wants us to push against power - challenge "the man", and there are times "the man" needs to be challenged and Mars is certainly strong here, too, and who am I to tell you this is not one of those times, maybe it is for you, BUT particularly in a public situation or with anything involving your career, try to think twice. Now would be the time to use our Mercury in detached and forward thinking Aquarius to choose a way through this that doesn't end with us nursing a bloody nose, a tarnished reputation or a pink slip.

At the same time our girl Venus is moving through the Galactic Center at the end of Sagittarius. She's like, "let my boy Mars bloody up Pluto a bit, so they'll be less of Pluto I have to deal with in a couple weeks!" - ack. Venus is the last of our inner planets that needs to get past (and this will be throughout February) those challenging energies - the South Node, Saturn and Pluto.

EXAMPLE FOR VIRGO/Virgo Rising (note house placements can be different depending on your exact chart Virgo) - Mars is squaring Pluto from your 8th house of other people's resources, other people's values, intimacy, other people's money, spouse's income, loans, debts, taxes, inheritance, death, rebirth, sex, reproduction - issues/situations around money or intimacy could feel out of your control - keep in mind our Aquarian Mercury now - you have the power to detach, to take a step back or away from the situation, to say "no" yourself. If you are the one doing the dominating/controlling (doing your Pluto) from that 5th house so maybe over a child, romantic interest or a creative project situation again keep in mind the powder keg you could be lighting. You might win the battle, but lose the war. Use that intelligent and forward-leaning Mercury in Aquarius for a work around. Old issues could be triggered and deep issues worked through here - what is playing out isn't really what is playing out. Look deeper.

FRIDAY/SATURDAY/SUNDAY - Venus (what we love/want, our resources, our relationships, our money) can shift somewhat radically now. Maybe instead of thinking do I want this or that we are thinking how do I hold onto this as I transition into that? But it will be different things for different people. What does your natal Venus look like? What does she want? This is getting a boost.

As she crosses the Galactic Center we get re-booted/upgraded. She then trines Uranus - maybe something very different catches our eye or a new way to get what we want is activated. There is something liberating here, but then that almost immediate square to Chiron - tells us the "something liberating" and sometimes we are liberated by losing something - leads to something painful - with Chiron, we are "triggered", so something that hurts, hurts more than it should because of something else. We think this thing here hurts us, but it is really something very old and very deep that is doing the throbbing. Something we have to learn to live with and to help us with this Venus immediately moves into serious Capricorn, so we get past the hurt with a focus on the GOAL, on the work, on putting on those big-girl pants and doing what needs to be done, on our responsibility.

The Moon will be in Capricorn, too, in her dark phase, so there won't be alot of soft places to fall at the end of this week and into this weekend. Please be careful.

(keep in mind our North Node in Cancer - take care of yourself, take care of your home and family, allow yourself to be vulnerable with the people who have earned your trust)

The Moon goes void on Sunday morning off a square to Uranus (ouch) at 5:53AM EST and then moves into airy Aquarius at 8:03AM EST focusing us on our Aquarius house theme or the collective themes of friends/groups/the goals that bring us into connection with other people/the internet/our causes, etc - for the next couple days.

There is alot to unpack this week and we'll talk more about it as we move through it.

I am making blog changes this week, so it might look wonky from time to time if you stop by, but the most recent posts should be easily find-able.

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives - TUESDAY, January 1, 2019 | a time to de-clutter, what's gotta go, freedom vs control, relationship contracts, caring for ourselves and others, appreciating where we are and what we already have

Sunday by little-moonshine


We wake in 2019 with Mars in Aries. After his long journey back and forth through Aquarius last summer/fall and then these last few weeks slogging through watery Pisces, Mars feels especially good to be back in his home turf. 

Fiery Mars in his home sign of Aries is just what we need to get a jump on our goals - our initiative/ courage/passion will return over the next few hours/days/weeks.

Keep in mind with the Sun set to meet Saturn tomorrow (wall, limit, responsibility, report card) and a New Moon Solar Eclipse at the end of the week (in industrious Capricorn), followed by Uranus stationing direct (in Aries!), I would give things a few days before we jump into too much of that new energy. There are a few twists and turns ahead before we start PUSHING, but Mars in Aries is pushy, so there will be pushing. If possible launch any big, new endeavors after January 6th/7th for maximum impact. This doesn't mean we are standing still until then though.

Our Scorpio Moon is waning, and although it is the New Year, is still about endings and finishing things up.

Ruling our collective 8th house of elimination - this is the perfect Moon for de-cluttering after the holidays (tomorrow is our annual Sun/Saturn day and reality can slap us in the face - best to have things kind of cleaned up by then). Stuff, including intense emotions and possibly our stomach contents if we over-indulged last night, want to come up and out.

The Moon makes aspects to Black Moon Lilith (square - tension/challenges around freedom, being ourselves, possessiveness), then Juno (opposition - contracts, relationships), then conjuncts Ceres and Venus before going void at 5:27PM EST. So, we could be working with quite a bit of up and down, deep, emotional energy today.

Barring anything too crazy hitting your natal chart, things should end more warm and fuzzy with a peaceful evening where we can appreciate what we have and where we are ....

Get some sleep tonight.

The year really starts tomorrow and this year, right out of that gate, will require us to take it seriously.

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | A New Year and intense January kicks off with a bang - fired up, passions return, report card time, seeing what's real, words that hurt, words that heal, walking our talk, relationships require adjustment, the first eclipse of the year gives us a glimpse of the big 2019/2020 Capricorn energies, buckle up buttercup

The Warrior by Cala-Rossini


This week is HUGE! 

MONDAY  - Mars into Aries
WEDNESDAY - Sun conjunct Saturn
THURSDAY - Mercury square Chiron
FRIDAY - Mercury into Capricorn
SATURDAY - New Moon Solar Eclipse in CAPRICORN (15 degrees)
SUNDAY - Uranus stations direct (all systems GO)

I'll do some dailies where we talk about the Moons and the day-to-day stuff. January's astrology is intense. We have had more than one week lately where Friday's energies were a replay of the entire week, ie Friday morning was like Monday, Friday afternoon like Tuesday, etc.

This is kind of like January and the rest of 2019. This month is kind of a preview.

Like last year we start the year full steam ahead. You will want to get the new stuff started by March (on January 6th all the planets will be full steam ahead and we don't get that often).

I was going to get a 2019 post up this weekend, but Mars came along and punched me in the nose with a sinus infection/head cold thing.

The big story of 2019 is the drum beat/movement of Saturn toward Pluto in Capricorn - exact in January 2020. Five eclipses. The North Node in Cancer (where we are headed) - going home, being vulnerable, nurturing what matters, turning within. The South Node will be in Capricorn (and this is extremely important because we are going to have a big old stellium here in early 2020 and this is going to clobber us over the head if we don't do our 2019 work while that South Node is in Capricorn) - this is what we are releasing - fears, dead stuff we are clinging to, crumbling structure, limits, rules, authority, walls.

The two major planetary aspects that are repeated in 2019 will be Saturn sextile (opportunity) Neptune - this one is about making our dreams come true through hard work, getting a grip on addiction/escapism, making something lasting with our art (and other things, of course). The other is Jupiter square (challenge) Neptune - this one is about big promises that have no legs. We are going to have to be ready to cut our losses in 2019 quickly. You might already be thinking how will I know which dream to work hard on and which dream is made of hot air? Well, that is the process of the year. If this was easy, there would be no point in any of it. And yes, I know, I want it to be easy, too! I'm tired. And I'm out of the soft tissues with the soothing lotion and have moved on to the scratchy bathroom stuff. Winter isn't coming anymore. Winter is here. Hard work is the new black. But you already knew this and you already do this (trust me on that second part dear reader)!

There is nothing to fear here, but fear itself. It's just a long, winding road to figure that out!

Neither Mars nor Venus go retrograde in 2019 - this is good news. We have Saturn, Jupiter and Neptune - all strong and functioning the way they are made to function, in their home signs this year - that is good news, too. Time is on our side. Luck is on our side. This year is going to be intense - and so will the next few years folks, it's what we came here for! We are changing paradigms that are thousands of years old. It's time.

Back to this week -

On MONDAY night, Mars will finally drag his tired ass out of tired Pisces, taking that square to Chiron out-of-sign (thank you Universe!) and charging into his home sign of Aries. This is going to feel energizing. But could be so fast that it feels too energizing. We, and other people, might take this sudden burst of Martian energy too far, so if you plan to be out and about on New Year's Eve just stay alert and safe. No dark alleys looking for kittens. Protect your head. Yes, I said your head. You know the drill.

Aries is the initiator sign - the baby being birthed from the womb of Pisces. Think about how fearless a little baby ventures into life. We all have that power within us. Aries in our chart shows us where, in our journey, we have reached the space where we need to get braver.

This is not the energy of the general who plans the army's every move; not the guy who thinks strategically. This is the energy of the soldier who runs into battle with his sword held high (think Braveheart's Scottish warriors with this one). These guys may have been running to their deaths, but for their Aries energy this was more rapture than suicide.

Aries is the starter. They are the first one to shrug their shoulders and jump into the untested, murky water. If Aries jumps in (now they may or may not come out alive although they probably do more than any other sign) - they have evolved that Aries energy, regardless of the outcome (remember we are not here for outcomes we are here for experiences, Aries energy teaches this, too).

And this jumping in is what Aries is here to do over and over again.

Aries growth is always found after we do "that thing we are afraid to do".

Playing it safe will never work and the space Aries resides in our natal chart is the space where it will not work for us to play it safe either. What house does Aries rule in your natal chart? It is about to WAKE UP.

With this transition into the Aquarian Age we all get the opportunity to learn more about our relationship to fear (aren't we the lucky ducks?).

Mars move home to Aries really kicks off 2019.

Just keep in mind we are still a few days from the New Moon and moving into eclipse season which is going to shift a whole lot of our plans. Saturn isn't about rushing and neither is Capricorn. We can catch our breath, take stock of where we are and what we have (probably more than we think we do) before starting this new chapter. The urge to move is going to be strong though and I don't easily discount our instincts! But check tomorrow's astrology first ....

On WEDNESDAY, we have our annual Sun/Saturn conjunction. Report card time. Once a year these big guys meet up and we get to see clearly what is really happening in our world and in the collective.

A light (the Sun) is thrown on reality (Saturn). Here is where we see the consequences of our actions.

If things are not going well, if stuff is falling apart, if we are beating our head against the wall (it's not a coincidence the wall is playing such a big part in U.S. politics right now)- these are all signs we need to change direction.

If things are going well, if we have achieved something, there will be rewards now for a job well done.

With Saturn (hard work, commitment, time, responsibility) so close to the Sun (our life force) there will be limits to whatever we are dealing with.

The good news, if things are not going well, is that changes made now can smoothly and simply move us toward different timelines. We are at ground zero.

A new semester always starts after report cards are given out. We all get a fresh start. We don't get a do-over though. That report card is on its way home to Dad. Doing the same thing we did before will not work.

Doing something new gives the energies at play something to work with!

Our muses grow tired of seeing us bang our heads against the wall, too. They whisper to us to go outside and shovel the snow (stretched muscles create the space for us to stretch ourselves in other ways, too).

I was born during one of these Saturn/Sun conjunctions (I have these planets within 1 degree) so can't really feel this energy clearly because I am always feeling it - it's background noise and probably a bit like carrying a stern father around in my head. And yes, he sounds like Dumbledore and likes to be called "Albie" ... but only by me.

This is a good time to care for the basic structures of our life - the stuff that supports us.

We are living in a time of disintegrating safety nets, but there are things we can do to give ourselves a steadier ground to walk on. It could be as simple as cleaning our house and putting in place sustainable systems to keep it clean. The same could be said about our money/resources.

On THURSDAY, Mercury is going to square wounded healer Chiron on his/her way out of Sagittarius. This could be about painful conversations. Information that hurts. Painful sibling situations. She is going to move right into a trine to Uranus - and Uranus is sitting very strong and very still now. So something different will be our way through this. We might feel alone. We might need to be brave. Mars is in Aries and Uranus is answering to a strong Mars now. And Mercury will immediately change signs, so whatever this in - we move on in a sober manner.

On FRIDAY, Mercury moves into Capricorn. Capricorn is a serious sign. It rules the dead of winter and that indomitable mountain goat who just puts one foot in front of the other until he reaches the summit.

With Mercury (thoughts, communication, ideas) moving into Capricorn today, our words will want to be taken seriously. Communications will be fact-checked. Sentences will be properly punctuated and spell checkers will be applied. Ideas will be more traditional. Words that are focused and precise are most effective now.

Traditional stories and songs will resonate.

This isn't Mercury's favorite place to hang out. He prefers words be fast and flexible and Capricorn is the opposite of this. Words are solid and stable here. Flowery language isn't welcome. We mean what we say and we say what we mean.

When we take our words and ideas seriously other people will, too. Contracts inked and promises made during this transit (Mercury will be in Capricorn until January 24th) will be long lasting, so let's be certain we want them to be. Write those resolutions. Make that bucket list. Start that book.

Yes, Eclipse season is going to mess with our plans. It is still worth taking the time to get things down on paper now though.

On SATURDAY we have the New Moon Solar Eclipse in Capricorn. This is foreshadowing the entire year and January 2020 and needs its own BIG post by sign. Back with that.

xo all

There is a beautiful, and gentle, Grand Water Trine between our Scorpio (Venus), Pisces (Chiron) and Cancer (North Node) houses this week that we will talk about in the dailies, too, when we look at the Moon!