New Moon in Aquarius | Friday, January 24, 2020 - the need to reinvent ourselves, a change of direction, sudden insights, moving toward what's next

The Moon starts the day void of course and then moves into airy and future-focused Aquarius at 8:20AM EST, where following the Sun's path from the last couple days and Mercury's path from last week - she moves into a jolting square with Uranus (1:34PM EST) followed by a healing sextile to Chiron.

At 4:42 PM EST, the Aquarius Moon will meet the Aquarius Sun (four degrees) giving us this month's New Moon - our monthly beginning.

Here is where 2020 really gets started!

FRESH AIR. Contacts to change maker Uranus - electricity. All the planets are direct, Saturn is past Pluto and Pluto is out of shadow. DON'T LOOK BACK!

All the Cappy energy is still humming along in the background, but now it is background. We are, obviously, still working with the karma (ie cause and effect) of past chapters, but the more we can focus on what will be and not what was - and these are two very different things now - the more wholly we can accept what is - the quicker we can line up with the energies pulling us forward.

And Mercury will be in shadow soon preparing for his upcoming retrograde (in foggy Pisces again this year!), so moves/decisions we make now we won't have to go back and forth over like we will if we wait!! We will still have to deal with Mercury retrograde in Pisces, but we will have something tangible to work with.

In March, Saturn will move into Aquarius (his first retrograde in Aquarius will briefly pull him back into Capricorn for him, as us, to finish up) for the first time since 1991, to pave the way for Pluto's entry into Aquarius in 2023 which will shift everything - in Aquarius we have Saturn paving the way for Pluto, whereas in Capricorn we had Pluto ripping out the paving in preparation for Saturn! And keep in mind Jupiter (expansion, luck) never catches up to Saturn in Capricorn, but he will catch up to Saturn in Aquarius in December 2020.

We'll talk more about what all this means in the 2020 series.

In the meantime, we have today's New Moon which will be in play until our next New Moon (New Moon in Pisces on February 23rd). The next two weeks - while the Moon is waxing/growing is the strongest time of the month for new beginnings/growth.

Let's unpack the chart!

The Moon and Sun are squaring Uranus (ruler of this New Moon) and sextiling Chiron. Uranus is trining Pallas. Eris is squaring Pluto. Venus is sextiling Jupiter, squaring Mars and conjunct Neptune. Saturn, Ceres and Pluto are still conjunct in Capricorn. Mercury is sextiling Mars and squaring Vesta. Jupiter is trining Vesta.

Blah. Blah. Blah. Too much - cue exploding head (whah!)

Let's prioritize here. The most important aspect the Moon is making is her square to Uranus and Uranus as co-ruler of Aquarius is the ruler of the New Moon.

The Moon isn't comfy cozy in Aquarius to begin with - the Moon ruling our roots/our past and Aquarius ruling uprooting/our future - the square just amps up the New Moon's need to break established patterns.

This is disruptive/unexpected change. Sudden insights.

Squares are tense aspects. They create tension to stimulate needed action. The planets within us and outside of us are working at cross purposes - there could be stress/frustration here. Taurus is some of our most entrenched energies, so sometimes it takes big things to uproot this space in our chart!

In this case, since this aspect is waning and we have been working with these energies since Mercury walked this minefield last week, this might not be something that happens today, although we might be feeling the stress of the square today -  

the tension/change coming through our natal Taurus house theme or the collective Taurus themes of our income, our self-esteem, our values, our resources - what we own/what we have. 

Although the change itself will probably not be something brand new, since the aspect is waning/in the past - it could be what the New Moon is really offering us is CLARITY about the door this change has flung open - an awareness of the fresh start/liberation the change/disruption is making available.

The Moon is sextiling Chiron and again this aspect is waning, so the New Moon is pulling us away from this hurting/healing.

In Aquarius, maybe we are sensitive to humanity's plight/to what is best for the group/the future. There is something both hurting and healing here - the Sun is shining a light on this. Maybe we are healing through our relationship to the group. Or through our ability to step away from the group and just be ourselves.

We are integrating our ability to stand on our two feet with other people. The more self-sustaining and self-accepting we can be going forward into the new energies the better!

We can literally reinvent ourselves/our brand now (and something is going to need to shake loose first!).

Uranus is trining strategic warrior Pallas in sober Capricorn. And we had Mercury's square to Uranus (what the Moon/Sun are doing now) on the day Pallas went into Capricorn (January 18th).

So, here is a way through any unexpected chaos - planning, patience, a deliberate focus, ambition. Being smart/decisive/playing the long game.

There is probably nothing better, after a disrupting pattern-breaking Uranus square, than a smooth trine (brakes off) to wise and strategic Pallas! We got this thing.

Also, Mercury is sextiling (opportunity) Mars and squaring Vesta. So, although there is tension around what really matters here - we may want to move our attention from that thing that used to really, really matter and sustain us (that thing that kept us/keeps us up at night) and turn our conversations, our actions and our passion to something that feels more like a stretch/something that gives us optimism and hope - something that focuses on our next step and requires faith.

Ideas can get us fired up, but we need to stop talking about the past! Even the recent past. Don't talk about that cold you had last week that kept you awake every night - take this energy down to its most 3D/mundane level. Shut up about it. Talk about the future. Put your attention there.

Venus is sextiling Jupiter and moving toward a square to Mars (in Jupiter ruled Sag) and conjunction with Neptune - we don't want to fall in over our head and drown here and there will be tension, probably within our relationships or with our money/resources, but we probably need the square to get us moving since Venus in Pisces can get kinda tired and drifting (even sick, so take some extra Vitamin C or whatever you do to stay healthy). Venus/Jupiter is waning, too, but just barely - there is beauty here - something GOOD.

Again the need for faith and that stretch.

Saturn, Aquarius's other ruler is still conjunct Pluto and Ceres. Things are still deadly serious somewhere in our life. There is certainly energy at this New Moon to be free and liberated, but we can't just be free and liberated. We still have Saturn/Pluto/Ceres keeping us tethered to reality.

It's still winter. 

There are so many other aspects in this event chart we would just muddy the waters talking about them.

The bottom line is some turbo-charged fresh air!

And, yes, there is the possibility of the turbo charging coming through an unexpected crisis/frustration. But, this may have already happened and here is where we get the clarity we need to move in a fresh direction.

Aquarius rule groups and the goals that bring us into connection with other people - the Aquarius New Moon is always an opportunity to take a long look at how the life we are building fits in with the other lives we share the planet with and move in a more powerful direction of building a space that supports all of us.

NEW MOON INTENTIONS

As we work with the Aquarius positives - innovation, genius, advancement, the new/modern, the power of groups, the power of the individual (yes Aquarius has both!) and eliminate the Aquarius negatives -  too much detachment, too many distractions, our feelings of alienation and our need to get lost in the crowd and hide out in the audience - if we do our work - and we are not required to do our work perfectly - we are left with a cool head, an open mind and enough emotional distance from whatever we are creating to allow the magical forces in play to work for and through us RIGHT NOW!

AFFIRMATION TIPS for your monthly New Moon:  always make affirmations from a  positive place (positive meaning both happy and certain) - write your affirmations down by hand in script, speak them out loud.

Then release your attention from these things knowing that your intention is known.  

Know these things are already yours.

(I would recommend setting your intentions on Saturday morning or Sunday night to avoid the void Moons plus we'll have the energy of billions of people celebrating the newness of the Chinese Year of the Rat helping us!)

xo all

Today's Astrology Forecast | Thursday, January 23, 2020 - surprises, endings, past the death, a silver lining

The Balsamic Moon continues her journey through Capricorn - the sign of her detriment - sextiling Neptune at 7:19AM EST (dreams grounded in reality, visionary goals) and then meets up with Pluto (7:18PM EST) and Saturn (9:08PM EST).

This is the first time in over 500 years the Moon will cross Pluto and then Saturn in Capricorn - we are past the "death", not only physically, but emotionally now. We got to the place in the game where we (our ancestors/past lives) have died and died and died before, and now, like an avatar in a video game, we are on the next level. This applies somewhere to our life in the "mundane" world.

What have we had to let go of?

We have the dark Moon crossing these "karmic ending" energies today - while the Sun squares Uranus (shaking loose what is desirous of liberation/fast change) and we start to move toward the Aquarius New Moon tomorrow which will bring, over the next couple weeks - fresh air and fresh starts and the beginning of a radically innovative chapter.

The Sun (in Aquarius) squares Uranus (ruler of Aquarius) at 2 degrees.

Change is empowered here. Fast change can leave us feeling disoriented, especially with our dark, besieged Moon - no soft space to fall. Squares indicate tension/frustration, so whether we are the one making the change or it feels like it is coming at us from the outside - it seems our back is against the wall with this. Over time we might be able to see that with this change - a weight is being lifted from us. It could feel heavy now though, especially if we are still holding on to the things that used to stabilize us/make us feel secure that are no longer working/no longer there.

At the same time we have an amazing silver-lining - sextile - between Venus (in Pisces) and Jupiter (in Capricorn) at 11 degrees - as Venus moves toward her meeting with Neptune on Monday.

Here is the real-world expansion of our Piscean imagination/the dream/the big thing we really want that sits beyond the thing we think we want. Again this supports the Saturn/Neptune good stuff - the solid manifestation of the dream. We'll talk about this more in the New Moon post tonight - Jupiter will require we stretch/go out on a limb/have faith, Cappy will require some sweat equity/patience/responsibility, Venus will want whatever we are creating to be beautiful and wanted and Pisces will require connection/imagination/love. We have the support of everything we have ever done and everyone who has come before us here.

There is something bigger/better right over there - but new to this level (like when we get to a new level of a video game and we have to run around a bit and get acclimated) we might not know exactly what we are doing or where we are going just yet.

Doors that need to close, before other doors can open, are going to close.

And if we are hanging onto something that needs to go - keeping that door open, maybe ... just in case - we might create a situation like when we open both front car doors at the same time on a windy day and everything gets blown around or important stuff blows out the door (actually this could just be me in my messy car) because that new door IS opening. We can't hold it closed if we try.

Do what you have to do. Big girl pants are on. That poster about being kind to other people because everyone is fighting their own battle (or something like that) applies now.

Have faith. These mountains are moving folks. The skies are dark. We can't see what we are doing, so take a breath.

xo all - back with the New Moon post

More in the monthly HERE

phopto by the talented iNeedChemicalX

Today's Astrology Forecast | Wednesday, January 22, 2020 - steely nerves, being ourselves, shake-ups and break-ups as we move forward, healing through groups, getting things done

The Moon moved into industrious/ambitious Capricorn at midnight EST last night.

She trined (brakes off - did you jump out of bed ready to get going?!) Uranus at 4:59AM EST and will sextile (opportunity) Venus at 8:52PM EST.

The Moon is considered "in her fall" in Capricorn, since she is at home in Capricorn's polarity sign of Cancer, but if you have something going on that requires steely nerves and dogged determination - a Cappy Moon is your friend.

A good day to make things happen. Get 'er done folks.

The Sun, in Aquarius now and doing this week what Mercury did last week, is sextiling Chiron and squaring Uranus.

Maybe shining a light or energizing/culminating last week's surprise/wake-up call information or conversation. The sextile (opportunity for healing) is Aries/Aquarius so something here about independence/innovation - the ability to be ourselves, maybe stand up for ourselves or do it our own way. The square is Aquarius/Taurus so a shake-up/change (doesn't have to be a bad thing) that is somehow either liberating/innovating involving our resources/values/money/self-esteem.

And, of course, these are collective themes, and we have our personal house themes that will shape this a bit differently for each of us.

(A little example from last week in my own life - hubs and I were out to breakfast during Mercury's - communication, information - walk through this minefield.

I don't know what I was saying to him - chatting up the news or something, but he was looking at me for a long time and then said, "you really are ... a piece of work".

Now most of the time, knowing his Aries Moon/Aquarius Sun very well by now and being an Aquarius Sun myself, I might have responded with a "damn right" and gotten on with things,

but, partly because I was prepared to hear "you really are ... so beautiful" or something like this, even though I would have doubted his sincerity knowing my messy bun and mouth full of bagel, -  I was very hurt. 

Not drama-mama hurt, but actually hurt. And he felt it, too.

So, we had hubs feeling the liberation from what he valued and me feeling my own weirdness detaching me from what I valued. His words triggering all the times I haven't fit in for me and for him, via my reaction, his words triggering all the times he has 'opened mouth/inserted foot' and said something distancing. Somehow these words are still ringing in my ears ...)

Venus is moving toward her square to Mars - there is tension here, and probably the need for movement and decisions. Venus in Pisces doesn't really want anything. She is exalted/has it all in Pisces - this could make us a bit lazy, so I think the Mars square could be a good thing.

The Moon is dark/balsamic (desiring rest) as we build toward Friday's 'change-bringing' New Moon, but in Capricorn she is made to continue to push. 

If something is not moving forward with us in 2020 - and this upcoming New Moon square Uranus speaks of us needing to face this - we can use this energy to fuel whatever needs to be completed/wrapped up.

xo all

More in the monthly HERE

Photo by the amazing Natalia Ciobanu

Today's Astrology Forecast | Monday, January 20, 2020 - fresh air, energized to try something else, stay flexible, inspired thinking and positive action

The Moon moves through fiery Sagittarius today - we are nurtured through and maybe our attention is on - travel, what is foreign to us, politics, the media, higher education, ceremonies, legal issues.

She will sextile Mercury at 4:39AM EST (brilliant and optimistic ideas, what did you wake up thinking about?). She squares Venus at 8:20AM EST (cat fights, what is nurturing vs what is loving, the Sag/Pisces square - truth/dogma vs intuitive knowing, maybe there is some tension with a Taurus or Libra person, this is mutable energy, so adjust). Stay flexible. The Moon is fast-moving.

The Sag Moon connects with Mars at 2:46PM EST - passionate action - we can do it! and finally goes void off a square to Neptune at 11:45PM EST. She will be void all day tomorrow.

The Sun exits the Cappy party and moves on to humanitarian Aquarius. Fresh air. Change.

We are energized through groups and the goals that bring us into connection with other people. By seeing where and how we fit in and where and how we don't. Accepting differences.

During Aquarius season events will conspire that give us a chance to step back a little bit. Sometimes we are too close and too enmeshed in a situation to see clearly what is happening. Stepping back is good and needed. We can see what is happening with less judgment. We can see past societal rules (Aquarius is the rebel, genius, criminal). We get a new set of eyes to see the world. As always with Aquarius all detachment is helpful until it isn't

As we move through our days with the Sun in Aquarius, looking ahead, we are energized to try something else.

At the same time Venus (exalted in Pisces) trines the North Node (in Cancer) - we are creating a beautiful future where everyone has a home. Our attractions pull us forward. We are magnetizing our best and brightest future - have faith!

Know we are all (personally and collectively) in the midst of creating something truly amazing and unprecedented - but it is probably not recognizable/visible from where we are now, and that's part of our unsteadiness. We have to train ourselves to get comfortable not knowing until we do. Keep in mind Uranus in Taurus - separating us from what we think we need. Life on planet Earth isn't for sissies. Saturn is in Capricorn for his third January - (yes, this is one long f'n winter) our big girl pants should be on all the time by now.

I am going to talk about this in the next 2020 post, but if we compare ourselves to an avatar in a video game - we would be (Saturn past Pluto) past the death. We died and we died and we died trying to get to this level and here we are. At this new level. We've never been here before.

So take a breath. We have a new Moon square change maker Uranus this week - change that won't be stopped is on its way.

xo all

More in the monthly HERE

photo by the amazing the firebomb

Today's Astrology Forecast | January 17, 2020 - addressing imbalances with work/goals/authority, avoiding verbal vomit, resource issues, unexpected news, unexpected emotions

Sorry I forgot to schedule this post for this morning!

The Moon in Libra squared Saturn and Pluto while we slept and then goes void off a square to the Cappy Sun this morning (7:58AM EST).

So, here we are already at the lunar month's Third Quarter Square (!) - tension/frustration, maybe challenges, between balance, fairness, our relationships, maybe a client, someone we hire or maybe even a competitor and the rules, limits, work, our goals, authority, responsibilities. Maybe something just isn't fair. An imbalance needs to be addressed.

Work issues, goals, long-term decisions, our responsibilities. Maybe compromises with other people are needed now.

The Moon is void until 1:20 PM when she deep dives into Scorpio.

Now we are nurtured by getting to the bottom of things, solving puzzles, merging, looking under the hood - our attention/focus could turn to Scorpian themes over the next couple days - the money/resources we have merged with other people ie loans, taxes, inheritances, spouse's income, etc and physical mergers - sex, fertility, life and death issues, power, control - anything we don't really want to talk/think about!

The Scorpio Moon will square Mercury at 4:36PM EST and then oppose Uranus at 5:55PM EST - so expect some unexpected news and changes. Things can get stressful.

Something to keep in mind - because now we have the Moon (an emotional, water Moon now) involved in yesterday's Mercury/Uranus/Chiron stuff - we really want to check ourselves if we are shocking just to shock and we really need to have a process we can use for times when the sh*t hits the fan and we need to detox our emotions without spewing them all over other people.

Here is what we talked about yesterday:

"Now, almost as soon as Mercury gets into Aquarius she starts squaring Uranus (in Taurus). This could bring SURPRISING NEWS - maybe around what we value, our resources, our money, our values or self-esteem. He will quickly move into an opportunistic sextile with Chiron- so there is something healing here, too.

With this square to Uranus our own language could be chaotic and out of character if we aren't feeling heard or maybe someone is coming at us from this space of challenged self-esteem. Lean into innovative ideas if it feels right, but don't be shocking just to be shocking."

Stay open to new ideas and keep in mind we are operating at a level we have never operated at before. So let's be more gentle with each other. Take care of yourself - which means knowing the needs of your natal Moon!

The energy is just all over the place today - build in some extra time for yourself. The Moon's aspects are much easier tomorrow.

xo all

photo by the talented Tanja Moss

Today's Astrology Forecast for Creatives | January 16, 2020 - surprising news, disruptive information, impulsive words, unexpected answers or decisions, fresh ideas, a time to think outside the box

The Moon continues her journey through "nurtured through balance" Libra. She squared Jupiter at 3:45AM EST - tension/frustration around our commitments to other people/to women/to making something more beautiful, more balanced.

Are we ready to decide/commit?

Mercury (our thinking, information, communication) FINALLY gets into an air sign this afternoon (1:31PM EST) with his/her move into detached and future-focused Aquarius. Yes, it's fixed air, so people are not always flexible, but at least we've got some air!

One less planet in cardinal Capricorn. We step back a little so we can think clearly. We view our situation from an observer position.

Does what we are saying/signing/thinking/writing MAKE SENSE?

Some people think Aquarius represents independence (Aries), but more accurately Aquarius represents individuality. There is an independent spirit here, yes, but since Aquarius rules the 11th house of groups, it shows people bound together by a cause.

So, in Aquarius we find a better way to work together so it benefits everyone or else we go our own way.

These are the only two outcomes for Aquarius. Aquarius is the space in your chart where it's never going to work to follow the crowd just for the sake of fitting in, you will always have to do things differently. Our rough, uncomfortable rebel edges are there for a reason.

Three things happen when Mercury changes signs.

1. Mercury changes (the conversation changes, our thinking changes, we are more innovative, we can detach emotionally from our thoughts, there is more air in this room so maybe we can breathe easier).

2. The house Mercury exits changes (Cappy house slows down and our attention shifts a bit).

3. The house Mercury enters changes (Aquarius house - gets busy and even busier when the Sun gets there in a few days).

Fresh ideas, new ways of thinking and communicating are possible over the next few weeks (Mercury is in Aquarius until February 3rd). 

Our thoughts gets ahead of us/ahead of our time. Outside the box.

We are thinking/planning with an eye on the future. 

Aquarian detachment allows us to consider things we might have previously discarded as too far 'out there'. 

Keep in mind the Merc in Aquarius downfall - fixed air creating a sense we already know-it-all and a tendency to reject the status quo just because it is the status quo - the whole "rebel without a cause thing".

It is not our job to fix everything/the entire world all at once and all by ourselves, but it is our job to stretch ourselves outside our comfort zone to fix the part of the world that is within our reach.

Now, almost as soon as Mercury gets into Aquarius she starts squaring Uranus (in Taurus). This could bring SURPRISING NEWS - maybe around what we value, our resources, our money, our values or self-esteem. He will quickly move into an opportunistic sextile with Chiron- so there is something healing here, too.

With this square to Uranus our own language could be chaotic and out of character if we aren't feeling heard or maybe someone is coming at us from this space of challenged self-esteem. Lean into innovative ideas if it feels right, but don't be shocking just to be shocking.

Merc's square to Uranus and sextile to Chiron will be in play for a couple days.

Keep in mind the Libra Moon is building toward her squares with Saturn, Ceres and Pluto - exact tomorrow at her Third Quarter, so everything isn't going to flow so smooth and easy.

That's OK.

This is a BUILDING year where we get to develop our gifts of discipline, tenacity and inventiveness. We are privileged to get to be a part of the collective on planet Earth at this time. We were born to do this. Don't doubt yourself. You have risen from the ashes hundreds and hundreds of times!

Stay flexible and centered.

Take care of your physical self.

Back with more 2020 postings!

xo all

photo by the talented eulalievarenne

More in the monthly HERE - check the dates around today