Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of October 31st - Halloween hauntings and stuff falling into place

Halloween by Miobi

Happy Halloween!

They say the veil is thinnest between the worlds today (this must be amplified with the Sun and Moon both in Scorpio this year). In Celtic tradition called Sanhaim and the Day of the Dead in Mexico there is always a Scorpian theme of death, birth, ancestral gifts and baggage.

Pay attention to our dreams (and signs) now.

On Monday, we will want to hit the ground running. We are still in the New Moon energy (new opportunities, ideas, insights) of yesterday's exact conjunction of the Sun and Moon in Scorpio and Jupiter will amplify everything - this is a new and exciting week!

The Sun and Moon are both in deep and penetrating Scorpio. Now they sextile brave (and maybe angry) and energetic Mars and karmic/powerful Pluto. This is a good time to enjoy positive vibes with influential people. Last minute changes are likely, but wheels can be greased here.

Mercury (information, communication) is trining (brakes off) the South Node of what we are releasing. Neptune is sitting with the South Node. There is some delusion to be let go of here. This is part of our collective journey - this is a collective turning point.

An almost effortless flow of information has the power to change things. 

On Tuesday, the Moon is void until 10:45 am EST (we can take a moment to catch our breath), then moves into fiery and optimistic Sagittarius. The Sun and Neptune are positively aligned. A light (Sun) is thrown on Neptune themes - imagination, spirituality, deception, dreams, healing, research, romance, what we are doing that is put away or hidden.

There is a karmic flow with whatever is playing out this week - some things will be out of our control. Rather than pushing to make things happen (although with all births there is some pushing!) stuff will flow together (or apart) through our involvement with external (often powerful) forces. There is some kind of reality check here.

On Wednesday, the Sagittarius Moon hooks up favorably with Saturn (in Sagittarius) and Jupiter (in Libra). This is a good day for Sagittarian themes - travel, politics, foreign, higher education, weddings, marketing, media and religion. Luck with (and for) women, love and money.

On Thursday, the Moon is void all day - lots of work can get done, but don't launch/start anything new unless you want 'nothing to come of it'. Mercury (in Scorpio) hooks up with Pluto (power) so if a news/decision didn't show up yesterday it probably will now. Powerful people will be in the news now, too.

We have Venus (women, love, beauty, money, values) squaring (tension) Chiron (wound) and trining (brakes off) Uranus (anything can happen, rebellion, genius) - this is about healthy risk taking and encourages us to try something new (maybe a heartfelt apology or explanation that speaks to other people's hearts?) and also waives a flag of caution about taking things too far ....

On Friday, the Moon in Capricorn sextiles (think:friendly) Neptune (in Pisces) squares Jupiter (in Libra) hooks up with Pluto (in Capricorn) and sextiles (again friendly) Mercury. This sounds complicated and it is, but stuff is coming together.

With our emotions in 'all-business' Capricorn we will probably need to fight the urge to nitpick. Don't spend all day focusing on the fly in the ointment, maybe just stir the ointment and assume the fly adds protein!

Nothing and no one is perfect and the closer we look the more imperfections (real and imagined) we see. Sometimes it's OK to take a step back.

(this is good to keep in mind always and in particularly during this roller coaster election cycle when everything is micro-analyzed and distorted - remember quantum physics has taught us that we affect what we look at just by looking at it!)

Let's focus on our goals - we get down to business.

So, we have a week with positive news or connections with authority figures, trying something new can be healing now, a focus on Neptune and Sagittarius themes and luck with women and money if we stay grounded and don't overdo it. Keep goals realistic. Think before speaking this week.  

There is fantasy. There is reality. We can understand and connect to what really matters anyway.

Whatever seems so serious early in the week could (as Venus hooks up positively with Uranus) turn into something very positive and freedom-producing later on. Things turn around with this energy.

So here we go!

Don't forget to seed this New Moon energy by setting spoken and written intentions!  

Happy Halloween!

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New Moon in Scorpio | Oct 30, 2016 - the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places ...

Tonight's New Moon in Scorpio is an excellent time to commit (Scorpion energy is fixed and committed) to goals that express the positive use of Scorpio energy.

Plutonian Scorpio learns and grows through loss.

We go down into the underworld, and in the end, it's not so much about what we have brought back with us as it is about what we have left behind ....

There is a "quality over quantity" depth to Scorpian energy.

It rules the 8th house of intimacy - of other people's values, other people's money. Here is where we take the time to understand other people's motives.

It's through the constructive traits of Scorpio - focus, resourcefulness, passion, probing, deep perception - that we experience true intimacy. We merge with other people physically and materially.

Scorpio is our only fixed water sign. It's potent energy for making deep changes.

Now, the New Moon is the time of the lunar cycle when our energy is at its lowest point. The Moon is dark. There can be uncertainty now. It's a quiet time when something old has come to an end and something new is about to start ... but not immediately. Some time needs to pass.

I always look for that thin crescent of Moon to appear in the sky (a couple days) to start anything new. The Scorpio New Moon isn't a firey launch like Sagittarius or Aries (things may not take off like a rocket ship) but it has more staying power and more power to connect.

With the New Moon at 7 degrees, anyone with planets or points in fixed (Aquarius, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio) or water (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) signs from 5-9 degrees will feel this energy strongest.

The New Moon is conjunct communicative Mercury and favors intimate conversations. Fresh starts can involve new information. Following Mercury's exact conjunction with the Sun a couple days ago, many people will have received important messages, counsel or ideas. This information/idea will be worked with until the Scorpio Full Moon during Taurus season or until the next inferior conjunction on December 28th.

Scorpio is ruled by Mars and Pluto - both currently in Capricorn. Capricorn is ruled by Saturn currently in Sagittarius. Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter currently in Libra. Libra is ruled by Venus currently in Jupiter. So the mutual reception we talked about previously with Venus (women, love, money, beauty) and Jupiter (expansion, growth, teaching, diplomacy, big picture) rules this New Moon.

The Moon trines (brakes off) Neptune giving us access to our imagination. Although logic may be fleeting here our intuition should be on target. With that easy connection to Neptune there is also the possibility of wasting this energy in lalaland (being near water would feel pretty good now though). That's always up to us, but it could be easy for some of us to inadvertently use this fresh start energy to start something addictive or escapist ....

The trine to Neptune could also have us focused on Neptunian themes - action behind the scenes, romantic retreats, secrets, clandestine romance, research, investigations, healing, hospitals, things/people put away, addiction, art, spiritual practices and dreams.

As always New Moons are excellent times to plant seeds with our intentions - everything starts life in the dark after all.

Setting intentions for "Scorpio stuff" (or the stuff ruled by the house that holds 7 degrees Scorpio in our natal chart) during a Scorpio New Moon can be very powerful.

These intentions can include (list courtesy of astrologer Jan Spiller) - empowerment, change, crisis skills, self-mastery, sex, soul mates, financial partnerships, avoiding power struggles, secrets, psychology, charisma, restoration, forgiveness, obsessions, compulsions, strength, loans, debts, taxes, inheritances, contracts, revenge, jealousy and guilt.

AFFIRMATION TIPS: get into a calm, centered frame of mind - always make affirmations from a  positive (meaning certain) space - 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.

xo all 

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of October 24th - getting carried away ....

aerodynamic by M0THart

On Monday, Mercury exits Libra and enters Scorpio. Our communications and conversations will go deeper now. Or maybe we'll just go silent.

The Libran dance of civility ends and we are beckoned into that dark corner of the dance floor where numbers are exchanged on little pieces of paper, backdoor deals are sealed with handshakes, lips get bruised, hotel keys exchanged and communication taboos get broken.

(although this year's Mercury in Libra transit was less about civility - was there any civility? ack -  and more about women's voices - Libra is ruled by Venus)

Scorpian freedom comes through honesty - the naked, make-up left in the cabinet, this might get ugly kind of honesty. Naming our fear always takes away its power over us. Keep this in mind now.

The best way to handle the entire Mercury in Scorpio season (thru 11/9) is with honesty. I'll do a post later this week. 

On Tuesday, Venus (in Sagittarius) squares Neptune (in Pisces). This transit can make Venus ruled love and money (also women, beauty, values) situations appear better or just bigger than they actually are.

Rose colored glasses can get us carried away with people, situations and ideas. There is potential for disappointment or exaggeration here. This stuff might not look so great or so important in the light of day.

Although, if we can get past our immediate urge to just run away and forget about the whole thing, there could be something real that can be built on over time, if we still want to.

This could also play out as us dealing with our own insecurity.

Addictions, and escape mechanisms, will have heightened energy. This isn't the best time to commit too much. We could be too trusting now. We could also attract people and situations that can't be trusted. Let things play out a bit.

The stuff that looks too good or too big to be true will be shown for what it really is very quickly.

With Neptune, stuff could be happening behind the scenes that we don't know about. This could also involve healing or hospitals. Whatever this challenge is we'll stay positive.

On Wednesday, Venus sextiles Jupiter (in Libra). This is great energy to embark on a journey with someone (or work with something/someone foreign) and offers up good luck with love, money, women and values. Coming right after yesterday's square between Venus and Neptune makes me wary this could be more of the same overblown situation that square activated - on the other hand with the mutual reception of Venus and Jupiter I wrote about last week - this harmonious energy could be as simple and positive as a chance to look good, feel good, socialize and attract more.

Now, if you might think, you can push off the Tuesday stuff into Wednesday and get a better result ... well, maybe, but maybe not. Most likely something has to be worked through the unrealistic, exaggerated or hidden energy on Tuesday to get us to the more harmonious, open door energy on Wednesday, if you see what I mean here.

With Venus in Sagittarius this could not only involve Venus themes (love, money, women, value, beauty) but also Sagittarius themes - travel, legal, education, media, marketing, religious, political.

On Thursday, Mercury will hook up with the Sun. This is called a Superior Conjunction. It's an important point when our mind and energetic life come into sync

(babies born now with have super quick minds and tongues, an innate ability to shine through language although their words could be overshadowed by their father).  

Since this is happening in Scorpio this could shine a light on something, most likely a naked truth, that has been hidden or could be uncomfortable. It can also illuminate and carry information to us through our Scorpio natal house. This might connect back to mid-September when we had the last conjunction (in Virgo).

This could be a good day to shine with our words through our Scorpio house theme or Scorpio ruled - taxes, debts, inheritance, loans, joint finances, death, sex, rebirth, transformation. Mental activities will take precedence and our thinking should be 'on the ball'. Great day to tackle paperwork.

(for example if you are an Aries rising, Scorpio rules your 8th house of "other people's money or values". This could bring some uncomfortable or spotlighted information to your attention about your partner's income or a debt, tax situation, inheritance, etc.)

On Saturday, Uranus (in Aries) squares Mars (in Capricorn). This could feel like a sudden change with our security or something/someone we depend on. Accidents are possible with this energy. Take care driving, operating machinery and working with fire. There is a possibility of sudden (Uranus) violence (Mars) or a sudden action that lands us somewhere unexpected or creates the need for us to move in a new direction.  

We might regret actions we take suddenly and/or forcefully now. This would not be a good time to try to restrain someone else's freedom either unless we want to be on the losing side of that battle.

(for example if you are a Scorpio rising, Capricorn rules your 3rd house - communication - and Aries rules your 6th house - work, health, day to day. This could bring hot tempers and disruptive interaction into your day to day situation and job. Someone might say something that feels like an attack or some 'out of the blue' information could create the need for you to take some kind of action. Be cautious and use cool headed common sense with your communications and take care with your physical health.)

If you want to know how any/all of this week's transits could play out for you leave a comment or send an email and I'll work off your rising sign and give you a quick update.

HEADS UP -  The days and weeks after this Sunday's New Moon are an excellent time to launch something new. We won't have this kind of energy again until next Summer (!) with all inner planets strong and moving full steam ahead.

We'll talk about this later- but if you have something to get on, November is going to be a good time to get on it!

xo all

Mercury opposing Uranus | snap decisions, surprising news

nomad 2 by M0THart

Today (and into tomorrow) we have Mercury (in Libra) opposing Uranus (retrograde in Aries).

On the plus side this transit can make us aware of alternative ideas and other people's points of view. We can hear or read something that shakes our world view a little bit (or maybe alot if it's hitting our planets or points) and makes us go ... hmm. Before we know it we have sold all our possessions and moved into an RV ... or maybe not.

This energy can play out as a snap decision we have to live with for a long time. Keep this in mind.

This doesn't make the decision good or bad.

If we are a person who normally likes to think things out and weigh the pros and cons - this can be challenging.

If we are a person who will sit on a fence until the wood rots and we get splinters in our backside - this could be a good thing.

This could also show up as 'sudden' (Uranus) 'news' (Mercury).

Stay flexible and ready to pivot.

Stay objective.

A Uranus opposition can trigger something exactly the opposite of what we are expecting. At the same time we will be able to see how other people's 'stuff' is impacting all of this - it isn't just about us. The good news is we will know where we stand now and can move from here.

Probably the news isn't totally unexpected - just not what we were hoping for. 

Remember with transits I write about them when they are exact - this energy could play out for us within the last couple days or within the next couple days.

xo all

There is also a nice trine (brakes off) between the Cancer Moon and Neptune today - this feels like good energy to stay in and focus on home and family. If you played hookie today I wouldn't blame you.

Mars and Pluto Conjunct | Vesta into Leo

she painted fire by mar-jus
Mars and Pluto meet up in Capricorn today. This is a pretty destructive war aspect.

Take care with this energy. What we physically do today matters.

If we have something that needs to destroyed, this would be the time to do it (even shredding papers that represent something that needs to go bye bye could be an effective use of this energy).

Let's keep a cool head. There are positive ways to express anger and we can find them. Control issues will be hard to ignore now though.

If there is something we need to do that scares us - here's that booster shot of bravery needed to take action.

There was more about this in the weekly forecast.

Also, Vesta (dwarf planet like Eris and Pluto) moves into Leo.

We associate Vesta with the Vestal Virgins of ancient Rome. Charged from childhood (age 7-10) with keeping the sacred hearth of the temple burning, the Vestal Virgins were supposedly also required to remain chaste for their 30 year careers.

In recognition of their unending devotion to the flame (working round the clock if needed) that kept their civilization alive they were also given the unique freedom that came from being "unowned" by men.

I think it's very interesting that she heads into "attention-requiring" Leo today (until July 2017) amid all this challenging energy (and tonight's final debate).

This can be a wonderful transit for artists - especially good for creative devotion and creative passion. Vesta can help us bring our wayward creativity and passion back into our core selves.

I'm going to do a post about this. I just wanted to pop out a few words this morning.

xo all

Venus into Sagittarius | a yearning for adventure and embrace of potential

the archer by Amy-Sun
Today, Venus rises from murky Scorpio into 'sky's the limit' Sagittarius. We might not feel this energy right away with all the planetary stressors this week, but it's there.

Sagittarius Suns and Ascendants (1st house cusps) get more attractive now - both able to attract what they want/need and easier on the eye.

All of us get a visit from Venus in our Sagittarius houses (what house or houses carry Venus energy in your natal chart?) and those houses get more magnetic.

Sagittarius is the sign of the archer.

If we were archers -

we would gather our energy.

We would pull back our bow.

We would take aim.

We would hold our bow "in tension".

This holding position is important to landing our arrow where we intend it to go - to hit our target.

(of course, if we are in some kind of life and death battle with that arrow then I guess we just let it fly and hope for the best, but most situations we are facing are not quite so dire)

The same way an archer's "in tension" allows her arrow to hit her mark, our own "intentions" release our energy where we need it to go.

Intentions are not wishes; they are not hopes - wanting to do something is 180 degrees from intending to do it.

Intention releases the potential that makes things happen.

So, we have Venus (love, women, beauty, what we value, our self esteem, money) moving into the sign of "potential".

Experience is more valuable than stuff with Sagittarius.

Venus will be in Sagittarius through November 10th - experiences will be valuable now.

Money (Venus) spent on travel will be well spent. Money (Venus) spent on other Sagittarius themes - higher education, legal issues, weddings, politics - will probably pay off, too, in the experiences we get back.

The search we began when Venus dove into Scorpio continues. But now instead of looking at the stuff that is underneath, the underpinnings none of us really want to look at, she looks way out into the horizon at the stuff we might one day meet up with.

Sagittarius is the sign of faith. Do we have faith that better days are ahead for us?

This season Venus is even more powerful because she will be in 'mutual reception' with Jupiter - Venus in Jupiter ruled Sagittarius and Jupiter in Venus ruled Libra. This adds extra oomph. We don't want to sit this one out!

This is excellent energy for artists and creatives to reach for something else, to work with something/someone foreign, to learn something new, to stretch. 

We attract what we want and need by optimistically embracing potential now. We don't have to know how this is all going to turn out, we know there will be adventure here - if we embrace what we do with an adventurous heart.

Yes, it's risky. And Sagittarians have been known to fall on their ass and even off a cliff now and then. But is there really any alternative to not trying?

This is the season of faith and potential for all Venus ruled themes - love, money, women, beauty, self-esteem, our values. How are we going to use this energy?

Remember the archer.

The archer stays focused and holds herself "in tension" through all the noise. 

We have our bow drawn and we are focused on the target, but suddenly the dog barks, the phone rings, the guy next door starts blasting Adele and you know we have to stop and listen to that.

(and sometimes this noise can last a while and sometimes life sends us noise to test our intentions and see how badly we want something or sometimes the noise could be there to delay us because there is something better for us later or other people's arrows need to line up with ours)

Because once that arrow is released, it is released. There is no grabbing it midair and straightening that baby out.

(unless you have some super power that I would be totally jealous to find out about)

We have to have faith enough to release the arrow anyway.

Bulls-eyes can be highly over-rated.

Sometimes it's the missed targets

(did you know the word "sin" was originally an archery term that meant - "to miss the mark")

that lead to the best adventures!

Remember even rock solid things, and actually especially rock solid things, will turn to dust eventually if they are allowed to just sit there. Shake things up a little. Reach for something new.

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of October 17th - keep busy, be prepared to duck, if something has to explode let it be confetti!

the unexpected by MOTHart

On Monday, the Moon will be void in Taurus from 10:45am EST through the end of the day, so if we need a specific result from something we are doing either get it out there early or postpone until Tuesday. It's a great day for practiced work or to give ourselves an extra day off for the Full Moon weekend. Don't overspend or overeat today. Get outdoors. If we have to rush we will working against this energy - stop and smell the roses ... or at least slow down and have an extra cup of tea before getting to work. The need to make an adjustment could come through a conversation or communication now.

On Tuesday, the Moon is still void until 10:30am EST. Venus leaves Scorpio and heads into Sagittarius (through 11/11). Sagittarius peeps become more attractive - both visually and able to attract what they want/need. Our Sagittarius house is more able to attract what we want, too!

With Venus in Jupiter ruled Sagittarius and Jupiter in Venus ruled Libra - these two planets are said to be in "mutual reception".

This will make Venus themes (love, women, values, money, beauty) and Sag themes (foreign, travel, higher education, legal, weddings, politics, media, religion) super-charged for the next month.

Any word sandwich you can make with these themes (and the themes of your own Libra and Sagittarius houses) will have extra energetic support - legal advice or media exposure leading to more money, travel connecting us with love or beauty - you get the idea. Balanced exchanges will benefit both parties now and with Sagittarius ruling the great, big world out there - the sky is the limit with this stuff!

With the energy building toward tomorrow's exact meet up of Mars and Pluto this could be a good start/launch date if you are hatching something you need to take off like a rocket.

on Wednesday, Mars and Pluto hook up at 15 degrees Capricorn. These guys last hooked up in Capricorn on November 11, 2014 and before that in 2012 and before that ... well, not in our lifetimes! Mars and Pluto are a war aspect. We will be seeing many people's shadows here. Let's avoid that dark alleyway frequented by those scary clowns we were talking about. Although in Capricorn this is more likely to have connection to authority than the circus - don't speed, don't litter (please don't litter), don't tell your boss what you really think about her new shoes.

This is great energy to push for what we want, to be ambitious - it is very explosive though - keep in mind the Capricornian model of integrity and honesty. Maybe something started two years ago could fall apart now, to make room for something else or be pushed to the next level.

So, a new story for the actions we need to take with our Capricorn house (Capricorn is going to be even more important as we move into the next few years) and the conclusion or next level for something from two or four years ago. Initiative, anger, passion, commitment, courage are the buzz words here. This is powerful energy so if it hits our chart and we don't use it, it will show up in our lives through other people or situations. We will have more control if we use it rather than are used by it.

If we need to be brave about something now - well here we go - WE GOT THIS THING.

So we've got Mars (anger, courage, initiative, war) and Pluto (death, destruction, rebirth, transformation, karma, power) in Capricorn, ruling authority and career and the structures that underpin our society AND we've got the 3rd Presidential debate (ugh!) AND we have Mercury opposing Uranus. 

on Wednesday and Thursday, Mercury (in Libra) opposes Uranus (in Aries) - this is some kind of surprising or shocking news, probably within relationships (partners, collaborators, competitors, etc).

Hang on to your hats, folks! It's crunch time. Hopefully they will surprise us by canceling the debate. If the show must go on - success will come to whoever uses their power and influence most wisely (no big surprise there though!).

The Moon is void Thursday morning until 11:30 am.

On Friday, the Moon will be in emotional (and security focused) Cancer opposing that Pluto and Mars conjunction and squaring Jupiter - we could be very emotional or insecure with whatever has been happening this week. Reactions can be overblown.

On Saturday, the Sun moves into Scorpio where we can start to heal and go-deep. Lots of aspects for the weekend - I'll do a later post. This is another crazy week. Buckle up. Buy the wine NOW.

xo all

Full Moon in Aries | send in the clowns

booomed by w1zzy
Even though I have avoided reading about the scary clown phenomenon (clowns already scare the hell out of me) I can see how well this epidemic (although I'm sure mostly media hyperbole) works with the Aries Full Moon conjunct Uranus and Eris.

SURPRISE! We would laugh except for the fact we are terrified.

And of course, we can see this 'October Surprise' thing playing out on the political stage.

Eris (discord, angry energy of the oppressed, angry feminine) used to remind me of the Jolie character in Maleficent but is starting to remind me of Spacek's Carrie after the pig's blood.

I'm pretty sure Trump's advisors (and the gut instincts that have carried him this far) would have tried to dissuade him from trotting out Bill Clinton's female accusers if there were any skeletons in his own closet. But here is the self sabotage that brings down (in various ways) all of us, when we, as my grandma would have said, "are the pot calling the kettle black" or "live in glass houses and throw stones".

Trump was born on a lunar eclipse closely aligned with the United States' Mars. His Sun (our life force) conjunct the United States' Mars (initiative, anger, courage, war) is one reason so many people see him as powerful and energetic and capable of leading the country. It also explains the 'anger at authority' he 'shines a light on'.

Unfortunately for Trump having his Sun conjunct the United States' Mars at a lunar eclipse (Full Moon) means his Moon is opposing this same Mars. The Moon represents emotional, feminine, maternal, nurturing energy. The Moon rules Cancer and the United States has the Sun in Cancer. The rising of the feminine (and oppressed) is the defining energy of our time period and he is running against a woman and having trouble appealing to women and minorities - this all makes perfect sense.

He is actually offering all of us a great gift, although it currently comes in the form of a clown with an exploding head ....

Everyone alive on planet Earth at this time has a responsibility to face our own personal shadows in order to transform the collective shadow. For all of us complaining about our choice of candidates this election - this is how we change our choices. Everyone wants to change the world - changing ourselves is the place we start.

Anyhoo, back to this weekend's Full Moon (which is actually exact in the wee hours of Sunday morning EST) which I wrote about HERE.

It is shining a bright light on the shadows that carry our collective anger around authority and freedom.

There are a couple ways to work with this weekend's energy 1. lie low (my plan, actually), drive safe, work safe, live to fight another day when the energy is more supportive of cooperation

or 2. we can fight.

Fighting is often under-rated and sometimes necessary BUT I will not go out of my way to challenge anyone now. I will not give someone an ultimatum without being fully prepared to do whatever it is I am threatening to do. I will not argue with someone about our differing opinions - this will only escalate the situation and not resolve properly with this energy.

We can stand up for ourselves without standing over someone else's self -

(and this includes our children who could really be damaged with this energy)

Mars (ruler of this Aries moon) is in Capricorn - so we'll keep our actions steady and maintain our balance in this shifting energy. We'll channel self-discipline. We'll tighten our belt if we have to. 

We'll stay focused on the top of that mountain we are climbing.

Don't forget to go outside and walk in the moonlight this weekend. If you held onto your New Moon intentions from the Aries New Moon last April, this could be a good time to let them go. They have reached whatever energetic peak our current timeline and energy level allowed. They have done their job and so have we. xo all

Full Moon in Aries this weekend | don't start a war

chained by temporary peace

The Full Moon is always a time of tension - it's a time of Sun opposite Moon. Oppositions are pretty much just what they sound like. There is a reason police departments and emergency rooms are uber busy during Full Moons!

This month we've got the Sun in Libra (ruled by Venus - peace, women, balance, fairness, love) and the Moon in the opposite sign of Aries (ruled by Mars - war, young men, initiative, passion, courage).

We have Uranus (in Aries 2011-2018) and Eris (discord, angry feminine) directly opposing the Libran Sun and conjuncting the Aries Moon. Uranus rules impulsiveness, the unexpected, freedom, rebelliousness, strokes of genius.

We have Mars (ruler of Aries) conjunct Pluto (ruler of Scorpio where Venus ruler of Libra is hanging out - these loops of power that feed back into themselves this way make the energy even more powerful). Pluto has been in Capricorn since 2008. Pluto rules transformation, power, death, rebirth, karma, obsession, compulsion, nuclear power.

We have Mercury (communication, conversations, transportation) squaring both Mars and Pluto. We have Mercury sextile Saturn (hopefully enough grounding and sanity here).

Many of these aspects I wrote about in the weekly forecast because, although I write about them for the day they are most exact, the energies always play out over a period of time. I sometimes feel them a week before they are exact and am hoping that's how this energy played out for the U.S. election candidates, but it's possible we will have even more "sudden developments" "coming to light" this weekend! Both Trump and Clinton's charts are directly impacted. And this weekend sets up next week's final debate energy where Uranus (anything can happen) will rule the night - you probably don't want to miss it (bring wine).

Two weeks ago we had a New Moon with incredibly pleasant aspects and now we have a Full Moon with incredibly challenging ones!

This Full Moon is in many ways about freedom and rebellion (Uranus) - with our words: crass or blunt language vs. political correctness or civility, the right to privacy (our conversations, our history, what we carry) vs. the right of others to see and hear these things. With our actions: rebelliousness or inventiveness vs. status quo tradition, independence vs. dependence. With Venus and Mars ruling the Sun and Moon there is an aspect of male vs. female (masculine vs. feminine) and competition vs. cooperation. There is no easy or correct answer to any of this.

And when we think for certain there is, we all lose.

And I know this sounds like I am writing about the U.S. election, but I'm not. The election is only mirroring our shadows back to us and working with the same energies we are. Many people think this is the worst election ever and of course in some ways this is true because we feel it is true

(and the more media we watch or social media we read the more this will seem to be true - were we on Facebook 8 years ago?).

But what's really happening is that instead of us just seeing the faces the candidates want to show us, we are seeing their shadows, too. The curtain has been pulled back. There is no great and powerful Oz. So what we have is two flawed individuals battling it out which is actually what we have always had (they are modern gladiators, people!). It is maybe just a matter of degrees. Things were just better hidden before. This 'pulling back the curtain' is happening in our own lives, too. We can see both candidates' bullshit and you know what - people can see ours, too.

We can't go backward to viewing our leaders as superheroes (or fathers) even if that made us feel safer. We are grown ups now and dad has moved to a retirement community in Florida.

We are evolving into the Age of Aquarius; a time of equality when we will be our own leaders. We have decided (subconsciously) as a collective that one of the ways to make this happen is for us to experience this particular shit show election season even though it sometimes makes all of us uncomfortable, scared, sad and angry. Remember the Hopi elder's quote.

At this Full Moon the freedom promised by Uranus seems more like something imposed on us than something we get to choose - like when your country is being blown apart by bombs and you flee for your life, the bombs are gone but so is your country.

Or when we are freed from our crappy job, but then have no income. So now we have the time to spend our afternoons reading the latest Wally Lamb novel (I can't wait!), but all we will be thinking about is "how are we going to pay our electric bill?".

Even when change is forced on us we have a free will choice about how we react - always remember this. This may sound like pouring pink paint onto something grizzly, but it is truly our reaction (decision, action) to what happens and not the thing that happens that sets the trajectory of our new timeline.

We all get to work with the same energies, although they will hit some of our charts harder than others and some of us may be more equipped to handle the energies based on the previous choices we have made

(for example we'll be better able to enjoy that new book if we have some savings put away or a partner with a job or a lower cost of living, etc).

If we have planets or points 22-24 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn we will feel this Full Moon strongest, but there are so many planetary players this month most of us will feel it somewhere in our lives. If it doesn't directly impact us it will be impacting relationships, partnerships, marriages, rivalries, competitions, etc of the other people in your lives. This is stressful. Let's all treat each other kindly now.

Full Moons bring things out into the light - they don't create the thing they shine the light on. This is the time every month when one space of our life (in this case Libra - partnership, balance, fairness, passive aggressive) just doesn't fit well with another (in this case Aries - ourselves, initiative, courage, anger). It is also a time of peak energy and culmination. Something started at the Aries New Moon last spring can conclude or peak now.

With the Sun opposing Uranus the path forward (whether chosen by us or for us) could be the one that offers us the greatest freedom.

We can use whatever comes up or comes out now to motivate us in the right direction. It is easy to lose sight of what is important when we are always faced with what is urgent. That sextile to Saturn will help. If our connection to the Full Moon is our Libra house - this is going to be about our relationship with other people or to one other person. This is going to be about freedom. Maybe we move apart, maybe we move closer together. Freedom doesn't have to be a solo activity. If our connection to this Full Moon is our Aries house - this is going to be about our relationship with ourselves. And this is going to be about freedom, too. Maybe the freedom to be ourselves or maybe we have taken that too far already .....

This Full Moon weekend expands on the week's theme of controlling our anger and staying balanced. A word or action could start a war with this energy! It's important to speak up and listen and not get so caught up in any extreme position or need to be right. There is truth to be revealed here.

And let's keep our schedule light because unexpected things will come up.

I'll write a short post on the Full Moon this weekend so we can get out and walk in it - it's a powerful one!

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of October 10th - if we ran like our mouth this week, we'd be in good shape

me, and me, and me by senju-hime

We have a long and messy Mercury story (or stories) this week capped off with a Full Moon in Aries conjunct (anything can happen, out of the blue, genius, rebellious) Uranus.

It is super unusual to have this many active Mercury days in a row!

Keep this in mind when information and communications are conflicting and volatile.

Let's dive right in. The week kicks off with Mercury (information, ideas, communications, conversations, siblings) catching up with Jupiter (expansion, luck) in Libra. We had this same conjunction a few weeks ago when they both met up in Virgo (I had some good news that day about Olive's health, maybe you had some good news, too).

We are fortunate to have these planets meet up again so soon!

This is a time, Monday and Tuesday, to get good news or have positive conversations or ideas around Jupiterian things - travel, politics, education, weddings, legal, foreign, media, marketing, publishing or Libran things - partners, money, what we value, women, beauty.

This would be a good time to sign an agreement that benefits both parties or have a conversation that brings peace, balance or fairness to a situation. The energy is optimistic - there is some potential for good news to be a bit overblown though - keep this in mind.

At the same time we have a very different energy with Mars sextiling Neptune, so maybe we are angry about something done in secret or in some hidden way. We feel misled. Maybe the words left unsaid are more important than what is actually said out loud. On the other hand if we are the one doing the backdoor deal other people can be mad at us. This could also be about taking action with Neptune themes - escape, imagination - the things, people and situations that have been 'put away' - ie hospitals, prisons, at a distance, etc.

This week we also have the Sun opposing Uranus (change, rebellion) and Eris (the angry feminine) - this shines a light on whatever issues trigger our need for freedom or our need to allow the feminine part of ourselves to just be pissed off.

On Thursday the same Mercury (in Libra) squares Mars (in Capricorn). This is tension and arguments and volatility within our relationships and communications. We could jump to conclusions here or say the wrong thing. We will all be more easily irritated and liable to speak in anger. This would not be a good day to try to negotiate something unless there is some kind of unbiased mediation going on or some guarantee that everyone can keep a cool head. Better to go for a long walk, run or bike ride to burn off this energy. Drive and operate machinery with care. We will be highly distractable. Not a good day to talk about politics (ack!) unless we want a fight - in business, stick to topics everyone can agree on. Some action is needed here or could be forced upon us.

On Friday, Mercury (I told you this was a long story) sextiles Saturn in Sagittarius. The conversation gets serious. We could be talking to people older than ourselves or we could be the older person in the conversation. Our words commit us now. Our thinking and judgement are clear. This is great energy for making long range plans. This is about our responsibilities and goals. Good energy for teaching and learning.

Finally on Saturday, Mercury (is there an echo in here?) squares Pluto (in Capricorn) - this is about intense conversations, information and communication. This is good energy for research or getting to the truth about a situation. It is also good energy for taking something way too far. The more forcefully we verbalize or present our point of view or some information, the more potential criticism and backlash we could meet up with. Know this if you are working with controversial views or materials. Keep things balanced and in perspective.

This all builds to the Saturday/Sunday Full Moon - which I'll do a post about later in the week.

So what does such an active Mercury mean? 

(other than showing us how many planets are impacting Libras and our Libra planets who have been challenged from multiple directions for a while now)

For certain, communications will be fast moving and shifting. Positivity and rational thinking could quickly give way to anger. Down can go up and up can go down. At the end of the day (or week) there is real opportunity for progress here. Let's keep a cool head and know that the end of the story is probably not the end of the story - at least until that Aries Full Moon that probably changes everything anyway.

There is alot here about Libra (balance, fairness, women, our values, love, equal partnerships) and alot here about our Libra house.

With Mercury in Libra our best tools could be our ability to listen and our ability to see both sides of situations and our best bet for success is trying to find that common ground ..... but with Libra answering to Scorpio right now (Venus in Scorpio) we probably won't be pulling any punches either.

xo all
  

Saturn square the North and South Nodes | what is standing in our way ....

Road Block in Africa by Solarstones
Today we have Saturn (time, responsibility, work, the fly in the ointment, the party pooper) squaring the North Node (our collective way forward) and the South Node (what we are releasing, leaving behind).

(12 degrees Sagittarius, Virgo and Pisces)

We are stuck.

The path in front of us is murky and uncertain and the way back is covered with prickly brush and fallen trees.

This is when Saturn's gift of time can be a good thing.

(and yes, I mean good as in 'eat your vegetables' - there isn't any cake with this one)

We can take a breath here. In fact, life will probably demand it.

Some kind of frustration or delay must be dealt with before we move forward (this could bring us back to something started around September 2013 or something began around the last New Moon).

One of the reasons these check-in periods and stop signs are important is so we can all catch up with each other. 

Remember, we are like a beehive. 

We serve a larger objective and are part of a larger gathering. We don't have exclusive responsibility for anything, not even our own outcome ...

Even if we feel insecure and uncertain, there is nothing wrong with this space we sit and this energy we hold. Don't fight it or push to move past it yet. Just sit with it and feel it. Something like, "This is interesting that this thing is blocking my way. It is making me uncomfortable."

This would actually be a great tapping exercise if anyone is doing EFT where you use the words "even though" in the beginning and "I completely love and accept myself" at the end of each statement. So it would end up something like "even though _____ is blocking my way (could be indecision, lack of something like money or an actual situation or person) and it is uncomfortable for me to not know what to do next or where this is going or to have to stop now, I completely love and accept myself." This stuff is amazing for calming the nervous system.

Saturn square the Nodes will most likely show up as some kind of restriction or obligation. The way forward is still that North Node in Virgo - small, accurate steps, doing the next thing that is in front of us.

I have Saturn conjunct my Sun natally, so usually Saturn shows up for me as me getting in my own way. I also have my husband's Saturn conjunct my Sun (!) so his immediate reaction to my ideas/actions is to tell me they will not work. Even though I have told him for many years that he is unlikely to come up with problems/restrictions I have not thought of, he just can't help himself. Drives me nuts. 

Anyway, almost two weeks ago I bought this little Shasta trailer that needs to be fixed up. I usually do not do something like this without having a plan, but I saw it for sale during that "luckiest days of the year" period and I took the plunge.

Immediately I had buyer's regret.

I sent waves of misgiving out to the universe. I'm sure my Muses were thoroughly disgusted and turned their back on me. While I was driving to the post office lamenting the loss of my hard earned cash, a couple of 'travelers' - this is what they called themselves on the note they left in my mailbox - asked me if it was for sale and to please call them. They said they loved it. I set the note on my kitchen counter and walked back outside to look at the damn thing again. Maybe I was being too hasty. Maybe I didn't need to know exactly what I was doing to keep going.

I felt a Muse turn her attention back in my direction.

But here comes the Saturn part because to keep this whole project affordable I need hubs to do some of this fixing part. And he hasn't quite bought in (his muses are on vacation, I think) plus he is very busy right now at work. I have to work with his timing and trust that delays create the space for things to line up with this later. I also have to keep my Sun shining on his Saturn so he can see the possibilities here. With my own busy season approaching and deadlines I need to meet for what I want to do with this thing (aka Ethel the trailer) - it is damn frustrating.

Although, I know delays and frustrations almost always result in better projects and products. 

I can't count the number of times some manufacturer has changed something I use in my makings that sent me scrambling for something else and instead of something else, I found something better.

So for now we are gathering our willpower to move in a positive (meaning certain) direction, but right timing matters and is what fits us all together like a giant puzzle. Let's trust it.

xo all and Happy Saturday!

Mercury into Libra | the dance of civility and finding common ground

waiting for a partner by panosozi

Mercury has been in Virgo for more than two months. Much of this time he was retrograde or walking degrees he would walk when retrograde (he moves forward, he stops - from our perspective on Earth - he moves backward, then he stops, he moves forward over those same steps until he reaches the degree where he stopped the first time then he is said to be 'out of his shadow' period). Mercury rules Virgo and is very strong here.

Our conversations, ideas and communications have been picked through quite thoroughly by now. We all know where we stand, and where everyone else does. We are tired of talking/bickering about this stuff and are probably craving more pleasant and civil interactions. I know I am! I have mostly been avoiding social media for weeks.

(the VP debate is a perfect example of how the person who appears the most 'polite' and 'in balance' right now - Libra Sun, Libra Jupiter and Mercury moving in - will win the day - heads up, the 3rd Presidential debate on October 19th should be interesting because Uranus is ruling that day so anything can happen)

After today, Mercury moves out of the shadow degrees of his retrograde - he finally starts covering new ground! This is big news. If something got shelved or morphed around August 10th it could come back to life now, in a new way, or morph again.

Right after he moves out of his shadow, Mercury moves into Libra. We move forward from here.  

Now we have Mars square Jupiter - so we are not going to have it all figured out (and we never will!). We don't have to push that hard. Mars is in Capricorn and wants to reach the top of the mountain and because he is Mars he wants to do it yesterday. Jupiter is in Libra and wants to chill out a little, check out all the angles, figure out how other people figure into the mix - he has recently moved into Libra for a long stay and is just getting himself acclimated here.

This weekend there is alot of Capricorn - the Moon (emotions), Pluto (karma, fate), Mars (action, initiative, anger) with Venus (desire, love, women) sextiling - stuff will be serious.

There will also be a lot of Libra (Sun, Jupiter, Mercury) - Libra rules balance, justice, love, money, women. Being the sign of fairness she sees everyone's side and so it is hard to make a decision here. And because this is the way life works we will often be faced with a decision at exactly the time all this energy makes decision-making hard!

With all the grounded Capricorn and airy Libra - the ways we are out of balance could show up. If we have grown too one-sided in Virgo, a person or situation could show up now to allow us to see both sides of a situation. Relationships are still being reset. New things are just getting started - some in the dark and behind the scenes!

Capricorn is ruled by Saturn (father time) - there isn't really the rush here Mars has some of us feeling. We might feel like we are late or behind schedule (has anyone ever met a prompt Libra unless they have some very strong Scorpio, etc). Libra season with heavy Capricorn means if we make a rush decision we will then have to weigh it out afterwards (we will not be allowed to skip the weighing it out step) we will probably be stuck with the thing we have chosen for a long time - which could be a good thing or not, that isn't shown here. It might be better to weigh things out first. Gather information. Make plans.

When Mercury gets into Scorpio (next month) commitments will be sealed - for now we get engaged, we take some action, we get balls rolling, we weigh everything as we go forward- we will more naturally move into balance through Libran niceties - things are going to really speed up though!

OK back to Mercury into Libra!

On Friday, Mercury (after being holed up in Virgo analyzing the hell out of everything for two months) moves into Libra.

Mercury is not super strong in Libra because Mercury is fast and rules our intellect and Libra is slow and rules balance and justice. She weighs all sides of an issue before taking any action - the reason for the indecision she is so widely known for. There will maybe be some superficial chitchat and passive aggressive stuff while Mercury is in Libra, too. That's all to be expected.

The good news though is that none of this can happen without other people - Mercury in Libra is all about social interactions. Virgo doesn't need other people to analyze, but Libra can't achieve balance without them!

(the Libra house of our natal chart is where we need balance most of all - with fast moving Mercury moving in this house will wake up now)

So, to be successful our words are more polite now. We need to listen. If we want our communications to hit their target we need to make the other person feel listened to. 

Conversations become kind of a dance here. We wouldn't tear off our dance partner's trousers and leave them standing there with hands covering their under shorts and last shreds of their dignity.

We wouldn't tell them they are a crappy dancer even when they step on our toes and smudge the tops of our favorite shoes. 

A type of kindness and civility prevails on the dance floor. We smile. We talk about the things everyone can agree on. 

With the floor spinning beneath our feet we still manage to find common ground.

That is the energy that moves communications, ideas and conversations forward now. 

We'll go deep next month in Scorpio, for now - let's dance!

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of October 3rd - a commitment to that new thing or what needs to happen to make space for it

commitment by smashed into you

"One of the strangest things about life is that it will chug on, blind and oblivious, even as your private world - your little carved-out sphere - is twisting and morphing, even breaking apart. One day you have parents; the next day you're an orphan. One day you have a place and a path. The next day you're lost in the wilderness. And still the sun rises and clouds mass and drift and people shop for groceries and toilets flush and blinds go up and down. That's when you realize that most of it - life, the relentless mechanism of existing - isn't about you. It doesn't include you at all. It will thrust onward even after you've jumped the edge."- Lauren Oliver

OK, we have the New Moon energy from last weekend pushing us forward into our next chapter where we will work with and through relationships (through October 2017).

Lone wolfs will find their flock (yes, I realize wolves and birds might be a precarious flock, but life can be precarious sometimes) and people who 'love/need to be around other people' will learn to pick and choose who they work and play with, probably through overwhelm, as Jupiter enlarges this sphere of our lives. We will also work with the concepts of balance and fairness in our individual stories and in the collective world. Buckle up buttercup!

On Monday, the Moon is in Scorpio. Our emotions can be extreme with whatever is happening. This is a good time to go deeper with our creative work. Deep conversations will bring us closer to others. If something needs to be said and you need to be the one to say it, this might be a good day (always with the utmost compassion) because when Scorpio cuts, it's deep. Read yesterday's post about saying something supportive, and conversation starting, without giving unsolicited advice. There can be new beginnings to old, toxic situations now. It's a day to go deep with love, income, women, beauty, art, spirituality, research, people, situations and things that have been 'put away' and our escape mechanisms.

On Tuesday, that same Scorpio Moon connects with Mercury (about to exit Virgo) so we hear news about whatever we were dealing with on Monday. The Sun (in Libra) connects us with Saturn (in Sagittarius) so we are dealing with a commitment to some relationship. It could be an equal partner kind of thing or something involving a Sagittarius theme (or our Sagittarius natal house theme) ie publishing, higher education, travel, something/someone at a distance or foreign, weddings, legal, political stuff, etc.

On Wednesday, (a good decision day) the Moon moves into Sagittarius and connects with Jupiter (in Libra) in an alignment of opportunity with the Sagittarius themes listed on Tuesday (or our Sagittarius natal house themes) and our partnerships. Mars (in Capricorn) squares Jupiter (in Libra) - the tension here will focus us on our ambitions. Confidence encourages success. Remember with all this Libra we need to be taking other people, balance and fairness into consideration here. The same old heartless ambition without cooperation isn't going to cut it for long.

On Thursday, Saturn (time, commitment, hard work) reminds us of what it is we are willing to work for. That Libra/Sagittarius situation (see all the house buzzwords I have used earlier in the week) is moving forward. Mercury finishes his shadow period - the degrees he walked 3 times in our Virgo houses - that chapter is finished!

On Friday, Mercury moves into Libra - so now we have the Sun, Jupiter and Mercury here. Balanced and diplomatic words and conversations have the best effect. But the shadow is we bend too far in compromise or sacrifice. Watch for that. It will throw this train off the track before we even get it out of the station. This can also bring new people into the mix. I will do a full post about this later in the week!

Also on Friday, Pluto (in Capricorn) squares the Sun (in Libra). This can be a power struggle or confrontation of egos. A light (the Sun) will shine on power (Pluto) - will we like what we see? The wise or unwise use of power will be spotlighted both in our personal lives and in the collective.

With Mercury freshly in Libra at the time of this square - a conversation could be challenging. There could be jealousy or obsession here or maybe an ambitious struggle. Keep things above board and honest. The Moon is headed into Capricorn for the weekend which means stuff will be serious and our work might carry into our playtime hours. Also on Saturday, Saturn squares the North and South Nodes of our collective fate. There is some tension blocking our way forward or making it difficult to release something that needs to go. If there is some Saturnian responsibility (think strict father energy here) we have ignored or are ignoring it could come up now.

The only Void Moon during work hours is Friday after 4:45pm EST.

xo all

Venus trine Neptune | Mercury opposing Chiron - acceptance of what will never be enough

compassion by renato54

We have Venus (in Scorpio) trine (brakes off) Neptune (in Pisces). This is a good time to reach out to someone with compassion and a good time to offer compassion to ourselves. This is sacred union energy and coming with a Libra Sun and Moon even more powerful!

The shadow of Venus in Scorpio is she is never satisfied. There is always more to be had. There is never enough. The space where we are never sated, where our cup is never full, is the red flag for us now. This is the energy that wants healing (this is the healing that will save the world).

The unsatisfied feeling is our way in.

The highest vibration of Venus in Scorpio is the healed warrior. Scorpio is considered a space where Venus is in her 'detriment' but that is a consideration that comes from patriarchy.

She just won't be controlled here. She won't be told what to do.

So, instead of us feeling threatened by this energy - there is a respect for the mystery.

What were once shameful secrets are seen as survival instincts. What was once jealousy is seen as fear that there is not enough for us (again a survival instinct ready to be dissolved) .. or the knowledge that enough is never enough.

This is also an excellent time to use our intuition and imagination. We are in the New Moon energy now and Venus trine Neptune enhances this in magical ways! What do we want to create? How do we want to connect?

We have Mercury (in Virgo) opposing Chiron (in Pisces). Mercury is our communication and our thought processes (also our dealing with siblings and neighbors). In Virgo, he likes to nitpick over the details and zeros in on mistakes. Chiron is our sacred woundedness that cannot be healed. In Pisces, he connects us to others who share the same wounding.

With them at cross purposes today probably the less that is said the better. Telling someone what we think they are doing wrong (Virgo will want to zero in on the problem), will not be as helpful as just being there and offering compassion.

Simply saying to a friend going through a hard time, "this must be so hard" will work more magic than offering up solutions.

xo all - have a nice weekend - it's our monthly affirmation time, don't miss it!

p.s. someone asked me yesterday why I didn't mention that yesterday's Moon was a Black Moon. A Black Moon is what they call a New Moon that happens twice in the same month. I'm not sure why they call it this - all New Moons are black. I'll have to Google it. This wasn't the second New Moon in Libra though - our New Moon in the beginning of September was in Virgo, so astrologically speaking this Moon wasn't a second New Moon of the sun cycle, so no biggie in that sense - it's still a wonderful New Moon though and I'm sure our ancestors would have thrown a couple extra goats on the pyre just to be safe! :)