November: A High Road Has to Be an Option, Mars Opposes Pluto

November 1st opens with a New Moon, 9°35’ Scorpio, 5:47 am Pacific time. A watery, intuitive lunar time, Sun and Moon trine (120°) Saturn in Pisces at 12°52’. If we cast the chart using Santa Cruz as the location, the New Moon falls in the 1st house, Saturn in the 5th. The 5th house is about finding joy, pleasure and playful self-expression. Saturn in Pisces here is about creating a vision for your creative self, while Sun and Moon suggest we go deep within ourselves and transform how we assert ourselves and cultivate passion in our lives. Use Jupiter in Gemini to bring fresh perspectives.

We are in the heart of Scorpio season! Time to face our inner demons and life’s intensity and shadows. “There’s nothing you can hold for very long.” In autumn, we recognize life’s fleeting passage and the sign Scorpio embodies this feeling.

Mars in Cancer opposes Pluto at the very end of Capricorn, 29°46’, November 3rd. By election day, Mars is in Leo, but still in range of opposing Pluto. Moon is “out of bounds,” at extreme declination in Capricorn. There may be some over-the-top expressions of patriotism as old, political structures are fighting to be maintained. Pluto’s last gasp in Capricorn is about questioning control and outdated political structures, tearing them down, and finally wiping the slate clean. Such things don’t end easy and Mars opposing Pluto sets the stage for power struggles. Mars in Leo can manifest as a forceful effort to be “on top.” A high road to take with Mars opposing Pluto is to do some psychological work on ourselves: “deconstruct” why we may feel a need to control or feel we need to be “seen” by family or those close to us - maybe we are being too demanding?

On a lighter note, Mercury enters its “shadow” at 6°24’ Sagittarius November 7th and the planet is “out of bounds” the rest of the month. The days following, the planet of perception and communication moves over degrees it will travel once it turns retrograde at 22°40’ later in the month on the 25th. Sagittarius is about broadening our perspective and seeking the larger picture in life. Retrograde times are about reevaluation. In order to successfully navigate this, we need to sit with what we believe, reconsider what we hold to be true and open our curiosity to fresh points of view. “It all rolls into one and nothing comes for free…”Best not to act on any revelations until Mercury moves direct in December.

The Full Moon in Taurus, 24°01’, November 15th at 1:28 pm, conjuncts Uranus while Saturn stops in the sky and stations direct. Look to see where Uranus is moving in your own natal chart. Here your values are shifting and there may be some sudden changes on the horizon. Uranus wants to rattle the cage and help you take a more authentic path, true to your evolving self. The Full Moon triggers this longer process of personal growth. Some people may have sudden fits of anger. Be patient with one another. Watch out for your own stubbornness. With the Moon in a supportive aspect to Neptune in Pisces, try to calm down, let go and feel compassion.

Pluto reenters Aquarius November 19th, moving us solidly into the “Aquarian age.” Aquarius Pluto brings out all the shadows and potential problems we face with technology such as AI and in the digital world. On a personal level, look to see where early degrees of Aquarius fall in your chart. Here you may go through deep transformation in light of your personal freedom, innovative thinking or humanitarian values. Pluto helps us face our psychological wounds so to rise from the ashes like the phoenix and liberate us to claim a more authentic path forward.

Sun enters Sagittarius, November 21st, 11:56 am. The Sun’s shift into the fire sign will lighten up the mood as we approach the holidays. Just watch out for heated arguments around the Thanksgiving table as the low road of Sagittarius is thinking we are always right. A better use of this energy is to embrace life as a quest and enjoy the company of others in healthy debate. The New Moon, 9°33’ Sagittarius, occurs November 30th, 10:21 pm. Set intentions to open your mind and heart to new ways of viewing life’s journey. In a trine (120°) to Mars in Leo, time to let ourselves roar! “Dust off those rusty strings just one more time. Gonna make em shine”!

October's Dance in Libra Merges into a Watery Scorpio Halloween

This autumn, the Libra seasonal theme is finding right balance in relationship, creatively working together in ways that support both parties and the right for each one to take up space. Life takes negotiating and developing a good rapport for all involved. Hmmm…and we are working our way closer to the US Presidential election! Tension is in the air. We need some cosmic healing. Remember the words of Throwing Stones by John Barlow and Bob Weir, so meaningful this fall, “A peaceful place, or so it looks from space…” Libra as a sign is about peace and walking in beauty, calming down and making life an aesthetic experience of grace and ease.

The month opens with an annular solar eclipse, 10°04’ Libra, on October 2nd at 11:49 am Pacific time. The Moon, Sun, and Mercury conjunct the south node of the Moon in Libra so there is some karma around the dance we are doing with our partners, not just romantic ones, but creative and possibly business ones too. It is a good time to use our language and ideas to heal division. The Aries north node at the time of the eclipse and Mars in Cancer square to the nodes says we can also make a stand and defend what we feel is right for our family and country. “Someone got to turn the page…” With minor planet, Ceres, in Capricorn, opposing Mars in Cancer, there may be some grief and loss in letting go of the status quo. Old, outdated structures need to go.

On October 9th , Jupiter stops in the sky and appears to move backward, stationing retrograde at 21°20’ Gemini. The holiday season and in the early months of 2025, folks with significant planetary placements or degrees in mid-Gemini may need some fresh perspectives and new approaches, especially when it comes to learning, teaching, writing or talking. Look to see where Jupiter is moving in your own natal chart.

Meanwhile the Moon is out of bounds, at extreme declination, in Sagittarius and Capricorn the second week of the month, so some may go over the top pontificating about their beliefs, some of which may be too bold, unconventional or, when in Capricorn, overly controlling or competitive. “But his pants are down, his cover’s blown…and the politicians throwing stones.” Yup.

Then on October 11th, Pluto also stops in the sky, this time turning direct at 29°39’ Capricorn. We might see the last dying breath of worn-out structures of the patriarchy in the weeks ahead before Pluto reenters Aquarius in late November. Let’s hope for the right types of change, something that might support a bright future for all of us. “The future’s here, we are it, we are on our own.”

The Full Moon in Aries, 24°35’, occurs on October 17th, at 4:26 am. This lunar time really underscores the theme I outlined above in terms of relationship and creating right balance. The Moon is conjunct Chiron, the “wounded healer,” in Aries, emphasizing a need to heal in us any hesitancy to being assertive with our own needs. With both Mars in Cancer and Pluto in Capricorn square the Sun and Moon, watch out for sensitivity when talking with partners or close family. Be careful of what you say and realize that, again, some old structures or ways of being are on their way out now. Control or power tripping never works. Rather use a flexibility of mind to create a new path where both parties or people can be at ease and be themselves.

Sun enters Scorpio, joining Mercury in the sign of the scorpion, on October 22nd, stepping us into Halloween season and El Dia de Los Muertos, when we celebrate death as an inevitable facet of life. Scorpio is a watery sign where the cosmic vibe supports diving into deep, emotional and psychic realms with others. Intensity of experience is the name of the game. Seek passionate and intimate connection, rather than the low road of jealousy trips or power plays. See the power of death – and life! – in each other as we rock and roll on Halloween! “So the kids they dance, they shake their bones!” Happy Halloween!

September Back-To-School...Virgo Season!

September opens with an industrious New Moon in Virgo at 11°04’ on September 2nd at 6:55 pm Pacific time. Moon and Sun loosely oppose Saturn at 16°25’ Pisces. Look to see where Saturn is moving in your own natal chart. Saturn wants you to “mature” and step into a “new pair of shoes.” Somewhere you have outgrown yourself.

Where do you need to face obstacles or challenges in order to put some hard work into the next step of aging in life? Pisces is a visionary, mystical sign and can often be the part of our birth chart where we need boundaries, compassion or creative imagination. A Virgo New Moon in the opposite zodiac sign from Pisces says let’s make plans and think critically about what skills we need to polish or what practical works of service bring us to that inner mystic, visionary artist.

September 1st , Uranus, at 27°15’ Taurus, turns retrograde, appearing to move backward. The planet of sudden awakenings and radical, revolutionary change continues its retrograde dance until the end of January, 2025, giving all of us another chance to really reflect in our hearts about what it is that we value most and what makes us calm down and find peace in our lives. Some things may need to go or change. Taurus is ruled by the planet Venus, so this may involve our partners, our artistic projects or our money and resources. What needs to shift or morph to make us feel totally satisfied, secure and happy in life’s journey?

Meanwhile, also on September 1st, Pluto, retrograde, reenters Capricorn for one last trip through late degrees of the sign of the sea goat. For folks with important degrees of their chart in late Capricorn, outdated, worn-out structures might be finally torn down so the slate is cleared for new mountains to be climbed. What mountain top is worth aspiring to and best as your life’s big achievement? In the larger scheme of things, some old symbols of the patriarchy or shackles of outdated political systems need to fall.

On a lighter note, early September sees Mercury in Virgo, moving forward, reaching beyond its “shadow” (after passing over degrees from its recent retrograde period) by September 11th. Some practical matters, day-to-day business communications and details regarding our plans may seem to level out now and go smoothly after potential mayhem in August.

September 17th, we have a partial lunar eclipse and supermoon, with the Full Moon at 25°41’ Pisces at 7:34 pm. A supermoon is the Moon at perigee, when the Moon is closest to the Earth. If the Moon triggers important areas of your chart, the eclipse can usher in change and/or new beginnings roughly six months before or after the eclipse. The Moon appears big and bright early evening right after sunset, a beautiful harvest Moon for a beach stroll or drive along the coast.

A Full Moon in Pisces is a watery, lunar time, potentially very emotional, when we often feel profoundly the moods and feelings of those around us and also in psychic, spiritual planes. This particular supermoon amps up the intuitive, mystical Piscean vibe because the Full Moon is conjunct Neptune, a planet naturally in tune with Pisces energy. Some may try to flee the intense feelings through drugs or alcohol, so watch out for too much indulgence through escapism. Rather seek an escape through your imagination, creative play, in nature or through meditation. Some people are very sensitive and may need a good cry now. Be supportive and comfort others. We all feel this lunar time deeply.

Equinox occurs on September 22nd, when Sun enters Libra. Welcome to autumn, Santa Cruz star gazers! Moon is in Gemini and Venus enters Scorpio on the 22nd, so equinox parties offer fun conversation along with sensual play and deep bonding. Maybe it is time for one more beach fire this year? Enjoy!

August, 2024: Where Do You Need to Feel Cherished and Seen?

Welcome to the heart of summertime, friends, when we frolic under the warm sunshine and embrace the playful spirit of Leo the lion! Time to let your soul shine with a generous heart and seek pleasure through self-expression and creative juju. August opens with a New Moon in Leo, 12°34’, on the 4th at 4:13 am Pacific time. Moon and Sun form a sextile, 60° aspect, with both Mars and Jupiter in Gemini. Set an intention to SPEAK your heart, to let yourself express love or to manifest a new creative project. Think of the old rock song, Turn on your Love Light, “let it shine on me, turn on your love light!” This New Moon triggers a need to be seen and cherished in light of new paths of personal discovery that Jupiter in Gemini is opening for each of us.

Also on August 4th, Mercury, planet of perception and communication, stops in the sky and turns retrograde at 4°06’ Virgo, while Venus enters the sign of the Virgin. Mercury retrograde and Venus conjunct August 7th. Mercury is very strong in Virgo, a sign the planet rules. There is a discriminating and possibly critical vibe to this combination, when we may question what we need in relationship and perhaps what isn’t working. Virgo can also bring out a desire for service and to sharpen one’s skills at courtship (Venus) or to hone one’s artistic skill set. The slowing down of Mercury (as the planet is perceived to move backward) coincides with the New Moon in Leo, be careful about recognizing a partner’s love or another’s creative work. Give a round of applause! ‘Cause I’m begging you baby, “Turn on your love light, let it shine on me!”

Mercury continues to move retrograde through the month until the planet slows again and stations direct at 21°25’ Leo on August 28th. Mercury retrograde is always a great time to reflect, reevaluate, and reconsider where life is taking us and what is essential for our own soul growth. When in late Leo in the latter part of August, Mercury moves from a critical self-evaluation of Virgo to asking, where do I need to be able to express myself more? Where am I worthy of being seen and cherished for my creative gifts, my love, my generosity and my fiery enthusiasm? Everyone deserves to have their love light shine and have that light radiate in full glory!

When Mercury is retrograde, it is a good time to be reflective and allow your mind to process inner voices. Don’t be in a rush to sign contracts or engage in critical correspondence. While your mind and heart are turning inward, it is easy to make mistakes or have communications go awry. Best to be introspective now.

August 14th, the day Mercury retrograde enters Leo, Mars catches up to Jupiter in Gemini and makes an exact conjunction at 16°40’ while both square Saturn in Pisces now. Gemini as an energy seeks fresh perspectives, a multiplicity of viewpoints, and a natural curiosity, along with a love for chatter and word play. This is a wonderful time for writers to tap into their inner muse, reimagine a writing project or explore with gusto what feels good in terms of expressing your voice. Saturn in Pisces will help with the visions you need.

The Full Moon in Aquarius, 27°15’, occurs August 19th at 11:25 am. Every summer, during Leo season, the Moon in the sign of the waterbearer opposes the Sun. In a nutshell, Aquarius, the sign of the genius, the eccentric, the humanitarian, is about freedom and authenticity. The Moon opposes Mercury as well as the Sun, and squares Uranus in late Taurus. Let your freak flag fly! True self-expression comes from a combination of both a fiery loving heart and following a true path unique to you.

Shortly after, Sun enters Virgo on August 22nd and it is time to polish our skills and bring our insights gathered during the month into creative works of service. “Let it shine, let it shine!” We work in Virgo season to make real our craft, building upon the introspective processes of Mercury retrograde.

July, 2024: To Speak with Wisdom Like a Child

July starts off in Cancer season. Venus, planet of relationship, creative expression and the things we most value in our lives, is also in the sign of the sensitive, nurturing, watery crab. Early summer supports loving, good times with family and our closest friends, our “clan.” It is a time to take care of ourselves in healing ways. Jupiter has been traveling through Gemini since late May, and for some folks, certain areas of life may seem overly chaotic, busy with too many options being presented to us this way or that. The Sun and Venus in Cancer help us to counterbalance the mayhem with a little self-care and rest. Have a nice homemade dinner to slow you down or a family get-together to listen to each other with a caring heart.

The day after Independence Day, on July 5th, we have a New Moon at 14°23’ Cancer, 3:57 pm Pacific time. The Sun and Moon square the lunar nodes, south node in Libra, north node in Aries. This New Moon is a moment to reflect upon our deepest bonds with those most close to us and how and where do we need to negotiate, create balance, while also asserting our own needs. Relationship surely is a set of Libra scales! A give and take, a cosmic dance. Venus enters Leo on July 11th, show your love and willingness to be generous with partners and those dear to you.

On July 20th, Mars enters Gemini. Those readers with strong planetary placements or degrees in Gemini may feel a push to action, hopefully exploring new paths of learning or writing, while feeding a curiosity already in play by slower-moving Jupiter in the sign of the twins. I think of the lyrics of the Grateful Dead song, Foolish Heart, “Search for where the rivers end. Or where the rivers start…Leap from ledges high and wild”! Dare to leap and look around the bend. Curiosity opens doors. But one warning: some people around us may be too talkative, too “over the top” in sharing ideas and, well, they may truly embody the word, verbose! It may help by guiding these souls to take it easy, listen and let new, fresh perceptions enter their mind! Too much talking leads to not enough listening. 

The Full Moon occurs July 21st, 3:17 am in the morning, at 29°09’ Capricorn. This is the second Full Moon in Capricorn in 2024. Remember we also had a Full Moon in the sign of the sea goat just after summer solstice. What a powerful lunar time for bringing our dreams and hard work to fruition! The Moon conjuncts Pluto at 0°55’ Aquarius, trines Uranus in late Taurus and Mars at 0°23’ Gemini, and sextiles Neptune at the very end of Pisces. The 29th degree of a sign is called the “anaretic degree.” It is about finishing up the energies of the sign; a Full Moon also implies a coming to a climax of energy. Somewhere in our lives, we have been doing deep, transformative work in being authentically who we are. It involves changing our values while branching into new areas of discovery, new perspectives. If we embrace the mountains we are climbing, the visions we have in our hearts, now at this Full Moon things may manifest and shine!

July 22nd, Sun joins Mercury and Venus in demonstrative Leo, sign of the lion needing to roar. Mercury is now in its “shadow,” crossing over late degrees of Leo, and eventually Virgo, the planet of communication will travel while retrograde in August. This is a good time to reassess where we may spend too much effort seeking applause and “being heard.” Where in our lives do we need to be loving in sharing our gifts? Where, too, do we perhaps balance that generous spirit with less of a need to always be seen? Leo season is the height of summer fun and play. Leo, the natural ruler of the 5th house, embodies a love of self-expression, the heart of the performer, but really it is about our pleasure and joy in radiating our inner glory. “Learn to speak, speak with wisdom like a child…Directly from the heart”!

Summer Solstice Blessings! June's Cosmic Weather

“Callin’ out around the world! Are you ready for a brand-new beat?!” Welcome to June, stargazers, and what a Gemini season it is at the start of the month! Jupiter, the big, gaseous giant, “King of the gods,” just entered the sign of the twins late last month. So those folks with important degrees in early Gemini in their birth chart may want to seize opportunities for new stimulation, fresh perspectives, growth and expansion. This all depends upon where in your natal chart Gemini lies. Fast-moving Sun and Venus are also in Gemini and Mercury joins them in the sign June 3rd. The first week of the month is especially supportive of engaging in conversation that is constructive to opening our minds and hearts. Think about where you may need to learn something new, explore multiple points of view or take a new class, just to feed your curiosity. The last thing we all need now is boredom!

The New Moon occurs June 6th at 16°18’ Gemini, 5:37 am Pacific time. The Moon and Sun conjunct Venus and square Saturn at 18°59’ Pisces. This lunar time is an invitation for all of us to imagine how we might revel in the joy and pleasure of meeting new people, discovering new information, along with new sights and sounds. “It’s an invitation across the nation, a chance for folks to meet! There’ll be laughing, singing and music swinging and dancing in the streets!” But the square to Saturn also asks us to be realistic about where you may be setting a vision for your life and how might that vision now benefit from lively conversation about novel ideas. What a great New Moon for artists and writers maturing into a new artistic voice, “Inspiration, move me brightly”! Any obstacles to your creative muse might just involve waking up to seeing things a bit differently.

On June 8th, Mars enters Taurus, squaring Pluto in Aquarius June 11th. Be careful about being stubborn when it comes to needing “space.”  There may be some power struggles on the table. It’s all a part of our soul growth. Then mid-month, on June 16th, Venus enters Cancer, followed by Mercury into the sign of the crab on the 17th. The cosmic weather moves more in the direction of calming down and settling into the comforts of home, family, and perhaps feeling the simple pleasures of sitting in our gardens or healing ourselves through a nice hike in the woods or sharing music with our lover or close friends. The middle of June offers us a chance to process all the new stimulation of Jupiter in Gemini, which we began to experience just a few weeks before. Have a barbeque at home, invite someone you love out to dinner, nurture and cuddle on the couch or soak it up in the hot tub.

June’s big celebration is the arrival of summer when the Sun moves into Cancer on the solstice, June 20th, 1:50 pm. Cool coastal fog may still be upon us in my hometown Santa Cruz community, but now is the time to dream of those long dog days of summer. Cancer is a feeling, watery sign where we heal ourselves through our deepest bonds of love and friendship we have with our clan, our dearest family. Just following the solstice, the Full Moon in Capricorn, 1°07’, falls on June 21st at 6:07 pm. The Moon and Sun square Neptune at the very end of Pisces, forming a T-square, and the Moon opposes Venus in Cancer. What a perfect time to think responsibly about what kinds of strategic planning we might do, what mountain we are climbing. This is especially so for those wanting to create a life that is both rewarding in terms of achievement, but also supports our home life and our Cancer desire for self-healing. Neptune in Pisces wants a compassionate vision for ways we can achieve and integrate both.

Happy summertime, everyone! “There’ll be swingin’ and swayin” and records playing and Dancing in the street!”

Jupiter Arrives in Gemini! A Kaleidoscope For You

Wishing everyone the * BEST *  in the months ahead as JUPITER enters GEMINI, May 25th, at 4:14 pm Pacific time. Jupiter will be in the sign of the twins until June, 2025.

Here’s a little Gemini story I’d like to share, perhaps something to hold in your heart in the months ahead…

Imagine yourself an old crone or wizard. One early evening, you sit warm by the fire in your cabin in the woods. You let your mind wander back in time. There are distant memories of your life on the road, filled with magical journeys to colorful places. You recall the people you met that chattered this way and that, rendering ideas in wordplay that opened your mind. Grace and synchronicity, there was the magic. Around every corner, it just took a look.

Ah, but back to reality, back down to earth, you sit in your rocker. A melancholy mood sets in. Let’s be real; your body is stiff, you feel aches here and there. Your mind is stuck in a rut. Life is a rhythm now of ol’ routines, same ol’ patterns rigid and boring.

Then the cabin door swings wide and the setting sun beams in. In shadow, haloed by sunlight, a traveling minstrel appears, wrapped in colors of silk, a three-cornered hat and bells on his shoes.

In his hand, he holds out a golden kaleidoscope. And you can’t help but wonder what sights are inside?

“My ol’ buddy! My partner in crime!” you say out loud as it dawns on you who has arrived.

And your jester friend replies back,

“Hey there, I got you! I’ll tell you what you need to do…

Look at all these pieces of color and ride with a new point of view!

Curiosity is where it’s at. Seize the day, look this way and that!”

So now your heart leaps with interest and hope.  “To hell with that ol’

‘ rocking chair…” you say to yourself, “Yes! Experience! That’s what I need. Let me feel the love of learning again, soak in that information…I want to talk, I want to write again, I want to share all perceptions I have...”

Wherever Jupiter travels now through your natal chart is like the minstrel at your door…take a chance on yourself and learn something new.

Take a class, write a book, or just simply follow steps of grace; let it shift your perspective. The potential low road is mayhem or chaos if, well, you go too far. Too much stimulation that pulls you one way or another. Balance opportunity to discover with both care and wisdom. Consider the house(s) in your chart where Jupiter moves.

On October 9th, Jupiter stations (stops in the sky) and turns retrograde at 21 degrees 20’. Since Jupiter slows down near the end of September through the first half of October, the planet has more time to “marinate” and to carry significance to a greater degree. Four months later, during the first week of February, 2025, Jupiter then stations direct at 11 degrees, Gemini. January and February are impactful.

Look to see where 21 and 11 degrees Gemini fall in your natal chart. These are especially good opportunities to find that inner kaleidoscope. The universe wants you to claim a fresh perspective and to speak your mind. Ask: “How do I make the most of myself in light of the planet(s) or area of my chart Jupiter touches now?” Enjoy!

Beltane May Day: The Upcoming Month

May Day greetings, Beltane blessings! May opens with Pluto slowing down and turning retrograde at 2°06’ Aquarius on May 2nd. As a counseling astrologer, I often work with clients struggling with the energies of Pluto, when by transit (moving Pluto) meets up with personal planets in a soul’s birth chart. It is never easy. Pluto brings up deep-seated psychological wounding, what I call “shadow work,” to the surface, so we can face our fears, our wounds, let them drain and heal. Pluto wipes the slate clean, so we can rise like the phoenix from the ashes! I think of the song, Comes a Time, by Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter; with such mastery, the words embody Pluto work: “I can't see much difference between the dark and light. And I feel the wind and I taste the rain. Never in my mind to cause so much pain…” Sometimes we need that pain in order to release it.

Pluto.

Of course, only a few readers out there will be in a “Pluto time” now. But it is worth mentioning that when Pluto slows down, and turns either retrograde or direct, the transformative, alchemical work of this small planet, so far away in our solar system, feels most impactful. Look to see where early degrees of Aquarius fall in your chart to make sense of some of the possible shadows arising. Now is the time to face them, “deconstruct” them and push your healing journey ahead.

May is Taurus season and we continue to see the ongoing impact of the Jupiter and Uranus conjunction (exact last month on April 20th). The two remain within “orb” or range. Taurus is always about being true to our animal nature, seeking comfort and calm, finding peace and stability. What is it we need to take care of ourselves, to restore our bodies and souls? What creature comforts are important and what kind of partner or lifestyle puts us at ease in a secure, loving place?

New Moon in Taurus, 18°02’, is May 7th, 8:21 pm Pacific time. Sun and Moon conjunct Uranus, Jupiter and Venus, very strong in Taurus. Moon sextiles (60°) Saturn at 17°14’ Pisces, so creative visualization is a great tool now. Try to separate out fantasy from realistic expectations about what grounds you and what is real. Those with strong Pisces placements in their charts have been feeling Saturn’s reality check. Saturn wants you to mature as the mystic, compassionate one. The Taurus New Moon asks you to cultivate in your heart an opening to changing your values and seeing what really counts.

May 20th, the cosmic vibe shifts as Sun enters Gemini, an air sign very different from Taurus. The mood is light and easy, time to frolic and let your heart sing and enjoy some playful banter and community socializing. Venus joins Sun in the sign of the twins on May 23rd and Jupiter enters May 25th. Folks with significant Gemini placements in their birth chart, get ready for a positive year of growth, new opportunities and generally high times as Jupiter will remain in Gemini until June, 2025.

We see the glass half full under a Jupiter time, though sometimes we may overdo it. Jupiter says “roll the dice,” take a chance on your own path forward. Doors tend to open when Jupiter lines up with key parts of your own chart. “Comes a time when the blind man takes your hand, says "Don't you see? Gotta make it somehow on the dreams you still believe.” Enjoy Gemini folk!

The Full Moon in Sagittarius, 2°55’, occurs May 23rd at 6:53 am. Sagittarius is about reaching into new realms of experience and embracing new paradigms. Have an open mind, revel in Full Moon glory! But I’d suggest also balancing in compassion and patience as some folk may reach the centaur’s arrow too far with too much gusto. Issues around personal freedom may arise, so try to remember what calms your soul as you, or perhaps others around you, want space to explore and venture out in Sagittarius style. “From day to day, just letting it ride” is a good mantra. But you don’t want to forget what it feels inside.

New Moon Total Solar Eclipse and Jupiter Uranus Conjunction in Taurus: Feel Deeply, Let Doors Open

Aries season is in full swing start of April, Santa Cruz stargazers. We need courage to dive into what supports our own “enlightened selfishness.” Sometimes it is ok to claim your own path forward. I love the Grateful Dead lyric, “Gone are the days we stopped to decide where we should go, we just ride.” Be bold. Put yourself first. Spring forward!

Mercury

But wait a minute! “Life may be sweeter for this, I don't know…” April Fool’s Day, Mercury turns retrograde at 27°13’ Aries and the planet of communication won’t turn direct until April 25th at 15°59’ Aries. With the sign of the ram, it is tempting to say “carpe diem,” seize the day! But the cosmic weather suggests it is better not to jump full force into new projects or commitments, but rather think of April as a time of reflection: Can you claim more confidence and more willpower in taking charge?

Big news! The total solar eclipse, 19°24’ Aries, is April 8th at 11:20 am Pacific time. It will appear as a partial eclipse in Santa Cruz County, if the skies obey. Make sure to wear your eclipse glasses! Even if only in partial view here, total eclipses are very powerful and, for some folks, they usher in change and new beginnings six months before and after the eclipse.  

A total solar eclipse is like a New Moon on steroids with lots of gumption and fiery strength. The north node of the Moon is in Aries, while the south opposes in Libra. Ask: when and where do I need to assert myself? Look to see where 16° to 22° Aries and Libra fall in your own chart. Here a little cosmic juice is in order to push your own needs forward, take the initiative and be pro-active in asserting the fiery warrior, the leader, and the game changer in you. “Who can stop what must arrive now? Something new is waiting to be born.”

The south node in Libra can be about trying to “keep up appearances”. Don’t be wishy washy. Step forward and lead. This eclipse time is not just about romantic relationships, but also any one-on-one encounters, such as business or creative collaborations. Where do you need to take a stand?

Sun enters Taurus April 19th. How perfect as we prepare for Earth Day, April 22nd. We shift from bold, pioneering Aries to the more calming and relaxing vibe of Taurus. It is time to think about finding inner peace. We listen to our hearts about what really brings us comfort and ease. “Feels like it might be all right…”

Late April, we have another very big event, a coming together of Jupiter and Uranus in Taurus at 21°50’, exact on April 20th. With Uranus, lightning strikes, “Peals of fragile thunder keeping time,” things turn over anew. Expect sudden change. These two planets come together roughly every fourteen years. Look to see where the conjunction falls in your natal chart. Here there may be some upset, leading to growth and opportunity, especially when it comes to finding stability, peace, security or expansion in terms of your artistic or musical gifts.

Uranus is about the rebel, the revolutionary, the genius; those not afraid to upset the apple cart. When Jupiter and Uranus come together, Jupiter expands the Uranian wake up call like lighter fluid on a flame and so we may witness explosive actions by others or radical shifts in our lives. Taurus is a fixed, earth sign, so some may be stubborn, stuck in old, worn out beliefs or behaviors and this can lead to outbursts. All is needed to break us free. We may see innovative projects or sudden events related to climate change. Let’s face it; we need a revolution when it comes to our home planet, Earth!

Uranus

The Full Moon in Scorpio 4°18’ occurs April 23rd at 4:48 pm. Time to bring truth to the table and feel deeply the changes we are ready to make. Have heartfelt conversations with each other and face any shadow work inside that still needs to surface. Scorpio likes intensity of feeling. “Beneath the sweet calm face of the sea swift undertow.” Feel it and heal it.

Pisces New Moon: Visualizing a New Path Forward, March, 2024

March begins in Pisces season with a New Moon at 20°17’ in the sign of the fishes on March 10th at 1:00 am Pacific time. The Sun and Moon create a supportive aspect to the revolutionary and rebel planet Uranus in Taurus. Uranus is asking us to question our values and wake up to what it is we may need to enhance our lives, calm us down and bring peace and beauty. The Navajo have an expression, “hozhq,” to heal and restore oneself by creating balance, “To walk in beauty.” This New Moon time helps us visualize what changes are possible to be in that state of comfort and ease. What needs to shift? The week before, in early March, both Venus and then Mars in Aquarius square Uranus, helping us to see the authentic way forward, even if it may be a bit freaky or unconventional. Where do I need space from others or cultural expectations as I walk in beauty, “truckin’ in style” in my own unique way?  

St. Patrick’s Day, March 17th,  promises to be emotional and sensitive, when the Sun conjuncts Neptune in Pisces at 27°22’. Neptune in Pisces likes escape and with the Sun triggering the mystical planet, watch out for the low road of too much drink and too much revelry. A pint may be in order in the spirit of St. Pat, but be aware more may seem tempting! Neptune feeds our imagination, too, so think of this time as “a paddle for your paper canoe”! Meanwhile the Moon on St Patty’s Day is in Cancer and forms a lovely trine to Venus in Pisces early evening. A wonderful celestial moment for feeling the music, connecting with old friends and, for those who are of Irish descent, celebrating one’s clan and heritage.

Mercury will move retrograde next month, but we prepare now as the planet of communication and perception, in mid Aries, enters its “shadow period,” the evening of March 18th. The shadow is the time when quick-moving Mercury travels over degrees it will move again during its backward dance in April. With Mercury in the sign of the ram, contemplate where do I need to have courage with my ideas and projects? Where do I need to take the initiate and put myself first? Make these your inner mantras for the rest of March.

Venus

March 19th, Sun enters Aries, tempered by Mars going into Pisces, March 22nd. We still have quite a bit of Pisces energy in the mix. Venus in Pisces conjuncts Saturn at 12°27’ on March 21st, and sextiles (60° aspect) Jupiter and Uranus at 15°49’ and 20°38’ Taurus the last week of March. Creative visualization can be a powerful tool now. In January, I wrote about the upcoming conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus in late April. Sudden doors may open, opportunities to take chances are possible, and some may receive a windfall, a creative burst of artistic energy or unexpected moments of genius or insight. Now, in March, they are less than five degrees apart. Pisces as a sign creates a mood for letting go, using our imagination and our dreams to set the stage for April’s big conjunction. “Whenever your airplane happens to land!” Aries Sun says take charge and be brave.

Eclipse season starts with a penumbral lunar eclipse, a Full Moon in Libra, 5°07’at 12:00 am March 25th. It will be most visible just after midnight in Santa Cruz County. Eclipses can be a time of endings and new beginnings. Look to see where the eclipse falls in your own natal chart to see the potential area in life where things may shift for you. The south and north nodes of the Moon are in Libra and Aries now, suggesting this is a time for the playing out of karmic ties in personal relationship. Libra is a relational sign, often about how we negotiate and create balance with another. What is the dance you do with others? And how might it be changing and growing in new directions? “Maybe I'll be back here too…It all depends on, what's with you.” Remember you too have a right to take up space. It is a balance of two.

December Solstice: Making Best Use of Mercury Retrograde

HAPPY SOLSTICE, everyone! Sun enters Capricorn December 21st at 7:27 pm Pacific time. Mercury retrograde, also in the sign of sea goat, sextiles (60°) Saturn at 2°23’ Pisces early morning on solstice. It is ok to dream, make some New Year’s resolutions, celebrate the seed percolating within and the hope it holds. What mountain are you climbing? What is truly worth the effort? Mercury retrograde is best used as a reflective, contemplative time. And with Mars out of bounds in Sagittarius, we need to be bold and unconventional with thinking about the ways we can put our ideas into action.

Mercury retrograde can also bring back into our lives the “ghosts of Christmas past.” People and events of time gone by might be on our minds and in our hearts. In that spirit of recollection, I want to share an amazing story about disciplined and hardworking Capricorn, about striving for a great work and the focused determination of the sign. Folks might find this post helpful when meditating upon how best to use Mercury retrograde in Capricorn this December.

A few years back, during the pandemic, I wrote about the astrology at play in the fall of 1843 when Dickens took the chance to work in solitude, very hard on a writing project, the now-famous novella, “A Christmas Carol”, AKA ‘Scrooge’. It sold out by Christmas Eve that year!

How can we best work with the sign of Capricorn in terms of evolutionary astrology, for personal growth and change in the New Year? I thought I’d post the story again. Here below is a biwheel chart showing Dickens’ natal chart (inner wheel) and the current sky at the time of publication of “A Christmas Carol” (outer wheel – set for noon).

We always start with the Sun, Moon and Ascendant; Aquarius, Sagittarius and Virgo, respectively, for Mr. Dickens. But let’s focus upon the events occurring here.

Between October and December of 1843, when Dickens produced “A Christmas Carol,” he threw himself into an intensive writing period of several weeks. Saturn, the great “task master,” was very strong in the sign of Capricorn then. During the 6-week period, the planet formed an exact conjunction with Charles Dickens’ natal Mercury on his 5th House cusp, house of creative expression, Mercury the writer. Faster moving Mars, out of bounds, came through as well by conjunction, helping Dickens to focus his will and put into action creatively his ideas about moral and social reform, the higher octave of Capricorn, through an unconventional out-of-bounds voice. By the date of publication (shown in the biwheel chart), Mars had moved on into Pisces.

When the book sold the days before Christmas that same year, Venus by transit joined Saturn in the sky, again meeting Dickens’ natal Mercury. His Capricorn Saturnine creative endeavor was well received! Jupiter and Neptune in Aquarius were also exactly in conjunction with his natal Sun, also in his 5th House, during November – the visionary writer as teacher of social justice and change.

It wasn’t an easy time for Dickens (Saturn conjunct his natal Mercury, Pluto in Aries by transit in an exact square) and he didn’t make much money despite the book’s popularity – he actually got into a legal scuffle over it - but in the long run…what a gift for all of us. It transformed our notion of Christmas for generations to come.

Most cool I think is that Neptune seems to have this impact of moving the larger collective. And there the planet was sitting on his natal Sun, his solar self. He needed a vison for his life. When we consider the nodes of the Moon, we see a karmic pattern, like something needed to be said. The south node in the sky in the fall of 1843 aligned by conjunction Dickens’ Jupiter in Gemini in his 10th House, house of mission or career. For those not familiar with astrological archetypes, Gemini, ruled by Mercury, is strongly associated with communication and writing.

I often think about what a collective impact that story had and how its legacy is so enduring. Good ol’ Ebenezer Scrooge and his encounter with the three ghosts; everyone knows the story.

Knowing your natal chart and the potential of the “current sky” is such an extraordinary and sacred tool. Now is a good season to ask yourself, what great work is dormant in me? I hope you enjoyed my story…Yuletide blessings, everyone!

PAINT A MASTERPIECE: SATURN ENTERS PISCES ON A FULL MOON IN VIRGO

Wishing everyone blessings for SATURN’S entrance into PISCES, March 7th, 2023, 5:34 am Pacific time, and the FULL MOON in Virgo just before, at 16 degrees 40’ , 4:40 am.

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Mystical Pisces is hard to capture in words.

And this Saturn time is exactly that, rendering the Divine love in our hearts real, connecting to spirit and making manifest creativity through discipline and effort. The Full Moon now quickly passes us by. It is a Virgo time to polish and fine-tune your skills through critical reflection. See what needs to unfold in you to be the talented master craftsperson you seek to be (look to see where mid-Virgo falls in your own natal chart – here you need to strive for perfection).

But the big news is Saturn’s arrival in Pisces. The ringed “task-master” will be in the sign of the fishes until February of 2026, with a brief stint in early Aries late spring and summer, 2025. This year, special focus is placed upon early degrees of Pisces. It is most helpful to consider where these degrees fall in your natal chart. What house, location, or planets does Saturn touch or aspect? Here you might ask yourself:

How have I outgrown my old ways of being?

Where do I have issues around boundaries or a tendency to escape?

Where is my creative visionary side and intuitive, psychic gifts strongest and how do I bring them to a higher spiritual plane?

Saturn can bring obstacles, challenging us to “step up to the plate,” work hard and be disciplined. To follow through on our karma, our mission, as Bob Dylan would say, “to paint our masterpiece!”

Pisces as a sign heightens our psychic sensitivity and dissolves the veil that separates us from the cosmos, the Divine, the oneness of all. Our imagination can take rein.

Those on a spiritual quest benefit by becoming the hermit, retreating and quieting the mind. A solitary practice, a spiritual alone time. Letting go and feeling our mystical side. A side always there, but so often denied to us through the busyness of our lives.

What keeps you from the stillness of meditation? Allow yourself to let go.

For the Piscean artist, perhaps a fantasy writer, a photographer, a Jazz musician, accomplished and a rising star. How do you now integrate the improvisational and intuitive elements of your craft into something more mature, more you, more concrete and real? Take your visions and soul work to a higher plane.

Taking the high road of Saturn in Pisces is to recognize where you need both boundaries and discipline to gain a more developed and mature spiritual or creative path. The low road is to feel so much you run away into states of intoxication. Be especially careful with this one.

Saturn stations retrograde at 7 degrees 13’ mid-June, stations direct early November at 0 degrees 31’. June and November will be important months for those with critical degrees, such as planets or angles, in early Pisces.   

Happy Full Moon everyone!

FULL MOON in Taurus, Total Lunar Eclipse: Time to Move on...And Walk Away from the Power Games

FULL MOON, total lunar eclipse, blessings everyone… The Moon is in Taurus, 16 degrees 01’, November 8th, 3:02 am, conjunct Uranus and lunar north node, opposing Sun, Mercury, Venus, south node all in Scorpio, and square Saturn in Aquarius, 18 degrees 49’.

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“I have seen where the wolf has slept by the silver stream
I can tell by the mark he left, you were in his dream
Ah child of countless trees
Ah child of boundless seas
What you are, and what you’re meant to be”

— Bob Weir and John Barlow

This is a complex lunar time, when sudden awareness can come in a flash. There can certainly be upsets; expect the unexpected. But the high road is to use wisdom by seeing into WHY people act the way they do, the truth behind their shadows and insecurities, rather than participating in their psychological bullshit.

Seeing below the Scorpionic watery surface helps us to heal, to see our own selves better, and to move on. It strengthens us. But the key is not to let “foolish hearts” and souls get to you. Observe it and use it instead.

The world is hurting. And this lunar eclipse comes at a time when lots of outbursts, along with stubborn, selfish acts, are evident. It makes us stronger to observe the petty power games around us. Stepping aside and disengaging brings a sense a peace and calm into our own lives.

With a Taurus Full Moon, seek what grounds you, the creature comforts that help you find peace and a sense of stability. Listen to music that soothes your soul, bake a yummy bunch of warm chocolate chip cookies, or do what the Japanese call shinrin-yoku, a little forest bathing on a favorite trail.  

If this eclipse is impacting your chart, let go of old patterns, habits of behavior that no longer serve you or us (the collective). As Mars moves retrograde in Gemini also now, be your own inner shrink, listen to the dialog in your head. Sometimes we say to ourselves “I should do this” or “I should do that” or “why doesn’t this person…blah, blah, blah” – you fill in the narrative - when in truth we benefit from a flexibility of mind. Realize things can be different. The low road is to fester in old, stuck attitudes because of fear or resistance to change.

Eclipses can usher in significant changes roughly six months before and six months after, if mid degrees of fixed signs – especially Taurus or Scorpio – are prominent in your natal chart. Look to see what houses (or angles) and what natal planets (if any) are located there. Here you need to release what is just begging to be let go…and then “up your game” with fresh perspectives and a higher manifestation. Use your will to bring it all about or, by synchronicity, it just may happen anyway. Why not be a game changer?

If we are stuck playing out the dramas and karmic habit of our past, we don’t have the creative energy we need to push us ahead, to innovate and be the kind of vanguard for change the collective needs.

Last year, in 2021, we had multiple exact squares between the planets Saturn and Uranus. This fall, the square occurred again at later degrees. This Full Moon is a big trigger of this square! Uranus in Taurus can lead to sudden upsets, when it comes to our basic resources. The last time the planet was in the sign of the bull was during the Great Depression and the Second World War. The current moment is a time to take stock of and be grateful for what we have, and reflect upon what is it we truly need, so we can support a collective shift to create a more sustainable future. The sad reality is too many people are resistant to change, fear what they can’t control.

Think about all you already processed last year under these squares. Who is the genuine, authentic you? Move ahead and don’t look back.

If the skies are clear and you find yourself awake very early morn’, the eclipse will be visible in North America, as well as in Asia and Australia and across the Pacific. Enjoy! Try to ride the wave…we are all in this together.

Jupiter in Aries! Courage and Passion!

We all know fear, but passion makes us fearless

- Paulo Coelho

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Wishing everyone a really beautiful passage of Jupiter through Aries!

I watched the film, Cyrano, with Peter Dinklage and Haley Bennett last night. Such a romantic film. One of the overarching themes of the movie is how pride and fear can get in the way of us acting boldly and following our heart. With this combination of astrological archetypes, there may be too much pride, too much ego on the table…People may jump into action too quickly!

But I think the universe wishes for us to act, and to act bravely. Why let fear get in the way? It may not always work, but let’s face it; taking a risk is the only way to make the right door open…

Now is a good time to look and see where the fiery sign of the ram falls in your natal chart. Here you need to have courage and a willingness to take a chance. Trust yourself and act with passion and gusto! Some part of your world may need defending and some self-initiative may help.

This year Jupiter will be in Aries from May 10th until late October when the planet briefly returns to Pisces until December 20th. Then Jupiter continues in Aries until mid-May, 2023. I hope we enjoy!

Full Moon Eclipse in Taurus: Shifts in Washington DC, Hope for Our Planet

Full Moon and Partial Lunar Eclipse in Taurus, 27°14’, 12:57 AM, PST, November 19th, 2021

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“Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile.”

— Thich Nhat Hanh

HAPPY FULL MOON ECLIPSE in Taurus everyone! The Moon is at 27°14’ in the sign of the Bull very early morning, Friday, November 19th at 12:57 am Pacific time. If your life has been as crazy as mine, you know how important it is to take time for a deep breath, a sigh, relax and create some creature comfort. Find a way to calm down. The Full Moon in Taurus is about taking bubble baths, having a good meal, and enjoying the pleasures of life. I know for myself, a few days ago, I said “I’m going to take some time for me. I’m going to be still, breathe, drink a big glass of water, empty the chaos, before I go back to work.” Claim that part of Taurus now. And be patient, too, with others. Tension is high this month.

But under this Full Moon, there is a lot more on the plate that is worthy of consideration. It’s a partial lunar eclipse – and a very long one! - so it will bring about potential major changes for people directly impacted by the degree or by orb, roughly 24° Taurus to 1° Gemini. Look to see where late Taurus falls in your birthchart. U.S. President Joe Biden’s birthday is November 20th, so this solar return will be especially impactful for him in the months ahead, and undoubtedly for America as well, as the eclipse opposes his Natal Sun. Upsets, changes and power plays may challenge the President’s very solar self. I am hoping the difficulties may bring much needed changes to repair and heal our way of life and our relationship to our ailing planet.  

This is an intense Full Moon, playing into the current tension of Mars, very powerful now in Scorpio, and Uranus in Taurus in an opposition this past week. The partial lunar eclipse falls in the context of the ongoing square occurring throughout the year between Saturn and Uranus, making its final exact square right before Christmas. All of this cosmic stew is trying to put into action what needs to change in our Aquarian age.

 Mercury in Scorpio is also contributing its voice. Two forms of the Taurus/Scorpio polarity are at play now; one an old style, conservative, stubborn “lizard brain” mentality of being arrogant and fixed in one’s attitudes. Add some Mars in Scorpio to the mix and you see potential aggression. Just think about the recent events we see in Congress: a posted video so appalling in content it shocks our soul to the core. So much of this is about survival, about fighting, about dominance, about claiming what we think is ours. Such power struggles are the low road of Mars, with the intensity of Scorpio energy. The Sun, Mercury and Mars are all in the sign of the scorpion.

Mars

Then there is another manifestation of both Taurus and Scorpio now. One that wishes to transform humanity, Scorpio, and our values, to help save our planet, to make a difference. Some of the recent actions at the Glasgow Climate Change Conference come to mind. A higher state of consciousness, perhaps, where we recognize the connections we all share, our shared humanity, our deep bonds to our mother Earth. To be Earth-centered, to be Taurus. Body-centered, Taurus. To help heal our natural way of being. Not exploitation for pure profit. Haven’t we had enough already?

Ah, time for that bubble bath. Here’s to this Full Moon Eclipse…Many blessings everyone!

Full Moon Eclipse in Sagittarius: Sir Anthony Hopkins and the Wisdom to See Life's Full Journey

Full Moon and Total Lunar Eclipse, Sagittarius 5˚25’, 4:13 am PDT, May 26th, 2021.

“I love life because what more is there?”

— Sir Anthony Hopkins

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HAPPY FULL MOON IN SAGITTARIUS… happy total lunar eclipse everyone…happening at 4:13 am early morning, May 26th PDT. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the great actor, Sir Anthony Hopkins, in part because I was so moved by his stellar academy award-winning performance in the recent film, The Father. I hope when I reach my Uranus Return, when I am in my early 80s (when Uranus by transit returns to its natal position in the birthchart), like this year for Anthony Hopkins, that I could have the radical and honest wisdom he conveys on the silver screen. I am in awe at how he manages to reveal human frailty, through the process of aging. How interesting that he is also now approaching his Pluto opposition, an event we won’t all get to experience in this lifetime. I hope he does.

This eclipse conjuncts Sir Anthony’s north node of the Moon, at 4˚14’ in his natal chart, 10th house, house of career or public mission. The chart I post is a bi-wheel of Hopkin’s birthchart in the center, and then the current Full Moon eclipse chart in the outer circle. The north node is what our soul strives for in this lifetime, but it can be elusive and difficult to reach. His natal Moon is at 24˚ Sagittarius, 11th house, also conjunct a recent total solar eclipse degree, 23˚ Sagittarius, this past December, 2020. A Sagittarius Moon fills us with desires to reach into new realms of discovery, break into new paradigms. I so admire Anthony Hopkin’s willingness to venture outside of his typical movie roles, and take on such a taboo and difficult subject, like dementia and old age.

In January, 2020, when the film was released, both Saturn and Pluto were together, conjunct, on Anthony’s Capricorn ascendant; he masterfully exposed the realities of loss, decay, and death for all of us to see and to witness. The philosophical and wise spirit of his 11th house natal Sadge Moon seems to me to have touched a collective nerve; aren’t we all feeling more vulnerable now about how our minds function, our sanity, during the mental and emotional challenges of such a strangely unsettling pandemic? Sir Anthony Hopkin’s solar arcs, shown on the next posted bi-wheel chart, feature this year Chiron, the Wounded Healer, at 21˚ Virgo, conjunct his natal Neptune, planet of delusion, also 21˚ Virgo on his 8th house cusp, house of psychologically charged topics, including death and dying. Film, a visionary and Neptunian art, became a critical tool of analysis, Virgo, for Sir Anthony, serving as collective healer of a sensitive and relevant subject, the loss of our sanity, one we all so feel and need to process now.

Solar Arcs in outer circle - Note Chiron conjunct natal Neptune, 8th house cusp

Did Sir Anthony Hopkins address his Sagittarius north node?

Hoping this Full Moon eclipse, wherever it may fall in your birthchart, moves your heart to expand your vision, your Sagittarian horizons. Maybe now is a good lunar time to open to new ways of viewing and processing life’s complex journey, and, who knows, maybe through a little evolutionary astrology…wishing you all the best!

Saraswati: Divine Wisdom, a February New Moon and an Aquarius Stellium

NEW MOON in AQUARIUS, the sign of the water bearer, at 23˚17’, on Thursday, February 11th at 11:05 am PST. Jupiter and Venus form a conjunction at 12˚ Aquarius, along with Saturn, Mercury retrograde, and Pallas Athena, also all in the same air sign.

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“Why do you stay in prison when the door is so wide open?”

“Dance when you’re perfectly free.”

— Rumi

In India, every year around this time of February, according to the Hindu calendar, people honor Saraswati. Here is the goddess on her chariot, her white swan, in an Indian miniature painting. She is a river goddess, and, a little like Pallas Athena, she embodies Divine wisdom. I am not from India nor do I claim to know much about such a rich and vibrant culture. But, for me, Saraswati seems to embody what we need under this Aquarian New Moon at the moment – with all the planetary energy in the air sign. I thought, well, why not share about her, what she manifests… Learning and wisdom, music, art and speech.

In the kind of astrology I practice, evolutionary astrology, we try to see such moments as an opportunity to grow and expand in consciousness, to find a part of ourselves we need to claim – how to take Saturn’s obstacles, hardships, and challenges, and make them rocket fuel, to make ourselves stronger, under Jupiter, to learn and to gain wisdom. Mercury retrograde, to ponder all of it, and Venus to seek understanding in the dance we do with others.

Ask where do all these transiting planets fall in my natal chart? What part of myself am I wrestling with now, where am I seeking to be free, to be uniquely me, to be the revolutionary genius I was born to be, and where, too, might I feel blockage? Am I fighting from seeing opportunities that are available to me? And that I can manifest for my own personal journey?

It helps to turn to the goddess Saraswati. Try to ask for a little bit of her wisdom – make it my wisdom of the moment. Listen to the cosmic music and dance. Somewhere in our life - look to the house location of Aquarius in your own birth chart - we have to want to try, to take a chance. And when things do fail, take it as a teaching, insight into how we can mature into who we are becoming.

I keep thinking about my friends I know born in early February, 1962, when seven planets came together in Aquarius. The planetary lineup resembled now, in 2021, except that Mars was also in Aquarius that month in ‘62. This year, these folks are going through their second “Saturn Return,” when Saturn returns to the same position in the zodiac the planet was when they were born. Think Saturn in Aquarius in transit now hitting each one, each planet, in their natal stellium. With Saturn, there is some challenge, some hardship, some inevitable limitations. Meanwhile, a door of opportunity for them, Jupiter, is present, too, but they have to step through it. How difficult that must be. To claim a leadership role in your life, to become the elder. In 2021, we have also the current transits of Mars and Uranus in Taurus, in a square to the celestial lineup in Aquarius: To know that maybe you have to leave some things behind to be authentically you. We so often define ourselves around what others need or what others consider is success, even when it really isn’t our legacy, our path…how tough that must be to process now.

Imagine having a Saturn Return with all this energy in Aquarius – air sign of the genius, the humanitarian, the one who breaks free from the status quo. And with Jupiter and Venus together in the sky now, opportunity is there to open our hearts and make the most of our lives together.

Maybe we all need to ask: What path do I truly seek to be authentic? Maybe plant an intention for the New Moon…Wishing everyone the best!

Jupiter in Aquarius: Charles Dickens, Scrooge and a Christmas Transit in 1843

““Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, benevolence, were all my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!” ”

— Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

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Jupiter in Aquarius, 5:07 am, PST, December 19th, 2020 - May 13th, 2021, July 29th - December 28th, 2021.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, or happy holidays, to everyone!! Every year I watch ‘A Christmas Carol’, AKA ‘Scrooge,’ one of the many versions, on the night of Christmas Eve. I haven’t decided which one I want to watch tonight…

I was thinking how funny that Jupiter is now in Aquarius this year, just like it was during the months of extensive writing Charles Dickens did the fall of 1843. He published that famous novella that December. It sold out by Christmas Eve that year!

Last year, I shared the amazing story of the astrology at play when Dickens took the chance to work so hard on the book. It speaks a lot about Saturn and Jupiter. Given the planets are together now in the sky, I can’t help but ask, how can one best work with them in terms of evolutionary astrology, for personal growth and change in the New Year? I thought I’d post the story again:

Between October and December in 1843, when Dickens produced ‘A Christmas Carol,’ he threw himself into an intensive writing period of several weeks. Saturn happened to be in the sign Capricorn (like the planet was this past fall, 2020). During the 6-week period, the planet formed an exact conjunction with Charles Dickens’ natal Mercury on his 5th House cusp, house of creative expression, Mercury the writer. Faster moving Mars came through as well by conjunction, helping Dickens to focus his will and put into action creatively his ideas about moral and social reform, the higher octave of Capricorn.

Charles Dickens’ birthchart, A-rated

Charles Dickens

When the book sold the days before Christmas that same year, Venus by transit joined Saturn in the sky, again meeting Dicken’s natal Mercury. Jupiter and Neptune in Aquarius were also exactly in conjunction with his natal Sun, also in his 5th House, during November – the visionary writer as teacher of social justice and change.

It wasn’t an easy time for Dickens (Saturn conjunct his natal Mercury, Pluto in Aries by transit in an exact square) and he didn’t make much money despite the book’s popularity – he actually got into a legal scuffle over it - but in the long run…what a gift.

Set for noon. Note: This chart comes at the end of weeks of writing by Dickens and some of the transits mentioned above had passed.

Most cool I think is that Neptune seems to have this impact of moving the larger collective. And there the planet was sitting on his natal Sun, his solar self. When we consider the nodes of the Moon, we see a karmic pattern, like something needed to be said. The south node in the sky in the fall of 1843 exactly aligned by conjunction Dickens’ Jupiter in Gemini in his 10th House.

I often think about what a collective impact that story had and how its legacy is so enduring. Good ol’ Ebenezer Scrooge and his encounter with the three ghosts; everyone knows the story. Maybe now is the time for all of us to take such a chance, create a collective Aquarian change for the common good.  

This coming year, in 2021, Jupiter, with its 12-year orbit, will spend about one year, off and on, in the sign. In May, the planet briefly enters Pisces, returning under retrograde motion to Aquarius by the end of July, finally leaving Aquarius all together the end of December, 2021. Most people are a little familiar with the concept of retrograde motion, when a planet appears to move backward in the sky (most widely known today by the popularity, or lack thereof, of Mercury retrograde).

Because of this phenomenon, some people will experience the Jupiter transit through Aquarius impacting key areas of their chart more than once, and possibly more deeply, and with more opportunity to learn, through the transit later this coming year. Check to see where late degrees of the sign Aquarius, 22˚ and after, fall in your birthchart.

Those born under the sign Aquarius in late January and the start of February, or those who have planets in early or the middle of Aquarius, need to take advantage of this January, because it is one shot deal. Jupiter will have a strong punch for a brief period then and move on after. This is made especially so, because of Saturn present close by in Aquarius, and the planets will form a square to Uranus in Taurus, Saturn by February.

Saturn and Jupiter as seen through the Hubble Telescope, December, 2020

Some may want to check their own birthchart and be like Dickens next month. Dive in, do it, have faith and try hard. With the right intention, what do you have to lose? Effort can be a struggle, but always worth a try… 

Wishing the best for everyone in 2021 and many blessings for Jupiter’s passage through Aquarius!

December's Total Solar Eclipse: Reach for the Stars, Open Your Heart

HAPPY NEW MOON to you! A Total Solar ECLIPSE IN SAGITTARIUS, at 23˚08’, on Monday, December 14th, at 8:16 am PST.

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The Maya have a glyph they use to represent “divination” – the practice of trying to see God and God’s works. It looks like a hand clutching a fish. If you think about it, it works pretty well. One can’t quite grasp “God” (with a capital “G”) like a slippery fish; the more your claim you have God in your understanding, the more God slips away.

Mayan glyph for “eclipse,” note serpent swallowing the Sun

The sign Sagittarius is like that. If you freeze your mind, close your fist and your heart, in your self-righteousness and arrogance, you’ll only feel a little bit of that fish and it will escape you. You’ll limit your world and what your soul can do. But if you cradle that fish, and let it breathe, you can reach into higher realms of understanding. You can seek adventure and find what lies beyond. Expand into Divination with a capital “D”. Or at least experience life in a fuller, more multifaceted way.

Now Sagittarius doesn’t always signify the desire to seek higher knowledge, wisdom and God. And the sign Pisces may more adequately reflect mystical arts, such as divination. There’s a wonderfully exuberant, festive, fun-loving and fiery side of Sagittarius, too. Jupiter, of course, rules the sign! But being held up in your own overly confident ego, attitudes and beliefs, refusing to accept alternative possibilities, is like clutching the fish to hard.

Take Donald Trump, born on a lunar eclipse, his Moon at 21˚ Sagittarius. The current total solar eclipse is conjunct the out-going President’s natal Moon, within two degrees. Most folks know about the ancient Mesopotamian use of the eclipse as a sign of “the fall of a king.” Donald, do us all a favor and let go of the fish.

IMHO, to seize opportunity, to embody the centaur archer’s faith, you need to have more than a fiery gumption; you need flexibility of spirit, mind and heart.

Look to see where this New Moon eclipse falls in your own birthchart. Here you might see a hand and a fish. Have wisdom enough to soften your hand, have confidence in what you can do, but also open your heart and your mind, and try to see things differently. Shoot an arrow to the stars, learn a new dance, experience a different way of being, and try to see a little further.

A total solar eclipse is most noticeable as a time of growth and change when it hits a key degree or location in your birthchart. Watch roughly six months before and six months after. 

Wishing you the best!

October: So Much to Take On, To Process, We Need of a Little Peace and Calm

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“One does not become enlightened by imaging figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious”

— Carl Jung

“You know it’s gonna get stranger...so let’s get on with the show ”

— John Barlow and Bob Weir

This is my first day back to the writing desk since the terrible CZU fire hit our local community and forest. I wish, with all my heart, that everyone receives the grace and hope they need to face the ongoing challenges, and to have the strength and optimism to rebuild anew in this trying time!

October begins with a Harvest Full Moon in Aries, 9˚08’at 2:05 PM, on the 1st. Most notable is the conjunction the Moon makes with Chiron, the “wounded healer,” at 7˚04’ Aries, retrograde. Chiron, a minor planet, also called a ‘centaur object,’ orbits between Saturn and Uranus, occasionally moving inside Saturn's orbit and at other times getting a little farther out in space than where Uranus lies when the planet is as close to the Sun as it can get. Now with Chiron in Aries, we are collectively wrestling with who we are authentically and how do we define our individual rights and roles within the larger collective, a larger humanity attempting to shift in consciousness.

Most, I believe, want to build a better sustainable culture and save our planet. With Chiron now located close to Uranus and away from conservative, patriarchal Saturn, we have a chance to finally heal and create revolution.

Chiron by transit (moving in the current sky) is in early Aries throughout 2020, and when combined, as in this case, with a Full Moon, we are asked to bring to fruition some self-awareness of where we need to take the initiative, assert our own power and claim our own needs. Most importantly, we need to have courage, be willing to take a risk and be the warrior. Look to see where roughly 5˚ to 11˚ Aries falls in your birthchart.

Meanwhile, Venus moves into Virgo beginning on the afternoon of October 2nd . Key is not to be too overly critical of ourselves, as well as our relationships with others and the part we play in those relationships. We may continually raise the bar to perfect our work to ever higher standards. Building upon the New Moon in Virgo back in mid-September, now is the time to push ourselves with our partners to make our projects and dreams solid and real.

Mars continues to move retrograde in late Aries, conjunct Eris, planet of discord, at 24˚. Mars is in a tight square again to Saturn and Pluto, loosely to Jupiter. This square follows an initial square, made back in the third week of August, to Saturn, when Mars was moving direct. We all remember how difficult late August was.  The planet has been in orb (close in degree) from mid-August and this lasts through mid- October, so we face a rough time in general, with tension and conflict in the air.

On October 9th, retrograde Mars in Aries will form an exact square to Pluto in Capricorn (second exact square of three – first was mid-August, last will be in late December, 2020). When the Sun opposes Mars, October 13th, the planet will also be closest to the Earth and fun to find in the night sky as Mars will appear big, bright and red.

The fiery red planet represents our will, our abilities to take action and to protect and fight. In Aries, it is a call for us to have courage, assert our rights and make sure our needs are respected and heard. Mars won’t go direct until November 13th, after the Presidential election.

This is also a powerful time to reflect upon the subconscious ways we behave. These ways may become more visible, bubble to surface of our consciousness and offer us insight. On a personal level, we need patience. Power struggles or frustration may be the result of what we are trying to bring up – can I say bodily expel? - in order to face the shadow, let go and move on.

Why is it we react the way we do? What really is behind the anger, the resentment, the fear? And what about the principles we hold true? Are they more about the expectations we have, our childhood or karmic wounds, or are they truly worth a fight?

October 13th, Mercury stations and turns retrograde at 11˚40’ Scorpio at 6:04 PM PDT, moving retrograde until November 3rd. More of the same Scorpionic themes of what needs to be dredged up, processed and purged will involve turning inward and reflecting upon our darkest shadows.

October 16th is a New Moon in Libra, 12:31 PM  23˚54’, just a few hours after the Moon first opposes Mars, then squares Pluto. Just after the New Moon, the Moon forms a square to Saturn. Mid-month is a perfect time to reassess how we bring beauty, art, music, pleasure and balance into our lives as we restructure our almost post-Covid reality. What relationships bring me calm, relaxation and the peace of mind I need?

In orb throughout October, Jupiter in Capricorn forms a sextile to Neptune, retrograde, in Pisces, 18˚45’exact very early morning on October 12th. This sextile is a time to reimagine where we might go, how to make a new beginning. A rare moment to dream and seek a vision!

Jupiter in a sextile to Neptune. Time to Dream.

By month’s end, early evening of October 27th, Mercury, still retrograde, and Venus both enter Libra, again stressing the harmony and peace we desire at the New Moon. Then, on the weekend of El Dia de Los Muertos, on Halloween itself, another Full Moon, early morning, 7:49 am in Taurus 8˚38’, will tightly conjunct Uranus. There may be some sudden upsets in what we thought we were building, what we thought we held dear! Expect yet another upheaval. Perhaps best to see this time as a reconnection to what we really need to feel secure, stable, and at peace with ourselves and our world.

Wishing everyone a GREAT Halloween!

Halloween Full Moon in Taurus conjunct Uranus