From Water to Fire: Feisty to Fearless.

                            

November is typically a feisty month.   This month is no exception.  However, after the rock ‘em sock ‘em ride of October with Mercury retrograde and its double eclipses, November 2015 will feel relatively calm.

To be clear, this month has the characteristic Scorpio intensity.  You will feel the bite.  Never one to lay low, lay back and refrain from sharing its opinion, Scorpio pushes us to dig into our core to find new, better methods of responding to people and life. 

What was initiated on the New Moon eclipse last October 23^rd, continues into November.  The first week of the month the Moon’s North Node (what calls our name to pull us forward) pairs with Messenger Mercury in Libra.  You will be heard just as others will make their voices heard.  This duo happily aligns with Giant Jupiter in Leo.  After October’s seemingly endless deliberations and negotiations, the time has come to decide, act decisively, choose sides.  Think creatively and speak your truth.   

Just as the people will surely speak on November 4, when, under a heavily waxing Moon, the United States holds mid-term elections.  Not for the faint of heart or those who prefer the status quo, this election has something to say.  And LOUDLY.  With Messenger Mercury still bound to the lunar North Node in Libra, equilibrium, balance, fairness and justice are key notes of this election cycle.  It is the voters' turn to speak.  This election, they are sending an unmistakable message.  They are sick and tired of the stagnation and quagmire in Washington DC.  What is wrong in Congress and our government must be righted, say the people.  With Venus (women) at a highly attention-getting degree and wedged between the Sun (our Will) and Saturn (our Responsibility) all in power packed Scorpio, Warrior Women take center stage.  It is their spotlight moment to make their mark with an indelible stamp.   I am woman hear me ROAR! 

Not only is our will and sense of responsibility aligned to create change, motivating Mars and transformer Pluto conjoined in Capricorn (government) further incite voters as this pair squares off with the Moon (homeland) and radical Uranus (surprise!).  Ready for a little Congressional upheaval?   This is it.   The upset of GOP darling Eric Cantor who lost in the primary is just a taste of what the November 4^th election has in store.  Watch for shake ups, shake downs and radical shifts.  Prepare for major upsets, the loss of long-held seats and stunned silence.   Out with the old, useless, blockheaded establishment and in with the new challengers.  Make way for the possible.  Does it make you feel uncomfortable?   Think of it like a giant change in air mass.  More than just a breath of fresh air, an entire continental front rolls in.  Stale, hot, stifling air switched for invigorating, delicious, energizing winds.  It is a pivotal moment in our nation’s history.  There is no more time to dawdle.  Dare we lead?

The election occurs only two days before a Full Moon on November 6^th.  Voters catch the waxing tide which strengthens their message that much more.  Individually and collectively, Full Moons bring to fruition and culmination what has been building energetically.   What is coming to the forefront of your life asking you to pay attention?  The Moon and Sun oppose each other in super strong degrees of Taurus and Scorpio.  These are the money signs of the zodiac, one personal and the other collective, or shared.  The Moon is exalted in the earthy sign of Taurus making tremendous nurturing energy available.  Take advantage!  Taurus is about personal property, our money, inner resources, in short:  our values.  The Full Moon asks what do you value?  Earthy Taurus also asks how we treat ourselves and especially our earth, the environment around us.  On the opposite end of the spectrum, Venus (love and money) and Responsible Saturn are tied to the Sun in Scorpio at Full Moon time.  Scorpio rules desire.  Values.  Desire.  Values. Desire.  Are yours in balance? 

Are your values and desires limited to possessions, what you can touch, own, hoard…OR, is there something missing, something more to life that you desire?  A lot more?  Perhaps relationships, connection with Mother Earth, yourself, to be valued, nurtured, taken care of and repaired so one may adequately be shared with a harmonious give-and-take?  On a personal level, what do you possess that is being called forth to share for the greater (and your own) good?  This Full Moon is hardly shy.  Its bright light calls us out from our shadows where we’ve been hiding.  You have talents, resources, hidden or not, that the world needs now.   Say yes.  Agree to share all you have and all you are with those who will benefit from your knowledge and power.  Yes you.  Powerful you.  Let others draw light from you.

We won’t have much choice by November 10^th when Mars joins Pluto in practical Capricorn.  Both challenge radical Uranus and oppose the Moon, our emotions.  Strong stuff this.  Look for dramatic or sudden shifts in family circumstances, dynamics, landscapes and politics.  Yes, you read correctly:  family politics.  Our family of origin is the first place we learn the rules of politics, or, how to get along and how to get attention.   Each family member has an agenda.  The baby cries to be fed, the older children learn to juggle homework, peer pressure and activities while the parents balance work, paying bills and quality time with their children.  Each member vies for attention, to be heard.  To get their needs met.

The planetary combination on the 10^th indicates change on the family front.  Property, inheritance, MOM, female family members, caretakers, food all come into play now. Babies arrive, creating parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins for the first time.  Elders pass away causing siblings to take stands, switching sides, alliances over estate or property concerns.   It is the kind of cosmic signature where the cousin you hardly spoke to leaves you an inheritance.  Or a child.  What will you do? How will you respond?  Share the windfall of good fortune?  Adopt and nurture the child? 

 With the Moon tied to the asteroid Hygeia (health) as part of this configuration, look for physical, emotional and psychological shifts.  The health of your mom, how your family is cared for, how and what you feed your family, yourself (the most basic form of nurturing).  Dysfunctional systems and patterns will breakdown.   Sometimes things have to fall apart before they can fall together is a catch phrase of this period.  Uranus, the Great Awakener, breaks apart what is broken in our lives.  Once broken open, the Light shines in to make way for new, functional, and healthy patterns of being. 

An extreme example of how Uranus can suddenly strike is the recent case of a Massachusetts mother of four children, two of whom she kept secret, as in, no one knew about them, hiding the youngest even from her own live-in partner.   They were only discovered when the continual cries of the five month old baby alerted neighbors who called the police.  In the house, they found utter squalor beyond description, the two youngest children in profound states of neglect among filth and debris.  All four children were removed and the house demolished.  Through the cries of a child, Uranus broke open an untenable situation.  Complete chaos and upheaval in the short term, yes; but the possibility for health and healing in the long run for sure.

While events in your own life will hardly be so dramatic or dire, shifts nonetheless abound to clear the path you are to walk.  Just in time for Neptune to turn direct motion on November 16^th.  Soft and subtle especially in its own sign of Pisces, Neptune washes away the debris.  Cleans, bathes and soothes.  She invites us to dream a little dream while we soak in her warm waters.  The same day, Venus moves into Sagittarius stirring our interest in adventure, spirituality, education and travel.  This is a great time to take a class, plan a trip, travel, learn what you never thought you could (but what you always wanted to!), discover new parts of the world, of yourself…

Inspiring us to greater heights of discovery and adventure, Venus is tightly bound to the Sun and New Moon on the 22nd, all in Sagittarius.  Not only are we enticed to travel now, we’re assured our adventures will be most fortunate.  By the last week of the month, Mercury joins Saturn in Scorpio to challenge Giant Jupiter.  Create.  Go BIG.  Grand says Jupiter in Leo.  Saturn-Mercury in Scorpio can be testy, cranky, throwing water on Jupiter’s fire.  Watch the bank account this duo warns.  Be careful not to throw your heart away on someone who won’t love you back.  Yet with Venus (love and money) happily aligning with radical Uranus and the lunar South Node, shared resources of any kind, major gifts or investments, large stock market shifts in either direction, significant risk taking, gambling, are all in the mix.  It is truly a moment in time:  ALL IN, all or nothing at all.

Fortunately, Mars is exalted in pragmatic and practical Capricorn which tempers our hand.  It picks apart the pieces of our prospects to help us make a calculated risk, educated guess, practical bet, estimated and measured venture.  Live with no regrets.  The most common deathbed regret is the chance not taken.  Be sure to seize your chance now.  Break through and say I love you to the one you never thought you could.  Take out that loan to start your new business.  Trying is something you will never say you wish you had done.  The final days of the month, Mercury joins the Sun and Venus in Seeking Sagittarius.  As we enter the Season of Light, seek the truth in another’s reflection.  Seek as much from yourself as from loved ones.  Each of us is a multifaceted complex little world unto our own.  What I am, so are you.

Come on people now, smile on your brother, everybody get together, try to love one another right now.

We barely step foot into October when Messenger Mercury turns retrograde motion on Saturday the 4th.   The last week of September we already felt the effects of communications snafus, slower-than-usual responses, technical glitches.  And travel, yes indeed, travel mishaps are occurring too such as the recent Chicago airport debacle which continues to set back airlines.  Since Mercury is in retrograde motion for most this month, please Remember all of the Re words:  review, restore, relax, read, renew, etc.

October usually brings a focus on all things Libra with the Sun directing our will in this sign of the scales.  Balance.  This year with the lunar North Node cycling through Libra, October pulls our focus that much stronger toward these arenas:  relationships, art, peace, beauty, diplomacy, harmony, negotiation.   In short:  getting along.  Come on people now, smile on your brother...

Years, perhaps centuries, in the making, Arab countries divided along Sunni and Shiite lines are now drawn into a common alliance along with really strange bedfellows:  Iran and the United States, to destroy a common enemy, ISIL.  Such is the effect of Libra.  With Messenger Mercury gradually backing into a tight formation with the lunar North Node for the balance of October, we are individually and collectively invited to turn negative emotions into healing energy, find the positive balance in the equation by releasing anger, resentment, guilt, or other feelings that do not serve you, your neighbor, or loved ones.  Helping, perhaps forcing, out the negative vibrations is Radical Uranus as it conjoins the lunar South Node in Aries.  This forms the point of polarity to the Libra North Node and a powerful one at that.  With intention, you can harness its strength to shed whatever holds you back.

Softer but equally agile support also comes to our aid when Venus, ruler of Libra and planet of love and money, conjoins the Sun, our Will, for most of October.  At its best in its home sign Libra, Venus fosters peace and tranquility to open the way for dialogue and eventually understanding.  The Beatle's John Lennon was a Libra.  His song Imagine paints images of peace, understanding, getting along...

Imagine all the people, living life in peace...  

Libra is the sign of the artist.  As John Lennon or any artist will tell you, the hardest part of their job is objectivity.  To stand back at a distance from their creation, separate yourself emotionally and evaluate, weigh (think Libra scales) our work, our lives, our families, our contribution and effect on all of it.  Emotional detachment is where Libra shines.  Detaching doesn't mean you do not care.  Libra cares passionately.  So much so it is willing to let go if need be so that the creation, situation, other person may find a life of its own, pursue the life, meaning and purpose, it is meant to have.  Now that is maturity.

Therein lies the trap for Libra:  peace at any price.  The willingness to sacrifice their own happiness so the other may do as they please.  So as the Sun, Venus, Mercury and the North Node all converge in Libra this month, a word of caution.  All of the weighing, evaluating and consideration leads to a great deal of fence-sitting.  Inevitably, we are called to make a decision.  To choose.  Sitting up there on that fence post looking at how green the grass is on either side, Libra can hesitate interminably from making up its mind.  Choose we must though.  How to proceed, get on in our world.

First, a tall dose of patience is in order.  The time to act, make a decision, choose, will arrive soon enough. And if ever there was an October to harness Libra's talent to weigh and evaluate, this month is it.  Because until the last week of October (after the 25th) there is a cosmic mine field to navigate. In our harried and hurried 24-7, 365 world, we are now offered a chance to slow down.  Take a nice, long, thorough and objective look, to study of all the facts, impacts, details swirling around us.  If you can hold off, continue to weigh decisions and choices, delay signing contracts until the last week of the month, do it.  Here's the celestial scoop why:

On the 4th, not only does Mercury turn retrograde but the Sun directly challenges both transformer Pluto and the radical Uranus/South Node pair.  With all but Mercury in cardinal or catalytic signs, you may very well feel forced, blasted, to act or choose.  Libra (Sun-Venus-North Node), Capricorn (Pluto) and Uranus-South Node (Aries) do not like to sit still.  Only days after this stressful configuration, the first of two eclipses occurs on Wednesday, October 8th, a total full moon lunar eclipse.  As a reminder, eclipses serve as markers of time, opportunity and chapters of our lives.  Since the Moon is wedged tightly between unpredictable Uranus and the South node opposite the Sun-North Node, any Cancer the Crab concerns strongly come into play.  Look for shifts in relationships regarding family matters, children, parents, siblings, or house/home, food/cooking, family property, inheritance issues.  These may be sudden, abrupt or catch you off guard.

Again, under Mercury's retrograde motion, if you can review these sectors rather than acting immediately, think about and process information, time really is on your side this month.   This lunar eclipse has significantly helpful aspects.  Both Mars and Jupiter form incredibly beneficial angles to the Uranus-Moon-South Node, known as a grand fire trine.   If an eclipse could be called creative, this one is it.  With Uranus-Moon in the mix, breakthroughs will occur.  These include but are not limited to emotional and family relationship breakthroughs. Ideas in science and art POP. Puzzles solve. Think, believe:  Creativity unleashed.  Channel and release it!  Mercury and Neptune also align beautifully bringing clarity and pristine insights.  This eclipse has enormous Eureka! potential.  How exciting.

So dive right in as Motivating Mars in Sagittarius pushes us out of our comfort zones to educate ourselves, expand, broaden and stretch our horizons; take a philosophical approach. Meanwhile Jupiter in playful Leo suggests trying different and alternative angles to same-old-same-old situations.  Allow opportunity. Walk through doors, chances opening up to you.  Try different flavors and methods.  Step out of yourself.   Hear the rah-rah-rah cheerleader of the grand fire trine, its infectious enthusiasm enticing us to make play out of our work, to have fun.  You can do this.  Yes you can! Rah-Rah-Rah!  Fun and play go hand in glove with the vibe of Mercury retrograde:  Re-lax.   All that artful Libra energy encourages us to stroll through a gallery and see what current artists are creating.  Invite the new to inspire your world.    This is an excellent time to take a vacation if you already have one scheduled, OR, to plan a stellar get away in the future.  Make like Mercury Retrograde and Re-search. Do your homework.  Design the ultimate itinerary.  After October 25th, go ahead and purchase the tickets.

Partaking in research, relaxation and restoration/renewal is about as active as we'll want to be around mid-month.  Yes, life must go on, with work to be done and bills to be paid.  But the window between eclipses is, let's just say, a notoriously infamous dead zone.  The giant black hole of cosmic activity where energy spent, tasks to accomplish, etc, fall into an endless, irretrievable void.  With Mercury now backing into Libra for the rest of October, slowly pairing with the North Node, Sun and Venus, weigh, evaluate, objectively study decisions and choices to be made.  Libra is about justice, equilibrium, what is fair.  In mid-October, consider:  are you receiving a fair shake?  Getting your fair lot in life?  Are you treating others fairly? Giving them the benefit of the doubt?

As decision time draws nigh, remember, there really is no wrong decision.  When deciding, be sure to take yourself into account.  Libra is famous for extreme people pleasing; thinking of the other, the "I like it if you like it" mentality.  Just remember to factor you into any decision.  How will you feel with the end result? As Katharine Hepburn said, "If you always do what interests you, at least one person is pleased."  So go ahead.  Choose.  Without regret.  You will follow the path you are meant to walk, take the journey you are meant to travel.  When your decision is rooted in love and compassion, for yourself as much as others, you can't go awry.  Hear that brotherly love echo of John Lennon...?

Imagine all the people, sharing all the world...

Then, on the 23rd, the veil lifts.   Like fireworks going off one after another, planetary shifts mark the time for action, kicked off by the New Moon solar eclipse in Libra on the 23rd.   Rev your engine.  Prepare to strike, launch, make your move.    The eclipse is very tightly bound with Messenger Mercury as it pauses about to turn direct motion on the 25th.  Its strength, speed and energy are strong.   Voices will be heard loud and clear now. The people, politicians, our partners make themselves known.  With its highly helpful angle to Jupiter in unabashed Leo, expect large, loud and proud announcements.  Another voice heard from...Voices from the peanut gallery, those previously too shy to step into the spotlight now unashamedly claim their own, their right, their just due.

If you have overstepped your bounds, stepped on toes, OR, have been stepped on, over, infringed upon in some way, the Libra scales ensure what has been unaligned, out of alignment, or mal-aligned is now corrected and evened out.  The score is settled.  The slate cleaned.  Justice meted out and served.  Think: the NFL domestic violence issue...  Especially with Saturn making is final passage through heavyweight Scorpio, this time is not for the faint of heart or those looking to hide.  By the end of 2014, Saturn in Scorpio gets to the heart of the matter, righting karmic wrongs once and for all.  There is no more evasion or avoidance.

When Sun and Venus join Saturn in Scorpio on the 23rd, we will feel the sting.  Only days later, Motivating Mars enters pragmatic Capricorn on the 26th.  Here Mars drives the point home:  without integrity and honor, what else do you have?  Act responsibly, do the right thing, live honestly and honorably, says Mars (and Pluto) in Capricorn.  For without integrity and honor, our reputation, our lives, mean a whole lot less.