Back to Basics

May is rarely a quiet month.  Gardeners and outdoor workers go into overdrive; weddings and graduations multiply like rabbits, endings leading to new beginnings abound.  In recognition of this, the cosmos is accordingly calm this May, acknowledging that our plates are FULL.   There is more than enough keeping us occupied without excess planetary tricks.

What is usually a bright and beautiful month, a heaviness bears down on us as May opens.  The first few days unroll during the dark of the moon, revealing the New Moon on May 4^th.  Also underscoring the weight we carry, we enter this month in the shadow of cosmic heavy hitters Saturn and Pluto’s (karma and transformation) recent retrograde motion.  This occurred right at the end of April in coordinated turns, as though passing a baton one to another.  Pluto first, then Saturn, both spin mid cycle through ambitious Capricorn.

On surface levels, we do not feel this shift given their distance from Earth. What we gradually become aware of, however, is a turning inward, a heightened awareness, and slowing down where these two planets cycle through our chart:  more careful reflection of our responsibilities and their burden we shoulder, our future ambitions and how we tackle what we seek to accomplish, the signature, all, of Capricorn.  For everyone now, individually and collectively, we feel the sheer length of the road ahead, how far we must travel and the amount of work there is yet to do as a result of past actions or inaction.

Our plates are indeed overloaded.  The challenge is not to become mired in pessimism or unknowingly add to your burden.  If anything, our challenge this month is to enjoy life, our blessings and create play time where we can.  And we have plenty of cosmic help to do so.

First, the New Moon on May 4^th finds the Sun-Moon (our will and emotions) at a very strong degree of Taurus.  Plant baby plant what you seek to grow!   The primal earth energy, Taurus rules the money we earn, our skills and talents to draw an income, our possessions, our values and worth.  Taurus says: you get what you pay for.  And, another day, another dollar.  The New Moon is loosely flowing with Saturn-Pluto in responsible Capricorn, emphasizing where there is a will there is a way.  The gift of Taurus is perseverance, stamina, old-fashioned stick-to-it-iveness…also its challenge, a.k.a. stubbornness.  Be careful to align with the former so you don’t become stuck in ruts, situations hard to break free from, or worse, refusing to change born of pride and ego. 

Harness this strong energy to realize your desires.  The New Moon contains such fortunate alignments, lending a masterful, peak manifesting power.  So plant your handwritten wishes and goals in May’s softening spring earth or cast these in a moving body of water and watch them ripen the rest of 2019. 

Building on this two days later, Messenger Mercury shifts into Taurus joining Radical Uranus on May 6^th.  Your thoughts and mind create unusual connections, generate alternative ideas, link to just the right person for the job at hand, all of which offer incredibly practical solutions.  These will be simultaneously wildly innovative AND sleek, simple, almost rudimentary.  Applications abound, terrific for science and artistic endeavors alike.  Inventors take note.  Alternative approaches for ocean clean up, landfill management, climate cleansing, and renewable energy mechanisms and strides all come to mind.  Especially as we gradually shift into a dominance of earth energy during May.  This is Taurus:  Mother Earth combined with ingenuity.  YAY!  We need solutions desperately.

Also aiding our efforts is the lunar North Node in nurturing Cancer making a helpful angle to Neptune in Pisces.  Intuition, for those paying attention and awake:  follow it, trust your hunches, avoid doubt or second guessing.  Intuition is heart-centered.  Your heart and your core being are wired to the Truth; your higher self is also known as your higher consciousness.  What resonates and feels real?  What feels false or off center/discordant?  Allow your heart to lead, to steer.  The mind is our instrument to take direction from our intuition.  Follow the natural order of things rather than the modern model which puts mind first, rational vs. imagination and creativity.  In short, get out of your head and you will get out of your own way.

The theme of May is “getting back to the basics”.  Taurus and Capricorn are building block energy, original source material to create our lives from the ground up.  It isn’t sexy or glamorous but it does stand the test of time.  What is real, what functions well, what do you do well, what makes you feel good inside AND drives your purpose?

The challenge (because there is always a challenge) continues to be Generous Jupiter sparring with Dreamy Neptune.  Both in their own signs, these two have been at odds for a while and will be throughout most of 2019.  Neptune’s illusion rubs Jupiter’s quest for Truth the wrong way.  Jupiter seeks to learn and expand while Neptune spins distraction.  Our individual and collective work now is to discern fantasy from honesty, fiction from fact (what really is Fake News?), the way we want life to be vs. the way it actually is.  The latter struggle is the root of all suffering.  The tremendous boost of grounded, down to earth Taurus and Capricorn energy during May decisively slices through the proverbial B.S. 

A caution here:  Truth tellers are usually disliked, disavowed or disowned.  Don’t expect to be revered for speaking truth.  

On May 15^th, Venus, the ruler of Taurus, joins the Sun, Mercury and Uranus.  Relationships may take an unusual, surprising yet opportune turn.  Uranus is the Great Awakener and Venus governs love, money and relationships. Watch for:  opportunity, romance, chances given, windfalls, doors opening.    Tune into your sharpening intuition.  This is NOT a time to ignore your gut.  Say YES to propositions and figure the details out later.  A boon to the stock market this week which Venus and Taurus rules.  NICE!  May 15-17 are days to invest in anything or anyone…Especially in promising artists, innovative and entrepreneurial endeavors, home and garden, earth-related concerns, beauty of any kind.  This is Venus.  Your risk will be rewarded as we head into the Full Moon over the weekend.

The very next day, May 16^th, Motivating Mars dials into nurturing Cancer at a very prominent, attention-getting degree.  It directly challenges healer Chiron in feisty Aries, both helpfully aligning with Venus-Uranus.  The next week affords a real opportunity to heal our wounds, particularly those related to our family, home, food or mother.  We can create the private, safe space for our lives, better nurture ourselves with food, cooking, or self-care practices that we need.  From there we emerge, rise up and meet the world better. 

This applies to our nation as well. We are literally being shown the way if we just pay attention, listen and follow our higher selves.  Our inner knowing, heart directions heighten leading into the Full Moon two days later on May 18^th.   It is a Scorpio Full Moon, forming a grand water trine, a flowing grand alliance with Neptune and the lunar North Node, our directional calling.  Our spidey senses are off the charts this weekend!  Scorpio reveals ALL that is hidden.  The Moon IS our feeling/emotions, family, caring.  And this Full Moon pulls every scrap out from under the rug and shines a gigantic light on it, be they secrets, money maneuvers, motives, power plays.  No lightweight Full Moon is this for flights of fancy with SIX out of TEN planets in earth signs.  You will feel the weight of the real deal at hand and yet be grounded.  It will be hard to become untethered to reality now.  Fakers and phonies will be shown for exactly what they are while those who have done the work, their work, will be richly rewarded.

A few days later on May 21^st, both the Sun and Messenger Mercury shift into communicative Gemini.  Endlessly versatile and flexible, Gemini harnesses all of our ingenuity (Venus-Uranus) and applies it liberally to what we seek to change and grow.  For the better part of this week, our skills as wordsmith, and powers of persuasion are optimal.  Wily, unafraid to relentlessly pursue goals, undaunted by the word “NO”, Gemini Sun-Mercury finds a way to get what it wants. Mercurial by definition, Gemini energy enables us to shape shift and morph at will into who we need to be in the exact moment we find ourselves.  There is tremendous power, magic, in this duo.  Make sure you know precisely who you are and what you desire before wielding your magic wand, or making your three wishes.  Watch for those, and perhaps you, who promise more than they can deliver, or taking on far more than we can manage.

The Sun stretches higher and longer into the sky now, as daytime equal nighttime hours.  Plant all that you wish to reap.  A promising harvest awaits on the other side of our dreams.

Demo Day

This is no April Fool’s joke:  right out of the gate Motivating Mars shifts into communicative Gemini on April 1^st . Our energies are directed toward thoughts, speech and language in all forms.  Positive (self) talk is vital for the next six weeks.  Refrain from hearsay and gossip as it will wind you in the wrong directions.  Focused thought, right use of silence and carefully measured words are key this month. 

Mars in mercurial Gemini can verbally annihilate another…or promise things it knows it can’t deliver.  Make the best use of this energy by asking questions, listening rather than speaking (remember the other half of the conversation is a silent, respectful hEARing), fleshing out ideas either on paper or with a trusted friend.  Refrain from assuming you already know the answer, or dismissing suggestions out of hand, talking over/mansplaining someone else.  Practice consideration even if another isn’t.

For the first two weeks of April, the ruler of Gemini, Mercury, is still cycling through dreamy Pisces, paired tightly with Neptune.  Together they urge us to press the escape button and/or shroud our mind in obscurity unless we make concerted efforts to distill our thoughts.   Yes, this takes a bit of effort.  But those who do take the time to clarify and corral thoughts and information into comprehensible form, grasp deeper meanings, will be leaps and bounds ahead. 

Helping us to discern and decipher what puzzles us is the lunar North Node in nurturing Cancer.  Trust your gut, honor your intuition and spidey senses now.  Especially as the North Node exactly opposes Powerhouse Pluto and Taskmaster Saturn in Capricorn.  The planetary duo insists we account for the structure of our lives, the essentials necessary to function by pointing us to gut and eliminate any extraneous routines, systems, people, parts of ourselves or our lives that inhibit our full potential. 

Such scrutiny offers survival needs at a minimum, or optimal performance at best.

The Cancer North Node opposite Pluto-Saturn ultimately raises our awareness:  about self-care, and care for our family (of origin or chosen), home and house, food, end stage of life versus ambition, status, achievement.   Through stark or severe measures if needed, this troika highlights what is really of importance and significance.   Think of a house so cluttered or decaying that it requires a total gut job to make it habitable. 

This is where we are in our lives:  at the beginning of the demolition.  Parts of our lives (rooms) or the entire house demand reduction to ground zero, down to the studs to begin fresh as individuals and/or as the human collective.  While this sounds alarming, most have been moving toward this for a long time now.  Only some will experience a sudden shock.  It is all part of the natural cycle of things, occurring by no accident or coincidence, during spring time so that we may create The New from scratch.

Working harmoniously together, Gemini Mars, Radical Uranus in Taurus and healer Chiron decisively point to what needs to be healed, what resources and skills we have to harness, and how to chart a versatile and flexible course.  And this is only the beginning of April… giving us just a taste of what is to come, a warm-up if you will for the New Moon on Friday, April 5^th in fiery Aries.  We are incited to be brave, warriors, pioneers and Great Initiators.  Yes, to go where no wo/man has gone before in some cases, but for most of us, forge new paths in our lives.

Directly challenging the Lunar nodes and heavy hitters Pluto-Saturn, this New Moon is no shrinking violet.   Stand up and stand out now.  Go into battle for a cause, a belief, an idea, venture, the cause of yourself.  Hand write 3-5 goals or wishes and plant them in the earth or cast in a moving body of water.

The caution with this New Moon is creating a storm in a teacup, a problem where there is none, being a rebel without a cause.  Pluto-Saturn won’t tolerate a waste of time, energy or resources so be sure that when you take a stand, you have done your homework and have back up data.   Generous Jupiter in Sagittarius is working for us, aligning helpfully to the Sun-Moon in Aries on April 5^th, providing abundant information, facts, legal support (cosmic and earthly) lending a gigantic boost to our focused energies.

Speaking of Jupiter, it slows down to turn retrograde motion on Wednesday, April 10^th.  Along with two  other outer planets, Pluto and Saturn, turning retrograde later in April, we do not feel immediate effects similar to retrograde inner planets Mercury, Venus and Mars.   In terms of Jupiter’s retrograde, what we may notice is that resources and support may be slower to the draw for the next several months. 

Especially Jupiter in its own sign of Sagittarius, this is a good thing as we are pushed to make sure what we aim for, our wishes and goals are truly aligned with our soul.  This gives us time to be careful what we wish for, allowing divine guidance and timing to naturally unfold.  Jupiter’s retrograde is akin to a not receiving exactly what we want, only to realize later on that it is the best thing that ever happened to us.  Jupiter’s retrograde cycle hones our faith and trust.  Think delayed gratification…

Heightening this is Messenger Mercury’s challenge to Jupiter at the same time.  Fortunately, Mercury aligns with the lunar North Node in Cancer, sharpening our intuition and instincts.  Rely on your internal GPS to steer:  what feels right?   Not what others are telling you to do or that pesky loud voice of doubt in your head, but rather what you emotionally know to be valid.  Let ideas and beliefs slowly sift through you for soulful connection, to assess if these indicate the correct course. 

At mid-month, Messenger Mercury finally shifts into Aries on April 17^th finishing its very long turn through Pisces.  Joining healer Chiron directly opposite the Libra Moon, this combo aids our look at relationships, including that with ourselves, to take action and heal what must be repaired.  This effect increases toward the Full Moon on the 19^th.  Occurring at the final degree of Aries and Libra, this Full Moon emphasizes you as an individual, me, versus them, how you relate to all others, family, friends, partners, co-workers, community. 

The Full Moon is bookended by Venus’ shift into Aries on April 21^st.  The heat is on!  Impulsive, rash, Venus and Messenger Mercury in Aries refuse to take no for an answer.  They will have their day, their say and their way come hell or high water.  All your pent-up energy from this past winter and the March slog is released now:  Go, go, go.  DO.  Spring fever unfurls in a major way.  Execute now, now, now.  We are full of optimism, bouncing with life, confident and sure.  The caution with the Aries Mercury-Venus duo is racing and rushing into binding commitments.  It is a good thing we had most of March to RE-view, RE-search and RE-flect how best to move forward in our lives.  So watch what you dive into too fast.  Move forward, but move at your own pace, what, how and when that feels right for you.  Most especially, refuse to allow someone else’s urgency to push you into something you do not feel is best for you.

Rely on Aries to stand your ground.

The final week of April, 24^th-29^th, both heavy weights Pluto and Saturn turn retrograde motion.  Again, like Jupiter, these are outer planets and their retrograde cycles are longer and thus we do not feel their impact with the same immediacy.  With both planets in serious Capricorn, our individual and collective responsibility turns inward now, living with integrity, honoring what is essential and of utmost need.  The duo reminds us we must all adhere to the rules of the game.  As above, so below.  Or as Spike Lee famously said:  Do the right thing.  You know it.  You know what that is.  Be the right thing.  Live the right way now.

Of Special Note: 

Please join me at The Celebration of Reiki conference on Sunday, April 28th, 8-5, at the Newton, Massachusetts Marriott Hotel.   I will be speaking about The Volunteer Reiki Experience.  "Trials and Triumphs of Reiki Volunteering:  Why We Do It."  To register, please go to:  celebrationofreiki.org.  I look forward to seeing you there!

Marching Us into Our Shadow and Our Soul

“Misty water-colored memories” is an incredible lyric from the film The Way We Were.   The lyric and film title may very well be the theme for March 2019.  It accurately describes the emotions sifting through us now as we head into some key cosmic gear shifts.

Watery Neptune rules Pisces.  Both the Sun, our will, and Messenger Mercury (communication) cycle through this illusory sign as March opens.  In other words, we act, think and speak like a Pisces.  So let’s take a good look at both planet and sign.  Neptune and Pisces govern distinct polarities:  the saintly/angelic realm and conversely, the imprisoned, derelict and downtrodden.  Think Mother Theresa or the homeless beggar.   So too are the distinctly contrasting qualities of Pisces:  pristine clarity, divine intuition, dreams, OR, delusion, deception, disillusionment.  Crystal blue water vs. thick fog.  Neptune and Pisces rule anything ephemeral, what you can’t quite touch or put your arms around:   film, memories, glamor, fame, poetry, lyrics, music, the entire subconscious realm, escapism, faith and fear.

This most mystical sign represents our soul and our shadow.  Brilliant light or utter darkness.  Because we cannot grasp hold of anything Neptunian, the elusive and seductive lessons it teaches are often the most difficult for humans to learn.  Everyone knows someone always chasing a shiny object just out of reach, a fantasy that keeps slipping away.  We also know people who walk in the limelight, much sought after and emulated no matter what they do or don’t do.  This is Neptune and Pisces.  Otherworldly.  Tantalizing.

Chiaroscuro, chimera and Film Noir come to mind.  So do drugs, alcohol, con artists and spin doctors. 

And as we wind on down the road
Our Shadows Taller than our Souls
There walks a lady we all know
Who Shines white light and wants to show  -- Led Zepplin

As earthly beings living in a material world, how do we navigate Neptune and Pisces?  One word:  Faith.  Faith in ourselves, our gut feelings, primal instincts and intuition.  That strong knowing that burbles up from our center when a dilemma is posed. 

As March 2019 opens, we face such a dilemma:  do we keep the fantasy going, keep believing in the spin charade we tell ourselves OR do we trust and act upon our inner guidance of what we know and feel is actually true?

The good news is we have key cosmic help to discern illusion vs. reality this month.  On March 1^st, Venus shifts into inventive Aquarius.  Removed and detached in this air sign, we can assess relationships with nearly scientific eyes.  The planet of love and money remains in Aquarius for the balance of March, helping us to sift through events, situations, problems and conflicts with an observational, hands-off approach.  Aquarian Venus is about ideas, innovation and solutions; keeps our emotional fingers from getting dirty.  Use this to your advantage if you feel the clouds of fear start to descend inside your mind.

And the clouds will make a run at you for sure when a few days later, Messenger Mercury turns retrograde at the final degree of Pisces, sending a strong message:  It is time, high past time for reflection.  Due to its retrograde passage, Mercury will be in Pisces for an exceptionally long time this year…from mid- February through mid-April, three times as long as its normal cycle in a sign.  This emphasizes the need for reflection that much more.   “I’m not going anywhere til you review this thoroughly…” says Mercury in Pisces.

Working backwards into watery, emotional Pisces for the rest of March, passing over Neptune as it goes, our mind, thoughts and words seek clarity.  Or escapism.  Oh yes, there’s that pesky choice between our soul and shadow.  The caution here is a FLOOD of fear-based thoughts and emotions or wild urge to escape reality.  Without much effort you can slide down a slippery slope into the shadow’s dark hollows. If you feel yourself sliding, channel fear away from the abyss toward positive directions by practicing grounding routines:  walking in nature, exercising, or being with animals. 

Again, we are helped by the New Moon the very next day March 6^th.  All New Moons help us clarify our goals and wishes for the coming month.  However, tightly conjoined to Neptune, this New Moon on the 6^th especially affords pristine insight.  Dial into your inner vision.  Focus.  Tune in to your intuition.  Handwrite 3-5 goals you want to work on and manifest over the next few weeks.

If you need guidance discerning your needs, ask, what do you want your life to look like?  Financial freedom?  New Job? Healthier lifestyle?  New partner?  Yes we are each facing pressures and the urge to escape ALL of it, to run away.  But the old adage rings truer than ever before:  “wherever you go, there you are.” Sure sitting on a beach in Mexico sipping a cocktail or getting high sounds appealing; but sooner or later reality comes a calling.

All the possible Mercury retrograde snafus will keep it real enough:   watch for technical ticks, avoid signing major contracts, booking travel, buying big ticket items (appliances, cars, homes, ANY technology), or launching new businesses.  Do practice the RE words:  research, rest, restore, renew, revisit, rekindle, recharge, refresh, and so on.  Given the time frame of this passage, March 5-27^th, it is excellent for spring cleaning.  Go completely Marie Kondo and clean out all storage spaces, files, closets, attics, garages.  You will be amazed what treasures you will find and how good you’ll feel afterward.

Urging our efforts onward, change agent Uranus shifts into earthy Taurus, finding value in everything you uncover during Mercury retrograde.  Together, they are a one-two punch wake-up call.  The Great Awakener, Uranus rules earthquakes, shocks, surprises and sudden events.  Its shift into Taurus occurs on the New Moon.  Awake yet?  Pay attention and focus.  Otherwise you are in for a proverbial rude awakening.  For the next 7, yes, seven, years, Uranus cycles through Taurus questioning our values, worth, relationship to money, evaluating and yes awakening our skills and talents.

With Motivating Mars already in Taurus, the money sign, our desire to get real and be real keeps our feet on the ground.  From March 11-23, Mars aligns helpfully with heavyweights Saturn and Pluto in ambitious Capricorn and Mercury-Neptune in Pisces. This combination is amazing for taking action on plans, to build and manifest your dreams.

By the Spring Equinox on March 20^th, the Sun pivots into warrior Aries joining Chiron the wounded healer.  Feel the Spring Fever to get going already.  Accentuated by the Full Moon on the exact same day, you may want to bust down doors to push forward.  Not so fast.  Plot and plan, do your research this third week March 21-27.  You will find this week is a proverbial, “he who takes his time” pays off in spades. 

March 27^th, Venus enters Pisces where she loves most to be, giving selflessly to all, unifying us, believing all is possible, the same day Messenger Mercury turns direct motion conjoined to Neptune.  Proceed with contracts, major purchases and signing documents.  This planetary trio says when you build it they will come, and they (insert customers, clients, guests, partner, lover) are really thirsty for whatever you have to offer.  We have waited for so long for this moment.  Make the deposit, invest in your future, break free from the past, launch your business, take a chance.  Now, now, now.

Of Special Note:

Please join me at the annual "Celebration of Reiki" conference on Sunday, April 28th.  The conference will be held at the Marriott, in Newton, MA. I am thrilled to present my talk, "Trials and Triumphs of Reiki Volunteering:  Why We Do It," from 3-4 pm.  To register for this amazing event covering all facets of Reiki, please go to www.celebrationofreiki.org.  SEE YOU THERE!

Giving Birth

With all of the chaos and turmoil in the world right now, we are granted one true gift of cosmic grace.  All of the planets are direct motion during February.  This greatly aids our push forward with whatever we hope to accomplish.  Use this uncomplicated energy to your best advantage.  Especially as March will not be as smooth.

One of my favorite quotations is, “Life is a labor pain.  We are giving birth to ourselves.”  Continuously. Unceasing growing and developing.   Our change and evolution does not stop with high school or college graduation.  It is a continual “unfolding of the soul” as Carl Jung says.  This is especially true during February 2019.  With the eclipses done and over, and the close of another chapter of our lives, there is now a big, often forceful release of who we are and who we want to be.

As February begins, Motivating Mars challenges Pluto in traditional Capricorn.  Mars is cycling through its own sign warrior Aries.  It drives us into new and uncharted territory, breaking down barriers and refusing to take no for an answer while Pluto in staid Capricorn turns over systems and functions in our lives, what works and what doesn’t work. These are labor pains.  The planetary clash serves to bring all new life.  You will feel this.  As Mars approaches Radical Uranus in the final degrees of Aries, the two increasingly push strong, unmistakable methods and events to get our attention.   We are awakening.

Meanwhile, all the ideas generated by Mercury in highly inventive Aquarius take form as Venus moves into concrete Capricorn on the 4^th.  The timing is perfect, as cosmic timing always is, as this coincides with the New Moon the very same day!  Visualize your goals or cast your wishes in moving water, remembering to express gratitude for all you are and all you have.  Gratitude opens the gates for you to receive.  It is the key. 

Capricorn rules business, structure and function while Venus deals with love, money and relationships.  Relationships will now take on a firmer, more businesslike tone.  This is a sensational placement for working partnerships and building what you intend to manifest; however, they may not be the warmest.   What this pairing does succeed at is building relationships that last, that have solid foundations and form, and…abundant earning potential.  Over the next few weeks, Venus gradually conjoins heavy hitters Saturn and Pluto infusing a seriousness to our days.  We are heading into the BIG PUSH, the delivery of new life, new stages and phases of our lives, new levels of consciousness.  It is breathtaking.  Actually though.

From February 10^th-14^th, Motivating Mars tightly conjoins Radical Uranus in fiery Aries for the final time for the next 80 years.  This is highly combustible, unpredictable energy.  Whether you are bringing new life to a project, long-held dream, or higher aspect of yourself, this is a no-hold barred breakthrough time.  It is rife with instability and meant to throw us off course, as a test of our metal, strength, power, faith, and/or to align us with our true path.   Uranus rules anything sudden or shocking.  Accidents too…

Uranus is the Great Awakener and Mars in its own sign of Aries drives ahead heedless of any obstacles in the way.  Whatever seeks to come through you now, will.  There is also a significant cautionary note to this stretch of time:  if someone or some aspect of your life is not working, it may be abruptly removed as part of a major course correction.  Expect surprises (joyful and not), shocks, wild Ah-Ha moments, and yes, accidents.

Not for the faint of heart, this week is ripe with the unexpected in any possible way.  If you are off path in your life (even if you do not know/believe you are) watch for breakdowns.  The great news is all of the planets in sturdy Capricorn now help us to stand right back up.

If you have been slogging away trying to accomplish a task, solve a long-term problem or seeking solutions:  this is your week.   Breakthroughs abound.  Scientists and artists will glow with joy.  Valentine’s Day and the weekend following is awesome for proposing or going on a date. 

A caution here:  watch for fire.  Turn off all space heaters, cigarettes/cigars, fires in fireplaces, barbecues, stoves, driers and heat-born appliances.  Do not leave your residence with the washer or drier or other appliances running.  Check your electrical wiring/outlets especially if building or renovating a house.  Uranus rules electricity and accidents so the first two weeks of February are particularly charged.  Also, drive with caution.

We can be a bit absent minded now so it is especially important to pay attention and be present.   Messenger Mercury enters Pisces on February 10^th and while this is wonderful for artists, writers and spiritual pursuits, we can be deeply distracted the middle weeks of the month.  Keeping our feet on the ground while our heads may be in the clouds, Mars enters earthy Taurus on the 14^th.  Taurus is the “show me the money” sign.  It rules our personal assets, money and how we earn it.  Life gets real very quickly and we will feel the stock market or our personal bank accounts roil.  More of this to come in March.  Financial astrologers have predicted that 2019 will see a bear market for stocks and trading.  Good to know now to protect your assets!

Leading into the Full Moon on February 19^th, healer Chiron re-enters pioneering Aries.  Last year, Chiron stuck a toe into the warrior sign from April-September 2018.  Now, on February 18^th, Chiron leaves mystical Pisces for good, completing a passage it began in 1968!  This is a pivotal movement even for those who weren’t alive then.  Chiron rules the wounds we carry.  Once we heal our wounds, we are then able to share the healing with others simply by being a more whole, awakened and complete version of ourselves.

The turmoil of the late 1960s really kicked into high gear with Chiron’s entrance into fiery Aries.  Women literally burned their bras, threw in their dish towels and said enough; huge protests against the Vietnam War erupted (Aries rules war and Chiron says:  heal thy wounds); Watergate brought down a government; youth claimed their independence from repressive establishment and customs.  Those born during this era 1968-77 carry Chiron in Aries in their cosmic DNA.  Thus, the children we bear carry it as well. 

Chiron in Aries is fearless.  It is entirely unafraid to go after (attack even) what no longer works for the greater good.  Purely idealistic, this energy asks why and why not?  It seeks the highest and best for us as individuals and for us all as a collective.  It will literally climb over or blast through any obstacle in front of it. 

The current freshman class in the United States House of Representatives is a terrific example of Chiron in Aries.  They don’t care what you think of them; some will even bait the establishment into crossing lines and saying what shouldn’t be uttered.  This bold and brazen energy is encoded into the Full Moon on February 19^th, daring us to march forward with what we thought impossible only days, months, or years before.  Time to lay down the load you have carried, the family myths and belief systems that said no, you can’t, you shouldn’t, you won’t…  You will actually feel the fires of your soul being stoked.  Answer its calling.  Say yes to what you know without a doubt to be true.

We will feel every inch of this Full Moon.  The energy is less about striking a pose than about taking up the arms of your life, daring to live fully, knowing no bounds.   You are the instrument of your life, no one else.  You hold the keys AND the power.  All systems are GO.  We are indeed giving birth to ourselves.  Time to push.

Boom, Boom, BANG!

It is safe to say that many if not most of us are glad to bid farewell to 2018.  If you weren’t challenged personally this year with a crisis or pivotal life event or crossroads, then you were stuck and mired when trying to move forward.

We were bombarded by cosmic activity this past year.   The outlook for 2019 certainly appears smoother, with far less planetary gear shifts.  HOORAY!  So we will feel less bumps in our path as we progress.  That said, our feet will be held to the truth during 2019 and honesty, ethical dealing and gratitude are the keys to success.  Good ol’ hard work and diligence.  Yup.  It isn’t sexy or glamorous but you know what is?  Staying power.  And January provides the solid building blocks to create what we desire:  joy, happiness, love.

If we haven’t learned yet that there aren’t any quick fixes by now, you can guess what your lesson for this year will be:  do over til you get it right.   I’m not talking about perfectionism but rather taking pride and satisfaction in work well done.  Deep contentment arises from the knowledge that you have done your very best.

On Day 1 of 2019 our actions ignite.  Motivating Mars enters its own sign of Aries just before midnight on New Year’s Eve.  You can fairly hear the roar:  Ladies and Gentlemen, start your engines.  BOOM!  Mars and the sign it rules Aries are fire.  We are on fire to do, to be.  Aries is the first sign of the zodiac and it’s rarin’ to go:  initiate, blaze new trails, pioneer, be brave, a warrior.  Action-packed and catalytic are the watch words for January and portends how 2019 will follow.  Whatever your aim to accomplish, there is an immense body of energy supporting all efforts now.

Meanwhile the lunar north node, our directional calling, aligns beautifully with Venus (love and money) and the Moon (our feelings) are in psychic Scorpio.  While Mars doesn’t take no for an answer, Venus-Moon leave no stone unturned.  They dig deep to find answers; and both aligned to the lunar North Node in Cancer point us to the most beneficial outcome for ourselves, families and yes, our nation (no matter where you live).

Combined, this is sensational energy to start the New Year!  It tees us up wonderfully for the upcoming New Moon on January 5^th.  And what a New Moon!  BANG.  If ever there was a time to lay the groundwork for what you seek to accomplish, this New Moon cycle is it.  First, it is a solar eclipse, a marker of significant passages in our lives if it connects to your astrological chart. 

The message of this eclipse is about getting clear:  get clear in your mind about anything in your life. Its strength should not be underestimated.  Both the Sun (our will) and the Moon (our emotions) are sandwiched between planetary heavy hitters Saturn (karma/dharma) and transformer Pluto, all in businesslike Capricorn.  This is stark, black and white energy:  what works and what does not work in our lives.  Capricorn is the veritable architect of the zodiac, the building block energy.

Imagine and visualize that you are at the base of a mountain you’re about to climb.  Now apply that to anything you want to build or accomplish.  One foot in front of the other.  That’s Capricorn.  It isn’t festive Leo or talkative Gemini.  But guess what?  It gets the job done.  It builds to last…forever.  Capricorn is focused, pointed energy.  Cold, yes; calculating, you bet.  Its watchword is:  I use.   Not exactly warm and fuzzy but terrific for tackling goals.

Capricorn rules business, big or small.  Where its energy is focused, Capricorn gets down to brass tacks:  what makes your life function?  What is it you want to achieve?  With four planets concentrated in Capricorn at this eclipse, you will meet and perhaps exceed your goals. Harness this power!  Mars in fiery Aries aligned to Venus (our motivation plus our love/money/relationships) supports our efforts now.  Set your intention by handwriting 3-5 goals or wishes you aim to get done in January or in 2019.  Then plant these in the ground or release into a moving body of water. 

Emphasizing the power of this eclipse, both Messenger Mercury and Radical Uranus shift on the very same day.  A potent message will be delivered on or around January 5^th.   Mercury enters realistic Capricorn just as change agent Uranus turns direct motion.

Awake yet?  If not, these two will kick your pants out of bed.  Great Awakener Uranus switches forward, triggering us into motion while Messenger Mercury makes sure our thoughts, ideas and voice are all put to good use.   Seven out of ten planets, plus the lunar nodes, are in catalytic signs on this eclipse.  AND all planets are now forward motion.  Drive, drive and more drive.   There is no hanging around waiting anymore for the bus, for others (or yourself) to show up.  BOOM!  Action is upon us.  We are called to act like never before.  Stand aside, this pattern commands.  Because if you are not clear about where you want to go, what you want to be or accomplish, you will get pushed aside by those who are clear in their direction.  Simple:  if you don’t act, another will.  

So the first few days of January, focus.  Get clear about what you want.  Then do it.

Two days later, on January 7^th, Venus shifts into adventurous Sagittarius, gradually joining Generous Jupiter over the next weeks.   Both Venus (love/money) and Jupiter (abundance) are beneficent energies.  The magnificence of this pairing is gorgeous.  First, Jupiter is in its own sign of Sagittarius.  Both rule adventure, education, seeking, spirituality, life experience, travel.  Jupiter is the Titan of Abundance and invites us to grow and expand our world.  Venus, on the other hand rules love, money and relationships.  In fiery Sagittarius, she seeks people who will broaden our lives and opportunities to line our wallets.  Traveling together from mid-January thru the rest of the month, Venus-Jupiter deliver joy, opportunity, love, knowledge, adventure and money in ample supply, depending on where they fall in your chart.

What is most remarkable about this duo is that the very day of the Full Moon, the lunar eclipse on January 21^st, Venus and Jupiter are tightly conjoined and helpfully aligned to Mars.  Wow. Wow. Wow.  For those seeking your true path, you will find your way.  For those seeking justice, it will be granted.  For those looking for awareness (education, teaching, enrolling as a student) you will be guided.  For those seeking love, you will meet your match.

Remember, Full Moons are about fruition and culmination.  Its bright light shines on all we do and are, are yet to be.  The same day of the lunar eclipse, the Sun shifts into inventive Aquarius, opposite the Moon in festive Leo.  Our attention turns to alternatives and creativity for unusual solutions to problems we may have carried for a long time.  As part of this eclipse, Venus-Jupiter in Sagittarius say it is time to break free, completely, for whatever has kept you down, confined…perhaps imprisoned.  For those who have avoided the truth or shaded it with deception, illusion or darkness, your time is up.  (This eclipse does not bode well for Donald Trump). 

With three planets still in Capricorn, our message is crystal clear and cuts like a sharp knife:  time’s up.  Capricorn and its planet Saturn rule time.  Tell us there is no time to spare let alone waste.  If you are not here to do the work (whatever you decide and designate the work to be) then get out of the way so another can.

Part of this eclipse pattern includes Jupiter-Venus challenging Neptune in Pisces.  Truth vs. illusion.  Freedom versus escapism.  If you don’t understand the distinction, the spotlight of this Full Moon will make sure you do.  Think about it.  The truth sets you free; illusion eventually winds into disillusionment.  On one hand is knowledge, education, learning and understanding;  on the other is pretending and delusion leading you down the garden path, avoiding true work to be done.  The difference is a steep contrast that stays with us the rest of the month.

The question before us boils down to worthiness:  Are you worth it?  Are you worth investing in, following your true path (no matter what others or that voice in your head say)?  Are you willing to do the work over the long-haul?  Or, would you rather delve into and dance with seduction, give way to temptation, delay with your choice of distraction?

Yes, one path definitely requires focus.  The truth always does.  But if you follow its light, you will be guided along your way.  You are in the driver’s seat of your life.  The decision is yours.

A Reprieve

Feel like 2018 had you running the gauntlet?  You are far from alone.  For most it has been a savage year.  The exceptional number of retrograde planets on top of multiple eclipses has left us betwixt and between. 

Focusing on your own goals and life continues to be the best use of energy. 

While difficult, this year has also offered us several breaks from the intense celestial gear shifts: notably, May-June, September and now December.  Thank Goddess!   December is substantially calmer than the past two months with only 3 regular planetary sign changes beginning with Venus shifting into Scorpio on December 3^rd.

 Venus cycled back into Libra during her recent retrograde period.   Now the planet of love, money and relationships has moved forward again into transformational Scorpio.  This autumn water sign rules joint finances and shared resources, sex and regeneration.  So beneficent Venus brings blessings and good news to this realm of our lives.  She remains in Scorpio all month long, lining our wallets (sometimes unexpectedly), revealing what has been hidden, adding extra touches of magic to the holiday season.

Venus begins casting her glow in mysterious Scorpio just as Messenger Mercury turns direct motion on December 7^th exactly on the same day as the New Moon!  Can you say power packed messages?  Use this energy to your advantage.  Be sure to hand write 3-5 goals, wishes or prayers and cast them into a moving body of water or plant into the ground on December 7-8.  The New Moon in adventurous Sagittarius will be sure to deliver your soul messages.  And it is always worth remembering that our prayers are often answered through silver linings or the opposite of what we hoped might occur…which turns out to be a good thing!

Sagittarius rules spirituality (and yes religion too).  In this Season of Light, we are reminded that Spirit is alive and well on Earth and we don’t need to have ALL the answers all of the time.  Put down the burden of needing to know or control everything.  Instead, use the fiery Sagittarius energy to aim your focus on what you can manage and release the rest.   As wise yogis tell us:  if we do nothing about 90 per cent of what concerns us, it works out (or goes away) on its own.   Instead, take joy in what gives you purpose.  Do what fulfills you.

From the New Moon on December 7^th to December 15^th, Motivating Mars conjoins dreamy Neptune in Pisces, both challenging the Sun.   I call this the “Look under the hood” aspect.  Pisces and its ruler Neptune govern dreams, fantasy…and also illusion, deception and delusion.   With the agitating energy of Mars paired tightly to Neptune, make sure to ask ALL of your questions before buying anything, signing major contracts, sealing big deals.  Trust your intuition now as Mars-Neptune in Pisces tells you that your hunches are correct. 

The Sagittarius New Moon urges us to live large.  That’s fine if you are not spending beyond your means.  And up against Mars-Neptune we can be tricked (or trick ourselves) into believing something or someone that may not have our best interests at heart.  Watch for an internal tug of war around a need for freedom.  Sagittarius rules freedom while Pisces rules escapism.  There is a BIG difference.  Notice what is happening for you.   You don’t want to be fenced in; but in your quest for freedom are you merely pressing the escape hatch, seeking a quick fix by getting away, running from something?  Check your motives the first half of December.   Have a good long look in the mirror.  Are you afraid of what you see?  Are you chasing light for the sake of it?   You don’t want to rush into or away from a situation only to regret it later.

So take your time.  There is really no rush.  If it seems too good to be true, it probably is, the adage goes.  Do look under the hood of the proverbial car/product/relationship before committing.  The Sagittarian Sun rules the Truth. Wants the honest story.  Questions now reveal the truth.  So ask.  If someone or something is pushing you, can’t wait a day or two for you to sleep/think on a situation:  that tells you a whole lot about what you may be getting in to.  Ask about return policies, escape clauses, warranties.  Can you get out of the prospective relationship/deal/contract if it breaks, doesn’t live up to its promise or doing its share?  This pertains to business, legal, education, spiritual and travel arenas.  Make sure you know your legal (Sagittarian) rights before signing a thing.

Pisces rules water and Sagittarius rules adventure, travel and freedom.  The best use of this challenging combo is travel involving water (beach, lake, ski vacations).  Be sure you to allow plenty of time for travel as ice/snow/fog can foil plans at mid-month.  Pay up your insurances and make repairs on roofs, gutters, or water-based appliances.  You don’t want the hot water heater or pipes to burst while you are in vacationing in Florida…

Our quest for the truth surges along with our interest in learning around December 13-17 when Messenger Mercury joins Sun-Jupiter in Sagittarius.   The final fire sign is the seeker of light and knowledge.  It is universally agreed that the more we learn, the more we grow.  That knowledge truly is power.  The Sagittarius Sun (our will), Jupiter (abundance) and Mercury (communication) push our quest for answers.   Look at life, says Sagittarius, as a giant game of hide and seek:  knowledge is “out there” (and also in there, in you);  how will you go about finding it? And more to the point, what will you do with what you learn? 

Sagittarius delivers lessons now both in formal classroom settings yet also real life situations.  You don’t need to have a Ph.D. to learn life’s most important lessons in:  love, power, grace, forgiveness.  Again, the caution here is chasing light and learning as an escape method.  Best to have a goal in mind.  Map your ideas out on paper if need be.  “All those who wander are not lost” goes the saying.  While this applies to some of us, just make sure you have a back-up plan so you don’t end up going around in circles out in the wilderness.

Keeping it real for everyone are transformer Pluto and taskmaster Saturn in Capricorn. Rely on and use this earth energy to plan pragmatically and prepare accordingly.  Yes it’s great to dream big, but you also have to eat and pay your bills.  How’s all that real-life stuff going to work while you chase your dreams?

The good news is that from mid-December to New Years, planetary titans Jupiter and Saturn are making a helpful angle to each other.  They work harmoniously to bring about the best life circumstances.  Jupiter in Sagittarius dreams big while taskmaster Saturn gets the job done.  Whatever you are aiming to accomplish right now – no matter how large – lay the ground work for it. 

This energy builds beautifully toward the Full Moon on December 22^nd.  Most Full Moons are laden with challenges.  This particular Full Moon is, simply put, enchanting.  First, it falls ON the Winter Solstice!  How cool is that?!  Jupiter conjoins Mercury aiming our spirit arrows at what ignites our souls.  Beneficent Venus aligns beautifully with inspirational Neptune, granting our wishes.  Even the challenging planets Mars and Pluto align while Saturn and Neptune manifest our dreams.  If you have been working so hard for so long putting one foot in front of another, this Full Moon delivers.  All Full Moons are a time of culmination and fruition.  For those on their rightful soul paths, rewards are yours now.  Enjoy and revel.  For those questioning their path, off path or lost:   ask now and you shall find.  Take advantage of this amazing energy to ask questions and learn.  The Full Moon always shines light on where you need to go and how best to get there.   What do you want your life to look like?  Trust the answers you receive.

The Sun shifts into practical Capricorn on December 22, joining heavyweights Pluto and Saturn.  More than most year ends, you will feel your resolve for 2019 take shape between Christmas and the New Year.  We are really ready to put that past behind us and focus on building our future like never before.   The Solstice Full Moon and Sun catalyze us into action. 

The holidays are a time of proposals and committing to life changes.  From the Full Moon on the 22^nd through New Years, we are afforded an incredible and potent supply of inspiring, realistic and knowledgeable resources.  Quite an amazing mix that tees us up beautifully for 2019.  Create a list of two or three key goals you intend to accomplish during the next year.  Outline how you plan to manifest the goals (ie, weight loss:  join a fitness class, reduce your carbohydrate intake, and steps to stick to your goal).  On January 1:  go to it!

Of Special Note:  Looking for a present for that hard-to-buy-for person?  Consider the gift of an astrology reading or Reiki session for the holidays.  Please visit www.hilaryharley.com to purchase a gift certificate.  Have a warm and wonderful holiday season.  

Practicing Faith over Fear: Jupiter into Sagittarius and Lunar Node Shift

November is rarely an easy month.  We are full-on in the calendar year end, with school and work functioning at its peak and gearing up for the holidays.  As the Sun (our will) moved into Scorpio during the final week of October, we all certainly felt the Scorpion’s sting reverberating through every level of our lives.  

The intensity continues for the next four weeks.  November may very well outdo October.  Human beings want certainty and reliability.  This month promises the opposite, unless we are willing to make some very strong decisions and changes to our lives and culture.  Deeply perceptive Scorpio rules power, joint finances, death, rebirth and regeneration.  November finds our plates full with heaping portions of each; as fall turns into winter, we are asked to let go of what is dead on the vine of our lives and transform.

The month opens with a grand challenge between Radical Uranus, Relationship Venus and the North and South lunar nodes.   Picture four figures squaring off in a boxing ring vying for a prize.  There you have the energy on November 1.  It remains with us for all of November.  At first, immovable and stubborn, then later on catalytic and provocative.  Perhaps this sounds familiar?  A personal situation you find yourself in or the national political scene in the United States.  Stubborn with clenched fists, each side so sure they are right, leading up to Election Day on November 6^th, then reeling into activity afterward.

This boxing ring energy pushes us to face and make changes in all of our relationships, including to ourselves, others and to money, how we earn it and use it.  Great Awakener Uranus acts like a lightning rod; in an instant, what we know to be certain, tried and true, took to be a given in our lives may change on a dime.  (The recent mass shooting at the Pittsburgh synagogue comes to mind). The opening week of November is not for the faint of heart.  Brace yourself.  The rug may be pulled out from under you at a moment’s notice.  The flip side of this is that there may be surprises of unexpected, life-changing joy and abundance for some.

Everything and everyone is in a profound state of flux right now.  Life rarely stagnates; this month it is good to remember that the only way to grow often occurs in the wake of radical or abrupt events. Unpredictable is the watchword of the month.  What has been roiling and bubbling under the surface all through 2018 is now coming to a gigantic head.  Change agent Uranus rules volcanoes and earthquakes.  You will feel these in your life.

Election Day in the United States on November 6^th occurs during the darkest phase of the moon.  The very next day, a different world dawns with the New Moon on November 7^th.  More than most New Moons, this one holds particularly strong energy.  Both Sun and Moon are at 15 degrees Scorpio, an especially intense marker.  Powerful, yes. Psychic and intuitive, indeed.  Noteworthy and attention-getting:  you bet.  This New Moon is here to make a statement.

Which is:

What is not and has not worked to date is now done and over.  Dead and gone. 

Conjoined to Generous Jupiter at the final 29^th degree of Scorpio, you will know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is time to let go of a relationship or habit; to walk away from a job or lifestyle. 

It is time to close the door on what was.  If you don’t close the door, it will be closed for you. Believing that something might continue in its old form, somehow be restored to what once was, the person or situation will be removed from you altogether.  This New Moon means business.  It may not be direct but it surely isn’t subtle in terms of bringing what is finished in your life to a complete and utter finish, so you may begin anew, start over fresh, accessing your true nature in all its power and vitality.

New Moons typically are not explosive (that’s usually reserved for Full Moons). Yet this November 6^th New Moon is embedded with tremendous power.  Be sure to hand write 3-5 wishes, goals or prayers and either plant them in the earth or cast into a moving body of water.   On the very same day, retrograde Uranus re-enters fiery Aries AND the lunar nodes change signs as well.  The significance of this cannot be emphasized enough.  Uranus and the lunar nodes shift from resistant, fixed signs to catalytic ones.  Change and change now or you will be forced to change by circumstances beyond your control. 

The message is clear:  be the master of your new life or one will be created for you.

In a cosmically packed month, the shift of the Lunar Nodes is the most significant event.  The North Node is what calls our name and draws our attention.  It now moves from festive, creative Leo to nurturing Cancer.  This sensitive water sign rules home, mom, family, and food.  It also rules the homeland, your country of birth or origin.  And patriotism.  Think about the steep importance of the Nodes changing signs ON Election Day November 6^th!  Wow. 

The next 18 months will have an utterly different feel.  Cancer is touchy-feely, so unlike dramatic Leo.  Overnight, we are drawn to what gives quiet, homey comfort.  Where Leo is brash, bold and bombastic, Cancer moves steadfastly, if not directly, toward its goals. 

Meanwhile, the Lunar South Node shifts into sturdy Capricorn.  The point of release, the South Node thrives in earthy Capricorn.  Its motto:  if it doesn’t work, it’s done.  Out with it!  Capricorn is black and white energy.  What works and what doesn’t work? it asks.  Incredibly incisive and discerning, the lunar South Node will purge anything that does not function well or serve our highest potential.

The very next day, November 7^th, Jupiter enters its own sign Sagittarius for the next year.  HOORAY!  Sagittarius rules the Law (earthly and cosmic), truth and honesty, spirituality and religion, travel and freedom, education, adventure and life lessons.  Conjoined to the New Moon and Messenger Mercury, Jupiter has some announcements to make, starting with the Mueller investigation in the United States.

For the past year, Jupiter cycled through Scorpio, the detective, uncovering Donald Trump’s ties to Russia.  With Jupiter’s passage into Sagittarius, Mueller will bring his findings to a court of law, prosecuting and indicting what his team has unearthed during the past year.  Mueller has been extremely careful to not reveal the cards in his hand and has only played those he holds with masterful direction.  By November’s Full Moon, Mueller will reveal the case he’s been building over the past two years.

The waxing moon gradually reveals the truth.  Everyone is called to answer now:   take responsibility for what is yours.  Jupiter in Sagittarius guarantees it.  So if you have been less than honest in one or more areas of your life, you will rectify and correct that now.  It is the law.

Mid-month sees a major gear shift.  Venus, planet of love, money and relationships, finally turns direct motion while the very same day, Messenger Mercury turns retrograde.  This is the equivalent of a planetary baton pass in a relay race.  Over the last six weeks, we did a lot of work reviewing and mending relationships and our finances.  Messenger Mercury now extends yet more RE-flection, to RE-view plans.  This way, by year’s end, you will know exactly how to tackle 2019.  Mercury is retrograde November 16-December 7^th; so a gentle reminder to hold off on buying holiday gifts until after December 7^th lest they be RE-turned.  RE-frain from signing any contracts or investing in major purchases until December 7^th. 

Part of the major mid-month gear shift is Motivating Mar’s movement into Pisces also on November 16^th.  For longer than usual, Mars cycled through the ingenious and inventive sign of Aquarius, due to its retrograde cycle all summer.  Finally Mars is entering the inspirational and artistic sign of Pisces.  Over the next six weeks, Mars gradually joins Neptune, ruler of Pisces.  Pay particular attention during the last two weeks of November to opportunities for significant reflection, deep healing and cleansing.  In the hustle and bustle around Thanksgiving, take a woods walk or get a massage. 

Pisces teaches us to have faith over fear. With multitudes of uncertainties in our world right now, the easier path is to allow fear to drive our decisions.  Yet if we do not master fear with faith, through practices of faith, then fear will drive our decisions.   As we approach the New Year, it is vital to watch what steers our decisions.  Act with faith.  Act based on faith.

Heightening awareness around fear vs. faith is the increasing challenge between Mars in Pisces and the planets in Sagittarius.  Pisces wants to believe while Sagittarius wants to understand.  Leading into Thanksgiving, the Sun (our will and identity) joins Generous Jupiter and Messenger Mercury in philosophical Sagittarius.  Emotions may run very high at Thanksgiving as it occurs the day before the Full Moon on November 23^rd.

Sagittarius isn’t known to mince words.  It shares opinions openly and honestly with everyone regardless of whose toes it steps on.  Sensitive folks with feelings stoked by Mars-Neptune will not appreciate challenges to their beliefs.  So a word of caution under this laden Full Moon:  watch your tongue.  Be mindful of others’ feelings.  Step away from drama, neither creating it nor feeding into it.  Speak your mind but curb your words, filter and tailor your thoughts to those present.  One of the best ways to manage this year’s Thanksgiving table conversation is to ask: 

how and where you can give more

how you can open your heart wider

how you can improve and grow service to your fellow man

Positive lines of conversation will only garner you more respect and esteem. 

Closing out Thanksgiving weekend, spiritual Neptune turns direct motion on Sunday, November 25^th.  The subtlest of energies, Neptune in its own sign of Pisces, harkens our soul to the greatest possible good:  how can we live/live up to our fullest potential?   Neptune rules dreams.  What is your dream?

With the holiday season upon us, feel the Neptune-Mars deep clean and cleanse, inspiration and joy-filled light and love.  Turn your gaze upward and out; align with the Sagitarrian archer Sun-Jupiter-Mercury and aim your bow and arrow high toward your dream.  Let loose your arrows fly.

Of Special Note:  

The holidays are approaching!  Thinking about gifts to give your loved ones?  Especially that “hard to buy” for guy or gal?  Consider a gift certificate for a Reiki session or an astrology consultation.  There is no better way to start the New Year than with clean, clear chakras and energy or a personalized map of where you are headed and how to make the most of 2019!   To purchase a gift certificate, please email e at hilary@hilaryharley.com.