Saving Graces

Cosmic momentum sweeps us forward as March begins.  Every single planet continues to cycle direct motion for the entire month ahead.  Use this forward thrust to initiate projects, relationships, launching products and major purchases.

March notoriously roars in like a Lion and rolls over into April like a lamb; at least as far as the weather is concerned.  The same applies to the roaring cosmic energy on March 1^st.  Watch that any push and pull does not turn into a tug of war, or worse, conflicts over resources and power dynamics.  A difficult tangle between the Scorpio Moon, Venus-Mars in Aquarius and Uranus in Taurus may have people dug in, refusing to compromise or fighting mad.  Take a breath. Hit the pause button. This resistant energy dissolves by March 3^rd.

As the month begins, think before you respond, lest you say something out of turn that has long-term consequences.

Fortunately, in this same moment, we are enveloped and surrounded by four planets in gentle Pisces, offering a saving grace, an ocean of support indicating all will be well.  The Sun, Messenger Mercury, Taskmaster Saturn and spiritual Neptune pull us along the river of life in their boat of dreams. They remind us to believe, to keep the faith, that there is indeed a wiser, invisible divine hand at work.  Do you believe?  Will you trust?

Amidst our conflicts and struggles it is vital to remember when it is better to let go rather than continue pressing, pushing and hammering onward.  Think of a time when you’ve stewed over a vexing problem.  SO frustrating!  Then, you go to sleep and the next morning, freshly rested, the solution to your problem surfaces, seemingly out of nowhere, like clouds parting after a rain storm letting sunshine stream down.  This is Pisces, that invisible divine collective wisdom.  Soul, spirit, consciousness itself. 

While it is human nature to charge forward with life, the month of March offers an invitation to surrender to the greater timeless knowledge always available to us.  Surrender and flow with what comes are the primary themes all through March. This requires blind faith, believing that everything will work out for our highest and best interests, whether despite our best efforts to make life happen, or sometimes in spite of our efforts.  Realize that we are operating on divine timing rather than our own contrived schedules and plan.  As the Yiddish saying goes, we plan, God laughs.

Our guiding star is a continuous thread of Yang and Yin, also known as the Masculine and Feminine principles.  Some may feel a battle between energies, that they are pitted against each other, Yang versus Yin:  the strident urge to move onward conflicting with the need to let go and flow.  Heading into the New Moon on March 10^th, we feel these energies wrestling mightily.

The Moon joins the Sun and Saturn in Pisces just as Messenger Mercury shifts into impulsive Aries. Talk about Yin and Yang in cosmic action!   Aries Mercury urges our minds and mouths to really get on with life now; yet not so fast say the Pisces trio.  It can feel like an ON and OFF switch, or a heavy gas pedal and brake.  The trick is knowing when to press that gas pedal and go for it and when to coast along on the brake.  Good timing comes with maturity and life experience. 

We are wise to combine the quickening impulse of Aries and the considerate inspiration of Pisces Sun, Saturn and Neptune while handwriting three-to-five intentions and goals for the season ahead.  Plant your written goals in the softening earth or alight safely in a fire proof container.

Only days later Venus joins the Pisces planets on March 12th.  Here, Venus is considered exalted, meaning, she generously and selflessly shares her gifts of love.  Can you say compassion?  Earth angels abound.  Soak up the love.  Humanity certainly can use all the angelic love that Venus has to offer through the rest of March.  The week between March 13^th and 20^th is one hopeful window where humanitarian crises and concerns may be resolved.  May all war end now.  So be it.

Music and water are vital to our well-being now.  Make use of their gifts as much as possible:  listen to magical mood-shifting music to re-set yourself, your thoughts and frame of mind.  Walk by a body of water, kayak or canoe, swim, water or snow ski to shape shift out of who you no longer are into the person you are becoming.

The Spring Equinox is upon us.  Wednesday, March 20^th the Sun turns into fiery Aries marking our exit from winter into warmer days just as Motivating Mars now joins the three other Pisces planets on Saturday, March 23^rd .  These are heady days indeed. Especially as we move toward the first eclipse of 2024 on Monday, March 25^th. 

As a reminder:  eclipses are neither bad nor good.  They are windows, like portals of energy and IF they connect to a planet or angle in your astrology chart, serve as a significant marker or turning point.  The lunar eclipse of March 25^th occurs in Libra; so relationships, judgment, decisions and balance are drawn into sharp focus.  If you have any planets at 5 or 6 Aries and Libra, you will feel this eclipse!  Watch for key decisions you are making, especially those involving relationship or partnership.  Be sure to factor your own needs into all decisions as Libra tends to forget about itself.

Make the most of the final few days in March. We are between eclipses now, with the second of the pair occurring on April 8^th and Mercury turning retrograde in between them.  Uneven energy leading to dicey days lay ahead. If you can hold off now on purchasing large items such as homes, cars or appliances, it is best to do so until the end of April. 

The ocean of life always contains us, safely holding us in her waves with the stars above to guide our way.  Steer your boat with great care.

Push Comes to Shove

Refreshing!  February is truly a breath of fresh air, a much needed break offering even-keeled, harmonious rhythm which is most welcome in the unsettling times we now live. Within this rhythm, growth and opportunity promise to unfold.

There are two noteworthy reasons for this. First, ALL planets are now cycling in forward motion!  Be sure to take advantage of this clear cosmic energy.  The all-planetary thrust ahead stays with us through the end of March, giving us just over two months to initiate projects, relationships, launch ideas and products.  In short:  GO FOR IT!  The next 60 days is go time.

Another key factor for February’s stability is that just three zodiac signs dominate most of the month:  inventive Aquarius, spiritual Pisces and earthy Taurus.  Aquarius and Taurus are considered “fixed” signs, meaning resourceful with dogged determination, aka, creative and stubborn; so it is a very good thing fluid and flexible Pisces is part of this picture, especially at the end of February.  Wherever you can lean into your imagination, especially using water and music to pivot and redirect your thoughts or vibes, do so.  Both tools are immediately accessible and it is amazing how a shower or playing your favorite songs changes our head space and switches our frequency for the better.

All ten planets cycling direct in just a few signs makes for a fairly calm month.  How best can we use the next few weeks?

Where possible, choose group activities, even with one other person, particularly those of a humanitarian nature. Look for what is outside of your comfort zone, the non-mainstream or unusual. This is your month to try something different and what you’ve never done before.  Surprise yourself!  Since January, Powerful Pluto and the Sun turned into Aquarius, inviting us to celebrate our differences, reach across the illusion of our separateness by joining together to problem solve and innovate. 

We may have little choice, because over the course of the next few weeks, all three interior planets, Mercury, Venus and Mars turn into Aquarius as well; so that by mid-month five planets, from the Sun all the way to Pluto, guide us along uncommon vibrations.

With 5 out of 10 planets in this avant garde sign, let’s talk Aquarius.  Ruled by Radical Uranus, the only planet that rotates vertically instead of horizontally, Aquarians march to their own drum.  They harken to their own tune, often one that no one else can hear.  And that is perfectly fine with them!  Notable Aquarians include humanitarians, artists, scientists, and eccentrics of pure genius including Thomas Edison, Abraham Lincoln and Oprah Winfrey.

Uranus is known as the Great Awakener.  So February will mark breakthroughs, breakdowns, and significant Ah-Hah moments.  After all, both the French and American Revolutions took place when Pluto cycled through Aquarius.  If Uranus connects to a planet in your chart, watch for anything unexpected.  These may not necessarily be negative.  Such passages can deliver windfalls, long-sought solutions to nagging problems, and answers to our prayers.  

If we are off-path in any facet of our lives, Uranus redirects us often quite suddenly.  The planet of change pushes us to live up to our potential, our soul contract.  In other words: what we came here to accomplish in Earth school.  It’s just that human beings like predictability. So, what to watch for, the caution with all of this Aquarian energy? 

Getting comfortable with discomfort, taking a chance we never considered before, speaking up and speaking out, breaking free of what keeps us down.  The flip sides of this stretch is:  Rebels without a cause. Radical situations. Unruly behavior.  Particularly between February 13^th and 17^h. 

Fortunately, the cosmos walks us slowly into this unconventional energy.  Just a few days into February, Messenger Mercury turns into Aquarius on Monday, the 5^th, where it is considered “exalted”, meaning deeply skilled and highly favored.  Here, Mercury is able to gather and share information on steroids.  This is a good thing.  We gain impartial, accurate data enabling wiser decisions.

By the end of that week, the New Moon on Friday, February 9^th adds to the mix.  With the Aquarian Sun and New Moon challenging ruling planet Uranus, look out for “my-way-or-the- highway” attitudes, stiff resistance with heels dug in hard.

Push has come to shove. 

At this point, there are those who are never going to change their minds and definitely not change their ways.  The ship is sailing and many prefer to stay behind.  You won’t be able to persuade them, no matter how vivid the facts or evidence.  Remember:  they need to live their own lives through their own choices.  Say your piece and move on.

Key now is the opportunity this New Moon presents:  carefully hand write three to five goals, intentions or wishes that you seek to manifest over the coming weeks, months and year. 

The following Tuesday, February 13^th, Motivating Mars enters Aquarius, joining older sibling Pluto.  Can you say drive?  Whatever problem seeks a solution, this pair offers no-hold-barred grit.  Creatives and STEM folks will shine now and really produce results.  Mars-Pluto refuses to take no for an answer.  They will find a way.  And it may not be pretty.  Those with an axe to grind may take to the streets, loud and proud.  This is one dicey stretch of February through Friday the 16^th.

Over President’s Day weekend, calmer, softer waves begin to gather on Saturday, February 17^th when Valuable Venus joins the Aquarian combo.  Here, she is particularly detached, able to remove herself from the fray and offer impartial, logical assistance.  In Aquarius, Venus says to those stirring up trouble:  you do you.  I will be over here doing my thing, solving world hunger and climate change.

Days later, on Monday, February 19^th, the Sun shifts into imaginative Pisces.  Here, the Sun wants to know what all of the ruckus is about.  It asks:  Why don’t we hold hands and sing songs of peace?  Rays of hope sparkle. When Messenger joins the Sun in Pisces by Friday, February 23^rd, we begin composing gentle tunes.  Like a balm to our souls, we sure can use some sweet music now. 

Under the bright light of the Virgo Full Moon on February 24^th, collective health and well-being come into clear focus.  This efficient Full Moon wants details and facts, full accountability and an outline for the future; while the opposing Piscean Sun dreams the impossible dream of communal bliss.  Sun and Moon are not mutually exclusive.  One fantasizes, the other plans.

Sitting at distinct polarities, they invite us to do the same:  hold the dream in our heart and manifest with our mind.  Control what you can and surrender the rest.  Humanity is at a turning point and so are we.  What is your dream?

FOR YOUR DISCOVERY:   Tune into Mystical Messages Podcast to hear my interview with author Catherine Bastedo and learn about her new meditation deck Bird Vibes.  A Reiki Master and teacher, Catherine created Bird Vibes, a beautifully illustrated and versatile fifty-four-card deck and full-color booklet to showcase a great variety of birds found in various parts of North America.  The deck explores how they relate to the eight principal chakras on the body. The cards may be used for meditation, for learning about birds, and for seeking spiritual guidance.  This guest episode drops on Friday, February 16^th.  You may find all Mystical Messages episodes on Apple, Google and Spotify. 

Turn the Page

At one time, many of us turned the calendar corner with baited breath, leaning forward hopefully on January 1st, optimistic about the fresh year ahead.  Given the last few years of pandemic and the ensuing upheaval, my clients invariably say to me at the end of each December, “the next year has to be better than this last one”.

Humanity has indeed been through the ringer since 2020.  Shut down, shuffled, reshuffled, reordered and re-set. Repeat.  Now as 2024 approaches, with mayhem and chaos seemingly steering planet Earth, the general sentiment is skepticism, apprehension, or outright fear at what the next twelve months might have in store.  Do we even dare to hope any more for kinder days ahead?

Why yes.  Yes we should, dare, hope, and dream.  Always dream.

Especially this particular New Year’s Day.  We have a massive energetic tail wind pushing us forward into 2024.   Generous Jupiter turns direct motion on the final day of 2023, December 31^st, followed by Messenger Mercury turning direct on the first day of 2024, New Year’s Day.  We could not ask for a better one-two cosmic infusion to launch a new start for the days ahead.  This is one powerful moment.  Use it well.

Take advantage of this energetic boost by setting aside time on New Year’s Eve, December 31^st for releasing the old and calling in the new.  Use this 48 hour pause and write out what you want to let go of and not carry forward into 2024:   negative emotions, heavy baggage, or sour attitudes that have weighed you down. Then, write out all you do want to create in 2024:  what you want your life to look like, what and whom you want to attract more of, goals to focus on. 

Remember:  Our thoughts become our actions, and our actions weave our destiny.

We so often get mired into thinking we are not making progress, or that our desires and goals are not happening.  It is useful to remember that the Universe never says NO to our wishes.  Instead, it says not now or we have something better in mind for you.  What might that be?  Something or someone more aligned with your soul purpose.

So before you get down on yourself for not being where you want to be as 2024 begins, look back at just how far you have come.  An exercise I suggest to clients is to reflect on where they were a month ago, six months ago, one or two years prior, and so forth.  If you journal, or keep any kind of calendar or diary, pull out an old one of yours and read what you were doing and how you experienced life a year, two, or three ago.  You will amaze yourself. 

These last five years have really required us to be incredibly flexible.  Unrelenting demands have pushed us out of our comfort zone; yet just look at how creative, inventive and innovative humanity has proven to be!  Likewise:  You are definitely not the person you were in 2022, 2020, or five years ago.  And that’s a good thing.

Just a few days into 2024, sturdy, building block energy arrives.  Motivating Mars turns into responsible Capricorn.  For the next six weeks, Mars positively shines in this heavy lifting sign, where it is considered exalted by astrologers.  Why? The action planet, the veritable gas pedal of the zodiac, Mars wants to get down to business.  In earthy Capricorn, it excels, producing results.  Capricorn is the architect and the accountant.  It’s black and white, no nonsense energy.  You either have the goods or you don’t.  You either did it or you didn’t.  Capricorn leaves zero wiggle room.  Most definitely not warm and fuzzy energy, Capricorn’s key phrase is “I use”.  Hardly cozy. 

Yet deeply purpose-driven, goal-oriented Capricorn gets the job done.  Any job.  What is your task at hand?  Mars in Capricorn starts at Square One and clears the land, lays a solid and firm foundation, then builds a structure that stands the test of time.  In fact, it will probably outlast all of us! 

So at the onset of January, the massive tail wind of Jupiter-Mercury moving forward motion combined with Mars in Capricorn only days later says:  LET’S GO!  Build that dream.  Time to get down to doing that thing.

This is cold, hard, calculating energy.  Like granite: It doesn’t care if your dog ate your homework.  No excuses allowed. There is no grey zone here. Nor any time to waste as Capricorn IS the cosmic clock. And the BOSS.   Capricorn keeps track of every aspect of our efforts and holds us to account.  Did you do what you said you were going to do when you said you were going to do it?

Over and over again throughout January, like a hammer hitting a nail, more hard-core Capricorn energy infuses our days.  First, the New Moon on Thursday, January 11^th.  This is a ballbuster New Moon, like a sledgehammer; but not in the way you might think.  Wedged tightly between the Sun and Powerful Pluto, all three align to Radical Uranus in Taurus. This New Moon means business.  There’s no time to mess around.  Think of a mighty engine built to withstand the heaviest forces, yet running on time and under budget.

Use this highly potent New Moon to set very clear intentions.  It says, “so you made it to a whole New Year.  What are you going to do about it?”  If you forgot, were distracted or too hungover on January 1^st to set intentions, now is the time.  Hand write three to five goals you want to manifest over the coming month or year.  Then set alight safely in a fireproof container, fire pit or fireplace.

Joining Pluto, Mars and the Sun just a few days later, Messenger Mercury glides into Capricorn on January 14^th.   Our word is our bond now.  And our honor. It is comforting to know that during such current chaotic times, there are still people embodying honor, integrity and responsibility.  These qualities may be considered old fashioned, but they’ll stick around long after you and I are gone.  Capricorn and its ruling planet Saturn will make sure of it. Capricorn may not be fun or playful; but it is endlessly resilient and resourceful. Capricorn delivers, and ensures those who are doing the work now shine.

Whatever you are building, from the most abstract idea to the tallest skyscraper, your time has come. If you have been towing the line, showing up consistently, living honestly, then expect rewards or recognition. At a minimum, hard-won acknowledgement. Taskmaster Capricorn has kept score and ensures deserving souls receive their just due.

Meanwhile, major shifts are afoot.  By Martin Luther King weekend, the Sun makes its annual turn into Aquarius.  Transformative Pluto powers up the Sun’s passage as they roll together into this avant-garde, mind-of-its-own sign on the very same day, Saturday, January 20^th.  Can you say power duo? 

The furthest most planet in our solar system, Pluto moves very slowly.  For the past year, it has danced back and forth between the end of Capricorn and the beginning of Aquarius.  In 2023, Pluto spent two and a half months in Aquarius, sticking its toe into this innovative energy to give us a taste, a preview of coming attractions.

Pluto will do the same in 2024; only now spending much more time in Aquarius than Capricorn.  Pluto will cycle back into Capricorn but stay there for only two and a half months this fall.  So we will get much more of a feel for free-range, highly individualized Aquarian energy in 2024.  Moving into Aquarius together, on virtually the same day, Sun-Pluto say welcome to the New Age. 

This moment really is the actual dawning of the Age of Aquarius.

To be clear, it is equally exhilarating a time as it is chaotic.  Aquarius rules rebellion, upheaval, surprise, electricity and earthquakes, change, change and more change.  Those born under this sign march to their own drum, vibe to a different frequency, often making them eccentric yet highly innovative.  Suffice it to say, the folks ruled by Uranus, the only planet in our solar system that rotates vertically instead of horizontally, do their own thing.

The Sun is our will, how we engage with the world; while Pluto transforms us.  Together, they say the time for profound change has come.  The question is: what about us needs changing?  And exactly how do we go about our change?  As each of us individually morphs and develops, so does the collective.  Uranus and its sign Aquarius rule the collective, the brotherhood and sisterhood of mankind, humanity at large.

We know what has come before. Distinct polarities, us vs. them, me vs. you, will simply not stand going forward.  So anything not born out of peace, kindness, love, and mutual respect to benefit the vast majority, will dissolve.

Venus, the ruler of relationships, joins Mercury and Mars in Capricorn, on Tuesday, January 23^rd.  Here, she emphasizes the gravity of our choice:  we can continue the old way, doing what no longer works; OR we can take the pieces of our lives and put them to work building something new that serves us individually and the group as a whole.  Not just for some of us.  For ALL of us.

To underscore these significant planetary shifts, they occur under the light of a waxing Full Moon in Leo on Thursday, January 25^th.  Capping off the cosmic gear shifts is Radical Uranus turning direct motion on January 27^th.   Talk about look at me Leo!!  What to expect?  The unexpected.  Like never before.  Try to lay low between January 23-28^th as this stretch is MOST unpredictable and is laden with potential volatility. We will need the every bit of the hard-core, building block resilience cosmically bestowed in January. 

Each New Year gives us a blank slate affording a fresh start, to make something from nothing.  After years of upheaval and tumult, from the Covid pandemic to Ukraine, and now Israel and Gaza, we are tasked with creating anew from the rubble of our lives.  One stone, one brick, one foot after the other, one at a time.

What will you build?

OF SPECIAL NOTE:  

Tune into Mystical Messages podcast to hear my monthly astrology forecasts and to hear interviews with the most innovative holistic practitioners.  Episodes are available on Google, Apple and Spotify.

 

 

Fire in Our Belly

During December’s darkly deep days, do you ever feel like a little mole running from point to point, reaching for light and warmth? This annual time of slowing down to frozen stillness marks the final calendar month of autumn, our passage into winter. Yet, a fire stirs in our belly as this month begins.

The festive Leo Moon aligns beautifully to Motivating Mars and the Sun in Sagittarius December 1st and 2^nd, a Friday and Saturday.  This first weekend of December is terrific for all holiday events, shopping, and creativity.  After the really tough slog of 2023, we feel light hearted and JOYFUL.  There is an air of optimism and hope which has been absent until recently.  Bring on the JOY, sparks this cosmic alignment.

Traveling together in sagacious Sagittarius for the better part of December, the Mars-Sun duo prompts our adventurous side, to explore, to learn, to understand.  Sagittarius rules all manner of education, whether arduous academia or the school of hard knocks.  There is an expansive, don’t fence me in, I’ve gotta be me- I’ve gotta be free, energy now of searching for the truth, the veritable meaning of life.  We’re on a quest, a journey perhaps spiritual, existential, an actual long-distance trek, or all of the above.  We may not know the destination; and for some, that’s as exhilarating as it is worrisome.

We know individually and collectively we cannot stay put or stay the same; and to even try to will feel like swimming against a stiff rip tide.  Ask yourself:  is stubborn resistance really how you want to spend your energy?  Instead, what does it feel like when you flow rather than fight?

Better to flow with the strong current, enhanced by an in-flux of water energy now.  On Tuesday, December 5^th Valuable Venus shifts into psychological Scorpio, aligning with Saturn; while the very next day, spiritual Neptune turns direct motion.   The tide of our lives is turning.  Our intuitive spidey senses tingle and sharpen.  We feel what is accurate, honest, right-on. Especially with any relationships.  Even if others claim that you are wrong, this is not the time to ignore your gut instincts.  If you need evidence or proof of your intuition’s accuracy, ask for a sign.  Then listen, watch, wait for it. 

Pay attention to song lyrics, repeating messages, dreams, animal messengers, and more. Each sign points us to what we already know way deep down in our heart center:  that we must follow our own personal truth now, to harken toward our most authentic path.  To do otherwise would be to lie. Three planets in water signs clarify and distill, clear up any confusion; while Mars-Sun in fiery Sagittarius demand honesty, that we honor the law, be it the law of our own soul path, earthly legal parameters, or cosmic and karmic laws. As above, so below. 

The quest for truth, honesty and freedom are emphasized by the New Moon in Sagittarius on Tuesday, December 12^th.  All New Moons mark beginnings. December’s New Moon is especially potent as Motivating Mars joins the Sun-Moon duo.  Mars drives the point home.  We are held to account.  Are you skating by, following someone else’s idea for how you should live?  Or are you honoring the law of your spirit, answering the call of your heart and soul?

The same goes for the literal law.  Any on-going or outstanding legal matters move forward now.  Courts of law will be especially busy.  Watch for key rulings to be handed down at mid-month.  Some may feel radically exposed, like they’ve been caught red-handed, or with their pants down. You have nothing to fear if you are living above board.  But for those trying to skirt the system, guess again.

Underscoring Accountability with a capital A is Messenger Mercury turning retrograde in austere Capricorn, happening on the day after the New Moon to boot!  Capricorn rules the great, cosmic ledger, spelling it out in black and white:  you either did it or you didn’t; you either have it or you don’t; you either are or you are not.  There is absolutely no fudging answers now.  Pure integrity and honor are required.  

If you haven’t played fair and square, thought you could get away with something, this planetary combination has other ideas for you.  The Sagittarius Mars-Sun-Moon troika holds court, trial by jury while Messenger Mercury is the enforcer, hands down the verdict.  You will have until the end of the month and year to sit with the outcome and reflect:  how could I live more truthfully, soulfully, honorably?

On a far more mundane, day-to-day level, please note:  do your holiday shopping early, before mid-December.  This is not the holiday season you want to wait until the last minute to purchase gifts.  If you missed Black Friday deals, take advantage of any pre-holiday sales during the first ten days of December before Mercury turns retrograde on the 12^th.  This includes purchasing any electronics, phones, tablets, laptops OR booking travel plans.  Book flight, hotel, and auto reservations in early December. 

Otherwise, this is one time Mercury’s retrograde comes at a relatively convenient time.  As we approach the winter solstice and the holiday season, life shifts into low gear.  We naturally turn inward during the colder, darker months.  Their onset encourages the RE words indicative of Mercury’s retrograde:  reflection, reclaim, renewal, rebalance, refresh, return, restore, review, relax…

Slow down and gather yourself in during the second half of December, from the 12^th through New Years Day.  Conveniently, Mercury turns direct motion on January 2, 2024 as we kick into overdrive, back to work, life and school.  Until then, though, watch your words, give others the benefit of the doubt, and practice patience navigating the notorious snafus and technical glitches that are the hallmark of Mercury’s reverse gear.

We wade into the darkest hours of the year, marked by the winter solstice on Friday, December 22^nd. The Sun enters responsible Capricorn, joining Mercury, with both aligning to Jupiter and the Taurus Moon, infusing highly constructive energy.  Pay attention to messages and announcements this holiday weekend, especially as we approach the Full Moon on Tuesday, December 26^th.   

Gathering together, the family-oriented Cancer Full Moon reminds us of what is truly important in a world filled with so much uncertainty.  Loved ones, whether blood related or chosen, our health, home, prospects for a brand new year ahead, are indeed what matter most now.  Reconnect to all that fills your cup, gives you joy, and sparks gratitude.  

Just a few days later on December 29^th, Valuable Venus shifts into Sagittarius joining Mars and Mercury.  We seek answers, ideas and people who expand us.  Anyone or thing that feels constraining or limiting just won’t do, stand or last very long.  The planetary power trio is greatly emphasized by Jupiter’s turning direct motion two days later on the 31^st.  Rest assured this shift is most definitely divinely timed rather than coincidental.  The ruler of Sagittarius and planet of learning, education, travel, prosperity and growth, Jupiter points us toward a fresh slate. 

We bear witness to one of the most significant shifts in the history of mankind now:  a collective heart opening.  We chose to live during this time.  While the old ways are devolving now, endlessly rich possibilities abound if we dare to look around.  Are you excited or intimidated by the opportunities ahead in 2024?  Be sure to align with what can be, rather than what once was.

Of Special Note:

Two astrologers are better than one!  Fellow astrologer Jill Jardine joins me on Mystical Messages podcast to share our 2024 astrology forecasts.  We break down the first six months of the year ahead. The episode drops Friday, December 15^th on Google, Apple and Spotify.

Giving Up the Ghost

Kinder words for death are transition and transformation.  By its very nature, autumn is always rife with transformation and November is perhaps best defined by this word. The middle month of the fall season, November transitions us into deep winter, curls and withers the leaves of once vibrant green trees.  The month prepares us for dark and cold days ahead, when life goes underground and seeks warmth within. Seasonal holidays highlight this transformation with Halloween, aka Samhain, All Saints Day and Veterans Day, each of which commemorates those who have crossed over.

Not a season for delicate flowers or the faint of heart, it is no accident that November’s cosmic energy infuses intense invitations to plummet the depths of our lives, aspects of our hidden selves, our shadows.  Driven by the “bulldozer of the zodiac” Powerful Pluto, the ruler of Scorpio digs down to the bottom of any situation, pulling up to the light that which must be seen.  In short, Pluto and its sign Scorpio reveal.  This November, revelations abound.

As the month opens, the ripple effect of these revelations occur like aftershocks of an earthquake.  The reverberations of the October 28^th Full Moon eclipse uncover everything in our work, our finances, our sexuality, power and how we use it, or don’t.   Motivating Mars and Messenger Mercury still tightly conjoin the Sun in Scorpio.  All oppose change agent Uranus and Generous Jupiter through most of November, meaning:  our values, both moral and monetary are shifting, often dramatically.  What once seemed vitally important is morphing, perhaps replaced by more pressing matters or deepening value of another person or venture.

This is the rich beauty of Scorpio:  the treasure revealed as the covers, veil and dirt are pulled back and sifted through. While not a light and frothy time, tis the season of silver linings.  And getting to that silvery side of life requires some pretty heavy lifting. If you try skirting, avoiding or running from the hard parts, Pluto’s bulldozer and dirty bits that it reveals, these will only wait around the bend for you. Make no mistake:  What takes priority in your life is what you must focus on.

One matter to prioritize now is purchasing any holiday gifts during November.  The energy is relatively clear this month making it a great time for shopping before December’s retrograde Mercury. 

Only four days into November, Taskmaster Saturn turns direct motion, underscoring the weight and gravitas of our work this month.  In soulful Pisces, Saturn puts our nose to the grindstone in the spiritual gymnasium of life and requires a different kind of hard work.  Here, instead of pounds, we push through layers of our self.  As you shed layers that are no longer relevant, remember these are former selves you have out grown.  You may love pieces of those selves, like comfortable outfits or shoes you once owned and made memories inside of. 

Now, however, we are called to step into new patterns and values that take time to grow into. In the season of transition and transformation, death and dying, there is grief for what was or what has been. It flourishes.  So allow yourself to grieve.  Let it out, let it flow, surrender to its pulling tide.  This is not a step on the ladder of life you want to skip.  Grief is an essential path on the emotional wheel.  Of course it is not fun. But grief heals.  Like all wounds, grieving takes time. On the other side of it, you’ll have a deep perspective of how far you’ve come.

Look back: you are not the same person you were at the beginning of 2023, much less in 2020 or 2017. And you would not want to be that person.  There is time later on for existential questions and asking why me. 

Now smoothing our path heading into Veteran’s Day weekend, Valuable Venus enters its own sign Libra on Thursday, November 9^th.  Take in an art exhibit, decorate a corner of your home, host friends, and create something beautiful.  The very next day, Messenger Mercury shifts into Sagittarius on Friday, November 10^th.  Your mind seeks answers, wants to learn and exchange ideas; you may feel inclined toward adventure, to explore; and it is an excellent time to book travel for the holidays and 2024. 

Freedom-loving Sagittarius is up for anything but most of all, wants the truth.  With the Sun-Mars Scorpio duo still digging up dirt, Mercury wants honesty, to know WHY and HOW.  As the New Moon in Scorpio approaches on Monday, November 13^th tightly conjoined to Mars, look at your own motivations:  why you want a certain person, goal or lifestyle. What exactly is driving your desire?  Take a beat and be honest with yourself.  Then carefully hand-write 3-5 intentions or goals to focus on for the next month and season.

At mid-month, our intuition is spot on.  Scorpio Sun-Mars aligns helpfully with Neptune in Pisces.  Time to trust your gut! If you are weighing decisions or choices, feel into your options.  Walking by or being on or around water will amplify your intuition; so get out in nature when possible between November 14-19^th. What has been muddled or confusing will become clear. You will gain clarity about the direction to take.

Thanksgiving festivities await us the following week. On Thursday, November 23^rd, the Sun joins Messenger Mercury in Sagittarius followed by Mars two days later on the 25^th, shifting the balance of cosmic energy from intense, emotional Scorpio to fiery, inquisitive Sagittarius.  The final fire sign of the zodiac, Sagittarius shines the light and law of truth on everything that Scorpio brought up to be seen.  Time to give up the ghost as there is no escaping or hiding from this Full Moon’s glare on Monday, November 27^th. 

In Gemini, the Moon opposes the Sun and Mars in Sagittarius.  An annual event, the Gemini Full Moon communicates what the Sagittarius Sun adjudicates.  Announcements gain big attention now.  So if you are launching any projects, plans, businesses or endeavors, you will be noticed.  For anyone with on-going legal concerns, prepare to hear something about your case, perhaps even a final decision, on or around this Full Moon.

Sagittarius is the teacher and wise one.  It schools us whether academically or experientially, through life lessons.  Watch for tests and exams.  We are all enrolled in the school of life here on Earth.  So when you find yourself in a sticky spot at year end asking existential questions or wondering why me?  Ask:  “what am I supposed to learn from this relationship or situation?”  What is the lesson inviting you to see differently?  No matter how old we are, each one of us is teachable.  And learnable.  You live, you learn.

Of Special Note:                                                                                                                 

Intuitive Life Coach Shari Elman joins the conversation on "Mystical Messages" podcast this month.  If you are stuck and in search of re-direction, tune in to hear how Shari shifts her clients out of patterns and habits that are no longer working and develop practices to maximize their goals. Shari is incredibly personable and accessible to folks from all walks of life.  Her gifts bring out your strengths.

 

 

  

Judgment Day

 A very gentle Taurus moon greets us on October 1^st and boy, do we need all the calm resolve we can use.  With the tumultuous Full Moon in Aries only just past days before at the end of September, it is important to take a beat, take a moment to gather yourself together.   Even for just 10-15 minutes, find an outlet such as walking in nature, cooking nutritious food or working on a creative project; these will help you face the coming month ahead with a steadier mind and heart.

Cosmically, we move into smoother waters during October. Life is indeed, finally, moving forward again; unlike the planetary fits and spurts stopping and starting (let’s be honest, there was not much starting going on with six planets retrograde in September), it felt like spinning our wheels in heavy mud.  No more.  You will feel the wind behind your back encouraging you to get going now.

What is it you are called to do?  Where are your talents needed most?  Be discerning so that you do not spread yourself too thin.  Your time is a very precious commodity.  And the Taurus moon conjoining Uranus-Jupiter on day one and two of October reminds us to use our resources wisely. 

Only several days into the month, on Wednesday, October 4^th, Messenger Mercury turns into Libra joining Mars and the Sun.  Seemingly endless decisions and choices face us.  We are indeed at a cross roads.  There is no going back to the way life was.  The structures we knew so well, for good or ill, continue to crumble.  There seem to be very few rules any more.  Chaos and creativity abound.  Opportunists and optimists alike know that out of chaos comes order; that creativity when done right, is incredibly messy. So it is now: a time of infinite possibilities.

One everlasting rule continues to reign:  the principle of love.  Going forward, our decisions must be heart-centered and rooted in love.  So when facing multiple choices, ask yourself which path makes you feel calm, peaceful, relieved, excited (even if a little nervous)?  That points you in the right direction, toward the answer you seek and your best path forward. If a choice elicits dread, feels dull, stagnant or spikes fear, your intuition is guiding you in another direction.  Suffice it to say, it is not selfish to make choices that are in your own best interest or for your own well-being. 

Assisting our decision-making, Valuable Venus moves into analytical Virgo on Monday, October 9^th.  This is no small event.  After a very lonnnng run in Lively Leo, from early June until now, Venus played and partied hard.  Moving into Virgo, she doesn’t shine quite as easily in this efficient, work-oriented sign.  The upside of this energetic combination is Venus’ ability to prioritize, how to make the most of what we have, to help us arrive at the best decisions for our future.

Just two days later, Powerful Pluto turns direct motion.  Generally, we do not feel this cosmic gear shift; however, it occurs as its younger sibling Mars moves into Scorpio, the sign Pluto rules.  Desires emerge.  Sexuality sparks and power plays evolve.  We feel much more deeply.  We yearn to get to the bottom of the matter; we want to know, to be sure of the whys and the hows scratching at us. The gloves are off and the veil is pierced. There is absolutely no pretending any more.  We must be our purely genuine selves.  If we do not know who that is yet, we must own up to our innocence and be clearly honest about our unknowing.  No fakers allowed here.

It is OK not to have all of the answers.  Better to ask and learn than be a fool pretending to know something you do not. Instead, ask those wiser than you.

Authenticity is the basis for the New Moon solar eclipse in Libra on Saturday, October 14^th.  The more sincere, honest and real we are with ourselves and each other will serve us well in the long run.  With Messenger Mercury, Sun, Moon and the lunar south node all in Libra, prudent judgment is on the table. We can disagree about the facts all we want; the questions is:  where do we go from here?  How do we get there based on the reality of our situation?  In the maelstrom surrounding many of us, aim for common sense.

By all means, avoid making rushed decisions or allow others to pressure you into making choices you have not fully thought through. Take your time. Ask thoughtful questions:  what’s in it for you?  Does this feel healthy?  The more sound and reasoned our judgment, the better.

Careful, deliberate consideration is essential as you hand write three to five goals and intentions on this potent New Moon.  Understand your motives:  why you want what you desire.  Feel into your desires.  Allow yourself to tune in to Mars’ exact alignment to Saturn in Pisces.  Together, they inform our intuition and offer absolute clarity.  You will be drawn to the best choices.  Even if others do not understand or call you crazy, it is imperative to follow where you are led.

“I am who I am because of the choices I made yesterday.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

Then plant your goals in the potent autumn earth or set safely alight.

Just days apart, both Messenger Mercury and the Sun move into Scorpio, joining Motivating Mars.  On Sunday, October 22^nd, Mercury forms a powerful pairing with Mars.  Mercury guides our thoughts and words while Mars rules our actions.  Together, they unearth what must be seen and recognized.  Expect a lot of dirt to be dished up, the good, the bad and the ugly. We drill down further when the Sun rolls into Scorpio on Tuesday, October 24^th.  Along with a whole lot of muck and mire, treasure will also be revealed.  For anyone in scientific, healing or research fields, this is a highly productive stretch as Venus aligns with Jupiter in manifesting earth signs:  think prolific results and beneficial, useful outcomes.  It is harvest time in a major way and all of us profit.

We move toward a Full Moon lunar eclipse during the final week of October.  The last eclipse of 2023 occurs on Saturday, October 28^th.  Sun, Mercury and Mars in Scorpio oppose the Full Moon tied to Jupiter in Taurus.  Full Moons are markers of culmination and completion.  As a lunar eclipse, this Full Moon signifies the ending of all endings with limitless opportunity for transformation and reinvention.  Our focus is drawn toward resources:  our time, energy, money, skills, talents, power and influence. How will you make the best use of yours?

Our journey takes us to the bottom of ourselves, to the heart of our situation where we unmistakably see it all:  the grime, the grit and the glory. We cannot look away now.  There is so much work still to be done. Taskmaster Saturn prepares to turn direct motion in a few days.  In Pisces, we are called to have faith even where there is very little reason to believe. Which is precisely why we must.

Trust the Process

Thick as molasses:  Some may describe the cosmic energy of September just like that.  Like a stubborn hangover from August, an energetic quagmire looms over much of this month as six out of ten planets cycle retrograde motion. 

What should we do?  How can we make the most of this energy happening at a time when the calendar calls us to swing back into action with school, life and work?  Patience. Patience and the knowledge that by mid-month, planetary gears will shift forward motion once again.  In the meantime, let’s set expectations to manage the days ahead:

On September 1^st and 2nd, the Aries moon has us eager to get a move on, expending our time and resources to yield results.  Not so fast.  Messenger Mercury and Valuable Venus are cycling retrograde while Generous Jupiter is preparing to reverse gear.  The Labor Day holiday weekend is tricky, sticky and dicey.  Communication snafus abound particularly with relationships, whether personal or work. 

Although it is human nature to make assumptions about other people’s lives and their motives, this is one time you want to avoid doing so.

”Never judge another man until you have walked a mile in his moccasins” – Native American Proverb

Instead:  focus on your own lane. Rather than racing to judgment, give the benefit of the doubt, something that is in direly short supply these days.

Practicing the RE words helps greatly:  research, review, rest, rebalance, reclaim, restore, and more, to navigate the first two weeks of September. Hold off on any major purchases or signing significant documents for two weeks, until September 15^th if possible.  Of course, if essentials need to be replaced, any electronic equipment or appliances such as a laptop, cell phone, washer or refrigerator, buy the extra warranty.  This is one time you will be very glad you did.

After 40 days cycling in reverse, on Sunday, September 3^rd, Valuable Venus finally turns direct motion.  Venus rules love, money and relationships.  In Leo, Venus has tempted us to take risks, spend big, indulge in illicit romance, or return to that creative project shelved a while back.  The fires within have been stoked since mid-July.  Any self-aware folks paying attention during the past six weeks noticed emotional triggers and wondered how best to respond; these have perhaps even begged existential questions asking where to go from here?

Such timely reflection is no accident.  Humanity is at a critical pivot point.  While chaos seems to dominate, make no mistake:  Divine Order and Diving Timing reign.  Our human clock wants to race ahead and get going.  Not yet. There is still more to uncover, to recover and sort through. We are asked to trust the process.  Keep the faith like never before. This is the lesson of Venus retrograde, the mythological descent into the underworld to face our shadow selves, pieces of our being we’d rather not acknowledge, particularly our unique, riskier creative selves. 

Now after Labor Day, it’s as if we are back in elementary school with the teacher asking: What did you learn this summer?   Maybe, that we are all more alike than not; that our individuality is to be celebrated rather than scorned; that each of us brings certain special pieces to complete the whole puzzle of life.

Now pushing forward again on Monday, September 4^th, Venus invites us to share our unique qualities, bring them out in the open, loud and proud as only Look at Me Leo would have us do. However, we may still be reticent to walk outside wearing our boldest colors.  Messenger Mercury, ruling our thoughts and words, is still retrograde while Generous Jupiter turns retrograde just as Venus rolls forward.  

There is time.  Like getting our wheels under us or recuperating from a long journey, we slowly emerge from the depths of our experience.  Journaling, meditation, walking and being in nature are particularly useful now to process everything we discovered about ourselves since July. 

Reflections on our life lessons are highly relevant now as the education planet Jupiter shifts into reverse on Monday, September 4^th.  With outer planets, Jupiter and beyond, we do not feel their gear shifts as intensely as we do inner planets Mercury, Venus and Mars.  Like an ebbing tide, Jupiter now has us internalizing and integrating our experiences gained over the past year. 

During the week following, when many are back to school and work, a plethora of sturdy earth energies ground us into the routines at hand.  This is an incredibly practical and useful stretch between Tuesday, September 5^th and the New Moon on the 14^th.  Fully half of the planets, five out of ten are aligning in real-deal earth signs.  The Sun-Mercury in analytical Virgo aligns to Jupiter-Uranus in Taurus and eventually to Pluto in ambitious Capricorn.  Whatever you are seeking to build, grow or harvest now, go and do! 

This immensely strong structural alliance is integral to the particularly potent New Moon. Late in the day on Thursday, September 14^th, the New Moon in useful Virgo occurs just as Messenger Mercury turns direct motion.  Virgo rules Mercury.  And with both Sun and Moon in this efficient sign aligning to Jupiter and change agent Uranus, we are afforded a choice opportunity to set intentions now. What are your goals and desires?   Take advantage on September 15^th and 16^th to hand write three –to-five intentions you want to manifest over the coming months or season.  Virgo is detailed. So the more specific your intentions are, the better.  Then set them safely alight or bury in the earth.

And so it begins.

After a very long pause over the summer, all three interior planets (Mercury, Mars and Venus) are now cycling forward.  We can feel this gear shift, the forward thrust of life again. You will feel momentum build. Certainly, we are ready to jump right back into life.  Go ahead and book the travel plans, purchase the big ticket items and sign the major deals and documents.  It is GO TIME!

Thirsty after a long drought, you may feel you cannot get enough of a good thing as the beneficent planets Jupiter and Venus go at it, squaring off in Taurus and Leo.  Several ripe opportunities may surface all at once; or you could be pulled in several directions at the same time. The upside of this duo is they aren’t fazed by much:  go big or go home.  Challenging each other, Jupiter and Venus call each other’s bluff and dig in with Herculean stamina and grit. Just make sure your choices feel aligned with your personal goals and fit into YOUR schedule. This energy is about maximizing your time and talents rather than pleasing others.

The downside is overspending, wayward romances, and foolhardy risks.  Jupiter in Taurus offers a treasure trove of abundance while Venus in Leo is ready to shop til she drops.  So you may still want to watch your wallet until this planetary stand-off begins to wane as the Sun enters Lovely Libra on Saturday, September 23^rd. marking the Autumn Equinox.  Heading into the Full Moon at month’s end, our energies are channeled creatively as Motivating Mars and Valuable Venus join forces the entire last week of September.  Endless ideas soar as this dynamic design duo align to the Aries North node:  our creative engine and productivity shift into overdrive.  Inventors, artists, problem solvers, scientists of all kind take note!  

Heightened by the Full Moon in trailblazing Aries on Friday, September 29^th, we are ready to get a move on.  As life moves full steam ahead with the Sun joining Mars in Libra, we are invited to take all of our summertime ruminations and craft our days with equilibrium.  What are you inclined to design? What do you want your life to look like?