The Only Way Out is Through

March should come with a giant warning sign:  The path to paradise begins in hell.  It is one of Dante’s more compassionate quotations.  His Inferno seems an appropriate text from which to quote given the energies awaiting us.  And while, abandon all hope ye who enter here, feels a bit too drastic a quotation, its sentiment does capture the essence of March 2025 rather effectively.

For anyone who knows me, I am a glass half full type of person and astrologer.  Yet, the month ahead is a cosmic minefield, a veritable battering ram of activity.  We will not be the same come April. So in the vernacular, I’m going to give it to you straight:

March isn’t messing around.  It pounces from the get go on Day One with Valuable Venus turning retrograde motion on Saturday, March 1^st.  This is a continuation of the interior planets (Mercury, Mars and Venus) back-to-back retrogrades that began in late November 2024 with Mars and Mercury shifting into reverse gear.  Our journey inward plundering our psyche continues now through March.

Venus is a helper wherever she cycles.  She rules the good life:  love, money, beauty and relationship, qualities we seek more of.  Her retrograde passage lasts six weeks, 40 days and 40 nights. Ring a bell?  This is the same number of days as Jesus’ wandering in the desert, his temptation by Satan and the season of Lent with which Venus retrograde is closely associated.  And it just so happens that Lent occurs on nearly the same days this year (March 5-April 17) as Venus retrograde (March 1-April 12).

This cyclical overlap rarely occurs; and it serves to underscore a primary theme of Venus retrograde:  temptation.  Temptation on all fronts:  relationships, values, resources, talents, and worth.  It is a very seductive time.  So a word to the wise:  use the following phrase when feeling tempted. Start by asking:  what and whom do you value, in yourself, in others, in life?

For the next six weeks, watch for old relationships surfacing, including memories of past relationships.  This is a classic time for your childhood friend to reach out or an old flame to reconnect.  It is also a time of buyer beware in capital letters.  This is especially true given Venus turning retrograde in fiery Aries an impulsive sign to begin with and typically lacking self-control.  So ask yourself whether you really need that luxury item, that designer handbag?  That very expensive, latest gadget?   Venus retrograde is the most notorious time of buyer’s remorse, whether for actual material goods or relationships that were better left on the back burner.  Better to think about it and see how you feel come late April.

To be clear, it is not the best time to:  start a business; make new investments; buy homes, cars or luxury items; go on a first date or initiate new relationships.  Generally avoid or delay anything to do with resource investment in general, whether money, relationship or skill development.  This is the time to ask:  how do I want to spend my time, energy, money or talents?

It is the perfect time for Spring cleaning and to practice the RE words including:  research, review, retreat, renew, recalibrate, restore, rest, and more, especially the second half of March when Messenger Mercury is also retrograde.

Which is where we head next:  into the middle of the month and the heart of darkness.  Good to remember now that it is always darkest before dawn.  Control what you can and surrender anything else. The first eclipse of 2025 occurs on Friday, March 14^th.  A total Full Moon lunar eclipse in Virgo opposite the Sun in Pisces, its themes are control vs. surrender, expectation management, and deep cleansing with healing potential.

A reminder that eclipses are neither bad nor good; however, if the coordinates impact your astrology chart, you will feel the effects.  With Sun and Saturn aligning to Motivating Mars during the eclipse, trust your intuition.  It is a saving grace and will show you the way forward.

We need all the guidance we can handle as the very next day, Messenger Mercury turns retrograde on the Ides of March, Saturday, March 15^th.  This is a one-two cosmic punch.  The planets do indeed have our attention now.  In the wake of the total lunar eclipse, expect some very big messages. 

The stretch between eclipses is a notorious time with the energetic quality of a black hole.  Trust me, you do not want to go in there alone or without a light by which to see.  The darkness is magnified and intensified by the overlapping Venus-Mercury retrogrades.  Think Mississippi mud.  We are spinning our wheels now.  Expect little to no traction. 

How to best make use of the second half of March?  Plan and prepare; surrender what you cannot control; double down on the RE words; add music to your life, in your home, car and at work; use water therapy of all kinds:  steam, frozen, or liquid. Combined with exercise, such as walking around water, swimming or boating, use water as a tool to mitigate excess energy or change your scenery.

Now is the time to clean house, both literally and physically. The Virgo Full Moon eclipse directs us to look at our health, wellness, work and lifestyle routines and habits.  Where do you need to clean up your act?  Aligned helpfully to change-agent Uranus in Taurus, this practical moon keeps our efforts grounded and real.  Dream. Vision forward. Then prepare to build.

What are you building?

A few days later the Spring Equinox occurs on Thursday, March 20^th.  Always a time of fresh starts, this is especially true now as the Aries Sun is tightly wedged between Venus-Mercury,  Neptune, the lunar north node and taskmaster Saturn in Pisces.  The latter mandates a deep clearing and clarifying to make way for the brand new to unfold.  We are at a tipping point, the threshold of a portal.  There is no going back, returning to old days or previous ways.

March is aptly named for our perpetual march forward.

Thursday, March 27^th Valuable Venus rolls back into Pisces, joining dreamy Neptune, the north node and Saturn.  Here Venus shines compassion to unify disparate forces.  Heading into the New Moon eclipse in Aries on Saturday, March 29^th, we need all the love we can get. Watch for illusion and the delusional as well as pristine insight and understanding.   There are those who are irretrievably lost along with those who guide, guard and protect us.  Take care with whom you align yourself with now.

Words and language have rarely mattered more. With Messenger Mercury at an attention-getting degree, choose your words wisely as you will be heard now.  Set your intentions.  Handwrite three to five goals that you aim to work on over the next month, season or year.  Be sure to include prayers for peace and calm in your community and the world at large as we are in great need both individually and collectively.

As if the cosmic stew of March were not enough, the month departs with a swan song, an epic crescendo.  Notably, spiritual Neptune shifts into the sign of Aries.  An outer planet, Neptune moves from one sign to another about every 15 years or so.  The last time it changed signs was in 2011, when she turned from Aquarius into Pisces.  Think about where you were, who you were, what occupied your life back then.  How far you have come!

Post Covid pandemic, you are probably living a different life based on choices you may not have ever conceived of in 2011.  Imagine where and who you might be in 2038 when Neptune changes signs again, into Taurus. 

A spiritual, watery planet in a fiery sign of action at 00 degrees Aries, Neptune makes a statement.  Take heed.  This is not a time for the faint of heart.  April holds the light at the end of the tunnel.  But we do indeed have miles to go before we sleep.  As Winston Churchill said: If you are going through hell, keep going.

Of Special Note:                                                                                                           

The 3 Wise Women is off and running!  Join us!  We are three veteran metaphysical practitioners offering community, conversation and connection via zoom every first Tuesday of the month @6 pm eastern.  For just $10/session, feel safe among like-minded seekers to ask your wildest woo questions and learn from each other.  To enroll:  www.cathyripleygreene.com

Mystical Messages features my monthly astrology forecasts if you prefer listening via podcast.  Also featured are cutting edge healing arts practitioners.  Tune in and listen through Youtube, Apple or Spotify or hear previous episodes:  www.hilaryharley.com

 

 

Glow, Grow and Flow

Fresh off a New Moon in Aquarius and Radical Uranus’ turning direct motion at the tail end of last month, February greets us with its signature motto:  change and change now.  Resist at your peril.  Delaying the work only digs us deeper into the trenches of what must eventually be embraced.

Underscoring the relentless spark to change are the lunar nodes that have now shifted signs, from Aries and Libra to Pisces and Virgo; the north and south nodes of Earth’s moon define a narrative:  the north node indicates what grabs our attention and urges us forward.  This has now moved from fire and air to water and earth elements.  For the last 18 months we felt a call to action, to design collaborations and fearlessly wander into new territories.

Each nodal axis is laden with potent promise asking us to follow primal urges in a certain direction.   And by February, our directional true north now resides in Pisces with the south node in practical Virgo.  Their energy invites us to surrender to the divine universal flow of life, to dream and then take pragmatic steps toward creating our vision.  This is the promise of the Pisces-Virgo nodal axis.

The corollary caution is drowning in victimhood mentality, fearing rather than believing, not getting out of your own way, overthinking rather than following our intuition, needlessly suffering instead of dutifully serving, drinking and drugging rather than health and wellness routines, fighting instead of flowing.  The Pisces north node is the quintessential path of least resistance.  It speaks to us through imagery, intuition and imagination.

So it is important to pay attention to your dreams (both day and night visions), film, water, music, photography, video, the non-profit and charitable sector, what feels soulfully delicious regardless of what others say; knowing that:  use care with whom you share your dreams.  The invitation is to float now and February is the month to do just that.  Especially since what lies ahead in March is no picnic. Take up the cues offered now and swim with the tide, float along the gentle cosmic currents as February is fairly tame with few planetary bumps or grinds. Enjoy the relative calm while it lasts!

The first shifts to greet us occur on the same day, Tuesday, February 4^th when both Generous Jupiter turns direct motion in Gemini while Venus rolls into Aries.  Expect communication to flow more smoothly, forthright and clear.  This is enhanced by Venus which doesn’t have time to mess around now; in fiery Aries, Venus cuts straight to the chase.  The one caution is impulse control.  Definitely look before you leap with this energetic combo.

If you have been holding off on signing contracts or debating what technology or communication device to purchase, now is your time. With the tail wind afforded by Jupiter moving forward, seize the opportunity offered up by this giant cosmic YES!

We inch closer to the Full Moon in Leo on Wednesday, February 12^th . The Leo moon is endlessly creative, especially opposite the ingenious Aquarian Sun-Mercury pair. The possibilities for scientific, technology and creative breakthroughs are literally jaw-dropping now.  Yet while this is a highly innovative Full Moon with Mercury tightly conjoined to the Sun in Aquarius, it is also worth noting the stiff challenges posed by Radical Uranus in Taurus.  Fixed signs abound at the Full Moon and they do not budge easily.

Picture three heavyweight boxers in a ring, each in peak physical form, baiting and daring the other two, heels dug in, and you have an idea of what Sun-Mercury-Moon challenging Uranus looks like.  Uranus is finishing its passage through Taurus.  At an energetic crescendo, it demands we use resources more deliberately.  “Your fun and creative ideas are great and all that,” says Uranus, “but how are you going to pay for it?”

In other words, watch for obstacles on the financing front.  Admitted to your dream college?  Now you need to piece together several scholarships.  Finished that film script you’ve been working on for years? Now find a studio to produce it.  Develop a life-saving medical device?  Now find a company to mass manufacture it for a cost-effective price.  You get the idea.  Any resource hurdles we face now are NOT insurmountable; but they will require extra effort and ingenuity.

Fortunately the winds of change loom just over the horizon if patience allows.

Just two days later on Friday, February 14^th, Messenger Mercury moves into dreamy Pisces.  Over the next week, watch for smoke and mirrors, people selling you things you do not need, telling you one thing but doing another, and more.  Illusion is rife through Sunday, February 23rd as Mercury challenges Jupiter in Gemini, amplified by the Sun entering Pisces on Tuesday, February 18^th.  This is one time to ask the harder questions and look under the hood of any prospects on the table.  Let people show you who they are now and definitely believe them the first time!

The best news of February awaits us yet when on Monday, February 24^th Motivating Mars finally turns direct motion. HURRAY!  Although still cycling through Cancer the Crab until mid-April, Mars moving forward gives us a big breather, allowing for a major exhale.  Take advantage of the stretch of clear energy offered this week before more planetary waves stir the ether throughout March.  Sign key documents and purchase large ticket items now between February 24^th and March 1^st.

Set your intentions on the New Moon in Pisces on Thursday, February 27^th.  With five planets and the lunar north node in dreamy Pisces, it is essential to take reflective time to dial up your intuition and really listen.  Pay attention to lyrics in music, imagery that speaks to you through film, photos or video, ideas, messages and thoughts while you are in/on/around water including snow, ice and steam.  What are you hearing and seeing? 

With the deluge of water energies at month’s end, we can feel awash in emotion.  Grounding yourself is essential now. Focus your attention; move and speak with intention. Handwrite three to five goals or dreams that you seek to manifest over the next month or season.  Carefully set these alight or bury them in the earth. While still one month away from springtime; and heading into the very murky waters of March, it is imperative to practice life with the utmost kindness and compassion toward yourself and all others.

Of Special Note:

The 3 Wise Women is off and running!  Join us!  We are three veteran metaphysical practitioners offering community, conversation and connection via zoom every first Tuesday of the month @6 pm eastern.  For just $10/session, feel safe among like-minded seekers to ask your wildest woo questions and learn from each other.  To enroll:  www.cathyripleygreene.com

Mystical Messages features my monthly astrology forecasts if you prefer listening via podcast.  Also featured are cutting edge healing arts practitioners.  Tune in and listen through Youtube, Apple or Spotify or hear previous episodes:  www.hilaryharley.com

 

 

 

 

Going Where We've Never Gone Before

The word unprecedented is so overused these days; it is, however, accurate to describe how 2025 is to unfold.  Mankind is in the midst of the most pivotal growth spurt in history.  We are evolving from homosapien to homoluminous; meaning:  shifting to a heart and soul-centered way of living, where mind is the servant, the instrument and tool of the heart, rather than the other way around.

This is the most significant jump in human development since man evolved from Neanderthal to cro magnon.

What began notably in 2020 with the Covid pandemic continues to play out.  If we learned anything from that, hopefully we learned not to take anything personally, and to look for silver linings of which there were so many.  Likewise, the most helpful approach to 2025 is curiosity and wonder, rather than fear or its counterpart victimhood. 

And 2025 asks us to be intrepid, gentle and compassionate.

With these watchwords in mind, let’s take a look at what is in store for the ever-unprecedented year ahead:

From the outset, the year demands (or invites) change.  With Powerful Pluto opposing Motivating Mars, we are pushed out of our comfort zones.  The old ways simply will not work.  Pluto joins the Moon in avant garde Aquarius from Day One. Now in Aquarius through 2043, Pluto prompts our invention, innovation and non-mainstream approach to life.

There is no rush. All three interior planets Mercury, Mars and venus will be retrograde, back to back, now through mid-April, giving us ample time to feel into how we can reinvent ourselves and rise to the demands posed by 2025.  Take advantage of these slow motion planets because by the end of April, shock and awe greet us at nearly every turn.

What makes 2025 so cosmically unusual is the planetary changing of the guard en masse.  Fully five outer planets change sign within eight months-time.  This is very rare indeed. Why?  Planets beyond Mars move very, very slowly, especially the outer three. From November 2024 through July 2025, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto will shift energetically.  We move from earth and water to fire and air elements, turning from practical, grounded and intuitive (earth and water signs) to creative, innovative, idea-oriented and communicative (fire and air signs). You will feel these shifts.

Our lived experience at the beginning of 2025 will be incredibly different than by the end of the year.

So it is really important to sink into the interior planetary slow-going afforded us during the first few months. January opens with Motivating Mars retrograde motion.  Mars is the gas pedal of the zodiac, the kick in the pants to get us out of bed in the morning.  Retrograde, Mars turns our energy inward, focusing on self-nurturing, home, family and ancestral patterns as it cycles through Cancer the Crab from January 4^th through April 17^th.  Deep in mid-winter, it is a convenient time for this passage.

Our energy feels sluggish through the end of February.  Watch for lack of motivation and general inertia.

Key themes with Mars retrograde in Cancer are:  food, family, self-care, diet and digestion, house, residence, home improvement projects, ancestors, hospice and life endings, maternal figures in your life (mom, sisters, aunts, grandmothers), psychological conditioning and programming, biological inheritance, nation, country.

Thursday, January 30^th:  Game Changer Uranus turns direct motion.  You may feel a marked gear thrust forward.  In Taurus, Uranus awakens our values, self-worth, skills and talents, relationship to money and all resources.  Notice where this is active for you.

February is a remarkably quiet month cosmically speaking.  I strongly recommend taking advantage of the calm before March madness descends!   Generous Jupiter turns direct motion in Gemini on Tuesday, February 4^th.  Jupiter is the titan of abundance, learning and expansion.  In Gemini, communication flows more easily; information you are seeking or sharing is readily available.

Monday, February 24^th:  Motivating Mars finally turns direct motion!  Notice how your energy picks up steam.  Where we felt lethargic, Mars now lights a fire under us, actively urging us to tend to our self-care, family, our home, elders, and how we cook and feed ourselves.

Enjoy the last week of February when all the interior planets are briefly direct motion to book travel plans, sign major contracts and documents, purchase large ticket items.

March Key Dates:   Very busy cosmic month

Sunday, March 2^nd Valuable Venus turns retrograde in Aries.  Watch temptation on all fronts: tempting love affairs heading nowhere and impulse buying things, especially luxury goods that you do not need.    Also watch for all variety of relationships from the past resurfacing:  old friends, relatives, romantic partners.  Venus is retrograde March 2-April 13^th and it is not a great time to initiate any relationships or launch businesses.

In the midst of this stretch, Friday, March 14^th delivers the first eclipse of 2025, a total lunar eclipse in Virgo.  Health, wellness, service, work, habits, practices and routines move front and center now.  We are asked to surrender what we cannot control.

The very next day, Saturday, March 15^th:  Messenger Mercury turns retrograde in Aries until Monday, April 7^th.  The great news is we get both Mercury and Venus retrogrades out of the way at the same time!  Watch for communication snafus, heated arguments and misunderstandings, overpromising things you cannot commit to, avoid signing major contracts or key documents, and hold off on booking travel plans or buying phones, tablets, laptops when possible until mid-April. 

Life kicks into overdrive with the second eclipse on Saturday, March 29^th, a partial solar eclipse in Aries.  Look where you are incited or invited into action?  Standing up for yourself, defending the vulnerable, and/or trying anything new to you, be it methods, exercise, travel, food, methods of thinking, and more are on the table now.

Underscoring the urge to explore the untried and new to us is soulful Neptune’s shift into pioneering Aries on Monday, March 31^st.  Neptune is the planet of the soul, dreams, the subconscious.  Ephemeral Neptune is not especially comfortable cycling through Aries, the first sign and first fire sign of the zodiac.  Its key phrase is I AM. Rules the head, identity, self, war, conflict, battle. Known for physicality, leadership, athleticism, initiative, impulse, lack of follow through, action, doing (not being), up for/willing to try anything.  Personality type:  the Warrior, the pioneer, the executive, the Great Initiator. The best possible combination of Neptune in Aries is pioneering solutions benefitting all of mankind; the downside is religious zealotry.

By the end of May, Taskmaster Saturn joins Neptune in Aries.  You will surely feel the fire under your fanny and your feet when these two join forces!  This duos inspires and commands our soul craving something brand new, what we’ve never done before.  What is that for you?

Monday, June 9^th Generous Jupiter moves into nurturing Cancer the Crab for the next full year.  Exalted in this maternal sign, Jupiter offers endless silver linings to any challenges we may endure.  Look for the helpers, as Mr. Rogers said.  Earth angels abound if you only ask for assistance.

Just after the 4^th of July holiday, change agent Uranus moves into communicative Gemini.  Aligning to Pluto in Aquarius, watch for smoother connections, proliferating idea exchange, technology developments, and surprising solutions to stubborn long-term problems.

It is important to remember that the planets impel, the do not compel; meaning, you have free will and choice how you respond to planetary stimulus.  Joy and light are my personal words for 2025 and offer a way for me to rise up and greet what crosses my threshold.  What are your words for the year ahead?

 Of Special Note:

The 3 Wise Women is off and running!  Join us!  We are three veteran metaphysical practitioners offering community, conversation and connection via zoom every first Tuesday of the month @6 pm eastern.  For just $10/session, feel safe among like-minded seekers to ask your wildest woo questions and learn from each other.  To enroll:  www.cathyripleygreene.com

Stirring the Cosmic Kettle: Stagnate or Grow

Not a very sexy title for this January forecast, but like the sign Capricorn itself, it cuts to the chase and clearly spells out the message.  And while the Sun cycles through Capricorn during most of January, it is innovative Aquarius that sets the tone for the first month, and in fact the entire year, of 2025.

An interesting fact and notable point of interest is that the Earth’s Moon moves through an astrology sign every two days.  So there is a one-in-twelve chance that the Moon will be in a certain sign on Day One of the New Year; however, we find the Moon tightly conjoined to Powerful Pluto in Aquarius denotes much greater odds, about 1-28.  This radical pair finds us smack dab on New Year’s Day.

The Moon represents our emotions, how we feel.  Bound to Pluto on the first day of 2025 we feel powerfully; feel transformative emotions, and yet, in Aquarius, we’re not exactly sure what we feel; can’t quite put words to, much less a label, feelings surging through us.  We do know we have never quite felt these feelings before:  new emotional frontiers, a detached non-conformist.  Inventive Aquarius has strong feelings perceived through an eccentric lens.

Think, Dr. Spock from Star Trek, saying, “fascinating,” as he coolly observed emotions in himself that rang true.

Aquarius’ key phrase is I KNOW.   Not because Aquarians do know; but out of a driven curiosity for certainty, to know beyond the shadow of a doubt.  Their curiosity leads them out on a limb where other souls dare not go.  They could care less what others think of them. For Aquarians are too caught up in the pursuit of knowledge and sweet undeniable certainty to waste precious energy on others’ impressions. 

Their disregard for convention and status quo, much less what others’ think of them, renders them the rule breakers, the boundary busters, rebels and revolutionaries of the zodiac.  Aquarius grooves to upending societal norms.  Radical shifts continue through January, marking the USA Presidential Inauguration. Welcome to 2025 and beyond.  Here, there are no rules.  Whether in your personal or professional lives, we are pushed to breakthrough anything holding us back from our fullest potential.

Therein lies the incorrigible dichotomy about Aquarius:   Aquarians’ famous determination, perseverance and downright grit pushes through the most difficult obstacles and stays the course to reach their goals.  The notorious Aquarian resistance must be shown irrefutable proof (better yet, experience for themselves) evidence before changing course.

And yet:  Aquarius is a mandate to change.  This sign is the guardian of the radical individual.  They are the most resistant to change while inciting (dare I say demanding) change in others.  Aquarians are not hypocrites.  They are futuristic.  They know what is possible and chase those boundaries while refusing to be fenced in by the collective’s current standards.  Its motto might well be Stagnate or Grow.  But change or growth rarely occurs via a straight through line.

Which begs the question:  what’ll you be having for 2025?  Growth or stagnation?  The January 1, 2025 Pluto-Moon Aquarius duo wants to know.

Remember:  Growth doesn’t mean throwing the baby out with the bathwater, tossing all of your wisdom and life experience out the window.  Rather, growth means taking steps, action, even micro actions, towards the new and different.

Enter Divine Inspiration on Friday, January 3^rd as Valuable Venus enters Pisces where she is exalted, saintly and selfless, giving endlessly to others.  In Pisces, Venus really lends a helping hand by softening our hardline stances with gentle nudges.   Film, photography, music, water, lyrics and poetry are her tools.  What imagery and sounds cross your radar?  Especially note repeating messages and flashes of insight as this is Piscean Venus lighting our pathway forward.

Wednesday, January 8^th catalyzes us into action as Messenger Mercury enters Capricorn.  Where Venus inspires, Capricorn Mercury plots, plans and executes.  Their collaboration extends for the better part of January, through the 23rd, manifesting dreams into reality.  In fact, I call such planetary angles between Pisces and Capricorn the Dream Maker aspect.  It takes one to dream and the other to do.

With Motivating Mars and Generous Jupiter in a prolonged retrograde cycle, use the Mercury and Venus alignment to formulate a game plan.  It may take another month or so to get your ideas off the ground, but these two forge a reliably realistic road map.

We feel the momentum build moving toward the Full Moon in Cancer the Crab on Monday, January 13^th.  Paired tightly with retrograding Mars, the Moon highlights the home front.    Family, house, home, food, ancestry and inheritance are on the table at mid-month.  What is happening for you in this arena?  Do you need to set boundaries with certain family members?  Create a better functioning home design?  Follow a healthier diet? 

This Full Moon spotlights what works and what doesn’t work in our household; our increasing awareness extends to stark contrasts in our nation, country and homeland as well, especially as we approach Inauguration Day in the United States. 

Remember January First?  That Aquarian Moon-Pluto duo?  Well, it is bookended on January 19^th and 20^th by the Sun which now enters Aquarius and joins Pluto.  The mandate for change continues.  The caution with ANY pairing with Aquarian Pluto is a rebel without a cause syndrome.  It’s one thing to march to your own drum; but change simply for the sake of upheaval rarely has beneficial outcomes.

This is particularly true with Motivating Mars retrograding in Cancer the Crab.  Mars is the planetary gas pedal.  Cycling in reverse gear, Mars causes delays or halts any forward motion.  This is not the time to launch new ventures, business or personal projects.  This is particularly true in areas ruled by Cancer:  house, home, family, food, or nation.  Keep an eye on our nation’s capital this year as both the incoming Congress and President will be deeply affected by Mars retrograde.

The insistent persistence to create rules in reaction to life continues through a series of quickly unfolding planetary shifts, all tied to Aquarius and its ruler Uranus. First, Messenger Mercury turns into Aquarius on Tuesday, January 28^th, joining Pluto and the Sun.  The next day, the Aquarius New Moon occurs, the very same day that Radical Uranus turns direct motion.

Can you spell shock and awe?  Expect the unexpected.  Uranus rules earthquakes, lightning strikes, and all manner of surprise.   The Great Change Agent shifts into overdrive jolting the senses, body, mind and soul. The Yiddish phrase we plan, God laughs, comes to mind. Just when you thought you’d seen it all, wait for it.  If you are off-path in any way, you will be course corrected.  Although not necessarily negative, Uranus’ forward thrust stirs the cosmic kettle.  For those who like predictability (which is most of humanity) it’s best to have a Plan B and Plan C lined up now.

Remember, winning the lottery can catch anyone by surprise.  But you do have to play to win. Showing up is 9/10ths of life.

Of Special Note:

The 3 Wise Women is an on-line metaphysical forum that meets the first Tuesday of each month @6 pm Eastern.  Join me and two incredible veteran healing arts practitioners for community and conversation. $10/month or $110 for a year. www.cathyripleygreene.com or www.hilaryharley.com to sign up or for more info.

Deep and Dark December

We are IN DEEP now:  the muck and the mire stirred up by the election in the United States last month, the froth of sludge brewing for years now, wounds festering beneath the surface infected by eons of hurt and trauma.

Let’s be honest.  No magic wand, no one pill or simple solution erases conflicts in one easy swoop, conflicts and strife carried since the birth of the United States, a nation born out of revolution.

If nothing else, astrology is the study of patterns and cycles.  No less than two major revolutions occurred the last time transformer Pluto passed through Aquarius, in the USA and France, breaking with one ancient monarchy and toppling another.  Collectively, we have now returned to that same point in Pluto’s cycle. So it’s best to manage our expectations of how life will follow in the near future.

First:  there is no “normal” or even a “new normal”.  Change is the only true constant in life.  If the Covid pandemic taught us anything, it is to expect the unexpected.  The next five months are very unpredictable and surprising.  Yet, we must live our lives and go about our business as best we can knowing that we are in for months of potential upheaval and chaos, lengthy steps backward to review, recalibrate, reflect, and research what we truly value and ideally, establish goals based on our emerging desires.

December marks the first of these next five months of achingly slow movement.  This is really not the time to push forward with just about anything new:  relationships, projects, businesses and more.  All three interior planets, Mercury, Mars and Venus, will reverse movement through mid-April 2025.  We feel the reverse motions of these planets much more acutely than Jupiter through Pluto.

Now is the moment to deeply dive inward and figure out where to go from here and how best to get there.  The one upside of this is that it occurs all through wintertime ahead, a time of regular down shifting into low gear for wool gathering.

For starters:  Messenger Mercury is moving retrograde as December opens and only a few days into the month, Motivating Mars turns retrograde as well, making the second week of the month the most difficult when both planets are cycling backward.

We will feel this epically slow energy. 

Try not to take it personally if you cannot get anything done or have to re-do everything from Friday, December 6^th to Monday, December 16^th.  You will get very little traction so bide your time and practice a whole lot of patience. 

On the heels of the Thanksgiving holiday, a New Moon in Sagittarius greets us on Sunday, December 1^st. Wedged tightly between Messenger Mercury and the Sun, this fiery New Moon trio demands the truth, whether we can handle it or not.  There is a hunger, a driven quest to pursue the purest understanding of any matter, whether a relationship, a problem to be solved, a legal concern, or ethical dilemma. 

This is Sagittarius:  I understand.  Not because we DO understand; but rather for the sheer adventure to learn under the brightest lamp of knowledge.  Sagittarius IS the journey.  To learn for learning’s sake.  The veritable seeker come to life.

 

So as you set your New Moon intentions on December 1^st or 2^nd, ask how you can best learn, grow, or deepen your understanding about the goals you seek to manifest.  This is one very spiritual New Moon as both the Moon and Mercury challenge Taskmaster Saturn in Pisces.  Our heart and mind want certainty even while we are called to surrender to the great unknowns in life.  Our expectations of how life should be are challenged by how life actually is.  Best to step into the river of life’s universal flow and see where it takes you. 

You may very well feel a push and pull, a tug of war within striving for clarity and certainty.  Pay attention to imagery, signs emerging through music, lyrics or while in or around water.  This is Saturn in Pisces.  We are called to accept (if not embrace) all and everyone now.  This challenging angle reminds us of a very certain truth:  that despite our differences, we are all in this together.  We are ONE.

By the next Friday, December 6^th, Motivating Mars turns retrograde in Leo.  For the next two months, through the end of February, we are revisting our creativity, how to make the most of the chances we take, romantic pursuits, and matters with our children.  Until February 24^th, it is an excellent time for stepping back for a thorough review. 

If you can do this by taking time off or time out, so much the better.  The key is to monitor expectations of how much we can get done.  Watch for biting off more than you can easily chew.  Mars is the gas pedal of the zodiac, the god of action.  Retrograde, it is particularly dicey, surly and passive aggressive especially as delays in our progress mount through the wintertime.  Look for such behaviors in others as well as yourself. 

Divine timing is everything indicated by dreamy Neptune turning forward motion on December 7^th.  There is a wiser, more soulful purpose to the massive slow down through next April:  an ancient wisdom that we must collectively shift backward in order to confidently take well-placed steps forward into our future. 

The very same day, Valuable Venus moves into avant garde Aquarius.  Though detached and cerebral in Aquarius, Venus is also innovative and ingenious while in this sign.  You will find yourself gravitating to the smartest people in the room, those with really interesting ideas and maybe a bit off the wall too.  Although great for exploring alternative groups, technology and non-mainstream outlets, the caution here is do your homework. 

Before aligning yourself with anyone or any group on the fringe of society, ask if and how they have your best interests at heart.  Mars retrograde in Leo combined with Venus in Aquarius can draw some pretty radical people into our orbit.  Just make sure who you are aligning yourself with before you get too deeply committed.

Clarity and traceable facts become imperative with the approaching Full Moon on Sunday, December 15^th .  It also happens to be the same day as Mercury shifts direct motion.  Can you say SPIN?!  Both Sun and Moon challenge illusive Neptune in Pisces.  This Full Moon is a con artist’s dream.   Many do not know what to believe, who’s on first, which direction is true north, up, down or sideways.

So Buyer Beware Bigtime!  This applies to ANYthing you are getting involved with:  relationships, projects, finances, health, groups of any kinds, education, communication, and more.

Now is the time to do thorough homework. Ask questions.  Do not worry about what others think of your probing and prodding for information.  Tell them you want to be informed as much as possible. Ask open ended questions:  Why do you think that way?  What informs your beliefs or thoughts about X,Y, and Z?  What brought you to that conclusion?

These are not offensive questions but rather considered and deliberate queries.

Full Moons always shine a spotlight on what must be seen.  In communicative Gemini, this Full Moon brings a major announcement, especially of a legal nature.

By the end of the week, the Sun enters Capricorn on Saturday, December 21^st marking the winter solstice.  We can use every bit of the practicality and pragmatism for which Capricorn is so well known.  Individually and collectively we must rebuild facets of our lives in need of repair.  With long winter weeks ahead of planetary retrogrades, Capricorn offers the necessary energy to support our endeavors. 

This is hard core, hardnosed, long-haul, long-term, quality over quantity fuel.  The very opposite of airy fairy, Capricorn puts the rubber ON the road.  It constitutes the great life ledger taking stock and full inventory of all resources.  Do you have what it takes to meet your goals?  Ask Capricorn.

The darkest days are now behind us; although sufficient light may not shine through the proliferating chaos and confusion, cracks of light do glimmer through the turbulence.  Move toward the Light.

Of Special Note:

The 3 Wise Women is off and running!  Join us!  We are three veteran metaphysical practitioners offering community, conversation and connection via zoom every first Tuesday of the month @6 pm eastern.  For just $10/session, feel safe among like-minded seekers to ask your wildest woo questions and learn from each other.  To enroll:  www.cathyripleygreene.com

Curious about the cosmic energy for the New Year?  Join me for a relaxed conversation about what to expect and how to best navigate 2025 at Peaceful Pathways in Easton, MA, 1:30-4 PM, Saturday, December 28th.  Contact me directly to register:  hilary@hilaryharley.com

Mystical Messages features my monthly astrology forecasts if you prefer listening via podcast.  Also featured are cutting edge healing arts practitioners.  Tune in and listen via: Youtube, Apple or Spotify or hear previous episodes:  www.hilaryharley.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Treasure Hunt

Hard not to mention the presidential election in the United States this month.  With so much at stake, with the country divided so deeply, ignoring the election would be to pretend a tiger wasn’t in the room.  However, rather than focusing on who will win the election, our energy is better spent on the cosmic themes November has planned for us.

All the Novembers of our lives have to do with transformation.  This is Scorpio’s month. The middle month of autumn, November prepares us for impending wintertime, the final dissemination of leaves and seeds merging into Mother Earth, building equity for fresh spring cycles yet to be.  The harvest is now done.  We take our earthly riches and fold them carefully away to feast upon through darker days ahead. 

Scorpio and its ruler Pluto govern the underside, the shadow, dirty unmentionables swept under the rug that no one wants to acknowledge.  Yet therein lies our greatest treasure:  the forgotten, neglected, disabused pieces of ourselves, like leaves and stems shed, discarded into the earth which form the delicious soil for tomorrow’s harvest.

Like a bulldozer, Pluto and the energy of Scorpio pulls back the proverbial cover, curtain, or carpet insisting we take long, deep looks at the underbelly of our lives, examining the psychologically discarded remnants of our upbringing, ancestral patterns and ancient traumas.  Time to name it and claim it:  shame, guilt, abandonment, dismissed, overlooked and on and on.

And so the work begins, the very first day of November with the New Moon in Scorpio.  Two narratives offer distinct options as to our unearthing approach:  gut wrenching heavy lifting OR a mysteriously alluring detective game.  Both require time, effort and focused attention. Our expectations and headspace set the tone for the work to be done:  pure drudgery and toil OR a wild chase of a treasure hunt to find what lurks beneath.  I suggest employing the latter.  Always choose the more interesting path.

Either way, our excavation begins immediately on Friday, November 1^st with the New Moon in Scorpio. The Scorpio Sun and Moon align helpfully to Taskmaster Saturn in Pisces to cleanse and clear away the debris. The planetary trio intensifies our sensitivities now; so trust your intuition.  You do not need to know why or how something or someone makes you feel. Simply acknowledge your gut instincts.  Reasons and understanding will follow later on.

Turns out, later on is right around the corner. Over the weekend, Messenger Mercury turns into Sagittarius joining Valuable Venus and briefly the Moon on November 3^rd and 4^th.  These three illuminate what is being uncovered to better understand what we are seeing.  What lessons are we learning from our experience?  Take the high road now and ask how you can integrate the experiences so you do not repeat the lessons.  This path serves you well and is less arduous in the long run.  Still, many who don’t immediately get what they want, what they believe they deserve, or are entitled to, will choose to lawyer up, as the law and legal realm is ruled by Sagittarius.

By Monday, November 4^th, Motivating Mars shifts into Leo, opposing older sibling Pluto.  Bear in mind, Election Day is nigh. This is the energy at play when you cast your vote. Mars and Pluto have tangled since the end of October and continue through all of November.  Traveling through polar ends of the zodiac, Mars and Pluto raise our awareness about how to creatively problems solve for the masses, aka, give the people what they want.

How they go about delivering the goods involves completely different approaches.

An interior planet close to Earth, Mars makes its presence felt. In Look-at-Me Leo, Mars creates a cacophony of drama and noise.  This is not good or bad, positive or negative.  It simply is; especially Mars opposing Capricorn Pluto which draws a final, definitive line in the sand.  Pluto hits a crescendo on election week and will not return to Capricorn for another 240 years.  Talk about an emphatic, underscored, italicized and bold print finale!

Capricorn writes unmistakably in black and white on the great karmic ledger. It rules time and timing.  Capricorn says:  the cosmic slate is balanced now.  Just don’t expect outcomes or results to be willingly swallowed or the losers to go quietly or gently into that good night.  Not with Mars in Leo opposite.

Stay on your side of the fence says Valuable Venus as she turns into Capricorn on Monday, November 11^th.  Not exactly warm and fuzzy in hard-as-a-rock Capricorn, Venus cracks the whip now.  She tells us to put on our big boy and girl pants, to deal head on with the circumstances at hand.  Through mid-month, Venus challenges the north and south lunar nodes, playing arbiter and mediator between those picking fights and those making nice, trying to appeal to all sides.  No nonsense Capricorn sticks to the facts and insists on responsibility and integrity.

Discipline and honor are infinitely emphasized as Taskmaster Saturn, ruler of Capricorn itself, turns direct motion on Thursday, November 14^th . In Pisces, Saturn distills and discerns what exactly we believe. It is no accident that Saturn, Lord of Karma, shifts forward motion on the eve of the Full Moon.  The heavens are not messing around now.  The week leading up to the Full Moon is heavy indeed.  We feel every ounce of its weight and gravitas.

Tightly conjoined to Radical Uranus, the Full Moon in Taurus aligns to Powerful Pluto.  They’re deadly serious.  Think earthquakes and earsplitting thunderclaps.  This is one great awakener calling us to get our values straight.  Lives and livelihoods are at stake.  We are shown in vivid color what and whom really matter, are distinctly important, including our own dreams, talents, and assets.   Talk about clarity! 

The Awakening continues as Pluto moves into Aquarius on Tuesday, November 19^th.  We’ve been given a taste of Pluto in this non-mainstream sign earlier in 2024 but now, Pluto is here to stay in innovative Aquarius through 2043….!  Imagine what the world will look like then.  Humanitarian yet avant garde, Aquarius marches to its own drum.  Consider the last time Pluto cycled through Aquarius, 1777-1798, two revolutions occurred: in France where royal heads rolled and Great Britain vs. its own colonies, forming the United States of America.

Watch now as the collective rises to claim its rightful place.  The Old Order is done now, giving way to the New World Order championing the people.  First, though, creation and giving birth are very messy indeed. Do not expect a neat and tidy process.  Manage your expectations of how to navigate this time.  Remember:  there is nothing to fear as long as you speak from the heart and operate truthfully.

Truth and honesty are the watchwords as the Sun turns into freedom-loving Sagittarius on Thursday, November 21^st.  What the Sun excavated while in Scorpio now shines its light of truth on for all to see.  Over the next month, the Sun gradually pairs with Messenger Mercury in Sagittarius, forming a difficult angle, also known as a HOT MESS, as the pair opposes Jupiter in Gemini and challenge Neptune in Pisces.  Con artists and spin doctors thrive feeding on this energy. Beware and be aware.

How to manage?  Take a beat and listen, really tune into your intuition, your gut instincts. Pay attention to your common sense reasoning. Dip beneath the layers, below the surface and ask intentional, open-ended questions. Let others do the talking, wait for their replies and really listen to the meaning behind their words. The need for this increases that much more heading into Thanksgiving when Mercury turns retrograde on Tuesday, November 26^th.

Snarled traffic and delayed flights?  You bet.  So leave plenty of extra time to get to your destination. 

The start to the holiday shopping season is at hand.  I am a glass half-full kinda gal and astrologer but we are entering a lengthy period of re-sets through spring of 2025.  It is helpful to look at the next five months as a time of preparation as all three interior planets, Mercury, Venus and Mars will be retrograde from late November 2024 through early April 2025.

We are taking a few steps back to do some much-needed interior work before we can firmly and confidently move forward. Very little traction and progress will be had. Set your expectations accordingly.  Practice the RE words for sure:  rest, restore, renew, research, relax, etc, knowing that this too shall pass.  After all, we got through Covid; we can get through this. 

Of Special Note:

The 3 Wise Women is off and running!  Join us!  We are three veteran metaphysical practitioners offering community, conversation and connection via zoom every first Tuesday of the month @6 pm eastern.  For just $10/session, feel safe among like-minded seekers to ask your wildest woo questions and learn from each other.  To enroll:  www.cathyripleygreene.com

Mystical Messages features my monthly astrology forecasts if you prefer listening via podcast.  Also featured are cutting edge healing arts practitioners.  Tune in and listen through Youtube, Apple or Spotify or hear previous episodes:  www.hilaryharley.com

 

In Between Days

The time falling in between our occupations, our appointments and scheduled activities is often a most overlooked opportunity.  Many race to fill “empty” moments which could otherwise be recognized as sacred chances to wander and wonder.

When was the last time you allowed yourself to simply space out, drift, allow time to carry you away …?

Such is the deliciously ripe chance we find ourselves in as October opens. As the month begins we are in between two of three eclipses, the second of which occurs immediately on Wednesday, October 2^nd, and happens to be a New Moon Solar eclipse in Libra.

Contrary to the frantic urge to be productive, we often forget that mind wandering time is similar to sleep, and without it, we cannot function properly. Dream away down time feeds the soul which in turn feeds the engine of our days.  Ignore it at your peril.  Where some consider time off to be a waste of time, think of it rather as creative juice.

October largely belongs to Libra.  Libra allures and attracts us with beauty, art and highly developed relational skills.  Ruled by Venus, goddess of love, money, all of the good stuff, Libra teaches us to balance.  Who among us hasn’t given away our time, talents, resources and energy only to run smack into resentment for not factoring our own needs and agenda into the equation?

Balance is the primary theme, then, of October, marked as it is by two significant eclipses in Libra.  As a reminder:  eclipses are neither bad nor good.  When they impact your astrology chart directly, eclipses say pay attention.  In Libra they point out where our lives may be in need of realignment and rebalancing.  Where might this be for you?

In modern life, beauty is much maligned, both over hyped as well as denigrated.  Have you left beauty somewhere by the wayside of your own life?  Forgotten how snappy a polished pair of shoes looks?   How charming a vase of flowers can be?  How satisfying a walk through works of art feels?

This is Libra.                                         

Much like in-between time, Libra’s greatest gift of beauty gets put down and pushed aside in our rush to get ahead.

The Libra New Moon solar eclipse on October 2^nd is tightly bound to Messenger Mercury offering a significant window to set clear intentions.  Take time handwriting three to five goals you seek to manifest over the next month or season; then plant in the earth or set safely alight.  Decision making is key now.  With Sun, Moon, Mercury and the Lunar south node all in Libra, we carefully weigh all choices.  Remember:  there are no wrong decisions.  There is ONLY learning. 

Libra can see every single angle, both pro and con, of the options at hand.  What should tip the veritable scales of your choices is casting a vote for yourself.  Especially as Libra tends to forget itself entirely, so focused is it on everyone else in our lives. By all means, take into account whatever choice benefits you the most.  This is not selfish as many of us have been taught. Our own potential and well-being are of equal importance as are the myriad agendas factoring into your equation.

One week later, cosmic gear shifts as we move toward mid-month and the second eclipse. The planetary baton is passed.

First, Generous Jupiter comes to a standstill and turns retrograde on Tuesday, October 8^th.  We do not feel the forward and reverse motions of the outer planets as we do the interior planets Mercury, Venus and Mars that are closer to the Earth.  Nonetheless, if you have important affairs to launch or get a move on, the energy may feel sluggish from October 7-9. 

In communicative Gemini, Jupiter sends a message now:  are we listening as much as we are talking?  Are you allowing quiet, down time (again with the down time!) to gather information and integrate all data points?  This reminder is the gift of Jupiter retrograde in Gemini, to pay attention, to hear, in equal measure to sharing and talking.

Only two days later, on Thursday, October 10^th, Powerful Pluto turns direct motion in Capricorn.  Tied to the moon, Pluto says clearly:  get down to business.  Say what you mean and mean what you say. Actions speak a whole lot louder than words now. Opposite Motivating Mars in Cancer, the Pluto-Moon duo in Capricorn emphasize the gravity of the current moment, especially as pertains to our family, home, diet or food, country/nation and ancestral heritage.

Push has come to shove and it is time for decisive action.

To underscore this brass tacks moment, Messenger Mercury turns into transformational Scorpio on Sunday, October 13^th.  With its X ray vision and unparalleled bull shit detector, Scorpio Mercury roots out any dirt swept under the proverbial rug.  What it uncovers, it readily reveals.  Feel the burn. Anyone trying to pull a fast one or pull the wool over another’s eyes, will feel the burn, the infamous Scorpio sting.  Simply:  they won’t get away with anything.  Talk about power moves.  Now is the time to let your power swing.

The combined energetic gravitas tees us up beautifully for the final eclipse of 2024. Brought to you by balls to the walls, this Full Moon lunar eclipse on Thursday, October 17^th in Aries and Libra directly challenges heavy weights Mars and Pluto.  If you did not get the hint the prior week, you will be bowled over now.  Supposedly everlasting structures and power dynamics may fall like dominoes. What remains post eclipse is intended to stay for the duration. 

The message:  love comes first, family (or people who feel like family), your home, nation, ancestral conditioning and programming, what and how you consume food, life endings, and estate matters are all significantly in play now.  This eclipse is a call to action, to get a move on like few others.  Expect some very big announcements now.

The great news is:  The Full Moon tightly conjoins healer Chiron. 

In the wake of old structures collapsing, new pathways emerge.  Beckoning to us is are invitations to explore new types of healing.  What alternative therapies have you thought about but not yet tried?  Do that.  Book a trial session; try new foods or ways of cooking, investigate ancestral patterns impacting you or your loved ones; prepare estate plans.

Helping us put our explorer hat on, Valuable Venus turns into Sagittarius the very next day, Friday, October 18^th.  Here, Venus is up for anything, game to try what she hasn’t done before. Unabashed and definitely unafraid, Sagittarius Venus cannot wait to hit the trail and see where adventure takes her.

Messenger Mercury in Scorpio and Venus in Sagittarius create one powerful planetary combination.  Together we see everything and everyone clearly, speak our minds regardless of who might be offended, telling ribald truths, and peeling away antiquated distortions and expectations of how life is supposed to be.

A question for anyone still thinking along these lines:  how IS life actually supposed to be? And according to whom?  Chances are, the answers will not hold water, much less survive the earth shattering honesty of October.  Truth telling is not for the faint of heart.  So do not expect to win popularity contests or curry favor for speaking your truth.

On Tuesday, October 22^nd the Sun turns into Scorpio. Joining Mercury, the Sun lays bare any attempts to shade the truth.  We intuitively see, feel, and know with uncanny accuracy the essence of our personal and work lives.  Heavy lifting now follows.  What once is seen cannot be unseen.  You ARE up for the task ahead.  You’ve uncovered the dirt hidden by that old rug.  Just look there in the pile underneath:  a treasure awaits, to bring out of the shadows and into the light. What will you do with your treasure?

                                                            

Of special note:

So honored to appear on the Life with Ghosts podcast recently.  Hosts Stephen Berkley and Gary Langley offered a lively discussion with challenging questions about the soul, astrology, its purpose as a guidance tool, and much more.  This is one episode to give a listen.  To tune in, go to YouTube, Life with Ghosts episode 18:   https://youtu.be/FpJSATYeaSQ 

3 Wise Women: Join veteran medium Cathy Ripley Greene, psychic intuitive Veronica Drake and me the first Tuesday of each month @6 pm via zoom for metaphysical community and conversation.  We tackle questions large and small.  Come find your tribe!  $10 session or $110 for the year.  www.cathyripleygreene.com or www.hilaryharley.com to enroll.