Full Moon @ 24 degrees Aries 35'
October 17, 2024
7:26 AM EDT
4:26 AM PDT
October's Full Moon in tropical Aries ignites a process that will continue into early next year due to Mars' retrograde cycle. Mars will station retrograde on December 6, appearing to backtrack through Leo and Cancer until its direct station on February 23. Mars' square to this month's Aries Full Moon foreshadows a dynamic we will revisit over the following few months, especially as the lunar north node transitions out of Aries into Pisces early next year.
Aries and its ruler, Mars, belong to the archetypal battlefield. Warriors and trailblazers of various kinds are significant Aries archetypes. The need and desire to courageously step up to what scares us and do what we must do is a dominant thematic current here. This Full Moon also aligns with Eris and Chiron. This points to a need to heal and integrate conflicts and divisions within ourselves and our external lives.
As a Full Moon, there is a culminating crescendo in the works this week that draws events, situations, and processes to a peak within the realm of that archetypal battlefield. Knowing the house in the birth chart where Aries falls will be more illuminating here as it points to where we've probably found ourselves attempting to manifest more growth, change, and progress in that vicinity over the past year and a half.
Those attempts are reaching a climax over the following months, and this Full Moon can represent a critical fulcrum in time that draws our attention there due to a need to heal and break through various insecurities or defects we might have around taking initiative or claiming something we rightfully deserve. Frustration and anger can also be an amplified feature of this lunation peak.
There can be some rapid shifts and reversals in the flow of those dynamics as the year comes to a close, and we will find ourselves reflecting on and recalibrating our aims, pursuits, and broader trajectory, taking us to the heart and soul of what drives our choices, actions, and desires.
This Aries Full Moon can bring up some uncomfortable wounds and perceived defects related to confidence, bravery, and asserting our will. This is natural Chiron in Aries territory, and this may be an illuminating moment for seeing those issues more clearly. However, it can also foreshadow where some rapid-fire healing shifts can take place over the following months and some powerful integration around this Full Moon that can give us the confidence boost we need to push further ahead.
Protecting the Sacred: Solar Eclipse in Libra 2024
New Moon/Annular Solar Eclipse @ 10 degrees Libra 04'
October 2, 2024
11:49 AM PDT
2:49 PM EDT
October's New Moon in tropical Libra is an annular solar eclipse that will be visible in the southern hemisphere but symbolically potent all over the world. It carries us deep through the finality of 2024's eclipse season. Solar eclipses, especially the closer they are to totality, are the centerpieces of any eclipse pair (or sometimes trio), and they emerge symbolically in our lives weeks before and after.
More complexly, eclipses connect themes and issues over long distances of time, but for our purposes (in the now), this eclipse is also a notable turning point in the year and within the context of the lunar nodes in the Aries/Libra axis. Simply, this points to a struggle to boldly and courageously define ourselves and our self-interests in contrast to others (and with all the accompanying demands, sacrifices, and social expectations that come with any relationship).
Aries points to some uncomfortable and primal truths of life and existence, such as taking life to live (like eating) or competing with others for a space or niche in various cultural and natural economies. Sometimes, to do Aries, we must put aside politeness and risk disappointing people for what we must do. That is often an Aries dilemma, especially in the context of the lunar North Node placed there.
October's annular solar eclipse occurs in Libra along with the lunar South Node. It is both a dynamic and powerful beginning but also the release of layers of social baggage that no longer serves us. It points to a change, one that is inevitable in various relational contexts and, naturally, the emergence of realizations about some key connections in our lives. Past karmic residue is likely to emerge as critical here too and thus we are likely charting some familiar patterns and territory.
The shadow, those unconscious blindspots within ourselves and others can get notably pronounced in the following week or so. Confronting the shadow is uncomfortable because it often challenges our limited self-conceptions, can be emotionally triggering, and can sometimes touch on past trauma. In the context of Libra, that could relate to betrayal, neglect, or co-dependency issues.
There is an emerging opportunity for more realness and authenticity in new and current relationships via Venus' placement in Scorpio. Masks are coming off, and truths are getting flung into the open to be dissected, witnessed, and emotionally processed. However, a water grand trine between Venus, Mars, and Saturn eases this process, allowing for a free flow of emotional expression, creativity, and intuition.
Mars' square to the eclipse and rulership of the lunar North Node points to an inherent symbolic conflict within the eclipse symbolism but also a way forward. Mars in Cancer is protective, fiercely so, and it seeks to establish safe and secure boundaries to protect what is sacred, vulnerable, and vital. It can also point to the need for vulnerability and the bravery to do so.
We can expect a level of hashing things out with others, clashing over boundaries, needs, and desires. Yet, a new way forward is possible through conscious, open-hearted effort that allows space for freedom and independence and works cooperatively toward protecting what is sacred and valid for all involved. Reflecting and defining that may be a key to the transformative and creative potential of this Libra eclipse.
The Heart's Descent: Venus Stationary Retrograde
Venus stations retrograde this week (Oct. 5) as we head into the darkness of the New Moon. Of all Venus retrograde cycles, Venus in Scorpio most exemplifies the archetypal descent into the underworld. In the sign of its detriment, the Venus archetype delves deeply in this cycle to explore hidden dimensions, concealed chasms, unsettling truths, and salacious realities.
As Venus stations and begins its descent toward the Sun, this is not likely to be a comfortable process for many. Especially over the next three weeks before the inferior conjunction of Venus and Sun, there is a notable dissolving, shedding, and releasing of the past. Yes, the heart is getting louder, but so are its wounds.
Anticipate a dramatic revaluation of self-worth and of the things and people you love. Venus invites us to reflect on what we want, desire deeply, and are attracting into our lives. A change of heart or passion is likely. While Venus retrograde is an illusion, it is a definite shift of perception as Venus transitions from evening to morning star. The Venus retrograde transition relates to a mirroring or synchronicity in our personal lives, a symbolic transformation in how we relate to ourselves and thereby connect to others.
In this first phase of the Venus retrograde cycle (Oct. 5 through Oct. 26), allow time and space for an intimate encounter with yourself. The magic of Venus retrograde happens most profoundly on the interior dimensions as a moment of rediscovering the power of self-love, which is the prerequisite before loving anyone or anything else. Honor the need for space and time to reflect and listen intently to what the heart is saying.
New Venus (the inferior conjunction of Venus/Sun) on Oct. 26 is a resetting of relational/financial narratives, creative unfoldment, and self-discovery. It clears out the old to make space for more love and higher capacity to express appreciation. Gently allow your unfolding over the roughly 40 days and nights of Venus retrograde. Allow yourself to descend more deeply than you have before, and trust that you will eventually find your way through the darkness and closer to what matters most.
For more insight/perspective about this upcoming Venus retrograde cycle, check out my video on YouTube. Comments, likes, and channel subscribes are greatly appreciated!
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Pluto Direct+Venus' Station
Spectacular views on the way to Lee’s Ferry in Glen Canyon, AZ'; photo by Chad Woodward.
Pluto is stationing direct this weekend. The God/Goddess of the underworld comes to a standstill this Sunday, the last day of Sept. October will be upon us soon, which is the month of Venus Retrograde. Next week is heavy and profound, and we're likely already feeling the weight of it.
Pluto has been in Capricorn since 2008, and since then has brought the underbelly of corporate, political, patriarchal, and authoritarian structures into view. Pluto's station in Capricorn is dominating earth energy, which can stand as a reminder of some significant challenge, ambition, or responsibility that you need to tend.
Pluto stations don't typically feel good, but they're revealing and sometimes insightful. While you may need to fend off increased paranoia or a doom and gloom outlook, Pluto's station can inspire seriousness about a more significant purpose or personal mission. Combined with Venus' retrograde station in Scorpio, we are beginning a symbolic descent into the archetypal underworld.
Venus retrograde is amplifying the heart--attractions, desires, and the need to love and be loved. Venus wants to experience connection, joy, and the stability that comes from a relationship or resource stream. We are beginning a phase of revaluing partnerships, preferences, and resources next month. This is a moment to connect deeper with yourself and the things you love.
With both Pluto and Venus' stations next week, take some time to pause and listen to primordial and heart-centered wisdom. Pay close attention to the needs of your body, and the concerns of other people. Practice patience, empathy, and compassion. Soon, we can more easily clarify what matters.
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Waning into the Void: Moon in Aries
By ESO/WFI (Optical); MPIfR/ESO/APEX/A.Weiss et al. (Submillimetre); NASA/CXC/CfA/R.Kraft et al. (X-ray)Derivative work including grading and crop: Julian Herzog
While the lunar cycle is now on the wane, the Full Moon still radiates via its transit through Aries. With the Sun square Saturn, limitations, responsibilities, and perceived shortcomings may taunt us. And the Full Moon's conjunction with Chiron could have pierced open areas of intense sensitivity, rendering the Aries warrior especially vulnerable. These Full Moon vibes are not a smooth integration, but they open spaces conducive to deep healing and transmutation.
Avoid stuckness in guilt or shame. Feel what is arising, and choose to move on. Saturn's square is about being proactive and accountable. With the Sun and Mercury now in Libra post-equinox, relationship issues are likely to dominate. Venus' approaching retrograde station heightens serendipitous meetups and relationship review. We are about to descend deeper into the shadows, so prepare for a far more intimate confrontation with themes which are arising.
If you've felt blocked or stagnant from the Full Moon, the Sun's applying trine with Mars will help to liberate motivation. However, Mars is nearing its final conjunction with the lunar South Node, so the courage, stamina, and strength desired may not be readily available. In this waning Moon in Aries, focus on a releasing of fears, frustrations, and anxieties. Make space for the warrior to return to his or her full glory, so gather your strength and push on.
The Moon is void in Aries until Sept. 27, which is long enough to taint new starts or block consummations. However, this is a viably creative/spontaneous space, where unexpected turns can lead to exciting new shapes. In the newly waning Moon phase, you can sever connections, attachments, and habits. Be careful, as disconnections made over the next day may be more permanent than you initially might think.
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Earth Influx: Capricorn Moon & Earth Grand Trine
With the Moon's transit through Capricorn the next two days, the earth element is dominant. The Sun enters Virgo Aug. 22, and Mars is stationing in Capricorn, too. Practicality and a steady stride win out over emotionality or blazing bravado. After the recent eclipse/retrograde saga, we can ground down and get more engaged in anything requiring tangible results. If you're watching the sky, note the waxing gibbous Moon near Saturn against the star swarms of the milky way.
Through tonight (Aug. 20) and tomorrow (Aug. 21) comfort is harder to come by. But for extended focus/concentration or a catalytic push, the Moon through Capricorn is helpful. It's not uncommon to feel emotionally detached or challenged under these Capricorn vibes. Mars' station can constellate passion, desire, or enthusiasm, which can be easily confused with stagnation.
Use this time to get specific. Mars' station will be active for at least two weeks, but the momentum is returning. Locate the bottom line, and work consistently toward distillation and clarification. Once the Sun enters Virgo Aug. 22, it comes into an earth grand trine with Saturn & Uranus. For ironing out a technique or organizing all aspects of life, Virgo season is perfect.
The earth grand trine at the end of this week is incredibly integrative, connecting disparate elements, both time-tested and innovative. And building up to the Full Moon (Aug. 26), there's likely a lot to get done and accomplished. For business enterprises, maximizing fitness goals, or overall decluttering, the next few days offers a nudge toward various pragmatic ventures.
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Trust Your Bliss: Partial Solar Eclipse in Leo 2018
![By Zeynel Cebeci [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5710195837013b18ee712c68/1533664857117-C6P229VRQMDK57OI125Z/Lycaena_ochimus_-_01.jpg)
By Zeynel Cebeci [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
New Moon/Partial Solar Eclipse @ 18 Leo 42'
August 11, 2018
2:58 AM Los Angeles
5:58 AM New York
10:58 AM London
5:58 PM Beijing
7:58 PM Sydney
This month's New Moon is a partial solar eclipse in the tropical sign of Leo. It occurs against the backdrop of both Mercury and Mars retrograde. If you've felt like you've had to maneuver around extra obstacles, setbacks, or delays lately, you're not alone. Technical, mechanical, and communicative glitches are ubiquitous during the backtrack of the tiny and flighty planet Mercury.
And within this potentized field of eclipses and Mars' retrograde cycle too, life can feel more unpredictable and less willing to agree with our expectations. Random annoyances are part of the deal. However, this is also a prime season for profound life shifts and changes of perception. And this Leo New Moon/eclipse can help us see a new path forward that we didn't know existed.
Leo has a reputation for drama and excessive audacity. Leo's ruler is the Sun, the King/Queen of the solar system after all. Leo's emphasis is on the expression of creativity and affirmation of one's existence. Leo wants to be acknowledged, but not always the center of attention. Indeed in its negative face, Leo can become overly self-absorbed or addicted to applause/validation. If there were an archetype for pathological narcissism, Leo's bad side comes somewhat close.
This New Moon/eclipse in the vibrant sign of Leo encourages visibility and self-expression. Occurring near the lunar North Node, it represents a profound shift in confidence and creative potential. This eclipse is profoundly bound up with a desire for more acknowledgment, respect, recognition, and of course, fun. With Mercury retrograde closely conjunct the New Moon/eclipse, it helps us make critical revisions and adjustments while breathing new life into ongoing creative projects.
Jupiter's square to Mercury and the eclipse represents an optimistic thrust forward, but be mindful of arrogance or over-confident, leaps of faith. It is still the dark of the Moon, so tread carefully. Fact check, read the fine print and discuss things before jumping in. Don't indulge in more than you can process. Consider seeing yourself and your creations through a new lens or perception. Experiment with fresh approaches for communicating yourself to the world at large.
When it comes to pushing forward with current projects or situations, remember to take your time and go with the flow. Both Mercury retrograde and eclipse season require patience and flexibility. Often, the greatest ideas come to us when we aren't actively looking for them. Consider the mantra of legendary, Spanish painter, Pablo Picasso, "I do not seek. I find."
Open yourself up to the joy of discovery with this eclipse, which requires less attachment to results and more engagement with the process. Yes, Mercury retrograde induces some second-guessing, and this eclipse can undoubtedly feel overwhelming, but it invites us to bring some new element into our lives and reconsider how we playfully participate in the creative, evolutionary flow of the cosmos.
How are you feeling the eclipse? Feel free to comment below.
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Going Deep: New Moon/Partial Solar Eclipse in Cancer 2018
Demänová cave of freedom, "Emerald Lake"; photo by Juloml
New Moon/Partial Solar Eclipse @ 20 degrees Cancer 41'
July 12, 2018
7:48 PM Los Angeles
10:48 PM New York
July 13, 2018
3:48 AM London
6:48 AM Dubai
10:49 AM Beijing
12:48 PM Sydney
2:48 PM Auckland
On July 12/13, the Moon will slightly graze the solar disk. In tropical Cancer, a partial solar eclipse will be visible in the extreme southern hemisphere. While this isn't an especially potent eclipse by itself, its near exact (and contra-parallel) opposition to Pluto gives it an extra edge. Marking the beginning of the final eclipse season of 2018, this New Moon culminates as a highly dynamic total lunar eclipse in just two weeks.
In the midst of Mars currently in retrograde and an approaching Mercury retrograde cycle (beginning July 25), the astrology of the next month is exceptionally vibrant. In Cancer, this New Moon/partial eclipse highlights our sensitivities, vulnerabilities, and deeply concealed feelings. Ruled by the Moon, the sign of Cancer symbolizes the human need for security, safety, and trusted human bonds.
Attuned to the inner life and imagination, the Cancer archetype prefers to lay low or at least stick with more intimate and meaningful interactions. As mentioned, sitting in direct opposition to this New Moon/eclipse is Pluto, confronting us with both a magnified emotional response and the surfacing of highly unconscious or repressed psychic content.
Given the context of the background astrology, most notably Mars retrograde, this isn't a good time to force things to completion or reach definitive conclusions, especially if we find ourselves reacting solely on emotion. This New Moon encourages reflection and observation. For some, this lunation could be somewhat uncomfortable with the sudden emergence of feelings or unanticipated reactions.
On a collective level, this New Moon can ignite a conversation about ignored social injustices, corruption of power, atrocities, and all things discarded. On the personal level, this lunation is a starting point for expanding awareness of realities which have gone long neglected. But deep healing is always possible as we choose to face what scares us about ourselves or our environment.
Combined with Mars retrograde nearing the lunar South Node, this Plutonian New Moon/eclipse adds further fuel to a process of dealing with or moving through unresolved anger, rage, frustration, or fear. It's an ideal moment to deal with these residual feelings and find safe, healthy outlets for their release or expression.
Pluto ultimately beckons us beyond our concerns to take part in something more extensive, meaningful, and fulfilling. What often prevents us from connecting to the greater community are our own personal hangups, wounds, or insecurities. The more we shed light on such things, the more empowered we become to extend our reach beyond ourselves so we can take part in healing the planet.
Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path.
Defying Boundaries: Mars Retrograde 2018
Base jumpers; photo by Xof711
This year, Mars turns stationary retrograde on June 26/27 (check time zones below). On this day, the red planet will stop moving, reverse direction, and appear to move backward for about two months. It'll pause again around Aug. 27/28, returning to its usual west-east path and ending its retrograde cycle.
Mars retrograde happens every two years as it reaches its perihelic opposition to the Sun. When this happens, Mars is closer to the Earth and appears brighter in the night sky. In fact, when Mars is retrograde, it's visible throughout the entire night due to the Sun's opposition.
This July and August, Mars will outshine Jupiter, making it the second brightest planet in the sky (except for the Sun and Moon, of course, which are considered planets in astrology). For skywatchers, this is an optimal year for viewing Mars, whether with naked eye or telescope.
Mars will reach its closest approach to Earth on July 31, a few days after reaching maximum brightness at the exact opposition to the Sun on July 26/27. This year is the nearest approach Mars has made to Earth since 2003. Mars will be roughly 35 million miles away from us, compared to its average distance of 140 million miles (though still incomprehensibly far).
And before 2003, Mars hadn't been this close in nearly 60 thousand years. Will Mars' closeness to the Earth this year give us some extra juicy Mars drama? Perhaps. In looking at 2003, there were some interesting Mars-like events like record-breaking heat waves in Europe (causing 35,000 deaths that summer), historic wildfires in California and Germany, and the initial stages of the "War on Terror" via the Invasion of Iraq (which reached its 15 year anniversary earlier this year).
Did I mention that Mars has a 15-year cycle? Mars will be retrograde in both Aquarius and Capricorn this year and turning stationary retrograde near the lunar South Node. The last time Mars turned retrograde in Aquarius was in 1971. Just days before its retrograde station that year, then U.S. President Richard Nixon certified the 26th Amendment, lowering the voting age to 18.
Also, the Apollo 15 mission, the fourth manned mission to the Moon, literally goes to the Moon and back within this retrograde period. The 1971 Mars retrograde cycle was the first time the lunar rover drove on the Moon's surface. I want to point out that sending some guys in a rocket ship to the Moon to drive around in their new all-terrain vehicle is hugely Mars-like. Interestingly, the first manned-lunar mission occurred just 13 days after Mars stationed direct in 1969 (that time, at the first degree of adventure-seeking Sagittarius).
Dave Scott on the rim of Hadley Rille at Station 10 during the Apollo 15 mission; photo by NASA.
How Will Mars Retrograde Effect You?
I don't believe that Mars' closeness to the Earth has any physical effect, which is to say that just because Mars is closer to us, doesn't mean that it's causing anything to happen. I view astrology as having a correlative or symbolic significance. So how will Mars retrograde correlate with changes in your life?
Unlike Mercury retrograde (which occurs quite frequently but isn't always significant for everyone, every time), Mars retrograde is rare, but its most notable impact likely happens when it stations retrograde or direct on prominent places in our horoscopes.
You might read that Mars retrograde isn't a good time for starting a business, a new job, sexual relationship or otherwise living your life as you would typically do. We could probably find evidence to corroborate some of that, but honestly, I wouldn't stick to that view dogmatically.
When Mars is retrograde, you can still have great sex and launch into new directions, but you need to be extra mindful of acting solely on impulse. When Mars is closer to the Earth during its perihelic opposition and retrograde cycle, the Mars archetype gets louder. If we imagine that Mars is the archetypal warrior and trailblazer, then those impulses within each of us get a bit magnified.
Perhaps, you'll find yourself or others feeling extra lascivious. You might notice the rise of inner assertiveness or less tolerance for those who infringe on your boundaries. You might see some usually timid people feeling audacious, more willing to make bold moves. Controlling a temper could be a problem.
And with Mars stationing near the lunar South Node around June 26, you might find yourself needing to release some unresolved anger, anxiety, aggression, or face some unresolved conflict or fear you couldn't deal with before. Mars dares us to live and defend our right to do so.
Living doesn't stop just because Mars is retrograde, though because it appears to be moving backward, we might find ourselves reviewing or reconsidering how we're utilizing our inner Mars. During this time, we're collectively building up momentum and giving our actions, desires, and impulses extra thought and attention.
Also, since Mars is opposing the Sun during its retrograde cycle, it's making a somewhat rebellious statement. Since the Sun is the ruler of the solar system, and Mars is in opposition and retrograde, Mars is less restrained by the Sun's rule and control. Thus, during Mars retrograde, we might find ourselves or others more likely to break the rules. This rebellious theme is especially pertinent this cycle because Mars will backtrack into a square aspect to Uranus.
Sometimes those rules were self-imposed or enforced on us by family, society, community, culture, or authority figures. When Mars is retrograde, we are tempted to break free of restraints or restrictions to forge new paths for ourselves with either positive or negative consequences. When Mars is retrograde, we're more prone to crossing new boundaries and thresholds which once contained us.
If Mars stations or is retrograde near critical placements in your chart, especially if making difficult aspects, you might need to be extra cautious about pushing yourself too hard, trying to force something to action prematurely, or seriously watch your temper or immediate, automatic reactions (violence represents the negative extreme of Mars energy).
While this Mars retrograde cycle might not be a good time to start an actual war, rebellion, or revolution (those instigating the fight aren't likely to succeed), its a good time to check in with how we've allowed others to control our actions. And observe how we have silenced ourselves or kept our inner warrior from getting what it wants and deserves.
Mars retrograde, especially at the stations (June 26 and August 27), can limit or even slow down our momentum. While sometimes frustrating (or amplifying repressed or unacknowledged frustration), it gives us a chance to reconsider our current trajectory or gain more clarity about our ultimate target. If you find yourself losing steam or unable to act with confidence, utilize this retrograde period to regain your strength, courage, willpower, and passion so that you'll be ready to launch when the time is right for you.
True color image of Mars taken by the OSIRIS instrument on the ESA Rosetta spacecraft during its February 2007 flyby of the planet; photo by European Space Agency & Max-Planck Institute for Solar System Research for OSIRIS Team ESA/MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/RSSD/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA
Mars Square Uranus, Mercury Retro, and Eclipse Season
Due to its retrograde cycle, Mars will square Uranus three times this year. It made its first square on May 16, one day after Uranus entered Taurus. The second, retrograde square occurs on Aug. 1, and the final square happens on Sept. 18. The most problematic square is likely to be in early Aug., with both Mars and Mercury in retrograde.
Taking significant risks at that point without full consideration of the consequences, or lacking a very carefully laid out strategy could lead to problems. If you find yourself unable to move forward at this point with specific plans, intentions, or ambitions, step back and reassess.
If you intend to move forward with some important matter in the first weeks of August, be prepared for unexpected changes, detours, delays, setbacks, or breakdowns and plan accordingly. The combination of Mars and Uranus is highly volatile and unpredictable.
On another level, however, this combination of planets in late July/early August gives us an opportunity to define and defend who we are on a deeper soul level. While you can expect considerable resistance from others, the tension inherent to this aspect can be helpful for strengthening a commitment to a unique path or destiny.
Working at a higher level with Mars/Uranus will likely require upsetting other people for the sake of being true to ourselves, but ignoring our authenticity can be equally painful. With the Mars/Uranus square occurring alongside Mercury retrograde, don't resist the flow if you feel obstructed. Sometimes, the best thing to do is wait things out, at least until after Aug. 18/19.
Also, consider that from July 12-Aug. 11 we'll be in a triple eclipse season, so this will be a profoundly transformational period for many of us. Both prominent retrogrades and eclipses often lead to significant changes of direction, focus, and perception. Consider that your current plans or intentions are likely to change in the coming months quite suddenly, so remain flexible.
Johannes Kepler's depiction of the geocentric motions of Mars, from Astronomia Nova (1609).
Mars stationary retrograde @ 09 degrees Aquarius
June 26, 2018
2:05 PM Los Angeles
5:05 PM New York
10:05 PM London
June 27, 2018
1:05 AM Dubai
5:05 AM Beijing
7:05 AM Sydney
9:05 AM Auckland
Mars stationary direct @ 29 degrees Capricorn
August 27, 2018
7:05 AM Los Angeles
10:05 AM New York
3:05 PM London
6:05 PM Dubai
10:05 PM Beijing
August 28, 2018
12:05 AM Sydney
2:05 AM Auckland
Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path.
Inner Spirals: Full Moon in Capricorn 2018
Ortler Alps in Italy; photo by Friedrich Haag
Full Moon @ 6 degrees Capricorn 28'
June 27
9:53 PM Los Angeles
June 28
12:53 AM New York
5:53 AM London
8:53 AM Dubai
12:53 PM Beijing
3:53 PM Sydney
5:53 PM Auckland
As the Sun sails through the sensitive and perceptive sign of tropical Cancer, the Moon reaches its cyclic opposition in the cool, hard edges of Capricorn. For the Moon, Capricorn is not a comfortable place. As this Full Moon culminates in conjunction with Saturn, we might find ourselves meeting some vast limitations through which we can more clearly define and prioritize goals and objectives.
The crises end of this lunation might look like an awkward confrontation with a world that doesn't readily cater to our deepest needs. Collectively and personally, we might significantly feel the enormity of things a bit more than usual. Saturn doesn't give anything away. It suggests to us that even in following our heart, we must sacrifice and discipline ourselves if we want to find success.
For some of us, depression, pessimism, and self-doubt are some possible manifestations of this Full Moon energy. No matter how you respond, a significant level of pressure arrives with this lunation like the inevitability of reaching a critical deadline. And Mars' retrograde station alongside this heavy, lunar culmination gives each of us a lot to contemplate. For some of us, this Full Moon could quickly put the brakes on things or act as a symbolic obstruction.
If you find yourself holding on to anger, agitation, hopelessness, or fear at this lunation, trust that you can move through these feelings and find a way forward as the Moon begins to wane. As the Full Moon culminates, it invites us to take a moment to look inwardly and acknowledge some deep places constructed from our pain. This lunation offers us the harsh implication that hardship is an inevitable part of the human experience.
Saturn reminds us that discomfort is a natural part of maturation which is the engine of life. One of the most difficult of truths is that death feeds life. We are intricately entwined in this sacred dance: as one life ends it spirals into yet another. This month's Full Moon stands at the gateway of some challenging but profoundly transformative astrology in the following weeks.
The Sun is applying to a wide trine with Jupiter which offers hope and some building confidence. A water grand trine formed between the Sun, Jupiter, and Neptune in the first week of July will help to shatter the heaviness and constriction of these Full Moon vibes, opening new doors, expansive frontiers, and rekindling the imagination.
Trust that as you move forward, you'll soon discover new paths and perceptions. Embrace the reality we all have a mission and some significant work to do in this world, but that it just takes time to chisel your way through. Take some time with this Full Moon to fully contemplate your choices and sit with any surfacing discomfort. Growth is hard, but not growing is even harder.
Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path.
Surrendering Certainty: Full Moon in Sagittarius 2018
Photo by Lakshmi Sawitri via Wikimedia Commons
Full Moon @ 08 degrees Sagittarius
May 29, 2018
7:19 AM Los Angeles
10:19 AM New York
3:19 PM London
6:19 PM Dubai
10:19 PM Beijing
May 30, 2018
12:19 AM Sydney
2:19 AM Auckland
May's Full Moon occurs in tropical Sagittarius just before cerebral Mercury enters its home sign Gemini. A Full Moon in Sagittarius can feel expansive and its sextile to Mars punctuates the audacious nature of this mutable, fire sign. The rising enthusiasm that may accompany this Full Moon can feel impulsive and courageous.
And with Jupiter, the ruler of Sagittarius, receiving a sweet trine from Venus, there isn't too much tension inherent to this Full Moon except for a wide, applying square from the Sun and Moon to Neptune. First off, a water grand trine involving Jupiter, Venus, and Neptune is currently forming in the sky, and this influx of the water element enhances emotional and psychic sensitivity.
The water grand trine brings in a wave of imagination inducing idealism that will peak in intensity at the initial start of June. And as the lunar cycle begins to wane shortly after the climax of this lunar cycle, we'll be inundated with a spiritual longing for transcendence or connectivity. The negative face of Sagittarius expresses itself through dogmatism or an oversimplification of reality.
Remain diligently mindful of a tendency to reduce complexity or jump to conclusions prematurely simply to justify a belief. The Sun in Gemini and Mercury's ingress into this sign hold the opposing end of this Full Moon narrative. Both Sun and Mercury remind us about the importance of carefully considering the facts and double checking sources.
Neptune's square to the Full Moon axis can generate a considerable level of obfuscation in regards to emerging news and information, a theme that will be persistent throughout the first half of June. But Neptune ultimately invites us to question and expand upon our carefully guarded truths and assumptions. The dissolving nature of Neptune offers humility as well as humiliation. Leaps of faith can be both liberating and devastating.
This Sagittarian Full Moon brings us to the culminating endpoint of a quest or reveals the limitations of beliefs and ideologies. And now that the journey has culminated, we may be in awe of how much more there is to discover or how little we actually know. With this Full Moon, it might be best to surrender your attachment to certainty and allow the universe to reveal yet another layer of possibility.
Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path.
New Revolutions: New Moon in Taurus 2018
Photo by Ira O. Villanueva via Wikimedia Commons.
New Moon @ 24 Taurus 36'
May 15, 2018
4:48 AM Los Angeles
7:48 AM New York
12:48 PM London
3:48 PM Dubai
7:48 PM Beijing
9:48 PM Sydney
11:48 PM Auckland
This month’s New Moon occurs in tropical Taurus just hours before the planet Uranus enters Taurus, later followed by Mars entering Aquarius. With two planetary sign changes occurring alongside this lunation, this New Moon can symbolize a subtle, yet highly potent transitional beginning point. And with both Mars and Uranus making a square aspect to one another shortly after their ingress into new signs, we can anticipate an influx of impulsiveness, rebelliousness, and freedom seeking desires as we seek to liberate ourselves from the monotony of outdated routines.
Of all the zodiac signs, Taurus is the most immovable and resistant to change. As a fixed, earth sign, Taurean energies prefer to conserve and maintain a predictable or dependable stability. However, with Uranus entering Taurus (where it will transit for the next seven years after solidly entering Taurus in early 2019), radical changes are on the horizon for many things we thought were permanent or solid fixtures in our lives or within the world. For those of us with planetary placements or critical angles in Taurus, sudden, unexpected, and revolutionary changes are likely.
Despite the intensity of Mars square Uranus and both planets changing signs simultaneously, this New Moon still stands as a solid grounding point. The New Moon’s wide opposition to Jupiter also gives this lunation an auspicious and optimistic edge but combined with Taurus’ impulse toward pleasure and self-gratification, we’ll need to be mindful of going over the top or taking on too much of a good thing. Combined with Mars/Uranus and Jupiter opposing the New Moon, this lunation can symbolize the first steps in a process of stretching some aspect of our lives beyond its normal parameters or expanding our expectations of what we’ve thought possible.
But the New Moon in Taurus reminds us that no matter what may be going on in our lives, we’ll need to keep calm and find our center before taking action. Mars’ square to Uranus is the first of three squares this year due to Mars’ retrograde cycle from June 26 through Aug. 27. This first square indicates that whatever actions we feel we need to take now could later be revised, or a new course of action could suddenly emerge later down the road. Keep that in mind because the combination of Mars/Uranus can ignite impulsive or rash decision making.
Still, the New Moon in Taurus invites us to chill out and trust the process that’s just now beginning for us. Change is an inevitable part of life, and every change is a necessary function of evolution. At this moment, you might notice some subtle (or not so subtle) signals that something you’ve long thought to be stubbornly resistant to change is in fact not as solid as you have come to believe. Reflect on the house that Taurus correlates with, and you’ll probably find some powerful indicators of what area of your life is about to undergo a reformation. In fact, no matter how placid things might look on the surface, the revolution has just begun.
Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path.
Unleash the Wildness: Full Moon in Scorpio 2018
Geysers of Tatio, San Pedro de Atacama, Chile; photo by Diego Delso via Wikimedia Commons.
Full Moon @ 9 Scorpio 39’
April 29, 2018
5:58 PM Los Angeles
8:58 PM New York
April 30, 2018
1:58 AM London
4:58 PM Dubai
8:58 AM Beijing
10:58 AM Sydney
12:58 PM Auckland
This month’s Full Moon occurs in tropical Scorpio, proceeding a conjunction of Mars and Pluto. Honesty, directness, and intensity are hallmarks of this lunation. A Scorpio Full Moon empowers us to seek and articulate truth. Quincunx aspects from both Mercury and Venus extend the reach of this Full Moon to our relationships and communicative exchanges, but with the Full Moon at the apex, critical adjustments are required in our interactions to create space for more authentic encounters, no matter how uncomfortable it might be.
With Mars, the ruler of the Full Moon separating from a conjunction with Pluto, primal instincts, impulses, and drives can be magnified to an extreme degree. Mars represents our ability to assert, defend ourselves, and claim our right to exist. Mars compels us to take action for the things that we want or desire. And from an evolutionary perspective, desires emanating from Mars originate from deeper motivations contained within the soul. As this Full Moon culminates, it can ignite awareness of how we may have held ourselves back from getting what we want, or it might confront us with limitations because we’ve overused our assertiveness, crossing too many lines.
The collective agreement we call “civilization” requires that we repress or subjugate the wild, untamed aspects within ourselves for the sake of maintaining order and control. For several thousands of years, human-created ideologies, religions, and philosophies have attempted to convince us that humanity is somehow elevated compared to the rest of the natural world. But as modern science progresses, we realize that there’s not much difference between ourselves and the rest of nature. We’re primal beings with primal needs, and no matter how “civilized” we’ve become, we cannot deny where we came from, and where we will return.
At the heart of Scorpio is a lucid awareness of the full spectrum of life and death and that we need humility to honor all of life. True humility comes from realizing our place in a larger, interconnected whole. While facing the truth of ourselves and what we are can be frightening and uncomfortable, living a lie is far more difficult to contend with. With this Full Moon’s wide conjunction with Jupiter, it invites us to dive in deep and explore what scares us. While we should be mindful of opening ourselves too much, revealing too much, or going too far too fast, this lunar culmination opens up emotional and psychic landscapes which need to be seen and felt.
In the watery depths of Scorpio, this is an emotionally sensitive Full Moon--instigating passion and releasing anxieties, desires, and hidden motivations. Or you might find it easier to glimpse dimensions of yourself and life typically concealed or forbidden. However you experience this Full Moon, either impactfully or subtly, look beyond appearances more deeply and push yourself a little further to see what you’ve been unable (or unwilling) to see. As intense as this Full Moon could be, the Sun in Taurus trine Saturn offers a grounding and solid foundation, helping us to patiently and consistently work toward personal and collective transformation.
Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path.
Do Your Thing: New Moon in Aries 2018
Green field on Saint Martin Island, Bangladesh; photo by Tahmid Munaz
New Moon @ 26 Aries 02'
April 15, 2018
6:57 PM Los Angeles
9:57 PM New York
April 16, 2018
2:57 AM London
5:57 AM Dubai
9:57 AM Beijing
11:57 AM Sydney
1:57 PM Auckland
April’s New Moon occurs in the courageous and fiery, tropical sign of Aries, closely aligned with radical and novel Uranus (as well as the newly discovered dwarf planet, Eris). With Mercury turning direct several hours before the conjunction of Sun and Moon, this New Moon has a notably transitional edge and edginess. And with Uranus entering Taurus next month, you’re likely to feel as if you’re definitely standing on the fringe of a cardinal shift. Since Aries is, in fact, a cardinal sign, this lunation is highly catalytic--provoking action, motion, and momentum.
With Mercury retrograde in Aries the last three weeks, it came into a square aspect to both Saturn and Mars. Mercury’s challenging square aspect to two challenging planets could have slowed some of your plans, causing serious delays, or instigated internal frustration. However, it’s also possible that you were able to slow down your thoughts and zero in on your priorities these last few weeks. Naturally, Mercury retrograde gives us an opportunity to gain more awareness or learn a lot of new things in a very short period of time.
As we approach this New Moon, we’re all probably feeling more than ready for a change. Uranus, the first planet discovered beyond Saturn in the 18th century, is well known for its change making effects since it was solely responsible for throwing out the old model of the solar system. If there are two archetypes that seriously epitomize the wild, untamed primal spirit within each of us, it would be the combination of Aries and Uranus. And Eris, discovered shortly after the millennial shift, equally threw the solar system into disarray, demoting Pluto and redefining the astronomical definition of what it means to be a planet.
We might anticipate some of that paradigm shattering archetypal energy to give rise alongside this lunation, and with Mercury’s station happening at the same time, prepare for some extra glitches in the established order of things. Wide, whole sign squares from Mars, Saturn, and Pluto definitely generate some tension for the New Moon. As you set out to begin new paths, or break free from past commitments, be mindful of your limitations and be respectful of certain boundaries. In its wholly negative manifestation, this New Moon can impulse some into overly disruptive or destructive actions resulting in unnecessary violence or other intrusions.
But this New Moon invites us to embrace chaos as a natural function within the universe. Too often, we repress who or what we are for the sake of maintaining the social order and status quo. Well, with this New Moon, it’s going to be exceptionally difficult to restrain much of anything. The wildness will emerge in some shape or form, and anything begun under this New Moon is destined for a highly unstable and unpredictable path. With the Sun’s parallel conjunction with Uranus April 18/19, don’t plan on holding yourself or anyone back this next week. Consider what needs to break free and how you might give yourself some extra space to simply do your thing, regardless of what anyone else thinks.
Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path.
Working it Out: Full Moon in Libra 2018
Lighting in Dallas, TX; from NOAA Photo Library via Wikimedia Commons.
Full Moon @ 10 Libra 45'
March 31, 2018
5:38 AM Los Angeles
8:39 AM New York
1:38 PM London
4:38 PM Dubai
8:38 PM Beijing
11:38 PM Sydney
April 1, 2018
1:38 AM Auckland
This month’s Full Moon culminates in the tropical sign of Libra, bringing to a head relationship issues, matters about agreements between ourselves and others. The sign of Libra seeks peace, compromise, and agreement. But a hard square aspect of the building Mars and Saturn conjunction (exact April 2/3 in Capricorn) to the Full Moon axis, presents some challenges and conflicts. And Mercury retrograde, which opposes the Full Moon from Aries and conjunct the Sun, brings our attention dynamically to the unresolved past. `
This Full Moon is a difficult integration, but it can be utilized to work through building tensions, frustrations, or disagreements in our relationships. Every Full Moon correlates with conclusion, breakthrough, or crisis. In its positive potential, this lunation can bring several issues out into the open, allowing us to articulate ourselves to others and speak up about things unaddressed. Mercury, still retrograde for another two weeks, suggests that we give ourselves extra time to process material presented by this Full Moon, and work to make adjustments and alterations which can be more decisively implemented after the New Moon April 15/16.
The major challenge of this Full Moon lies in Libra’s tendency to avoid confrontation and conflict. As the Moon reaches its climax in this sign, it amplifies the collective need to make peace, forgive, and forget. However, Mars and Saturn suggest that no matter how well you might want to “just get along,” differences between people still require resolution and acknowledgment. Saturn’s need for growth, maturity, and consistent effort places some uncomfortable tension on relationships which require a realistic assessment. And Mars conjunct Saturn can accentuate striking disparities between people.
A lack of harmonious aspects to this Full Moon suggests that no matter how uncomfortable, relational problems will need addressing. Sometimes, fixing the problem isn’t really the objective, but rather discussing and negotiating boundaries can be more efficient, allowing each party to accept and understand the limitations inherent in the relationship itself. For some, this Full Moon can correlate with a breaking point, where enough is enough and it’s time to change how they relate to specific people or make changes in their agreements. For others, this may be a critical point at which they push through limitations and obstacles preventing a more harmonious flow of giving and take.
And as applicable to other life issues, this Full Moon can help us find more balance in our life, but only through an acceptance of responsibility and the hard work needed to make peace a possibility. Mercury’s retrograde opposition to the Full Moon gives us an opportunity to see our relating patterns from a new perspective and gives us time to actively make revisions or reconsider the places occupied by some people in our lives. But no matter what arises with this Full Moon, Libra’s emphasis on empathy and ability to accept paradox gives each of us the power to understand another’s perspective, no matter how hard that might be. This lunation is a powerful reminder that all relationships require work, and both sides need to make an effort to make things flow the best they can.
Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path.
On the Edge: New Moon in Pisces 2018
An Alpine Ibex standing on a rock in Gorndergrat; photo by Simo Räsänen via Wikimedia Commons.
New Moon @ 26 degrees Pisces 53'
March 17, 2018
6:12 AM Los Angeles
9:12 AM New York
1:12 AM London
5:12 PM Dubai
9:12 PM Beijing
March 18, 2018
12:12 AM Sydney
2:12 AM Auckland
As we begin this new lunar cycle, the Sun, and Moon align in the latter degrees of tropical Pisces. As a mutable, water sign, a Pisces New Moon often correlates with nebulous and mysterious transitions. And just days before Mercury turns retrograde (March 22/23) we might feel ourselves on the edge of a prominent shift, but perhaps uncertain of the form it will ultimately take. Mars’ ingress into Capricorn alongside this New Moon further punctuates these permutable vibes. Pisces is amorphous, mystical, and gentle, but this lunation is anything but easy-going or light.
At the final degree of Sagittarius, Mars makes a hard square aspect to the New Moon, while the centaur object Chiron sits in close conjunction. Some may experience the surfacing of trauma, frustration, or even conflict. With Pisces, the possibilities are seemingly endless, because Pisces contains the memories of all prior zodiac signs, invoking an awareness that the universe is ultimately fractalized and interconnected. For those deeply sensitive, you might feel connected to the rising of collective fear, anger, and rage. You might sense the truth that pain is an inevitable part of living.
And reflected in that pain, is your own piece of it. In its negative face, this New Moon can be emotionally overwhelming and acting out or projecting frustration could easily hit the wrong targets. This New Moon invites us inward, to reflect on the source of our pain, but it offers a way to take the steps needed toward transforming it into gifts for the benefit of others. For this New Moon to manifest positively, we may need to really look beyond ourselves and consider things from a more holistic vantage point. Chiron’s presence at this New Moon juncture suggests a shift of attitude and perception about your faults, wounds, and defects. And Mars’ square, while challenging and aggravating, can just as easily catalyze action toward the manifestation of new healing potentials.
Jupiter makes an auspicious trine aspect to the New Moon as well, which gives access to hope, optimism, and the awareness of new doors opening. While Jupiter can, of course, dramatize or amplify the negative aspects of this New Moon, it stands as a beacon of new possibility and support. Situations which arise under this lunation are not as dire or hopeless as they may at first appear. In fact, this New Moon works to alter our perception of dysfunctional or “broken” elements in our lives so we can see their positive impact, and how they fit into a larger, cosmic scheme. If you could reframe just one thing in your life that stands a source of deep pain, what would it be?
Mars entering Capricorn soon after this New Moon changes the landscape quite a bit. We move from inward contemplation to a highly ambitious and challenging cycle which stimulates productivity, determination, and drive. Mercury’s retrograde cycle occurs in square relationship to both Saturn and Mars, which suggests that the following few weeks may require a patient and careful reworking of strategies, goals, plans, objectives, and projects. Use this New Moon as a dynamic starting point for learning to surrender and connect with your most critical priorities. As we enter this Mars/Saturn/Capricorn season clear through May, procrastination is no longer an option, and neither is carelessness in handling responsibilities. Take your time but remain diligent.
Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path.
Step Up and Be Helpful: Full Moon in Virgo 2018
![Hypholoma fasciculare, Yellow Sulphur Tuft mushrooms; photo by Stu's Images [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5710195837013b18ee712c68/1519524523953-IJMPGUH793Y85ELZHP0J/Hypholoma_fasciculare%2C_Yellow_Sulphur_Tuft%2C_UK.jpg)
Hypholoma fasciculare, Yellow Sulphur Tuft mushrooms; photo by Stu's Images [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Full Moon @ 11 Virgo 23'
March 1, 2018
4:52 PM Los Angeles
7:52 PM New York
March 2, 2018
1:52 AM London
4:52 AM Dubai
6:52 AM Beijing
9:52 AM Sydney
12:52 PM Auckland
As the Full Moon culminates in tropical Virgo, we’re challenged to integrate the Virgo/Pisces polarity. Over the past week, four planets, including the Centaur object, Chiron, have been transiting Pisces. Neptune and Chiron have been here for some time, but the Sun, Mercury, and Venus' recent Piscean ingress further punctuate the collective dissolution of boundaries, awakening the need to unify as a response to a lucid awareness of chaotic forces within the universe. Under this heavy Piscean influx, we’re inundated with waves of compassion, empathy, and potential confusion. As we meet face to face with the abysmal void of mystery and unknowing, we may feel powerless and overwhelmed.
Pisces seeks self-transcendence, and in that process, can impulse the need to move beyond personal concerns for the sake of a larger cause, movement, or purpose. For some, the Piscean depths can lead to a sense of floundering as we struggle to cope with the true enormity of the universe and its myriad shapes, forms, and experiences. While an expansion of consciousness can augment one's personal awareness and perceptions, it can sometimes ignite a crisis as one gains a true perspective of their existence relative to everything else. And in its most extreme, Pisces invokes a realization of the fluidity of all matter, time, and space--that what we see, touch, and feel are nothing more than a dream, passing by like diaphanous clouds.
But as the Full Moon reaches its peak, it brings with it a grounding, pragmatic, and directed vibe into the collective sphere. Virgo, a mutable, earth sign, seeks reason, intelligibility, and precision. If you’ve felt like you’ve been carried away by a tidal wave lately, uncertain or clueless of the direction of flow, this Full Moon in Virgo acts as a helpful, focusing lens of integration. A Full Moon in Virgo can bring your persistent efforts to a culmination, helping to zero in on a practical application for your innate need or desire to be of service to others. And while doubt and criticism are aspects of the Virgoan shadow, Neptune’s opposition (alongside the pile-up of planets in Pisces) serve to remind us that ultimate perfection is not the goal.
Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path.
CLICK HERE FOR PERSONAL READINGS
We're here for the experience, and in actuality, the ultimate shape or form of those experiences doesn’t really matter. From an esoteric perspective, our karma may be nothing more than an emotional memory or awareness that moves throughout the universe in the form of an amorphous energy. The ego’s attachment to perfection reflects its inability to accept its impermanence and pointlessness. As a vehicle for the soul’s expression in each lifetime, the ego is a temporary cloak that will eventually be discarded. Thus, the shape of your life and your purpose in this lifetime is essentially the same thing, a vehicle for the acquisition of experience.
As the Moon blossoms in Virgo, consider what great service you have to offer the world. Consider that you deserve to feel useful and needed by the communities that you’re a part of--that you deserve to feel connected to something greater than your personal needs and desires. Look out into the world and consider who you might help and how you might overcome the ego’s petty need to “get it right” so that you can just show up and serve. How desperately does the world need those willing to band together and give their gifts, competence, and tools for the sake of being useful? Neptune’s opposition and conjunction with the Sun is a powerful reminder that there's truly no division between you and them, that we’re all in this together. Whatever you ultimately choose as the vehicle for your service, Virgo’s ideal aim of perfection can help you hone your craft and improve it.
During this Full Moon, you may find yourself reaching a new stage of competency and skillfulness, or find that your efforts at self-improvement are bearing some fruit. Mars’ wide square to the Full Moon axis and Mercury/Venus in Pisces can be a source of aggravation, frustration, or conflict leading to the crisis aspect of the Full Moon. For some, this lunation may aggressively bring forth the realization of some aspect of their lives that desperately needs to be worked on. But Mars can also manifest as a catalyst for the mobilization of willpower and relentless determination to better oneself. And Saturn’s trine to the Full Moon is a helpful aspect for narrowing in on a singular objective, offering an ease of access to persistence and self-discipline. As the Moon reaches this next climax, consider releasing your need to get it perfect and just step up and be helpful.
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Cerebral Shifts: Solar Eclipse in Aquarius 2018
![Photo by Wing-Chi Poon (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5710195837013b18ee712c68/1518203587028-4VKGP1NOZQJ9LNMQ229I/1024px-High_above_the_Cloud_the_Sun_Stays_the_Same.jpg)
Photo by Wing-Chi Poon (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
New Moon/Partial Solar Eclipse @ 27 degrees Aquarius 08'
February 15
1:05 PM Los Angeles
4:05 PM New York
10:05 PM London
February 16
1:05 AM Dubai
3:05 AM Beijing
6:05 AM Sydney
9:05 AM Auckland
Following a dynamic total Lunar Eclipse in tropical Leo two weeks ago, this Aquarian Solar Eclipse takes us to the other end of the spectrum. Unlike the fiery and passionate heat of Leo, Aquarius is cool, calm, collected, and sometimes eccentric. As an air sign, the Aquarian archetype highlights thought and social dimensions. Further compounding the mental nature of this eclipse (as opposed to the emotional impact of the Leo Lunar Eclipse), the planet Mercury closely conjoins the eclipsed Sun within some striking distance of the lunar south node.
This first pair of eclipses in 2018 takes us back to the changes that occurred during the eclipses of August 2017. Hitting the same Leo/Aquarius axis, these eclipses open a portal to the past to accelerate us toward the future. A Solar Eclipse is a magnified New Moon. It represents a powerful new beginning. As a south nodal eclipse, there's an element of release, surrender, and letting go.
With the involvement of Mercury, this eclipse invites us to take notice of thinking patterns and perceptions that have outlived their usefulness in our lives. The south node emphasizes the shadow dimensions of Aquarius, which can recede into a cold, distant, and dispassionate approach to life. An overemphasis on objectifying everything, such as our actions, the flow of events, or even nature itself, can turn reality into a mechanical and meaningless morass of purposeless activity.
Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path.
CLICK HERE FOR PERSONAL READINGS
Saturn's traditional rulership of Aquarius tends to infuse life with drudgery and banality when not kept in check. Jupiter's upper square to this eclipse brings about an inundation of optimism, hope, and positivity. Blessing the eclipse and Mercury, Jupiter symbolizes an affirmative shift in how we view our lives and what's possible for our future. And yet, still, the challenge of passing through any eclipse is the death of something to make space for new life.
In it's most challenging face, this eclipse could symbolize the painful demise of an antiquated idea about how reality works. Jupiter's square from Scorpio offers a more authentically oriented framework from which to perceive things from here on out. But it can also incite overly optimistic leaps leading to poorly thought out plans of action. Mercury and Aquarius should maintain a more rational grip, but make sure that you're making a realistic assessment of your choices around this eclipse.
Uranus, the modern ruler of Aquarius, forms a sextile to this eclipse as well--offering an exciting path to liberation and alternative perspectives. The mind has a terrible habit of limiting the scope of the soul's ability to shape its destiny. The lunar north node in Leo suggests an embrace of creative spontaneity. In the days following this eclipse, Mercury is fully engulfed by the Sun via its superior conjunction on Feb. 17/18, symbolizing further transformation of thoughts, perceptions, and theories and the emergence of significant news, data, and information.
If you've lost touch with the magical and creative face of the universe, trust this eclipse to reawaken it. If you've allowed your mind to take control, overloading your nervous system with doubt, confusion, worry, and stress--let this eclipse and Mercury/Sun conjunction dissolve it and infuse your awareness again with mystery and wonder. A clustering of planets in Pisces the next few weeks promises a playful dance with the numinous.
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Surrender to the Data Flow: Full Moon in Gemini 2017
Light traces of a chain carousel, Viktorkirmes in Dülmen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany; photo by Dietmar Rabich, via Wikimedia Commons.
Full Moon @ 11 Gemini 40'
Dec. 3
7:47 AM Los Angeles
10:47 AM New York
4:47 PM London
7:47 PM Dubai
9:47 PM Beijing
Dec. 4
12:47 AM Sydney
3:47 AM Auckland
This last Full Moon of 2017 occurs in tropical Gemini and is also a Supermoon. A Supermoon is a Full Moon that occurs at perigee (when the Moon is closest to the Earth) which results in a slightly larger Moon, especially when rising beside buildings, mountains, or trees.
A Supermoon also seems to correlate with increased psychic upheaval and natural events (like anomalous weather or earthquakes). Collectively and personally, a Full Moon is a dynamic culmination of energy, and alongside Mercury's retrograde station, Mars and Uranus' opposition, and Jupiter trine Neptune, it's a critical breaking point in narratives both public and private.
A Gemini Full Moon is likely to bring significant information, facts, data, and discussions to the surface. With Gemini ruler Mercury in retrograde, conjunct Saturn, we're looking at some heavy topics requiring careful articulation and analysis. But considering that Mercury is retrograde, fully processing this information is going to take some time.
It might be best to avoid hasty conclusions. Consider everything purely hypothetically and in need of further testing and evaluation over the next three weeks. If you feel the need to rush into something, really step back and question whether that's an appropriate response.
And if you feel confused, overwhelmed with options, choices, decisions, or overburdened with info overload, try reflection or meditation instead of a purely rational approach. With Neptune squaring the Full Moon axis, obfuscation of the facts is highly likely. So the truth is hard to come by with this Full Moon. Again, the next few weeks of Mercury's retrograde cycle can help us flesh that out.
Ultimately, this Full Moon appears to topple some paradigms built upon theories which no longer have validity in the face of reality. Saturn's last breath in Sagittarius, conjunct Mercury retrograde, transitions us into a new understanding of the truth in light of unique insight, information, and perspectives. Open your mind and surrender to the data flow. A new reality is opening up, filled with possibilities.
Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path.
Loving the Darkness: New Moon in Scorpio 2017
The Cygnus Wall, part of the North America Nebula (NGC 7000); photo by Chuck Ayoub.
New Moon @ 26 Scorpio 19'
November 18, 2017
3:42 AM Los Angeles
6:42 AM New York
12:42 PM London
3:42 PM Dubai
5:42 PM Beijing
8:42 PM Sydney
11:42 PM Auckland
This month's New Moon in tropical Scorpio arrives just two weeks before Mercury's retrograde cycle in Sagittarius. Occurring in Mercury's retrograde shadow, this lunation is conducive for laying low, recharging, regeneration, and healing. Scorpio is a zodiac sign with a somewhat negative stigma. It is symbolized by a Scorpion after all. Scorpions and many other arachnids can be deadly creatures. So, naturally, the archetypal resonance of Scorpio is along the lines of danger, darkness, and even death.
Scorpio's modern ruler, Pluto, symbolizes entropy and regeneration. When confronted with Plutonic realms, horrors, atrocities, and nightmares typically surface. And Mars, the traditional ruler of Scorpio is one of the "lesser malefics," i.e., a "bad" planet that to ancient astrologers caused destruction, violence, and separations. No wonder Scorpio is so feared by the western mind. As a fixed, water sign of yin (or feminine) polarity, Scorpio embodies most strongly the symbol of the abysmal and irrational unconscious, and ditto for Pluto. It's an interesting synchronicity that both rulers of Scorpio, Mars and Pluto, are applying in a square aspect alongside this New Moon (exact the following day).
With Mars in detriment in Libra, this may not be the most comfortable lunation or the most promising for getting precisely what you want. However, the New Moon makes a trine to Chiron, and both Venus and Jupiter are currently transiting Scorpio, too. So, what is this New Moon good for? First off, it's an auspicious moment that helps us shed light on anything that's been obscured from conscious acknowledgment. Chiron's trine promises the opening of new pathways that could potentially lead to rapid reversals, healings, and breakthroughs. The western world's fear of death reflects its obsession with purity, light, and whiteness.
lf you've lived long enough, you've probably realized that life isn't always "love and light," that often, real healing requires not cleanliness or "good" thoughts, but boldly stepping into the dreaded darkness and facing some shit with a positive attitude. Life is far more interesting (and healthy) when you're inclusive of diversity. This New Moon is all about honesty, and when you're honest with yourself and your real feelings and needs, authentic healing opportunities emerge. Jupiter's transit through Scorpio (until Nov. of 2018) suggests rewards are waiting in the pit of hell. The risk? There's always a risk with Scorpio, Mars, and Pluto. The best advice for this New Moon: don't just listen to your impulses. In fact, if you're uncertain about what you should do, or what direction you should take, respond to reason, competent guidance, and intuition over any emotionally charged reaction.
Ask people you trust to give you a more objective viewpoint. This is likely to be an intense lunation, extending some moodiness or seething hostility into the collective vibes. It could also be incredibly sexy, passionate, and profound. With Mars/Pluto, you may notice that any accumulation of repressed desires and instincts may come pouring forth here. And the best way to deal with that is to give them a voice and listen to what they have to say. Realize that whatever shows up, it's okay. If it hurts, feel it. If you feel angry, get it out. Sit in your darkness and embrace that everything, even your worst fears, is still a part of your wholeness and deserving of love.
Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path.