Samhain & Venus/Uranus Opposition

By Jonathan Thorne [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], from Wikimedia Commons

As always, October ends with Samhain (aka Halloween), but unlike usual, Venus is retrograde, in Scorpio, and in opposition to Uranus. This is an aspect that suggests breaking with normalcy, routine, or tradition and embracing newness. With Uranus opposing Venus, this is more likely to show up in the context of relationships. But also, it can represent a sudden, unexpected shift of values, attraction, or creative vision.

Venus retrograde brings up the topic of the past, such as perhaps a sudden re-emergence of a "past life" connection, memory, or passion. Considering that the barriers between realities become malleable on Samhain, we can more easily gain access to esoteric perceptions. Under this Venus/Uranus opposition, anticipate something unusual to show up and change the current narrative.

In romantic, platonic, or marriage type arrangements, Venus/Uranus can shake us out of a predictable mode of relating or engaging with life. Whatever shows up for you, however notable or subtle, embrace the wildcard possibilities and try something different. This is the second of three Venus/Uranus oppositions this year, the last occurring on Nov. 30. This opposition during Venus retrograde can represent the most radical, emotional shift.

Venus is currently closer to the Earth, the heart is louder than usual, and connecting with Uranus can emancipate repressed desires or creativity. For the next few days, reach beyond your comfort zone, seek an adventure, or meet up with new (or some familiar) souls. Relationships of all kinds will likely be the conduit of change. And just past Venus' inferior conjunction, something fresh is emerging from the heart, so take some time to listen.

ALL READINGS ARE 25% OFF UNTIL NOV. 16! USE COUPON CODE: VENUS18 CLICK HERE FOR READINGS

Burning Love: New Venus in Scorpio 2018

Autumn in the elfin forest; photo by Chad Woodward, 2018.

Both the Sun and Venus are conjoining in tropical Scorpio, also known as Venus' inferior conjunction (aka New Venus). It is a pivotal or momentous opening, magnified by the Sun and Venus square the lunar nodes. In Scorpio, there's an edginess, intensity, and precariousness charging the atmosphere, as well as the sense of a relational, creative, or financial narrative reaching a crossroads.

Venus has hit the bottom, so to speak, the depths of the underworld. And Venus' retrograde conjunction with the Sun brings her closer to the Earth than usual, magnifying the heart's longing and desire for connection, purpose, and inclusion. At the moment, following the heart might require stepping outside of your comfort zone, or having to adjust to a dramatically changed environment.

Venus in Scorpio in opposition to Uranus can bring on sudden breaks with stuck or stagnant routines, or any structures which limit creative freedom or the heart's ability to speak. Relational or contractual upheavals are possible, and as always with Uranus, unforeseen variables permeate the landscape, offering wild yet innovative possibilities.

But from here on out, Venus will gradually return to its visibility in the sky, re-entering Libra at the end of the month. New values, attractions, perspectives, and purpose can emerge from the conjoining of Venus and Sun. Pay close attention to the shift deep inside of you and within the context of key relationships. There may be an incredible sense of uncertainty, hesitation, or fear. But this New Venus invites us on a pathway toward greater freedom, even if that hasn't fully materialized yet, or we can't yet envision it.

And death is always entwined within every birth. The remnants of decay fertilize for new life. Venus in Scorpio beckons us into the depths to find the beauty within the discarded, ignored, or subjugated. Increased lucidity can verge on paranoia, but also offers a more authentic glimpse of the world in which we live. No matter how frightening any emerging perspective might be, open your heart to it. It can change you. Love is seething, burning, and forever transforming.

ALL READINGS ARE 25% OFF UNTIL NOV. 16! USE COUPON CODE: VENUS18 CLICK HERE FOR READINGS

Mercury, Venus, & Scorpio

Photo by Chad Woodward, 2018

Mercury in Scorpio makes a conjunction with Venus retrograde at the start of the week. Mercury/Venus makes for unusually smooth verbal and financial transactions. Venus' retrograde cycle is increasingly amplifying desires, attractions, and all heart-related themes clear up to its inferior conjunction Oct. 26.

So yes, the heart is getting louder, and Mercury can help us speak up about what we're profoundly feeling, especially anything that's been hard to say. Mercury is fleeting, and so this heart/mind connection won't last long. The first few days of this week can be extra synchronistic/serendipitous, potentially magical in various ways.

Conversations/dialogues can feel especially infused with intensity and brute honesty. For clearing the air of pent-up and repressed emotional content, Mercury/Venus can work beautifully to smooth things out and accentuate receptivity. And those potentially challenging, distressing, or otherwise objectionable topics can fit more easily into discourse and examinations.

Also, elements of the past can come powerfully forward this week. Unresolved discussions, past-life muses, unfinished creative works, and insightful facts/information can be dominating points of focus. Pay close attention to any brief yet poignant interactions and still, look beyond what's said. The mind isn't always this lucid or intuitive, so note the deeper complexity beneath the words.

ALL READINGS ARE 25% OFF UNTIL NOV. 16! USE COUPON CODE: VENUS18 CLICK HERE FOR READINGS

Peace, Love & Darkness: New Moon in Libra 2018

Photo by Chad Woodward, October 2018

New Moon @ 15 Libra 48’

October 8, 2018

8:47 PM Los Angeles

11:47 PM New York

October 9, 2018

4:47 AM London

11:47 AM Beijing

1:47 PM Sydney

Every New Moon is a dark Moon, the moment within the lunar cycle when the Moon cannot be seen. This New Moon is especially dark, given its square aspect to Pluto and with Venus now moving retrograde in Scorpio. Occurring in tropical Libra, this New Moon highlights relationships, desires, and attractions and their ability to reflect concealed and unconscious aspects within ourselves.

This lunation is about plunging deep to uncover what lies hidden beneath our social veneers which prevent authentic interaction. Libra's negative face exemplifies the abuse of charm, charisma, and glamor when used as vehicles for manipulation and self-gratification. A successful descent into this New Moon requires a commitment to honesty as well as integrity.

Over the next three weeks especially, with Venus now retrograde through Scorpio, we are undergoing a powerful personal and relational renewal which occurs every year and a half. Venus, as ruler of this New Moon, initiates us on our quest into the darkness, to confront the obscure and discarded to find peace, love, and acceptance for what is.

Pluto's square to the New Moon and Mars' applying square to Venus are two points of tension which can challenge us with the limitations of power or serve as catalysts to step up and create real and lasting change. As we pass through this lunation, consider the time, patience, and commitment required to develop love and passion for anyone and anything.

This New Moon can stand as the gateway to the deepening of both love and passion for those commitments and relationships we've established close bonds to. Venus' retrograde station can amplify our desire to love and be loved, sensitizing any woundedness or heartbreak.

A most significant step in life, as it is with this New Moon, is learning to trust our wounds, pain, fears, and anxieties as teachers. There is great wisdom in the darkness, despite the western world's obsessive subjugation of it. There is freedom and liberation in encountering the taboo and those things despised. We are not separate from the things we fear or do not understand. We have merely lost our connection to the totality of our truth.

With this lunation, step back, sink in, and listen. Move beyond the comfortable prison of your personal and subjective perspective. Over the next lunar cycle, there is a challenge in trusting the call to seek a potentially ambiguous viewpoint. As Venus' archetype gets louder, we will descend deeper into the irrational, wild, and untamable. We may have to move into some uncomfortable places to grow, but we will learn to value and appreciate a new reality (both within and without) that we never really noticed before.

ALL READINGS ARE 25% OFF UNTIL NOV. 16! USE COUPON CODE: VENUS18 CLICK HERE FOR READINGS

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!

All Readings are 25% off until Nov. 16! Use coupon code: VENUS18 CLICK HERE FOR READINGS

Pluto, Venus, & Mercury

By H. Zell [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons

We begin the week with Pluto’s direct station, and Pluto receiving a square from Mercury (exact Oct. 2). With Pluto in Capricorn, this week starts off with a profound influx of pragmatism, intent, and focus, feeling the weight of karmic responsibilities or needing to get serious about the pursuit of your mission. 

Increased anxiety/paranoia can be other Pluto direct side effects, though finding a grounding point, such as consumption in some meaningful work/project can help dissipate the intensity. Mercury's square to Pluto can sometimes impulse obsession with the shadow dimensions, or can unexpectedly reveal blunt truths through conversations and dialogues. 

Do be wary of forcing convictions and beliefs onto disinterested parties. Keeping it light this week is a little problematic, but a consciousness of these Plutonian vibes can prevent situations from becoming overly abysmal. Mercury/Pluto can also gift access to concealed insight or potentials, but an arduous effort will be required to reveal more depth. 

And yes, Venus is stationing retrograde this week. In fact, Venus' retrograde station will begin to dominate the week's remainder and into the New Moon (Oct. 8). Serendipitous encounters are most likely with Venus stations, as are sometimes mysterious or vague karmic untangling via our relationships. 

Venusian themes will get increasingly louder, but they will have a Scorpionic tint. Powerfully seductive temptations, the unveiling of inconvenient truths, or a fascination/attraction to things typically too macabre may be relevant. Also, with more prominent self-worth anxieties, a subsequent personal revaluing is underway the next several weeks. 

Release the many layers of self-doubt and self-loathing from here on out. It's time to see your potential from a new lens. Personal transformation happens in synch with the relational dimensions of Venus retrograde, too. It's not just about the other, though there will likely be a plethora of mirrors to reveal those places you've been denying. No matter what, make space for more love. Start with yourself, and extend from there. 

Do you have any questions about Venus retrograde? Comment below….

And for more information about the upcoming Venus retrograde cycle, watch my detailed video on YouTube. Make sure to like and comment to help me reach more viewers.

ARE YOU IN NEED OF MORE DETAILED, PERSONAL INSIGHT? CLICK HERE FOR READINGS

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.

ARE YOU IN NEED OF MORE DETAILED, PERSONAL INSIGHT? CLICK HERE FOR READINGS

Venus/Uranus Opposition+Jupiter Sextile Pluto

By Mostafameraji [CC BY-SA 4.0  (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], from Wikimedia Commons

Venus is now in Scorpio, a sign with a vastly different resonance than Venus. In the dignity/debility scheme, Venus is currently in detriment, set to retrograde in early Oct. Venus in Scorpio imbues all relational interactions with a sense of ferocity, passion, and realness. Fake fronts won't work until at least the first of Nov., so it's best to come forward now and avoid a more dramatic unmasking. However, Venus won't complete its full transit through Scorpio until early Jan. 2019. 

Venus will make its first of three oppositions with Uranus Sept. 12, while Jupiter sextiles Pluto. With Mars back in Aquarius, Venus/Uranus makes a striking and somewhat intimidating t-square in the sky. The need for new sexual/relational experiences is one possible result, or a desire to detach from a static dating/relating routine. The Venus/Uranus theme will be an ongoing saga with unusual twists and turns until the end of Nov. 

Bring something edgy and exciting into your current relationships, and also be mindful of the need for space or time to individuate. Sudden and unexpected changes in a relational narrative can synchronize with these Venus/Uranus oppositions, increasing in intensity toward the end of Oct. For now, we might begin seeing the subtle emergence of signs pointing in the direction of change. Combined with Mars in Aquarius, and Jupiter/Pluto, ingenious creative changes are within our grasp. 

Jupiter's sextile with Pluto is an impressive surge of power, optimism, and a bolstering of faith. Jupiter in Scorpio can strengthen conviction, but be cautious about leaning too heavily in the direction of fanaticism. For lessening self-doubt, momentarily overshadowing existential questioning, and increasing a sense of personal power, Jupiter/Pluto is 100 percent behind this collective boost of purposeful confidence. 

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM FOR WEEKLY ASTROLOGICAL UPDATES

New Visions: New Moon in Virgo 2018

By Ralph F. Kresge [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

New Moon @ 17 Virgo 00'

September 9, 2018

11:02 AM Los Angeles

2:02 PM New York

7:02 PM London

September 10, 2018

2:02 AM Beijing

4:02 AM Sydney

On Sept. 9/10, the Sun and Moon will conjoin in tropical Virgo. During every New Moon, new life is dawning forth from the depths of the darkness. In the dark of the Moon, possibilities are more easily within our reach, because emerging insights and realizations have yet to take shape. While the sign of Virgo is unquestionably pragmatic, the New Moon is a moment of mystery and uncertainty. 

With Mars now direct and the eclipses behind us, we've made it past the intensified astrology of July/August, and actually, the most challenging aspects of 2018. Mercury is direct too, and now undeniably strong in its home sign Virgo, also supported via a grand trine with Saturn and Uranus. Occurring in a mutable sign, this Virgo New Moon is transitional, gently carrying us deeper into the astrology of September. 

You've made it through the thick of this year, so first, utilize this lunation as a grounding point and allow yourself some rest. While true that every New Moon helps to initiate new paths, those seeds can be gently planted. Aside from an opposition from Neptune, this New Moon receives supportive aspects/sign-based relationships from all other planets. And as I mentioned, Mercury, the ruler of this lunation, is in a powerful place. 

In regards to taking first steps with anything you've been mulling over, reconsidering, or processing these last several weeks, this lunation is most definitely supportive. New beginnings are well within your reach, but yes, Neptune's opposition is a dominating theme of this New Moon. Neptune can be a source of deception as well as inspiration. Its opposition here suggests that we could all use insight and revelation. 

However, Neptune's opposition can force insight upon us, especially if we approach this lunation without humility. The hubris of the modern world is its arrogant assumption that all things can be rationalized, every mystery deductively dissected, and all instincts tamed. Don't fall for that delusion with this New Moon. Humbly accept that you need guidance, you need an awakening and that there are endless enigmas which still evade your grasp.  

The first step in passing through this New Moon is to take some time to step back, find your quiet place, and relax. With Mars and Mercury direct, and the delays of the past weeks now dissolving, this might sound a bit counterintuitive. Surely, the first New Moon after the most tumultuous astrology of 2018 is about taking action. But sometimes, the best step is choosing to wait for clarity, and instead allowing the universe to send you a message. Without intuitively and thoughtfully considering these first steps, the Full Moon in two weeks can work to block our efforts. 

If you find yourself feeling lost with this New Moon, unmotivated, or uninspired, you're probably looking in the wrong places. In this dark of the Moon, the best place to look is within yourself, and its there that you'll discover the vision needed to make any new path successful. A supportive trine to Pluto in Capricorn provides access to all of those unconscious narratives that keep tripping you up and holding you back. But to grasp those insights requires some intense introspection. 

The Virgo path is the path toward self-improvement. Virgo understands well that the improvements are endless. Bettering oneself is not an easy thing to undertake, but with this New Moon, the visions we seek can point us in the right direction. But don't fall into the trap of believing that you need to resolve all of your stuff, that you need to cleanse, purify, and scrub away every defective and broken piece before moving forward. Accept that you're human, that you have flaws, and that life is dirty. All of those dirty and perceptively broken places are what make you who you are. 

When approaching the path of self-improvement, it's important to accept that perfection is not the goal. Instead, the journey toward a better you is all about the journey itself and how it changes you. The path of self-improvement has little to do with achieving this towering goal and proving to the world how incredibly disciplined and focused you are. It's not you that changes you. We are shaped and sculpted by life, etched into something we could never have imagined. Neptune here reminds us that we are made "better" by what happens to us. 

So, accepting yourself the way that you are, in all of your wholeness and innate divine perfection is how you improve. It's through loving and seeing ourselves as complete that we can humbly accept that life can make us better. But we have to trust life to do that, and we have to trust ourselves to see it through. And with this New Moon, its about trusting the darkness and loving the mystery and all that it can teach us. Mercury in its domicile is an influential teacher, so look for synchronicities, omens, signs, or a guide who may come in any guise. 

Editing, pruning, and decluttering are Virgo's primary tactics. Mercury in Virgo can undoubtedly notice all the details and flaws. You can apply received insight and a seemingly infinite focus to many things--yourself, a project, goals/objectives, a relationship, or just your life overall. Look for the various ways you can augment your reality, but be kind to yourself. In your scrutinizing, be careful what you choose to believe about yourself and your potential. 

Lastly, Venus is entering Scorpio alongside this New Moon. Aside from a momentary dip back into Libra in November, Venus will not complete its transit through Scorpio until January 2019. Venus isn't comfortable in Scorpio, and her retrograde cycle beginning Oct. 5 can uncover many layers of secrets, truths, and rare insight within our relationships. 

Venus in Scorpio is blunt, honest, and real. Venus adds more profound complexity to the New Moon conversation. And Venus' t-square with Mars/Uranus stimulates a desire to break free of routines in our relationships and our approach to creative projects. However, be cautious with committing too deeply to any new fling, or responding solely to your impulse desires when it comes to investments. Venus' upcoming retrograde cycle will be a phase of revaluing what brings us joy and what feeds our heart. Utilize the Virgo/Mercury powers of discrimination to see past any glamour or gloss. 

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM FOR WEEKLY ASTROLOGICAL UPDATES

ARE YOU IN NEED OF MORE DETAILED, PERSONAL INSIGHT? CLICK HERE FOR READINGS