Rise Above: New Moon in Cancer 2020

Pdekyvere / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

New Moon @ 28 degrees tropical Cancer 27’

July 20, 2020

10:34 AM PDT

1:34 PM EDT

July's New Moon in tropical Cancer is the first lunation beyond the recent triple eclipse pathway--a series of three eclipses that occurred alongside Venus and Mercury's retrograde cycles beginning in early June. As such, this New Moon brings about some stability and normalcy, as much as that's possible within the context of the Saturn/Pluto conjunction.

The combination of eclipses and retrograde cycles may have correlated with significant alterations in our plans, goals, and expectations. The astrology of the past few weeks has also likely related to the emergence of new issues that need our attention, or it may have redirected us to matters left unresolved.

With the New Moon in close opposition to Saturn, this lunation contains some challenges, but with both the Moon and Saturn in their ruling signs, this moment can be constructive and even clarifying. With Mars in Aries (where it will transit until early Jan 2021), this dynamic energy helps us to pinpoint and specify, clearing the air of assumptions or speculations.

Consider that at the heart of Saturn energy is often the opportunity to step up to new challenges supportive of growth. And within presented limitations lies the potential to clarify and prioritize. While this lunation can feel potentially restrictive, it holds the possibility to narrow down priorities, so we know where we need to take action.

The launch of objectives, plans, or goals that require discipline, focus, and persistence can do well under this New Moon. Since we're now clear of two inner planetary retrograde cycles and the eclipses, this lunation opens space for movement where we may have faced delays, stagnation, or uncertainty before.

The sign of Cancer and Neptune's wide trine to this lunation suggests also stepping out of overly rational ways of figuring things out or solving problems. Tapping into intuitive or emotional signals can provide significant insight with this lunation that we might miss if we rely only on the mind.

The sign of Cancer emphasizes healing, nourishment, and the active pursuit of safety. With this lunation, lies an opportunity to utilize received insight to plan, coordinate, and strategize ways to achieve those above-mentioned qualities. And while you might find a lot that needs to get done right now, use this New Moon as a moment for rest and recovery whenever possible.

Sink into this lunation as you would a womb-like safe place, despite any current fears, anxieties, or obstacles. Connect inward with a place of safety within you, and experience what that feels like. Trusting the flow can be difficult for many of us at the moment, but this lunation reminds us how important and valuable it is to trust the flow and what shows up despite the challenging astrology of this year (and a bit beyond). When I think about my own life and the larger, global struggles, I'm reminded of past struggles and how, at the time, I never thought I'd get through them.

Yet, somehow, I did. While Saturn's opposition can be a daunting presence with this lunation, it also contains the wisdom we carry from past obstacles we've overcome and the reminder of the strength we cultivated to push our way through them. While Mars in Aries and Saturn in Capricorn can be perceivably formidable energies this year, trust in your strength and the strength you're currently building. Look to the future and see yourself radiant and triumphant. Believe in your power and rise above. And fortunately, the Sun's ingress into Leo on July 22 will bring more radiance and a confidence surge, too. All things we desperately need.

Breaking Off: Full Moon/Lunar Eclipse in Capricorn 2020

Photo by Jonathan Bean jonathanbean / CC0

Full Moon/Penumbral Lunar Eclipse @ 13 degrees Capricorn 38'

July 4, 2020

9:45 PM PDT

July 5, 2020

12:45 AM EDT

July's Full Moon in tropical Capricorn is the last eclipse of the current eclipse season. As a partial penumbral lunar eclipse, it won't be too visually striking or astrologically significant, but as a lunar eclipse, it represents a more powerful than usual Full Moon. You can anticipate some significant breakthroughs, culminations, or crises as the Full Moon reaches its peak this weekend. The eclipse will be visible directly over South America but also partially visible over Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

As we near the end of the triple eclipse pathway, you may have encountered an acceleration of changes in various parts of your life. Eclipses correlate with deep, often inward, transformative processes that quicken ongoing, chronic, or developing issues. This can help push a situation closer to a much-needed resolution, and combined with Venus and Mercury retrograde cycles, it may have unveiled things that have long been concealed from view.

This Full Moon/eclipse in Capricorn highlights a zodiac sign that has been the backdrop for the Saturn/Pluto conjunction, currently augmented by Jupiter's passing conjunction. Saturn has moved back into Capricorn after a brief dip in Aquarius, and is closing in again on Pluto. The heavy, sobering, and challenging themes of the Saturn/Pluto conjunction will be at the forefront until December. Yet, as I've written about, we aren't completely clear of the Saturn/Pluto conjunction until the end of 2021.

This full moon/eclipse can magnify the weight and enormity of responsibilities and hardships, dredging up deep-seated fear and uncertainty. Jupiter's conjunction with Pluto can also be related to some level of exaggeration, so don't give in fully to the hype of the moment, even if there is some truth to present concerns. With the transits currently impacting this sign, and the obvious correlations to a pandemic, economic uncertainty, and civil unrest, this Full Moon/eclipse can set off many of the fears and anxieties that dominated the earlier half of this year.

Capricorn symbolizes a level of conservatism--the control of impulse or the time, energy, and sacrifice required to accomplish great things. As this Full Moon/eclipse beams down on us, we might feel the pressure to confront limitations or consequences. Yet, it might also stand to reinforce what we've already mastered and remind us of how far we've actually come. With the Full Moon in opposition to Mercury retrograde, there is a strong pull toward reflection and contemplation of past achievements.

Additionally, Mercury's retrograde cycle is likely drawing us to revisit and revise some things. Combined with this Full Moon, it may symbolize tending to challenging realities we have to confront now. There is a feeling of inevitability within the dynamic transits in Capricorn and within the sign itself. There are things we can't avoid as this Full Moon culminates, yet facing and resolving them could have lasting benefit and value.

Mars' wide square to the Full Moon is another vector of conflict, a theme we've seen in the last two eclipses/lunations. Mars in Aries suggests that anger, rage, and intentional action are no longer thwarted. Mars' square to the Full Moon is hyper-catalytic, breaking up stagnation and pushing us along toward achieving our desired goals. Be wary of how far you assert yourself or how much force you end up using. With Mars in Aries until early January, it marks a period where the warrior's power is more readily accessible, but be cautious and mindful of how you direct it.

Chiron's square to the Full Moon/eclipse axis and conjunction to Mars is also an invitation to reach out and heal wounds related to conflict trauma or action avoidance. There are some painful realities embedded in this Full Moon culmination for many of us. However, Chiron's presence can symbolize asking or reaching for help that can change or alter your perception of such pain, using it as a catalyst to take action.

Lastly, Uranus' close trine to the Full Moon is a call to freedom and represents the sudden emergence of liberation. Uranus allows for a steak of rebellion, innovation, and breaking away from usual routines. The predominance of the Earth element between Uranus in Taurus and the Full Moon/eclipse in Capricorn, suggests that we're weaving together physical and material circumstances, finding new ways to manage mundane situations.

A Solstice Eclipse: New Moon/Solar Eclipse in Cancer 2020

Photo by Callan Carpenter / CC BY-SA

New Moon/Annular Solar Eclipse @ 00 degrees Cancer 21'

June 20, 2020

11:42 PM PDT

June 21, 2020

2:42 AM EDT

June's New Moon is an annular solar eclipse in tropical Cancer. It also occurs alongside the solstice (summer in the northern hemisphere and winter in the southern). The eclipse will be visible from most of Africa, parts of Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Russia, Indonesia, and Melanesia. This New Moon/solar eclipse represents the epicenter of the current eclipse season, a brief period of rapid inner and outer changes occurring in both personal and collective fields. Eclipses can correlate with increasing intensity in relation to developing events, but they also have their own specific correlations that can take time to gestate and manifest.

What makes this encroaching eclipse unique is that it falls on the first degree of Cancer, activating the cardinal axis of the tropical zodiac. The last eclipse to occur at this exact degree was a total solar eclipse on June 21, 2001. And before this, the last eclipse to activate the cardinal axis occurred on December 22, 1889, at the first degree of Capricorn.

While I won't go into the details of these past eclipses and their (delayed) correlation with significant historical events, I will say that considering the challenging astrology of 2020, this eclipse is likely to be significantly involved in much the same way. Yet, at the moment, let's first look at this eclipse as a potent new beginning, a collective and personal reset moment that can seed potentially powerful potentials and possibilities.

New Moons are always a fresh start, but when they're also a solar eclipse (especially nearly total), that symbolism becomes exceptionally pronounced. Occurring on the cardinal axis and very close to the lunar north node, this New Moon/solar eclipse has a powerful outward and mobilizing thrust. Such is the nature of cardinal energy--dynamic and catalytic.

Solstice means "sun stands still." During the summer solstice, the Sun stops ascending and begins descending toward the autumnal equinox. During the winter solstice, the Sun stops descending and begins ascending toward the spring equinox. Both solstice points symbolize the attainment of a point of limitation in either a peak (summer) or a trough (winter). They indicate moments of reflection and achievement of perspective from a position of pause or rest.

The sign of Cancer has the notorious correlations with the inward dimensions of life experience, commonly emphasizing domestic concerns--safety, security, and protection. Cancerian energy can also relate to the stimulation of nationalism or relate specifically to national security and stability issues. This New Moon/solar eclipse likely marks a decisive turning point in several domestically related concerns or questions.

Yet, Cancer is also symbolic of the healer and nourisher, carrying significant symbolism relating to the womb, a place that gives and sustains life. If we also consider the archetype of the home, we must go beyond the standard vision of the nuclear family to the heart of humanity's earliest tribal bonds. Cancer symbolizes a connection to our past as well as our need for loving intimacy and trusting relationship.

Cancer encapsulates a sense of longing for belonging and the understanding that the world is sometimes a dangerous place. Having a place of refuge and safety can provide protection and reassurance, but also, over-attachment to safety can lead us to endure a dull and passive existence. Yet, at heart, Cancer is not passive. It is cardinal energy after all, and it symbolizes taking the initiative to secure oneself and others from external threats.

Current events strongly speak to these themes. We are amid much civil unrest here in the United States, relating to abuses of power negatively harming the health and safety of the people. Specifically, black Americans are disproportionally the victims of violence inflicted by police. Calls for defunding, reforming, or abolishing police departments nationwide are currently getting louder alongside the peak of this eclipse and season.

Yet, while magnifying current events, this eclipse also seeds new events and developments that will likely unfold when the eclipse degree is re-activated. Mars activates this solar eclipse by conjunction on April 24, 2021 and then again Jan 21, 2022 by an opposition. Globally significant events around those dates are likely. Mars may play a significant role in this eclipses' future manifestations, considering its square aspect to the eclipse from Pisces.

And alongside Mars, Neptune widely squares this eclipse, stimulating the imaginal potential of Cancer. As with the lunar eclipse two weeks ago, there are still some elements of obfuscation related to this New Moon/eclipse, but there is a creative and visionary catalyst as well. Mars can relate to a heightened level of aggression, outrage, and defensiveness, but also the arrival of motivation needed to begin creating or dreaming a new foundation.

The challenge of this eclipse lies in its push to reach out and be proactive. Cardinal energy requires action, and so this is an essential point for pushing in new directions. However, consider also Mercury's retrograde cycle reinforcing the inward dimension of Cancer and the New Moon generally. Typical advice includes caution with pushing too fast or too hard.

Use this eclipse to step back and gain perspective and gently and mindfully plants the seeds of change. With the occurrence of this Cancer solar eclipse, and both Venus and Mercury retrograde, this moment also brings us powerfully to the past to revisit, resolve, release, or re-create. At least as I imagine it, we are merely consciousness moving along a spiral of change and expansion. Naturally, we will come back to places we've been before or feel drawn toward nostalgic experiences and encounters. This moment is imbued with such revisiting.

Trust is a potent keyword for this New Moon/solar eclipse. Saturn's quincunx aspect from Aquarius speaks to the challenge of being vulnerable and susceptible to limitations wrought by authority. There are restrictions placed on this New Moon, delaying or withholding a complete heart-opening and connection. Harsh realities that must be accepted.

However, limitations aren't necessarily a bad thing. My mantra for the Saturn/Pluto conjunction era (a period lasting until roughly the end of 2021) is "creativity thrives in uncertainty." In uncertain moments, we're forced to be adaptable, flexible, and willing to accept an undetermined future. Uncertainty can free us from the trap of redundancy and push us to take new risks. Of course, be cautious and take your time, but trust what's emerging and coming forward with this New Moon/solar eclipse.

And while the past can be enticing, consider this eclipse's close conjunction to the lunar North Node. Embracing the future doesn't mean ignoring, subjugating, or erasing the past altogether, but using the wisdom from the past to build a more sustainable and fully informed future. With more challenges that lie ahead of us amid the historic conjunctions of this year, we could use a moment to pause, step back, and carefully plan the next big move.

For personal readings with Chad Woodward, click here.

Listen to the Rage: Lunar Eclipse in Sagittarius 2020

kallerna / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

Penumbral lunar eclipse @ 15 degrees Sagittarius 34’

June 5, 2020

12:13 PM PST

3:13 PM EST

This month's Full Moon is the first lunar eclipse of the 2020 eclipse season (and the first of three eclipses). As I wrote about last week, this triple eclipse season is an extended period of accelerated change. As often is the case during eclipses, events unfold more rapidly, and inner changes happen more readily. Eclipses also correlate with the amplification of developing events, taking things to a deeper and intensified dimension. 

This lunar eclipse symbolizes a more dramatic culmination, breakthrough, crisis, or resolution involving ongoing, developing themes. In tropical Sagittarius, there is an atmosphere of expansion, despite Jupiter (the eclipse ruler) in Capricorn and conjunct Pluto. Yet, we cannot deny the imprint of the Saturn/Pluto conjunction on this lunation, a challenging period of structural disintegration and rebirth.

Jupiter's closeness to Pluto inflames cultural blindspots and toxic baggage relating to issues of power. In many ways, Jupiter transiting between Saturn and Pluto symbolizes collective hope and faith perceivably beleaguered. Despite the inherent optimistic thrust of Sagittarius, there can be a sense of futility moving through the archetypal field. Optimism can also give way to the Sagittarian underbelly--fanaticism and reckless audacity. 

With the eclipse in opposition to Venus retrograde in Gemini, we are back to a place we've been before (though altered along the spiral). The Venusian fate weaver dredges up karmic residue in several relational dynamics, but it also opens our hearts to realities unfamiliar. Sagittarius, in its positive face, seeks foreign perspectives and holistic integration. Therefore, a new understanding can collect and solidify alongside this lunation, allowing comprehension of a differing point of view. 

Perhaps that is the point of opening our hearts. Without diversity, our species would die. Yet, a heart-opening conversation or a desire to seek understanding can be either catalyzed or severed by volatile, emotional forces. Mars and Neptune in Pisces square the eclipse, creating a potentially violent break in the surface of events. Mars' approaching conjunction with Neptune, however, can obfuscate, dissipate, or misdirect the target. But it can also symbolize the emergence of a unified tsunami of anger, frustration, and fear, all struggling for communicative expression. 

At heart, as astrologer Jason Holley (2019) suggests, the square "defeats the part of you that wants to be isolated and asks you to become relational." That wisdom feels deeply pertinent for the moment of this eclipse. While tensions can be inflamed, and rage can seep through the unconscious abyss, there is ultimately the desire to break through barriers that have kept us divided. With this eclipse, we can find the relational path-- authentic, soulful dialogue, and a strong assertion of boundaries. 

Mars' approach to Neptune (exact June 13/14), can symbolize the warrior's energy motivated by strong ideals and unity. Perhaps it speaks to the uncomfortable truth that unity must sometimes be fought for. However, in Pisces' vast sea, the enormity and complexity of the enemy can seem overwhelming and evasive. Be mindful of your inner Mars, that is to say, your inner warrior. Listen to, open your heart to, but don't get lost in the sea of rage. 

Sources

Holley, Jason. 2019. Psychologizing the Ancient Doctrine of Sect. Astrology University. 

The Triple Eclipse Pathway

Kevin Baird / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

With the next three lunations occurring close to the lunar nodes, we are swiftly moving into the first eclipse season of 2020. Eclipses happen every year. There are typically two pairs of eclipses annually, but this encroaching eclipse season consists of three (something that occurs variably every few years). As always, how much we "feel" an eclipse depends mainly on how it connects to our chart and how close we are to the eclipse path (whether or not we can see it).

Eclipses are subtle, and the events that coincide with them take time to emerge. One useful way of looking at eclipses is that they operate like extra significant New or Full Moons that open a sensitized area of the zodiac that can be active for several months. Solar eclipses can symbolize a significant beginning or starting point, while lunar eclipses can signify a more substantial culmination or completion. And the eclipse season itself can subjectively feel like an accelerated period of personal growth and awareness expansion.

Inner and outer constructs can rapidly reshuffle themselves, leaving us mysteriously changed and impacted. Acceleration is one consistent theme that eclipses bring about as if change happens more readily and is more accessible than otherwise. The need to remain open to that dimension is helpful to anticipate. Occurring alongside both Venus and Mercury changing direction, this eclipse season unfolds to create a confluence of shifting events. And the triple eclipses extend the eclipse season portal, giving us a longer brewing time for dynamic changes to occur.

This eclipse season consists of two penumbral lunar eclipses (where the earth's outer shadow, or penumbra, partially crosses the lunar surface) and an annular solar eclipse in between (basically a total solar eclipse but with a ring of sunlight around the Moon's shadow). The first penumbral lunar eclipse occurs on June 5/6 in Sagittarius, visible from Africa, Australia, the Middle East, and most of Europe and Asia. The annular solar eclipse occurs on June 21 in Cancer, visible from southern Europe, the Middle East, and most of Africa and Asia. The last penumbral lunar eclipse occurs on July 4/5 in Capricorn, visible from North and South America (excluding Alaska and northwest Canada), Africa, and western Europe.

With the addition of Venus and Mercury's stations, anticipate the month of June to be a period of rapidly changing directions, narratives, and inner processes. Trusting your insight and heightened perception is a significant key to pushing through this triple eclipse portal. Amid the pandemic and all that it's brought to the surface, consider this an extra detour (or scenic route). The combination of eclipses and inner planetary retrogrades relates to the amplification of perceptual changes and extensive revisioning to several dimensions of our lives.

Mercury and Venus both station (appear to cease movement) within one week of each other in June. Mercury stations retrograde June 17/18 and Venus stations direct June 24/25. This apparent retrograde shift can correlate with a transition from heart to mind. While Venus' retrograde increases the volume on our heart perception, Mercury increases the data flow via a higher volume of information and communication.

Yet, with Venus in Gemini, and Mercury in Cancer, there is an ongoing theme relating the heart to our perceptions--making emotionally charged adjustments to our worldview (including beliefs, ideas, and opinions about how reality works). As with eclipses and Mercury retrograde cycles, practice humility--keep both heart and mind receptive and flexible to incoming data streams. We are each making significant changes to how we see and understand our lives. The next month might appear as a rapid change in navigation, so consider taking your time in re-routing and adjusting.

A Break in the Clouds: Gemini New Moon 2020

Photo by Фтещт Нфтлщмнш / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

New Moon @ 02 degrees Gemini 04’

May 22, 2020

10:39 AM PST

1:39 PM EST

With the Gemini archetype dominating the astrological landscape, the pace of thoughts, ideas, or experiences can appear accelerated. It's easy to feel overwhelmed. Gemini emphasizes diversity applied to the variety of life's constructs and manifestations. In other words, Gemini's fate is encountering multiple ways of seeing or doing things that can lead to well-roundedness as much as confusion.

Strong Gemini individuals will deeply understand this. For those not natally attuned to the Gemini frequency, see the value in sometimes scattering your attention--a strategy that can help you see possibilities you'd miss with a myopic focus. Meandering your way through this New Moon is a good starting point, but that can be frustrating when wanting or needing to pursue a specific objective.

Keep in mind that Venus appears to be in retrograde through Gemini alongside this New Moon. Venus is conjoining the New Moon ruler, Mercury, too. Also, Venus/Mercury is square Neptune. On the surface, we can interpret this to suggest caution with information, data, and perceptions. Be hyper-aware of obfuscation as a natural synchronistic correlation. Use that awareness to take your time with this lunation in stepping out and gathering knowledge and experience.

A Gemini New Moon can relate to an impulsive desire to break out or attempt multi-tasking beyond what's healthy (or possible). Neptune's square can also correlate with an abundance of distraction or as feeling like mundane issues or concerns are increasingly dis-interesting. Neptune pressures us to open ourselves to new worlds, dreams, and fantasies, making it hard to attend to the fact-based reality we typically reside in.

Indeed, Mars' square to this New Moon can correlate with increased frustration over specific targets evading your grasp or focus. Impulsivity is also enhanced, but desirable objectives may seem ambiguous. What can you do with this subjugated energy and desire? New Moon's are natural moments to reset, refocus, and start on a new creative direction. Use this time mindfully to channel your mental and spiritual strength toward fleshing out this inundation of stimulation and possibilities. And transform uncertainty or fear into curiosity.

Relationships are likely to play a significant part in this New Moon, too. We tend to gather information or ideas from other humans, so that part is obvious. Yet, consider how Venus' retrograde suggests that heart perception is significant, such as news or information that changes how we feel about someone or something specific. The past (as in past relationships, connections, ideas, or experiences) might come into sharper focus here, seeking integration, closure, or future elaboration.

Beyond the overt idealism that Neptune brings to the surface, there is also the potential for mystical, visionary, and transpersonal experiences. There is equally the possibility to slow down the pace of events, thoughts, or activities, and find amid the flurry, a break in the clouds revealing brief moments of something ineffable. And there lies the difficulty in fully articulating whatever may be emerging for many of us. Being adaptable in the moment, in whatever way it shows up, is the key.

The Heart of Your Perceptions: Venus Retrograde 2020

View from Wilcox Viewpoint, Jasper National Park. Photo by Fresh.waffles / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

Venus Retrograde in tropical Gemini

May 12 -June 24

Venus Stationary Retrograde @ 21 degrees Gemini 50’-May 12/13

Venus Stationary Direct @ 05 degrees Gemini 20’-June 24/25

Ambiguity, endless curiosity, or a tendency toward a short-lived attention span are strong qualities infused in the sign of Gemini. And any event here is destined to pull us in several directions. So what might we anticipate with Venus, the goddess of love, beauty, and rapport appearing to turn retrograde for her forty-day/night descent and rebirth in the sign of the twins?

The title of this article says a lot. Unusually, I thought of it before I started writing. What is the heart of your perceptions? It's an interesting question. Firstly, how are our perceptions made? That's also a complicated question. Let's start here. Much of our perceptions are culturally constructed and thus socially defined. Some of that definition may be permanent, but pieces can be deconstructed willingly or through shattering life experiences. Secondly, many of those perceptions are biological, and for a logical reason.

We might think that we're autonomous beings moving freely through space, and then after an intense, mind-altering experience, that belief is suddenly a comical passing thought. We are likely far more than our perceptions allow us to believe. Yet, perceptions are important, and they guide us through our waking life to make sense of the world and survive. Venus is ruled both by an air and earth sign, and yet it has a strong emotional dimension.

Part of Venus' function is the ability for heart perception, that which lies in the domain of Libra and Taurus. We can process information intellectually but also emotionally. What is happening when we fall in love or while we blissfully gaze over a field of wildflowers or into a waterfall? Those experiences are beyond rational and cognitive processing. Something deeper is going on. Maybe we're perceiving through the soul, and yes, we're also under the influence of biological programming.

Venusian experiences involve fate and a sense of being overpowered, not by something intrusive, but alluring and attractive. Sure, we can resist, but how we feel about it is not volitional. We can't choose nor control what captivates our heart, the things, people, or experiences that invoke beauty and infatuation. Can we fall in love with an idea, a worldview, or a voice? Can we find ourselves incessantly attracted to a mind that pulls us in and endlessly captivates our attention? Of course. Venus in Gemini is like that, and her retrograde here involves themes of a changing of heart concerning perceptual constructions.

And here are some Venus retrograde basics: When any planet appears to turn retrograde, it gets louder! During Venus retrograde, the heart volume gets turned up, and we can't avoid noticing it, but we can undoubtedly deny or repress it. Sometimes that's a helpful thing, especially when the object of desire or attraction might harm us in some way. There are many people, experiences, or substances we would be better off resisting. Only wisdom can guide us there.

Sometimes, the heart's message interferes with our programmed perceptions about how we have "beautifully" constructed our worldview (or the one constructed for us). The heart can get in the way of our plans, beliefs, and expectations. Sometimes, that too is a helpful thing to redirect our life path to be more aligned with the heart. When Venus is retrograde, the heart might emerge as a welcomed relief, an uncomfortable inconvenience, or something in between. In whatever form it shows up, it would be wise to pay attention and use the following several weeks (until roughly June 25) to let life change our way of perceiving and understanding.

Anticipate serendipitous soulful dialogue, the continuation of an unfinished conversation, or the emergence of an irresistible idea, thought, or perspective. Allow the fates to work their magic in the ensuing weeks to change your mind and potentially create a healthful flow between what you're feeling, saying, and thinking. Might the heart pit you between two equally desirous options or possibilities? How do you resolve that conflict? Do you pick one over the other, or find a middle way?

There is tension in this cycle, and the need to resolve dichotomies. Venus is square Neptune, another fate inducer, but extra transpersonal. The combination of Venus and Neptune is even more overpowering and also highly idealistic. The best Venus retrograde in Gemini advice? Slow down. Listen carefully, and don't act hastily. Allow your feelings and impressions to change you from the inside first. There is a tendency to sample a lot of options and to feel things out, but be careful.

There is some obfuscation potential with Neptune, the tendency to idealize and fantasize to the extreme. So, be wary of hastily pushing a relational narrative in either direction or emptying your bank account because of a sudden, glamorous vision. Some of these dreams and fantasies may be as fleeting as they are interesting. Yet, Neptune's positive path, it's "higher road," is an authentic, soulful dialogue, and real possibilities can emerge here. Reinvigorating our lives with dreams, imagination, and ideas is essential.

Yet, consider letting time mold and shape your impressions. Critical turning points and life changes often happen when her stations align with specific placements in the natal chart, but there is a descent with Venus that can take us on a journey to that mysterious heart center. What happens inwardly during Venus retrograde is just as significant as what happens outwardly. It begins in that inward place.

Some visions, dreams, and fantasies will not hold up. But consider how those surviving inspirations will infuse your perception with renewed hope and possibilities. The potential to fall more deeply in love with a perception exists, or a change of heart that can bring you closer to beauty, serenity, and transcendence. As the heart gets louder, we can feel overwhelmingly compelled by it, and that can have both positive and negative consequences.

However, I think that one of the greatest of skills is in learning to trust ourselves. When we perceive and understand from the heart, we often can't justify or articulate it with words. We just know. And that perception can be a blessing in a world filled with oppressive forces that seek to silence that ability to trust the inner self. Let the heart energy wash over you the next several weeks and flow with the changes that ensue. Consider how some of the most important things in your life began as a subtle change of heart and perception.

The Eternal Now: Full Moon in Scorpio 2020

Robert Kixmiller / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

Full Moon @ 17 Scorpio 20’

May 7, 2020

3:46 AM PST

6:46 AM EST

This Full Moon in Scorpio has depth, soul, and intensity. Scorpio highlights authenticity on several dimensions, both interpersonally and perceptually. A Scorpio Full Moon can correlate with the eruption of desire, hidden tensions, or submerged emotions. Scorpio stings us into the moment--the heart of the eternal now. Yet, Scorpio is not abstract but deeply rooted in the experience of emotion. Emotions are real, and they're powerful. Despite what the surrounding culture tells us, emotional attunement and awareness are utterly pragmatic.

Indeed, a Full Moon can itself intensify the emotional terrain, and Scorpio especially so. But, the Sun and Mercury in Taurus invite an integration (or conversation) that can help ground us and connect us to both the emotional and physical bodies as every feeling has a specific somatic loci. Another possibility: this Full Moon brings us a securing message that helps us consistently persevere without getting lost in emotional overkill.

In times like these, it's understandable to feel quite a lot, but two planets (Mercury in Taurus and Venus in Gemini) guide us to get more in touch with the heart. If things feel overly complex with this Full Moon, there is an opportunity to simplify. If you can take something big, scary, or seemingly incomprehensible, and help to make it just slightly more digestible, you're doing this Full Moon right.

Mars' wide square to the Full Moon adds some conflict and tension, but also motivation. Full Moons are dynamic moments of climax and completion, and in Scorpio, we feel the greater weight of karma as it ripens and rises. Mars' square is a challenge, daring us to go where there is trepidation. Yet, if we're real and honest with ourselves and others, we can get to a simpler, heart-centered message and understanding that makes intricacy easier to contain.

Neptune augments this lunar landscape through a free-flowing trine from Pisces. A descent into the void or an exploration of the emotional field opens the door to the imaginal and transcendent. Neptune dissolves barriers that deepen psychic perceptions, enhance dream activity, or enliven heart-opening experiences. Be mindful of who or what you let your guard down with, and realize that escapism and delusion can just as easily seep in. Yet, this lunation opens a fluid field that can inspire, awaken, and gift us access to the numinous.

Flow with Change: New Moon in Taurus 2020

Aerial photo of San Andreas Fault looking northwest onto the Carrizo Plain with Soda Lake visible at the upper left. Photo by John Wiley User: Jw4nvc - Santa Barbara, California / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)

New Moon @ 03 degrees tropical Taurus 24’

April 22, 2020

7:27 PM Pacific Standard Time

10:27 PM Eastern Standard Time

With a Taurus New Moon, we seek stability, consistency, and groundedness. Taurus guides us to indulge and enjoy simple pleasures, the natural world, and the physical body. Yet, Uranus in Taurus and its conjunction with this New Moon is a source of instability, particularly relating to things we once believed were permanent fixtures we could always rely upon.

Uranian energy correlates with accelerated change, and if we don't willingly bring it about, it arrives shockingly and chaotically to push us out of stale and predictable structures. There is conflict in this New Moon. You might have had enough of that, but while we should heed the typical dark moon advice and allow ourselves to reset and recharge, we should also embrace the need to shake something up.

This New Moon, however, can be a starting point where a novel direction opens up, especially one that relates to creating or sustaining material stability on some level. That can refer to finances, tangible resources, or our physical bodies. As always, the archetypes flow both ways. Resistance meets a breaking point. And long, arduous periods of restraint ease up, but not without some compromise.

Saturn in Aquarius squares this New Moon, foreshadowing the ongoing squares between Saturn and Uranus clear through 2021. Real revolutions will not win out or likely gain their desired momentum. Saturn and Pluto, the apocalyptic aura of the now, tightens and restrains us on many dimensions. However, this is a moment to pressure authority and push the conversation toward more progressive considerations.

Meeting in the middle with those in authority and power is the dominating theme until the end of next year. That suggests a push and pull between radical change and sustained focused effort. Yet, if you're consistent with the process, you'll arrive at a more innovative and more mature approach to collaboration and the ability to express yourself authentically.

For many of us, this New Moon is a powerful push toward attaining a solid sense of individuality. Also, consider the next two weeks are optimal for figuring out fresh ways to become more self-sufficient and simplify your life. If things have become too complicated, suffocating, or overtly routine, trust this New Moon to free you of those traps. It's better always to anticipate and flow with change instead of being taken by surprise.

Cultivating Courage: New Moon in Aries 2020

Photo by Fir0002/Flagstaffotos via Wikimedia Commons.

New Moon @ 4 degrees Aries 12’

March 24, 2020

2:29 AM Pacific Daylight Time

5:29 AM Eastern Daylight Time

March's New Moon occurs in the thick of the most intense astrology of 2020 and arguably the past few decades. I've written extensively about the Saturn/Pluto conjunction in an early 2019 article here, as well as more succinctly in 2016 and 2017. The United States, and indeed most of the world, are in a precarious moment. To understand the bigger picture of Saturn/Pluto, read or review my past articles. Saturn and Pluto made their exact conjunction in January, and now Saturn moves into Aquarius until early July due to its retrograde cycle. Saturn will then re-enter Aquarius in mid-December after a short dip back into Capricorn. While Saturn moves from Aquarius to Capricorn, Saturn and Pluto will be in orb of conjunction until the end of 2021.

While we are past the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere, it might not feel like spring for much of the world while in quarantine. It might feel like winter has been extended, and Saturn/Pluto periods do carry that sense of an archetypal long and arduous winter. Alongside this New Moon, Mars, the ruler of Aries, conjoins both Pluto and Jupiter in Capricorn. The New Moon itself also conjoins Chiron while closely squaring the lunar nodes. Pluto, god/goddess of the underworld, is the archetype that most epitomizes death, destruction, and existential angst. Pluto seeks to bring about a lucid understanding of entropy and mortality that redirects consciousness to what matters most.

The combination of Mars, Saturn, and Pluto in Capricorn is a collective wave of fear and dread, and indeed a pandemic or any collective crisis will inevitably bring on strong emotions. Is Saturn and Pluto (also square Eris) causing any of this? I don't think so. However, the synchronicity of these events, both terrestrial and cosmic, indicates a collective amplification of these primordial emotions and reactions. Additionally, Jupiter has an inflammatory nature, correlating with events that become larger and sometimes more exaggerated. I'm not downplaying the severity of what's happening or discarding the need to follow expert advice, but rather pointing to the possibility that our reactions may not be 100 percent concordant with the full reality of the situation.

However, Jupiter will be in orb of conjunction with Pluto and Saturn clear through the end of the year. What we're currently dealing with on the world stage will magnify and inflame consistently the rest of 2020, leading to the significant conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in Aquairus this December. As difficult as it can be with this New Moon, step back from emotionally charged responses and exercise some critical thought. How is fear currently being magnified beyond what's needed? Conversely, consider that sometimes ignoring or discarding all concern can be an attempt to resolve cognitive dissonance to avoid uncomfortable feelings.

Also, be mindful of misdirected anger and frustration. Are there constructive outlets to express these feelings without throwing them onto those around you? How can we channel this collective surge of fear and anger toward effective action in the world? This New Moon's conjunction with Chiron is a fascinating synchronicity. Chiron is the centaur healer who was severely wounded by a poison arrow but couldn't die due to his immortality. Chiron represents woundedness in several contexts, but also the transmutation of pain and suffering through a shift in perception. An Aries wound might manifest as frustration over an inability to take action in the usual way, or a paralyzing fear that disables all mobility or assertiveness. This New Moon offers us an opportunity to adjust our perception or attitudes to reframe our perception of a situation.

Instead of dwelling on what directions you can't take, focus on what new opportunities you now have time for, or projects that you can initiate instead. An Aries New Moon is a perfect and potent starting point, but Chiron here suggests that all new beginnings will require an adjustment of how we perceive the situation and an opportunity to heal wounds associated with free-will, autonomy, and assertiveness. With the lunation (Sun and Moon) conjunct Chiron and squaring the nodal axis, the current meaning of the nodes is highly relevant for this New Moon. We see the South Node in Capricorn with its ruler, Saturn, in Aquarius. A Capricorn South Node emphasizes a collective release of our bondage to time, overwork, and a build-up of emotional constipation.

Saturn in Aquarius emphasizes alienation or indifference to the suffering of others. The North Node in Cancer suggests we are being called on to seek healing, connection, and cultivation of compassion. The Moon in Aries, conjunct Chiron, suggests being proactive and transmuting a victim's perspective to a courageous stepping forward to effectively meet incoming challenges. Yes, these are difficult times, but this Aries New Moon can help remind you that you're more durable and more capable than you might initially think. Additionally, the irony of this moment is that while many of us might feel isolated and alone, there is an emerging opportunity to work together and eradicate the barriers that have kept us collectively apart.

The Aries archetype is a warrior and trailblazer. This moment calls for taking the initiative as well as embracing paths that have yet to be tread. When it can seem like the darkness is closing in on us and so many previous pathways are suddenly closed off, we're forced to get creative and change the way we look at things. One of Chiron's most notable teachings here is that we can get stuck dwelling on what's broken, scary, or what angers us. Both rage and stress can become addicting. Refocus your attention to a larger cause or purpose, and there you will find the gift. The next several months will not be easy, but being courageous enough to trust this moment can remove at least some of the burden.

Aquarian Reboot: New Moon in Aquarius 2020

Photo by Lieutenant Debora Barr, NOAA Corps via Wikimedia Commons

New Moon @ 04 degrees Aquarius 22'

January 24, 2020

1:43 PM Los Angeles

4:43 PM New York 9:43 PM London

January 25, 2020

5:43 AM Beijing

8:43 AM Sydney

This month's dark Moon is the first New Moon of 2020 and occurring in tropical Aquarius; there's an extra sense of newness. The Aquarian New Moon always coincides with the Chinese New Year, which gives it special significance as a marker of new beginnings. The last two lunations, both eclipses, carried heavier and more challenging energy.

With eclipse season behind us, this Aquarian New Moon can feel like an opportunity to start fresh, especially relating to the process of individuation. One reason for that is that eclipses are brief moments of accelerated change where we often feel pressured to adjust something about ourselves both internally and externally. Another reason is that the archetypal energy of Aquarius emphasizes freedom, independence, and innovation.

The negative side of Aquarius is exile and alienation, where an individual is no longer accepted or embraced by others either because of something innate or as a result of antisocial actions. However, the higher road of Aquarian energy is the ability to be oneself and live authentically. Uranus' square to this New Moon can put some pressure on the process of standing out and being unique.

Putting oneself fully and honestly into the world requires enormous risk and vulnerability. Also, while change can be needed, welcomed, and liberating, it doesn't always come easy, or voluntarily. This New Moon can feel like we're getting pushed into a situation or scenario where change is inevitable, maybe also unanticipated, but ultimately for the best.

Indeed, Uranus' square to this New Moon creates the potential for sudden and unplanned breaks with the past. However, if we're aware of what needs to change, and how we need to make it happen, we can engage with this new starting point to consciously break free of something that held us back from being true to ourselves. No, not everyone will accept us, but life is too fleeting to make everyone feel comfortable.

Trust Your Heart and Push On: Lunar Eclipse in Cancer 2020

Joanna Poe from Munith, MI, USA [CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)]

January 10, 2020

11:21 AM Los Angeles

2:21 PM New York

7:21 PM London

January 11, 2020

3:21 AM Beijing

6:21 AM Sydney

January's Lunar Eclipse in tropical Cancer is the first Full Moon of 2020, and it synchronously aligns with the exacting conjunction of Saturn and Pluto. For more details on Saturn and Pluto's conjunction, check out my article here. This Full Moon will be a penumbral lunar eclipse entirely or partially visible from most of the world, excluding North and South America (except for a small eastern portion of Brazil).

Saturn and Pluto's opposition to the Full Moon is inherently a challenge. The Cancerian Full Moon amplifies emotional sensitivity and vulnerability; it invites the expression of compassion and self-love. Yet, Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn emphasize pragmatism, stoicism, and constraint. Mercury's superior conjunction with the Sun also opposes the Moon, creating the potential for hopelessness projected into the future.

The cluster of planets in Capricorn can heighten self-doubt or the dwelling on failures and shortcomings. Historically, the Saturn/Pluto cycle coincides with what Richard Tarnas termed global "conservative empowerment," which seeks to pull back or restore things to some idealized, past state of safety or purity.

Longing for the past and fearing progress is a dead-end situation where new possibilities are no longer within reach. Indeed, real-life circumstances can catalyze such a situation, but sometimes such limitations exist exclusively in the mind. Whether real or imagined, the limitations confronted with this lunation can represent a breaking point that provides the motivation to find a way out or a new path forward.

Neptune's trine to the Full Moon can tempt evasion of responsibilities or escapism, but it can also offer inspiration and a renewed vision. Uranus' station alongside this eclipse adds an expected element as well as a restlessness with stagnant circumstances. While it may be tempting to make things harder or stay in a difficult place because its comfortable, this eclipse offers a different choice where self-loathing can be replaced with self-love.

The Moon in Cancer dominates the moment, empowering the heart and generating a more lucid awareness of what matters most. Anticipate some notable domestic or emotional shifts with this lunation. And when confronted with overbearing "voices of reason" or an overtly conservative landscape, trusting spontaneity or following your heart is the more unpopular and challenging choice. While some things might appear less fruitful at the moment, trust your heart and keep pushing on. There are potentials and creative solutions, even in the midst of an immense contraction.

From Light to Darkness: Full Moon in Gemini 2019

Full Moon @ 19 degrees Gemini 52’

December 11, 2012

9:12 PM Los Angeles

December 12, 2012

12:12 AM New York

This month's Full Moon in tropical Gemini symbolizes our transition into an eclipse season that completes 2019 and begins 2020. There will be a solar eclipse on Dec. 25 followed by a lunar eclipse Jan. 10. Additionally, 2020 will be a somewhat heavy year, with Saturn and Pluto's exact conjunction dominating in January.

Expect Saturn and Pluto to manifest more so collectively, or if Saturn and Pluto somehow touch your chart directly. Saturn and Pluto can signal the need to take a big step toward greater maturity, or otherwise, it can feel like the weight of karma, such as the consequences of evading responsibilities bearing down on us.

Yet, Saturn and Pluto's conjunction can be an empowering transit that can correlate with laying down a foundation for the creation of autonomy, self-sufficiency, and increased responsibility. Saturn and Pluto both quincunx this Full Moon from Capricorn. This Gemini Full Moon can correlate with the completion or culmination of some onerous mental task or conversation. Information, ideas, opinions, stimulating dialogue, and breaking news may be features of this lunation.

The Gemini/Sagittarius axis emphasizes freedom, the desire to break loose, and pursue new directions. However, Saturn, Pluto, and Venus' quincunx place some hesitation, limitation, doubt, or a commitment that prevents a full dive onto the path of unrestrained spontaneity.

Neptune's square to the Full Moon axis can be a point of obfuscation, deception, or a challenge to certainty. However, Neptune can also catalyze healthy skepticism, or disintegrate an attachment to an overtly logical perspective, making space for inspiration. As we head into eclipse season, recognize that the next two weeks can symbolize, more so than usual, the inevitable dissipation and passing away of certain forms from our lives.

The two weeks before a solar eclipse are a potent field of release and the realization of impermanence. Recognize that more successful new beginnings lie beyond the Dec. 25 solar eclipse. For now, make space for what needs to be released. Turn inward, and make space for self-reflection. The darkness gains its dominance this time of year, and it gifts us the most rewarding insight.

Feeling the Heat: Full Moon in Aries 2019

Arches National Park [Public domain]

Full Moon @ 12 Aries 54'

October 12, 2019

11:34 PM Los Angeles

2:34 PM New York

7:34 AM London

2:34 PM Beijing

5:34 PM Sydney

With a Full Moon in tropical Aries trine Jupiter in Sagittarius, there is some heat inherent to this lunation. We also can't forget Aries' cardinal nature. A cardinal, fire Full Moon can feel rather dynamic and assertive, leading to an amplification of impulsivity, brashness, and aggression. Yet, Mars, the Full Moon ruler, is in Libra, and thus not as warrior-like as it would like to be. There may be a theme around the Full Moon of having to tone down passion or intensity for the sake of diplomacy.

Jupiter's trine also amps up the enthusiasm, so be mindful of spontaneous leaps or letting instincts call the shots. Mars in Libra requires withholding immediacy for the sake of considering options, or at least another point of view. Likely the most daunting dimension of this Full Moon is the t-square formation involving Pluto and Saturn in Capricorn. Pluto/Saturn is a heavy background theme that can feel like a collective, "conservative contraction," as Richard Tarnas coined it.

We can utilize this to empower a personal strategy for narrowing our focus and stepping up our efforts towards the accomplishment of serious goals. Hitting the Full Moon axis pretty hard, Pluto/Saturn adds a sobering jab from reality. Pluto especially, since it squares the Full Moon more closely, can bring up hard-to-integrate (or swallow) truths or perspectives. And balancing the Aries/Libra polarity requires a delicate dance of reciprocity between two parties.

If anything, this Full Moon can correlate with a catalyzing breaking point/resolution in a relationship, conflict, conversation, or negotiation. Consider also, Venus' waning opposition to Uranus. Combined with the Full Moon in Aries, and the Mars in Libra/relational theme, there may also be a sense of restlessness and subsequent desire to branch out and make new connections. Uranus' sudden unpredictability can rapidly dissolve relational stagnations. Yet, remember the dance of reciprocity, so check-in to clarify that everyone is on the same page.

Clearing the Way: New Moon in Virgo 2019

The Great Salt Lake from Antelope Island, Utah, July 2019; photo by Chad Woodward.

New Moon @ 06 degrees Virgo 47’

August 30, 2019

3:37 AM Los Angeles

6:37 AM New York

11:37 AM London

6:37 PM Beijing

8:37 PM Sydney

As the lunar cycle winds down into its New Moon phase, we're ready for a shift and change of direction. This month's Virgo New Moon may not correlate with a period of restfulness or laziness as the dark Moon typically tends to do. The Virgo archetype is one factor, another is the Earthy, and thus pragmatic, grand trine between a cluster of planets in Virgo, Saturn/Pluto in Capricorn, and Uranus in Taurus.

Here, we're given the seeds for the birthing of an integrated productivity flow. This is an optimal moment for beginning anything that requires meticulousness and precision. Alongside that, however, can be a sense of feeling overwhelmed with the enormity of what needs to get done, or the many areas needing improvement. Neptune's wide opposition to the New Moon from Pisces can offer distraction, escape, or an inspiring vision of the way forward. The current line-up of planets in Virgo (Mercury, Sun, Moon, Mars, and Venus), can stimulate single-mindedness and intensity of focus.

The downside of this dark Moon can lead us into unproductive fault finding, feelings of insecurity, and paralysis. Both Mars and Uranus make the closest aspects to this New Moon, generating some useful tension. One manifestation of Mars is the eruption of anger, frustration, or fear. Uranus' trine offers an unexpected opportunity for liberation, freedom, and a refreshing change of pace. One solution to any current frustrations might lie in taking an unusual route.

Whatever shows up four you alongside this New Moon, consider that a commitment to relentless improvement will be required. There are likely some high standards to adhere to, too. However, the Virgo path is one that stimulates a desire to be better, more useful, and acquire competency and skillfulness. Use this time to sharpen your focus, skills, and confidence. And look carefully for a unique edge or an alternative way forward. A New Moon trine Uranus is a dynamic fresh start, a lunation that can suddenly clear the way for change, progress, and resolution.

Fateful Encounters: Full Moon in Aquarius 2019

Jessie Eastland [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]

Full Moon @ 22 Aquarius 24’

August 15, 2019

5:29 AM Los Angeles

8:29 AM New York

1:29 PM London

8:29 PM Beijing

10:29 PM Sydney

Two culminations are occurring right now. Yes, the Full Moon in tropical Aquarius is the obvious one. Less visible is the Full Venus in Leo that exacted on Aug. 13. If you were looking at an ephemeris or chart wheel, you would see what would look only like a conjunction of Sun and Venus, but that's not the whole picture. From our geocentric perspective, it appears as a conjunction, though one that we can't physically see because the rays of the Sun overcome Venus' light.

Venus' synodic cycle is nuanced and complex, but not every conjunction is the same. Full Venus brings a significant turning point to the events that transpired during the Venus retrograde cycle of July/Aug./early Sept. 2015. The magic of Venus is that it weaves together significant creative, artistic, relational, or overall heart-centered themes on a very predictable rhythm. Reflect on that period and see if there are any current connections. Fate can be hard to see, and just as difficult to avoid.

The Full Moon in Aquarius makes an opposition to Full Venus and Mars. There is likely a dominant theme involving significant relationships embedded in this Full Moon. The presence of Mars adds a dimension of friction, tension, the need for assertion and the stirring of anger or aggression. The Aquarian Moon adds an element of objectivity and perspective. Perhaps that translates quite clearly in seeing the tensions that exist in current partnerships and collaborations.

Perhaps also, there's a sense of having to face fears, take a leap, and confront something in a cool, collected, and civil manner. There's also a risk of detachment and icy coldness contaminating authentic exchange and emphatic dialogue. Finding a balance between honoring individuality and the values (perhaps aggressively guarded) of others can be another challenge. Look deeper into the theme of your interactions and try to see a more significant purpose or meaning. Creative or ingenious solutions can also break through this Aquarian Full Moon.

Another Perspective: Lunar Eclipse in Capricorn 2019

Photo by Mary Hollinger, NODC biologist, NOAA.

Full Moon/Partial Lunar Eclipse @ 24 Capricorn 04’

July 16, 2019

2:39 PM Los Angeles

5:39 PM New York

July 17, 2019

10:39 AM London

5:39 PM Beijing

7:39 PM Sydney

This month's Full Moon is a partial lunar eclipse in tropical Capricorn. It is not the culmination of last month's total solar eclipse but rather the New Moon/eclipse in early January. Important themes or issues from the start of 2019 could resurface, meeting a crisis, completion, or resolution. The lunar eclipse will be visible from Australia, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and an eastern portion of South America.

In general, lunar eclipses are more significant Full Moons. They bring about more dramatic breakthroughs and blossomings. In the sign of Capricorn and conjunct Pluto, this is not a comfortable or relaxed lunation. It brings the building Saturn/Pluto conjunction into intense focus, an aspect that peaks in January 2020. This eclipse has a dystopian aura and the need to face the consequences of past actions. On the collective level, we might feel more intensely the retracting, overly conservative side of Saturn/Pluto.

Disturbing revelations can surface on the extreme end. It can correlate with the exposure of abuses of power or corruption, and generally feeling the weight of responsibilities and limitations more heavily. If you're caught up in the negative side of this eclipse or find that it amplifies a current existential crisis, move through the feelings and insights no matter how uncomfortable. If you're looking out at the current political and cultural scene and feeling especially hopeless, you're probably more attuned to reality than those clinging to optimism.

This Capricorn eclipse can bring us closer to facing reality; however, if you're naturally more on the stoic side, its insights won't be as shocking. The North Node in Cancer conjunct Venus offers some helpful advice. The "right side" of the current, unfolding drama is in the path of inclusivity, compassion, and love. The North Node suggests releasing fear by letting go of the need to maintain control of the status quo, but ultimately, Venus in Cancer suggests seeking out the support of others and banding together.

Venus on the North Node correlates to more amplified desires for authentic bridge building. With Venus approaching opposition to Saturn in the following days, relational insecurities, challenges, and tense negotiations are likely to surface. Venus' higher message is to listen and practice empathy. Seeking common ground is never easy, but there are ways of making it harder by refusing to see another point of view.

Reimagining Possibilities: Total Solar Eclipse in Cancer 2019

Alchemist-hp (talk) (www.pse-mendelejew.de) [FAL]

Total Solar Eclipse @ 10 Cancer 38’

July 2, 2019

12:16 PM Los Angeles

3:16 PM New York

8:16 PM London

July 3, 2019

3:16 AM Beijing

5:16 AM Sydney

July's New Moon is a total solar eclipse in the tropical sign of Cancer. The eclipse will be visible predominately oversea and for most regions of South America. Eclipses are more meaningful for the specific regions where the eclipse path falls, but also, eclipses can be experienced as more pronounced lunations for everyone else.

This month's total solar eclipse is a potentiated New Moon that will correlate with the initiation of significant changes and developments over the next six months. New Moons are new beginnings, and total solar eclipses symbolize the first steps in a vital transformative process. Eclipses, by their very nature, are inherently about change. Ancient people viewed them with fear and trepidation, as negative omens, sometimes indicating the death or dethronement of those in power.

Indeed, inherent to the symbolism of the total eclipse itself is that the Moon, a symbol of hidden, obscure, and irrational natural forces momentarily overpower the Sun, a symbol of stability, authority, and rationality. Eclipses bring about an accelerated pace of change, typically beginning from within oneself and radiating outward. Especially in the days surrounding the eclipse, the urge to change things up can more profound than usual.

Cancer points to changes more so on the inner realms, the domestic life, the heart and hearth. This eclipse can stimulate intense sensitivity, domestic dramas, and a pronounced urge to protect, defend, and nurture. The Moon, in Cancer, is especially strong in its ruling sign--accentuating the intuitive, psychic, and sentimental. In opposition, however, is Saturn, equally strong in its ruling sign, Capricorn. In looking at the eclipse chart, one can't help but notice the significance of the Saturn/Pluto conjunction near the lunar South Node.

By itself, Saturn demands growth and maturity, which requires letting go of what's become too comfortable. There is an inherent element of discomfort in this eclipse, and bringing Pluto into the picture, we might feel a "now or never" kind of vibe to this collective change-making process. This eclipse will culminate in early January of next year, at the epicenter of the Saturn/Pluto conjunction, likely to be a precarious moment on the geopolitical stage, especially in the United States (if it isn't already).

What's brewing now both personally and collectively will endure a critical reality testing early next year, so keep that in mind. If you choose to "follow your heart," you'll need to defend that choice in the face of challenges. Of course, that's central to do what you feel is right because it isn't necessarily the easier path, but the one that's likely the most rewarding. In the moment of this eclipse, it's also easier to keep busy to avoid facing your feelings about a particular matter.

The South Node in Capricorn tempts us to make things harder for ourselves, too, through exhausting ourselves so that we don't have to face our soul's calling. Perhaps, the astrology has some profound wisdom to espouse about what's happening "out there" as well. The eclipse accelerates the intention of the Cancer North Node, which invites us to heal before we rebuild because we risk restoring over a faulty and unstable foundation.

Healing isn't simply imaging "love and light.”. Healing takes time and courageousness to talk things out, feel things out, and face some painful truths. Sometimes, that's a messy process, and with Chiron square the eclipse too, it pierces deep into some vulnerable places. No, this eclipse isn't likely comfortable, but that's a part of this season for change. Mercury turns retrograde soon too, and we're already in the shadow. We'll have all of July to rethink and ruminate over what's coming up for us now so prepare for some deep, internal revisions, introspection, and setbacks. Reimagine any delays, disappointments, or detours as opportunities to acquire a new perception and vision.

Unexpected Breakthroughs: Full Moon in Scorpio 2019

Spring Equinox Full Moon, Joshua Tree National Park, Ca; photo by Chad Woodward, March 2019.

Full Moon @ 27 Scorpio 39’

May 18, 2019

2:11 PM Los Angeles

5:11 PM New York

10:11 PM London

May 19, 2019

5:11 AM Beijing

7:11 AM Sydney

May's Full Moon in tropical Scorpio is a "Blue Moon." More precisely, this Full Moon is a seasonal Blue Moon which differs from a monthly Blue Moon that most people are familiar with. A monthly Blue Moon is when two Full Moons occur in one calendar month and from an astrological perspective, they're meaningless. However, the idea behind the seasonal Blue Moon predates the monthly version and is where the concept originated.

So what is it? Without getting too technical, a seasonal Blue Moon is the third Full Moon of four within a single season, that is between an equinox and solstice or vice versa. Commonly, only three Full Moons occur per season, but because the universe is imperfect, there are always natural anomalies and variations within every cycle, and the Moon is no exception. The fourth Full Moon occurs on June 17 several days before the solstice. What's the significance behind a seasonal Blue Moon?

Considering that it's an anomaly, this Full Moon contains an element of the unexpected, of moving beyond normal boundaries and designations. But it looked at more broadly, Full Moon's are a natural culmination, and with four this spring season (or autumnal season if you're below the equator) means that there's a lot of culminations happening this particular season. From now until the solstice, we're tasked with bringing more projects or situations to completion and breakthroughs are possible.

The Moon won't look any different than it usually does, but it's interesting and unique for the reasons mentioned above. You might find that from now until the solstice, there's a bit more than usual to pack into your schedule. Sticking with the culmination theme, a Scorpio Full Moon can reveal unconscious layers into greater focus. Scorpio seeks to expose the shadow, to point consciousness to our cultural taboos and find the essential absurdity behind them.

Often, the things we're most ashamed of have nothing to do with personal failings or shortcomings but rather our inability to match up with cultural or societal expectations. Mercury's opposition to the Full Moon, approaching a conjunction with the Sun, brings insights, revelations, information, or intense, intimate, and meaningful communicative interactions. Deeply hidden revelations can emerge alongside this lunation, and we're tasked within bringing into question our assumptions, worldviews, and blind spots.

The shadow of Scorpio, as a fixed sign, is its attachment to making things more complicated then they need to be. Attachment to dogma is one way of avoiding the inherent uncertainty of the world. Finding a balance between the Taurus and Scorpio archetypes requires admitting the ambivalence inherent to the human experience and making space for both complexity and simplicity without either one dominating the other.

Moving With Ease: New Moon in Taurus 2019

Evelyn Simak / Russian comfrey (Symphytum x uplandicum)

New Moon @ 14 Taurus 11'
May 4, 2019
3:45 PM Los Angeles
6:45 PM New York
11:45 PM London
May 5, 2019
6:45 AM Beijing
8:45 AM Sydney

Ease your way into the New Moon in tropical Taurus. New Moons are natural rest and reset moments, a potent time for planting new seeds and initiating fresh intentions. The sign of Taurus emphasizes the body, the natural world, and the implementation of a slower pace. With Saturn's trine to the New Moon, you might find it easier to manage tasks, responsibilities, and challenges. The flow of productivity runs high with this New Moon, but Saturn's call to duty can feel more like an invitation than a demand. 

Taurus, while a fixed, earth sign, isn't inherently ambitious. The lack of hard aspects to this New Moon means that you'll have to take the extra initiative if you want to get anything done this weekend. A Taurus New Moon such as this is a perfect time to check in with your body, connect with nature, or otherwise give yourself some space to relax and recharge. Those of us with a list of tasks piling up might find this call to "take it easy" a bit at odds with what needs to get done. 

Indeed, Venus in Aries, the ruler of this New Moon, is applying to square both Saturn and Pluto. Heavy demands loom on the horizon, and relational conflicts, adjustments, or comprises can arise in the following few days. The best way to deal with such challenges, according to Taurus, is to ground and nourish yourself. Taurus' highest teaching is that self-care allows us to make space for others. When we neglect ourselves, when we deny ourselves nourishment, we don't have enough energy to share.

If anything, utilize this New Moon to assess where you're at in your self-love endeavors. Notice places you've neglected, or areas that could use improvement. Stick to simple changes and adjustments. A hike, nature walk, or a healthy meal might be all that's required. Neptune in Pisces also makes a sextile to this New Moon. This can help to stimulate creativity, offer inspiration, or catalyze meditative moments. Even if you find yourself consumed in productive tasks or commitments, remember to breathe, stretch, and feed your body. A little self-love can go a long way.