Evolutionary Sparks: The Astrology of November 2018 and Onward

Hello everyone! 

November is a very big month of planetary movements.  My working life has been quite busy lately with teaching and some new projects underway, so I have not been able to write as often.  However, this month is so eventful with many significant shifts that I wanted make the time to share a bit about them and their longer-term impact.

Here is a short list of important astrological events in November:

November 6 - Uranus Rx returns to Aries
November 6 – The Nodes of Fate move into Cancer/Capricorn (precisely square Uranus for the past few weeks, and at the time of ingress)
November 7 – New Moon in Scorpio
November 8 – Jupiter Enters Sagittarius
November 15 – Mars enters Pisces (after many months retrograding in Aquarius/Capricorn)
November 16 – Venus goes Direct (Libra/Scorpio, Rx since October 5)
November 16 – Mercury goes Retrograde (Sagittarius)
November 23 – Full Moon in Gemini
November 24 – Neptune goes Direct

And here are a few notes, elaborations and explanations of the above events, what they mean, and how they influence the energetic currents of this month and the coming months…

Long Term Influences: 

• Uranus Returns to Aries:  Uranus moved into Taurus for the first time in 84 years back in May and will return to this sign in March.  This brief dip back into Aries (now through March) triggers resurgence in the Aries-Uranus issues (2011-2018) and reignites a spark of inspiration and revolutionary zeal around issues of individuality, self expression and independence.  Identity, human rights, and the sovereignty of the individual voice were all major themes of the Uranus-Aries transit.  We have a chance to revisit what might have been left undone in this area and become re-motivated as to the deeper purpose of the Uranus-Taurus projects/ideas that have come up in the collective consciousness over the course of the last few months.  Now that we’ve had a chance to experience Uranus in its new sign, we can assimilate more of what the experience of Uranus in Aries was for, and bring it more deeply into the foundation-breaking / awakening embodiment of Uranus-Taurus energy.   (For a full analysis of the Uranus-Taurus transit, please check out my article here: Breaking Ground:  Uranus in Taurus)

• The North Node moves into Cancer for 18 months, and crosses this threshold precisely square to Uranus.  For the past several weeks the planet of Uranus has been traveling in precise square to the axis of fate, known as the North & South nodes – a very intense aspect implicating important choices and sudden shifts in the direction of the collective soul.  To have these two travel together through a sign change is quite unusual and powerful.  The chart at the moment of a planetary ingress (sign change) describes the essence of how the transit will play out – and so aspects to the planet/point in question are particularly important.  In this case with the nodes of Cancer & Capricorn square to Uranus the awakener/revolutionary, who is changing signs simultaneously, suggests immense change, instability, and breaking from tradition on many levels over the course of the next 18 months.  Uranus still was in the sign of Taurus during the nodes’ precise ingress, emphasizing that the nature of this change is foundation shaking at the soul level.  It feels as if there is a strong sense of cause & effect at play… Because of the embodiment process suggested by Uranus in Taurus (people becoming more aware of their bodies, health, the earth’s health, feminine roles/health, spiritual engagement with the body, etc), it forces us to fundamentally review, re-envision, and remake the pillars of family (Cancer) and Societal/Governmental Structure (Capricorn).  At the same time the outmoded ideas held by the Cancer/Capricorn archetypes can be experienced as limitations, triggering an even more profound desire to break free from them.  We can expect this to be a big source of inner & outer conflict as comfort zones are severely tested and questioned. 

• The Nodes in Cancer/Capricorn also means that the points of fate will be involved in a significant configuration of Capricorn planets from now through 2020.  The South Node traveling through the sign of Capricorn means that it will be joining Saturn and Pluto over the course of the next few years.  By 2020, the South Node, Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto will all be together in the sign of Capricorn where Saturn/Pluto & Jupiter will make a grand conjunction.  This is an extremely significant and rare configuration that marks tremendous instability, change, and revolution.  In addition this alignment is occurring in the lead up to the USA Pluto return (an event that happens once every 248 years) making it significant to US politics and government especially.  The South Node traveling through this configuration is sure to bring up the immense shadow side of government systems (Capricorn), institutions and the way power and authority play out in our lives in general (personal & world).   This is a force to be reckoned with and through this energetic alignment the world is guaranteed to go through a huge metamorphosis.
  
  We experienced the energy of the South Node transiting an outer planet (South Node in Pisces conjunct Neptune) back in 2016, and the results in that case were quite chaotic, however it did trigger a deeper collective impulse towards clarity, participation, and tangible truth/practical solutions (Virgo North Node) in light of the intangible, emotional and confusing illusions & deceptions brought out by Pisces (easy example being the way social media algorithms influenced public division during the 2016 election – this was an insidious & hidden thing which affected the subconscious, very Pisces).  I feel that we can expect some similar “Wake Up” moments over the course of these next few years as the nodes cross Pluto, Saturn & Jupiter in Capricorn.  The echo effects will be far reaching, but significant progress can emerge from these as collective lessons are assimilated and understood.
  
  The North Node traveling opposed to these giant planetary influences in the sign of Governments and Institutions suggest that despite all of the trouble coming from this area of life, the answers we need stem from something more direct and basic. Family values, loving acceptance, protection of those we care about, nurturance of people in need, improvements to the home environment, tackling the domestic/local/internal issues first, basic necessities as priority — These are the priorities of the Cancer archetype and these are all things that the higher governing structures and other controlling bodies (such as media, etc) have totally lost touch with. So the collective soul lesson of this time is about recognizing the importance of reconnecting and repairing the intimacy of home, family and community, and using that as the rooted place from which we make changes in the outer world.  As a society we have placed so much importance on ambition, fame, “the hustle” etc that we have come to neglect and even shun the fundamentals of life in favor of money or power. This next 18 months will likely bring some major reality checks to this area, to remind us that at the end of the day if we don’t value the real and tangible connections we have with others, we lose out on what truly nourishes us as beings.  When false ambition, power, and ego fail us, what is left?  Did we care for others – or did we only care about ourselves?
  
  We can expect considerable stripping away of what we currently hold true regarding the dynamic of Work & Family (Cap/Cancer), reflections on what has evolved over time with regards to these two basic realms of life, and where to go next.  The image that comes to mind for this transit is a beautiful home (Capricorn) on a weak foundation (Cancer).  Remembering our humanness and returning to our roots, we can progress further with less effort.  This is a secret that we’ve forgotten.

• Jupiter moves into Sagittarius only a few days after the Node/Uranus transition, amplifying its energy.  As I mentioned earlier, the planetary configurations at the time of a planetary ingress describe a lot about how the transit as a whole will play out.  Now, think about all I have discussed this far and add Jupiter, the planet of expansion to the mix.  A big energy grows even larger!  However, there is a bright side: In Sagittarius, Jupiter is quite a bit more optimistic than in Scorpio – so it gives a buoyant, more hopeful influence that allows us to see the positive side of change.  Jupiter in Scorpio, where we spent the last 12 months, is a difficult energy because wherever Jupiter travels, it increases the energy and asks us to expand our perspective in order to see MORE.   Scorpio is a dimension of reality that contains many things that most people find unpleasant – sexuality issues, power issues, trust issues, money dramas, abuse, death – so when Jupiter transits here it brings up a lot in the collective consciousness that is highly charged and emotional.  After a very challenging year around these issues (the most prominent Jupiter-Scorpio topic being the “Me Too” movement), Jupiter moving into Sagittarius will help us take action, achieve justice, and see with greater vision what has occurred, what is coming, and how we can influence the issues toward positive growth.  This also amplifies the sense of exploration and discovery that is essential to arriving at unique solutions to collective issues.  Jupiter in Sag will also expand and carry forward the energy of breaking tradition/social norms as it occurs the day after a new moon (always a symbol of a new path/uncharted territory) and with the Uranus/Node aspect strong in the chart.

Short Term Influences:

• The New Moon in Scorpio occurs in close relationship to the above planetary movements is a particularly potent one occurring amidst so much change.  The changes and alignments echo each other… suggesting mystery, transformation, and deep discovery in the years coming.  This is a time to embrace that walk into darkness, as winter approaches, and as the cycles unfold.  The collective shifts of this time are not comparable to the past… they are distinct, and in a way, unpredictable.  So I feel this is a call to be in the present moment with everything, in the moment it is occurring.  As that is the nature of the dark moon, of Scorpio, and of the time in general.

• Echoing this, Mars’ exceptionally long transit in Aquarius this year comes to an end on November 15, bringing us into a space of the unknown – Pisces.  Coinciding with all I just mentioned plus Venus & Mercury Retrograde – from now until the end of the year Mars will transit Pisces.  After we spent the summer in a doozy of a Mars Retrograde that was accompanied & aligned with 3 eclipses and 5 other retrograding planets, Mars’ shift into Pisces is a fascinating end to an elaborated reevaluation of our use of will and considerations of the collective direction. The transition reads to me like a period of integration, as well as an opportunity to practice intentional openness with the sea change we are about to dive more deeply into.  Mars is the principle of action and in Pisces, its direction is vague.  In this moment, the directions feel most appropriately guided towards listening inwardly to the new ways of being that are waiting to be discovered.

• Venus moves Direct and Mercury goes Retrograde on November 16.  Venus will move forward in Libra and return to Scorpio on December 2 where it remains until January.  Mercury goes Retrograde in Sagittarius.  Both influences are active until the end of the year, adding to the evaluative, reflective, deep nature of this time period.  Venus & Mercury in the realms of Scorpio & Sag also seems to echo the transit of Jupiter across these two signs, showing deeper evaluation of the issues that Jupiter has brought forth in Scorpio and will spark in Sag.  Sex, money, power dynamics, control issues (Scorpio) – dogmas, creeds, philosophies, meaning, and ideals (Sag). Venus will also pass through the space of Uranus and the Nodes at the end of November, triggering the message of change in relationships/finances that has been active throughout this time in a new way, adding another dimension to what we’ve working with since September, because both Uranus and the nodes are in different signs than they were when Venus first crossed them during this retrograde period.

In short, November kicks off a wide array astrological events, while also calling us deeply inward for integration, presence and perspective on a variety of different issues we face in our lives. As I anticipated when reading the chart for the Lunar New Year, 2018 has been very intense, karmic, and evolutionary year. Incredibly challenging, but deeply transformative on so many levels it is truly amazing. It is a change so involving that it calls every part of us to the table, and we cannot ignore it — but yet this is what we are here for. To become present, whole, and healed.

I really hope that these notes are helpful to you in navigating the remainder of the year.  The most essential message that I can distill from ALL that is coming through right now is to not be afraid of change, and to remember that it’s the little things that matter.  Change starts with the individual – with the dreams that call you, with the visions that inspire you, with your way of being in the world, and the people whom you love and attend to.  Harmony within the self, within the family, within the community, within the country, and then within the world.  This is the way we can grow as a collective at this time.

Peace and blessings.

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Saturn in Capricorn: A New Order

On December 19, 2017, Saturn the planet of structure, order & authority, moved from the sign of Sagittarius, to Capricorn, where it will remain until 2020.  Capricorn & the neighboring sign of Aquarius are both signs of Saturn’s rulership, so this is a significant shift for all of us and strongly influences the Astrological picture for the next 6 years.  To put it simply – Saturnine themes of reform, self control, discipline, and realism will be especially strong in our lives and in the world.  In the course of this transit we will be forced to confront seemingly insurmountable obstacles – and if we rally correctly, we may even find that we can make significant progress towards reform.  But it will require work, focus, deftness and wisdom – a conscious cultivation effort on both the personal and collective levels.

Because this transit is such a big one, I felt inspired to consult the I-Ching for specific insight that I could provide my readers as to what this transit represents for the collective process and what we are to learn through it.  The response from the I-Ching was quite fascinating, so I would like to start my analysis with this reading, followed by my usual break down of the Astrological elements surrounding the ingress.

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I-Ching Reading for Saturn in Capricorn 2017-2020

HEXAGRAM 53 transforming into HEXAGRAM 57

GRADUALNESS  ---------------------- GENTLENESS/SUBMISSIVENESS

Wind over Mountain    -----------------    Wind over Wind

Changing line is Line 2:

“When you find food and supplies – they are not only for you.”  //  “Enlightened instruction should be given to eliminate foolishness and confusion”

These hexagrams were fascinating to me as they both spoke of the wisdom in gradual processes, slow development, cooperating with others, and carried specific insight into creating lasting change with integrity.  My interpretation of this reading as a whole was about cultivating the higher virtues of Capricorn and Saturn energy, and utilizing these virtues to establish a new, more appropriate social order.

Hexagram 53 “GRADUALNESS” speaks about the full integration of the elements through gradual, natural development.  Taking life step by step without attempting to force progress or trying to ‘read ahead,’ true long-term harmony can be established.  This hexagram reminds us that we must accept that the creation and cultivation of anything real in life takes time.

Gradual progress leads us to higher levels of being.  Although it may feel slow, the result is authentic and ensures a true understanding.  The example in this hexagram is an apprentice working under an elder to gain expertise – to work diligently in this manner, listen, and really learn things thoroughly without skipping steps or attempting to rush ahead is better than trying to prop up one’s own reputation with no foundation beneath you.  In this sense, this hexagram is about understanding that true success is earned, and cannot be easily taken.

We must do the work of the soul, honor what is truly wise, and develop deep roots of trust within ourselves.  To always protect and value true wisdom is the way to lead life with great vision and great achievement.

Line 2 -- “When you find food and supplies – they are not only for you” -- Is about sharing knowledge & good fortune with others.  When we share with a good heart, everyone benefits.

Hexagram 57 “GENTLENESS/SUBMISSIVENESS” is about evolution through a gentle and non-forceful approach.   In order for humanity to transcend its darkness and its brutality, we must learn to employ yin methods – soft methods – to address conflict.  This includes being patient, cultivating a righteous heart, and having the wisdom to seek external support and assistance when needed (or be an excellent supporter/assistant to someone else whose vision you believe in).

The basic message of Hexagram 57 is that through collaborative efforts we can achieve great purposes – but in order to achieve harmonious collaboration we have to develop a degree of emotional and spiritual intelligence:  the ability to yield, listen and cooperate.  This also refers to the subtle listening such as being able to receive messages, guidance & support from the other realms.  Both types of listening & collaborative support require sensitivity and openness.

This hexagram also speaks about learning from the wisdom of the past.  It is important to look to history to learn our lessons and aspire for growth, rather than assuming the old adage that “history repeats itself” as fact.  The responsibility ultimately lies upon us both as individuals and as a collective to correct ourselves and disperse patterns of darkness.  When we cultivate gentleness, we can look beyond the demands of the personal ego and consider more clearly what is best for all.  This is what is needed most in the world right now.

Line 2 -- “Enlightened instruction should be given to eliminate foolishness and confusion” – is about being receptive to information provided by others in order to assess a situation clearly and make proper judgments.  This line also instructs us to be clear, firm and gentle in guiding others as well – when leading, lead in a way that fosters cooperation, not control.  When supporting, support with a positive spirit.

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Saturn in Capricorn In-Depth Astrological Analysis

In light of these times and the general energy of late, I found the messages of the I-Ching to be compelling, somewhat unexpected, and definitely instructive.  This reading so clearly reflected many themes of Capricorn: respecting the wisdom of the past, looking to history, taking responsibility, acting/responding to life’s challenges with maturity, slow evolution over instant gratification, etc.  I really saw these messages as a gift to help us understand how to hold our integrity, be a positive influence and grow well regardless of the difficulties we might face in our lives and in the world.

Of course, there is no doubt that the coming years will be riddled with Capricorn’s shadow aspects:  Arrogance, greed, materialism, need now attitudes, self-serving institutional structures, law for the sake of law, rigidity for the sake of being right, authoritarianism, maybe even attempts at totalitarianism – all the ugliness of the current social paradigm at its absolute worst is up with intense clarity.  Society as a whole is in a time of sobering realization, and there is profound need for real and lasting change.  The process will be long and unglamorous, humbling but ultimately evolving.

Under Saturn in Capricorn’s vibe – slow effort is required to have mastery.  And mastery itself is only partly related to the tangible work – the real work of mastery is about learning lessons.  To master one’s lessons is the only way to move towards deep, authentic fulfillment.  So, in short, our project collectively and individually, is to recognize, confront, and complete our lessons.  We are at the point of being unable to neglect this work any longer.  Bandage solutions cannot hold up under these energies.  This is a project that requires deep excavation and complete reformation.  The house that has been repainted, and built upon for decades without addressing the foundation issues must finally be torn down and rebuilt in a way that serves the needs of all who reside there.

So it could be postulated that the transit of Saturn through Capricorn will bring a lot of progress through the undoing of things.  The world has changed since Saturn’s last passage through this space 30 years ago -- the order as it is must adapt to these changes, must make room for reformation – or crumble completely under the weight of the patches and cheap fixes.  Ultimately the “patches” have become weighty clutter that impedes the usefulness and efficiency of our social systems, and even our personal lives.  Now is the time for letting go of what holds us back and getting super focused on what it is that we truly want to create.  Brick by brick, step by step – undoing and redoing.  Unbuilding and rebuilding.  Cleaning up, perfecting, restructuring with vision & precision.

There are several different themes to this transit that I have come to, and I would like to go into those to help unravel how this all takes place and to interpret – to whatever degree is really possible – what we might expect from the next few years.

First, I’d like to just talk about the Astrological Context of this Ingress – New Cycles of Reform:

The Saturn in Capricorn Ingress occurred during a particularly “busy” week astrologically speaking!

We had:

• The New Moon in Sagittarius on December 18

• Saturn moving into Capricorn on December 19

• The Winter Solstice on December 21

• Mercury Rx Stationing Direct on December 22

That is a pretty big line up of entry points all at once.  First, the New Moon occurred in late Sagittarius on the point of the “Galactic Center” which is one of the most psychic areas of the zodiac.  Saturn & friends had been hovering around this degree for the majority of December, bringing up very deep healing & purging processes for many people.  With this new moon there is a feeling of “wrap up” around the chaotic and wild transit of Saturn through Sagittarius.  What happened?  What does it mean?  What is it all for?  This lunation is the last one to align with Saturn in Sagittarius for another 30 years, so this next month will be one of concluding those lessons and clearing the decks for what is to come.  It is a moon very much about insight, letting go, and determining what is moving forward with us into the next phase.

After that incredibly profound, mystical new moon energy, Saturn made its transition, followed immediately by the Winter Solstice and Mercury’s station.  This has really brought in a totally different feeling all together.  The weightiness of Capricorn earth, paired with Mercury “stopping” has a feeling of everything suddenly grinding to a halt.

The winter solstice is the initiating cycle for the season and is considered by many the astrological new year.  This means that the energy of the solstice defines what to expect in the coming season/year.  The winter solstice coming with the sun precisely conjunct the newly arrived Saturn really adds extra oomph to the power of this transit for 2018 – and the themes of deep assessment and slow, hard, continuous effort will be felt very strongly throughout the whole year.

In addition to this, with Mercury stationing to go direct only AFTER all of these initiating transits means that Mercury was retrograde during the New Moon, Solstice & Saturn Ingress – extending its influence not just through this lunar cycle, but through the 2018 solar year AND the next 3 years of Saturn’s transit through Capricorn.  Now before you totally freak out about this – remember that Mercury retrograde helps us break things down in order to remake them better.  Mercury is in Sagittarius, so the feeling is that we are applying what we learned from the last 3 years of Saturn in Sag.  What truth did we realize about our lives and path going forward?  And how do we effect that truth in the real world – how do we actually live it out?  Where our beliefs hit the brick wall is where we will need to adjust and become more realistic.  Or more creative, in some cases.

To add yet another wrinkle to this picture – the Lunar Year coming up in 2018 will be an Earth year (the Earth Dog), doubling up this earthy energy coming out of two Fire years and a Fire Saturn.  Uranus will also be moving into Taurus in 2018, adding another sense of shift from very fast, chaotic, difficult to control energy – to more steady, slow, maybe even agonizing processes of structural readjustment.  Life will feel a bit more manageable and tangible, but it will also come with more heavy lifting, attention, and effort.  The earth energy and grounded feel of Saturn in his domicile after the fire years will really help us regroup, FOCUS, and develop discipline after several years of lightning fast, unpredictable, and wild change.

All of this sets the stage for the current and sustained flow of Saturn in Capricorn’s energy and vice versa – so although I am writing here primarily about the Saturn Cap energy, I felt the above factors were worth mentioning.  The overall feeling I have about this line up is that it has heavy implications of something “new” emerging from the old -- the old falling away like a heavy shell – and our new ambitions being put to the test as they develop.

Saturn in Capricorn Ingress Chart Factors Dealing with COLLECTIVE KARMA:

There are several fascinating alignments in this chart regarding our current collective evolutionary process.  First, at the time of the ingress, the Sun was precisely trine the August 21, 2017 solar eclipse degree – which automatically ties the Saturn in Capricorn transit to the processes initiated by the eclipse.  The solar eclipse in August was a major threshold and turning point – so what I see in this is that this transit is about developing and building upon what was initially seeded through the eclipse in August.  This is when the intangible elements start to become more defined and manifest… and throughout the next 3 years we will be working on mastering the lessons, new beginnings, and transitions that came up.

In addition to this the axis of fate, where the collective soul is currently working towards evolving & growing, is closely squared to Jupiter in Scorpio.  This combination is very intense – but yet it lends itself well to the “deep excavation” work that Capricorn process is all about this time around.  The Leo/Aquarius process as highlighted by the axis of fate is about how we balance heart-centered creativity and finding what truly makes us happy with the needs of society at large.  Conversely it is also about retuning group idealism and tribal thinking to greater awareness of individual diversity.  Add Jupiter in Scorpio into the mix – an energy inherently about digging into the dark spaces of the psyche – and you have a recipe for a lot of super deep social and personal karmic processing around mucky, dysfunctional psychological programming that leads us into all of the social traps – mob mentality, hunger for power, social distortions around identity issues, etc.

With the aforementioned Mercury retrograde square to Neptune and Venus nearby square to Chiron, people will be feeling especially receptive and sensitive to all of these issues.  This brings a sense of reckoning & deep inquiry, whereby we must begin to seek solutions beyond just the rational / materialistic approach.  This is a reform of the mind and patterns of belief that triggers confusion, soul searching, intense emotional reactions, vulnerability, and also healing.  I see this being particular potent around women’s issues with both Venus & the moon strongly aspected.

The Moon is of course closely conjunct Pluto in a separating aspect and approaching a square to Uranus – which means this is definitely going to be a time of major breakthroughs and collective/personal evolution that is very, very deeply felt.

The changes, adjustments and transformations that are experienced throughout this time are not just occurring in the external world – they are also occurring – and MUST be processed -- on a deep spiritual level.  The identity is being reshaped.  There is no way around it.  What’s worth remembering is that we are all contributing to this through our individual growth.  The individual is processing collective issues for the good of the collective – so as we all sort through these things within ourselves and share what we have discovered, this helps keep the collective moving forward.  That’s why INDIVIDUAL EMPOWERMENT and finding the INDIVIDUAL PATH is also such an important emphasis of this time.  You don’t have to be everything to everyone – just be YOURSELF and that is enough.  Individuals being individuals in their most positive possible manifestation is the best thing for the evolution of all.

Saturn in Capricorn Major Alignments:

The final thing I want to cover very briefly is the major alignments of Saturn as it travels through Capricorn.  I will no doubt talk about these in much more detail in times to come, but for now I’d like to just touch on them.

First, Uranus moves into Taurus – this will bring the revolutionary energy of Uranus to confront issues of stability, security, financial institutions, value, physical foundations.

In 2024, the USA will be experiencing its Pluto return.  This is preceded by a Saturn-Pluto conjunction – this further emphasizes the sense that we will be facing some major epochal shifts in how the world’s systems operate.  Pluto has been in Capricorn for 10 years, exposing all of the flaws of these systems.  Saturn’s influence here serves only to intensify the break down of these systems.

In 2020, there will be a Saturn-Jupiter-Pluto alignment that is very significant.  Saturn-Jupiter conjunctions happen every 20 years and are regarded as watershed moments.  With Pluto also involved this is a super-powered alignment that will undoubtedly define the direction of things for a very long time to come.  2020, in short, is basically the year that we can expect all the things that have been building to “pop” in a big way.

After Saturn leaves Capricorn, it will then move into Aquarius, which is the other sign of its rulership.  This will be the time of revolutionizing, as Capricorn Saturn focuses most on looking to the past, reforming the old, etc… while Aquarius Saturn is focused on creating the future.  Saturn will be in Aquarius approximately through the end of the USA Pluto return -- so this round of Saturn through its home signs will be very significant for the future of the USA.

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The significance of this time has tremendously far reaching implications that I expect will be memorable individually and historically.  We are at the bottom of the mountain and a treacherous ascent awaits.  What we are to find, ultimately, is greater wisdom.  The wisdom to find space for multiple perspectives and aspire towards legitimate solutions.  The wisdom to treat others with gentleness and kindness – even when being firm.  The wisdom to look towards the needs of the collective, not just one’s own self centered desires.  All of this is essential maturation to be the best we can be in life.

To be nimble, yet firm.  Open, yet wise.  Flexible, yet steady.  This is harmonization with natural processes, the virtues of achieving perfection.

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New Moon in Scorpio: Transition & Direction

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The NEW MOON occurs on Saturday, November 18th, 2017, at 6:42 AM EST. 

This New Moon in Scorpio officially initiates the transit of Jupiter through Scorpio – we’re now full on in the flow of transformation.  The New Moon occurring at 26 degrees of Scorpio is also triggering August’s Solar eclipse degree by a square, which to me feels like a sense of tangible progress, clarity about next steps, and possibly even some answers.

Since August, we have all been faced with some kind of major shift.  The kinds of shifts that I see people facing are not pithy or even remotely subtle – they are HUGE and life bending.   Big announcements, shocking events, secrets revealed, relationships ending & evolving, careers changing, major decisions about past & present selves, long term plans shifting or coming into greater focus, and new creations of all kinds pulling us from one dimension of reality to a new & completely different space.  The long term implication of these changes is that we are moving in the direction of our highest heart -- for some of us that path might currently be clear and obvious, while others might find themselves mired in situations that for the time, feel extremely difficult.  Ultimately, no matter where you fall on the spectrum of hope and despair in this moment, the message that I feel is that we are all going through a process of shedding something in order to create or become something else that is happier, more pure, and more free.

One of the big themes that I see at this moment is that many are at a point of realizing that what we have chosen to take on is way bigger than we ever imagined – that the steps ahead to get to the ultimate goal of our desires are quite complex and involve a lot of work at many levels.  Some of us have really big and important dreams but there are intermediary processes that must be passed through before those dreams can even begin to take form.  These processes and steps might not feel anything like the end goal and can even seem contrary to it!  For others, the dream might be much closer to physical actualization, but there are emotional processes coming up instead.  The big question that we all face at this time is whether or not we are truly being ourselves and living the life that we want -- and how can we be more attentive to those things that serve our higher goals.  Rather than living the grind for the sake of the grind -- what is the direction of it all?  Where are we going?  Is it what we want -- or are we acting out of social expectation?

On the whole, we are all working with all of the ways we have allowed external influences to shape us, as well as how much is involved to move through and undo these influences to become more true to ourselves. What may have seemed simple at the outset turns out to be a journey into the darkness and muck of our being and lives as they have been.  Our blindspots, our habits, the little things we let slide by that actually irk us deep down.  We realize, suddenly, that we have trapped ourselves in the cage – and that the roots of this obstruction are profound beyond previous consciousness.

The Astrology of now is ALL about this deep, complete, and total change.  This process of change is not something we can avoid – but it does require commitment to the process (made easier if you can at least surrender and try to trust the process).  Under this New Moon, we will find it immensely fruitful to go deep into the change & evaluation that we are facing – to try to understand what it is, exactly (or even approximately) that we are shedding – and what it is, exactly (or even vaguely), that we are attempting to create from the space left behind.

There are a few major things coming up in the Astrology that are relevant to this New Moon's energy, so I will spell these out a little bit below...

First, and most majorly is the transit of Jupiter through Scorpio – As I mentioned already, this transit began back in October, but is being initiated by the New Moon in Scorpio, thus bringing the energy of what this transit is about for us into full consciousness.  Jupiter in Scorpio is about journeying into the depths of our being, heart & soul, and transforming gloriously.  The fact that this energy follows the eclipses (in a sign that is square to the transiting nodes) is showing us how DEEP the work really is to get to our heart’s true desires (Leo's soul aspiration).  For the next year, we will be wading through things that have felt unchangeable, intractable and impossible for many years, and making important choices about the direction of those things…  Transform?  Integrate?  Let go?

It is not light work – it is some serious heavy lifting!  But by the end of this transit, we will all feel we have lightened our load and are clearer in so many ways.  Parts of our lives that have been difficult will have evolved, things that we have been ashamed of will become more integrated and comfortable, and elements of our lives that are truly over will be surrendered.  The deep consideration of all of these different layers is necessary to really get the job done thoroughly – and that is truly what Scorpio transits are for at the end of the day…  COMPLETE and TOTAL transformation, with no loose ends.  Jupiter’s flow will make us more aware of the problems at first, but the benefit is that transformation can be very cathartic and revelatory.  Suddenly we see things we’ve never seen – and it hurts, but it benefits us when we recognize there is a road to change.

(You can read more about the transit of Jupiter in Scorpio in this article – click here!)

Second – The transit of the nodes & the Leo/Aquarius eclipses

The eclipses in August were incredibly profound for many, many reasons.  First, it was the initiating eclipse cycle for the transit of the Leo/Aquarius nodes which began back in May – and thus told us all an important story about what it is our heart really wants to create and what we must do to get there.   In addition to that, for those of us in the USA it went across US soil and was in strong aspect to the USA natal chart – which has profound implications for ALL USA citizens about the direction we are going in as a country, as individuals within the country, and as citizens of the world social order.

On the personal level, we are all realizing that we have individual projects to contribute to the whole of society in a productive and positive way.  Some of these projects involve the evolution or changing of society for the better – but society is inherently discordant at this time – and most of the socialization that we have individually experienced at the hands of society is equally discordant.  This in turn means that the social process is happening for all of us WITHIN at a profound level (to become who we are, and give what we’re meant to give without being held back by conditioning-based restraints) as well as WITHOUT on a profound level as we face the corruption and problems of the external world.

Since the eclipses there have been many huge events on US soil and in the consciousness of people that have created a collective shift in focus.  Overwhelming natural disasters, outbreaks of violence, and crazy news headlines are all component to what is an increasing understanding among individuals that we need to be more engaged, somehow.  The complacency of times past no longer seems feasible or reasonable – we all feel pressured to do our part, even if those parts are small and subtle, individual and specific.  When times of great pressure or disaster come to people, people have the opportunity to remember what is really important in life and shed the rest.  Even as the world seems to be getting more crazy, there is also a sense that the world is becoming more compassionate and more connected with the real.

Of course, that which is dispassionate, not real, and especially social structures which are long out dated are also showing up really obviously and strongly.  Some people look at this as a negative thing (Oh it is getting so much worse than before!)  But the feeling I have about it still swings on the side of optimism… that when the negative grows obvious it is an opportunity for that energy to begin to change and go in a new, more positive direction.

Just as within an individual, awareness of our own darkness can help us grow toward the light, this also works at a larger scale – albeit more chaotically.

The age old question is always – can darkness be truly extinguished from the world?  Won’t it all go back into hiding again in the end?  There are always new darknesses, perhaps, but there is also evolution.  And now is definitely a time when we have the opportunity and perhaps inevitability for that forward movement.

(Note – I’ve also written quite a bit about this transit & eclipses as well… see these articles if interested: 1, 2 & 3 )

Third – Saturn Leaves Sagittarius – enters Capricorn in December

Saturn is wrapping up its journey in Sagittarius once and for all!  It will enter Capricorn the day after the New Moon in December (December 19), and so this lunar cycle & next will also be wrapping up the stories of the past 3 years as we begin to draw some final conclusions about what we really believe & feel after all that has happened during this crazy time!  Jupiter is the traditional ruler of Sagittarius – so there is an overlap between Jupiter’s ingress into evolutionary Scorpio, and Saturn’s departure from idealistic, world traveling, philosophical Sagittarius.  For the past 3 years we’ve been doing a deep karmic process around our prejudices, ideologies, and philosophies.  What has been believed to be “true” by us personally (and at a larger scale level) has been put to practical test… and now it’s time to evaluate the results of those tests with honesty.

Take off the rose colored glasses!  Because Capricorn Saturn is going to be all about putting our plans and visions into action and tangible form.  What doesn’t work now will definitely not work then.  Saturn’s lessons in the area of TRUTH may have been harsh at times, but the ultimate goal of the process is for us to know the REAL truth – and become more free because of it.

Sagittarius’ ideal is for a more tolerant world, in touch with a sense of independence & individual spiritual actualization – according to one’s own personal belief system, truth, and journey.  In Sag, the specific ideology is not necessarily important, but the concept of benevolence and natural order/natural law (respect for other beings, respect for life, etc) are important and are central to its truth.   Saturn here is about standing strong in the truth that is aligned with something authentic, and releasing truth that is aligned with what is false.  These are truths that ultimately transcend argument and religious association – truths that one has come to know through tangible experience and have stood the test of time & evolution.

Finally, this lunation also marks the final break up of two big aspect patterns active throughout 2017: 1) The Grand Fire Trine between the North Node, Saturn & Uranus which has been active for the past 5 months creating a whirlwind of wild change in all of our lives.  With this shift, we might find ourselves able to slow down some and really focus on the richness of all that is happening.  2) The Saturn-Chiron square (the final -exact- aspect was on November 2) which was very much about the wounding & victimization of our internal authority.  This hyper-sensitive transit brought up issues of blocked healing and could have increased feelings of anxiety, or exacerbated health issues, particularly ones that are mysterious in nature.  With these two moving away from each other, we might start to feel some relief, as the picture of healing starts to become clearer to us after a time of trials.

The image I have for this time, astrologically speaking, is one of a whole person emerging from the sticky muck of life with great determination.  We've got considerable work ahead to be free of it, but the feeling and awareness that we can expand beyond it is definitely there.  With some effort we can shed that heaviness!  Be attentive to the change and brutally honest, understand the bigger picture, and engage both the will power and faith to undo the bindings.

No matter what is going on externally in your world, don’t dismiss the true vision of your heart.  This is your guide to happiness and freedom.

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Jupiter in Scorpio: The Well

It is sad to see

The well is deep

The water is shallow

The bucket is broken

If one cannot reach the well’s depth

Perhaps it is one’s own shallowness

That keeps one from tasting the sweet water;

Perhaps the water in the well is too shallow

One who is limited is unable to know

The limitations of the well.

Both situations can be seen,

But they cannot be solved by inflexibility.

They can only be remedied by further development.

- I-Ching Hexagram 48 "Jing/Well," Line 6 (as translated by Ni Hua Ching)

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Jupiter, planet of expansion, exploration and life meaning transitioned into Scorpio this past month.  This initiates a new 12 year cycle of Jupiter energies in the sign of Scorpio – a deeply personal and pivotal transit for all of us, as Scorpio governs that which is hidden, subconscious, psychologically raw & deeply emotional.  It represents life, death and transformations of all kinds – and Jupiter is powerfully placed here.  His subtle influence brings grace, as well as awareness to these deeper spaces of being and so this can also be a spiritually enriching influence.  I wish to explore that side of the transit in this article.

First, I do want to share the dates of this Jupiter in Scorpio cycle along with the previous 5 Jupiter cycles.  I find it helpful, when working with cyclical transits to consider the events & themes of the previous cycles, as this can really enrich our understanding of where we are now.

Transits of Jupiter in Scorpio Present & Past:

• October 10, 2017 - November 8, 2018.
• October 26, 2005 – November 23, 2006
• November 11, 1993 – December 9, 1994
• November 27, 1981 – December 25, 1982
• December 17, 1969 – September 11, 1971
• January 14, 1958 – October 5, 1959

When considering these dates, you may recall events that happened during those years.  How do those events relate to what has come up in your life recently?  What connects these cycles to each other, and to the present moment?  This can give you a big clue as to what the next year’s process is going to be about.

So -- as I mentioned, I want to explore the spiritual implications of this transit.  Over the course of these initial weeks, I have noticed a distinct shift in the collective focus towards more Scorpionic themes.  My ideas about the energy have slowly percolated and gathered, but nothing organized or specific was asking to be shared.  Until today, when I was sitting in meditation and to my mind came the verse from Hexagram 48 “The Well”: “It is sad to see / The well is deep / The water is shallow / The bucket is broken…” and the meaning of it all began to coalesce for me.  The transit of Jupiter in Scorpio is a journey into "The Well" -- the energies of our pure creative essence, the divine nectar -- and the stubborn, deep & difficult emotional issues that obstruct our access to this.

One of the larger thematic qualities of this time on earth is the integration of higher spiritual frequencies with the earthly plane.  This is basically a call from the pure soul of humanity to hold the frequency of light in our beings while rooting firmly upon the earth.  When it is discussed in this manner, it sounds like it should all be peaches and cream, sunshine and rainbows, unicorns and laughs – but ultimately it is not so simple.  Because in order for humans to hold the frequency of light, we must be willing to confront and overcome that which has been hidden in darkness.  In order to fully inhabit our earthly beings, we must begin to mend, clean and clear the damage and distortion of our energetic roots to the earth, to nature, to our primordial mother.

On a personal level, we are dealing with the integration of our heavenly essence (pure spirit) with our physical essence.  In order for the pure spirit to radiate in a pure and whole way in this world, we must confront & resolve those things which obstruct us in the physical world:  issues of core identity, self worth, survival, safety.  These issues are particularly dense for most of us, as they have many years of karmic dross attached to them – stuff that has been left totally unaddressed and in the dark through long lines of ancestry.  These are the patterns that are so deep in the subconscious that we don’t even know where they came from – but suddenly now the shoe no longer fits, and we find we need to make more room for ourselves, as we are meant to be rather than the self that is defined and conditioned, in even the most subtle ways, by our ancestry.

But the issues we face at this time are even more profound than that, as they arise from fundamental wounding incurred over millennia, as humans gradually lost touch with nature.  By forgetting our connection to the earth & nature’s way, the natural integration of yin (earthly/matter) & yang (creative/spiritual) has been disturbed, and these forces have, over time, fell into an increasingly stark duality.  The intercourse of yin & yang in the universe is what creates pure manifestation – and in this act they are continuously spiraling together & purifying each other.  However, when yin and yang become separated and divided, they start to express their lower forms – yang rigidity and intolerance, yin stagnation & weakness.   We end up with a world that has many shadows and much pain, born from the stubborn, grandiose & intolerant actions of people.

At this stage of our existence, when we are facing these deeper issues, we are dealing largely with negative yin frequencies that have become firmly rooted and stagnant.  This is like a well that is full of mud.  It takes a great deal of focus and intention to begin to really access, move and clear this energy.  In fact, it is only the pure yang energy that can move the stagnation and purify the yin energy back to its original state of receptivity and flow.  This is an alchemy that requires concerted effort to bring lightness into our life, as well as the sometimes difficult emotional processing of deep, unseen patterning within the being.

So how does this all relate to the Jupiter in Scorpio transit?

Jupiter is the expansive, light-bearing planet of truth – and for the next year or so, this planet of mystical journeys, wayfaring, and deeper meaning, is being lowered into the dank & mysterious Scorpio well.  The very nature of this transit is to shine a light in dark places, feel the pain, and come out on the other side with a whole new perspective.  If nothing else, this transit will alert us to the enormity of the project ahead of us if humanity is to aspire higher.

“The Well” of Scorpio is particularly connected to the aforementioned root issues of ancestry & earthly integration.  Here we are dealing with aspects of the self that are most mysterious and complex – personal power, sexuality, and transformation by way of birth & death.  Scorpio carries deep, expansive potential for soul-touching creative & spiritual truth – and equally profound potential for complete and total destruction.  It is an alchemical sign that generates its power through merging and mystical union.  It is where all of the remnants of things end up in the consciousness – the parts of our lives, of others, etc. that have gradually become ingrained in us, and have shaped us psychologically.  It might be difficult to reach the water at the bottom of the Scorpio well, and even more difficult still to attain its purity – because so much gets caught in this space – but if we persist the end result is always worth it.  For from the emotional process, we have a chance at total rebirth – empowered release from all that psychologically & mysteriously binds us.

In life, we are born from Scorpio merging, and live by the continuous evolutionary wear of human connection. Who am I – and who are they?  In Libra we might ask:  Is it equal?  Is it balanced?  In Scorpio, we acknowledge that all layers of a relationship are complex, interwoven, impossible to truly parse, and deeply karmic.  For reasons we do not understand, we subjugate ourselves to others.  For reasons we do not understand, we also exert power and influence over different others.  When we are conscious in either situation, we can ask ourselves WHY things are that way, perhaps come to some answers, and adjust our behavior – show self control, inner strength/empowerment, etc.  Of course when we are unconscious, Scorpio’s bad side comes out – abuse, power plays, vindictiveness, resentment, rage, addictive and obsessive behaviors/actions.  This is the sign that is connected with the underworld – the river of Hades – where we must wade through dark waters filled with all kinds of horrors, tempted by demons and constantly remain vigilant of the true goal, the true purpose – holding the light delicately as many things attempt to pull us under the water, to distract us from what we’re trying to do, and kill all hope.  It is where we are destroyed by our attachments, mental hang ups, and bad habits.  But it is also where we can locate, acknowledge and clear these things permanently.

When it comes to where we are as a society – I see us going through such a clearing on a very large scale.  The Pluto in Scorpio generation, the “millennials,” are all in their late 20s-30s now and so this cycle, to me, feels a bit like a coming of age for the millennial group project – which is to eradicate and transform oppressive power structures around those areas which are most directly damaged by patterns of separation and destructive human urges based in deep rage & domination.  Sexuality and sexual identity are really strong in particular with Scorpio energy, but this also extends to racial and other social issues that contain patterns of core wounding that are passed down through family lines on a psychological & spiritual level.

What’s important to know about this is that Jupiter serves to expand our awareness – so while many of these issues are obvious problems with society today & nothing new, what Jupiter in Scorpio can help us do is see more deeply into the matter – how can we start to get to the root of, and bring healing to, these issues to restore equilibrium?  Certainly it won’t all be solved at once, but there is a potential here to make great strides on a personal and societal level in exploring these issues.  When it comes to looking at this energy from a healing standpoint, the symbolism of The Well is especially pertinent.

In the I-Ching Hexagram 48, the well is representing one’s spiritual sustenance.  The symbolism of the well is one’s ability or inability to reach the well’s depths for pure fresh water, or pure spiritual nourishment.  One’s ability to do this is directly connected to one’s own depth and clarity of mind.  A mind of muddiness and conflict creates muddy water.  However, when we engage our spiritual resourcefulness – intuition can guide us to the place beyond our limitations, and thus, to water.  Where is the purest water?  What is preventing us from retrieving it (the bucket broken, the rope too short, the water too shallow)?  And then, that gives us a clue – a direction.  How do we go about resolving our brokenness, our shallowness?  What is the remedy to always falling short?

The deepest part of Scorpio is the pure “well” of our being.  The inner well – which may be cloudy, which may be shallow or weak.  Muddied by trauma, unresolved emotions, fear – things accumulated from others, from life, from family.  Purify these failings, these distractions, these shadows, these deep wounds from who knows when, and reclaim this well as a space of spiritual nourishment & creation for one’s own life and needs.  Create the inner strength necessary by returning health to this space.  And with that the spirit can rise to the occasion our collective aspiration -- the Leo North Node – which is the emergence of the spiritual heart and pure creative inspiration.

It is said in many spiritual cultivation traditions that one’s true work benefits 7 generations of ancestors.  When you consider the energetic aspect involved with deep healing work, this makes sense.  If you are unhinging deep ancestral patterns from yourself – wouldn’t it make sense that you are, in essence, breaking the chain of ancestry in general?  You are, after all, a part of that genetic and spiritual line.  So it is with this thought in mind that I have come to believe what many people often state – that the key to changing a faulty paradigm begins with one’s own process.  We all must uproot the sources of anger, rage, subjugation, abuse, and deep Scorpionic darkness within ourselves before we can expect such things to change anywhere else in the world.  For it is not until we have cleared our roots that we can assist others in doing the same.

This transit of Jupiter gives us that collective impulse to journey into our own underworld and cull incredible gifts from our mysterious essence and connection to the primordial.  All it takes is Jupiter's characteristic openness & faith, and a willingness to surrender to the process -- and we might find that no matter how trying the journey may be at times, there's greater freedom on the other side.

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