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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.