Amelia’s Blog

“The closer we get to Spirit the less energy we need to effect change.” Alberto Villoldo

“The books we read should be chosen with great care, that they may be, as an Egyptian king wrote over the shelves in his library, “The medicines of the soul.” E. Paxton Hood

I was recently watching an interview with Paul Mc Cartney in which he was asked if he’d ever  had dreams about John Lennon. He replied that he had and often does and that they’re good dreams. He was then asked if he ever wrote music in his dreams and he also said yes – that was how his song “Yesterday”  was written.  He said he  had awakened one morning with a tune in his head. He played it on the keyboard near his bed (“it was a small apartment.”) He thought maybe it was a tune his father had played when he was young and he called around to his friends to see if they were familiar with it. Since no one knew of it, he claimed it as his own.

We are in the realm of dreams – of all kinds – now  as the Sun is squaring Neptune  and will be in influence through the upcoming week. It can be a time when there is more confusion and a tendency for more distraction but a very good time for daydreams and nighttime dreams. In general it s a good time for guidance from the higher realms as many spiritual traditions believe we are closer to the spiritual world when sleeping.

The Sun will be in a positive alignment with the asteroid Pallas Athene – indicating there’s help and strategy available for future aspirations. This can be accomplished by broadening your perspective and looking for new information as both are in Sagittarius – the sign of the Seeker. Busy Mercury will move into this sign this week too – Mercury is very good at gathering information.

Also this week Vesta – the asteroid of the Vestal Virgins who kept the sacred fires of ancient Rome alight – is in a beneficial trine with Venus in Capricorn. Vesta is in Taurus and this is associated with investing in things that make us feel safe and secure while keeping ethics high and keeping in mind the long term – as the sign of Capricorn is concerned with solid long term outcomes.

It’s wise at this time – given all the changes on the planet – to factor in the well being of the natural world with any investments.

The Moon waxes Full Thursday at 19 Gemini – more about that later -although Gemini too is about information and this week is likely to be one of unfolding information in both the private and public spheres. So it’s a good time to seek it.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”In a museum a large archaic volume reveals a traditional wisdom.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill

 

“Dawn points, and another day
Prepares for heat and silence. Out at sea the dawn wind
Wrinkles and slides. I am here
Or there or elsewhere. In my beginning.” TS Eliot

“The more uncertain I have felt about myself, the more there has grown in me a feeling of kinship with all things.” Carl Jung

Jupiter leaves his year long stint in Sagittarius and enters the pragmatic sign of Capricorn on Monday.  In the sign of Sagittarius Jupiter has been about expanding horizons and vision – through travel, learning and philosophy.  In Capricorn it marks a time of pragmatically and patiently putting the foundation under any new  visions and moving forward one day at a time. Capricorn is ruled by Saturn – the taskmaster  and Father Time. Much can be accomplished  over the next year under this no-nonsense influence with solid  planning,  persistence and perseverance

Juno in Libra will be squaring the Lunar Nodes this week.  This can bring trouble into relationships – work , friendship, familial , romantic -due to the likelihood that old habitual, unproductive relationship dynamics will  be on the rise. Setting clear boundaries and adhering to them will be helpful as well as keeping an eye on anger management and appropriate assertiveness. Venus will be conjunct the South Node echoing these themes.

Mars will trine the North Node this week – indicating that fate or destiny maybe playing a stronger hand in relationships.  It bodes well to pay attention to who’s entering your life and who may be taking more of a back seat.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”Three stained glass windows in a gothic church, one damaged by war. ”

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This is a brief excerpt from Harry Seltzer’s December forecast based on the recent New Moon chart.

“Uranus moves fast and opposite Mars, we move fast as well. The caution is to proceed with just that; extra slowness and attention to detail is recommended all through the month of December. The upside of all this Uranian emphasis, this “freedom from the known,” is that we can find new ways to think about familiar situations.”

“The road is always better than the inn.” Miguel Cervantes

“The Feminine prefers process to product, meandering and enjoying the pleasure of the journey, rather than like the Masculine  style, determining the goal and moving toward it in a straight line.” Marion Woodman

The Sun enters the sign of Sagittarius today – the sign of the open road and distant horizons, lending a hand with long term vision and planning.

Vesta is aligning favorably with Saturn indicating a good time to make progress on projects with persistence an perseverance.

Mars in Scorpio is opposing Uranus now and will be exact on Sunday. There can be breakthroughs with projects or endeavors that have been stalled out or at a standstill.

Influences indicate it’s wise to keep a steady hand on the rudder and avoid impulsiveness or erratic action.  Give things a chance to settle.

One of the  Sabian symbols for this time is,”The ocean covered with white caps.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill

“We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn.” Henry David Thoreau

“To see things in the seed, that is genius. ” Lao Tzu

The sign of Scorpio is strong in the sky this week – with Mercury stationing direct in Scorpio and Mars entering this  enigmatic sign of mystery and magic. Scorpio is the sign of transformation and rebirth. One of the symbols for this sign is the phoenix rising from the ashes.

In the early part of this week Mercury is making a challenging aspect to Jupiter which can add to the potential confusion surrounding the Mercury station. It’s wise throughout the week to take extra  care with communications of all kinds.  It’s also a good time to keep a healthy perspective as Jupiter can add excess to the thought process at this time.  New realizations and revelations can occur under this influence but are likely to be things of a shadow nature – things that  come up from the deep and can be hard to integrate at the time. It’s wise to keep note of them however and to revisit  them over time if appropriate.

Mars the planet of passion, action and desire moves out of Libra into the sign of Scorpio Tuesday and will stay in this sign through the beginning of January. This is a good time to move forward with what you feel is important on a deep level in your life. It also is a good time to deepen intimacy in relationships. It’s wise to watch out for jealousy and possessiveness – the shadow side of this sign – throughout this time.

Mercury will station direct on Wednesday at 2:12 PM EST, at 11 degrees of Scorpio,  ending the retrograde period. This has been a powerful retrograde period as Mercury stationed retrograde on Halloween and will station direct in a favorable aspect to Neptune.  Mystical energy is strong – do pay attention to your intuition at this time.

The Sun will move into Sagittarius on Friday. This ushers in a good time for expanding your horizons through learning and travel. It can be a more optimistic time. Do watch out for overeating, overspending and overdoing.

On Friday Mars with trine Chiron, making this a good time to move forward with initiatives that lead to increased wholeness and authenticity.

One of the Sabian symbols for the Mercury station is,”A youth holding a lighted candle in a devotional ritual gains a sense of the great “other world.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill

 

 

 

“When we align our thoughts, emotions and actions with the highest part of ourselves, we are filled with enthusiasm, purpose and meaning .We are joyously and intimately engaged with our world.” Gary Zukav

“Entelechy, a Greek word meaning the dynamic purpose that drives us toward realizing our essential self , gives us our higher destiny and the capacities and skills that our destiny needs for its unfolding.” Jean Houston

The Moon waxes full Tuesday at 19 degrees of Taurus at 8:34 AM EDT, bringing into focus  the deeply held aspirations  of Scorpio and the pragmatic, down to earth concerns of the sign of Taurus.

It’s a good time to be in touch with your deeper aspirations  and be open to options as to how to actualize them.

Vesta is a strong player at this time indicating it is a good time to move towards an increased inner wholeness and authenticity. The Vestal Virgins, for whom Vesta was named, were the goddesses of the hearth in ancient Rome. They were keepers of the sacred flame and considered essential to the safety and security of Rome. They presided over every important government meeting. They freely chose a life in which they were autonomous, independent and fulfilled.

Vesta and Full Moon are opposing the  Sun and Mercury in Scorpio indicating  good time to get in touch with your emotional needs. It can bring a very good communication between the mind and the emotions.

Venus makes a challenging aspect to Neptune indicating a good time for art work, creative work and meditation.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”Wisps of clouds, like wings, are streaming across the sky.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill

 

“Our fires are damped, our drafts are checked, we are living on only a small percentage of our abilities .” William James

“To live creatively is to die each day to the old and make way for the new in oneself, for the potential self that is waiting to be born.” Julie Redstone

The Saturn/Neptune sextile is exact for the third and final time now. This alignment represents a culmination of sorts and bodes well for adding pragmatics to  dreams and  aspirations. This influence will be strong throughout the month.

Timing – wise it’s best to adhere to the wisdom of the Seven of Pentacles in the Tarot Card deck, which  depicts  a gardener  holding her rake and gazing  at her plants. This card speaks of having the patient wisdom of the gardener as you pursue dreams and visions.

Pallas Athene, now in Sagittarius, lends the ability to broaden vision and plan strategically from a big-picture perspective.

One of the Sabian symbols for this alignment is,”In a quiet moment, a creative individual experiences the flow of inspiration.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda hill

 

 

 

 

“Freedom is necessary for choice and choice is necessary for wisdom and growth. The sacred world of love and wisdom, fiery intelligence and passionate will, imagination and delight – is a world of freedom. It is liberating but it is also binding and connecting.” David Whyte

“The messages left by our intuition are highly personal; left at our back door step and no other, and they have to be read by the part of the mind that is particularly suited to their translation. They may deal with symbols , for example, instead of the good clear alphabets we’re used to.” Jane Roberts.

Venus is now in the fiery sign Sagittarius through the 26th. This ushers in a time that is good for travel and learning.  It is a more expansive, outwardly focused time than Venus in Scorpio with its native depth and perception. Sagittarius is a free spirited, freedom loving sign that loves new horizons  and can be restless at times. A desire for more freedom may be on the rise this month.

Later in the month Venus will get caught up in the Neptune /Jupiter square indicating it will be best to keep and eye on pragmatics and avoid idealizing things. This ongoing square has been one of the most important alignments this year and it is associated with eroding the boundary between fact and fiction.

Mercury is retrograde in Scorpio through the 21st indicating a good time to review finances and joint finances.  It’s also a good time to review what it is that you care deeply about and how that may have evolved over time. Retrograde periods are always a good time to pause, reassess and entertain other perspectives or possibilities that may elude us in the busyness  our everyday lives.

Mars is squaring Pluto this week. This combination is often in the chart of professional athletes. It’s an aspect that has a lot of drive and desire for accomplishment. A lot can be accomplished under this influence. It’s wise to use it well otherwise frustration can occur.

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday the veils will be thinner – it’s good good time to heed your intuition.

The Sabian symbol for Venus entering Sagittarius is,”The ocean covered with white caps.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill

 

 

“We need to remember that we are all created creative and can invent new scenarios as frequently as they are needed. ” Maya  Angelou

“We can know the dark and dream it into a new image.” Starhawk

The Moon waxes new on Sunday at 4 degrees of Scorpio at 11:38 PM EDT. Scorpio is the sign of the seer, the shaman, the investigator, the mystic . It is a sign of depth and perception and seeing through to the essence of things.

The Sun, Moon, Venus, Pallas and Mercury will all be in this sign  of mystery and magic at this time. It is a good time to be in touch with your soul’s deeper aspirations and to shed attitudes and beliefs that no longer fit. Uranus, the planet of innovation and freedom is strong at this time – forming an opposition to the Sun and Moon. This supports moving in a direction of increased authenticity.

The Sabian symbol for this time is, “A broken bottle and spilled perfume.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill

 

“Mercury retrograde  provides a time of slowing down, allowing for more space to pause, reflect, take stock, hone intentions and course correct as needed.” Henry Seltzer

My cell phone is on its last legs and I’ve been in the process of deciding how best to replace it.  I called my friend – also an astrologer – who I often have tea with. She has a number of planets in Aquarius and interfaces with the cyber world with more ease than I do.

We explored options. But as the conversation was winding down, she cautioned, “Whatever you do, do it before Mercury turns retrograde.”

I’m not totally on board with this kind of thinking. Mercury retrograde periods are good for tying up loose ends and attending to  things left undone- in other words, going back and redoing or replacing something already in progress. It is often a time when lost things can be found. Or if you have lost something during the retrograde period, it can often be found after Mercury turns direct.

But as far as cyber things go, I think it is best to resolve any related issues before Mercury stations retrograde. Mercury does rule communications.  And to avoid particularly,  a couple of days before the station retrograde and the following station direct when the influence can be stronger and more confusing.

There was a good example of this in November of 2000. I remember standing in line to vote on election day during the Bush /Gore race when a friend across the hall called out to me, “Who do you think will win today?”

Knowing that  Mercury was stationing, I said, “I think it won’t be decided for awhile. It will be back and forth with delays. ” (Very typical Mercury retrograde activity.)

It took quite awhile to resolve.

Mercury is slowing down in the sky now to station retrograde on October 31- Nov 21 and the influence can be felt as we move towards the station. It’s a good time to back up important info.