The Aurora Borealis and This Week’s Astrology

“magical night sky
aurora borealis
closest to heaven

gods light show
native to greenland
fairies and pixies”   Caren Krutsinger

“Aurora borealis paints a new vision.” Adrian Harrison

When I first started studying astrology, I wished that I could find a group of friends who would talk like astrologers do – the kind of talk I would hear at astrology conferences. For instance when astrologers were asked a question about an event in someone’s life, one of them would say, ” Well, Uranus was opposing her Mercury”  and the other astrologers would smile  knowingly and nod in agreement.

It wasn’t long before I did meet a group of astrologers and Tarot Card readers who would become fast friends. We spent time looking at our charts and the charts of politicians and prominent people throughout history. It was those  experiences that shifted the way I could think about the meaning of events and causality.

It seems it is no accident that the unspeakably beautiful aurora borealis occured last week – reintroducing us to the beauty, vastness and mystery of space. There is the potential this week- all week long – for the expansion of  consciousness and imagination.

The week starts off with the Sun making a favorable alignment with Jupiter and Saturn. This combination allows for the expansion of vision with practical grounding. Patience and a commitment to “hanging in there” is part of the process. Mercury sextiles Pluto giving depth to the thought process.

There can be shake-ups this week with the  strong Uranus influence.  On Wednesday retrograde Mercury will re-enter Scorpio and oppose Uranus. There can be surprising events and  sudden realizations that can shift old thought patterns.

Juno, the asteroid of commitment is squaring the Lunar Nodes and  is trining the North Node. This offers a good time to revisit commitments- of all kinds – to see  if they would benefit from some kind of adjustment.

Venus is trining the North Node and  moving up to a trine to Neptune – a very good time for imagination, artistic endeavors and increased compassion and forgiveness.

The Uranus influence  this week is a good time for breakthroughs that can  transform old fears.

The New Moon in Scorpio is on the 20th with the Sun conjunct Mercury and Uranus sextile Neptune. Time to plant seeds of new and inspired visions.

The Sun is also moving up to an opposition to Uranus while trining Neptune. Revelations and breakthroughs may come through sudden and surprising events.

The Sun will be sextiling Pluto – This is a good influence for self empowerment and for calling back power from wherever it doesn’t belong.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is, “A quiet path through the woods brilliant in autumn colors.”

Sabian symbols from Lynda Hill

 

 

Jupiter Retrograde – How the Light Gets in

“There’s a crack in everything.
That’s how the light gets in.” Leonard Cohen

“Footfalls echo in the memory
Down the passage we did not take
Towards the door we never opened
Into the rose garden.” TS Eliot

Jupiter stations retrograde today  at 25 degrees of Cancer joining the array of of other retrograde planets – Saturn, Neptune,  Uranus and Mercury.

The sign of Cancer rules home, childhood, places of comfort and belonging and our roots. Jupiter stations retrograde trining  retrograde Satun. The retrograde transits speaks of a time of an inner journey – revisiting this area of the past, childhood, the place  of belonging  in order to go forward with increased clarity and understanding.

Pleasure comes under Jupiter’s perview and considering  or reconsidering what brings pleasure and happiness into your life is indicated as well as how you nurture and care for your  physical well being.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”A harvest moon illuminates the sky.”

Sabian symbols from Lynda Hill

 

 

 

 

Mercury Retrograde Starts Sunday

” A wise old owl  lived in an oak;
The more he saw the less he spoke;
The less he spoke the more he heard:
Why can’t we all be like that bird?” Edward Hersey Richards

“An adventure Gandolf says, is a ‘there and back again’ affair. A quest is a calling – never one’s own desire. No guarantees.” Ralph C. Westminister

Mercury stations retrograde on the 9th of November at 2:01 PM EST. The retrograde period will run through November 29 and will start in Sagittarius and end in Scorpi0.

Mercury will station conjunct Mars and widely opposing Uranus in an out-of sign alignment. Venus will also square Pluto at the time of the station. It is always a good idea to choose your words more carefully and double check the details during a retrograde period, but especially this month as there’s the tendency towards acting and speaking quickly and impulsively.

In general the retrograde period is a good time for reviewing your sense of adventure, your long term vision of your life and projects related to publishing and education.

It’s best to make sure all important information is secure and backed up as there could likely be more snafus with technology throughout the month. Mercury also rules travel and there can be disruptions in this area as well.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”An old owl perched up in a tree.”

Sabian symbols from Lynda Hill

 

Wednesday’s Full Moon in Taurus

“Beliefs themselves act as grids, programming inner experience.” Jane Roberts

“Some beliefs are like blinders, shutting off the power to choose one’s own direction. Other beliefs are like gateways opening wide vistas for exploration.”Sophia Fahs

The Moon waxes Full Wednesday this  week at 13 degrees of Taurus at 8:19 AM EST, with the Sun at 13 degrees of Scorpio.

This Full Moon cycle provides a good window of opportunity to look at our beliefs in terms of what we are trying to create. There may be a need for change or transformation of underlying beliefs that block or repel the ability to manifest goals.

This time of year, with the Scorpio Sun, is a good time for identifying and shedding old belief systems which may have been helpful at one time but have been outgrown.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”Electical engineers installing new connections.”

 

 

Energy, Focus and This Week in Astrology

“Still, what I want for my life
is to be willing
to be dazzled –
to cast aside the weight of facts

and maybe even
to float a little
above this difficult world
I want to believe I am looking

into the white fire of a great mystery
I want to believe that the imperfections are
nothing –
that the light is everything- that it is more than the sum
Of each flawed blossom rising and fading
And I do.” Mary Oliver

Fall has come to New England this morning  and for the first time this season, I lit my wood stove. I have a very temperamental old stove which heats the house well but requires  frequent attention and adjustment. In astrology the quincunx aspect is associated with the “need for adjustment” (often of perception or attitude.) This aspect, which is also called the inconjunct, occurs when planets are 150 degrees apart.

I have three quincunxes in my natal chart and am no stranger to the “need for adjustment” In some ways it is no surprise I ended up with this testy old stove which requires tinkering to keep things right.

Life these days on planet Earth also seems to require a fair amount of adjustment – to new ideas and inventions and to the swiftly changing events of each day. Neptune – which governs illusion – just backed into Pisces joining Saturn in this elusive, mysterious sign.  Neptune governs fog and this can be the shrouding of information. We may need more time to fully understand the goings-on in the outer world. A time when we may need to wait for meaning to emerge.

The week starts off with Mars and Mercury forming a beneficent alignment to Jupiter. It’s good to remember that Jupiter is associated with good cheer and good fortune and in this situation will bring increased energy, optimism and vision.

The Mercury/Mars duo will also form a harmonious aspect to Saturn and Neptune. This can help to create a more stable foundation for plans an initiatives. You can harness this energy to move projects forward that may have felt stagnant. A good line up for chores and physical work.

Mercury will be forming a sextile to Pluto. This adds strength and depth to the thought process. Sextiles are fortunate aspects but work best if action is taken on them.

Venus will oppose Chiron – the asteroid  which governs the process of healing from wounding. This is a strong theme this month – healing from old wounds – with the recent New Moon opposing Chiron. There is supportive energy this week for new perceptions and understanding about this area of life which can lead to a more joyful and free way forward.

In general at this time it is wise to work through issues which result in personal evolution.  Although the changes or evolution in the world can feel breathtaking and hard to keep up with, we can have more control of our inner worlds.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is.”Light breaking into many colors as it passes through a prism.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chiron and the New Moon in Libra

“Chiron’s position in the natal chart represents the place where we experience fragmentation or a wound. However, it also represents our greatest chance to overcome it and become increasingly whole.” Eva Stangenberg

Chiron, the king of the centaurs, whose incurable wound transformed him into a healer, is a strong influence in Tuesday’s New Moon and the upcoming lunar cycle. At the time of the New Moon, 8:25 AM EDT on 10/20, Chiron  in Aries will be opposing the Sun and Moon in Libra and forming a square to Jupiter.

When Chiron is a strong influence in the sky, it indicates the evolutionary  journey of wounding and healing is with us.  If challenges arise now,  it is a wise to consider them an  opportunity to respond in a new way, a way that represents a step on  journey towards increased inner wholeness.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”a person alone in deep gloom. Unnoticed, angels are coming to her aid.”

 

 

 

A Busy Week for Venus Newly in Libra

“Let whoever never loved, love tomorrw
Let whoever has loved, love tomorrow.” Ezra Pound

“You will recognize what I am saying or you will not.
But outside my window all day a maple has stepped
from her leaves like a woman in love with winter,
dropping the colored silks.
Neither are we different in what we know.
There is a door. It opens. Then it is closed. But a slip of
light stays, like a scrap of unreadable paper left on the floor,
or the one red leaf the snow releases in March.” Jane Hirshfield

it’s a busy week for Venus – the goddess of love, pleasure and beauty.

Venus enters the diplomatic sign of Libra today. This can bring a more sociable time and a time when there’s a desire to find more balance and fairness in relationships.

Early in the week Venus will be opposing Neptune and Saturn. This can bring  a certain lack of clarity or confusion to  agreements made at this time. Best to let events unfold.

Venus is also making a favorable trine to Uranus – the planet of surprises and  the unexpected. This can bring a time when the powers of attraction – to attract abundance and love – are strong. It can bring exciting events.

Venus will trine Pluto -an aspect that can bring transformation in relationships and also encourages the deepening of connections.

Toward the end of the week the Sun will square Jupiter. There’s a tendency to exaggerate with this influence and it’s best to proceed with moderation as Jupiter can be associated with excess.

Mars and Mercury both trine the North Node of life path and destiny towards the end of the week. It’s wise to raise awarenss for guidance about  moving into the future.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”The dawn of a new day reveals everything changed.”

Sabian symbols from Lynda Hill

Monday’s Full Moon in Aries

“We do not learn from experience…we learn from reflecting on experience.” John Dewey

“Just like moons and the suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I rise.” Maya Angelou

The Moon waxes Full Monday near midnight at 11:48 PM  EDT at 14 degrees of Aries. This is a super Moon – meaning it is very close to the earth. Emotions tend to be strong under this influence.

The sign of Aries loves to initiate things and take action and can sometimes be impulsive. Although there may be a strong pull in this direction,  it is a better time to slow down and think things through before reacting.

It bodes well to consider what you’re aspirations  have been up to this point, how much progress has been made so far and where you would like to go from here.

There are some inconjuncts in the Full Moon chart and inconjuncts indicate the need for adjustment. It can feel like an unsteady time and it’s best to slow down and and make time for review and reconsidation.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is, “A woman weaving a blanket in the light of the setting sun.”

 

 

 

A Peek at This Week in Astrology

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” Anais Nin

The tiny purple Michelmas daisies are blooming in NH now – a reminder that Michelmas is not far away. This ancient festival, has been celebrated throughout the western world for centuries. It commemorates the battle and slaying of a dragon by a brave young man named George with the help of the archangel, Michael. This festival is celebrated around the time of the Autumn Equinox and is a reminder to cultivate courage and inner light as the darker days of winter approach and the nature world turns inward.

The week starts off with a harmonious alignment between the Sun and Pallas Athene. Pallas was the goddess of strategy and diplomacy. This is a good time for brainstorming new strategies.

On Wednesday Juno, the asteroid of marriage and commitment will enter Sagittarius- a good time for adding excitement and adventure to relationships.

Mars squares Pallas Athene this week exact on Thursday. Best to take your time in planning and negotiating as obstacles can more easily arise.

Mercury will  be opposing Chiron – the asteroid of the Wounded Healer. Painful, though instructive conversations can occur.

Venus conjuncts the South Node this week. This is a good time to reassess emotional attachments and whether if it would be beneficial to adjust them. Watch for old discouraging patterns that can arise that made need another level of release.

One of the Sabian symbols for this week is,”A young woman awaiting a sailboat.”

 

 

Sunday’s Solar Eclipse and the Fall Equinox

“Last night as I lay sleeping,
I dreamt -marvellous error –
that a spring was breaking
out in my heart.
I said, along which secret aqueduct,
oh water, are you coming to me,
water of a new life
that I have never drunk?” Antonio Machado

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do
With your one wild and precious life?” Mary Oliver

Sunday’s partial Solar Eclipse is at 3:53PM EDT at 29 degrees of Virgo,  the anaretic degree. The Sun and Moon will be aspecting Saturn, Neptune, Pluto and Uranus at this time. It’s best to watch for overthinking and excess worry..

The symbolism of the Eclipse speaks of a culmination of sorts – a time before a breakthrough. And that may come as the next day on Monday 9/23, the Sun moves into the harmonious sign of Libra at 2:19 PM.

The Equinox provides a powerful time for intention setting. It’s wise to use the time leading up to it to think of what you’d like  to let go of in your life to create the room for the new.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is.”A woman is gaining secret knowledge from an ancient scroll she is reading.”