Surrendering Certainty: Full Moon in Sagittarius 2018

Photo by Lakshmi Sawitri via Wikimedia Commons 

Full Moon @ 08 degrees Sagittarius 

May 29, 2018

7:19 AM Los Angeles

10:19 AM New York

3:19 PM London

6:19 PM Dubai 

10:19 PM Beijing

May 30, 2018

12:19 AM Sydney

2:19 AM Auckland

May's Full Moon occurs in tropical Sagittarius just before cerebral Mercury enters its home sign Gemini. A Full Moon in Sagittarius can feel expansive and its sextile to Mars punctuates the audacious nature of this mutable, fire sign. The rising enthusiasm that may accompany this Full Moon can feel impulsive and courageous. 

And with Jupiter, the ruler of Sagittarius, receiving a sweet trine from Venus, there isn't too much tension inherent to this Full Moon except for a wide, applying square from the Sun and Moon to Neptune. First off, a water grand trine involving Jupiter, Venus, and Neptune is currently forming in the sky, and this influx of the water element enhances emotional and psychic sensitivity. 

The water grand trine brings in a wave of imagination inducing idealism that will peak in intensity at the initial start of June. And as the lunar cycle begins to wane shortly after the climax of this lunar cycle, we'll be inundated with a spiritual longing for transcendence or connectivity. The negative face of Sagittarius expresses itself through dogmatism or an oversimplification of reality. 

Remain diligently mindful of a tendency to reduce complexity or jump to conclusions prematurely simply to justify a belief. The Sun in Gemini and Mercury's ingress into this sign hold the opposing end of this Full Moon narrative. Both Sun and Mercury remind us about the importance of carefully considering the facts and double checking sources. 

Neptune's square to the Full Moon axis can generate a considerable level of obfuscation in regards to emerging news and information, a theme that will be persistent throughout the first half of June. But Neptune ultimately invites us to question and expand upon our carefully guarded truths and assumptions. The dissolving nature of Neptune offers humility as well as humiliation. Leaps of faith can be both liberating and devastating. 

This Sagittarian Full Moon brings us to the culminating endpoint of a quest or reveals the limitations of beliefs and ideologies. And now that the journey has culminated, we may be in awe of how much more there is to discover or how little we actually know. With this Full Moon, it might be best to surrender your attachment to certainty and allow the universe to reveal yet another layer of possibility. 

Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path. 

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New Revolutions: New Moon in Taurus 2018

Photo by Ira O. Villanueva via Wikimedia Commons. 

New Moon @ 24 Taurus 36'

May 15, 2018

4:48 AM Los Angeles 

7:48 AM New York

12:48 PM London

3:48 PM Dubai

7:48 PM Beijing

9:48 PM Sydney

11:48 PM Auckland 

This month’s New Moon occurs in tropical Taurus just hours before the planet Uranus enters Taurus, later followed by Mars entering Aquarius. With two planetary sign changes occurring alongside this lunation, this New Moon can symbolize a subtle, yet highly potent transitional beginning point. And with both Mars and Uranus making a square aspect to one another shortly after their ingress into new signs, we can anticipate an influx of impulsiveness, rebelliousness, and freedom seeking desires as we seek to liberate ourselves from the monotony of outdated routines.

Of all the zodiac signs, Taurus is the most immovable and resistant to change. As a fixed, earth sign, Taurean energies prefer to conserve and maintain a predictable or dependable stability. However, with Uranus entering Taurus (where it will transit for the next seven years after solidly entering Taurus in early 2019), radical changes are on the horizon for many things we thought were permanent or solid fixtures in our lives or within the world. For those of us with planetary placements or critical angles in Taurus, sudden, unexpected, and revolutionary changes are likely.

Despite the intensity of Mars square Uranus and both planets changing signs simultaneously, this New Moon still stands as a solid grounding point. The New Moon’s wide opposition to Jupiter also gives this lunation an auspicious and optimistic edge but combined with Taurus’ impulse toward pleasure and self-gratification, we’ll need to be mindful of going over the top or taking on too much of a good thing. Combined with Mars/Uranus and Jupiter opposing the New Moon, this lunation can symbolize the first steps in a process of stretching some aspect of our lives beyond its normal parameters or expanding our expectations of what we’ve thought possible.

But the New Moon in Taurus reminds us that no matter what may be going on in our lives, we’ll need to keep calm and find our center before taking action. Mars’ square to Uranus is the first of three squares this year due to Mars’ retrograde cycle from June 26 through Aug. 27. This first square indicates that whatever actions we feel we need to take now could later be revised, or a new course of action could suddenly emerge later down the road. Keep that in mind because the combination of Mars/Uranus can ignite impulsive or rash decision making.

Still, the New Moon in Taurus invites us to chill out and trust the process that’s just now beginning for us. Change is an inevitable part of life, and every change is a necessary function of evolution. At this moment, you might notice some subtle (or not so subtle) signals that something you’ve long thought to be stubbornly resistant to change is in fact not as solid as you have come to believe. Reflect on the house that Taurus correlates with, and you’ll probably find some powerful indicators of what area of your life is about to undergo a reformation. In fact, no matter how placid things might look on the surface, the revolution has just begun.

Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path. 

CLICK HERE FOR PERSONAL READINGS

Unleash the Wildness: Full Moon in Scorpio 2018

Geysers of Tatio, San Pedro de Atacama, Chile; photo by Diego Delso via Wikimedia Commons.

Full Moon @ 9 Scorpio 39’

April 29, 2018

5:58 PM Los Angeles

8:58 PM New York

April 30, 2018

1:58 AM London

4:58 PM Dubai

8:58 AM Beijing

10:58 AM Sydney

12:58 PM Auckland

This month’s Full Moon occurs in tropical Scorpio, proceeding a conjunction of Mars and Pluto. Honesty, directness, and intensity are hallmarks of this lunation. A Scorpio Full Moon empowers us to seek and articulate truth. Quincunx aspects from both Mercury and Venus extend the reach of this Full Moon to our relationships and communicative exchanges, but with the Full Moon at the apex, critical adjustments are required in our interactions to create space for more authentic encounters, no matter how uncomfortable it might be.

With Mars, the ruler of the Full Moon separating from a conjunction with Pluto, primal instincts, impulses, and drives can be magnified to an extreme degree. Mars represents our ability to assert, defend ourselves, and claim our right to exist. Mars compels us to take action for the things that we want or desire. And from an evolutionary perspective, desires emanating from Mars originate from deeper motivations contained within the soul. As this Full Moon culminates, it can ignite awareness of how we may have held ourselves back from getting what we want, or it might confront us with limitations because we’ve overused our assertiveness, crossing too many lines.

The collective agreement we call “civilization” requires that we repress or subjugate the wild, untamed aspects within ourselves for the sake of maintaining order and control. For several thousands of years, human-created ideologies, religions, and philosophies have attempted to convince us that humanity is somehow elevated compared to the rest of the natural world. But as modern science progresses, we realize that there’s not much difference between ourselves and the rest of nature. We’re primal beings with primal needs, and no matter how “civilized” we’ve become, we cannot deny where we came from, and where we will return.

At the heart of Scorpio is a lucid awareness of the full spectrum of life and death and that we need humility to honor all of life. True humility comes from realizing our place in a larger, interconnected whole. While facing the truth of ourselves and what we are can be frightening and uncomfortable, living a lie is far more difficult to contend with. With this Full Moon’s wide conjunction with Jupiter, it invites us to dive in deep and explore what scares us. While we should be mindful of opening ourselves too much, revealing too much, or going too far too fast, this lunar culmination opens up emotional and psychic landscapes which need to be seen and felt.

In the watery depths of Scorpio, this is an emotionally sensitive Full Moon--instigating passion and releasing anxieties, desires, and hidden motivations. Or you might find it easier to glimpse dimensions of yourself and life typically concealed or forbidden. However you experience this Full Moon, either impactfully or subtly, look beyond appearances more deeply and push yourself a little further to see what you’ve been unable (or unwilling) to see. As intense as this Full Moon could be, the Sun in Taurus trine Saturn offers a grounding and solid foundation, helping us to patiently and consistently work toward personal and collective transformation.

Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path. 

CLICK HERE FOR PERSONAL READINGS

Do Your Thing: New Moon in Aries 2018

Green field on Saint Martin Island, Bangladesh; photo by Tahmid Munaz

New Moon @ 26 Aries 02'

April 15, 2018

6:57 PM Los Angeles

9:57 PM New York

April 16, 2018

2:57 AM London

5:57 AM Dubai

9:57 AM Beijing

11:57 AM Sydney

1:57 PM Auckland

April’s New Moon occurs in the courageous and fiery, tropical sign of Aries, closely aligned with radical and novel Uranus (as well as the newly discovered dwarf planet, Eris). With Mercury turning direct several hours before the conjunction of Sun and Moon, this New Moon has a notably transitional edge and edginess. And with Uranus entering Taurus next month, you’re likely to feel as if you’re definitely standing on the fringe of a cardinal shift. Since Aries is, in fact, a cardinal sign, this lunation is highly catalytic--provoking action, motion, and momentum.

With Mercury retrograde in Aries the last three weeks, it came into a square aspect to both Saturn and Mars. Mercury’s challenging square aspect to two challenging planets could have slowed some of your plans, causing serious delays, or instigated internal frustration. However, it’s also possible that you were able to slow down your thoughts and zero in on your priorities these last few weeks. Naturally, Mercury retrograde gives us an opportunity to gain more awareness or learn a lot of new things in a very short period of time. 

As we approach this New Moon, we’re all probably feeling more than ready for a change. Uranus, the first planet discovered beyond Saturn in the 18th century, is well known for its change making effects since it was solely responsible for throwing out the old model of the solar system. If there are two archetypes that seriously epitomize the wild, untamed primal spirit within each of us, it would be the combination of Aries and Uranus. And Eris, discovered shortly after the millennial shift, equally threw the solar system into disarray, demoting Pluto and redefining the astronomical definition of what it means to be a planet.

We might anticipate some of that paradigm shattering archetypal energy to give rise alongside this lunation, and with Mercury’s station happening at the same time, prepare for some extra glitches in the established order of things. Wide, whole sign squares from Mars, Saturn, and Pluto definitely generate some tension for the New Moon. As you set out to begin new paths, or break free from past commitments, be mindful of your limitations and be respectful of certain boundaries. In its wholly negative manifestation, this New Moon can impulse some into overly disruptive or destructive actions resulting in unnecessary violence or other intrusions.

But this New Moon invites us to embrace chaos as a natural function within the universe. Too often, we repress who or what we are for the sake of maintaining the social order and status quo. Well, with this New Moon, it’s going to be exceptionally difficult to restrain much of anything. The wildness will emerge in some shape or form, and anything begun under this New Moon is destined for a highly unstable and unpredictable path. With the Sun’s parallel conjunction with Uranus April 18/19, don’t plan on holding yourself or anyone back this next week. Consider what needs to break free and how you might give yourself some extra space to simply do your thing, regardless of what anyone else thinks.

Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path. 

CLICK HERE FOR PERSONAL READINGS

Working it Out: Full Moon in Libra 2018

Lighting in Dallas, TX; from NOAA Photo Library via Wikimedia Commons.

Full Moon @ 10 Libra 45'

March 31, 2018

5:38 AM Los Angeles

8:39 AM New York

1:38 PM London

4:38 PM Dubai

8:38 PM Beijing

11:38 PM Sydney

April 1, 2018

1:38 AM Auckland

This month’s Full Moon culminates in the tropical sign of Libra, bringing to a head relationship issues, matters about agreements between ourselves and others. The sign of Libra seeks peace, compromise, and agreement. But a hard square aspect of the building Mars and Saturn conjunction (exact April 2/3 in Capricorn) to the Full Moon axis, presents some challenges and conflicts. And Mercury retrograde, which opposes the Full Moon from Aries and conjunct the Sun, brings our attention dynamically to the unresolved past. `

This Full Moon is a difficult integration, but it can be utilized to work through building tensions, frustrations, or disagreements in our relationships. Every Full Moon correlates with conclusion, breakthrough, or crisis. In its positive potential, this lunation can bring several issues out into the open, allowing us to articulate ourselves to others and speak up about things unaddressed. Mercury, still retrograde for another two weeks, suggests that we give ourselves extra time to process material presented by this Full Moon, and work to make adjustments and alterations which can be more decisively implemented after the New Moon April 15/16. 

The major challenge of this Full Moon lies in Libra’s tendency to avoid confrontation and conflict. As the Moon reaches its climax in this sign, it amplifies the collective need to make peace, forgive, and forget. However, Mars and Saturn suggest that no matter how well you might want to “just get along,” differences between people still require resolution and acknowledgment. Saturn’s need for growth, maturity, and consistent effort places some uncomfortable tension on relationships which require a realistic assessment. And Mars conjunct Saturn can accentuate striking disparities between people. 

A lack of harmonious aspects to this Full Moon suggests that no matter how uncomfortable, relational problems will need addressing. Sometimes, fixing the problem isn’t really the objective, but rather discussing and negotiating boundaries can be more efficient, allowing each party to accept and understand the limitations inherent in the relationship itself. For some, this Full Moon can correlate with a breaking point, where enough is enough and it’s time to change how they relate to specific people or make changes in their agreements. For others, this may be a critical point at which they push through limitations and obstacles preventing a more harmonious flow of giving and take. 

And as applicable to other life issues, this Full Moon can help us find more balance in our life, but only through an acceptance of responsibility and the hard work needed to make peace a possibility. Mercury’s retrograde opposition to the Full Moon gives us an opportunity to see our relating patterns from a new perspective and gives us time to actively make revisions or reconsider the places occupied by some people in our lives. But no matter what arises with this Full Moon, Libra’s emphasis on empathy and ability to accept paradox gives each of us the power to understand another’s perspective, no matter how hard that might be. This lunation is a powerful reminder that all relationships require work, and both sides need to make an effort to make things flow the best they can. 

Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path. 

CLICK HERE FOR PERSONAL READINGS

On the Edge: New Moon in Pisces 2018

An Alpine Ibex standing on a rock in Gorndergrat; photo by Simo Räsänen via Wikimedia Commons. 

New Moon @ 26 degrees Pisces 53'

March 17, 2018

6:12 AM Los Angeles

9:12 AM New York

1:12 AM London

5:12 PM Dubai

9:12 PM Beijing

March 18, 2018

12:12 AM Sydney

2:12 AM Auckland

As we begin this new lunar cycle, the Sun, and Moon align in the latter degrees of tropical Pisces. As a mutable, water sign, a Pisces New Moon often correlates with nebulous and mysterious transitions. And just days before Mercury turns retrograde (March 22/23) we might feel ourselves on the edge of a prominent shift, but perhaps uncertain of the form it will ultimately take. Mars’ ingress into Capricorn alongside this New Moon further punctuates these permutable vibes. Pisces is amorphous, mystical, and gentle, but this lunation is anything but easy-going or light.

At the final degree of Sagittarius, Mars makes a hard square aspect to the New Moon, while the centaur object Chiron sits in close conjunction. Some may experience the surfacing of trauma, frustration, or even conflict. With Pisces, the possibilities are seemingly endless, because Pisces contains the memories of all prior zodiac signs, invoking an awareness that the universe is ultimately fractalized and interconnected. For those deeply sensitive, you might feel connected to the rising of collective fear, anger, and rage. You might sense the truth that pain is an inevitable part of living.

And reflected in that pain, is your own piece of it. In its negative face, this New Moon can be emotionally overwhelming and acting out or projecting frustration could easily hit the wrong targets. This New Moon invites us inward, to reflect on the source of our pain, but it offers a way to take the steps needed toward transforming it into gifts for the benefit of others. For this New Moon to manifest positively, we may need to really look beyond ourselves and consider things from a more holistic vantage point. Chiron’s presence at this New Moon juncture suggests a shift of attitude and perception about your faults, wounds, and defects. And Mars’ square, while challenging and aggravating, can just as easily catalyze action toward the manifestation of new healing potentials.

Jupiter makes an auspicious trine aspect to the New Moon as well, which gives access to hope, optimism, and the awareness of new doors opening. While Jupiter can, of course, dramatize or amplify the negative aspects of this New Moon, it stands as a beacon of new possibility and support. Situations which arise under this lunation are not as dire or hopeless as they may at first appear. In fact, this New Moon works to alter our perception of dysfunctional or “broken” elements in our lives so we can see their positive impact, and how they fit into a larger, cosmic scheme. If you could reframe just one thing in your life that stands a source of deep pain, what would it be?

Mars entering Capricorn soon after this New Moon changes the landscape quite a bit. We move from inward contemplation to a highly ambitious and challenging cycle which stimulates productivity, determination, and drive. Mercury’s retrograde cycle occurs in square relationship to both Saturn and Mars, which suggests that the following few weeks may require a patient and careful reworking of strategies, goals, plans, objectives, and projects. Use this New Moon as a dynamic starting point for learning to surrender and connect with your most critical priorities. As we enter this Mars/Saturn/Capricorn season clear through May, procrastination is no longer an option, and neither is carelessness in handling responsibilities. Take your time but remain diligent.

Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path. 

CLICK HERE FOR PERSONAL READINGS

Step Up and Be Helpful: Full Moon in Virgo 2018

Hypholoma fasciculare, Yellow Sulphur Tuft mushrooms; photo by Stu's Images [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Full Moon @ 11 Virgo 23' 

March 1, 2018

4:52 PM Los Angeles 

7:52 PM New York

March 2, 2018

1:52 AM London

4:52 AM Dubai

6:52 AM Beijing

9:52 AM Sydney

12:52 PM Auckland

As the Full Moon culminates in tropical Virgo, we’re challenged to integrate the Virgo/Pisces polarity. Over the past week, four planets, including the Centaur object, Chiron, have been transiting Pisces. Neptune and Chiron have been here for some time, but the Sun, Mercury, and Venus' recent Piscean ingress further punctuate the collective dissolution of boundaries, awakening the need to unify as a response to a lucid awareness of chaotic forces within the universe. Under this heavy Piscean influx, we’re inundated with waves of compassion, empathy, and potential confusion. As we meet face to face with the abysmal void of mystery and unknowing, we may feel powerless and overwhelmed.

Pisces seeks self-transcendence, and in that process, can impulse the need to move beyond personal concerns for the sake of a larger cause, movement, or purpose. For some, the Piscean depths can lead to a sense of floundering as we struggle to cope with the true enormity of the universe and its myriad shapes, forms, and experiences. While an expansion of consciousness can augment one's personal awareness and perceptions, it can sometimes ignite a crisis as one gains a true perspective of their existence relative to everything else. And in its most extreme, Pisces invokes a realization of the fluidity of all matter, time, and space--that what we see, touch, and feel are nothing more than a dream, passing by like diaphanous clouds.

But as the Full Moon reaches its peak, it brings with it a grounding, pragmatic, and directed vibe into the collective sphere. Virgo, a mutable, earth sign, seeks reason, intelligibility, and precision. If you’ve felt like you’ve been carried away by a tidal wave lately, uncertain or clueless of the direction of flow, this Full Moon in Virgo acts as a helpful, focusing lens of integration. A Full Moon in Virgo can bring your persistent efforts to a culmination, helping to zero in on a practical application for your innate need or desire to be of service to others. And while doubt and criticism are aspects of the Virgoan shadow, Neptune’s opposition (alongside the pile-up of planets in Pisces) serve to remind us that ultimate perfection is not the goal.

Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path. 

CLICK HERE FOR PERSONAL READINGS

We're here for the experience, and in actuality, the ultimate shape or form of those experiences doesn’t really matter. From an esoteric perspective, our karma may be nothing more than an emotional memory or awareness that moves throughout the universe in the form of an amorphous energy. The ego’s attachment to perfection reflects its inability to accept its impermanence and pointlessness. As a vehicle for the soul’s expression in each lifetime, the ego is a temporary cloak that will eventually be discarded. Thus, the shape of your life and your purpose in this lifetime is essentially the same thing, a vehicle for the acquisition of experience.

As the Moon blossoms in Virgo, consider what great service you have to offer the world. Consider that you deserve to feel useful and needed by the communities that you’re a part of--that you deserve to feel connected to something greater than your personal needs and desires. Look out into the world and consider who you might help and how you might overcome the ego’s petty need to “get it right” so that you can just show up and serve. How desperately does the world need those willing to band together and give their gifts, competence, and tools for the sake of being useful? Neptune’s opposition and conjunction with the Sun is a powerful reminder that there's truly no division between you and them, that we’re all in this together. Whatever you ultimately choose as the vehicle for your service, Virgo’s ideal aim of perfection can help you hone your craft and improve it.

During this Full Moon, you may find yourself reaching a new stage of competency and skillfulness, or find that your efforts at self-improvement are bearing some fruit. Mars’ wide square to the Full Moon axis and Mercury/Venus in Pisces can be a source of aggravation, frustration, or conflict leading to the crisis aspect of the Full Moon. For some, this lunation may aggressively bring forth the realization of some aspect of their lives that desperately needs to be worked on. But Mars can also manifest as a catalyst for the mobilization of willpower and relentless determination to better oneself. And Saturn’s trine to the Full Moon is a helpful aspect for narrowing in on a singular objective, offering an ease of access to persistence and self-discipline.  As the Moon reaches this next climax, consider releasing your need to get it perfect and just step up and be helpful. 

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Cerebral Shifts: Solar Eclipse in Aquarius 2018

Photo by Wing-Chi Poon (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

New Moon/Partial Solar Eclipse @ 27 degrees Aquarius 08'

February 15

1:05 PM Los Angeles

4:05 PM New York

10:05 PM London

February 16

1:05 AM Dubai

3:05 AM Beijing

6:05 AM Sydney

9:05 AM Auckland

Following a dynamic total Lunar Eclipse in tropical Leo two weeks ago, this Aquarian Solar Eclipse takes us to the other end of the spectrum. Unlike the fiery and passionate heat of Leo, Aquarius is cool, calm, collected, and sometimes eccentric. As an air sign, the Aquarian archetype highlights thought and social dimensions. Further compounding the mental nature of this eclipse (as opposed to the emotional impact of the Leo Lunar Eclipse), the planet Mercury closely conjoins the eclipsed Sun within some striking distance of the lunar south node. 

This first pair of eclipses in 2018 takes us back to the changes that occurred during the eclipses of August 2017. Hitting the same Leo/Aquarius axis, these eclipses open a portal to the past to accelerate us toward the future. A Solar Eclipse is a magnified New Moon. It represents a powerful new beginning. As a south nodal eclipse, there's an element of release, surrender, and letting go. 

With the involvement of Mercury, this eclipse invites us to take notice of thinking patterns and perceptions that have outlived their usefulness in our lives. The south node emphasizes the shadow dimensions of Aquarius, which can recede into a cold, distant, and dispassionate approach to life. An overemphasis on objectifying everything, such as our actions, the flow of events, or even nature itself, can turn reality into a mechanical and meaningless morass of purposeless activity. 

Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path. 

CLICK HERE FOR PERSONAL READINGS

Saturn's traditional rulership of Aquarius tends to infuse life with drudgery and banality when not kept in check. Jupiter's upper square to this eclipse brings about an inundation of optimism, hope, and positivity. Blessing the eclipse and Mercury, Jupiter symbolizes an affirmative shift in how we view our lives and what's possible for our future. And yet, still, the challenge of passing through any eclipse is the death of something to make space for new life. 

In it's most challenging face, this eclipse could symbolize the painful demise of an antiquated idea about how reality works. Jupiter's square from Scorpio offers a more authentically oriented framework from which to perceive things from here on out. But it can also incite overly optimistic leaps leading to poorly thought out plans of action. Mercury and Aquarius should maintain a more rational grip, but make sure that you're making a realistic assessment of your choices around this eclipse. 

Uranus, the modern ruler of Aquarius, forms a sextile to this eclipse as well--offering an exciting path to liberation and alternative perspectives. The mind has a terrible habit of limiting the scope of the soul's ability to shape its destiny. The lunar north node in Leo suggests an embrace of creative spontaneity. In the days following this eclipse, Mercury is fully engulfed by the Sun via its superior conjunction on Feb. 17/18, symbolizing further transformation of thoughts, perceptions, and theories and the emergence of significant news, data, and information. 

If you've lost touch with the magical and creative face of the universe, trust this eclipse to reawaken it. If you've allowed your mind to take control, overloading your nervous system with doubt, confusion, worry, and stress--let this eclipse and Mercury/Sun conjunction dissolve it and infuse your awareness again with mystery and wonder. A clustering of planets in Pisces the next few weeks promises a playful dance with the numinous. 

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Trust That You Deserve it: Supermoon/Lunar Eclipse in Leo 2018

Total Lunar Eclipse September 28, 2015; photo by Radoslaw Ziomber via Wikimedia Commons.

Supermoon/lunar eclipse @ 11 Leo 37'

January 31, 2018

5:27 AM Los Angeles

8:27 AM New York

2:27 PM London

5:27 PM Dubai 

7:27 PM Beijing

10:27 PM Sydney

February 1, 2018

1:27 AM Auckland 

This month’s Full Moon is a Supermoon and total Lunar Eclipse in tropical Leo. As you may also have heard, it’s a “Blue Moon,” the second of two Full Moons in one calendar month. Astrologically, a Blue Moon is insignificant (and in some parts of New Zealand this Full Moon occurs on Feb. 1), but a Supermoon/Lunar Eclipse is interesting enough on its own. As always with astrology, the impact of this event may or may not correlate with important events for you. Those with placements in Leo (Sun, Moon, or Asc) should take note, and to a lesser degree all other fixed signs of the zodiac (Scorpio, Aquarius, and Taurus). 

By itself, a Full Moon in Leo correlates with a theatrical or dramatic culmination of events, situations, and projects. During a Lunar Eclipse, these culminations take on a more vigorous and accelerated quality; and during a Supermoon, the subjective impact is notably more intense. Because the Moon is closer to the Earth during a Supermoon, the Moon does appear slightly larger (and brighter) but not much different from other Full Moons. However, the Supermoons closer proximity to Earth changes the ocean’s tides and may correlate with anomalous weather patterns/earth changes. 

During a Lunar Eclipse, the Earth’s shadow crosses the lunar surface. While not enough to entirely block the moonlight, this projection of the Earth gives the Moon a reddish-brown color (it definitely won’t be blue); this is why Lunar Eclipses are also called Blood Moons. Both solar and Lunar Eclipses occur in pairs each year, and Supermoon Lunar Eclipses aren’t that rare. The media and various astronomy websites have gone a little bit overboard with the hype surrounding this eclipse, but it does get the public more engaged with the sky. That’s always a good thing. 

But the attention this particular eclipse is gathering is apt for the sign of Leo known for its ostentatiousness, flamboyance, and gravitas. Leo's ruling planet, the Sun, is the center of everything in the solar system after all. Occurring much closer to the lunar north node than other Lunar Eclipses have in the past two years, this Leo eclipse represents a sensational and accelerated pull towards the future. If you’ve felt stagnant lately, this is a helpful, collective push forward, the most notable since the eclipses of August 2017. 

Eclipses are catalyzing and fast-paced, especially in fire sign Leo. On the days surrounding this eclipse, you might feel compelled to step out a little more, allowing exposure for yourself or your work. Much like this Supermoon/eclipse itself, be mindful of overhyped exaggerations. With Venus in opposition to the Moon, look beyond appearances. The tendency to be fooled by glamorous facades can be one theme and pitfall of this lunar eclipse. But if you believe in whatever you’re putting out there, trust this lunation’s call to confidently step up and gain applause, attention, and recognition from others. 

Venus’ opposition in Aquarius invites us to reach out and embrace increased visibility. Given the polarity of Sun/Moon during a Full Moon, the tension between Leo and Aquarius becomes an underlying theme. The south node in Aquarius speaks of alienation, rejection, and profuse objectification. The Aquarian shadow takes the need for freedom and independence to the extreme edges of social isolation. With Venus’ involvement in the triple conjunction with Sun and south node, the negative face of Venus is also a dominant theme. In the Venusian shadow, there’s an excess focus on compliance and the need for approval to the point of obliviating one’s voice, uniqueness, or viewpoints. The negative face of Venus refuses to stand up for itself, allowing others (or the cultural expectations) to direct one's life, dampening free will. 

If this eclipse speaks more directly to you, it can represent a breakthrough in embracing the confidence to step out and shine. And with both Venus and Jupiter’s connection to this lunation, it supplies auspicious peak energy for parties and celebratory events, especially acknowledging the completion or culmination of something significant. But we also can’t ignore the fact that too much of a good thing can turn sour or ugly. Watch out for over the top displays of egotism. Undeserved pride can lead to humiliating downfalls. Be careful of overestimating what you’re capable of, or even taking a good time too far into mindless overindulgence.

Jupiter’s square is a caution about overspending or overcommitting yourself to things outside of your capability. Quincunxes from Pluto and Saturn via Capricorn suggest pragmatic adjustments. Neptune's quincunx from Pisces is ego deflating. And the Sun, the lunar north node ruler, in Aquarius (plus the dynamic tension of this Full Moon), is an invitation to find balance, compromise, and integration between following your path and the will of the collective. If you’re mindful of those negatives, this Supermoon/Lunar Eclipse is an exciting culmination of creative and playful energy, touched by two benefic planets. It has the power to restore optimism, playfulness, joy, and a willingness to embrace new opportunities. Whether this eclipse is meaningful for you or not, find some way to let yourself be seen or heard. And trust that you deserve it. 

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Unified Willpower: New Moon in Capricorn 2018

Giant Sequoias in Sequoia National Park, 2013; photo by Tuxyso via Wikimedia Commons.

New Moon @ 26 Capricorn 54'

Jan. 16

6:17 PM Los Angeles

9:17 PM New York

Jan. 17

3:17 AM London

6:17 AM Dubai

8:17 AM Beijing

11:17 AM Sydney

2:17 Auckland

This first New Moon of 2018 marks the opening to eclipse season, culminating in a Supermoon/lunar eclipse on Jan. 31/Feb. 1. Occurring in tropical Capricorn, and with four other planets currently in this sign (including Pluto and Saturn), this lunation generates a focused, sobering vibe. On one level, a New Moon in Capricorn is a critical starting point for the execution of projects, tasks, or plans which require enormous amounts of hard work, commitment, and dedication. With such emphasis currently in Capricorn, this New Moon supports sustained effort and discipline channeled toward the accomplishment of long-range goals and objectives.

While a New Moon and the sign of Capricorn naturally stimulate the desire to retreat or withdraw, the planet Venus’ conjunction to this lunation adds a social dimension. Relationships of all kinds get highlighted in addition to artistic outlets. Relational and creative transmutations have been a major theme of the last few weeks with the Sun/Venus superior conjunction accompanied by Pluto. The clustering of these planets has worked to deepen established relationships, revealing unconscious desires, secrets, and emotions.

Alongside the Jupiter/Mars conjunction, the intensity of the past lunar cycle has been a critical step in deepening our awareness of embedded psychic and emotional constructs. But Capricorn is a highly pragmatic sign; themes that emerge around this New Moon direct us to the implementation of concrete strategies and ambitions. Venus’ presence points to collaboration and bridge building, suggesting that wherever you’re trying to go right now might work better if you ask for help, or that you might gain more fulfillment by offering a helping hand.

Collectively, this lunation carries a powerful message that social change is more effective when everyone is working toward similar objectives creating a unifying effect. A dynamic square from Uranus adds an element of unexpected change, breakthrough, or rebellious impulses, pressuring the implementation of adjustment or variation within our social contracts. Until Uranus fully ingresses into Taurus next year, the Uranus/Pluto square is still engendering massive collective upheaval and revolution. While Uranus is ultimately chaotic and unpredictable, its effect on this New Moon helps to catalyze new creative and cooperative directions.

For current relationships, Uranus’ square strongly suggests changing things up and adding something different to the usual routines. For some, this New Moon may mark a major chapter change in the overall structure of a relationship. For new relationships ignited under the auspices of Venus, there’s likely to be elements of spontaneity, impulsiveness, uniqueness, and unpredictability. A sextile from both Mars and Jupiter adds passion, lustiness, and enthusiasm to the moment. Ultimately, the major challenge of this New Moon is finding a healthy way to amicably integrate commitment and follow-through while inclusive of life’s inevitable need for diversification. 

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Feel into it: Supermoon in Cancer 2018

A Supermoon over Queen Valley at Joshua Tree National Park, Ca; photo by NPS/Brad Sutton

Full Moon @ 11 Cancer 38'

Jan. 1

6:24 PM Los Angeles

9:24 PM New York

Jan. 2

3:24 AM London

6:24 AM Dubai

8:24 AM Beijing

11:24 AM Sydney

2:24 AM Auckland

We kick off 2018 with a dynamic Full Moon/Supermoon in tropical Cancer. The Gregorian New Year doesn't' have a connection to nature and thus no real astrological significance, but this Full Moon at the gateway of 2018 is a compelling metaphoric statement about the year ahead. Occurring at the Moon's perigee, this Full Moon is also a Supermoon. The Moon will appear slightly larger (especially near the horizon) and will accentuate the emotional/psychic impact and may correlate with anomalous weather patterns/earth changes.

Cancer, the Moon’s domicile (home sign), does give this Full Moon an auspicious edge. And an opposition from Venus and applying trine to Jupiter further compounds the positive nature of this lunation. A Full Moon is a culmination, breaking point, or completion phase. We might anticipate some positive pinnacles or consummations relating to family and domestic life. A Full Moon in Cancer and opposed by both the Sun and Venus might refer to a collective amplification of empathy, nostalgia, sentimentality, compassion, as well as the need to bond, connect, and belong. 

Nurturing and supportive, the zodiacal sign of Cancer perceives life through the heart lens--extending a healing and nourishing vibe. Some might need extra support or "mothering" with this lunation. Others might feel excessively sensitive or emotional. Whatever your experience with this Full Moon, look to your closest relationships and those that have been developing for some time. You might notice some subtle yet profound shifts happening there, a deepening awareness of your tribal nexus. 

Creating a water grand trine with Neptune and the building conjunction of Mars/Jupiter plus an opposition to the encroaching Venus/Sun inferior conjunction, a lot is developing alongside this Full Moon. The water grand trine places emphasis on the emotional and psychic dimensions, and Neptune and Jupiter’s closed-circuit opens the doorway to spontaneous insight or an awakening of sensitivity. Some of the negative or stressful themes may correlate with finding the right balance between healthy “mothering” vs. smothering. 

The tension inherent to this Full Moon reveals the challenge of offering support but knowing when to set boundaries or when to “let the chicks fly on their own.” If this lunation speaks to you directly, the “auspicious” aspect of the Full Moon suggests that if you reach out and allow yourself to be vulnerable, then you’re likely to find the support and help that you need. Remember that Saturn’s recent Capricorn ingress (in whole sign opposition) demands the acceptance of responsibility, accountability, and a grown-up attitude when tackling any problem. 

And roughly one week from now, in the Moon’s waning shadow, we’ll be slogging around in some intense and profoundly emotional terrain. Jupiter and Mars’ conjunction Jan. 6/7 and the Venus/Sun/Pluto conjunction Jan. 8/9 will dredge up buried secrets and repressed or concealed desires and urges. Given Venus’ Full Moon opposition, many relationships (and creative/artistic projects) are undergoing a powerful renewal and purification process. What you reveal or realize now at this Full Moon will significantly alter your interactions and creations over the coming week. Be wise with your words and insights.

Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path. 

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Into the Void: New Moon in Sagittarius 2017

Sun and ice in a polar sea; image by AWeith via Wikimedia Commons. 

New Moon New Moon @ 26 Sagittarius 31'
Dec. 17
10:30 PM Los Angeles
Dec. 18
1:30 AM New York
7:30 AM London
10:30 AM Dubai
12:30 PM Beijing
3:30 PM Sydney
6:30 PM Auckland

This month’s New Moon is the final lunation of 2017. Conjunct Saturn in tropical Sagittarius, it brings with it a heavy and serious vibe. And while Mercury is still retrograde until shortly after the solstice (Dec. 22/23), this isn’t going to be an ideal New Moon for sudden or impulsive new beginnings. Saturn might just put the brakes on your momentum if you don’t have a long-range goal or practical strategy in mind, and Mercury, the trickster, is notorious for redirecting or meddling with intentions. 

Chiron’s square to the New Moon adds another element of difficulty--accentuating hardship and spiritual/existential pain. And yet, Uranus, the liberator, offers a trine aspect from Aries, making this New Moon a little complex to navigate. First off, Sagittarius is all about the bigger picture and the acquisition of faith. Strong Sagittarian individuals are impetuously guided by faith or belief in a “higher” power above and beyond the other zodiac signs. 

The first contradiction we face with this New Moon is that Sagittarian impulse of taking a “leap of faith” which gets amplified by Uranus’ trine. While that impulse is strong, Saturn restrains and blocks with a heavy (or harsh) reminder of life’s limitations and obstacles. But let’s not render Saturn the villain with this lunation. As you reach out for some new experience or vision alongside this New Moon, realize that it’s going to require some serious effort, sacrifice, and commitment to see it through. 

This lunation is an excellent starting point for putting together your strategy, a Saturnian strong suit. Mercury is still retrograde, and its station in several days time works to slow down and focus our activities. It’s also a transitional barrier which is doubly echoed by Saturn’s ingress into Capricorn on Dec. 19/20. While every New Moon has a lower energy vibe, Saturn’s conjunction adds further gravity to the situation. So the most dynamic part of this lunation is its ability to make things really clear as we gaze into this highly sobering lense. 

With that clarity, we might feel compelled to take some action or reach for some experience and yet still feel as if something is blocking those desires from fulfillment or gratification. Also, there is the possibility of feeling overpowered by depression or crushing, existential dread. It’s definitely not comfortable. But instead of fighting these feelings, it might be wise to step back and listen carefully to what they have to say. 

Saturn, the master of solitude, invites us to sink into ourselves, perhaps take some time out to reflect, divine, and commune within. Once you establish a strong connection, those Uranian impulses can work to liberate us from the illusion of the material world. But, while an illusion, those limitations are perceptively real, and they work to limit possibilities. What a relief. While engaged in this human experience, we must choose specific experiences over others which keeps us from mindlessly running in circles. 

And when we’re uncomfortable, we’re motivated to make a shift in our lives. While difficult to accept, pain is the greatest catalyst for change. Soak in these words as you pass through this lunation. Remember that nothing is permanent. If you find yourself struggling with this lunar cycle, fully embrace the pain, the sadness, or the discomfort. Trust that these passing feelings are the motivation to move in new directions. For now, utilize the moment to focus in on greater things.

In addition to its conjunction with Saturn, this New Moon also conjoins the galactic center, a supermassive black hole at the center of our milky way galaxy. Combined with the encroaching winter solstice (in the northern hemisphere), this is also a sacred time to honor the darkness and the void. As much as the western world glorifies the light, the void gives us life. It is from nothing, the complete absence of light, that creation emerges. Remember that a place of emptiness or loss is the most fertile ground for a new creative process to emerge.

Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path. 

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Surrender to the Data Flow: Full Moon in Gemini 2017

Light traces of a chain carousel, Viktorkirmes in Dülmen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany; photo by Dietmar Rabich, via Wikimedia Commons.

Full Moon @ 11 Gemini 40'
Dec. 3
7:47 AM Los Angeles
10:47 AM New York
4:47 PM London
7:47 PM Dubai
9:47 PM Beijing
Dec. 4
12:47 AM Sydney
3:47 AM Auckland

This last Full Moon of 2017 occurs in tropical Gemini and is also a Supermoon. A Supermoon is a Full Moon that occurs at perigee (when the Moon is closest to the Earth) which results in a slightly larger Moon, especially when rising beside buildings, mountains, or trees. 

A Supermoon also seems to correlate with increased psychic upheaval and natural events (like anomalous weather or earthquakes). Collectively and personally, a Full Moon is a dynamic culmination of energy, and alongside Mercury's retrograde station, Mars and Uranus' opposition, and Jupiter trine Neptune, it's a critical breaking point in narratives both public and private. 

A Gemini Full Moon is likely to bring significant information, facts, data, and discussions to the surface. With Gemini ruler Mercury in retrograde, conjunct Saturn, we're looking at some heavy topics requiring careful articulation and analysis. But considering that Mercury is retrograde, fully processing this information is going to take some time. 

It might be best to avoid hasty conclusions. Consider everything purely hypothetically and in need of further testing and evaluation over the next three weeks. If you feel the need to rush into something, really step back and question whether that's an appropriate response. 

And if you feel confused, overwhelmed with options, choices, decisions, or overburdened with info overload, try reflection or meditation instead of a purely rational approach. With Neptune squaring the Full Moon axis, obfuscation of the facts is highly likely. So the truth is hard to come by with this Full Moon. Again, the next few weeks of Mercury's retrograde cycle can help us flesh that out. 

Ultimately, this Full Moon appears to topple some paradigms built upon theories which no longer have validity in the face of reality. Saturn's last breath in Sagittarius, conjunct Mercury retrograde, transitions us into a new understanding of the truth in light of unique insight, information, and perspectives. Open your mind and surrender to the data flow. A new reality is opening up, filled with possibilities. 

Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path. 

Loving the Darkness: New Moon in Scorpio 2017

The Cygnus Wall, part of the North America Nebula (NGC 7000); photo by Chuck Ayoub.

New Moon @ 26 Scorpio 19'
November 18, 2017
3:42 AM Los Angeles
6:42 AM New York
12:42 PM London
3:42 PM Dubai
5:42 PM Beijing
8:42 PM Sydney
11:42 PM Auckland

This month's New Moon in tropical Scorpio arrives just two weeks before Mercury's retrograde cycle in Sagittarius. Occurring in Mercury's retrograde shadow, this lunation is conducive for laying low, recharging, regeneration, and healing. Scorpio is a zodiac sign with a somewhat negative stigma. It is symbolized by a Scorpion after all. Scorpions and many other arachnids can be deadly creatures. So, naturally, the archetypal resonance of Scorpio is along the lines of danger, darkness, and even death. 

Scorpio's modern ruler, Pluto, symbolizes entropy and regeneration. When confronted with Plutonic realms, horrors, atrocities, and nightmares typically surface. And Mars, the traditional ruler of Scorpio is one of the "lesser malefics," i.e., a "bad" planet that to ancient astrologers caused destruction, violence, and separations. No wonder Scorpio is so feared by the western mind. As a fixed, water sign of yin (or feminine) polarity, Scorpio embodies most strongly the symbol of the abysmal and irrational unconscious, and ditto for Pluto. It's an interesting synchronicity that both rulers of Scorpio, Mars and Pluto, are applying in a square aspect alongside this New Moon (exact the following day). 

With Mars in detriment in Libra, this may not be the most comfortable lunation or the most promising for getting precisely what you want. However, the New Moon makes a trine to Chiron, and both Venus and Jupiter are currently transiting Scorpio, too. So, what is this New Moon good for? First off, it's an auspicious moment that helps us shed light on anything that's been obscured from conscious acknowledgment. Chiron's trine promises the opening of new pathways that could potentially lead to rapid reversals, healings, and breakthroughs. The western world's fear of death reflects its obsession with purity, light, and whiteness.

lf you've lived long enough, you've probably realized that life isn't always "love and light," that often, real healing requires not cleanliness or "good" thoughts, but boldly stepping into the dreaded darkness and facing some shit with a positive attitude. Life is far more interesting (and healthy) when you're inclusive of diversity. This New Moon is all about honesty, and when you're honest with yourself and your real feelings and needs, authentic healing opportunities emerge. Jupiter's transit through Scorpio (until Nov. of 2018) suggests rewards are waiting in the pit of hell. The risk? There's always a risk with Scorpio, Mars, and Pluto. The best advice for this New Moon: don't just listen to your impulses. In fact, if you're uncertain about what you should do, or what direction you should take, respond to reason, competent guidance, and intuition over any emotionally charged reaction. 

Ask people you trust to give you a more objective viewpoint. This is likely to be an intense lunation, extending some moodiness or seething hostility into the collective vibes. It could also be incredibly sexy, passionate, and profound. With Mars/Pluto, you may notice that any accumulation of repressed desires and instincts may come pouring forth here. And the best way to deal with that is to give them a voice and listen to what they have to say. Realize that whatever shows up, it's okay. If it hurts, feel it. If you feel angry, get it out. Sit in your darkness and embrace that everything, even your worst fears, is still a part of your wholeness and deserving of love.

Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path. 

Trust the Flow: Full Moon in Taurus 2017

Petroglyphs at Parowan Gap, Utah, August 2017; photo by Chad Woodward. 

Full Moon @ 11 Taurus 59'

November 3, 2017

10:23 PM Los Angeles

November 4, 2017

1:23 AM New York

7:23 AM London

10:23 AM Dubai

12:23 PM Beijing

3:23 PM Sydney

6:23 PM Auckland

This Full Moon in tropical Taurus is a solid grounding point in the collective psyche. It brings stability and closure to several processes we’ve been dealing with over the last month, but it isn’t devoid of tension. The Full Moon ruler, Venus, opposes Uranus, the changemaker, liberator, and revolutionary. That throws some relationship tensity into the current drama, but Venus’ superior position makes for constructive, positive changes and creative/artistic breakthroughs. 

The last two lunations occurred in cardinal signs, each emphasizing dynamic, catalyzing events and actions. If you’re a bit exhausted from the changes, adjustments, and turbulence of the past two lunations, this Full Moon can feel like a welcome relief for many of us. That’s because Taurus is a fixed, earth sign. Its energy is sustaining, underscoring consistency, peace, and repose. A Full Moon by its very nature is inherently tense. The opposition of Sun and Moon represents the reconciliation of opposites and the death/decay of the past. 

The dichotomy of Moon in Taurus and Sun in Scorpio highlights the tension between simplicity and complexity. One good example of this is the human body which reflects all natural products of evolution. At first glance, the needs of the human body are rather simple: eat good, whole food, get some exercise and sunlight, sleep, and engage intimately with others. Simple enough. 

Looking deeper at the biological complexity when all of these things are broken down or put through a microscope astounds the mind. The complexity of the nutrients, minerals, proteins, and amino acids required for our food; the neurotransmitters released during positive/negative social interactions and their impact on our nervous system; the need for acute stressors that challenge our vital organs and nervous system to keep our body fit, etc. Taurus isn’t concerned with what goes on behind the scenes. What you see is what you get. 

There is profound wisdom in that Taurean attitude. When we’re overwhelmed with life as it is, we don’t need to analyze the biological constituents of our dinner salad meticulously. Taurus says: “Eat the salad and go to sleep.” The body takes care of the rest. There are autonomic processes that just do what they do without us thinking about it. Scorpio is aware that sometimes that isn’t true. Sometimes when we just take life at face value, we’re oblivious to unknown factors that could lead to unneeded harm or stress. 

Scorpio wants to know what’s under the hood, what makes things work, and what dangers might lie in the darkness. With this Full Moon, there’s a need to balance both of these desires in our personal lives. Where do we just need to shut up and eat the salad, and where do we need to probe deeper to unveil the blind spots. There can be a healthy balance between the two. Jupiter's Scorpio transit over the next year will help us see under the hood with a lot more clarity. Consider what you’ve been trying to “get to the bottom of” in your own life, and notice how you might be getting closer to the truth. 

Jupiter’s opposition from Scorpio and the Full Moon’s applying trine to Pluto suggests taking it easy, and you’ll be led to the answers and the deeper awareness you seek. Don’t feel the need to plunge in and make anything happen with this Full Moon. Take some time to rest, find your still point, and let nature take care of the rest. The New Moon in Scorpio (Nov. 18) is a natural starting point for beginning to heal, recover, and uncover. Take a more significant risk in just two weeks, but for now, trust the flow and see what happens. 

Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path. Evolutionary Astrology can help.

Turning it Around: New Moon in Libra 2017

Somewhere in Utah; photo by Chad Woodward, 2017.

New Moon @ 26 Libra 35'

October 19, 2017

12:12 PM Los Angeles 

3:12 PM New York

6:12 PM London

9:12 PM Dubai

11:12 PM Beijing

Oct. 20, 2017 

2:12 AM Sydney

5:12 AM Auckland

After a hot, volatile Full Moon in Aries just two weeks ago, this tropical Libra New Moon is a time to reset ourselves and settle in for another cycle. While this isn’t the most comfortable or peaceful New Moon, it’s still a natural time to recharge and recalibrate. The sign of Libra places emphasis on our relationships, which covers everything from domestic/marriage partners, intimate, longstanding friendships to anyone you might associate with professionally.

Libra, and its planetary ruler, Venus, symbolize our instinct to relate, find common ground, build bridges between disparate pieces, and see eye to eye. The positive face of Libra is the ability to locate our common humanity in everyone we encounter, no matter how different they appear to be. This most basic of human instincts generates cohesion and social harmony. It is the root of our desire to get along and avoid conflict.

When taken to an extreme, Libra/Venus can put on a happy face even when it doesn’t want to, just to make other people feel comfortable, by hiding its true feelings or nature. With Venus currently transiting Libra, it’s easy to do this right now, no matter what you may be experiencing in your personal life. Venus in Libra, while comfortable and “auspicious” here, can tempt many of us to hide behind an artificial veneer just to “keep the peace.”

The challenge of this New Moon is the amicable nature of Libra and Venus, and the lower energy of the New Moon vibes receiving a hard hit from Uranus in Aries. While the New Moon is a time of rest and rejuvenation, Uranus’ opposition inflames rebellious, individualistic impulses. In whatever situation you find yourself, you’ll have to balance these two polarities, but it’s a natural time to begin this practice.

With this New Moon, look to certain social dimensions in your life, and in what way you can infuse your own personal flair, style, or viewpoints without alienating yourself or causing widespread disruption. How can you rebel or create changes in certain relationships/partnerships without completely burning down bridges? Also, how can you maintain peace, harmony, and common ground in situations that require you to take a stand and stay true to yourself?

No matter what you do with this New Moon, you’ll notice a shifting dynamic in certain relationships. These changes will make an obvious impact over the next two weeks beyond this New Moon threshold. Occurring in cardinal signs and involving Uranus, this is anything but a stable, calming New Moon moment. It’s a time to embrace as well as healthfully create change within your social interactions and step courageously into the future.

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The Other Side: Full Moon in Aries 2017

A horse looking over a wall; photo by muffinn, UK via Wikimedia Commons. 

Full Moon @ 12 Aries 43'
Oct. 5, 2017
11:40 AM Los Angeles
2:40 PM New York
7:40 PM London
10:40 PM Dubai
Oct. 6
2:40 AM Beijing
5:40 AM Sydney
7:40 AM Auckland 

As the waxing lunar cycle climaxes in tropical Aries, there’s a wave of hot, fierce, fire intensity alongside it. But there are critical lessons to be learned here about the use and expression of force, aggression, and passion. Full Moon’s always correlate with the completion, culmination, or ending of a process. Collectively, they bring psychic forces to a critical mass and amplify the flavor or feel of the general atmosphere.

With this lunation in Aries, a cardinal fire sign ruled by the planet Mars, there’s a notable yang expression/dynamic to this Full Moon which can capacitate impulsiveness, willfulness, courage, and fear.

The positive face of this Full Moon is empowering and mobilizing. It represents immense accessibility to inner strength and audacity. If you’ve been feeling a gradual increase in motivation, the Full Moon’s rising energy is likely to accentuate that. Look around at what’s currently in the process of integration and achievement.

Put your enthusiasm and energy into furthering the end goals of processes already underway, and use the next two weeks to consider the launch of new ventures after the New Moon in Libra Oct. 19/20. For now, feel this surging intensity and use it to step up fearlessly to what scares you in life. Realize your power to take up space and command what you desire.

A Full Moon is always a balancing act. With the Sun and Mercury in Libra opposing the Moon, you must accommodate alien perspectives. Before rushing into battle with this Full Moon, make sure that you’re aware of all sides to the story/issue. In other words, get another opinion. Receptivity is just as important with this lunation as acknowledging your innate, inner power.

Synchronously, Venus conjoins Mars alongside this Full Moon. This Venus/Mars conjunction in Virgo in opposition to Neptune (and trine Pluto) offers insight and lessons about forces that are beyond our control. It’s too easy to respond to impulsive desire, anger, rage, fear, or frustration with this lunation, but before doing so, take a step back.

The mitigating and calming effect of Venus on Mars can help temper and tame uncontrollable reactions. Neptune opposite this conjunction suggests that for now, we surrender to the mystery and allow life to be complicated. With all that we see and experience in the world today, it’s tempting to allow our fear of complexity and uncertainty to simplify critical issues in the world and our own lives.

Neptune’s highest teaching is that we will never fully penetrate the illusions/mysteries of reality. There’s always another question on the other side. We can explore that in our lives in choosing to listen more than we speak, in choosing to see all the parties and opinions before bounding ourselves into a crusade.

Our primal instincts serve us in the heat of the moment by narrowing down a specific threat or target, but when displaced onto more complex personal and social issues, they can fool us into expending our time and energy on the wrong targets. Pluto square this lunation suggests that we be aware of the causes, unconscious motives, and unseen factors.

While this Full Moon can also be incredibly hot, sexual, and creative, it can expand consciousness and experiences beyond biological or personal needs. When it comes to sex, consider how incredibly sexy it is when a partner attempts to understand you and see your perspective. As you engage with this Full Moon, don’t just react, try to understand the object of your fear or desires. In doing so, you’ll grow and deepen your awareness of both internal and external realities.

Become a member of Kosmic Horizon. Membership includes rising sign forecasts every New and Full Moon, weekly emails, plus exclusive blogs and content. Everything you need to keep up with the planets!

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Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path. Evolutionary Astrology can help.

The Revelation 12 Sign: Is It Really Astrology?

The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed with the Sun by William Blake. 

As many of my readers are probably well aware, I’m not a Christian. I’m going to assume that most of my readers probably aren’t either. But, to be respectful here, I’m not going to make any attempt to denounce Christianity in this article. My spiritual and philosophical views are rather varied, and my own personal “beliefs” (if you want to call them that) reflect a synthesis of many things that work for me personally, which means that organized religion doesn’t work for me.

Naturally, that conflicts with many of the beliefs of Christianity. I’m also an astrologer, but that doesn’t really conflict with Christianity entirely. Actually, there are Christian astrologers (and they’re good at what they do). I want to make it clear that I don’t believe in a lot of things that Christians believe, but I don’t think that’s a problem in discussing the legitimacy of the popular “Revelation 12 sign” and I think that many rational people within the Christian community will agree with me on many points in this article.

Also, this article isn’t my attempt to make anyone look stupid, or to dissuade anyone from believing in the prophetic context of The Book of Revelation (Revelation) or the spiritual significance of the Bible. However, it is my strong conviction that Revelation and the Bible were never intended to be literally interpreted. With that said, the Revelation 12 sign brings up an interesting discussion about astrology and biblical prophecy that needs to be addressed. Also, the Revelation 12 sign is another opportunity for astrologers to better inform the public about what we astrologers actually do because the debunking of the Revelation 12 sign from the scientific and astronomical communities is going to impact the public’s perception of what astrologers do, unfortunately.

The Revelation 12 sign is a theory proposing that on September 23, 2017, a certain “alignment” of planets and stars occurring over Jerusalem will signify the beginning of Jacob’s Trouble, also known as the Tribulation Period as outlined in Revelation. This “theory” suggests the literal fulfillment of the prophecy of Revelation, i.e. the rapture and the eventual end of the world. Now, “literal fulfillment” is the important point here.

Not all Christians agree on the interpretation of Revelation. For example, historicists look at the book through the broad lens of history. Preterists think that it describes events that happened in the 1st century or during the fall of the Roman empire. And futurist interpretations are really at the root of the Revelation 12 sign theory and suggest that Revelation describes future events. This falls into alignment with a literal or fundamentalist interpretation of biblical passages. However, an idealist or symbolic interpretation (something I would suggest if you take it seriously) looks at Revelation from a metaphoric standpoint.

If you study religion, theology, AND occultism, you soon realize the Bible’s esoteric nature. Basically, you could suggest that the Bible is filled with veiled astrological metaphors, which is true, but not the whole picture. You see, the astrology of the Bible is not really astrology as we understand it today, but rather something called astrotheology. Horoscopic astrology and astrotheology are quite different, as is the difference between alchemy and modern day chemistry. Astrotheology is more congruent with shamanism and mysticism and was an integral aspect of many ancient, religious cults. A rigorous discussion of this subject is beyond the scope of this article. There are many books on this subject and if you’re interested, I’d strongly suggest researching this.

For our purposes here, I’d like to point out that the “theory” of the Revelation 12 sign is not astrology as I would practice it or as many of my colleagues would practice it. The belief or theory of the Revelation 12 sign is more in alignment with astrotheology and prophecy, not western, horoscopic astrology. But before I go further, let’s flesh out this Revelation 12 sign. It all begins with this prophecy from Revelations 12: 1-2:

“A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of 12 stars. She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth … She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod.”

An image of "The Revelation 12 Sign" on September 23, 2017 using Starry Night software. 

On September 23, just after the equinox and the New Moon, proponents of the Revelation 12 sign suggest that this prophecy from Revelation will literally happen as an alignment of planets and stars in the sky. As you can see in the image above, the woman is said to represent the constellation of Virgo; the Sun is at her shoulders (“clothed with the Sun”), the Moon is at her feet, three planets in the constellation Leo (Mercury, Venus, and Mars) are visually “aligned” “above her head” along with nine of the most visible stars in this constellation (making 12 “stars”), and the planet Jupiter is stationing direct near her abdominal area.

Jupiter is said to symbolize the male child this woman is giving birth to. The fact that Jupiter is recently stationing direct, which means that it’s shifting from retrograde (an apparent backwards movement through the sky) to direct motion, further reinforces the theory and belief that Jupiter is symbolic of the birth of a child in Virgo’s abdomen, because this retrograde period takes 42 days, which is the approximate period of gestation in the womb.

Now, it’s certainly intriguing and this particular setup of planets is quite rare, but let’s get real here. This isn’t the first time this kind of alignment has occurred since Revelation was written. In an article featured on The Catholic Astronomer, astronomer Christopher M. Graney, pointed out that in the last one thousand years, similar configurations have happened at least four times: September 24, 1827, September 6, 1483, September 5, 1293, and September 14, 1056. I’m very grateful for Mr. Graney’s work in finding these past configurations, because I really didn’t have the time or interest to do this myself.

You can use an astronomy software program (like Starry Night which I use, or Stellarium) to easily verify these dates for yourself, which I did. While these past configurations are not identical, they’re extremely close and are enough to warrant a validation of this prophecy at those times as well. Maybe the rapture already happened in 1483 and we just haven’t realized it yet?

It’s also possible that Revelation, if it has any prophetic or symbolic value, was probably never meant to be taken as a vision of literal future events at all. It’s possible that Revelation, and the Bible itself, are filled with veiled astrological metaphors meant only for those initiates who could decode it and understand the symbolism. It was extremely common for alchemists and initiates of mystery religions and cults to write material coded in esoteric symbolism. This was a way of keeping non-initiates from understanding the true message, cult secrets, and also a way of protecting the secrecy of the cult from persecution. The popularity of the Revelation 12 sign reflects the exoteric understanding of Christianity, and it misses the likely truth that Christianity today is not what it was over two thousand years ago.

The same is true of astrology. In fact, astrologers today are just now uncovering the techniques, beliefs, and practices of astrologers who lived thousands of years ago. We’re just now beginning to understand the origin of western astrology. Even with this newfound material, we still barely understand how these ancient astrologers practiced, how they understood time and space, or how they even thought. In light of these discoveries, it’s obvious that early Greco-Roman astrology and the astrotheology of the Bible are not the same thing, by any means.

In fact, modern astrologers don’t actually use the constellations. The large majority of astrologers today use either the tropical or sidereal zodiacs. The signs of these zodiacs are named after the constellations, but are not the same thing in a technical sense. The tropical zodiac was already in use long before the Bible was written, and was used in tandem with the sidereal zodiac during the height of Hellenistic astrology during the reign of the Roman empire.

When astronomers try to say that your Sun sign is actually the sign before it, they apparently don’t know that western astrologers don’t use the constellations at all, but rather the tropical zodiac, constructed from the Sun’s seasonal cycle. The sidereal zodiac attempts to line up the signs with the constellations, but fails to do so completely because the signs of the sidereal zodiac occur at 30 degree equal increments, while the constellations do not. The constellation of Virgo is 40 degrees wide!

The reason astrologers no longer use the constellations is due to something called precession of the equinoxes. This is the gradual shifting of the constellations relative to seasonal points and planetary alignments over a period of thousands of years. For example, roughly two thousand years ago, during the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere, the Sun was in the constellation of Aries, but today it occurs near the end of the constellation of Pisces.

This is also where the belief in the astrological ages comes from, and the suggestion that we’re moving into the “Age of Aquarius”  since the Sun on the equinox is moving from the constellation Pisces to Aquarius. But, to go back to Revelation 12, I don’t think that this particular passage from the Bible was referring to a specific “alignment” of planets on September 23, 2017. In fact, whenever this configuration occurs, it happens near the Sun, where no one could ever possibly see it! You won’t see any of these planets or stars on Sep. 23. You’ll only see the Sun, and I wouldn’t recommend looking at it (unless you still have some leftover eclipse glasses).

From The Book of Revelation ; a study of the last prophetic book of Holy Scripture by Clarence Larkin, 1919. 

This “great sign” that “appears” in the sky doesn’t actually appear at all. Doesn’t anyone think this is a little suspect? Or did the prophet of Revelation know that two thousand years later we would have the astronomical software to see the “great sign?” I’m thinking probably not. Also, referring to the planets Venus, Mercury, and Mars and the constellation Leo as the “twelve stars” that appear above the woman’s head, is really some serious twisting of the facts to make things fit perfectly.

There are actually more than nine stars in Leo. The nine “stars” in the the Revelation 12 sign are the most visible stars in the constellation, but there are several more, as well as above the Virgin’s head that are technically not in Leo. Also, while we know that ancient people may have referred to planets as stars, they actually knew the difference. The word planet is Greek for wanderer, which refers to a star that moves. While they may have thought of planets as “wandering stars”, they knew there was a difference between stars and “wanderers” because they had a word for it.

The constellation of Virgo also refers to a virgin! Yes, last time I checked, with the exception of the birth of Christ and Mary’s supposed immaculate conception, virgin’s don’t give birth to children. Okay, that’s not a strong point, but I thought it was kind of funny. The Revelation 12 sign is also somehow tied into the belief in “Planet X” (and a whole host of other viral internet ideologies like the “Flat Earth Theory”). The belief in Planet X originates from the work of Zecharia Sitchin and his many books about the fabled planet “Nibiru”, but particularly his most popular, The Twelfth Planet.

According to Sitchin, Nibiru enters the inner solar system periodically, close enough to cause weather changes and massive destruction on Earth. Sitchin primarily made connections between Mesopotamian artifacts to support his thesis that Nibiru is a planet inhabited by a race of extraterrestrial beings called the Annunaki, who descend upon the Earth whenever their planet is in the neighborhood. Sitchin suggested that these aliens actually created the human race, and that the deluge mythologies from Mesopotamia and the bible actually refer to Nibiru.

Now, how Christian conspiracy theorists on YouTube are getting caught up in Sitchin's literal interpretations of mesopotamian mythologies is beyond me (unless you decide that the bible is now an account of aliens creating humans). I do think it’s possible that extraterrestrial beings may have interfered with human evolution. Do I whole-heartedly believe that? No. But I’m not going to dismiss that as a possibility. It’s plausible, and it’s an interesting hypothesis. Also, there is much credence to a Planet X.

In fact, astronomers are still looking for a large planet, known as Planet Nine, that’s creating gravitational anomalies in the Extreme Trans Neptunian Objects, but it still remains hypothetical. Could this planet be Nibiru? Is it coming into its cyclic passage through the solar system creating havoc and destruction on the planet? I doubt it. And if Nibiru actually does exist, is it inhabited by a race of extraterrestrial beings? I’m going to say, probably not. These are all fascinating ideas and speculations, and they make for great works of fiction, but there just isn’t enough evidence to convince me of their actual validity (and I’ve actually read all of Sitchin's books).

The hypothosized orbit of Planet Nine; image via Wikimedia Commons.

So, why would anyone believe in the Revelation 12 sign or the planet Nibiru? Why do people periodically get swept up in paranoid fantasies about the end of the world? If you go back through history, especially since the writing of Revelation, these kinds of predictions and speculations have been going on for a very long time. It’s nothing new. I mean, let’s go back to medieval Europe during the bubonic plague and imagine what they thought was happening as they watched everyone around them dying (with Revelation probably at the forefront of their minds). The Revelation 12 sign is not really that unique. As we have seen, it’s happened before.

I think that these reactions are a natural response to uncertainty and change. We’re living in a world and society that’s becoming increasingly complex and fast paced. Everything is changing, and rapidly. Technological progress and scientific understanding are happening at an increasingly faster rate. We’re living in a period of human evolution that’s probably never happened before, and if it has, we have no record of it. As a result of this increasing complexity and advancement, people get scared. They want to have some sense of control over what’s happening.

It’s possible that what’s happening in the world, for the most part, is beyond our control. For astrologers, we look at a world possessed by mythology. I believe that these myths have power and that they influence people on a very real, psychological dimension. I also think that the Christian mythology is important, and it’s influenced all aspects of our culture, even within the institutions of scientific skepticism. Again, that’s a lengthy conversation, but I point that out because I don’t think anyone is immune to myth even if they don’t believe in a literal battle of “good versus evil”. That battle is still being waged within the unconscious of all people influenced by western culture.

I think that humanity is in a process of awakening. To me, this process is endless, because it is the process of evolution itself. As we awaken, we realize the vast complexity of reality, and at each stage, we have varying reactions to that. Here in the U.S., the current political establishment appeals to a percentage of the population that wants to revert back to a more simplistic period of American history. We’re seeing this trend not just in the United States, but across the world. For an astrologer, this appears to be an archetypal inundation within the collective consciousness, and understanding it objectively helps us keep some distance from being taken over by it.

But the solution to what’s happening in the world lies at the heart of evolution: adaptation. I think that humans have survived some extremely difficult situations throughout our time here. Given the advancements in science and technology, I think we’re more equipped to survive now than we have ever been. I think it’s time that we embraced change and chaos, and do what we can to continue our journey here on earth, whatever that looks like.

In conclusion, many astronomers (including Mr. Graney mentioned above) go on to debunk astrology along with the Revelation 12 sign. This is unfortunate, because their discussion of astrology is always poorly researched. It’s clear that astronomers don’t study astrology, and therefore are not qualified to make any claims about it. They often use the same rhetoric in their discussions, emphasizing poorly written Sun sign horoscopes, as if those represent the entire field of astrology and those who practice it. This is entirely untrue, and forges a very limited perception of astrology in the public eye.

To compare the fanatical beliefs and astrotheological prophecies of the proponents of the Revelation 12 sign with the entire field of horoscopic astrology, is rather absurd. Unfortunately, this is a common trend with astronomers and scientists, who, with their very narrow, ad hoc understanding of astrology, try to “debunk” something they know very little about. To experienced, professional astrologers, who study, research, and practice astrology their entire lives, the Revelation 12 sign is insignificant astrologically speaking, but it’s interesting because it opens a discussion about the Bible and astrotheology as a whole. We could suggest that the believers of the Revelation 12 sign are actually debunking the literal interpretation of the Bible through their unwitting obsession with astrotheology.

The myth of Revelation, however, is definitely significant from a symbolic or archetypal perspective, and I think that it’s playing out within each of us, and in the world, whether we believe that or not. That is an entire discussion by itself, but for now, I’ll leave you with this: the world isn’t literally coming to an end. The Sun will be around another 5 billion years, and the Earth will be habitable for at least another billion. A meteor strike or nearby supernova explosion could always happen, and yet the Earth would likely still be here, though we might not. But our demise isn’t the demise of the Earth. It’ll move on with its evolution, so let’s move on with ours. These myths may actually be part of that evolutionary process, and working through them within our own lives and on the world stage, may be a very crucial piece of our human story and evolution here on Earth.

Getting It Together: New Moon in Virgo 2017

A view from Nebo Canyon Scenic Byway, Utah; photo by Chad Woodward, 2017. 

New Moon @ 27 Virgo 27'

September 19, 2017

10:30 PM Los Angeles

September 20, 2017

1:30 AM New York

6:30 AM London

9:30 AM Dubai

1:30 PM Beijing

3:30 PM Sydney

5:30 PM Auckland

This is a powerful Virgo season. This New Moon in tropical Virgo is joined by Mercury, Venus, and Mars--five planets all clustering in a single sign at the moment of this lunation. While a New Moon is typically our down time, conducive for recharging and rest, there’s just so much to do! The Virgo archetype stimulates our idealism, though not through lofty, ambiguous dreams.

Virgo arouses very practical and concrete expectations about how the real world should operate. With this New Moon, there’s likely to be a certain level of earthy idealism influencing you in one way or another. Virgo’s highest aim is to nudge us in the direction of improvement. You might be feeling that there’s a “higher level” you could strive for no matter what you’ve accomplished.

Naturally, all of these high voltage Virgo vibes aren’t going to let us rest as much as we would like during a typical New Moon. From an evolutionary perspective, it’s “time” for all of us to take an honest assessment of ourselves and our lives and see where we can progress, and how much further we can thrust ourselves closer to those Virgoan ideals.

This Virgo season can help you get a lot done, like anything you’ve set aside but didn’t have the energy to check off your list until now. How wonderful it is to have that feeling of getting things in better order and organized. Virgo can indulge in that sensation of relief once everything is finally cleaned up, inducing a sense of calm and utter tranquility. Another Virgo attribute is the building of competence--becoming better at what we do to serve the world.

So, with this New Moon, there’s something dynamic beginning somewhere in your life that can help you step up and make something more of yourself and augment your life circumstances. The negative end of this New Moon, and something you should definitely watch out for, is expecting too much of yourself or other people.

Virgo’s less-evolved side carries some irrational expectations, and is prone to nit picking, fault finding, and micromanagement to the extreme. Don’t fall into that trap. Set some realistic ideals and expectations for yourself, and do your best. Of course, not changing anything is an option too, but that might lead to insane restlessness or neuroticism because these Virgo energies need to find healthy and productive outlets.

The planetoid Chiron is in opposition to this New Moon. Chiron, the wounded healer facing off with this lunation could definitely direct us to what’s wrong, defective, or ugly about ourselves and our life choices. The positive side is that Chiron can help us recognize our wounds and see them through a more sober and realistic lense. But this New Moon’s ruler, Mercury, also forms an opposition to Neptune, which can seriously cloud our judgement, exaggerating our pain and inadequacies beyond their actual nature.

And Saturn in wide square to Chiron and this lunation, can also engender some depression, or feelings of overwhelm with all that we’re presently dealing with. If you’re actually doing the best that you can right now (and really, only you know that), there’s no need to be too hard on yourself.

In fact, while there’s likely to be plenty of opportunities to look at ourselves and situations with some level of clarity (through an amplification of “what’s wrong”), you have the power to actually change any negative, “can’t do” attitudes and thinking patterns completely around. This is one of Chiron’s main objectives, to create sudden reversals in consciousness that help us get into alignment with our highest potential.

Saturn’s square can be a helpful kick in the ass to get going toward the attainment of realistic ideals. Mercury’s opposition to Neptune can serve to awaken and inspire, and Chiron can help us shift our attitudes and focus to make some significant changes over the next few weeks. Virgo, as a mutable earth sign, indicates that this New Moon is a significant transitional passageway, clearing us of the intensity and drama of eclipse season/Mercury retrograde of the past month or so. So, do take a moment with this New Moon to definitely catch your breath, and then get back to work!

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Into the Cosmic Womb: Full Moon in Pisces 2017

Moray (Incan ruin) in Peru; photo by Jenine Schirtzer, March 2016. 

Full Moon @ 13 degrees Pisces 53' 

September 6, 2017

12:04 AM Los Angeles 

3:04 AM New York

3:05 PM Hong Kong

8:04 AM London 

5:04 AM Sydney

7:04 PM Auckland 

This Full Moon in Pisces, conjunct Neptune, contributes some highly unusual energy to the current mix (if that hasn’t already been in the air during the past eclipse season). All Full Moon’s symbolize the culmination or completion of things we’ve been developing or working towards. With this Full Moon, the results of our efforts aren’t likely to be so obvious since Neptune is so often amorphous and ambiguous. It’s likely that many things that come to your attention will be difficult to discern or figure out. That’s because any results or completed processes that emerge now are not as concrete as you might want or expect them to be. But Saturn’s wide square to this Full Moon will add some pressure to make our work more tangible and evident. In its positive expression, this Pisces Full Moon can bring you insight and inspiration. It can symbolize the emergence of awareness, realizations, and experiences which can greatly expand consciousness.

While Full Moon’s are typically more energetic, this Full Moon offers us a chance to actually step back and take a look at things from a different vantage point. Depending on its house location in your chart, that might require actually taking some time out to meditate, reflect, or otherwise take it easier than you normally would around a Full Moon. Mercury is still slogging along after its retrograde cycle, and with the accelerated pace of eclipse season behind us, this probably isn’t the best time to jump right into new projects or throw ourselves blindly into things without careful assessment. Especially if anything really enticing is offered to you right now, take your time in figuring out its validity and efficacy for your life. The negative face of this Full Moon is escapism, delusion, and utter confusion. That means that a lot of hype will be floating around all over the place and it would be wise not to get caught up in it.

Neptune and Pisces are archetypes that can blind us but equally liberate us. It all depends on how willing you are to do the necessary work to see beyond the facades presented to you in the moment. The same applies to yourself and what you’re projecting or how you’re representing yourself. Overall, this is an incredibly spiritually focused and creatively inspiring Full Moon. It can bring about massive collective bonding and public displays of selfless giving and compassion. It can also feel incredibly emotional, amplifying empathy and an awareness of the interconnectivity of all beings on this planet. Saturn’s wide square to the Full Moon, however, helps us to bring any numinous or otherworldly insights into a realistic perspective. Saturn challenges us to bring the results of our creative/artistic/spiritual works down to earth.

Collectively, this Full Moon projects the now dissipating Saturn/Neptune square on to the world stage. That generates an atmosphere around the world that feels divisive and disillusioned--with a vagueness and uncertainty about the future. Saturn and Neptune coming into conflict can often pit the rational against the irrational, or blur the lines between the two. That results in the manifestation of events that are seemingly quite preternatural; it can be difficult to understand how the current state of affairs ever happened. Yet, while there is much division going on globally, this Full Moon actually has the power to pull a lot of things together (globally and in our own lives) that previously seemed incompatible. This fusion of disparity can help us find hope where we only saw emptiness and confusion. If you glimpse anything with this lunation, glimpse the truth that something bigger is guiding the show, even if we forget that sometimes. We all come from the same cosmic womb, and we’ll all return to it just the same.

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Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path. Evolutionary Astrology can help.

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