It’s Scorpio season, a time of darkening. The sun moved into Scorpio on October 22nd. Scorpio season is one of transformation. In the Northern Hemisphere, the leaves are changing and falling, the air (for some) is getting colder, and there’s a holiday smack in the middle of it when people dress as ghosts and focus on death.
This Scorpio season, the big astrological story is an appropriately timed opposition between Mars and Pluto. You want it darker? Mars will be at the very last degree of Cancer, and Pluto at the very last degree of Capricorn. This will be exact on November 3rd, but we’re already feeling this, and this energy will be very present during the new moon in Scorpio on November 1st.
An opposition is like a culmination point, often with difficulty surrounding it, like the agonizing climb up last terrain to scale before arriving at the apex (I mean, I assume, I’ve never rock-climbed). Mars is the planet of action and drive, and Pluto is the planet of power. Cancer is a sign that’s about nurturing and the familial but also about tribalism. Pluto’s at the last degree of Capricorn for the very last time (finally) for hundreds of years, and Capricorn is a sign that is about power and structure, especially deeply entrenched structures, like capitalism and patriarchy.
So this opposition, which occurs right before Election Day in the U.S., signifies a struggle and ultimate culmination between actions and entrenched power. And with Cancer’s significations encompassing both family and motherhood one on hand and tribalism and nativism on the other, we’re seeing two strands of aggression and activity. For many, this time is about trying to chip away at the patriarchal structures and people that have been and are currently trying to stymie the power of women in myriad ways, the most prominent being limiting bodily autonomy; for another bloc, it’s a fight to hang on to power, what they see as preserving their ideal version of this country, based on identification with whiteness, maleness, and wealth.
No big deal, right?
Here’s where we need to pull the focus in. A lot of astrologers have been pretty freaked out by the Mars-Pluto opposition and rightfully so (I started writing this before the Tr**p r*lly at the Garden, but that level of darkness feels very Mars opp Pluto). When we talk about the themes, we’re talking big picture, 40,000 feet type stuff. But in your own individual life, this really just could mean that you vote, in the way you plan to, and for a few weeks, you have to deal with some frustrating, disgusting, and anxiety-evoking news in the zeitgeist. It’s probably going to feel scary at its worst and mostly infuriating. It’s a good time to remember to set screen time limits and not doom scroll even though it’s going to be really tempting, with the Sun in Scorpio, a sign that is associated with obsession and compulsion. The shadow side of Scorpio wants you to allow yourself to dive deeper into a pit of rage and disgust. The more enlightened side wants you to trust your inner knowing and recognize others for exactly who they are, with crystalline precision and with no rose-colored illusions.
After the election in 2016, I felt totally untethered, as if I was waking up to an alternate reality. I could be a fool, or maybe it’s because I’ve since started taking Zoloft (shoutout to modern medicine!), but I don’t feel that way now. Will that change after November? Unclear. But even with all the absolutely horrific things happening in the world, I am hopeful. Is it because Pluto’s going to go into Aquarius, and we’ll all be able to upload our souls to the cloud and live eternally as part of some physics of the universe that we’re not even aware of yet? TBD!
This dark, fraught energy we’re experiencing now shifts in mid November, and late November gets easier, so hang in there and try to weather the current shitstorm until then.
Since April 2023, we have been experiencing eclipses on the Aries–Libra axis, meaning that other than some residual eclipses in Taurus and Scorpio, the eclipses that have occurred during the past year and change have been in either Aries or Libra.
Now, on September 17th, we have a full moon in Pisces, which will also mark the first eclipse of the next cycle, on the Virgo-Pisces axis. A lunar eclipse is like an especially intense full moon. Be prepared for big emotional releases, and especially with it being Pisces, the most watery of the water signs, we may all be feeling extra sensitive and intuitive, with moodiness, crying jags, and circumvented boundaries abounding.
This eclipse in Pisces on the 17th will then be answered by a solar eclipse two weeks later, but that one will be back in Libra, so it will represent a continuation of the Aries-Libra stories that have been playing out for the past year and a half.
During the interim between eclipses, time blurs a little bit. To borrow evocative words from one of my very favorite writers of all time, Cookie Mueller, a Pisces queen herself, it’s like “walking through clear water in a pool painted black.”
In a semi-awake liminal dream state a couple nights ago, I had what I thought at the time was a crystalline, piercing realization: that the interim between eclipses is kind of like when Evie used to touch her fingers together and stop time in late 80s sitcom Out of this World. Do people remember that show? Another syndicated sitcom, Small Wonder, still gets some nostalgic online chatter every now and then for it’s true WTFness, as a show about a programmable robot daughter should. But Out of this World, which focused on a teenage girl who was half alien, had special powers, and who communicated with her alien father through a very 80s looking glass cube, doesn’t get remembered enough. The theme song was also a true banger.
Anyway, time doesn’t really stop between eclipses, but it can feel a little untethered to our usual reality. It’s a time where things happen to us, instead of us making things happen. It feels a little like the liminal half-awake dream state in which one taps into some dark recess of their brain and conjures thoughts of a long forgotten sitcom about being half-alien, as if it’s an epiphany. And with eclipses as harbingers of major beginnings and endings, we often come out of eclipse time feeling like, what the hell just happened?
How impactful an individual eclipse is on your own life largely depends on where it falls in your natal chart in relation to your planetary placements. So, if you have a personal planet (sun, moon, Mercury, Venus, or Mars) or angle (ascendant, descendant, midheaven, or IC), at or near 25/26 degrees of Pisces, Virgo, Gemini, or Sagittarius (the mutable signs), this week could be an especially be an eventful time for you. For those without one of the eclipses of a particular axis hitting something in their natal charts directly, the events tied to that eclipse cycle are usually slow burns.
This week you’ll start to see the seeds of the stories that will flower between now and February 2027. This will be the first eclipse in Pisces since 2017. If you think back to the period from March 2015 to March 2017 and recall the transitions and changes that occurred in your life during that time, you may get a preview of the themes to come. Read below for your rising sign to learn more about how the eclipses in Pisces & Virgo may show up for you over the next few years.
Pisces & Virgo risings: The eclipses occurring in Pisces and Virgo are in the parts of your chart that deal with the self and partnership. It’s about the balance between “me” and “us.” You may, over the course of the next few years, experience some profound changes that inform how you think about yourself or that cause you to grow up or evolve in a major way. It could be a change in your partnership status, whether that’s beginning a relationship with someone new or ending an existing relationship. Or it could be that some major happens in your partner’s life. And it’s not just about romantic relationships either; it can also be about best friendships, creative partnerships, or any kind of committed, two-person pairing.
Aries & Libra risings: Your health, both physical and mental, could be affected during this eclipse cycle. As an example, the most recent eclipses in these parts of my chart coincided with my decision to take concrete steps (through modern medicine) to improve my mental health after some intense bouts of anxiety. These zodiacal houses also represent work and labor, pets, and solitude, so it’s possible that you’ll see new beginnings and endings with regard to one of these areas of your life. Do you adopt a dog or cat that lifts you out of a depression? Very possible!
Taurus & Scorpio risings: These eclipses will be taking place across the areas of your chart that are associated with creativity, pleasure, and children, and friendships, social groups, and community. It can represent a push and pull between self-indulgent pursuits and focus on the collective. There may be changes in your life in one of these areas that lead to adjustments or complement the other. Maybe your desire to tap into your creative yearnings lead you to join an artist’s collective. Maybe you sacrifice your more leisurely free time pursuits to take on more responsibility in a community group. Maybe you have a child and find yourself withdrawing from one social circle and participating more heavily in another, parent-focused circle. These are just a few different ways eclipses in your 5th and 11th houses could manifest.
Gemini & Sagittarius risings: Changes in your home life, your family, or stories about your ancestry may unfold during these eclipses, counterbalanced by developments in your career or public facing life. This could mean that over the next couple years, there are needs in your family that take precedence, and your career focus shifts accordingly. Or it could be that due to a change in your career, your living situation evolves; maybe you move to pursue a job opportunity, or a new job allows you to upgrade your housing. From my own personal life, I’ve been experiencing the Aries-Libra eclipses in this part of my chart, and I’ve learned a lot about how to leverage my career to allow me the flexibility I need to spend more time with family that lives far away, and I’ve also been much more transient during this period, giving me a new way of thinking about the concept of “home.”
Cancer & Capricorn risings: This cycle will occur in your 3rd and 9th houses. Each house encompasses a few different areas of life, so there are a bunch of possibilities of how the beginnings and endings accompanying these eclipses could play out. The 3rd house signifies communication, your daily life, your neighborhood and neighbors, domestic travel, siblings, and education. The 9th is about higher ed, teaching, learning, philosophy, spirituality, religion, and long distance travel and journeys. So there’s a whole host of areas you could see evolution in during this cycle. Boiling it down simply, I think of this axis about the local and the global, so you may see endings in one area due to new beginnings or shifted focus in the other.
Leo & Aquarius risings: Financial changes could be afoot, either in the way you earn your living or the amount of income you are earning. It could also mean changes to a partner’s livelihood and/or earnings. Most of the significations of the 2nd and 8th houses have to do with finances, either our own or the way others’ finances affect us, via shared resources, debts, or inheritances. However, the eclipses could instead coincide with new perspectives on that which you value, which could come from confronting the inherited traumas or baggage that you carry.
These eclipse readings are based on my interpretation of the astrological significations of eclipses and the various houses of the zodiac, so as always, take them with a grain of salt. Astrology isn’t fortune telling. But it’s exciting to think about the changes that could come with this new set of eclipses. I hope the new eclipse cycle brings the best for those of you reading!
We’ve had kind of a break since the wild ride of mid-July. The Mercury retrograde we’re currently experiencing seems pretty mild compared with the astrology of last month. But now, we’re gearing up for some more interesting transits next week, and it looks like things are going to get turbulent again.
On Wednesday, August 14th, Mars, which is now in buzzy Gemini, is going to align with Jupiter, forming a conjunction. On its own, a Mars-Jupiter conjunction could signify an expansion (Jupiter) of aggression and assertiveness (Mars). Mars is also about passion, and with it and Jupiter both in Gemini, you could be feeling the urge to vision board and make grandiose plans. You may send rambling texts to your friends with big ideas for the future. It’s cocaine energy. Mars and Jupiter are about dreaming big, but not so much about the details. And in the news, we may see some big protests and/or some large-scale threats of violence.
With both Mars and Jupiter approaching squares (tense aspects) with Saturn in the days following their conjunction, there’s going to be conflict between the big, passionate, grandiose visions and movements and the harshness of reality. Saturn puts a damper on all that. It asks how you’re actually going to accomplish those pipe dreams of yours. I have both a Saturn-ruled sun and Mercury in my chart, and I feel like so much of my job is pressing my colleagues on how they are actually going to achieve those things that they are planning. I often ask, “OK, but what can you realistically do in this timeframe?” Saturn says no, which can be really frustrating, but sometimes we need the reality check!
The Mars-Saturn square will be exact on August 15th and the Jupiter-Saturn square is exact on August 19th. In the news, this coincides with the weekend leading up to and the beginning of the DNC. There’s been both astrological and non-astrological focus on how 2024 has paralleled 1968 in so many ways. The Astrology Podcast, the gold-standard of, well, astrology podcasts, had a really great breakdown of this in its August forecast episode. In the U.S., we’ve had student protests, an incumbent choosing not to run for re-election, an assassination attempt, RFK, this time Jr., and a planned DNC in Chicago of all places. Does that mean that the 2024 DNC is going to be the kind of chaotic shitshow that 1968’s was? TBD. But with the Mars-Jupiter-Saturn configuration, I could definitely see some large scale protests and demonstrative actions that are harshly suppressed by law enforcement.
Speaking of the sixties, I really love Mad Men. I want to go back and rewatch season 6, which felt super disjointed, but the point of the dissonant tone of that season was to show just how insane 1968 felt to those living it. There was a whole episode on the MLK assassination, and then in a subsequent episode, the RFK assassination appears merely as a last-couple-minute coda, as if to say, another one…when will this end? Megan weeping quietly on the bed, listening to the morning news, as Don numbly gets ready for work….how much of this year has felt that way? Then the credits roll to Friend & Lover’s bubbly “Reach Out in the Darkness”. The mindfuckery we’re experiencing now isn’t totally unprecedented, but that doesn’t make it less exhausting and anxiety producing.
One last potential manifestation of this transit: with both Mars and Jupiter in air sign Gemini and Saturn in Pisces, the most watery of the water signs, there’s big hurricane energy (i.e., big fierce wind up against water). Not a surprising parallel given this summer’s active hurricane season.
And the Mars-Jupiter-Saturn of it all is just one strand of the astrology of this upcoming week.
On August 18th, there’s a Mercury-Uranus square, so another tense aspect, this one between the messenger planet of communication and technology and the planet of disruptions and surprises. This is another transit that drums up anxiety. Our thinking during these few days may be less rational than usual. Just take a beat before acting on any quick thoughts or impulses you may have. This is also the second time we’ve had this transit because Mercury is retrograde now; the same configuration also occurred on July 21st and will happen again on September 6th & 7th. So if you think back to what stories occurred on July 21st, both personally and in the zeitgeist, there may be some revisions to narratives or further developments, with the conclusions coming in September.
And finally, on August 19th, there is a full moon in Aquarius at 27 degrees, opposite the sun in Leo, which is also aligned with Mercury. The moon and sun sidle up to that Mercury-Uranus configuration.
Whew. This is a very interesting full moon, compounding the energies described above. There are just a lot of things that are going to culminate, and the full moon, in the sign associated with innovation and the collective, is going to shed some light on our own roles in shaping our collective future. Leo is very much about ego, but the moon in Aquarius balancing it out encourages us to think less about the “me” and more about the “we.” What can we do for the betterment of our communities, for all? Reach out in the darkness, indeed.
Of course, take this all with a grain of salt. Manifestations of these themes may be big and loud, but they could be small and quiet, too. Ground yourself and don’t freak out–we have a long way to go.
The astrology of July was mostly smooth, except for one major transit, and that one major transit has pretty much just blown everything up. I’m talking about the Mars-Uranus conjunction that was exact on Monday, July 15th.
What a doozy, huh?
I had drafted a post that I ultimately didn’t publish, but the gist was this: Mars, the planet of action and aggression, was going to be aligned with Uranus, the planet of disruption and upheaval, and that was occurring in Taurus in alignment with a particular star (Algol) that is associated with beheaded Medusa and referred to as the “demon star.” So on the world stage, the news was likely going to be wild and tumultuous at best, violent and scary at worst. And on a personal level, some of us may feel particularly anxious, paranoid, and under threat.
I was definitely feeling the vibes of the Mars-Uranus conjunction a few days leading up to it and a few days after. The crackling energy has been palpable everywhere. As far back as last Friday, the 12th, it felt like tempers were short and people, men especially, were acting out. I mean, obviously. Besides the T***p rally, which was a very literal manifestation of the Mars-Uranus-Algol combination (he almost actually lost his head), there was also the scary, chaotic situation at the Copa America final.
Mercury is approaching a square to Uranus, meaning that on top of the Mars-Uranus effects, there are also communication disruptions. Cue Friday’s global technology outage. And Mercury is in fire sign Leo to boot, making our interpersonal communications more self-focused and more incendiary.
On the morning of Sunday, July 21st, there’s a full blue moon in Capricorn. A blue moon occurs when there’s a second full moon in the same sign within the month. The Capricorn full moon a few weeks ago was at 1 degree, and now we will get the second, this time at the last degree of Capricorn. In whatever story has been unfolding in your life since June 21st, the other shoe is now dropping. This full moon is conjunct Pluto, which signifies intensity and hidden things. Secrets will be illuminated, and there will likely be some high-profile denouements.
The full moon is also in a helpful relationship with Mars, so on a personal level, it’s a good time for taking actions to let go of unhealthy and unwelcome compulsions and to take a break from anything that’s been driving you crazy. If you are curious to know what topics this may touch on in your own life, look for 29 degrees of Capricorn in your birth chart and see what house it falls into and whether you have any personal planets (sun, moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars) or sensitive angles (ascendant, MC, IC, or descendant) at or close to 29 degrees of a cardinal sign (Capricorn, Cancer, Aries, Libra).
There are more intense moments to come in a few weeks. Mars and Jupiter come together, signifying the expansion of action, on August 14th. On August 15th/16th, Mars makes a tense aspect with Saturn; then on August 19th, Jupiter follows and makes the same tense aspect with Saturn, and we have a full moon in Aquarius (which is answering to Saturn). Saturn is like a stop sign. It represents structure and order, so it looks like we can expect to see conflict between proliferations of assertiveness and heightened emotions, and structures and systems.
Between the events this week and mid-August, Mercury goes into Virgo on July 25th. We don’t get much downtime, but look at this period as a little bit of a break. While in Virgo, Mercury will station and then go retrograde overnight on August 5th/6th. It gets to 4 degrees of Virgo before it starts to go back.
Virgo is an earth sign that is associated with pragmatism, discernment, and efficiency. Mercury retrograde is treated with fear and dread in the zeitgeist, but when Mercury goes retrograde, it’s a chance to reflect, reassess, and reconsider.
Last week, I attended an excellent webinar from Kepler College on the Solar Return of the United States, and the astrologer who presented, Dorothy Oja, pointed out that Mercury’s transit through practical, critical Virgo marks an auspicious time to reflect because this transit will aspect the moon (in Gemini) and Neptune (in Pisces) in the U.S.’s solar return chart. She referred to it as an “antidote to confusion,” which I loved. And while it’s particularly useful in that context, I think it’s also useful for us on a personal level as well. Our anxiety and emotions may be clouding our perspective, but Mercury going into Virgo and then the Mercury retrograde offer us the chance to re-see things in the world, in politics, and in our own lives, with more discernment and ultimately clarity.
There’s so much to unpack right now. We’re living through truly wild times, so we have to look for opportunities for calm reflection. More to come as we gear up for the August planetary alignments…stay tuned.
Jupiter moved into Gemini on May 25th, where it will be until June 9th of 2025. When Jupiter transits through a sign, we see the themes associated with that sign amplified and spread. They get bigger and more prevalent.
Gemini is an air sign that represents duality and communication. Gemini is ruled by Mercury, known as the trickster. I just read Circe by Madeline Miller and loved it. The book features Hermes (aka Mercury) as a character, and the playful and impermanent nature of Mercury is well described in the novel. Hermes is the messenger of the gods. He wants to be amused, entertained, to engage in tête-à-têtes, but he leaves at his liking, coming and going with the winds. In traditional astrology, Mercury can be either a benefic or a malefic planet, depending on certain factors. Again, duality is inherent to its essence.
With Jupiter moving through Gemini over the next year, we can expect to see advances in communication and transportation technology. We’ll also likely see a continued preponderance of news about air travel. I hope there will be improvements and expansion in air travel, but I also expect that there’s going to be a lot of news and buzz about increasing winds due to climate change, so there will probably be more and more stories about the kind of turbulence that has been so prominent lately.
Jupiter is technically in its detriment here because Jupiter rules Sagittarius, the sign opposite Gemini. Whereas Sagittarius wants to dive deep into topics and learn everything it can about them, Gemini wants the CliffsNotes. Geminis want shortcuts, tips, tricks, and workarounds. They get both intrigued and bored easily. They’re quick-thinking, questioning, and skeptical. Those with prominent Gemini placements often have a lot of friends and a lot of different interests because they need variety. They’re renaissance people.
Right now, the sun, Mercury, and Venus are all also in Gemini, giving us a lot of a ton of swift, airy Gemini energy. It’s like a blast of Gemini. The languorous days of Taurus season are behind us. My snake plant promptly died when all these planets moved into Gemini. I decided to give up on trying to keep it alive. And a few hours later I signed up to practice French on Duolingo. That’s Gemini season.
And coming up on June 6th, we have a new moon in Gemini. So atop all this Gemini energy, the new moon offers a chance to start anew, to make some choices, to put words to our thoughts and dreams. Saturn in Pisces will be squaring the new moon, causing some tension. Saturn is the planet of responsibility, so you may feel burdened and not fully able to do what you want, but write it down anyway. Gemini season is the season of the notes app.
Based on your rising sign, these are the broad brushstroke areas where you’ll see a lot of focus in the next few weeks, and then more long-term sustained growth over the next year as Jupiter moves through this part of your chart.
Gemini rising – This is your first house, the house of self. You may be faced with some big choices over the next year which could result in long-term implications, but generally (everything is dependent on your own chart and planetary placements), this is a time of opportunity for you. Ride the wave. You get an extra boost now, and some of that magic will sustain until next June.
Cancer rising – This is the area that deals with the subconscious and solitude. Dreams will be vivid and if you keep a dream journal, you’ll likely learn a lot about your innermost desires and fears. It’s a good time for planning a solo trip or meditation retreat for sometime in the next year. If you can, spending some time alone will likely be extra restorative and illuminating.
Leo rising – Gemini is in your house of friend groups, community, and hopes. You may see some more action in this area and find yourself branching out, making new connections, and putting yourself out into the world. Leo placements are social creatures, but you’ll probably feel more social than you already do and reap the rewards to casting a wide net.
Virgo rising – This part of your chart deals with your public persona and legacy. Most often this is tied to career, so this year you may be presented with some opportunities for career advancement or growth. You could create output that earns you widespread recognition. If you have been wanting to forge a new career path, this would be an auspicious time to take steps to do so.
Libra rising – The planet Jupiter and the part of your chart where it will be this year share some significations, meaning that you may feel even more of a push toward some of their themes: spirituality, teaching and learning, and long distance travel. While Jupiter is in Gemini, you may take a longer and/or longer-distance trip than you would otherwise, develop a strong interest in another culture or language or religion (or astrology, which is a topic associated with this area of the chart), or enroll in an academic program or begin teaching classes yourself.
Scorpio rising – For you, Jupiter will be in your 8th house. In traditional astrology, it’s the area of the chart that deals with life and death. More modern significations, though, expand the associations to the things we give to or receive from others. It’s the fruits and the byproducts of our relationships, everything from inheritances, our partner’s finances, and loans, to murkier stuff such as our emotional baggage and trauma. This could play out in many ways. You may get a mortgage or sell your place (when Jupiter was in my 8th house, I bought an apartment). You may get a bigger tax refund than usual that allows you to do something you wouldn’t normally do. Or you could start therapy!
Sagittarius rising – Jupiter is your chart ruler, so when Jupiter moves into a new part of your chart, you (and Pisces risings) feel it the most. There will be a lot of focus on relationships and partnerships this year. It could be that you’re entering a new phase of an existing relationship, or you begin a new one altogether. It could also mean you join forces with someone in a business partnership of some kind. Compromise and collaboration will be heavily featured themes for you with the planets in Gemini.
Capricorn rising – The transits through Gemini are occurring in your area of work, health, and service, so there will be a short-term heavy focus on these themes, and then as Jupiter continues to go through Gemini for the next year, you’ll see an expansion in this area. It’s a good time to take steps to improve your work habits and your health routines, as the efforts put in now can pay off in the future. This part of the chart also deals with pets, so given Jupiter’s significance, you may find yourself adopting a new furry friend this year.
Aquarius rising – Lucky you, this is the fun house, the part of your chart that rules joy, creativity, and romance. With so many planets in Gemini, this is the time to start doing the stuff you want to do. Lean into your creativity, and enjoy your sex life. This is also the part of the chart that deals with children, and Jupiter indicates expansion and growth, so just know that and act accordingly, depending on whether you do or don’t want a child anytime in the near future.
Pisces rising – Gemini is in the area of your chart that is associated with home and family, and Jupiter is your chart ruler, meaning that you’ll likely feel Jupiter’s influence more than most other rising signs. This could be a year where you expand your home base, or focus more energy on your home. It could also be a time when your family grows, or the time you spend with your family increases.
Aries rising – The area of your chart that deals with your neighborhood and neighbors, your siblings, short-distance/domestic travel, and communication will be buzzing. It’s a variegated collection of themes, so you may see growth or focus in just one of these topics or several. Maybe you find yourself traveling for work or pleasure a lot more than usual this year, or maybe you actually end up connecting with your neighbors in a way that feels enriching and expansive.
Taurus rising – For you, Gemini is in your house of money and resources. This could indicate growth in income or an expansion or advancement to the way you earn your income. With Jupiter going through your second house, there’s a lot of potential for increased abundance over the next year, which could resonate in different ways. Maybe it’s money; maybe it’s the people around you that you value most.
Enjoy the intellectual stimulation, and stay safe from the winds! And take all of these horoscopes with a grain of salt. Astrology is entertainment, not fortune telling.
“All the other girls here are stars, you are the Northern Lights” – Josh Ritter, “Kathleen”
The aurora borealis was visible for a wide swath of the US last weekend. At least where I was, it was cool-looking to the naked eye, but captured through a cell phone camera, it was pretty spectacular. The geomagnetic storm that allowed the lights to be visible farther south than usual was a very rare event. Did you feel like you were buzzing? It felt very Uranian, which is appropriate given all the Uranus conjunctions we’ve had lately.
Slow-moving Uranus, the planet of disruption, surprises, revolution, and yes, electricity, has been hanging out in Taurus since May 2018, and in the last month, we’ve had several faster-moving planets meeting up with the big U. First, there was the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction in April, which coincided with the proliferation of the student protests against the war in Gaza, and to which we will likely be able to trace other major movements and innovations that have yet to unfold. Then, on May 13th, there was a Sun-Uranus conjunction, which means that individually, we have felt some nervousness or anxiety, got some jarring news, or had some emotional or mental revelations. Now, on May 18th, we get the Venus-Uranus conjunction, which could mean that personally, you learn something you didn’t know about your partner, or you may get some unexpected news about your finances, or something you thought you valued may suddenly shift.
Right on the heels of the Venus-Uranus conjunction, also on May 18th, there is a Sun-Jupiter conjunction. This happens once a year, when the sun gets to the same place in the sky as Jupiter. Jupiter is the planet of expansion, growth, and success. For those of us with day charts, this is especially auspicious, because the sun is our sect light and Jupiter is our primary benefic. (For those with night charts, the moon is your sect light and Venus your primary benefic. And if you want to learn more about your individual chart, book a consultation with me!)
The Sun represents our identity, our calling, our life force. The Sun is what gives us purpose. The Sun meeting up with Jupiter marks a time for us to think about how we want to expand our sense of purpose over the next year. If you have been horrified by what is happening in Gaza, for example, this is a great time to get active, call your reps, and join a movement. If you feel moved to do something else–writing, going back to school, planting a garden (Taurus always lends itself to the literal planting of seeds)–go for it. This weekend is a ripe time to listen and pay attention to inspiration that crops up.
Jupiter has been in Taurus since May of last year. You can read my thoughts on Jupiter in Taurus here and check out what this would have potentially meant for you depending on where Taurus is in your chart. However, since Jupiter moved into Taurus after the Sun had already arrived there, and the Sun moves a lot faster than Jupiter, this is the first and only Sun-Jupiter conjunction we’ll get in the sign of Taurus for a while. So, again, really have your feelers attuned to what is moving you and inspiring you, especially as it relates to the part of your chart with Taurus, because the seeds you plant now (it’s Taurus, all the metaphors are gardening metaphors), may blossom into events and outcomes that are especially fruitful for you.
With the electricity in the air, many of us have felt in our bones that big or new things were on the horizon, and this weekend is when whatever it is that is next for us may become clear. And in a couple days, Gemini season begins! Less planting, more talking.
As always, take all astrological-based advice with a grain of salt. Astrology isn’t fortune telling, and this post is based on my own interpretations of the planetary movements and what they represent.
Mars moved into Aquarius on February 13th and immediately met up with Pluto. In combination, these two planets are very powerful and volatile, and a conjunction between them can bring fights for power, violence stemming from grievances, and obsessions. The energy is intense, and as I’m writing this, on Friday the 16th, we’re still very much feeling this, but it’s waning. The most useful way to harness the Mars and Pluto conjunction is for us to tap into our bravery to face and overcome our deepest fears.
Now Venus moves in Aquarius today, February 16th, and it also joins with Pluto. Venus-Pluto conjunctions often indicate sexual obsessions, fixations with beauty and/or wealth, and deep, transformative circumstances in relationships. Maybe not the ideal vibe for Valentine’s Day, but it’s a good time for doing some deep soul searching about what you really want and hold dear.
Then next week, fresh off their conjunctions with Pluto, Venus and Mars meet late on February 21st (exact in the early morning hours of Feb 22nd). The Venus-Mars combination is most frequently marked by passion. It’s drive and action (Mars) combined with love and value (Venus). This energy can be very productive. It’s good for going after what we want. Venus and Mars generate magnetism, so we all may be feeling a little more attractive and attracted to others and experiences during this time.
This year, Venus and Mars are conjunct in Aquarius, so it’s an interesting energy. Aquarius is a sign that’s all about the collective, and it’s an air sign, the cold one, so it’s marked by intellectualizing with a cool detachment. It may chill the passions brought forth by Venus and Mars and direct them from being about self-gratification to instead improving the conditions for others. This marks an excellent time to get active about the causes you believe in.
On November 22nd, the sun moved into Sagittarius, so we are now in the swing of Sagittarius season. And in true Sagittarius fashion, this post is very late.
Sagittarius is a mutable fire sign. As a fire sign, Sagittarius has an inherent need for action, and as a mutable sign, Sagittarius can go with the flow and transition easily. Of the fire signs, Aries is like a spark; Leo like a campfire; and Sagittarius is like a wildfire–traveling, shifting, and ranging.
Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, rules Sagittarius. Jupiter is about growth and expansiveness. This gives Sagittarius its own larger than life quality. Sagittarians are known for being adventurous. They want experiences, they want to learn, to travel, to live life to the fullest. I think of the famous “mad ones” quote from On the Road as distilling the Sagittarian essence (and not surprisingly, Neal Cassady had a Sagittarius moon.)
Sagittarians can sometimes get a reputation for being flakey because once they feel like they’ve fully immersed themselves in something, their desire to learn more about the next thing compels them to move on. Sagittarians are known for their forthrightness, which can sometimes come across as abrasive or uncouth, but a lot of times, it’s charming. Sagittarians are charmers. Sonja Morgan is a Sag.
As soon as Sagittarius season kicked off, because Saturn is at 0 degrees of Pisces, the sun formed a square (an aspect that causes dynamic tension) to Saturn. Then Mars followed shortly behind, moving into Sagittarius on November 24th and also forming a square to Saturn. Mars, the planet of action, wants to goooooo, especially in Sagittarius, and Saturn, the planet of boundaries, wants to pump the brakes, so in the few days around November 24th-25th, we may feel stymied or limited in ways that are incredibly frustrating. This can be especially emotional around the full moon, which occurs at 4 degrees of Gemini on November 27th at 4:16 am EST.
The Gemini-Sagittarius axis is an interesting one. Gemini is ruled by Mercury, and as an air sign, it’s about quick thinking and talking; Sagittarius is a sign that’s about intellectualizing and philosophizing, so it isn’t as diametrically different from Gemini as some of the other opposite-sign pairings. However, it’s a fire sign, and it’s ruled by Jupiter, the planet of expansion, so Sagittarius is all about big ideas. Sagittarians dream big and leave the details to others. I once had a boss who said, when describing herself, that she isn’t a workhorse, but that she meets people and comes up with ideas, but she leaves the work to her team. That feels very Sagittarius. Sagittarians can experience Geminis as too micro; Geminis can think Sagittarians are unrealistic blowhards.
The full moon in Gemini, opposite the sun, finds our emotional selves needing to tend to the prosaic details. We want to make to-do lists and find shortcuts. But the sun in Sag causes some tension with this need, as we may have our heads in the clouds, or we may be blowing past others’ need to talk it out and get the necessary info.
This full moon is also opposite Mars, right on the sun’s heels in Sagittarius, and the sun/Mars and the moon are in a T-square with Saturn. This means that this frustrating Mars-Saturn square that we’re feeling over the weekend causes conflict and tension with our emotional and physical needs during the full moon.
At the same time, there’s a Mercury-Neptune square happening, which adds some extra confusion around this full moon. Gemini is a Mercury-ruled sign, so the moon is answering to Mercury, and in a tense aspect with Neptune, the planet of murkiness, boundarilessness, and confusion, there’s a general fog over everything. We may feel not only frustrated by our limitations this new moon, but we may also not be able to think clearly and understand quite why. Lovely.
The good news is that after the full moon, the sun and Mars continue to progress past their squares with Saturn, helping things flow more easily. And on December 1st, Mercury moves into brass-tacks, earthy Capricorn, which enables us to focus on getting stuff done. However, Mercury is currently in its retro shadow, and it goes retrograde on December 13th, so get your holiday plans set and your shopping done before then!
The sun moves into Libra on September 23rd at 2:50 am EDT, and thus begins Libra season. Mars has been in Libra since late August and is still there, so we have already been feeling some of this Libra energy. Mercury enters Libra on October 4th to join the sun and Mars.
Libra is a cardinal air sign. The cardinal signs occur at the beginning of seasons. Libra season marks the start of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, and it’s a time when our mental faculties are energized. There’s a buzz in the air. Even though the beginning of fall heralds the return of the darker, cooler months, it still feels like a beginning.
Libra is ruled by Venus, the planet that rules relationships, love, values, resources, art, and beauty. Libra is about charm. Libras are disarming, and Libras (particularly Libra risings) are known to be attractive.
The symbol for Libra is the scales, and a keyword of Libra is balance, which makes sense given that Libra season starts on the equinox, when day and night are equal, with a perfect balance between light and darkness. This is a time for assessing and communicating our ideas about balance in our lives. How much time do you spend working vs. not, and is that right for you? Do you feel like your relationships are balanced, or are you giving or taking too much?
The balance that Libra encourages also lends to the diplomacy that is so associated with Libras. Libras are fair, seeking out points of view and considering the thoughts and feelings of others. Libras can see all sides and weigh them judiciously, making them excellent peace brokers. Air signs are about communicating ideas, intellectualizing, and connecting mentally, and Libras are smart and deliberate in their thoughts and expressions. This penchant for diplomacy is what helps Libras excel at relationships. They are generally well liked and attract others. People want to be around them.
The balance exhibited by Libra also lends to its discerning eye. Ruled by Venus, Libras often have great appreciation for art and beauty and carry that through various aspects of their lives (often depending on where Libra falls in their chart): their professions, their own physical presences, through decorating their homes, etc.
The shadow side of Libra, though, occurs when these qualities get unbalanced. The need for diplomacy, conflict avoidance, and the concern for others can take over, causing Libras to not really have a defined sense of self or to sacrifice their own needs for the good of others or for general harmony. Sometimes keeping the peace means selling themselves short.
Libras also get pegged as being wishy washy. They can weigh things too much, and the scales go up and down and up again. And when things are being balanced against each other, how can you can make a decision to go with one option and not the other? Indecision can plague Libras and those with major Libra placements.
For VPR watchers, Tom Schwartz, who has a Libra sun AND moon AND four planets in Libra, exhibits major Libra traits. The more evolved traits are his charm, his diplomacy, his ability to weigh different points of view, and his intelligence. He tries to make others comfortable, even to his own detriment sometimes, and will defend others when he perceives them as being maligned. However, the shadow traits commonly associated with Libra are also on full display with Schwartz. There’s his unwillingness to commit in his relationship with Katie, even to the point of “losing” and not filing their marriage certificate after their televised wedding. On the surface, he’s a people pleaser; he tries to appease everyone (except his partner), and people like what they perceive as his good-naturedness, but ultimately, a lot of that is because he himself feels uncomfortable making decisions or setting boundaries. If you want to see a master class in Libra’s shadow side, go back and watch clips from Schwartz’s most recent appearances on Watch What Happens Live.
Despite Libras’ reputations for being social creatures that are fair minded, they can be internally exhausted by having to be social, and Libras can actually be very judgmental. They usually just don’t show it outwardly unless pushed. Think about Schwartz‘s confrontation with Lala this season, and his past fights with Katie where he got truly vicious. When the nice-guy, diplomatic routine fails him, he lets his true judgments fly. Libras judge and can remain steadfast in their judgement of someone, even nurturing grudges.
This Libra season, let’s try to utilize the more evolved Libra energies. Give all choices full consideration, but call on the cardinal-ness of Libra to move forward with the best option instead of giving into indecisiveness. Use wise judgment but don’t be too quick to judge, and be flexible in changing your mind, but don’t go back and forth on everything.
During the next month, there’s some lively lunar activity. There’s a full moon in fire sign Aries on September 29th. Eclipse season arrives as well, with a new moon that’s also a solar eclipse on October 14th. We may see some big shake-ups in the areas of our chart that are on the Libra & Aries axis. More on that to come.
Read below for the general themes that will likely be highlighted for you over this next month, depending on your rising and sun signs. You’ll feel it more if you have any major placements (sun, moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, the ascendant, or the midheaven) in cardinal signs (Libra, Capricorn, Aries, and Cancer). If you want to know more, book a reading with me!
Libra & Libra Rising: If you’re a Libra rising, the next month is all about you. If you’re a Libra sun, it’s your birthday month! This season gives you an extra oomph and your personality shines through. It’s a time for me time. Assess your wants, your needs, your inner desires, and how you’re balancing those against what others are asking of you. If you aren’t carving out enough space for yourself, Libra season marks the time to take it back. And with Venus finally direct and almost out of its retrograde shadow, you can use this opportunity to change up or beautify your physical self. If you’ve been putting off getting a facial or a haircut, now’s the time!
Scorpio & Scorpio Rising: Libra season marks the beginning of the sleepier months, and this transition into fall will likely find you more tired than usual. Lean into nesting and resting, and pay extra attention to your dreams. As the nights get longer, you’re well served by plumbing the depths of your subconscious through journaling and/or therapy.
Sagittarius & Sag Rising: Sagittarians are social creatures, and with the sun (and later Mercury) in your 11th house, this time of the year lends itself to making the most of your gregariousness to network and to socialize with your friends. Connecting with others is especially beneficial for you right now, so get out there and go to parties (or host them) and/or go to networking events this month.
Capricorn & Cap Rising: Libra season puts a spotlight on your career and how you make a name for yourself. If you’ve been on cruise control in your professional life, this is a good time for reassessing the balance with what you’re putting into your profession vs. what are you getting out of it. If it’s not fulfilling you, this is the time to investigate other opportunities and work on your resume.
Aquarius & Aquarius Rising: You may be taking on new academic pursuits or finding yourself cast into the role of a teacher, possibly through serving as a mentor, or offering trainings at work or elsewhere. This is also a time for more spiritual pursuits, whether that’s diving deeper into a spiritual concept that interests you, or recommitting to a spiritual practice or routine that brings you peace.
Pisces & Pisces Rising: With Libra ruling your 8th house, autumn is a time when you’re thinking about death, mortality, and decay. That’s not necessarily as macabre as it sounds, though. Pisces are very sensitive and highly spiritually attuned, so it’s a time of reflection on the cycle of life. This is a time where you may find yourself particularly focused on others instead of yourself. People may be coming to you with their baggage, looking for some sage advice, or you may be helping someone sort through their finances this month.
Aries & Aries Rising: Libra rules your 7th house of relationships, so there will be an extra spotlight on your one-on-one partnerships, whether it’s a romantic or love relationship with a partner or a business partnership or a close collaborator for a project. There’s a push and pull between your relationship and yourself, so Libra season is the time for calibrating those scales. Are you offering too much of yourself, or are you withholding? Try to find the balance between give and take.
Taurus & Taurus Rising: This month, your self-care routines are illuminated and up for evaluation. Are you carving out time for yourself to relax, to rest, and to exercise? Do you take the time you need to take care of yourself, whether it’s doing a daily skin routine or making your morning smoothie (or both)? This is the month to focus on those routines that nourish yourself and your health. It’s also a good time for getting in some extra vitamin D or starting your morning sun lamp routine to try to minimize the seasonal depression that winter may bring for you.
Gemini & Gemini Rising: Lean into the Venusian qualities of Libra to focus on your creative pursuits over the next month. The sun and Mercury can help you clear any writer’s or artist’s block you have been facing residually as a result of the recent Venus and Mercury retrogrades. You may be feeling extra amorous this month as well, so take advantage and lean into your romantic side.
Cancer & Cancer Rising: Libra rules the roots of your chart, so the sun will be highlighting home and family matters. You may be encouraged to dive deep into your ancestry or connect with elders in your family. This is also a good time for engaging in some home beautification or repair projects to improve your living space and make it more cozy, safe, and inspiring.
Leo & Leo Rising: Libra season has you focusing on the local. You’ll be more inclined to do stuff in the neighborhood, and you may find some opportunity in switching up your daily routines. This is a good time for checking out a new restaurant or forging new connections with neighbors. Or you may try to change up your commute and find that a certain route or train makes your life more pleasant. Small changes to your everyday life can go a long way.
Virgo & Virgo Rising: This season your focus is on finances and your resources. The sun illuminates the part of your chart that deals with how you earn your money. You may get a boost in your financial life, or you may just be putting some extra energy into money matters, investments, and the things you own and hold dear. Investing now in things you care about can pay off in the long run.
As always, these horoscopes should be taken with a grain of salt. They are not fortune telling, but rather they’re my interpretation of the sun’s movement through the various houses of the birth chart.
On Thursday, September 14th, at 9:40 pm ET, there is a new moon in Virgo. A new moon, which occurs when the moon meets up with the sun, marks the beginning of the monthly lunar cycle. With the moon in Mercury-ruled Virgo, a sign that’s all about service and taking care, it’s encouraging us to think about fresh ways to serve and take care of ourselves.
Mercury itself is still in Virgo, its home base, but has been retrograde since August 23rd, so circumstances these past few weeks have made it ripe for us to reexamine and reevaluate our processes, the ways we think, and the ways we work. An example from my own life: I was sick for a couple weeks, and I felt like it was a personal failing. After being annoyed by myself and my body, which I felt betrayed me, I tried to channel the “re” rule of Mercury retrograde and reevaluate why I would feel this way. It helped me accept that I can’t control everything, and I shouldn’t beat myself up. The universe made me rest.
The new moon on Thursday offers a new beginning, and Mercury stations direct the next day on September 15th (huzzah!). This new moon, think about what has come up during this Mercury retrograde for you. What flaws in your systems have been made visible? What fallacies in your thinking have been laid bare? How can you create new routines that will better allow you to fulfill the Virgoan activities of working hard, analyzing, iteratively improving, and nurturing yourself and your goals? For me, I’m going to try to ride the sense of acceptance I learned from my bout of illness into the new moon.
The moon, which will be at 21 degrees of Virgo, is making a helpful aspect with Uranus, which is currently retrograde in Taurus. Uranus is the planet of disruption but also innovation, which can give new beginnings under this new moon an element of surprise or uniqueness. Virgo is a sign for getting things done; the new moon bolstered by Uranus can lend some innovation to the things we are trying to accomplish or the intentions we set during this phase. It’s a great opportunity for manifesting, if that’s your thing. Write your list of goals down, but also write down some steps you can take to try to accomplish those things. There’s a good chance ingenuity will strike, but with the sun, moon, and Uranus in earth signs, it helpfully will be grounded and practical.
The only potential downside of the new moon is that it’s within 5 degrees of being opposite Neptune in Pisces. Neptune casts a fog. We may find that our emotions and our feelings create some illusion or delusion around the goals that are set at this time, which is also why thinking through the tactical steps to achieving your goals will be useful. It’s important to lean into the Virgoan qualities of discerning and critical thinking to counteract any emotional overwhelm you may feel.
To see the areas of your life where this new moon will potentially bring about a fresh start or a new way to thinking, reference your Virgo season horoscope.
