Tag Archives: Neptune

Cancer Season and the Full Moon in Capricorn

We are about to enter Cancer season. The cavalcade of planets that has been hurtling through Gemini is now, one by one (save for Jupiter), transitioning into the sign of the crab. On the way, each–first Venus, then Mercury, then the sun–makes a tense angle with Neptune (ugh, Neptune). We may experience some disillusionments. If you have had some harsh realizations in the past few days, you’re not alone. I hope they were more like aha moments than rude awakenings.

On Thursday, with the sun’s ingress into Cancer, we get the solstice. In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s the longest day of the year. And then on Friday, right on the heels of the solstice, we have a full moon in Capricorn. 

The Cancer-Capricorn axis feels really different from the Gemini-Sagittarius one. Gemini-Sagittarius is about the tension between the pithy and the verbose, between thinking quick and delving deep. The Cancer-Capricorn axis is about the tension between our emotions and our responsibilities. Cancer is feelings; Capricorn says, “fuck your feelings.” Both signs carry with them the sense of obligation. Cancer, ruled by the moon, is associated with loyalty and protectiveness, and Capricorn, ruled by Saturn, with diligence and discipline. 

Cancer is connected with the Chariot card in the Tarot, which definitely gives off Capricornian vibes as well. The chariot protects the person within, as they progress to their destination. Being armored while forging a path speaks to both Cancer and Capricorn qualities. 

This Capricorn full moon invites us to examine what we are working for. Is it worth it? How does it make you feel? 

What’s our beautiful reward for all the time and the care we give, whether it’s to our jobs, our careers, to others, to our bodies, to our minds? 

The juxtaposition of the solstice with the full moon makes it a time for both releasing and beginning a new cycle. Cancer and Capricorn are both cardinal signs, meaning they each begin a season and usher in something new. This represents a time to consider what plans you want to execute over the next year and what you need to shed in order to achieve your desired ends. Whatever our goals are, it’s important they nurture us and fulfill us emotionally.

Because Neptune (again–ugh, Neptune) is forming a t-square to the moon and the sun, thinking about what we want to achieve isn’t necessarily going to be easy. You may have a hard time putting your finger on exactly what it is you want, and you may feel especially tired and depleted. The end of this week could be a time when you feel pulled between your personal feelings and your public ambitions or your devotion to your family and other more practical commitments, and Neptune irritatingly throws a shroud of confusion over it all.  

Hang in there, because as the planets continue to move through Cancer, they’ll break free of the Neptunian influence, the fog will lift, and more clarity will become available regarding Cancerian topics: home (both physical and the sense of home), family (both blood and chosen), and care. And we get a rare second full moon in Capricorn later this month, which represents another chance at harnessing the full moon energy under different (albeit still complex…we’ll get there later) astrological circumstances.

Does that make sense? Or does it all sound like gobbledygook? If so, blame Neptune. Happy Solstice! 

Mars in Virgo

Mars moves into Virgo on July 10th and will be moving through Virgo until August 27th. Mars has been in fire sign Leo, where it’s been acting out and doing the most. Mars is the planet of action and aggression, assertiveness and drive. In Leo, it’s about the self and getting ours. In Virgo, a mutable earth sign, it’s about ruthless prioritization. 

Mars in Virgo is cutting. Mars rules needles and sharp objects, and I think of Mars in Virgo as scissors (or maybe a machete). While Mars is in Virgo, it’s wise to assertively embody the more evolved Virgo qualities of preparedness, organization, efficiency, critical thinking, and discernment, but try not to lean into the less evolved Virgo qualities of being hypercritical and a perfectionist. It’s a good time for focusing our drives and energy on getting organized, making to-do lists, editing anything that needs it, and weeding out the superfluous stuff in our lives.

I think of Mars in Virgo sort of like Tracy Flick, the main character of Election. She knows she’s right, knows she’s the most qualified, and is singularly focused on her goals, but she alienates even the teachers (Saturn) in her pursuits. (I also recommend reading the sequel from last year, Tracy Flick Can’t Win, in which life has tempered her most abrasive qualities and she’s operating from a more evolved Virgo energy but of course still chafing against a misogynist society, people who aren’t as smart as her, and her own inability to get out of her own way.)

Transit-wise, Mars makes an opposition to Saturn later this month. That’s then followed by some more pleasant aspects in August and then finally an opposition to Neptune on August 22nd. Since it’s coming up, I want to focus on the Mars-Saturn opposition for now. 

Mars opposes Saturn on July 20th. In traditional astrology, Mars and Saturn are the two malefic planets, meaning that they bring with them some difficulty, and you have to learn how to work with them instead of just letting them do their thing. The way they will be situated, in opposition to one another, lends to culminations but also conflict. It’s a push-and-pull energy. Mars and Saturn were conjunct in Aquarius back in early April 2022. This opposition is another phase of that cycle, which would mean there’s a climax or wrapping up of whatever narrative began when Mars and Saturn aligned back in early April last year. 

Mars rules drive, and Saturn rules structure. Mars in Virgo is the car, Saturn in Pisces in the bascule bridge that lifts for the boat on the river below, causing you to be late on your way to an appointment. The way to avoid the situation is to have left earlier in the first place. So the second week of July, leave lots of extra time. Be prepared for obstructions of your efforts.

These obstructions then can lead to pushing boundaries. That can manifest literally, mentally, and physically, like with endurance. I was listening to The Astrology Podcast’s July forecast, and on it, the hosts agreed that while it’s OK to push yourself mentally during this time, physically you probably only want to push 80% because with Mars and Saturn, there’s a risk of injury. (The Astrology Podcast, if you aren’t familiar with it, is the gold standard of astrology podcasts, so if you’re interested in learning a lot more about astrology, it’s my first recommendation.) So please be cognizant to not overdo it in the days around July 20th!

Mars then moves on to form a trine with Jupiter in Taurus on August 1st. A trine is formed when planets are at a 120-degree angle from one another, and generally they are considered to be a helpful aspect, with the better parts of the planets’ energies in harmonious communication with one another. The best parts of Mars in Virgo will be given an expansiveness that comes from Jupiter. Mars also makes a trine with Uranus in Taurus on August 16th, which can bring disruptions. During this time, Mercury will be following closely behind Mars. Mercury never quite catches Mars, though, because it stations retrograde on August 22nd, then moves backwards through Virgo until September 15th. 

Finally, Mars will oppose Neptune on August 22nd. I’ve written about Mars-Neptune aspects before. With Neptune in Pisces, for all of Mars in Virgo’s ruthless efficiency and clear-eyed discernment, Neptune will be doing its best to make things murky and throw the to-do lists and mission statements into question. You may find yourself looking back at the plans you’ve laid out over the few weeks and thinking, “Do I really want to do this?” Best to let the Neptune fog burn off and wait a few days before making any adjustments. 

So that’s that on Mars in Virgo, which will take us through most of the summer. I’ll say more about Virgo (I love Virgos!) when it’s actually Virgo season. 

New Moon in Gemini: Sleepytime

There’s a new moon in mutable air sign Gemini shortly after midnight (on the East Coast of the US) on Sunday, June 18th. In Gemini, this new moon is about flexibility and versatility. The main aspect this moon is making is a square to Neptune in Pisces.

Neptune makes things foggy, and with hard aspects to Neptune, such as the square (90-degree angle) the moon and sun are making to it, there are often disappointments or things don’t turn out as you had planned or hoped. So with this new moon, best not to manifest or lay out concrete plans but instead to focus on Neptunian things: our emotions, our vibes, our literal dreams, and our visions.

The new moon phase is often a time when we may feel more tired (vs. full moons, when many feel wired). With the sun squaring Neptune, this is especially true of this new moon. If you can, rest. Try to get a longer night’s sleep than usual on Saturday, and again, pay attention to the dreams you have and what your subconscious is telling you, but focus more on the feelings than making sense of them and planning action based on your interpretations.

Elsewhere in the sky, there have recently been some sign changes.

On Sunday, June 11th, Pluto, which is currently retrograde, went back into Capricorn. Since Pluto moved into Aquarius in March, we’ve seen increased focus on AI and technology. Now, with Pluto back in Capricorn, some of the major stories of the past 15 years will be revisited, so things may seem less future-oriented. In the news, the AI stuff may take a back seat to politics and the economy. With Capricorn representing the patriarchy and systems, and Pluto about power, we’re going to see more events where those who have power try whatever they can to hang on to it.

Pluto’s in Capricorn until January 2024, then it goes back into Aquarius. However, it moves retrograde back into Capricorn again later in 2024 and will be in Capricorn until Nov 2024 (where it will be during the next US presidential election–yikes!), when it makes its full transition in Aquarius. Unfortunately, there’s the Tr*mp of it all. The efforts to hold him accountable and the fights over whether he has executive privilege or is subject to the laws that apply to the non-rich and non-powerful are extremely Pluto-in-Capricorn and USA-Pluto-return vibes, almost a little too on-the-nose, if you ask me. 

Mercury also changed signs this past week, going into Gemini on June 11th. Mercury rules Gemini, so with Mercury there, Gemini season is really in full swing. Lots of talk, lots of communication, lots of movement, lots of duality and versatility and options and choices to make.

Venus is now in Leo, where it will be for a few months because it’s going to go retrograde in July. Venus in Leo is fiery and vibrant. I’ll write more about Venus in Leo and its upcoming retrograde next week.

Until then, get some sleep!

New Moon in Aries: Spark Notes

On March 20th, the sun moves into Aries. It’s the spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, and thus begins Aries season and the start of the zodiacal new year! Auspiciously, this is followed by a new moon in Aries at 1:22 pm EDT on Tuesday, March 21st. The new moon, which means that the moon is conjunct with the sun, occurs at 0 degrees Aries, the first degree of the zodiac.

Aries is a cardinal sign, meaning that it initiates, and it’s also a fire sign, so Aries is akin to a spark. It’s the striking of the match. Traits associated with Aries are bravery, impulsiveness, directness, forthrightness, impatience, and passion. Aries does not like to wait. When they get an idea, they want to act on it immediately. At the time of this new moon, there’s a lot of Aries energy in the ether. The sun and moon are in Aries, of course, but so are Mercury, Jupiter, and the asteroid Chiron. 

So that’s the vibe of this new moon, but because Aries is ruled by Mars, which the moon and sun are squaring off with, and Mars is still in the late degrees of Gemini and still in a square with Neptune, there’s a little bit of murkiness with it. Neptune casts a fog, and often when things are initiated under a Neptune transit, they are not what they seem. So while this new moon is ripe for manifesting and new beginnings, there’s a need for clarity, for sure. If new opportunities come your way this new moon, you may be tempted to act impulsively, but try to temper that, so that you can get all the details and suss out whether things truly are as they appear to be. 

Tuesday’s new moon is also in a cross-sign sextile with Pluto, which is still (for a couple more days) at 29 degrees of Capricorn, so the changes that come about during this new moon have more of a profundity and have the potential to be more transformative than with some other new moons. Pluto is about regeneration, about death and rebirth, so while this new moon is highly auspicious for beginnings, it’s also a good time for releasing and letting go of what’s holding you back. 

Later this week, Pluto moves into Aquarius for the first time in 248 years (wow!) and Mars moves into Cancer, part of the vibe shift I’ve written about. More on those movements soon! 

For now, this is the area of your chart where the new moon may have you focusing your attention: 

Aries & Aries Rising: New moon, new you. For you, you can think about this as your new year. What resolutions do you want to make now? Plant those seeds and follow through with action. 

Taurus & Taurus Rising: You may feel compelled to dig deeper into your inner self this week, and you even feel ready to begin a new spiritual or mindfulness practice. This new moon marks a good time for journaling, especially about what you want to let go of. 

Gemini & Gemini Rising: If you’ve been looking to get involved in a cause, this is a great time to do so, as long as you’ve researched and are confident you know the details of what you’re diving into. You may meet someone with whom a friendship will blossom, or you may accept an invite which ultimately leads to you joining a new group or collective. 

Cancer & Cancer Rising: Since Jupiter moved into Aries, you’ve likely had some action occurring in your career or in what you feel called to do. This new moon is a great time to release your blocks related to this area, if any, and lay further groundwork toward what you want to pursue. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. If you’re applying for jobs, use Tuesday afternoon and evening to send your resume out to those which interest you most.

Leo & Leo Rising: You may be feeling the urge to go back to school, or you may be struck with a new interest that sends you into a spiral of research. Embrace the desire to learn more during this time, because whatever your chosen interest or area of study, it could ultimately have a positive lasting impact for you. 

Virgo & Virgo Rising: This new moon can mark a time when you initiate some type of healing, or you may be helping others achieve this healing in your own lives. The eighth house is about others’ resources and our own relationship to them, so this is a time for letting your light shine for others. Partnerships or collaborations that arise during this new moon can be mutually fruitful. 

Libra & Libra Rising: This new moon could signal the start of a new relationship, so if you are looking, be open and put yourself out there. If you’re in a relationship, this is a good time to consciously shed anything that’s been feeling like a rut, especially through initiating honest, direct conversations with your sig oth. 

Scorpio & Scorpio Rising: Work can feel like drudgery, so this new moon gives you the opportunity to switch it up. Seize the moment to pitch one of your ideas for improvement to your boss, or implement a change to your daily routine to make the day feel less like a slog. 

Sagittarius & Sag Rising: Pursue pleasure and fun this new moon, and if you have something bubbling inside you artistically, this is a great time to just spend a few hours or more to just create. With Neptune’s presence, though, be careful when it comes to substance use, even though it may be fun. 

Capricorn & Capricorn Rising: This new moon is occurring in the area of your chart concerned with home and family. You may decide it’s time to move, or you may feel the sudden urge to renovate. This is a good time for laying the groundwork, but lean into your Capricorn tendency to responsibly research and prepare before diving in. 

Aquarius & Aquarius Rising: The third house, where this new moon is happening for you, can be a bit more subtle than some, because it deals with the everyday, the local, our neighbors, and how we communicate. However, the things this new moon kickstarts can ultimately have a long-lasting impact. Subtle shifts in your communication, e.g., making friendly small talk with your neighbors or signing up for a shift at the local food pantry, can lead to greater joy later. Try a new coffee shop or local bar, it could be kismet. 

Pisces & Pisces Rising: Occurring in your second house of money and resources, this new moon may bring with it an investment or job opportunity, or something may spark an idea in you that will ultimately allow you to grow your income and wealth. Pay attention, but be sure to think carefully and vet any offers that come your way. 

As always, take these with a grain of salt, because astrology is for fun, and it’s not fortune telling. And of course, depending on your own chart, the new moon may be hitting certain planets that give extra oomph or a different energy to what I’m interpreting here. 

The Week of December 11th: Mild Weather

Last week’s full moon in Gemini brought with it some huge news stories. In the past few years, there have been very few quiet news weeks, but last week’s news seemed to come at a breakneck pace.

Just in the U.S. alone, the Trump Organization was found guilty of tax fraud and Raphael Warnock won the Georgia run-off on the same day, the day before the full moon. On the morning after the full moon was exact, Brittney Griner was released, and then the next day, Kyrsten Sinema announced she was leaving the Democratic Party.

Not surprisingly, there’s a feeling of a bit of a full moon hangover right now. However, the week of December 11th through December 18th, 2022 is relatively mild, astrologically speaking. 

On December 12th, the Sun, which is in Sagittarius, is sextiling Saturn in Aquarius, so the Sun and Saturn are making a 60-degree angle to each other and having a conversation. The Sun represents the self, and Saturn is about structures, systems, and responsibility. This is a useful aspect for thinking about the rules and the structures you have set for yourself and leaning into the structure, especially where it most benefits you. This is also a time when you may be feeling more authoritative and taking yourself more seriously. You got this. 

On December 14th, the Sun enters a square with Neptune, which is at 22 degrees of Pisces. I’ve written about my Neptune struggles before. The planet is now direct and moving at an agonizingly slow speed over my natal Venus, Mars, and Midheaven. With the Sun and Neptune in a 90-degree angle, you may experience some murkiness and misunderstandings today, and you may find yourself questioning your goals, yourself in general, and/or what you want to do. You may also just feel tired. 

Also on December 14th, Mercury, which is in Capricorn, forms a square with Chiron in Aries. Chiron was once thought to be an asteroid but is now considered a comet, and it’s probably the most commonly tracked non-planet or luminary (i.e., the sun and the moon) in popular astrology. It’s known as the “wounded healer” and relates to our traumas, our sensitivities, and the scars we carry with us. (Read more about Chiron here.) With this transit, you may be thinking about words or actions that sting or haunt you, or you may actually experience some hurtful behavior or hurt others, whether intentionally or not. With both Mercury and Chiron in cardinal signs, it could be a productive time for taking action by journaling about painful thoughts or talking to your therapist (evergreen advice). 

Finally, on December 17th, Mercury will move into a trine with Uranus in Taurus. Trines are generally thought to be the most fortuitous aspect made by two planets, and with Mercury, the planet that rules thinking and communication, and Uranus, the planet of innovation and disruption, in this relationship, it could be a good day for grounded, practical conversations about change, given that both of these planets are in earth signs. You may also experience some good news or unexpected but helpful communication.

That’s it for this week! It’s a nice week of down time between the full moon, next week’s new moon, and some of the more tricky astrology that will occur at year end.

Week of November 27th: Astrological Combo Platter

There is a lot going on in the sky during the week of November 27th through December 3rd. None of the transits are huge, show-stopping moments, which we had a run of over the last couple months, but each brings its own unique qualities, with ups and downs throughout the week. 

One of things that I have found to be very challenging about learning astrology is understanding and being able to synthesize the complexities of multiple aspects occurring at the same time, both in the transits in the current sky and in the birth chart. This week’s outlook has several overlapping transits that speak to each other. I am looking at them both individually and how they interact. 

Mars, which is retrograde in Gemini, will be making a trine to Saturn, which is direct in Aquarius, on November 28th. But Mercury and Venus, both in Sagittarius, are in the mix, as they will be opposing Mars and sextiling Saturn. Trines are transits where planets are at 120 degree angles and are generally thought to harbor harmonious connections between the planets. Oppositions, where planets are opposite one another, are not necessarily difficult but they can often indicate some friction, some oppositional energy. Sextiles, where planets are at a 60 degree angle, are usually helpful in that the planets speak to each other in a way that can help enhance their more positive characteristics. 

Mars is retrograde, so this is the second of three times this transit to Saturn will occur. With both Mars and Saturn in air signs, the energy here is one of innovation, outside-the-box thinking, and communication. Mars, the planet of action, is in a free flowing aspect with Saturn, the planet of structure. Mars and Saturn are considered malefics in traditional astrology, but both planets offer lessons. Mars, which rules action, aggression, physical energy, and war, can be wild. Saturn offers rigidity, structure, rules, and boundaries. In a trine, the rigidity of Saturn can actually help harness the fierceness of Mars and channel it in a productive way. With this transit, it’s a great time for organizing, and thinking and speaking about the structures and systems in your life and how to give them power and energize them. If there are projects you have been thinking about tackling that require organization and working methodically, step by step, this trine can lend a supportive energy for that. 

On Tuesday, Mercury in Sagittarius will oppose Mars and sextile Saturn. With Mercury opposite Mars, you may see friction and the culmination of some curt or tense communication and arguments. Mars is piercing (it rules needles and sharp objects!), so your interactions with others may be a little spiky mid-week. Venus is close behind Mercury and will oppose Mars on Wednesday, so you may experience this spikiness in your relationships. However, since both Mercury and Venus are in a sextile with Saturn, which can help if you ask yourself how you can organize your thoughts and take two beats in a way that can help you temper your temper.

On Thursday, Mercury in Sagittarius will be squaring Neptune, which is in Pisces. This will help smooth the edges of our communications, but again, with Neptune, it can make things a little blurry. The advice most astrologers give when it comes to Neptune transits with Mercury is to double check details and in discussions or agreements with people, if you have to deal with them under this transit, make sure you ask clarifying questions and verify your understanding of the arrangement or situation. Neptune is often associated with deception. It can also indicate heightened paranoia or anxiety, especially in our thinking and even in dreams, with Mercury in aspect to it. Then Venus catches up and squares Neptune on Saturday. Much of the same advice applies with this transit, with particular emphasis on relationships and anything involving finances. You may be well served by waiting to seal any deals until next week. However, with Neptune in Pisces, where Venus is exalted, you may find yourself wanting to explore creative pursuits. This is a good time for finding inspiration and making art. 

Neptune stations direct on Saturday as well, so it will start to retread the territory it covered earlier this year. Let’s hope that will coincide with a shift and some forward momentum in our creative and spiritual lives. It gets close to 28 degrees of Pisces before it begins to go retrograde again in July of 2023. 

Neptune Transits

This week, the week of November 14, 2022, we are feeling the effects of a Mars-Neptune square, which is exact on November 19th. As discussed in the previous post, Mars is currently retrograding through Gemini, and now it’s reached the point where it is approaching a 90 degree angle to Neptune, also retrograde, in Pisces.

Neptune is the planet that represents dreams, visions, spirituality, nebulousness, and dissolution, and it’s currently in moody, dreamy, sensitive Pisces. Neptune is in its domicile in Pisces, meaning that it’s at the sign where it feels at home (Neptune rules Pisces in modern astrology), so it’s even more Neptuney than it would be in another sign. When Mars and Neptune square each other, there’s some movement around things ruled by Mars, but in a Neptunian fashion. Globally, this could be action, from activism to violence, around religion or deeply held beliefs, but since Mars is retrograde, actions could be thwarted, or there could be false starts. Personally, this transit could manifest as low energy and exhaustion, and it might confuse our thinking or our arguments.

I have a Venus-Mars-Midheaven conjunction, all within 1 degree in my natal chart, in the later degrees of Pisces. This aspect alone is complicated, and whenever a transiting planet is aspecting this conjunction, it hits these points in my chart like dominoes. Since 2021, Neptune has been rolling back and forth over them. And what I have found from this is that Neptune forces a reckoning, but in a much different way than Saturn, Uranus, or Pluto. Neptune shrouds everything in a fog. Given that Neptune was the Roman god of the sea, Neptune gets a lot of water metaphors assigned to it, and they really are the best way to describe its effects. From my experience with Neptune in a prolonged conjunction in relation to my chart, it’s like having a list written in ink on lined paper, then submerging that paper in water. You can still kind of make out the written words for a bit, but after a while, all you see are traces of the shape of the handwriting, and the color of the ink has bled into the water. Then even the lines on the paper disappear.

For me, this transit coincided with me questioning my values, my purpose, my legacy, and what I want to do with my life. No big. I have spent the last year and a half navigating through this murkiness, inching along. I’ve been doing a lot of navel gazing. I’ve been booking sessions with anyone who can offer me some guidance about myself and my path, including an empath, an astrologer, a tarot reader, and a psychic who told me about my past life. Their words have been enlightening, but ultimately only I can determine what I want to do and how I want to live. Determination is a Mars thing, though, and Neptune is conjunct my natal Mars for a year and will continue to cross over it until 2024, and I still feel like I’m working it out.

That’s sort of how this Mars-Neptune square may feel. We may feel like we’re working at something, but we don’t yet know what, and our impeded efforts make it feel like we are moving through sludge. Neptune aspecting Mars in Gemini indicates a dissolution of our plans and difficulty clearly seeing and stating our goals.

As someone who finds safety and reassurance in control, the way Neptune is positioned in relation to the Venus-Mars-Midheaven in my chart has been somewhat harrowing. In traditional astrology, Mars and Saturn are known as the malefic planets (while Venus and Jupiter are the benefic planets), and going through this transit, I have wondered if Neptune is a malefic too. But Neptune is the planet of dreams, and the lessons of Neptune are valuable; it teaches us to let go of things, it dissolves entrenched ideas that don’t stand up to scrutiny, and by shrouding things in a fog, it forces us to focus to persist through the haze.