Maybe a little time in a psychedelic garden with a couple of chickens is just the thing Klimt 1917 {{PD}}

By 6:30 AM of the 18th the Moon opposes Pallas and quincunxes Venus, setting us up to try to fulfill desires while avoiding taking the wise course! Sounds Self-defeating, doesn’t it? And it is–try to avoid this trap of indulging an adolescent world-view.

The Moon’s sextile to Sedna around midnight PST ushers in a lonely feeling–we may get inexplicably melancholy at this time. Insomniacs may have it particularly hard, as no novel, snack, late-night talk show, favorite movie, or midnight walk will take our minds off a strange emptiness. Just know it will pass shortly; the one positive this may bring out is that it moves a lot of detritus aside and lets us see exactly what issues and fears may underlie our everyday thinking. These are things normally disguised, repressed, or gussied up as something else, so appreciate the opportunity to see below the surface.

For more detail on the day, you might want to become an ECLIPSE reader, with access to the Password Protected Pages at right–but you should probably wait, the new issue (with password privileges) comes out 1 February (or sooner, if I get my act together!) I’m switching to a newsletter subscription format, sent to email 1-3 (or possibly more, depending on what’s going on) times a month, featuring current astro influences, articles, commentary on news and current events, with daily Moon forecasts still here at the blog, with abbreviated forecasts here on the home page. Next up, January Full Moon forecast!

Because the vast majority of us are not only aware of the way gratitude plays an important mental, emotional, and spiritual role in our lives, we practice it daily, some see no need to set aside a day to give what amounts to ritual thanks, to God, the Universe, or simply to each other for the sustenance we share. My feeling, though, is that it’s important that we express our thankfulness for all we have (no matter how little that is) in a ritualized way; ritual allows us to bring a sense of the sacred (Vesta) to what is essential daily practice ( both the consumption of food and our conscious expression of gratitude). In the US (as in most other places that set aside a special occasion to show thankfulness) there are traditions that have grown up around the ritual–and make no mistake, our Thanksgiving here is a modern thing, a celebration of the way two disparate worlds began to co-operate (the indigenous inhabitants and those who saw it as an empty land, free for the taking) not, as some would contend, a celebration of one viewpoint or race triumphing over another. That would be the opposite of gratitude, for when one component of the equation is not considered, no one truly profits. With the Moon in Cancer for this Thanksgiving, we can make the day a ritual of caring; a Grand Trine around 4:30 PM PST involving Vesta, the Moon, and Uranus, all in Water, says that the individual can become emotionally balanced within the group by honoring those things we know to be sacred, and whatever we consider ‘home,’ as well as those with whom we are most intimate. A great deal of healing can be accomplished through kindness, today–don’t underestimate the power of the Cancerian vibe.

And now to the practical advice on how to handle the day. The day’s dynamic is encapsulated in the T-square of Juno opp Jupiter/ Uranus, both square Pallas/ Mars/ Mercury. Pallas is included in a version of the ‘T’ (as each energy must be considered separately within the equation) that does not include Uranus, and vice versa, suggesting that wisdom and rebelliousness/ originality will not be able to co-exist in the same action and thought dynamic. The signs involved are Virgo, Pisces, and Sagittarius; mutability brings a fluidity to the days activities that may be surprising. The general atmosphere may be one of a tension focused on the individual and the role in the group–all energy going toward what we’re putting out, how we’re interacting, and with a particular personal attention to how well we’re being accepted on the social scene. Considering that many among us will be spending an unusual amount of time with family, this influence may set the stage for a re-evaluation of the individual within the family dynamic, the reassessment being provided by Juno’s sense of personal empowerment v. the exaggerated need for the uniqueness of the individual to be incorporated into the group (Uranus)–and all offset by the tensions provided by egos, communications, and the inner wisdom. It’s a chance to re-learn how to interact with those important to us in ways that enhance our own (and likely their) feelings of autonomy, relevance, and strength as individuals–and very good influence, if we can avoid overreaction, rebellion, or any of the other hair-trigger responses that still live in us from childhood.

For more see the Private Pages at right under ‘Pages’; get your password here http://dogandsunflower.wordpress.com/the-latest-new-fall-2010-eclipse/ or see my new book on Juno http://dogandsunflower.wordpress.com Thanks! And Happy Thanksgiving!

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