The need to make more time for new and already ongoing projects forces me to cut somewhere–and for now, that will be here at the blog and in personal services offered. I won’t be doing a daily forecast in any form, at least not usually, but will try to go with quick updates for some current conditions and articles now and again. Thank you so much to all my readers, and particularly to those who’ve donated–and that brings me to those who have a recurring donation: only you can stop them–PayPal won’t let me, and all who’ve donated in the past 6 Months are on a list for a free Moon book (another thing I’m hoping to finally finish!) so please, though much appreciated, I won’t be offering the kind of consistent work that deserves your very generous support each and every month. I’ll still leave the link up for now, in case I do something singularly spectacular and you want to tip me! but otherwise I’ll be spending most of my time in other pursuits.
That said, here are a few alerts for the upcoming week, through to the Full Moon of the 28th:
Saturday the 23rd is a little magical, as long as there’s more ‘we’ than ‘I’ in the mix, and as long as power plays are avoided; otherwise, it’s a good time to make plans around ambitions and goals, and, applying a little idealism, imagination, or spiritual mo-jo, you could see a dream or two come true (Keys: Sun conj Saturn, Venus sxt Neptune, qnx NN, and parallel Pluto, Merc trine Zeus)
For the 24th, two things: loving relationships or the Arts offer positive arenas for personal power expression, and a steady mentality wins (Keys: Venus sxt Ceres, Merc contra-parallel Uranus)
On the 25th we’re inclined to charge toward goals and actively shape the future–and we’ll be successful, as long as we use our highest values and commitments as a guide (Keys: Juno parallel Ceres, Mars nov NN, Venus trine Vesta and nov Juno, Sun sxt Chiron and sesq Vesta)
Oh! I don’t like the 26th! We may be confused, deluded, or misled concerning life direction, we may act against our own health interests, we may sacrifice love or a financial source we need to pursue ambitions (with it unlikely to work out–see the first part of this sentence!), we may act erratically, unreasonably, or we may alienate ourselves from the group, and everything that goes down is exaggerated, based on beliefs (and so potentially ‘fact free’), or waving a mirage of opportunity at us that disappears when we approach. Stay in bed today, at least in a figurative sense, and wait out the madness (Keys: a bunch of squares!!)
Things improve by the 27th, with a few caveats. Though upholding values may seem to curtail our power, it may be the way to go, as a healthy mindset that vibes to integrity may be our best asset. If you need to act, to get out there, to secure opportunities, make what you do an expression of pure creative energy, or make it a paragon of spiritual virtue–temporarily take on an Archetype that fits the goal, then shed it and see how really good you feel (Keys: Vesta opp and contra-parallel Ceres, Jupiter nov Neptune and opp Hygeia, Merc contra-parallel Black Moon Lilith and nov Chiron)
One more thank you–I’ve had a great time ‘speaking’ to you and with you all these years, and I know that’s something I’ll miss.
Today, the 19th, it may seem like our highest values are a nuisance, rather than the foundation of our thinking and responding (Mars sesq Vesta). We’re sure minor power conflicts are chipping away at our autonomy (Pluto semi-sq Juno)–and rather than shrug them off, seeing them for the annoying noise that they are, we’re taking them to heart and overreacting. I’d like to blame that pugnacious Aries Moon, squaring Venus and Pluto through the day, fueled by emotion and throwing punches when its Will is denied–but it might just as easily be Mars and Uranus converged in Taurus, also spoiling for a fight and within square of Jupiter, blowing ‘it’ all out of proportion. Try to remember that today perceptions are skewed toward the reactionary and radical, and that no response is better than an ill-considered, fevered one.
Much the same exists for the 20th, with this handy exception: we see Mercury trine the North Node and Juno quincunx Black Moon Lilith, suggesting that if we are willing to meet those matters we’ve been avoiding with a sense of personal responsibility, and if we’ll do so with the future in mind, we’ll be able to skirt a great deal of the unreasoned and reactive energy filling up the air waves right now. It also helps if we’re willing to note where and how reality diverges from fantasy (Saturn semi-sq Neptune), which should help anchor us in the real world, rather than letting the imagination run wild.
The 21st conjures a powerful set of conditions, as Neptune conjoins Ceres, bringing together ideals, creative energy, and the personal authority to enact these, or uniting delusion with an overwhelming urge to interfere and dictate to others.The world will likely sort itself into these two groups; if you can, surround yourself with those in the former camp, rather than the latter.
The 22nd is a day for repercussions, and what some may call ‘tests’. We are forced to acknowledge the reality of our personal power position in relation to our life direction–how much autonomy, how much say, do we really have?–and we may get a big jolt (or an unforeseen opportunity) arising from our own actions, choices, or assertions–even our simple identity, a statement of ‘I Am’, may bring the social sphere or a fortuitous opening within reach. Answer conflicts honestly, stare straight at what’s presented, and when that helping hand or new chance comes, take it (Ceres sq the Nodal axis, Saturn semi-sq Ceres, Mars sq Jupiter, Mercury qnx Vesta)
Why is it that on the 15th it feels like we can’t ‘be ourselves’ and still be taken seriously? There’s a strong disconnect between expression of originality and holding authority; somehow they seem to be at odds, and we are certain to fall on one side or the other, either seeing our ideas and contributions unappreciated, or seeing our empowerment position as plodding and non-creative. The problem is twofold: our thinking is skewed, and we are basing our assessments of things on either poor choices made in the past, or in angry response to what isn’t, anymore. The way out may be this: experiment. With so many energies in Aquarius right now (Saturn, Jupiter, Pallas, Mercury, with the Sun soon to join), it may be that trying something new will at least break the impasse, and may actually offer innovative solutions (Uranus contra-parallel Ceres, Mars sesq SN, Mercury opp Hygeia).
Thinking is smart, aligned with what we know to be right, so why is it that opportunities, and maybe ‘the facts’, conflict with our priorities or what we honor in life? The 16th brings this dilemma forward, and offers an answer: find the worth in what you are ignoring, deriding, denying, or enraged over–and then incorporate this into your reality. It adds depth, dimension, and gain that you otherwise wouldn’t have had a chance at. The mind is attuned to wisdom, and is likely to know it when it hears it (Jupiter sesq Vesta, Venus trine Black Moon Lilith, Mercury conj Pallas).
The past looks awfully pretty from this vantage point, doesn’t it? Especially when we think about relationships–but there’s a reason things are different, now. For the 17th we may feel the current scene trips us up with all that we don’t know or haven’t dealt with, and this would be partly correct–as long as you listen to instincts, and are willing to respect feedback that may point to your ‘blind spot’, you can exceed your own expectations. How to avoid real trouble? Don’t dissipate your energy by setting up a ‘You against the World’ situation–because the world will definitely have greater energy reserves, and so manage to wear you out (Venus parallel SN, Sun trine Sedna, Jupiter sq Uranus, Juno contra-parallel Black Moon Lilith).
Why is everybody so contrary on the 18th? Could it be that when we think we’re asking with a loving attitude, it comes across like we’re trying to take advantage–and that’s causing others to back away or even turn away. The only way to make the relationship right is to look at the past, to the events that may have prompted the other party to see us as manipulative, to put a predatory lens over our actions that takes an innocent request and makes it look as if we’re motivated by Self-interest. Not pretty, but illuminating for us to realize others may see us that way, and useful in that it allows us to rid ourselves of a certain artifice that’s kept us from really connecting–and connecting, of course, makes for better understanding, and better feeling, all around (Venus sesq Sedna, Sun nov SN).
The Weekend has two Word Images 1) a peacock strutting along the side of a busy highway, oblivious to any danger from speeding traffic.What beautiful thing has escaped your control, and is now in danger? What threatens it is specifically linked to it being in the ‘wrong’ place–so get it back to where it belongs.
2) you meet three little girls in a row, all with the same name.Whenever we run into multiples of something, it’s meant to draw our attention; encountering the same name (and in my case an uncommon one, at that: Clarice) suggests almost a deja vu-like repeating of experience. That’s when we should start scouring the landscape for incidents, perceptions, and events that have visited us before, and are now back. Awareness of this can alert us in the moment to the potential to change our response, and so to change the course of events, a kind of ‘learning from history’ episode that allows us to change, dare I say it? Our karma.
On Monday the 11th we have to face where our thinking is taking us, and this can make for distress (fear as we project the current circumstances into the potential future they may bring, or upset generated by compromises to our values and priorities), and for some healing and genuinely inspiring moments, as we get an awe-inspiring glimpse into our true power and the originality and inventiveness we contain as human Beings. It’s a day for deep insight; it’s also a day when things may take on a larger-than-life quality. That should be reassuring: we’ll be seeing into the depths, with components exaggerated in order to draw and focus our attention on what really matters. For some the attention will be on what’s not working; this dissatisfaction will be in direct proportion to one’s honesty about the reality picture and one’s willingness to learn from the past. Expect to face some hard truths about desires and ambitions; also expect some amazing revelations about the Self, some serendipitous occurrences and spontaneous events, and the chance for authentic healing. Note: Mercury, newly entered into Aquarius, the sign of understanding and Higher Thought, will act as apex to aFist of God with base of North Node square Vesta, offering an unusual depth of comprehension, once we accept the import of living and honoring our priorities and highest values, and the way the results of those commitments may seem to echo backwards from the future; we’ll see that, no matter the source, what we honor will surely shape what comes (Sun sq Zeus, Merc also conj Jupiter, nov Ceres, and sxt Chiron, with Jupiter also sxt the latter, and Mars parallel Uranus).
On the 12th we may face some difficult conflicts, many of them internal, that will require we answer a few questions: what in our relationships hurts us, and are we responsible for that condition? Does the very idea of money carry a wound for us? Do we expect Love to hurt? Do we play games when communicating, and if so, do we believe that withholding info and then springing it on others confers us an advantage? Do we get a thrill out of shocking? Do we resist Higher Thought? Would we rather generate chaos than change our minds about something? All are relevant today (Venus sq Chiron, Merc sq Uranus, Sun semi-sq Juno).
By the 13th we are facing the consequences of our real-world actions, especially those where we misjudged and actually ended up disempowering ourselves. If we use ideals as a guide, we will find valuable answers within spontaneously occurring ideas that are both original and innovative. Focus on the kind of role you want to play in the world, use the power of the creative to craft that role in optimum terms. Make this a mantra: what’s unwise is also unhealthy (Mercury sxt Juno, parallel Saturn, and nov Neptune, Venus trine Uranus, Mars sq Saturn and contra-parallel Ceres, Pallas opp Hygeia).
On the 14th Uranus stations direct, with the likely result a sense of freedom unfolding over the next few weeks as Uranus picks up speed in apparent forward motion–but freedom from what? For the individual this is tied to matters of the House that holds Taurus in the natal chart, and may also show in natal facets ruled by Uranus (bodies or points posited in Aquarius) or in aspect to it natally. Look for a lightening up in attitude and lightning-quick responses, some of which are brilliant–though an overload to the nervous system can definitely cause accidents, if you’re someone sensitive to the electricity Uranus will dump into the ether.
Today we also see examination of many things we’ve recently been avoiding, with the pleasant result that facing the ugly, the hidden, or the embarrassing lays the groundwork for enormous change–so make this purging and re-shaping a positive one (NN nov Black Moon Lilith, Mars semi-sq Neptune, Merc sq BML and parallel Jupiter, Sun conj Pluto).
Despite a lot of angry rhetoric, I have the happy feeling that the 8th brings forward the smartest and most loving of feelings–mainly because, in the case of both aggressive communications and loving practicality, everyone’s focus will be on the ideal (with a sad few lost in their own delusions). That means that even under the shouting or harsh expressions, there’s a strong desire to see things become as we would ideally envision. Of course, that also means there are some who won’t recognize boundaries or the rights of others–simply because they lack that kind of awareness in the first place. Everybody’s tired; today may offer a largely unexpected chance to see our own empowerment blossom, to see positive forces win out, for once, if we’re able to see that communications are what they are because the people involved are where they are (mentally, emotionally, psychically speaking). (Mercury enters Aquarius and sq Mars, Venus enters Capricorn and nov Pallas, Uranus qnx Juno, Sun parallel Mercury and sxt Neptune).
Saturday the 9th sees two distinct ‘flows’ of energy, and each of us will likely choose (or maybe, fall into) one or the other. Both show us the power of our words and thoughts to manifest in the material world; one, though, will ‘put us in jail’ in some form, restricting our thoughts or expressions (or even holding us to some promise or discipline we’ve previously claimed), while the other conjures up our beliefs and assertions in real-world terms that show us the positive power of a mind disciplined and clear in intention.
Add to this two other possibilities: 1) that interaction with the social order, or expressing our beliefs or laying out ‘the facts’ will add to our personal authority and enhance our personal power, and 2) that we have a chance to balance opposing energies so that they are complementary to each other. This latter is due to a Venus trine to Mars that can not only see yin and yang in perfect harmony, but can also make taking considered action (the kind that keeps others in mind) pay off nicely. Warning: if you find yourself suffering under that ‘jailed’ sort of energy described above, you do run the risk of spending or aggressing in relationships in an attempt to break the energy impasse and soothe your own frustrations–better not to, though (Jupiter sesq and Sun qnx NN, and Jupiter nov Ceres, Mercury conj Saturn).
By the 10th we have an interesting opportunity: to focus on and honor those things we truly revere and are committed to. This is not only a good chance to see our values in action, it’s a good chance to see where we need to reinforce our values expression in the everyday (Sun trine Vesta). Other influences are minor, describing facets of what we find sacred and how we need to adjust to make these closer to our ideals, especially in the ambitions we pursue and our ability to ‘walk our talk’ (Juno semi-sq Zeus, Mercury semi-sq Neptune).
The Weekend Word Image is 30 pieces of silver. Of course, we know this as coming from the New Testament of the Bible, as the price Judas accepted for betraying Jesus; in current parlance it means much the same, referring to a benefit someone has received for betraying others, a community standard, or some cause it would otherwise make sense for them to support. It’s easy, especially right now, to point to the many betrayals going on publicly, and we’ve all got a short list of others who’ve done us wrong and left us with a permanent feeling of their treachery that will forever color our memory of the relationship.What I would ask each of us to do is to consider the possibility that there is some significant way in which we are betraying ourselves. This most likely comes in one of two ways: either by ignoring a genuine need we have, or it has occurred inadvertently, over time, as we compromise with others. With the first we are acting against our best interests, and we’re likely aware of this but not totally conscious of how much of a betrayal this is of our own needs and well-being. With the second we may have simply crossed a line without realizing it, in an attempt to cooperate with or respect others; in this case, we’ve come to the point of injuring ourselves and failing to fulfill our own needs out of a blurry line between ‘us’ and ‘them’, very possibly caused by us taking on too much responsibility for others’ needs or happiness. The first step is to become conscious of this condition, and the second is to ask, in what way am I benefiting, what is my ‘pay off’, for betraying myself?
‘Speak! Speak!’ By John Everett Millais 1895 {{PD}}
On the 5th we may want to ask ourselves, How much power is healthy? Ceres quincunxes and contraparallels Hygeia, asking us to adjust our expressions of personal authority, especially when they affect those we take responsibility for or that we hold some power, big or small, over. Thinking may be too highly influenced by the past or by what we get from those relationships (Mercury parallel SN and Venus), making it that much harder to step back and recognize the rights of others–though to embrace what’s genuinely our responsibility will have immense payoffs in ways we never anticipated (Sun nov Juno).
On the 6th Mars enters Taurus–will we breathe a sigh of relief or just get possessive over our stuff? Either way, the shift may allow many to take their foot off the gas and slow their too-aggressive roll. Relationships and finances need careful handling; we’ll be seeing them too much through the lens of the past, with not enough attention on what’s healthy or what we’re sensing below the shiny surfaces (Venus qnx Sedna, sesq Hygeia, parallel SN). Though it may be tough, be hyper-aware of any sensed and unarticulated knowledge–whatever makes your skin prickle as you think about it is worth heeding the warning over–as true power may be hidden, subtle, and so make more of an impact on things than we anticipate–and this is so even of our own personal power, including our buried destructive impulses, so tread with care (Mercury trine Sedna, Sun parallel Pluto).
For the 7th we need to recognize how truly powerful words and communications of all stripe really are today. The past may be too strongly shaping our thoughts and our viewpoint, and because of this inaccurate measuring tool we may end up putting ourselves in a difficult position. Recognize two things to help you get through the day: we are too steeped in old ways to see things clearly right now, and we are thinking so much about power that this may limit our understanding of it as it currently exists in any situation–and that latter means that those who ‘go physical’ today may momentarily get the advantage, but will ultimately suffer the consequences, as they too will be operating with an inaccurate lens. The past does hold beneficial information, we just have to be very clear about what bygone experiences are really telling us (Mercury parallel Pluto, semi-sq Ceres, nov SN).
What exciting things does next year hold? This guy thought he knew what was ahead. ‘Leaving the Paris Opera in the Year 2000’ By Albert Robida {{PD}}
New Year’s Eve is just about my favorite point in the year. The idea that time itself has a ‘new beginning’, that we get a fresh start in the midst of life, one that comes without upheaval, trauma, or stepping off a figurative cliff, one that comes on a regular basis, that condones us re-thinking ourselves and our practices so that we can re-make ourselves for the better, makes me happy. We can easily be too hard on ourselves if we make resolutions that for whatever reasons we won’t keep, and it’s common to feel a sense of let down and even like a failure once we leave the party and go back to the demands of the every day. In that vein, I’d like to suggest that we embrace a sense of renewal that isn’t accompanied by a compulsion to judge. It starts with accepting ourselves as we are in the moment, taking in that fresh, open, ‘new year’ energy without treating ourselves as if we’re a building (or Soul) in need of a remodel. Are we all flawed? Of course–the problem comes with the expectation that we have the potential to eliminate every un-perfect thing about ourselves. Let me just remind everyone: there are no perfect people–so don’t hold yourself in the unkind light of unreasonable expectation–instead focus on the things about yourself that you like, focus on what you want to be as a human Being, and go from there.
As noted in my previous post, New Year’s Eve is a day for caution, particularly when we note Venus conjoined the South Node, square Vesta, and parallel Pluto; that’s like a recipe for bad decision-making, based on seeing the past as ‘better’ than now, on feeling that living your highest values only creates conflict and makes things difficult, and perhaps seeing Love as destructive, or that Love and desire lead us to destruction–or will it be that Love already feels eliminated, or that it’s transformed to something dark we never anticipated. Maybe it’s just that we’ll be keenly aware of the dimensionality of Love, that it has many faces, of the way we have trouble recognizing genuine lovingness if we have lived too-attuned to cruelty or indifference, mistaking those for love, instead. And then there are the potential worries about money that so many will face in the New Year; it’s devastating to think that loved ones may suffer for lack of personal resources, which is especially hard to take when we consider how much money goes to bombs, to vanity, is wasted on the useless and the foolish.
Take care, as the old year turns to the new. It’s definitely a time for celebration, not least because of the horrendous events delivered by 2020. New Year’s Day itself shows two opposite sets of influences, so it may read positively for some, negatively for others, or may present a mixed bag that could confuse or make us throw up our hands and declare there’s no way to know what’s up!
We may see true profitability and genuine, concrete expressions of Love and caring that take real-world forms, that manifest in ways we can hold in our hands, and these may be delivered in unexpected and brilliant ways (Venus novile Saturn). We also see creative thinking in good form, and if we allow ideals to guide our reasoning, we could end up making effective changes to life direction (Mercury sextile Neptune and quincunx the North Node).
But, if we hedge our bets by refusing to be truly Self-responsible, if we blame our own most unreliable or erratic impulses or insist it’s the fault of ‘the group’, then we end up making poor choices and unwise decisions just because we’re trying to avoid certain realizations or certain burdens we need to face (Mercury semi-square Juno, Venus sesquiquadrate Uranus, Pallas square Black Moon Lilith).
By Saturday the 2nd of January we’ll be facing a whole new set of positives and a few new challenges. Creative energy and highest ideals can inform choices so that we do the wise thing, the practical thing (Neptune novile Pallas, Mercury trine Vesta), building confidence and leading to innovative decisions and inventive answers to problems, and this helps us on the social scene, in absorbing and using effectively ‘the facts’, in gaining ‘more’ of those positives, and facilitates moving toward our goals (Venus sextile Zeus and novile Jupiter, Sun sextile Ceres).
Negatives? They live in undermined trust of ourselves, in fear that there are dark and divisive things hidden in what we care about or in relationships, and in a refusal to look at what we ‘know but don’t know’, or to accept that we have blind spots, and need others to help us point out and deal with these (Mars contraparallel Juno, Venus sesquiquadrate Black Moon Lilith, Sun sesquiquadrate Sedna). Do you notice a theme? In short, bad things happen when we refuse to look at the whole picture; shying away from reality puts us at a disadvantage–so don’t.
A switch flips for Sunday the 3rd. The magic of Self-responsibility, of that New Year’s work of accepting ourselves, pays off. Healing is possible and actions are inspired; we see the worth of doing what’s wise or practical, and we understand the value in being ourselves (as the old joke goes, be yourself, because everyone else is taken!) The only pitfall may be too much attention to ambitions and goals–if we attend to our own well-being, our careers, accomplishments, and efforts will naturally flow out from there, so no extra attention required (Chiron trine Juno, Jupiter semi-square and Mars novile Neptune, Venus semi-square Pallas, Mercury square Zeus, Sun parallel Venus and quincunx Hygeia).
Monday the 4th there’s only one thing to do: Speak, Think, Communicate the Truth, with a capital ‘T’. That means that what we deal in intellectually must be real, factual, and without ulterior motive for its communication. Words can be power, and can destroy, more completely than usual, so honor yourself and others with a commitment to a positive honesty (Mercury conjoined Pluto).
‘Hyacinth’ By Paul Fordyce Maitland 1883 {{PD}}
Your Weekend Word Image: Hyacinth. I heard this word, which I’d not heard in years, 4 times in less than twelve hours in 4 different contexts. That was enough to draw my attention. So, I went looking for the myth of Hyacinth–do you know it? Hyacinthus was an athletic Spartan youth with whom the god Apollo fell in love. They were throwing a discus (Apollo declared he wanted to “scatter the clouds”) and Hyacinthus, trying to catch the discus, was hit in the head and killed. Apollo used his skills as a healer, but to no avail, and from the blood of his fallen boyfriend Apollo made a flower grow. Though there’s some dispute over what kind of flower this was (as it probably wasn’t what we call a hyacinth today), that’s the legend in a nutshell. So, what does that episode say to me? Well, that depends on if you’re Apollo (the god figure) or the eager youth who is, in terms of both capability and safety, playing way outside his league. Of course mortals break when the gods play with them–so maybe this is a small warning, to know who your playmates really are, and what they’re really capable of.
‘Flemish landscape with travelers attacked by robbers’ By Peter Snayers c1645 {{PD}}
In this end-of-week, end-of-year slice, we may have our confidence shaken, we may find the past looking a lot better than the future, and current circumstances may seem to threaten those things we were hoping to gain by fulfilling commitments and living our values. That sounds awful, doesn’t it? After the incredibly difficult year even the luckiest of us have had, nobody needs to feel that what appeared to be solid ground yesterday is suddenly taking on the character of shifting sands. The problem is, there are a lot of grifters just waiting to take advantage of our unsureness. I’ve been noting the proliferation of these types for a while, and had decided not to talk about them (they are what they are, easy enough to see if we clear our vision by choosing to be honest with ourselves), until I saw something particularly egregious today and then took a look at the perfecting aspects for the 30th and 31st and thought, maybe I need to speak up.
The astrology centers on that foundation shake, a hard, rattling jolt that could make us question our dreams, could lead us to see old or outmoded priorities or outgrown values as preferable to those challenging new ones we’ve evolved into, could center on the least glamorous parts of relationships or finances, could try to make us believe that having ‘the dream’ is going to cost us terribly, and could try to persuade us there’s no way forward without compromising our highest standards and values (Vesta sq Nodal axis, Venus sq Neptune, Sun parallel and Venus conj SN–so the latter is also sq Vesta–and Venus also parallels Pluto). It’s overall a glum picture, one that breeds a particular sense of hopelessness; enter those who would profit from it.
Let’s be clear: I’m not talking about those who are simply offering you their services, or those offering advice, even when it’s for a fee. There are many, many people who have experience, learning, training, and/ or skills from which others can benefit, who rightfully deserve remuneration. I’m talking about people who want something, and have a laser focus on getting it; the resource they see may be material, may be intangible (like energy or love) but is in any case an asset to the possessor–and I’ve found that what they target typically corresponds to one’s natal Venus placement or to one’s natal Moon. These are the most receptive energies in the horoscope, attuned to interaction, engagement, partnership, and communion through feeling or intuitive understanding. So, how do we spot a leech?
We don’t want to cast others in an unnecessarily negative light when they may have no ill intention at all, so we must be careful to ask, how do we know they’re grifters, and not offering us a truly beneficial opportunity? Typically, they approach us with a sleight of hand: they seem to be offering us something, a benefit, usually something that has at least one component that can’t really be sold, because it’s an intangible–and they are aggressive in their salesmanship, while distracting with either warnings (“disaster if you don’t!”) or promises (and these have a blinding shininess, appealing as something you’ve always longed for and feared you’d never get, things that carry big labels like ‘peace’ ‘love’ ‘spiritual maturity’). The promise isn’t just that you’ll have a sense of moving along the road; it carries the implication that you’ll reach your destination, that the effort and trials of living will no longer be tough, at least in this one way, with the promise that your life will be infinitely better ever after–and of course, they point to themselves as already having achieved this. For instance, they may promise enlightenment, a sense of well-being, the ability to give your life direction (or meaning, or purpose, or the key to bounty, beyond just informing you of opportunities or abilities you may possess)–things it’s very difficult to say they didn’t provide, after involvement with them, because if it doesn’t happen for you, they can always say there’s something wrong with you, your attitude or the way you applied their coaching, perhaps–and that can be fixed with another round, right?
You’ve probably heard that saying that the greatest trick the Devil ever played was convincing us he doesn’t exist–grifters count on that, count on your honesty, your willingness to believe what they’re attesting to, your unwillingness to see someone as a liar. Whether the grifters focus on telling you that you must protect yourself by listening to them (a fear approach), or that they have the answer, the key, the method, the pipeline to the divine (an ‘I have magic!’ approach), the thrust is always one that makes it clear: they have or know something you don’t, that they’re counting on you (maybe desperately) wanting, when it’s really that they want something from you. Initially their attention to you may feel like the Sun, nurturing, warm, understanding, enveloping, redolent of safety and security, at last–but the Sun can blind, and as you bask in this warmth the set-up for you to hand over that asset they’ve been focused on all along occurs.
I was going to include a detailed account of one of my own personal experiences (no worries–I wasn’t fooled, but this person was a graphic illustration of the evolution of someone who has honed the skill of robbing you to a fine art), but after much rumination I think it would be better to say just this: beware of the huckster with the brilliant smile and the promise. That’s obvious, but also a good reminder for these final couple of days of 2020: don’t be misled: you are all right, for now, just as you are. Inadequate words, but ones that I mean to be reassuring.
For the 26th I want to talk about a loose Earth Grand Trine; it’s been in the neighborhood, but overshadowed by other factors, and will likely exert an emotional impact or offer intuitive guidance as the Taurus Moon glides into orb–and that will last for a good chunk of the day. This is made up of Pluto-Jupiter-Saturn (I said it was loose!) trining Vesta in Virgo and Sedna, and for a time the Moon, in Taurus. It suggests our first big feeling revelations related to the meeting of Jupiter-Saturn and how that new, higher mind understanding tells us what structures and strictures we can safely eliminate (or that we must eliminate, for our own well-being). This is all in service to two things: commitments, home in all its guises, and those things we find sacred in this life (Vesta, in Virgo prime to be assessed, trimmed, and our commitment renewed), and those matters, especially material ones, that we are continually striving to become aware of in their entirety, to make conscious what we ‘know but don’t know’, and to remedy ‘blind spots’ and so enlarge both our concept of who we are and our knowledge of our place in the world (Sedna in Taurus). The Moon temporarily inserted into this means we can feel what we need to address, what we need to be aware of, and can process how we genuinely feel about both our roles in life and the changes this awareness requires. This information won’t necessarily be easy to accept, but the steely maturity and ability to face what’s required that comes from that Pluto-Jupiter-Saturn trio, balanced by ‘the facts’ (Jupiter) and the clear understanding of what really matters (Sedna and Vesta), makes this the perfect time to make change, to birth a New You that knows, accepts, and validates where you came from while bringing a wider and more advanced understanding of who you are now into being.
Dare I classify the 26th as a nearly ideal day, rife with the chance for serious gain and the ‘right’ kind of change? Well, I will, as, besides that gangling Grand Trine above, we see Venus novile Pluto and trine Hygeia, making for a super-healthy and profitable (in all senses) dynamic. This flows on in to the 27th, where we find direct access to our most original and inventive personal nature, along with a clear and accessible way to manifest that in the life (Mercury sxt Ceres, Sun trine Uranus). For best results, guard against the temptation of erraticism and rebellion for rebellion’s sake, and concentrate on the more-than-adequate personal power you have at your fingertips right now.
The 28th may bring us up short, make us feel that the past few bucolic days were just a mirage. They were not–they were more like what we can enjoy every day if we’ll only believe we can–the issues generally boiling down to this: if we can face what we may have been resisting, ignoring, or denying, if we can bring ourselves to think about these matters rationally, and if we can be aware of the way these things may be (probably negatively) impacting our Self-concept/ identity/ idea of our purpose, we can make the most of influences by recognizing where and how we are cheating ourselves–and we’ll see how this hurts our confidence, and makes us think we’re inadequate to meet issues that we are really more than ready to deal with (aspect standouts are Uranus sq Pallas, Merc sesq Sedna, Sun trine Black Moon Lilith).
What the heck is up?! Chaotic energies vie with sure-footed ones for most of the week, making for a mix of decisiveness and sheer anarchy. On the 22nd this looks like an alignment of practical, wise approaches to healing (Chiron sxt Pallas), efforts guided by highest values (Mars parallel Vesta), and originality and inventiveness that gains by looking into the dark corners or dealing with what we’d rather not (Uranus conj Black Moon Lilith). But, this latter might also fuel unreliability and rebellion rooted in avoidance, and relationships, no matter how normally benign, will engage in power contests–even, or most especially, when we think we’re not (Venus sesq Mars, semi-sq Pluto, sq Ceres). Conscious attention to everything we do, particularly to our input in interactions, is necessary to keep it all from tumbling down.
The 23rd temper and hurtful words are on the agenda–and again, we may not realize that’s what’s happening until the speech flies from our mouth or the email is already sent! Actions are likely to be destructive even when that’s not our intention. Best use of energy is in deliberately taking on something you want to dismantle, change, transform–focusing on that will keep us sane and help us successfully tackle something we might at other times not have the energy for, so with care, this can be a win/ win (Mars sq Pluto, Mercury sq Chiron).
The 24th offers originality of thought, that spark of inventiveness, spontaneity and a wealth of ideas–especially how each of us as individuals can best fit in with the larger group. Make the most of it (Merc trine Uranus).
This is Christmas Eve, for those who celebrate this holiday, and it’s noteworthy that, astrologically, in this time of clustered forecasts, December 25th gets its own entry–so this is likely to be a day ‘felt’ distinctly by everyone, irregardless of affiliations or ceremony. The 25th to follow!
Julie Demboski's ASTROLOGY 
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