Waning Moon in Scorpio Moving into Sagittarius

This Moon note covers today through January 1, Thursday through Saturday.

The Scorpio Moon brings deep insight as she flows energy in sextile with the Sun this morning, and Mars this evening. Outward action is always informed by inner thoughts and feelings; today's connections between the Moon in Scorpio and the Sun and Mars in Capricorn help us make those connections.

Takara Bune, the magical treasure ship

Tomorrow (Friday) the Scorpio Moon continues her exploration of the depths. Early in the morning, she joins Venus who still remains in Scorpio after her long retrograde in this sign. On the last day of 2010, we look one more time at our relationships through Scorpio's lens.

What really goes on when we relate to others? What hidden currents have we become aware of these last months, and how has this changed us? Perhaps we've faced anger or betrayal. Perhaps we've experienced new levels of intimacy. Perhaps our relationships have been transformed. Any and all of this is possible with Venus in Scorpio, and today's Moon connection brings feelings into focus in this area.

As we approach the New Year, the Moon reaches the last degrees of Scorpio, where she connects with the four outer planet messengers residing there. The Moon will challenge Neptune and Chiron in square, and create flowing trines with Jupiter and Uranus. This might feel like the year in review with input from the cosmos, as Scorpio the detective-therapist connects with planets holding the energies of dreams and visions, healing and mentorship, philosophy and good fortune, revolution and individuation.

In the afternoon, the Moon enters her time-between-times, reflecting on this most amazing year. In the evening, she turns on the lights, puts on her dancing shoes, and opens her arms in welcoming, generous Sagittarius. We welcome the New Year in the sign of conviviality and good humor!

New Year's Day (Saturday) is quiet, astrologically, with only a flowing sextile from the Sagittarius Moon to Saturn in harmonious Libra, late in the day ... a reminder that balance is needed in all things, even celebration.

At the turning of the year in Japan, dreamers place an image of the Takara Bune, the treasure ship carrying the seven gods of good fortune, under their pillows. This magical ship takes them on a dream journey showing good things to come in the new year. On these nights of the new year, may the treasure ship sail into all our dreams, bringing us into 2011 with magic and good fortune.

Waning Moon in Libra Moving into Scorpio

The Moon reaches the last degrees of Libra this morning, which places her in contact with the outer planets grouped there: Neptune and Chiron, and Jupiter and Uranus. The Libra Moon is diplomatic and charming, ready to listen to the complex array of messages offered by these powerful voices, and weave from them a harmonious whole.

angels turning the celestial sphere

The connections with Jupiter and Uranus are the inconjunct angle-of-adjustment, with Jupiter in Uranus in visionary Pisces. Perhaps cerebral Libra wishes to balance Piscean emotions with calmer thoughts. Perhaps the powerful Piscean messengers offer the Moon a compelling vision.

The connections with Neptune and Chiron are flowing trines, these two are in clear thinking Aquarius. Visions of healing beauty may be available, and yet emotional depth is present here as well: Not only are we in the presence of Neptune, ruler of Pisces, but the Nodes of the Moon are nearby. The South Node at 2 degrees of Cancer is within 6 degrees, forming a Grand Trine.

Looking across to the North Node at 2 degrees of Capricorn, we see a Kite formation, the Grand Trine plus sextiles from the Moon on one side, and Neptune and Chiron on the other. With the North Node at the apex of the Kite, the focus of the visionary messages offered today becomes our karmic path in the this life. Attention is brought, once again, to the Capricorn group, asking whether we're walking our talk.

The Moon leaves this intense group to enter her time-between times, emerging into Scorpio's depths at 3:49pm. Her first action here is a flowing sextile to Pluto the transformer, ruler of Scorpio and focus of the Capricorn group in the sky. The questions remain squarely before us: What is our path in this life? Are we on it? If not, what needs to change to make that happen?

Today is Mercury's last day in this intense retrograde in Capricorn. Take time today to reflect on where you've been this past year and where you'd like to go in the year ahead. Overnight, Mercury the messenger turns direct again. As the pace of life picks up speed again, we need to be ready.

Waning Moon in Libra

We've entered the last quarter of this lunar cycle, heading for the Capricorn New Moon, first of 2011. This is a time for understanding, integrating and releasing as we prepare the ground for new seeds.

Ohio blizzard

The Moon continues in Libra, sign of balance and beauty, and joins Saturn, planet of form and structure, today. With a square to Mars in Capricorn and a sextile to Mercury in Sagittarius, the personal planets are checking in with the lord of limits and responsibility.

Today our attention is drawn to the spare, the minimal, perhaps even the stark. In the harsh weather many of us are experiencing, we appreciate the basics of color, line, and form, as well as the necessities of survival.

The strong aesthetic of the Libra Moon helps us pare away what we no longer need, bringing us to a place where what is essential shines through.