Moon into Sagittarius: The Start of Something Big

Thursday evening through Saturday evening
Eastern Standard Time

The Archer takes aim

Thursday, November 24
Moon enters Sagittarius 8:58pm
Moon square Chiron (Pisces) 10:09pm
Moon trine Uranus (Aries) 10:09pm

Friday, November 25
Moon inconjunct Jupiter (Taurus) 12:05am
New Moon: Moon conjunct Sun (Sagittarius) 1:10am
Partial Solar Eclipse (Sagittarius) 1:20am
Moon semisextile Pluto (Capricorn) 6:45am
Moon square Mars (Virgo) 8:06am
Moon conjunct the North Node (Sagittarius) 9:02pm 

Saturday, November 26
Moon conjunct Mercury (Sagittarius) 5:03am
Venus enters Capricorn 7:35am
Moon sextile Saturn (Libra) 2:13pm
Moon sextile Neptune (Aquarius) 7:06pm
(begin void of course)
Venus (Sagittarius) square Uranus (Aries) 9:26pm
Moon enters Capricorn 10:05pm
Venus (Sagittarius) sextile Chiron (Pisces) 10:34pm
Moon square Uranus (Aries) 11:16pm
Moon sextile Chiron (Pisces) 11:22pm
Moon conjunct Venus (Capricorn) 11:26pm

The Moon unfurls all her sails to surge into Sagittarius on Thursday evening, pennants flying in a stiff cosmic wind as we head into a New Moon and Solar Eclipse.

If you've been feeling stuck, this could be the New Moon that cuts everything loose, boosting all of us into new orbits that might feel like whole new galaxies. If that sounds like too many mixed metaphors, well, it's that kind of Moon.

Astrologer Benjamin Bernstein calls eclipses "a New Moon on steroids," while Gary Caton refers to this New Moon as "a rip in the fabric of time." Where to begin pointing out the exuberant energies surrounding this New Moon? There are plenty ...

First, a glance at the chart shows this New Moon is part of a Sagittarian stellium that includes Mercury, Venus and the North Node, creating a strong focus of grace, generosity, expansiveness and plain old good luck.

Next, notice that Uranus the Trickster Revolutionary as retrograded back to the powerful Aries point to trine this New Moon. While we're looking at trines, take note of the powerful Grand Trine in Earth (Pluto, Mars, and Jupiter, who also rules this New Moon).

This Grand Trine creates a steady drumbeat underneath the New Moon energy, supporting deep transformative growth. A series of sextiles weave a network of intuition, vision and manifestation around the wheel.

Turning to the oppositions and squares, we see the New Moon at the apex of a T-Square, helping Chiron and Mars find the right balance between practical action and visionary healing. All the archetypes are in on this one.

Sagittarian themes include adventurous journeys of mind, body and spirit; new ways of seeing, thinking and experiencing the world; grace, generosity and good fortune. All of these can be part of our New Moon wishes and intentions, especially in relation to where the New Moon falls in our birth charts and which of our birth planets and points are touched by the New Moon aspects.

Sagittarius also holds the energy of "too much of a good thing," of overconfidence and overinflation. This time around, we can look to Mercury retrograde with gratitude, embracing the opportunities he creates to slow down, check the details, and think before we speak.

New Moon wishes can also include the intention to question our assumptions, avoid thinking we have all the answers, and extend generosity of mind to those whose ways seem opposed to our own.

The Moon's transit through Sagittarius following the New Moon echo all of these themes. Friday morning, she forms an inconjunct angle-of-adjustment with Pluto and a challenging square to Mars––this Moon wants to move fast, and these two planets in Earth feel too slow to the Moon in this mood.

The Moon's first aspect on Saturday offers another check with a conjunction with retrograde Mercury. Again, we can feel thankful for this––a New Moon careening wildly out of control is not what we truly want. We have the most to gain from this exhilarating ride if we can shape the path to fit our goals.

Opportunities for careful shaping arrive alter on Saturday as the Moon sextiles Saturn and Neptune, as these two approach their trine. When Saturn and Neptune work together, our visions become manifest, and the touch of the Sagittarian New Moon could bring the grace we need to bring it all together. After all, Venus now moves into Capricorn and the Moon will soon join her, ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work.

This New Moon is a time to welcome the new with high hopes and glad hearts. All the challenges are still out there––and with a new perspective, a little luck, and retrograde Mercury's restraining hand, we can surmount them all!
    

Moon into Scorpio: Light and Shadow

Tuesday evening through Thursday evening
Eastern Standard Time

Tuesday, November 22

light and shadow

Moon enters Scorpio 8:58pm
Moon trine Chiron (Pisces) 10:06pm
Moon inconjunct Uranus (Aries) 10:11pm

Wednesday, November 23
Moon opposite Jupiter (Taurus) 12:24am
Sun (Sagittarius) square Chiron (Pisces) 4:12am
Sun (Sagittarius) trine Uranus (Aries) 5:13am
Moon sextile Mars (Virgo) 6:31am
Moon sextile Pluto (Capricorn) 6:35am
Moon inconjunct the South Node (Gemini) 8:54pm 
Mars (Virgo) trine Pluto (Capricorn) 9:06am

Thursday, November 24
Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius 2:19am
Sun (Scorpio) inconjunct Jupiter (Taurus) 10:42am
Moon square Neptune (Aquarius) 6:04pm
(begin void of course)
Venus (Sagittarius) sextile Neptune (Aquarius) 8:51pm
Moon enters Sagittarius 8:58pm
Moon square Chiron (Pisces) 10:09pm
Moon trine Uranus (Aries) 10:09pm

The Moon dives into deep Scorpionic water this evening as we swim into the last days of this waning lunar cycle. This cycle began with the Scorpio New Moon that opened the Samhain season, ushering in the dark half of the year––how fitting to reach these balsamic days of release with another Scorpio Moon.

Tonight, the Moon trines Chiron and forms an inconjunct with Uranus, joining forces with the healing mentor, but not too fast, not too fast. This Moon wants to look deeply, understand, face the shadow. Setting everything we don't like on fire might be effective in the short term, but what's in that ash? Better to move slowly, sift carefully, and understand why, and how, as well as what.

These Chiron and Uranus connections open up a night of deep dreaming reinforced by an opposition to Jupiter in Taurus just after midnight. Expansive, optimistic Jupiter in steady Taurus offers grounding, but might miss subtleties. The Scorpio Moon won't miss a nuance. In art, this is chiaroscuro, light–dark, the understanding that modeling and depth are created by a combination of light and shadow. Hold that thought as we move into Wednesday.

chiaroscuro

The Sun, expansively brilliant in Sagittarius, squares Chiron and trines Uranus early Wednesday. This is opposite the Moon's opening aspects––chiaroscuro.

Meanwhile, the Moon highlights the Mars–Pluto trine as she sextiles first Mars, then Pluto, in early morning. Mars and Pluto won't reach the exact trine until night, but we feel the energy emphasized by the Moon's shadowy touch. With Mars and Pluto aligned in Earth, we're ready to take action to transform. In these careful, steady signs, this might feel more like a realignment than a leap, but its impact could be profound.

Thursday, Thanksgiving Day in the U.S., open with Mercury turning retrograde in Sagittarius, another touch of shadow adding depth to Sagittarian sunniness. Mercury retrogrades are times when we're asked to slow down and pay attention, watching for missed steps and dropped stitches. Arriving on a day of big travel plans and family gatherings, Mercury looking back over his shoulder reminds us to double check tickets and reservations, make sure all tickets and ID are in order, allow a bit of extra time, and then––maybe––think twice before launching into that difficult discussion in the middle of dinner.

The Sun forms an inconjunct to Jupiter today, another reminder to slow down, keep calm, and stay grounded. There's plenty of Sagittarius in the sky right now, showering us all with grace and optimism. This inconjunct, Mercury retrograde, and the Scorpio Moon are the shadow reminders to see the whole picture––chiaroscuro.

The Moon's last aspect in Scorpio is a square to Neptune in Aquarius, a call to look closely at our dreams, visions, illusions and delusions. Opening a void of course time of just under three hours, we feel one more push into the intensity of Scorpionic discernment. Then the Moon pops into bright, cheerful Sagittarius, and we exhale and reach for one more glass of wine.
  

Moon into Libra: Dancing with the Muses

Sunday evening through Tuesday evening
Eastern Standard Time

Birth of Venus by Lovis Corinth

Sunday, November 20
Moon enters Libra 8:15pm
Moon inconjunct Chiron (Pisces) 9:25pm
Moon opposite Uranus (Aries) 9:36pm

Monday, November 21
Moon inconjunct Jupiter (Taurus) 12:11am
Moon trine Pluto (Capricorn) 6:03am
Moon sextile the North Node (Sagittarius) 8:57pm  

Tuesday, November 22
Venus (Sagittarius) sextile Saturn (Libra) 3:18amMoon sextile Mercury (Sagittarius) 4:39am
Sun enters Sagittarius 11:07am
Moon conjunct Saturn (Libra) 12:43pm
Moon sextile Venus (Sagittarius) 1:30pm
Moon trine Neptune (Aquarius) 6:04pm
(begin void of course)
Moon enters Scorpio 8:58pm
Moon trine Chiron (Pisces) 10:06pm
Moon inconjunct Uranus (Aries) 10:11pm

The Moon moves gracefully into Libra this evening, and begins her transit through this Venus-ruled sign of creative grace with calls on her diplomatic skills. The Moon forms an inconjunct angle-of-adjustment with Chiron the mentor, while opposing revolutionary Uranus. Confrontation is not a Libra Moon's first choice, so these contacts will have an air of careful conversation. The Moon reminds powerful forces that all sides need to be considered, and acting out often creates as many problems as it solves. She seeks a middle way.

Monday, the Libra Moon finds her groove. The day opens with an inconjunct with Jupiter. Since the Moon and Jupiter are both in Venusian signs, and each is accomodating and generous, the adjustment here is one in which we're reminded to walk our talk. Simply espousing beautiful ideas is not enough.

The Moon trines Pluto the alchemist, willing to embrace deep change. Over the course of Monday, something may shift for us; something we've been working on might finally slip into place. In the evening, the Moon sextiles the North Node, signalling we're taking steps on our life path.

Mummers Parade in Philadelphia

Tuesday looks to be an upbeat, creative, productive day when everything flows easily. Sagittarian Venus and Libran Saturn form an enlivening sextile––the voice of the muse offering creative inspiration. A sextile between the Moon and Sagittarian Mercury enhances the Venus–Saturn connection, aligning emotions and thoughts with grace and optimism.

Midday, the Sun enters Sagittarius, brilliant shafts of warming sunlight after a month in shadowy Scorpio. Not long after, the Moon conjuncts Saturn and we're ready to act with beauty and harmony. The afternoon continues with the Moon sextiling Venus and trining Neptune––more energy swirling around creative visioning. If you can allow any time at all on Tuesday for creative work, honor the muse and express yourself!

The trine with Neptune opens a three-hour void of course, before the Moon enters intense Scorpio. Now we'll take the bright visions of the Libra Moon bathed in lots of Sagittarian glow, and add depth and shadow. But first, celebrate, explore, open doors and windows, and revel in beauty.