Lots of cosmic activity this month! We begin with the Sun moving through the mysterious sign of Scorpio, Venus will continue her retrograde mode until mid-month and we’ll have the last Mercury retrograde of the year. The big news this month will be the sign change for Jupiter which will enter its own sign, Sagittarius, where it will bring in more optimism and a greater sense of adventure. Jupiter’s effects are to expand our experiences, our knowledge, and our understanding. Jupiter represents growth, generosity, joy, and abundance. In Scorpio, Jupiter expanded our awareness of our intimate relationships, personal power, and coping skills. Sagittarius’ focus is a bit different than Scorpio’s area of expertise.
Jupiter’s transit through the sign that it rules, fiery Sagittarius, urges us to increase our cultural and spiritual awareness, to expand our higher minds, to broaden our experiences, and to have faith in the universe. As Jupiter moves through Sagittarius, we deepen our interest in philosophy, religious beliefs, thoughts, and determine what it is that gives us joy–what truly is important in our lives in the long run. We trust in something higher than us, and this gives us a sense that we are doing the right thing and that we are spiritually protected–“things will work out” is the overall attitude. Because Jupiter’s nature is extravagant, we must guard against “too much”. Moderation doesn’t come naturally to either Jupiter or the sign that it rules. We may feel over-confident to the point of recklessness, or we may slip into a “know it all” attitude, if this energy is mishandled.
As November gets going, Uranus, the planet associated with breaking cycles retrogrades back into Aries on November 6th. This planet is all about surprise events, radical change and innovation and Aries is the sign of impatient, self-starting and independence. Aries is the star, and having brash Uranus here stokes people’s appetite for the spotlight. We’ll be reviewing the past and trying to change old habits and ideas during this reversal. Did you drop a revolutionary project or idea halfway through? It’s time to go back and approach it from a creative new angle. Or, you might just give it a rest and pick it up again next year. This is a time to tweak the master plan and do your behind-the-scenes work.
Uranus retrograde is an important time to find healthy outlets for anger and nervous energy. Since Aries is such a physical sign, I suggest vigorous exercise to clear the buildup of stressful energy, more meditating and spending time in nature if possible. More people may find themselves getting migraines or sinus infections, since Aries rules the head and face.
We’ll be diving deeper in the emotional abyss on November 7th as this month’s New Moon will be in the powerful and profound sign of Scorpio. This lunation will make us more sensitive than normal thanks to its trine to Neptune and sextile to Pluto. These astrological aspects are suggesting a spiritual transformation through passion, empathy and forgiveness. This is a good New Moon to say sorry for past mistakes, express your profound love for another, or you can follow your dreams free of guilt or shame. We may gain a deeper and wider understanding of your place in the world; or you may realize that achieving your goals and dreams is of prime importance at this time.
Relationships can benefit from this New Moon because of the spiritual closeness and bonding during this new cycle. Sexual relationships should be more tender and loving. If single you could meet a sensitive or more spiritual type of partner, and this may come from involvement in groups or clubs. Relationships will benefit from a shared vision of the future where happiness is the theme. The following day after the New Moon Jupiter makes its presents known as it moves into Sagittarius.
Jupiter in Sagittarius is the king sitting on his throne. Jupiter rules Sagittarius for good reason — they are sooooo compatible. As you may recall, in mythology, Jupiter (Zeus) is top dog up in Mount Olympus. He’s the one who seduces all the young maidens, changing himself into various other animals or clouds or whatever he needed in order to obtain his conquest. While he didn’t mind deceiving his wife, he really was a highly principled guy; kind of an oxymoron. If you weren’t towing the line, he would throw a few thunderbolts around to help you get your mind straight. Once you did, he could be very appreciative and generous. He’s big, he’s authoritative, he’s big, he likes his luxuries, and he’s BIG.
And then there’s Sagittarius. This is a big energy too. It’s a fire sign, so confidence looms large in this sign. Fire signs like action and there’s always something going on. Sagittarius wants to know and absorb the entire world. It feels like traveling from one end to the other, just to see everything. There’s no desire to stay in any one place too long, though. That would be too confining. And from all this running around, there is a word that evolves: sage. When you put these two together, you’re likely to have a great year of enlarging yourself through lots of adventures. Both your mind and body will grow. Hopefully, the running around that you do will offset the pounds you’re likely to add on your waist line.
Our motivation turns to intuitive action on November 15th as Mars enters mystical Pisces. Mars is a fiery, energetic planet whose energy represents action and aggression. When it enters the watery realm of mutable Pisces, known for compassion and empathy, it is not exactly a cup of tea for the God of War. In Pisces, Mars can come across as being passive, but that is not what’s going on inside. There are just different ways of being aggressive and strong. Mars in Pisces is not showy about it. He’s quiet and just carries a big stick. When it comes time for compassion, there is no one with greater energy to spend fighting for the underdog than Mars in Pisces. During this period, we’ll be quietly putting great care and energy into making sure that the world continues to spin in spite of each other.
On November 16th Venus, the planet of partnerships and money finally moves direct in Libra. During Venus in retrograde our love lives entered a fated period. Giving and receiving love and affection may have become more difficult. Old friends or lovers may have reappeared or you may have relived the past in some way. As Venus also rules money, I’m sure many of you were thinking a lot more about finances, income, and making large purchases that you’ve dreamed about from time to time. Traditionally Venus retrograde is not an ideal time for investing or buying luxury items. The moment Venus goes direct she will be in a tug-of-war alignment with unpredictable Uranus in Aries.
Venus opposite Uranus usually signals an unexpected change in love life, money matters, or news from someone you know that’s doing something that’s out of character for them. If you already have a partner, (personal or business) then an unexpected event may cause a lot of upset tension. Perhaps your partner rejects your need for a change or excitement, even flirting may lead to some drama in the relationship.
If the relationship is healthy then it should endure such transgressions and a permanent separation would be unlikely, however, an affair at this time would be more likely lead to a rapid separation. If dating, a new romance now would certainly be exciting. It is most likely, however, that it would be a short-lived relationship.
But, if you are the unorthodox type and need your freedom, a new relationship with a similar person could even lead to marriage. As Uranus rules the internet, you could fulfill your need for a change through internet dating or other stuff. If love is not an option then change and excitement can manifest in other areas of life. Financial windfalls are possible but take extra care with your money. Beware of a tendency to risk it all on suspect schemes or gamble it all away. You could easily find stimulation some other way such as gaming or another form of entertainment.
The element of confusion or unrealistic excitement may be higher than normal on November 16th because Mercury will go retrograde in Sagittarius. We’ve just started getting used to the feel of Mercury’s method of communicating ideas through the high-minded principles of Sagittarius when we get to do an about face. Actually, Mercury had already been slowing way down for several days, so our thoughts were not exactly speeding though space.
Any time Mercury turns retrograde we can expect mix-ups in our schedules and paperwork and misunderstandings of all kinds. There is an interesting diagram that has been used in college classes forever to show us how communication happens. The diagram consists of two radio towers with an electrical arc zapping between them. One, of course is the transmitter; the other is the receiver. When Mercury goes retrograde, it’s as if the electrical arc doesn’t quite hit the target correctly, so words get misinterpreted. That in turn, leads to all kinds of confusion. This is especially true in Sagittarius because both Mercury and Sagittarius like to be moving at lightning speed.
The energy shifts once again on November 22nd when the Sun enters Sagittarius- As we move toward the last month of the year, the Sun moves into Sagittarius, sign of the Centaur – half man and half horse. The man half aims his arrows high while the horse half carries him from one adventure to another. Sagittarius is a mutable fire sign, full of energy and curiosity and a need to roam free. While the Sun is in Sagittarius, we tend to focus on lofty principles and on enthusiastically leading the way. We want to share our profound wisdom with those around us — as long as they don’t try to tie us down. “Don’t fence me in” comes directly from the heart of Sagittarius.
Also on the same day, November 22nd, the jittery Gemini Full Moon can easily distract us by attending to a million minor details. Gemini is ruled by Mercury, the planet of ideas so our minds may be racing more than normal at this time. However, this is an excellent time for wrapping up loose ends, finishing up a project, or turning inwards. Clear communication must be highlighted here. Be self-reflexive: examine the ways in which you communicate to others. Pause before speaking about complicated subjects. Slow down; re-read your emails or texts before you send them out.
Cosmic Blessings
Joseph P. Anthony
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