Pluto Flyby / Full Moon in Aquarius

New Horizons Probe - NASA

Lovely full moon coming!

But first I want to talk about Pluto, everybody's favorite sex-dwarf fascist power planet.

I've written before about how the conditions under which a planet is discovered connect up synchronistically to the meanings assigned to it in astrology. (Here and here.)

Pluto, which signifies the Shadow – the darkness everyone is afraid to look at in themselves and would prefer to project outside – was discovered in 1930, during the run-up to World War 2 and the rise of fascism.

Fascism is about the union of corporate/business interests and government. Money and politics in alliance. It's a relatively new word for a dynamic as old as civilization – but it's basically about power being concentrated in a very small circle.

Fascism, in the 20th century, has also been about scapegoating in order to promote a perfect facade of order and control. The people turned into scapegoats are always the ones whose presence undermines the state ideology of order/purity – anyone with a bit of ambiguity to their identity is targeted for extermination, because they become the repository for the collective Shadow.

So the meaning of Pluto in astrology has to do with death, ruthless elimination, and power in its most brutal form. It is about the ugliness in ourselves that we are afraid to come to terms with – it is more easily projected outside ourselves and disowned.

As lord of death and the underworld in classical mythology, Pluto also has an association with transformation and wealth. Death is a transformation. And precious stones and metals are usually found deep underground, where heat and pressure transform ordinary minerals into something rare and valuable. (And psychologically, the greatest treasures are often found in the deepest, darkest parts of our psyches – the places we're most afraid to go.)

Pluto is also about extremes: the controlled and orderly surface reality vs. the rot at the core. The death drive (Thanatos) hidden in all life.

It's no accident that the 20th century's fascist societies were outwardly focused on creating a vision of peaceful utopia...but to live within them was to know the reality of hell.

Anyway, in light of the intensity and ugliness associated with Pluto, it's ironic that he has been demoted from planetary status in recent years, to dwarf planet. This is exactly what we do with the Shadow – we minimise and deny it. It seems like what this planet represents is too scary to include in the established representation of our solar system!

But psychological growth, per Jung, depends on a reckoning with the Shadow in ourselves – the internal acceptance of our submerged power drives, our socially unacceptable behaviours and ideas, our own darkness. Everything in us that is the opposite of what we'd like to believe we are, or be seen to be by others.

Pluto, in this respect, is one of the most psychologically important of archetypes. It is the descent into hell, into our unconscious darkness, that allows us to become conscious human beings (which just means being capable of acting outside of our unconscious conditioning – a monumental and unending task).

Reckoning with the Shadow involves a kind of dying: the destruction of what we thought we were, the acceptance as part of us of all we'd like to pretend we are not.

It can feel like an abduction. In the mythology, Pluto was an abductor and rapist. He kidnapped Persephone (symbolic of spring or the life force) and took her down to hell to be his queen, holding her there without her consent.

Anyone who has dealt with an addiction, a destructive obsession or an abusive relationship will be able to understand the symbolism of this myth at a deep level. Being in the grip of a compulsion can feel like being at the mercy of something much larger and stronger than you - something intent on your destruction.

In the myth, Persephone doesn't get free of Death – she has to spend half the year in hell for eternity. It's winter on earth while she's down there, summer when she returns. So she is a liminal figure. She doesn't belong completely to the light or the dark, but to both. She has to live with her knowledge of hell in the middle of summer – but she knows summer is coming, even when she's in the depths of hell.

In psychological terms, this is like owning your shadow – your darkness, your 'badness', your destructive compulsions – your death-drive. Your devil, whatever form he takes.

(see here)

You don't defeat the devil. You learn to look at him, and to live with him, in yourself – and you stop projecting him outside. But this is enough work for most people's lifetimes.


--Anyway, I'm writing about this now because our little downgraded Shadow dwarf planet Pluto has recently come under scientific scrutiny! The NASA New Horizons probe approached Pluto in mid-January of this year, and did a close flyby on the 14th July – just before a very Pluto-influenced new moon, with Pluto opposite Mars and Mercury.

So we now have detailed pictures of Pluto. It's a strange place! There's a heart-shaped plain of moving ice (!), there's apparent volcanic activity, there are 11,000 foot high mountains, there is a methane atmosphere that may be on the verge of collapse – all on a world smaller than our moon.

The heart-shaped glacial plain is symbolically kind of amazing, considering Pluto's rulership of Scorpio, a sign concerned with deep, intense emotion buried under an icy facade. In fact, all the features seem symbolically amazing to me – there are such extremes at work on this tiny world.

So our unknown Shadow-planet turns out to be a very interesting place, and worthy of deep examination!

The New Horizon probe's timing is synchronistic - Pluto is important right now. We are just past the historic Uranus-Pluto square series, which was about radical change on the collective and individual levels. That was some fairly intense and gut-wrenching Pluto action.

And right now we have Saturn in Pluto's sign (Scorpio), and Pluto in Saturn's sign (Capricorn). This is called a mutual reception, and is about an easy dialogue between these two planets. The theme here is deep psychological excavation and restructuring. Unearthing the deep rot beneath the facade of 'normality' or respectability.

We had a Pluto-themed new moon in Cancer on the 16th July, and if anybody has gotten through the past few weeks without some sort of poisonous emotional or psychological vomit coming out of them or being spewed at them – well lucky you! At the very least, we are looking at deep, seismic shifts in family and relational structures and power dynamics at this time. And a reckoning with old hurts and grievances, old pain – our ghosts and demons.

We have a full moon in Aquarius on the 31st July (around 11:15 am GMT) – and this should be the culmination of this process, and a big shift.  It looks like relief and a breath of fresh air to me!

(see here)

It's a blue moon, meaning it's the second full moon in the same calendar month. Astrologically this doesn't mean much. But you can take it as symbolic, especially as the moon will be in Aquarius, a freaky oddball sign: this is something a bit weird and special.

There'll be some drama, no doubt – full moons are good for drama, and for this one, the sun is in proud, shiny, dramatic Leo. But the moon (emotional tone) is in cool, emotionally distanced Aquarius – and this puts a lid on the emotionality.

As full moons signify endings, I think we are seeing the tail-end of the emotional upheavals of the past few weeks. So maybe your pride (Leo) got wounded...who cares? Fundamentally, you are free (Aquarius).

Saturn resumes direct motion in Scorpio the day after the full moon, as if to underline the theme of “job done”. We have gone back into the hellish wreckage since Saturn re-entered Scorpio in mid-June. Hopefully we have wrestled with our demons and stood for our emotional truths and done the deep work. Anything rotten that wasn't dealt with during Saturn's initial transit of Scorpio (2012-2014) will have come up for revision – and hopefully, it is being dealt with now. At this point we know what's viable and what's not in our lives and our psyches – we have sifted through the garbage and know what has to go.

I think the hardest part of this transit will be completed as Saturn resumes direct motion after this full moon. From now until the 18th September, when Saturn re-enters Sagittarius – we are moving forward, amputating what needs to be amputated, clearing out the psychic debris.

The point of all this psychological purgation and energetic re-balancing is, we are clearing space for new things to happen – especially in the realm of money and relationships.

Venus (love and money planet) entered nit-picky, analytical, perfectionist Virgo on the 18th July, stationing retrograde at 0 degrees Virgo on the 25th July. She re-enters Leo on the day of this full moon, and she will be hanging out there until the 8th of October, after stationing direct on the 6th September.

Venus in Virgo is about having high standards in love and money matters, and Venus retrogrades are about relational and financial reconsiderations, recalibrations and fine-tunings. So the fact that Venus stationed retrograde in Virgo, a very picky, pragmatic and detail-oriented sign, is pretty significant here.

The next five weeks of this Venus retrograde are about laying new foundations in love and money matters. Reading the fine print, getting the details right, figuring out what works in the real world, having exacting standards and sticking to them.

With Venus retrograde in heart-centered Leo, this is also about our personal pride and happiness. Figuring out what really makes us happy without compromising our pride and integrity.

In other words, if you are putting energy into loving someone or pursuing some project that is actually detrimental to your happiness and self-esteem, it's time to pause and take a good hard look at what you're doing.

This Venus retrograde is about tempering our love and our creative/entreprenurial endeavours with realism. Laying the groundwork, making sure the opportunities coming our way now can translate into viable relationships and livelihoods. Something or someone might make you happy in the short term – but will it stick? Is it healthy? Is it in accord with your values? Can you bank on it?

If you answer "no" to these questions – well all the love in the world is not going to be enough, and you should be careful of how far you involve yourself.

Venus is currently retrograding in conjunction to Jupiter and in square to Saturn in Scorpio – and this is also significant. There is tremendous luck and opportunity here, but there are also huge, karmic blockages and restraints. You can take the blockages as a signal to slow down, look deeper and be super-realistic about what you're getting into. What's going on under the surface? What do you really want from this – what do you really need? What's it going to cost you, energetically / psychologically / monetarily? What is the actual state of your resources - can you afford this?

Mercury (mind and communication) moves into Virgo on the 7th August, and Jupiter (luck, expansion, blessing) follows on the 11th. This will definitely help us to be super-practical and realistic, to analyse all our options carefully and to come up with ideas that will help us to flourish in the real world.

I'll write more about Jupiter in Virgo another time, because this will be a big shift. We've had him in big, shiny Leo for a year now, meaning our luck this past year was tied up with exuberance, drama and creativity.

But Jupiter in Virgo will be the opposite! Virgo is systematic, analytical, humble and detail-oriented – so this will probably feel like cleaning up after a big yearlong party, sorting the empty bottles for recycling, doing the dishes. Back to reality.

I think this shift of Jupiter (and Mercury) from fiery Leo to rational Virgo is a blessing - because for the first half of August, we are looking at a lot of planets in Leo squaring Saturn in Scorpio, and this looks frustrating as all hell. Big, open-hearted exuberance and passion – shackled by the full weight of reality and the past.

Remember, all the love and passion in the world is not going to be enough if the thing doesn't work in the real, everyday world. Passion is fine for writing songs or making art or starting new endeavours or being Elvis... but it isn't something you can live on, anymore than you can live on a diet of ice cream sundaes. Eventually you are going to find yourself really run-down and sick. (Poor Elvis.)

If we want to be happy, going forward, we'll need to be a lot more grounded, finicky and focused on what works in reality – and on what is healthy. I think August will be a good month for learning about this!

*** Forgot to mention: Uranus in Aries (dispositor of this full moon) stationed retrograde on the same day as Venus: the 25th July. These two retrograde planets will be trining each other later in August (the 19th August) and trining each other again after Venus goes direct (23rd September).

The theme here is the overall theme of the Venus retrograde: we are blazing new trails in relationship stuff and money stuff. We're not doing the same old stuff again or replaying the same old patterns. And we have to insist upon absolute personal authenticity in these matters.

Basically, we are opening up a new cycle here - but it's tricky territory, and full of blockages and delays. Quite frustrating really. There's nothing to be done but bear with it, and don't compromise on your values or on what's really important to you.

I think come mid-September, we'll gain a much clearer view of where this story is going. It might seem like a long way away, but it's only a month and a half.

Full Moon in Leo

by Yumiko Kayukawa

This is on the 3rd February, around 11 pm GMT.

But first the run-up. As of today (1st February), we have a bunch of planets in beautiful, dreamy Pisces. Venus is conjunct Neptune in Pisces, and squaring Saturn in Sagittarius – the square was exact a couple days ago. Venus-Neptune aspects and Venus in Pisces are about impossible, boundless, delusive love and sweetness...and Saturn is about reality and constriction. So this is a potentially painful awareness of limits in love and money matters – a reality check.

And we also have Mars in Pisces conjunct Chiron - an asteroid symbolic of the “wounded healer” archetype. And this is also painful – but potentially an aspect of great healing and spiritual awareness. It is a sacrificial kind of aspect – what gets sacrificed here is personal will and ego.

So we are looking at some major dreamy love-and-loss and sacrificial holy devotion in the sky right now, yikes. And the moon in Cancer is trining these planets in Pisces today, adding emotional force – as if more were needed. It's all too bittersweet and soulful.

We also have a cardinal grand cross involving the moon in Cancer, Uranus in Aries, Pluto in Capricorn and the north node in Libra. This was the same set-up we were dealing with at the full moon in Cancer last month.

So it's a revisiting of that scenario, to some extent – whatever it was about for you. Except that scenario was very stark and violent. In this one,  healing and forgiveness are on offer. Emotional release, kindness, catharsis. It all goes very deep.

It's a day to forgive others – or yourself. I think it's incredibly beautiful. Have faith. Pisces is about faith...and trust in the larger design. Have faith in life no matter how much it hurts.

OK, so this sets the stage for our main event – the full moon in Leo late on the 3rd February. And tricky and intense as this thing looks, I really like it.

The moon will be conjunct Jupiter in Leo – and this is a happy, bouyant, creative, emotionally generous kind of emotional tone.

And the moon and Jupiter will be bound into a very beneficial 'mystic rectangle' formation involving the sun and Mercury in Aquarius, Uranus in Aries and the north node in Libra.

This is about new ideas, liberation, creativity, energy and enthusiasm. Radical new approaches to intractable problems are likely, especially in relationships. And at the same time, we'll have this stellium in Pisces, which is about deep faith, love, healing, sacrifice...

It looks pretty nice. That's not to say it's easy: there will be plenty of weird juxtaposed feelings and mutual irreconcilables. We'll have two yods going, and these are tricky aspect patterns, all about irrecconcilable imperatives.

Yod 1 involves Pluto in Capricorn sextiling the Pisces stellium, and inconjunct the moon and Jupiter in Leo. So here we see dedication, very deep seismic change, deep love and faith, austerity and truth... vs. lightheartedness, fun, partying, good times! Obviously these poles are hard to balance...and the point about yods is they DON'T balance; you cannot get them to balance and it's no good trying.

Yod 2 involves Jupiter and the moon in Leo sextiling the north node in Libra, and inconjunct the stellium in Pisces. And this is about creativity, fun, generosity, social harmony, happiness in relationships...vs. siren songs, impossible loves, soul-deep wounding. Again, the poles don't compute – you cannot balance them.

Just know you don't have to decide in favour of anything. In fact you'd be better off NOT deciding. You can let all these mutual irreconcilables hang spinning in the air. Let them balance themselves like a gyroscope.

Diplomacy is possible, reconciliations are possible, balance and fairness are possible – and remember that with the north node in Libra, these are the aims of the story right now. But with all these planets in Pisces, you have to let things flow. There is no need to push anything. Don't rush for premature closure, don't try to argue things out. Try to stay open and tolerant of ambiguity, hard as that can be.

Focus on staying internally free and true to yourself and to your own heart. Uranus in Aries and the sun and Mercury in Aquarius are about personal integrity and freedom of expression, and the Moon in Leo is about emotional generosity and open-heartedness...and remember these points are all beneficially aspecting each other.

I guess maybe the best way to approach this is to just have a good time with it and have faith (Pisces) that the whole crazy mechanism will balance (Libra) itself out somehow. (It will, too! It always does.)

Like the gyroscope above, which is a totally weird yet simple contraption. I can't get my head around how the thing works, but it works.

Having some faith in the larger design looks important for the days after the full moon – the moon in Virgo will be making all kinds of tense aspects to the rest of the sky. Don't let your worries get the best of you. Steady as she goes. Remember moods are only a kind of weather...They pass. Be a gyroscope – spinning around your own internal center to keep steady.

--An aside on Saturn in Sagittarius, which I've been thinking about lately, as we are at the beginning of this transit. Saturn is about solidity, and Sagittarius is about philosophy, meaning. And I think to get through the next few years, people will have to concretise (Saturn) a personal philosophy of life (Sagittarius)...and live by it.

Saturn will be squaring Neptune for much of its transit of Sagittarius – and this complicates things. Neptune dissolves boundaries and structures, and makes it hard to know what's true and what's illusion. But it also dissolves ego – it is an intensly spiritual, mystical influence.

So we have pragmatism (Saturn) squaring off against idealism (Neptune). Given these skies, I think the task is to find a workable, realistic philosophy of living that is rooted in our highest spiritual ideals....and to maintain it in the face of disillusion and despair.

Stoicism is what springs immediately to my mind. A philosophy (Sagittarius) of endurance (Saturn) – of equanimity in the face of life's ups and downs.

If you allow yourself to live at the mercy of your fluctuating moods and emotions, you are pretty much screwed. You will be doubly screwed under the Saturn-Neptune square, which is an inherently disillusioning kind of energy. We're all going to need something stronger than mere emotional reactivity to get us through the next few years.

I think your personal philosophy is a good place to start. What can you actually put your faith in? What in you endures, beyond hope and fear? What do you commit yourself to, even in the face of disappointment? What kind of future do you envision, and what will you do to secure it?

These are Saturn in Sagittarius topics and I think they're worth thinking about!

Anyway...

As we move on through the 2nd week of February, Venus will be catching up to Mars in Pisces. The two of them will be 3 degrees apart in Pisces for freakin' Valentine's Day, which is a real dreamy romantic love scenario, yikes.

All this Pisces stuff can be very delusive, but Venus and Mars will be moving into harmonious aspect with Saturn in Sagittarius – so whatever this is about, it looks like the real deal to me. Grounded and true. Quite lovely, really.

And then we have our weird new moon late on the 18th February. I say 'weird' because it's a bit of a departure from the last four new moons, all at zero degrees of their signs. This one is at the very end minutes of the end degree of Aquarius...so technically it is a new moon in Aquarius, same as the last one. A herald of intense change.

Except with this one, the sun and moon meet in Aquarius around 10 to midnight (GMT), then immediately move together into the next sign, Pisces. They will be together at zero degrees Pisces at the stroke of midnight on the 19th. It's like a fairy story – very heavy on the magic and romance. At the stroke of midnight, we move from emotionally distant, rational, clear-sighted, future-oriented Aquarius...to dream cities at the bottom of the sea in Pisces. To the otherworld.

It is something incredibly beautiful and powerful, I can't help feeling. And it shifts...everything. The next day (20th February), Mars and Venus and the moon will be together at 0 degrees Aries – this degree is called the Aries point, the most potent significator of rebirth in the zodiac. When the sun reaches this point, it means the start of spring in the Northern hemisphere.

This is a burst of raw, fiery energy and will, and it signifies new beginnings, in relationships especially.

(It could also signify the beginning of World War 3, but I'm trying to be positive here.)

I'll write more about the new moon closer to the time...but all in all, the next few weeks look really interesting. Get out the popcorn, we are watching a big weird movie!

Full Moon in Gemini / Runup to Christmas

The weeks ahead look brilliant for inspired thinking and communication – very exciting and energetic. Things envisaged or imagined begin to come into focus, and all kinds of new possibilities open up. Inspiration will be sparking like crazy, and socializing should be more fun than usual.

It's very lively. That said, this December will not be the most comfortable month –  as we move toward the holidays, things start to look fairly challenging. But unless you've been living under a rock, you'll be well used to this state of affairs by now. 'Challenging' is the new normal.

Keep in mind, it's not all bad! A lot of it is lovely looking: exciting and revolutionary. But the whole month is coloured by the 6th exact square between Uranus and Pluto on the 15th December – and this is about radical, wrenching change. We are saying goodbye to the old order, prying ourselves out from under the wreckage of our old lives in many cases... and trying to dream a new world into being. Needless to say, this isn't easy.

Ok, let's start with the day before the full moon: today, the 5th of December. What happens today is Mars (energy, will, drive) shifts signs. He's moving from Capricorn, which is solid, grounded, cautious – to Aquarius, which is all idealism, revolutionary fervor, jolts of electrical brilliance.

This is a major energy shift, and it's made more intense by the fact that Uranus - the ruling planet of Aquarius - is in Aries, which Mars rules. This is called a mutual reception: two planets holding a dialogue with each other via each other's signs. It speaks of a sparky, combustible mental energy – suddenly we're live wires. Brains on fire, synapses glowing like fairy lights.

(neural fairy lights)

So things are all jumpy and electrical and lit up.  And then we have the full moon on Saturday the 6th December (around 12:30 pm GMT), sparking everything up a notch!

This is a full moon in Gemini, a light, dexterous, communicative sign – so communication takes center stage. And the moon is facing off against the sun and Mercury (Gemini's ruling planet) in Sagittarius, which can talk as well! For hours, and about everything under the sun.

This is a hell of a lot of air and fire stuff going on, and it looks brilliant. Zingy, revolutionary mental energy, courtesy of some beneficial aspects to Uranus. What is your new status quo gonna be? What's your vision of the future; what are you dreaming up? There'll be plenty of new ideas on hand – people will be mentally and verbally on fire.

But it won't be the kind of idle, skittering, value-free thought and communication Gemini is known for - this is far more profound. The sun, moon and Mercury will be squaring Chiron in Pisces, which is about a deep and painful awareness of loss. So it's not your run-of-the-mill bullshit conversational stuff at all.

If you have any difficult conversations to be had, this should help a lot. It should be possible to go deep and to work on new approaches to existing problems without things getting too emotionally heavy or fraught. If you do run into any ugly topics, you can disarm the situation with humour and emotional generosity. Sagittarius and Jupiter are involved – we have another mutual reception between the sun in Sagittarius and Jupiter in Leo, active till the 22nd December – and this is a very good-natured, buoyant influence. It should be easy to keep things upbeat.

I really like the way this full moon looks. On a day like this you can take all your rotten past issues, understand them deeply, tie 'em up in a bag and leave them in the trash... then do a beautiful 180 degree turnaround and face into a different kind of future – something more appropriate to who you are now. It's the kind of scenario where you can look at life in all its pain and absurdity and laugh about it through your tears.

It's the sort of thing that brings out the best in people – the deepest humanity. And it is very welcome, because the rest of the month becomes considerably more fraught.

In the interests of helping you navigate the holiday season, let's do an overview of how things go down as we move toward Christmas:

8th December - Fairly tense afternoon as the moon moves through cardinal cross territory in Cancer, setting off the Uranus-Pluto square. Then in the evening, Jupiter stations retrograde in Leo. This is the start of a 4-month retrograde period – till the 8th of April 2015. It will carry through to the end of the Uranus-Pluto squares in March, and I think the message here is about having some faith in the larger design and in yourself, however emotionally charged and difficult things may get.

10th December - Venus (love, money, relationships) moves from happy-go-lucky Sagittarius into sober Capricorn – and this means she is also heading into a conjunction with Pluto in Capricorn and a square with Uranus in Aries, exact on the 20th December. Love and money matters will start feeling a lot more weighty and serious. The dreaming and planning phase initiated at the new moon in Sagittarius is coming to an end over the next few weeks – we are moving from possibilities into commitments and responsibilities.

11th December - Grand fire trine involving Uranus in Aries, the moon and Jupiter in Leo, and the Sun and Mercury in Sagittarius. This is absolutely brilliant for future-oriented thinking and communication. It also looks like a really fun day.

15th December – This is the big one: the sixth exact Uranus-Pluto square. The next (and final) exact square in this series is on the 16th March 2015. But from now till March, this square is going to be really tight...a final cranking up of the big wrecking machine this aspect represents. The imperative of radical change won't be denied – the landscape is undergoing intensive demolition and restructuring. You can work with this energy by embracing radical change in your life. Do not attempt to resist or block it.

16th December - The moon in Libra will be in cardinal t-square zone. This drives home the themes of the Uranus-Pluto square the day before, especially in regard to love, money and matters of social justice and right relationship. Pretty tense.

17th December - Mercury moves into Capricorn. Communication takes on a subdued, businesslike, pragmatic tone. Plans are beginning to solidify now. Things will be looking less theoretical and fanciful, more stark and realistic. Whatever cannot work in the real world will have to fall away.

Over the next week, we'll have Venus and Mercury heading into conjunction with Pluto in Capricorn. Mercury will conjunct Pluto on Christmas eve, squaring Uranus. This does not bode well for holiday jollity...It looks like quite a stressful time, and full of potential losses and relationship breakups.

19th December – In line with this building seriousness, the moon conjuncts Saturn in Scorpio today. Saturn will revisit Scorpio for a brief revision session next year, from the 15th June to the 18th Sept 2015, before moving on for the next 30 years. But this is nearly the end of the main part of this transit, and it's an emotional summing-up. Try to feel what the past two years of Saturn's transit through Scorpio have meant to you. What deep dark crap has been churned up? What deeply ingrained patterns have you purged yourself of? What have you learned about Scorpio issues (power, emotional intensity, shared resources, trust, your shadow)?

20th December - Venus conjuncts Pluto in Capricorn, squaring Uranus. Also, Mars in Aquarius sextiles Uranus in Aries exactly. Deep, radical, seismic changes (Uranus-Pluto) involving relationships, money, values (Venus)...and the will and energy (Mars) to be true to ourselves and as unconventional as we like (Uranus). Chiron in Pisces also sextiles Venus and Pluto: this is depth work, involving an awareness of the pain we carry, and a willingness to engage with it.

It's very stark and beautiful, and it encapsulates the themes we are dealing with for the latter part of December. If you are still clinging to behaviour patterns or relationships that don't work in the real world – time to let go. Something old has to die so that something new can be born.

21st December - Driving this theme home, we have Uranus (the liberator) going direct on the solstice. The symbolism of this is amazing: the solstice is the darkest day of the year, but also the point where the light begins to take hold again. It's like the tarot card for the 10 of swords. Something has reached the end of the line; it's utterly dead....but dawn is breaking over the corpse. One door shuts permanently, another opens.

22nd December - Here is the new door opening: a zero degree new moon in Capricorn. There'll be five planets in Capricorn: Venus, Mercury, Pluto, the sun and the moon. There'll be a big cardinal t-square involving the north node in Libra. And Saturn will be at the last minutes of the last degree of Scorpio, just about to switch signs.

I'll write more about this closer to the time, but it is intense. So serious. Time to get down to business now – no more fucking around. It's like growing up overnight – your possibilities narrow into a definite path.

23rd December - Saturn moves into Sagittarius. I'll write about this closer to the time as well, but in relation to the new moon, it reinforces the theme of the solidification of a definite path.

24th December - Christmas eve. We'll have Mercury (mind and communication) conjunct Pluto (death) and squaring Uranus (shock); also the moon moving into an emotionally jagged conjunction with Mars in the evening. This does not bode well for family peace and contentment. If you can do something mentally engaging and exciting with your family, that's a way of using this energy in a good way. Otherwise it could be arguments, slammed doors, flying crockery and exploding Christmas trees.

It's probably better not to expect everything to run smoothly and be super-fun. That way you won't be disappointed. And whatever you do, try to avoid piling any extra holiday stress on yourself. NO you don't have to drive yourself nuts with the fancy cooking, or the presents, or the attempts to please everyone. It's ok to schlump your way through this and just try to have a decent time – you don't have to enforce holiday spirit on yourself or anyone else if it ain't happening. That'll only make things more stressful.

25th December - Christmas day. Again we are looking at great mental and emotional tension. It's not an easy day, but a profound one.

I think the key to dealing with this tension is: it'll help if you can do something DIFFERENT, with or without your family, this Christmas. Create a new tradition. The old traditions will likely be fraying at the seams and ready to fall apart, and it's not going to be pleasant trying to uphold them. Or feasible! It'll be like sitting at a festive holiday table with a black hole as the centerpiece.

New moon in Sagittarius

This is on Saturday, the 22nd November, around 12:30 pm (GMT).

The sun and moon will be conjunct at 0 degrees Sagittarius – this is the second in our series of four new moons at zero degrees of their signs. It should be a bit of a jolt!

We're moving from Scorpionic depth, intensity and psychodrama to the sign of freedom and open vistas... So it might feel like walking out of a dark, hot, stifling little room and finding yourself on the open range with the wind in your hair.

As the sun and moon will be conjunct Venus in Sagittarius, the new terrain we are headed into likely has to do with relationships, money, personal values, art. And really it's a wild frontier, uncharted and free. Very exhilarating – but this is the kind of freedom that can make you feel dizzy and dazed - or lost. There are no signposts in a wild frontier. There are no roads to follow - you have to make your own. You may have no pre-existing model for what you're trying to create in your life now, and this can feel disorienting and dangerous. And it can be hard to tell if what you're envisioning is real or a mirage...

“I'm set free to find a new illusion...”

Overall, the tone of this new moon is exuberant and exciting - but the scenario it describes doesn't look particularly easy or light. Saturn and Mercury in Scorpio are also conjunct the sun and moon, holding us in thrall to the past. Jupiter in Leo is squaring these planets, magnifying the tension and intensity of this backward pull. And Neptune, newly direct in Pisces, is squaring Venus, the sun and moon, and Saturn – and this is about siren songs and disorientation.

It's like: OK, you've left your stifling little room and you're walking on the open prairie, dazed by all this sudden light and air. Everything seems perfect and magical, and you're utterly amazed. But your mind is still preoccupied with whatever happened back in the room. You haven't quite left it yet, however giddy with new freedom you may feel.

And therefore, you're in a somewhat dangerous and vulnerable situation – unsteady as a newborn foal. It's going to take some time to settle into the new reality, and you'd better not go galloping off after any exciting possibilities until you've adjusted properly. You could easily trip and hurt yourself.

OK, so how long is this shaky foal stage going to last? What kind of adjustment period are we looking at?

Saturn, lord of time and form, will take another month to grind his way through the last degrees of Scorpio. The last part of this transit could be fairly tough and wrenching, coinciding with the 6th exact square between Uranus and Pluto on the 15th December. He moves into Sagittarius on the 23rd December, the day after the new moon in Capricorn, which is Saturn's own sign. Capricorn is about structure and stability – so this is when you should see your dreams taking on a concrete form. Plans and possibilities should begin to solidify into something real.

Until that solidification begins, hold your horses and don't rush into anything, however much you might want to. People can be very vulnerable to hotheadedness and delusion under these influences - so much Jupiter (inflation) and Neptune (delusion) action going on - and it is imperative to COOL IT and stay grounded.

I think the weeks ahead are for weighing possibilities and dreaming up new ones, and also for working through past issues. It's a good time for drawing blueprints and making sure the designs are workable in the real world. There'll be plenty of inspiration and energy on tap... But the actual construction phase starts later, with the new moon in Capricorn on the 22nd December.

On dreams and plans: we've had two years of sifting through our psychological garbage with Saturn in Scorpio, culminating in an intensely purgative Scorpio season this past month...and with all this behind us, plus these transformative Uranus-Pluto squares going on, you must understand that your old status quo just will not cut it anymore. There is absolutely no point in trying to make it work, or in re-creating scenarios that used to work for you in the past. These times are about radical change, so you have to try something new – maybe something you might never have dreamed of doing.

Dreaming up something new is the best way to roll with this new moon, I think. Sagittarius is about future possibilities, inspiration, conviction, enthusiasm. It's not a pragmatic sign, but a visionary one.  It can easily be misled by enthusiasm, and that is something this new moon is clearly warning against – don't go overboard! Step carefully! Look at where you're putting your feet!

OK, speaking of folly, I want to talk about Neptune for a bit, because Neptune is very caught up with this new moon.  And also he just went direct on the 16th November, after a retrograde period that started in June. With Neptune, it can be hard to tell the difference between forward and retrograde motion, because Neptunian energy is so dreamy and unclear and diffuse. It is inherently deceptive. And as Neptune is in his own sign (Pisces) – well it's a headfuck on multiple shimmering levels.

Neptune is about high delusion – fairy realms and castles in the air - and the disappointment that follows the return to reality. Addiction is also a useful metaphor for how Neptune works – you have the experience of something intensely sweet and blissful, and diminishing returns as you attempt to recapture that state over and over again.

In everyday life, I think Neptune is mostly about disappointment. But it's the kind of disappointment that leads you to the divine, when you realize that nothing earthly – nothing – is going to satisfy your discontent. You hit some rock bottom of degradation trying to fill up this hole in your heart...and then you give up; you give your life over to the Higher Power like they say in AA.

So anyway, Neptune is all caught up with the new moon and with Venus and Saturn also, and in light of this, it's important to really be careful about over-idealizing any romantic or financial prospects, because the kind of disillusionment that can follow idealization is potentially crushing right now. It's also important to keep your ego in check: to restrain your delusions about how much you're capable of. Look at the fool in the picture above. He's so delighted with himself, he doesn't even notice he's walking off a cliff.

Also, be very careful about alcohol and drugs, because they can throw you way off course about now and for the next couple of weeks.

--One other thing: these squares from Jupiter in Leo to the sun, moon, Saturn and Mercury look potentially pretty ugly. Inflated egos, overboard emotions, death-dealing words. Be careful of what comes out of your mouth and try not to be drawn into disputes, because that stuff is liable to drag you back into the claustrophobic Scorpio territory we're trying to exit.

Full Moon in Taurus

Hasui Kawase - Winter Moon over Toyama Plain

This is the 6th November, 10:15 pm GMT.

The moon in Taurus will be facing off against a stellium of planets in Scorpio: the sun, Venus, and Saturn. Taurus-Scorpio axis issues will be all lit up.

Taurus-Scorpio issues have to do with money, sex, power, personal and shared resources, possessions, values. Taurus is about holding onto things in order to create security and stability, and Scorpio is about letting go of what has become dead or outworn. Acquisition vs. purgation. Or anabolism (the processes that build and grow body tissues in an organism) vs. catabolism (the processes that break tissues down).

Obviously, these polarities require each other. Taurus can become overly materialistic and complacent without Scorpio's drive toward transformation. And Scorpio can be all perpetual upheaval and crisis without a bit of Taurean calm and stoicism to ground it.

The scenario we are looking at with this full moon puts me in mind of clearing a space with a bulldozer and then building something new there, from the ground up. We are nearing the 6th exact Uranus-Pluto square, and this is part of a protracted cycle of change and upheaval. And we just had a new moon at zero degrees Scorpio a couple of weeks back, opening up a focused opportunity for purgation and transformation.

By now if you've been doing your work, you are hopefully opening up a space in your life where all your old shit and garbage used to be. What are you going to grow or build there? That's the question this full moon shines a bright light on. What do you want this open space to become? How do you develop it?

Because Venus is tied up with the full moon, new developments likely have to do with relationships. They could also be about money, investments, possessions, personal values – or art. But relationships really are a big focus right now with the north node in Libra.

Anyway, the message here is: there's no need to rush into anything. Taurus is slow and steady...and realistic. Keep your feet on the ground. Invest your resources carefully and cautiously.

There's definitely a danger of going kinda overboard: the full moon will be forming a t-square with Jupiter in Leo, and Jupiter magnifies anything he's involved with. So beware of drama and over-the-top emotional bombast. Stay calm and let things develop slowly, no matter how urgent it all might feel. Try to curb your enthusiasm.

Here are some I Ching hexagrams relevant to these themes: 53 ('Gradual Development') is about the steadiness and patience you need to build something lasting. The next hexagram (54 – 'the Concubine'), is its opposite: it's about rushing things, skipping stages, letting desire lead you into situations where your integrity is compromised. Becoming a slave to desire. Needless to say, you want to avoid that scenario.

There is a real builder's vibe going on with this full moon - solid and deliberate. We have a Mars-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn harmoniously aspecting the moon and the sun, and this represents an intense drive to construct something step by step, and to get it right. I really like the way it looks – absolute determination to build something real and true.

Mars and Pluto rule Scorpio, and are in a mutual reception with Saturn (Capricorn's ruler) in Scorpio – and I think you could conceivably build the Great Pyramid of Giza in your backyard with this stuff going on.

Or a viable new business, or a relationship that isn't as fucked up as all the others have been...

Or the Death Star...

Kidding! What I mean is, you can use this to really challenge and surpass yourself.

That said, Mars-Pluto can be very violent and destructive - it can be the Death Star all right. War (Mars) plus death (Pluto)... and this conjunction is presently squaring Uranus (shock). Please be very careful and mindful of sudden accidents over the next two weeks – especially around the 11th November, which looks like a really tense day.

Drive defensively. If you start feeling full of murderous rage, try to translate it into physical activity – go run 10 miles or hit a punching bag or break dishes or something. Don't kill anybody if you can avoid it, and try to avoid angry people and sharks and rabid dogs etc.

We have Mercury moving into Scorpio on the 8th November, and heading into a square with Jupiter – and with this aspect, you can blowtorch people with your words. So maybe try to be mindful of what comes out of your mouth.

There's a lot of heaviness and intensity over the next two weeks - the stinging tail end of Scorpio season. It doesn't look like the easiest fortnight ever. But it's definitely a huge amount of energy, and I think if you can channel it into constructive activity, you'll be doing well.

We have a new moon at 0 degrees Sagittarius on the 22nd November, and this should lighten things up considerably. It'll be the second in a series of four new moons at 0 degrees of their signs, which is really kind of amazing and exciting. Like a series of magical portals, or phase shifts.

We are doing some focused work in the context of these four successive signs (Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn and Aquarius) over the next few months - moving stepwise from psychological purgation and clearing-out (Scorpio) toward the establishment of a new status quo - something radically new and hopeful (Aquarius).

The overall theme echoes the theme of this full moon: catabolism (breakdown) and anabolism (building). Getting rid of what's outworn, dreaming up a new kind of life, building it in stages. Razed earth and the blueprint for something new, and the will to make it a reality.

I would advise going as deeply as possible into the themes of these signs while each is in ascendancy. Doing your Scorpio work as fully as possible over the next two weeks - however heavy and dark it might feel - will clear the ground for the next phase.

(That means dealing with your shit in a ruthless, focused way. Getting rid of whatever drains and devitalises you.)

New Moon in Virgo

Toilet roll art by Anasstasia Elias

This is on Monday the 25th August, around 3 pm (GMT).

New moons represent new beginnings -  you feel out what an energy (in this case, Virgo) means for you, and you set your intentions for the month ahead in relation to that energy. New moons are also great for initiating projects.

Here, we are looking at the sun and moon conjunct in the early degrees of Virgo. Virgo's ruler, Mercury, is also in the sign.

Virgo represents clarity, order, service, perfectionism, problem-solving, craftsmanship, fine-tuning. It's an analytical, fiddly sign, concerned with getting the details right.

It's also about day-to-day routine, health, work, cleanliness, simplicity, purity. So a Virgo new moon means it's house-cleaning time, back-to-school time, end-of-vacation time. A good time to start new health regimens and to organize your life.

In the Northern hemisphere, you can feel autumn in the air as Virgo season takes hold – that crispness, like a ripe apple. Summer's big showy party (culminating under the happy-go-lucky sign of Leo) is over. The flowers are finished and the harvest has to be gathered... Time to get back to reality and make provisions for the winter.

This particular Virgo new moon opposes dreamy, delusive Neptune in Pisces, which underscores the theme of 'back to reality'. We bring the clarity, focus and pragmatism of Virgo to bear on our swirly dreams and fantasies, and on our destructive habits and addictions.

We also have Mars exactly conjuncting Saturn in Scorpio later on the 25th, and this reinforces the "reality" theme and deepens it. Intense energy is going to be available for getting rid of whatever in your life no longer serves you – and this goes deep. It's a surgical focus.

It seems to me like an absolutely great set-up for anyone trying to kick an addiction or deal with an intractable problem. Really, the best possible set-up. You will be able to see through the bullshit and denial – your own or whoever's - and do what needs to be done.

The amount of bullshit and denial involved – well we are potentially looking at the Augean stables here.

From wikipedia:

“The fifth Labour of Heracles (Hercules in Latin) was to clean the Augean stables. This assignment was intended to be both humiliating (rather than impressive, as had the previous labours) and impossible, since the livestock were divinely healthy (immortal) and therefore produced an enormous quantity of dung. These stables had not been cleaned in over 30 years, and over 1,000 cattle lived there. However, Heracles succeeded by rerouting the rivers Alpheus and Peneus to wash out the filth.”

So if you are dealing with a massive stable full of shit, take heart! You can use the energy of this new moon to re-route a river or two and clear it out. It's entirely do-able and you don't have to be Hercules.

Please take note, though: the clear-out of the Augean stables was meant to be humiliating. And the kinds of scenarios we are looking at with this new moon are potentially very humbling. Venus is still in Leo, and she'll be squaring the Mars-Saturn conjunction - along with Jupiter in Leo, which magnifies the ego insult involved.

Venus in Leo is proud: a prima donna, a queen. She wants the best of everything. Needless to say, she is not going to enjoy shovelling shit in the Augean stables. But it doesn't matter whether she enjoys it or not – it has to be done.

So if you're confronted with a situation that needs fixing but is uncomfortable for your ego, it's best to swallow your pride and get to work. Virgo is about humility – being a good behind-the-scenes worker, a good servant and helper. It doesn't demand the spotlight; it gets to work quietly and efficiently, without needing much recognition for its efforts.

--I keep thinking of Ebola health workers in West Africa in relation to this new moon. Quietly, humbly dealing with a horrible situation that few people would voluntarily take on. They do it because it's their job, because somebody has to, because they care. They sure aren't doing it for glory - it's dangerous and thankless work.

(Virgo is the sign of health workers, incidentally.)

Anyway, to sum up: the way to work with the energy of this new moon is to roll up your sleeves and do what needs doing, with a minimum of fuss.

Of course it's humbling to have to downsize financially, or to deal with your addictions and bad habits, or to confront ugly problems, or to clear out your junk. You are looking at your own imperfections and insecurities – your own shit. That's unpleasant.

But try to remember that the focus here is on order, healing, personal integrity and well-being. It's about what's really best for you and everyone...as opposed to what you'd like best.

(PS: here is a depressing article about the ongoing Fukushima crisis. Another Augean stables situation - one that we're not hearing much about these days. It hasn't gone away.)

Full Moon in Aquarius

(I'm nominating Spock as patron saint of this full moon.)

This is tomorrow: 10th August, around 7:10 pm (GMT).

It'll be the largest full moon of the year – the moon will be at perigee, the point in her orbit where she's closest to Earth. Very intense.

I'm going to try to be brief for a change, because I don't have a lot of time to write this!

What we have this full moon are a lot of intense, clashing energies coming from fixed signs. The sun and Mercury in Leo will be opposing the moon in Aquarius, and these poles will be squared by Mars and Saturn in Scorpio.

Fixed signs are...fixed, basically. Stubborn, intractable. They don't negotiate – they insist. Aquarius insists on its ideology and its vision for the future, Leo on its personal importance, Scorpio on its security and control.

What we've been seeing in the news these past weeks are a bunch of conflicts that look hopelessly intractable, involving ideological differences that admit of no resolution.

And the world is getting drawn in, taking sides. It's a kind of contagion - & it's getting out of control. (“Out of control” is how the WHO is now characterising Ebola in West Africa.)

There's a lot of emotionally charged rhetoric going on...a lot of terror and panic. There are bombs raining down on a lot of places right now.

Mars and Saturn are traditionally known as the two 'malefic' planets, and having them mixed up with this full moon is...tough. It's bad enough to have the two of them conjunct: Mars-Saturn contacts are known for their violence and cruelty.

But also they are conjunct in Scorpio, sign of extremes. Black-or-white, all-or-nothing. So we are looking at extreme cruelty and no middle ground – scorched earth. Utter savagery.

Plus Mars and Saturn are squaring the sun and Mercury in Leo, which can be read as hubris and bombast on steroids.

And also they're squaring the moon in Aquarius, which can be about emotional shock and disconnection – shell shock. Or emotional polarization, or dogmatism.

So you can see how bad this can get...how this full moon lights up a very apocalyptic storyline. You have only to turn on the news these days to see these themes playing themselves out. It's tragic.

But remember the word 'apocalypse' comes from the Greek for 'revelation' or 'uncovering'. That's the potential good in this scenario: it represents an intensely powerful potential for revelation, mental clarity, objectivity, deep understanding. Maybe not on a global political scale – though one can dream. But on a personal level, definitely.

Aquarius is about humanitarian ideals and our shared vision for the future. At worst it can be rigid and dogmatic, but at best it is rational, unsentimental, independent-minded – and very concerned with the well-being of the collective, and with creating a better future.

These are all necessary qualities when you're trying to negotiate a peace deal or bring aid to a warzone or see through propaganda. Cool-headedness and clarity are very important right now, what with the overblown and emotionally-driven rhetoric we're being exposed to on all sides.

So in the spirit of Aquarian progressivism and optimism, I am determined to see this full moon as a good thing...as an opening for some kind of rationality and intelligence to get through to a world that is imploding with hatred and violence.

Something nice about this full moon: despite the fact that it is bound up with the two malefics (Mars and Saturn), we are also moving into a conjunction involving the two benefics (Venus and Jupiter). Venus is currently in the late degrees of Cancer, applying into conjunction with Jupiter in Leo, exact on the 18th  August. This aspect represents some kind of luck or blessing -  something lovely. So that's good, and much-needed.

The sun and moon also make some very nice aspects to the north node in Libra and also to the moon's dispositor, Uranus in Aries. Meaning this story is ultimately not about war, but about a struggle for peace, justice and right relationship. And this struggle takes place on an individual as well as a collective level - though the individual level is actually where it can make the most difference.

It is about thinking for yourself, exercising emotional restraint and discrimination, expressing yourself clearly and calmly... even when self-expression has the potential to get you ostracised. Lilith (a point representing the lunar apogee, or the point in the moon's orbit at which the moon will be furthest from Earth) is conjunct the sun and Mercury in Leo, and this carries the risk of ostracism via communication. But the message of Lilith is that it's better to be alone and free than to go along with the status quo and be enslaved. Even if it means you're demonised for it.

Lilith, in the Jewish tradition, was Adam's first wife, who refused to be made subject to him and was exiled from Eden. She was known as the mother of demons after that.

Well there are plenty of people out there willing to demonise (or worse) anyone who thinks differently from them these days, we know this.

Anyway, because of all these planets in Leo (Jupiter, Mercury, the sun, and in a few days Venus) opposing or squaring planets in signs that deal with the collective (Aquarius and Scorpio) I am inclined to think that this is about a personal, individual response to collective patterns.

That's only one way of reading it, of course. But I think luck and hope (Jupiter) are dependent on how we filter these collective currents through our individual psyches, and how we express ourselves (Leo).

Because the moon is in such an unemotional sign, I think it's probably a good idea to avoid getting too emotionally worked up over the panic-inducing things that are happening. The problems the world is dealing with are a direct result of people losing any sense of proportion or equanimity. And with Mars and Saturn in Scorpio, extremism has very dangerous consequences.

It doesn't matter what form your extremism takes. Leftists can be every bit as extreme in their views as radical Islamists. You have to take the other side of the story into account: that is the message of the north node in Libra, the sign of relating and fairness. You have to take other people's views and experiences into account. Maybe actively seeking out other points of view is a good antidote to extremism...we can easily spend our lives surrounded by people who agree with us and back up our opinions, and information sources that confirm our prejudices. The way things are going, that's a recipe for collective disaster.

Anyway, to sum up: it's extreme, violent weather out there. If you focus on changing yourself, freeing your mind and avoiding personal extremism, you'll be better off and maybe you'll be of benefit to others.

Don't surrender your mind to anyone or anything – not to a dogma or to an emotional appeal or a cause. Try to think for yourself and stay objective. If you feel yourself being swayed by panic or moral outrage, try to take a step back – there is detachment and clarity on offer if you want it.

Maybe ask yourself: "what would Spock do?"

And try to express yourself even if it feels isolating. That's the only way people get to hear alternate points of view at all.

(Dissent & skepticism, Aquarian style.)

New Moon in Leo

My last post was about shifts and endings. Well we are in the thick of them now, heading up to the new moon in Leo on the 26th July. And I guess I underestimated just how heavy and dark these weeks would feel: how much revision they would entail of old issues.

I left out some important shifts and influences, because I didn't want to run on too long. Let's look at them now.

For one thing, Mercury moved from flighty Gemini to emotional Cancer on the 13th July, and he's now facing off against Pluto in Capricorn. This is a dark and brooding mental focus – intense thought, a preoccupation with the past, mental and emotional profundity.

And Venus left Gemini and entered Cancer on the 18th July, which deepens the general emotional tone. It's kinda mushy-gushy, dreamy, vulnerable (and defensive) weather out there, till mid-August.

Venus is moving into an opposition with Pluto in Capricorn as well: the opposition comes into full view two days after the new moon (28th July). Venus-Pluto aspects are about power plays in relationships, manipulation and control issues, love and money...also the ghosts of dead relationships coming back to haunt you and generally screw with you. Great fun.

And then we had Saturn going direct in Scorpio on the 21st, followed by another important shift: Uranus went retrograde the day after Saturn direct, in lockstep. One forward, one back. Very tight inconjunct aspect between them: Saturn at 16 degrees Scorpio; Uranus at 16 degrees Aries, exact almost to the minute.

So...karmic necessity (Saturn) grinds onward, while personal metamorphosis (Uranus) moves underground and inward.

All of it seems to me to signify a very tight, uncomfortable focus on personal psychological issues, blocks and blind spots – it's laser-like really. A painful sort of inwardness and inertia courtesy of Saturn direct and the Uranus retrograde. A sense of entrapment, whichever way you move. And the Mercury–Pluto and Venus–Pluto oppositions described above, swinging into place like lead doors. Nowhere left to look but into the heart of darkness.

Well you're supposed to look into it, that's the point. Think about what came up for you around the 21st July, as Saturn began moving forward again. What buried old muck did he churn up for you? What skeletons did you see grinning from the closet?

HI!!!

There's your focus: you know where the rot is. You can't move forward in your life without wrapping that stuff up and giving it a proper burial. The Uranus retrograde in Aries, sign of new beginnings, drives this point home. This is about a shift that has to happen at root level, deep beneath the surface.

And yeah, it is fucking uncomfortable, as signified by the exact inconjunct aspect between Saturn and Uranus. How do you move forward, when you are dealing with this level of psychic damage?

It's easy to minimise the difficulty involved...to talk glibly about the necessity of detaching from the past and moving on. But how do you move on with a ten-ton weight attached to your heels? How do you move at all?

--Well I guess you just do. Nothing else to be done. You have to.

You can easily get stuck in your own issues here, unable to move forward or back. But remember this is about regeneration and transformation. If you feel stuck, try to think of it as a kind of dormancy. Changes are at work: important underground ones, out of your conscious control.

A caterpillar encased in a chrysalis is in a stuck position as well, and to an outside observer it looks like nothing is happening.

Rest assured, there are deep changes afoot. You probably know that already. If your life hasn't been dramatically upended over the past few years, you're in a minority.

We are 5 squares into the series of 7 exact squares between Uranus and Pluto, which began in June of 2012 and will end in March of 2015. We are a little less than 2 years into Saturn's transit of Scorpio, which will end in December of this year (with a brief revision period between June and September of 2015). And nobody gets out of this period unscathed or unchanged.

Granted, change is always what's happening – but the hallmark of these years is the level of psychological depth and trauma involved. The difficulties and losses people are dealing with are profound – there's really no going back. The landscape will be permanently altered, coming out of this.

Uranus square Pluto machine - see here

Anyway, it may feel like we are stuck down in the trenches, struggling through the muck right now, but we have some hopeful, shiny stuff underway. 

For one, the sun moved into Leo yesterday evening (22nd July), straight into a conjunction with Jupiter. This is a big jolt of energy and enthusiasm, much needed. 

And then we have our new moon in Leo on the 26th July, around 11:30 pm GMT!!

It's a fiery portal and a new beginning. Sun and moon in Leo conjunct Jupiter: this is fun, exciting, full of drama and bravado. It's Jupiter in Leo's big opening night – you'll get a sense of what this energy will mean in your life over the next year. 

It'll be Saturday night in GMT-land, and it looks like a lot of fun. A big, glitzy, happy, trashy night. Are we gonna put on our bling and go out looking for trouble? Yes we are! 

SPARKLE JELLY SHOES!!

Except going out looking for trouble is really kind of a bad idea. You probably won't need to look. Staying out of trouble will be the achievement, on a night like this. 

Because Jupiter ('the great benefic') is involved, I am determined to see this new moon as a good thing, even though the sun-moon-Jupiter conjunction makes no easy aspects with other planets. In fact it makes a very tense aspect with Mars, which will have ingressed into Scorpio just ahead of the new moon. And yeah, this can go badly wrong.

Leo and Scorpio are both proud, fixed signs...hard to budge. Jupiter conjunct the sun and moon in Leo can mean inflated egos; squaring Mars in Scorpio we might see some OTT ego-driven drama and nastiness. A stupid fight where neither side will back down. 

(Leo smackdown mode)

Given the amount of political conflict going on around the world right now, the mood of this new moon doesn't bode well. On a more local level, it looks like a big bitch smackdown... or cokeheads fighting in a nightclub.

Don't be part of anything like that, if you can avoid it. If ever there was a night to STAY AWAY from the cocaine, this would be it. Saturn direct in Scorpio means - heavy consequences.

(Rick James providing some object lessons.)

Let's think our way a little deeper into Leo, because for the next year, this energy is a focus. 

Leo gets associated with pride, ego and exhibitionism...and these things have a bad rap. But on a deeper level, the sign is about individual personality as an expression of the divine. And in that light, there's nothing wrong with a bit of pride. If you, in your individual life, are actually a once-off expression of the divine, a never to be seen again work of art (and you are!) - well you ought to be holding your head up high.

Leo's ruling planet is the sun, which no one would ever accuse of being egotistical or an exhibitionist. It shines because that's its nature – it has to radiate its essence outward. Same as you, this year - you have to shine. Guilelessly, like a damn care bear.

AAARGH!!

Leo is about play, romance, children, innocence, fun...and art. What kind of art are you making of your life?

It doesn't have to be art in the traditional sense. Anything you do that is truly an expression of your own nature is a kind of art.

And you have to express your nature - that is your job on Planet Earth. To do you. No one else can, and no one else ever will. 

And really, the stakes couldn't be higher, with all this Uranus-Pluto and Saturn in Scorpio stuff going on. Being true to your own individuality and expressing yourself are actually matters of life or death now. No one profits from people's conformity to a rotten social order. No one profits from you keeping your mouth shut, your art hidden, your heart locked down.

This is about art and free expression as a means of personal and societal salvation. 

Come on baby won't you show me what you got / I want your salvation!

Some relevant quotes:

“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost.” --Martha Graham

“If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you.” --Gospel of St Thomas

--Well yes, it's heavy. But don't let it make you all grim. Jupiter's transit of Leo should be more fun than we've had in years, and this new moon will hopefully be the start of something fierce and adorable. Like kittens.

Obligatory cat pic time!!

(More Leo smackdown)

(kittens!!)

(smackdown.)