The word for the week is shift and if you haven’t already felt the change of air, you can count on feeling all sorts of shifts—in attitude, behavior and perspective—all week long. It’s time to leave stagnation behind and delve into transforming what needs to move. Of course, I’m not promising miracle cures—like a new election or anything as sweeping as that (although a soul can wish). But I am pretty sure that you’ll be able to identify at least one thing in need of an overhaul and then find the strength to devote yourself to shifting that habit or situation.
Several factors contribute to this climate of change:
(1) Mercury Direct. Mercury went direct on Sunday, a day when lots of folks started noticing a shift. (I know this because my phone started ringing with reports of progress—not for everyone, but for enough people to indicate something had shifted.) We won’t have another Mercury Retrograde phase until April 10 – May 3, so mark your calendars now. (We will also have a Venus Retrograde phase from March 4 – April 15. Don’t worry—there’s plenty of time to prepare.)
Mercury’s “course correction” isn’t the only source of this week’s dynamic shifts.
(2) Tomorrow, Thursday, January 12, 2017, there is a Full Moon, in Cancer, that completes a Grand Cardinal Cross among Jupiter, in Libra; Uranus, in Aries; and a Sun/Pluto conjunction, in Capricorn. And yes…it’s as complex and intense as it sounds. A Grand Cross always indicates polarized positions, locked in formation, and often those positions are only able to let go when one or another of the planets finally moves out of the gridlock. If you’re feeling pulled in several directions simultaneously, it’s not your imagination—you are.
Here’s a look at the pieces of this puzzle—and it’s important to get the whole picture because this formation is going to repeat itself as a T-square for the duration of the Jupiter/Uranus opposition, which ends its tight formation on March 3. The Jupiter/Uranus opposition signifies the seesaw effect we’ve been in since mid-December 2016. It symbolizes the extreme mood swings, and not just political highs and lows, but also radical personal ups and downs, especially in relationships. Jupiter is in Libra, the Sign of relating. Uranus is in Aries, the Sign of individuation, and the opposition, while often difficult to handle, signals the need for greater balance between the needs of the one and the needs of the many.
What happens during this Full Moon—the time frame includes today, January 11, tomorrow when it is exact and Thursday, January 13—is that the Sun, which is currently conjunct Pluto, forms a square to Jupiter and Uranus as the Moon simultaneously opposes the Sun and also squares Jupiter and Uranus. The Moon is in Cancer, its Home Sign, where it is strongest, and its presence generates powerful emotional tides that exacerbate the entire flux of the ongoing Jupiter/Uranus opposition. Be prepared for breakdowns, yours or others’, as the Moon sweeps away any semblance of pretense. And because the Moon also opposes the Sun/Pluto conjunction, there are sure to be power struggles, individual and collective.
But here’s what you really need to know about this week and entire duration of the Jupiter/Uranus opposition: Each and every time the Moon forms a difficult angle—a square, conjunction or opposition—what happens this week will be triggered. But that’s not all. The issues and events of the next two months are directly related to the astrological configurations that occur in 2020 (And no, this is not always the case.)
Full Moons illuminate the landscape and this illumination isn’t going to happen at this degree again until 2020, when the Full Moon that January will be closest to the position it occupies tomorrow. Pay attention: Issues and themes, individual and collective, in need of attention are illuminated for the next two days in ways that will not be repeated for quite some time. Don’t despair—there are always opportunities to grow. It’s simply that this is a unique astral occurrence taking place in a unique social climate and it behooves us all (yes…behooves) to apply our awareness.
As the Moon journeys through its cycle for the next several months, it will continue to form relationships to both Jupiter and Uranus, which translates into a repetitive pattern that some might find overwhelming and others might find helpful. We are in the thick of a vast transformational process and it is not comfortable, and because the Moon is playing such an important role, you can expect highly charged emotions to override otherwise logical choices.
Devote this week and the next several weeks to integrative awareness. Use the light of the Moon and the deluge of feelings to identify what needs to shift in you and then harness the potent power of this Grand Cross into positive action. And don’t despair about the darkness. Your life is your greatest masterpiece—live it fully and let the rest of us know through your thoughts, words and deeds just how precious all life is.
A final note: Last week, I wrote that populism was the new word for fascism and several readers wrote to correct me. Thank you for taking the time and caring enough to engage in a conversation about my use of that word. What I learned from that interaction is that we need a new language to talk about what’s currently going on. I realize I have a strong bias, but in my world, in a populist movement, the people do not organize against each other, they organize against the elites. So yes…you could say that both Trump and Sanders inspired a populist movement. But Trump’s movement pits the people against each other, promoting prejudice, anti-intellectualism, authoritarian aggression, and other characteristics identified in The Authoritarian Personality, a book written to understand the conditions that give rise to fascism and the rise of a fascist leader. This work has its critics, to be sure, but the qualities mentioned in the book relate to what we are experiencing today. So I’m not sure I want to rescind my use of that word, although I am certainly committed to investigating a new way of contextualizing our current situation.
Sun Bursts: If you know your Ascendant and/or your Moon Sign, read that too.
Aries March 21-April 19
This Full Moon illuminates persistent issues of safety and security so don’t be surprised if you find yourself fretting over familiar themes. How much is enough? Will I ever feel safe? Can I take better care of those I love? Allow these questions to stimulate a healing process that moves you into a more vibrant connection to your Higher Power. This process is not meant to frighten; its purpose is to remind you that you are not alone.
Taurus April 20-May 20
This Full Moon stimulates mood swings—lots and lots of them—and while these ups and downs aren’t necessarily part of your normal pattern, they do have value. Instead of suppressing these feelings, voice them through conversations with loved ones. Trust that family and friends will be able to listen with an open mind. Don’t be worried that you will say something ‘wrong.’ This is about feeling free enough to open your heart to yourself and to listen closely.
Gemini May 21-June 21
This Full Moon challenges your innate fluidity, especially as you find yourself taking stands for what you believe in and not backing down. And while I’m not suggesting you soften your position, I would suggest that you also take the time to listen to others as closely as you would like them to listen to you. This is no easy feat, especially when you are experiencing such potent determination. But in the long run, it will be beneficial to everyone.
Cancer June 22-July 22
This Full Moon is your full moon, so be prepared for emotional tidal waves as you share your deepest concerns with significant others. Don’t be shy—not that you could be—about just how deeply you are feeling about certain circumstances that have been bothering you for a while. Just be equally concerned about how your partners feel about the same situation. You may need to blow off steam before you can listen, but listening will make all the difference over the coming weeks.
Leo July 23-August 22
This Full Moon shines a bright light on your “back-mind,” or what I call the dialogue that’s always occurring in our heads, a dialogue that we seldom acknowledge or give voice to. We’re used to dreams, visions and self-awareness as the main ways we grapple with unconscious reality. So as this dialogue is illuminated, you might feel uncomfortable. Rather than judge, take notes, knowing that this is a discovery process and that there’s plenty of time to do the transformational work.
Virgo August 23-September 22
This Full Moon shines a bright light on your altruistic concerns for your fellow travelers—species of every ilk. These concerns are actually a facet of your true nature. Virgo is the Sign where we recognize the true and abiding interconnectedness to all of life. Anticipate a strong desire to move into positive action, action that will allow you to express your concerns and to feel that you are making a difference in the world.
Libra September 23-October 22
This Full Moon illuminates your desire for recognition. At first glance this need can be characterized as a longing for an acknowledgment of your professional aspirations and contributions. But at a much deeper level, this is about being seen for the essence of who you are, especially through the eyes of your significant others. Rather than denying this need to be seen, share your concerns with loved ones—you’ll be pleasantly surprised by their responses.
Scorpio October 23-November 21
The Full Moon generates a wanderlust for new experiences, and while some of that longing for wild places is a desire to explore uncharted physical terrain, the majority of this hunger for something new is related to exotic internal states of being. While some of these internal experiences can be heightened by drugs, internal exploration is fundamentally a state of mind and can be experienced through a variety of meditation techniques. The choice is yours.
Sagittarius November 22-December 21
The Full Moon illuminates a crisis of values, and while this drama can play out as financial, at its core it’s all about your ability to reconcile differences between your values and the values of others. That may sound like a simple process, but often we’re invested in the need for agreement—we want the people we love to agree with us, and the reverse is also true. Challenging the existing equilibrium takes courage, but finding a more authentic balance will be far more satisfying.
Capricorn December 22-January 19
The Full Moon illuminates a challenge of the heart—your heart and the hearts of those you love—to open to a new way of listening to each other. Please don’t misunderstand; I know you try to hear those you love clearly. But sometimes a fresh perspective has the power to reveal what we’ve been missing, if only because it’s been right in front of us for so long we don’t even see it. Look around and notice what you’ve been ignoring, and then get to work.
Aquarius January 20-February 18
The Full Moon shines a bright light on the need to prioritize and organize the practical concerns of your day-to-day life. It’s not that you aren’t taking care of business—you are. But you want to spend as much time as possible pursuing your creactive projects and plans, and the mundane may be holding you back. Take a moment to consider how a more down-to-earth attitude will benefit you long-term, and then do whatever is necessary to put that plan in motion.
Pisces February 19-March 20
The Full Moon shines a bright light on your creative endeavors, encouraging you to contemplate what’s essential to the process of self-expression. This is not necessarily about canvasses, paint, brushes, or any other art supplies. This illumination is focused on what you need to feel free enough to share your view of the world with others—not just friends and family, but with your community at large.