Fiery “galaxie 4261″ appears in this NASA photo glows red and yellow hot from its intense sun, creating brilliant circles of influence radiating outward.

Friday shows the Moon dancing in trine with Mars — a good day to get things done.  The Moon also is working in conjunction with Uranus to bring about new ideas.  So bring up your creative plans, and work with colleagues and family to put them in motion.  Take extra care to communicate patiently and carefully.  An opposition with Mercury (Communication), shows that some may resist messages about change.  That’s ok — it is a human trait to fear the unknown.  Just lay out your case for what must be done in compelling terms, and you will be persuasive.

“There will always be those who are uncomfortable with any kind of change at all, and then some who argue for a grand plan, instead of simpler tactics and tasks. The important thing in business, and private life is progress.”

Saturday provides a welcome opportunity to rest.  You may be feeling a bit jumbled, as the Moon is showing an opposition with the Sun — the emotions are out of sorts with the personality.  There’s also a bit of tension showing with Jupiter.  Jupiter is the planet of growth and prosperity.  We’re in difficult times, so that can be one explanation, but there is also a sense that the tension can work to your benefit.  When you get a feeling like this about a growth area of your life, it’s an opportunity to examine anything that could be holding you back.  Go to the library, or bookstore and check out some books on prosperity.

A busy time in the Cosmos, on Sunday, brings a lot of energy to bear for your day.  There’s a good chance to launch new plans as Mercury (Communication) works well with Mars (Initative).  But don’t try to focus those plans on your love relationships — Venus is at odds with Jupiter.  Instead, talk about ways to grow your family, and your career endeavors.  The Moon (emotions) is also working well with Chiron (healing) today, so take advantage of the good feelings to work out your plans for the coming week and months.

Monday starts the week off with progress looking likely in practical matters.  The Moon shows harmony with Mercury (Communication), so your plans may be received well when you keep them “down to earth.”  We also see some tension on the practical front.  There will always be those who are uncomfortable with any kind of change at all, and then some who argue for a grand plan, instead of simpler tactics and tasks.  The important thing in business, and private life is progress.  And, you can find the right opening for small, practical gains today.

On Tuesday, we see Mercury (Communication) in tension with Chiron (Health), while the Sun (Personality) shows harmony with Chiron.  This is a cosmic piece of advice to be sure to communicate (remember good communication includes listening and checking what you’ve heard) carefully and thoroughly.  The Moon is also in a favorable position (Trine) with Pluto — planet of transformation.  Play your cards right, and you could make a breakthrough at work, or home today.

From a French Painting from around 1415 illuminating the Book of the Hours for November.

It’s almost Thanksgiving… the year is passing quickly! Is your day restful? This week, on Thanksgiving, the Sun enters Sagittarius… a thoughtful and progressive sign with a positive outlook. Enjoy your conversations on the holiday. There has been so much written about “Sun Signs”, which is what most people know when asked, “what sign are you?”. In Astrology, we concentrate on all the other planets, the Moon, and a number of other symbolic influences too. The Sun is a very powerful force, associated with your ego — but to understand yourself, and others, through the Kaleidoscope of Astrology, you have to take the bigger picture — the whole cosmos — into account.

A lot of Astrology has to do with patterns — patterns in the Cosmos, translating and interpreted into seeing patterns in your life. Do you ever notice odd coincidences, or events that seem like they might be connected, but you’re not sure how? That can be due to a certain sacred synchronicity that Astrology can help you explore. For example, one “pattern” we can look at in Astrology, are “triplicities”. One simple understanding of a “Triplicity” is that people are attracted to people that with signs that share the same element — so a Pisces would get along well with a Cancer, and a Scorpio, which are all Water (element) signs. Do you see any patterns with types of people who frequently come into your life?

What do the patterns seen in Astrology (horoscopes) tell you about people and situations? Well, there are several types of “patterns” we look at. Here are a few examples:

• A “grand cross” — when four planets form a square to one another — creates a sort of inner tug-a-war in a person. This a configuration is not commonly found in most horoscope charts.
• A “cosmic cross” — when two planets are opposite each other, and a third forms a square to both — is more commonly found and seen in about 40% of horoscopes. It looks like a “T”, and your Astrologer can tell you the opportunity this represents in your life.
• A “conjunction” (also called an “occultation”) is when two planets appear close together when viewed from Earth. This creates a union of the energies of both planets, and the interpretation depends on which planets are invloved.

Much depends on which planets are in the key positions of these cosmic patterns. Just as relationships vary between two or more people, so do the tugs and pulls of the heavenly bodies in your horoscope.