NGC 6050/IC 1179 (Arp 272) is a remarkable collision between two spiral galaxies, NGC 6050 and IC 1179, and is part of the Hercules Galaxy Cluster, located in the constellation of Hercules. (NASA Hubble Telescope)

Welcome to Saturday and the weekend.  The realm of emotions are churning today with the Moon (Emotions) working in conjunction with Chiron, Neptune, and Jupiter.  Spiritual healing through growth.  Ask today, what can you do for the growth of your own Spirit, and for the Spirit of your relationships?  This can be as simple as good conversation and good laughs.  The Moon also shows harmony with both the Sun (Personality), and Pluto, planet of transformation which brings the possibility for renewal of Spirit and relationship. Again, look to communication — carefully.  The Moon is squaring off today with Mercury, and so there is some blockage between what you feel, and what you believe you can say.  Just remember to follow your heart — the energies to guide you are present today.

“…emotional harmony not only makes for good romantic rapport with your partner, but also balances the male and female traits within each of us.”

Sunday looks great for romance — whoo hooo.  The Moon is in harmony with Venus (Love) and Mars (Initiative).  Venus and Mars also represent the Feminine and the Masculine.  So emotional harmony not only makes for good romantic rapport with your partner, but also balances the male and female traits within each of us.  Men can nuture too, when they tune into their feminine side.  And, women can take the same bold initiatives with the “good old boys” when they allow their masculine side to shine.  It is just that nature and society reward the primary characteristics of each sex.  So we find ourselves in gender roles… and for good reason.  Isn’t that what we love about one another?

Looking into Monday, the Moon gets busy opposing the energy of Saturn (restrictions), squaring off with the Sun (Personality), and showing a bit of stress with Mars (Initiative).  Could be one of those Mondays.  But remember that you can always choose how you deal with things, and that tension is necessary to move things forward.  How would you shoot an arrow without tension in the bow string?  Likewise, no music would issue from a violin without related tension.  So embrace the day and take heart, the Moon is also working in conjunction with Uranus to make new ideas fertile ground today.

This new years party mask configuration is 114 million light years away in the swirling cores of two merging galaxies called NGC 2207 and IC 2163 in the distant Canis Major constellation

Happy holiday Friday — here’s wishing you a good Thanksgiving weekend. We’re still rolling with the inspirational energy of the Thanksgiving day New Moon, so maybe that will help you on your shopping trips. Friday turned out busy with Venus (Love) playing well with Uranus (New Ideas) — perfect to help you figure out what to get your loved ones. And the Moon (Emotions) was playing well with Neptune (Spirituality) — so listen to those old Christmas tunes, and get in the Spirit.

“It is strength of Spirit that nurtures us in sudden misfortune, and resolving hard feelings is often an act inspired by and motivated within your Spirit.”

Earlier this week, the Moon (Emotions), was dancing well with Saturn (Practicality), and Jupiter (Growth). This fostered a nice feeling of practical growth as Thanksgiving rolls around. If you think about it that’s appropriate since Thanksgiving is a practical holiday where people are well-fed, and not without a bit of growth! The Moon was also in Trine with Uranus, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you found yourself brainstorming some new ways to proceed — at work, and in your private life. Remember that New Moons are times for new beginnings… and that will work out well… even in “old” relationships.

Saturday shows Venus (Love) working well with Saturn (Restrictions) — so if you’ve got to set some limits on how you go about your Romance and family life, this is a good day to do it. Limits? Sure — everyone does better when clear boundaries are set. Maybe you need some more time for yourself. Maybe you need to tell the kids to respect parents’ time. Maybe it’s time for a chat with your partner about your own needs and desires. This can actually bring about a change for the better — a renewal in relationships — and the Moon’s energy is working with Pluto (energy of transformation) to facilitate it today.

Sunday finds the Moon (Emotions) at odds with the tides of Neptune (Spirituality). People are sometimes surprised that their emotions tap into the Spiritual at all, but much does go on beneath the surface, and in dreams. It is strength of Spirit that nurtures us in sudden misfortune, and resolving hard feelings is often an act inspired by and motivated within your Spirit. Neptune has also represented Religion, and Illusion at times. Interesting that those two go hand and hand. Much of the Spirit’s highest calling can be misrepresented in life, so it is best to pray for discernment.

Twelve constellations of the Zodiac in this Vienese work of art circa 1354.

It’s New Moon time, perfect for those new beginnings that are also called New Years Resolutions. Or, if you like, just take some time to think about what you need to make new, and renew in your relationships, in you career, and in your spiritual life. The energy is perfect for that right now.

“The Sun is in Capricorn, and so is Jupiter — something that occurs once every twelve years (there’s that number 12 again).”

Twelve months, twelve Zodiac signs, twelve houses in Astrology. Now we embark on the first month of the new year in a calendar aligned and synchronized with the heavens and celestial bodies. It is about cycles. It is about numbers. In numerology, twelve is reduced to three (one plus two — adding its digits together), which stands for communication and interaction. It is also a divine “trinity” and sacred number. But we are in the first month. And number one is about the individual — no wonder it’s a good time for affirmations, goal setting, and new year’s resolutions. How are those coming?

And so, we start the turning of the year again — the cycle of seasons. For things to cycle, you need a wheel — just look at the circle of the twelve constellations in astrology, and the 12 houses in a horoscope that together form the spokes of a great circle. The twelve months of our calendar, spinning season into season. That’s what do wheels do. They turn, as the planets turn in rotation around the Sun. Full circle. And the wheel of your own life revolves around your spheres of influence — family, career, romance, finance, spiritual. If you don’t find a still place of peace to meditate, it can seem like the blur of a carnival sometimes. How do you sort it all out?

The heavens are in an interesting configuration with a number of planets at unusual angles, called “septiles”, to one another… and this makes for a period of changes afoot. The Sun is in Capricorn, and so is Jupiter — something that occurs once every twelve years (there’s that number 12 again). Jupiter can “keep things real”, and so you can commit to your dreams for the year and see them manifest for you. New Moon this week is Tuesday Jan 8th… It’s a Sweet Saturn trend, and structure, stability and everything you’ve felt chaotic suddenly begins to smooth out and become more balanced and routine toward weeks end. So take change and run with it — do some planning, and try some new things. This month can bring you more than one opportunity for growth.

Jupiter photo shot from NASA’s “Cassini” space probe.

This is a Virgo-Moon weekend. This serves to organize our thoughts and allows us to speak clearly about important things — now is the right time for communication. We are also in the Sagittarius time of the Zodiac now, and it is governed by the giant planet Jupiter. It is a season of good fortune and prosperity. If you are seeking justice in your worldly dealings, the influence of Jupiter is also good for that pursuit. Also, in astrology, we look to Jupiter as ruler of your 9th House (religion, law, and higher education), and 12th House (psychic matters). So, there’s quite a lot going on with Jupiter which also is headed toward an interesting conjunction with Pluto on December 11th.

“Because no two people share the exact same configuration (even “identical” twins come into the world at different time intervals) in their horoscope, so are relationships between two people unique.”

How are your growth plans coming along? Jupiter, the largest Planet in our Solar System, is active right now, as it moves toward a conjunction with Pluto on Dec. 11th. In Roman Mythology, Jupiter ruled over the Gods themselves… a very powerful influence. It was the Babylonians who used the approximately 12 year voyage of Jupiter along the Ecliptic to delineate the twelve constellations in the Zodiac. Astrologically speaking, Jupiter stands for prosperity, growth, and expanding fortune. Not a bad thing during these festive days.

Is your Holiday Season going well? During this busy time it is normal to come in contact with a lot of people — some new, some old friends, colleagues and acquaintances. Auld Lang Syne. What would the world be without friendships — without people? A bit like the sky without planets and stars, I think. How will you celebrate among all of these celestial bodies this year?

You are unique, and your time and place of birth is equally unique. It is on this — the precise location and time you were born — that Astrology bases your Horoscope with particular attention to the positions of the planets in the Zodiac at the moment of your birth. Because no two people share the exact same configuration (even “identical” twins come into the world at different time intervals) in their horoscope, so are relationships between two people unique. We can look at compatibilities between signs in general, but each partner you team up with represents a unique combination of personalities and combined traits.

Sagittarius is a constellation of the zodiac, usually shown as a centaur drawing a bow, and lies between Ophiuchus (west) and Capricornus (east).

Western Astrology (there are other “schools” of Astrology in different parts of the World), originated around 3,000 years ago, and it’s followers — Astrologers — study the Zodiac as a method of understanding the human personality. The Zodiac is the group of constellations through which the Sun and Moon pass on their sky journey. And, there are 12 constellations used in Western Astrology, where if the sun was in the constellation of Pisces (a grouping of Stars that looks like fish, when you “connect the dots”), then you are said to be a Pisces with Piscean traits in your personality. Of course, there are many other celestial patterns we look for in a persons horoscope, and in those they have questions about.

“The famous psychologist, Carl Jung believed that in Astrology, one could find, “the curious psychological qualities of the zodiac: a complete projected theory of human character.””

We are currently Leaving “Scorpio” (Oct. 24 – Nov. 23) which is the constellation of Scorpius (Latin for Scorpion), and heading into Sagittarius (Nov. 23 – Dec. 21)… the 9th sign in the Zodiac. This constellation generally resembles an Archer when you connect its star “dots”, and in Greek mythology was often associated with Chiron, a centaur that provided instruction for Greek heros.

These days that lead up to the celebration of the Birth of Christ can be filled with the Spirit of Sagittarius — a fun-loving, adventurous, philosophical, truth-loving sign. Of course, it is important to guard against the flip-side of the Sagittarian good points which can manifest as carelessness, over-indulgent, and scattered energy.

How was your Holiday synastry? Synastry? Ok… probably not a word you use to describe the time you had with family and friends hanging out on Thanksgiving. In Astrology, however, “synastry” is a word we use to explore how one person is compatible with another. It involves looking at the two person’s precise (need exact time and location of birth) horoscopes, and comparing the patterns we see there to one another. We look at houses, planets, and different configurations of these cosmic keys to determine how two people will get along. Pretty deep. But you can leave that to me, as you enjoy the turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes.

The famous psychologist, Carl Jung believed that in Astrology, one could find, “the curious psychological qualities of the zodiac: a complete projected theory of human character.” Jung also noted that Astrology provides a “bridge to nature,” (from “Archetypes of the Collective Unconscious”, by Carl G. Jung), meaning the association of the planets, stars & cosmos with the lives and happenings of human kind. He saw in it a link to the human unconscious psyche. And so, Astrology can reveal quite a bit about your self, and your motivations… and also about your close relationships.