November has a great deal of movement and the ability to move things ahead. Although we often think of November as a month when we pare down our lives by getting rid of projects, cleaning up our space and preparing for the winter months; this November could give us a sense of understanding the new program. And with our sense of knowing what is going on, we can progress forward with less timidity, a little more certainty and a determination for our lives not to be controlled by the shifting sands but rather our developed ability to navigate the swirling waters of change and transformation.
November starts on something of a high note, thanks to Venus sextile Pluto. We are looking to be resourceful, focused on the truly meaningful, and adapting our methodology in a way that is streamlined and incorporates a best practices approach. No whining, for us. No hand wringing any longer, for us. We are getting a grip on the new ‘normal’, and we are looking at how we can best work with the background of these changing times to our advantage rather than feeling behind the eight ball, victimized and able only to react to the shifting parameters.
While some people in years past might have embraced the cute but trite saying: ‘when the going gets tough, the tough go shopping’; many of us are now more likely to engage the actual, unrevised saying: ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going’. Not that we are looking to be tough and rough in these times. What we are looking to do is to successfully address our situation, move beyond any recent sense of powerlessness, take the bull by the horns and use these volatile times as a catalyst to improve our lives.
November begins with one planet in a Fire Sign, two planets in Earth Signs, two planets in Air Signs and five planets in Water Signs. Two planets are in Cardinal Signs, four planets are in Fixed Signs, and four planets are in Mutable Signs. Three planets are in Positive Signs, and seven planets are in Receptive Signs. By Sign, there is a T-Square in Mutable Signs. There is a Stellium of three or more planets in Scorpio.
Although we might not have a great deal of fire to fast forward our interests, we can have our ear to the railroad track, figure out what is really happening and then devise a best practices approach to use later for the launching of our projects. We shall be dealing from a high level of energy as we start the month, but the energy may be more a nervous agitation of wanting to get on with things but without a desire for either the maintenance or the strict discipline to take things step by step. We may go from one thing to another, looking to remove obstacles, getting rid of the extraneous, all like weeding our gardens and tilling the soil before we plant the seeds of our future.
Let’s keep in mind the extreme volatility of these times and try to maintain a balance between wild euphoria and depths of despair. These times ask us to be moderate in all things, all the while that people, conditions and things around us might seem like they are swinging from extreme to extreme. While our clarity may be somewhat hampered by conflicting information, spinmeisters, and the bombardment of various stimuli, it is important that we take an attitude of healthy skepticism, look at everything with a bit of a jaded eye, and engage due diligence in careful evaluation of the conditions and circumstances in which we find ourselves.
After the Venus sextile Pluto on the 1st, we come to the 2nd, which in the US is election day for the mid-term elections. Although change is in the air, hope may be somewhat lacking and we might be more concerned about the consequences of our actions and a sense that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
The 4th has Mercury trine Jupiter and many people might be humming ‘happy days are here again’. While pundits may put their own spin on things, the energy at this time decries moderation and insists instead on excess, whether that excess be over-consumption or over-fearfulness. Certainly, the volatility around this time can be ratcheted up severalfold with a tendency to see only what we wish to see, blinding ourselves to true reality as we embrace the images and presentations that we would prefer.
The 5th – 6th has the Scorpio Lunation, the Scorpio New Moon in the Piscean decanate of Scorpio and on a day when Mercury squares Neptune and Mercury trines Uranus and the day that Neptune turns direct. With Neptune the ruler of Pisces and such a strong influence of Neptune and Pisces today and with its impact for the fortnight ahead, we have to be very adept at reading between the lines, looking between the cracks and not buying into the images and appearances offered up for general consumption. Things may not be the way they seem, or the way they are being presented. Like walking in a minefield, this two week period between the New Moon on the 5th – 6th and the Full Moon on the 21st demands that we be mindful and totally aware and not let down our guard or make assumptions without careful evaluation and re-evaluation to the point of playing devil’s advocate. The hucksters may be out in grand style.
Although confusion can reign at this time, we also have the ability of remarkable insight and startling revelations, so long as we can be detached and objective and not allow our own desires to get in the way of our critical analysis and nonjudgmental consideration of the true reality of situations and conditions. Or, as Sergeant Joe Friday in the classic television show Dragnet would say: ‘The facts, ma’am, just the facts’.
One of the beauties of these times is the true transparency of life and conditions. Although politicians talk about transparency while attempting sleight of hand, the times are like the emperor with no clothes — things are revealed and can be seen for what they truly are. We have the ability, like a sixth and seventh sense, of seeing what is really going on, stripping away the decorative in order to see the substance behind the appearance. All of us are better able to pull back the curtain of the Wizard of Oz screen and view the little guy punching the buttons.
Another beauty of these times is the paradigm shift, whereby we are moving away from the belief that we have to make things happen and towards an increased understanding that the universe works. The old paradigm of linear, sequential reality where things occur in an orderly progression of going from A to B to C is falling away. The new paradigm of asequential reality where things occur in an unexpected manner and things come out of the blue is increasingly evident for each one of us. This new paradigm is what I often refer to as the ‘magical, mystery tour’ [borrowing, with a little help from my friends, from The Beatles].
And what a blessing this new paradigm is! No longer do we have to assume control of making things happen, mastering the world and in the process mucking up the works and trashing the environment. On the contrary, we can now accept our role as co-creators working with the natural forces and the natural unfolding of these times and doing so akin to the ‘awe and wonder’ of childhood. We can be blissed out by the perfection of the universe, all the while dropping our judgments and letting go of our grand expectations. Truly liberating these times are, if even a little scary.
Although we are on the threshold of a paradigm shift, we should also recognize that such times could also be a little crazy-making. The habits, patterns and processes of the past no longer work for the present, much less the future. The old playbook is rendered not only irrelevant and useless but could prove harmful if attempted in today’s world. Instead, we have a new playbook, but as we open the cover, we see that the pages, all the pages, are blank pages. No instructions, no indications of what we should do or how we should do it. Blank pages on which to write and devise our new life. Scary perhaps, exciting as well. In looking at our new playbook, it would be suggested that we write our plans, our ideas and our new approaches in pencil…. with a large eraser. Yes, these times ask us to try things out but to do so similar to lunching at a smorgasbord, whereby we try a little bit of this, a little bit of that, before committing to those things we might want to further ingest.
On the 7th, Venus retrogrades back into Libra. While relationships might have been a little dicey with Venus retrograde in Scorpio; Venus retrograding back into its own Sign of Libra can help us make amends for any adversarial or antagonistic interactions we might have had with those special people in our lives. This movement of Venus also ends the Stellium of three or more planets in Scorpio, reinforced on the 8th by Mercury exiting Scorpio to enter Sagittarius.
Although we might still feel in a state of confusion, we are also likely to be more upbeat and enthusiastic, looking to spread our wings and expand our horizons.
Mid-November continues with the expansionary sense as the Sun trines Jupiter on the 15th with Mars in Jupiter-ruled Sagittarius sextile Saturn, followed on the 17th by Mercury now also in Sagittarius sextile Saturn, and crescendoing on the 18th with both Venus and Jupiter turning direct.
Happy Days are here again! Or, at least our attitude is more upbeat with a willingness to see the half glass of water as half full rather than half empty. Such exuberance and enthusiasm can instill confidence and to its extreme, overconfidence. We could march off in certain directions assuming that our goal is inevitable and our intention some divinely-inspired Master Plan.
Yes, Neptune could be messing with our mind, as the Sun squares Neptune on the 18th, just as Venus and Jupiter turn direct. Nothing may be done in half measure at this time but what is done may not lead us down the garden path but might rather be a course for lemmings heading towards the cliffs.
The 19th has the Sun trine Uranus and we might be looking for ways by which to create greater autonomy and independence for ourselves. Such an objective could impel us to streamline our operations, invest in new technologies and seek a better practices approach to our lives.
The Taurus Full Moon on the 21st has the Sun Moon opposition square to Neptune. Ah, yes, Neptune continues its illusionary or delusionary impact. If we buy into our hopes and wishes without a strong analytical focus and a healthy skepticism, we could be swept away in the currents of over-optimism.
The Sun enters Sagittarius on the 22nd, creating a Stellium in Sagittarius as the Sun joins Mercury and Mars in the Jupiter-ruled Mutable Fire Sign. We pick up more fire and we are likely to feel as if we are walking on the sunny side of the street. We are feeling more exuberant, more expansive and our confidence could be brimming over.
We might even forego looking with a critical eye at the events around us and our own life scenario. On the contrary, we might open our purses, take out our credit cards and look to buy those too long put-off purchases while singing the refrain that ‘happy days are here again’.
Mercury squares Jupiter on Thanksgiving Day, the 25th, and with the energies being what they are, it would not be too great a surprise if we learn that Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving when people begin their run of holiday shopping, hears the cash registers ringing and retailers gaily singing good tidings of joy.
Mercury sextiles Neptune on the 27th, the same day that Mercury squares Uranus. Although we can be seduced by the good tidings of the upcoming holiday season, unexpected situations could arise that force us to take another look, and yet another look, at what appears to be going on. The Mercury square Uranus aspect is my least favorite for travel, and especially air travel. Under this aspect, there can be traffic problems, travel difficulties and communication glitches, including breakdowns in the infrastructure of high technology with computer hacking, computer viruses and Internet crashes.
Whatever occurs around the end of November, it may feel either like a popped balloon or a deflating balloon with our upbeat, enthusiastic attitude taking a hit like a lateral lobotomy and a whack to the side of our heads.
The Mercury square Uranus and Mercury trine Neptune on the 27th is followed in rapid succession by Mars square Jupiter on the 29th, Venus leaving Libra to enter Scorpio on the 29th, and Mercury leaving Sagittarius, thereby ending the Sagittarius Stellium of three or more planets in the Mutable Fire Sign, and Mercury entering Capricorn.
The end of November can bring a more sober attitude to mind. We might realize that not all is sunny and bright. Problems foreign to our daily existence could impinge upon our sense of safety and security. We might recognize that economic good times are still out of reach as the cold of the approaching winter makes us come to our senses and forces us to acknowledge some of the hard, cold reality of these times.
November 2010… embracing the good, denying the bad…
