The Week Above - November 4th-11th 2018 (Election Day Astrology)

The Week Above is a weekly astrological "weather report" detailing the major planetary configurations for the week ahead. All times given are in Eastern Time. There will be references to your birth chart and your Sun, Moon, and Rising signs throughout. If you aren't sure of what that means, check out Astrodienst for free online chart drawings, and Cups & Crowns for the basics of how to understand a drawn chart.

If you enjoy my writing and find it valuable, consider supporting me on Patreon. Future posts will feature horoscopes for all twelve signs if certain goals are met.

Strap yourselves in for this one, friends, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.

The Lunar Nodes enter Cancer and Capricorn and Uranus returns to Aries - November 6th

Election Day in the United States is going to be a big shift, but I’m not predicting puppies and cupcakes here.

On Tuesday, the Lunar Nodes, which have been transiting the signs of Leo and Aquarius, shift into Cancer and Capricorn. In a sense, the Lunar Nodes by transit indicate an arc of collective evolutionary focus. The South Node tends to disempower the sign it transits through, sinking it down into a place that is alternately sapped of energy and given over to its basest instincts, with occasional moments of being on the beam so strongly that being itself is the most natural thing in the world. But mostly all that sign’s shortcomings get revealed. Since May of 2017, that South Node has been in Aquarius, doing all that to the territory of humanitarianism, collective thinking, technology, social networks, futurism, pariahs, and genius. Many of the themes of abuse of technology and abusiveness of technology companies, the agonies of social media, and the splitting away from collective unity got underscored over and again during this time, reemphasized and the humor taken out of it.

Until May of 2020, the South Node will be in Capricorn, sign of authority, ambition, and patriarchs, among many other significations. It’s gonna be an interesting time.

The North Node of the Moon, by transit, tends to hand a six-pack of energy drinks to whatever sign it’s in. It energizes that sign, activates it, makes it want to go go go move move move get shit done, but can also cause that sign to rev its wheels until they burn right off, become overactive, or just get overwhelmed with anxiety. Since May of 2017, the North Node has been in Leo. This is the territory of ego, self, self-centeredness, being centered in oneself in a more spiritual sense, shining in the spotlight, creative self-expression, children, and charisma. Perhaps this speaks more to the negative qualities of this point in history than necessarily the nature of the North Node of the Moon (which is generally considered a positive point in most Western texts, but this may have more to do with Western society’s biases of “more is always good”), but its most visible influences have not been great. Egotism, autocrats, anxious children, all have been spotlighted during this time. Anecdotally, I’ve also witnessed an increased willingness to pay artists for their art as part of left-leaning discourse, and otherwise give credit where credit is due. But I’ve witnessed a politics of “me first, then fuck you” from the right (and certain less-mature segments of the left tbh) get widespread as well.

The North Node will be in Cancer from Tuesday until May of 2020. Cancer is the territory of homes, families, cliques, mothers, emotional nurturing, the womb, feelings of security, and caretaking. On one hand, it’s a scary time for abortion rights. On the other hand, mothers enraged could be exactly the thing the world needs right now.

Now let’s get into Uranus.

Uranus’s initial entry into Aries 8-ish years ago coincided with the Arab Spring. Uranus in Aries is a hot, fiery, revolutionary energy that’s prone to burning hot and burning itself out. Uranus in Aries likes to break shit. Uranus is Aries is on fire with the urge to make things be different, by force if need be. Uranus will be in Aries for exactly four months, returning to Taurus on March 6th and staying there for another 8-ish years. This is Uranus in Aries’s last hurrah before Uranus starts shaking things up in a much earthier, more aesthetic way.

The Nodes square Uranus at 12:47pm EST, then shift signs at 1:09pm EST, then Uranus shifts signs at 1:59pm EST. The whole shift happens suddenly over the span of a lunch break to go vote. All of these major changes happen very, very fast.

Vote, by all means vote, but know that big changes do not happen easily. Shifts happen, but we’re too deep into the muck at this point for a single election to get us clean again. And whatever happens, a lot of people are going to be very, very angry, and seek out a vehicle to express that anger, possible the kind of vehicle they can set fire to. Probably not everywhere, all at once, but enough places to make folks stand up and take notice.

Things shift rapidly on Election Day, but not entirely, and not in a way that functions as a magic “make it all better” button. There’s more work to be done, and help is in fact on its way. Chin up, eyes on the goal, you got this.

New Moon in Scorpio - November 7th

This is not a big, loud lunation.

This is a quiet one. Trine Neptune in Pisces. Loosely sextile Pluto. Smack in the middle of Scorpio. Big things are happening, absolutely—it’s on the world axis, one of a few degrees of very public face—but these things happen in the dark and we just find out about them later. If you want to take political action you don’t want folks to know about right away, this is the time for it.

Not that I’d recommend you do anything untoward. Of course not. But I certainly expect some power players to be doing exactly that, and news stories to show up about protestors pulling off some kind of heist.

This is a heist moon. Secrets bandied about in the darkness taking hold of what isn’t theirs. Shifting shadows. Thievery. Sabotage.

Hey, I’m as anti-capitalist as the next astrologer who’s seen the writing on the wall, but I am not the guy with the mask. I’m the guy with the light in the darkness.

And this is quite the darkness.

Of note: This New Moon is exact just over 15 minutes after Jupiter’s exact trine to the Lunar North Node / sextile to the Lunar South Node. New beginnings are available to you for things you want to stay hidden, but ultimately a more monastic type of seclusion is called for here. The secret voice of the divine from the mountaintop. The Hermit. Spiritual truths only available in quiet contemplation. It’s a beautiful time to sit and contemplate your own mortality, because peace is available from that contemplation on this moon that isn’t always easy to come by. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but a worthwhile exercise when the time is ripe for it.

It seems to be ripe for it on the 7th.

Jupiter enters Sagittarius - November 8th

Jupiter entering Sagittarius is the astrological event of the year, at least in terms of being highly-anticipated and looked forward to more than any other. Here is the hope we’ve been waiting for. It’s a big, positive shift and deserves its own post, which you can read here.

Venus trines Mars - November 9th

Not as big an event as the other stuff this week, but still worthy of note.

Mars and Venus do a little dance around the zodiac, with Venus usually the faster-moving partner, except when she’s retrograde. Their retrogrades this year stepped on the toes of the same few degrees of the zodiac, around 9-10° of the Fixed signs, where they made their last aspect, a square. Their trine on the 9th will be the last major aspect Venus and Mars will make until their next trine on January 18th.

It’s a rare moment of harmony between masculine and feminine energies, or at least it seems more rare these days. Expect male energy to be a bit better behaved, or at least a bit more charming. And feminine energy to be a bit more comfortable making its desires known. Venus is still retrograde, of course, but she’s far out of the worst of it, already arisen as the Morning Star, emergent into the light and emerging further into the light every day. Her trine to Mars just emphasizes that she’s back in business and ready to mix and mingle and have some fun.

Up to you if you want to join her, but it’ll be a Friday, and that’s Venus’s day. Go out, have some fun, get a pedicure, fuck a stranger, dance on a table, impulsively redecorate your living room, enjoy your life however you do you. It’s a good time for it.

And we need these moments to celebrate joy, don’t we?

The Week Above - September 16th-23rd 2018

The Week Above is a weekly astrological "weather report" detailing the major planetary configurations for the week ahead. All times given are in Eastern Time. There will be references to your birth chart and your Sun, Moon, and Rising signs throughout. If you aren't sure of what that means, check out Astrodienst for free online chart drawings, and Cups & Crowns for the basics of how to understand a drawn chart.

If you enjoy my writing and find it valuable, consider supporting me on Patreon. Future posts will feature horoscopes for your sign if certain goals are met.

Vesta enters Capricorn - September 17th

Vesta is one of the big four asteroids in astrology, sometimes called the Asteroid Goddesses. She is concerned with many things, as is any archetype, among them: The sacred day-to-day work we do in the world; emotional care; the hearth and home, particularly the qualities that make a house a home; feminine sexuality that is active rather than passive; the self-sufficient feminine; sacred sexuality; sex work, especially as a healing art; and the projected ideal of the Sacred (Light) Feminine.

Vesta will be in Capricorn’s mountainous territory until December 1st. There, she teaches us how to express our inner emotional needs in ways that help us reach our long-term goals, as well as how the parts of ourselves experienced as feminine can balance emotional self-care with striving towards the future we wish to build. There will be questions that come up around whether we bring too much of our work home with us, or not enough; and whether we can do the work necessary to be in tune with the deep inner needs and meet them as human beings who have to live a complicated life. Spend time with these questions if they feel familiar; there is warmth to be gained from tending this hearth.

This transit will affect you most strongly if Vesta is conjoined your Sun, Moon, Ascendant, or another personal planet in your birth chart; if you are a woman or femme-of-center person for whom self-sufficiency is part of the fiber of your life’s construction; or if sexuality is part of your work in the world. The latter might find they have higher libido than usual during this transit.

Mars square Uranus - September 18th

Fighting the good fight gives you reason to fight.

You may want to fight. You may be spoiling for a fight. And when the just cause comes into view, you may find yourself eager to champion it, to make yourself into a righteous warrior.

Yet one person’s righteous cause is another person’s tragedy, and so serious questions must be asked of yourself if this is really the thing you need to be fighting for. Justice without mercy is cruel, and justice without discretion is a drunk waving around a sword in a crowded bar.

This Mars in Aquarius story is about asking yourself what future you wish to fight for and fighting for it. But this week may fill you with a passion to fight for what you believe that blocks from view the importance of slowing your roll to make sure you’re charging toward the correct battles.

Whatever revolution you start this week, if you bring out the guillotines make sure that you’re prepared for the outcome.

This transit will affect you most if your Sun, Moon, or Ascendant is in Aries or Scorpio, or in close aspect with Mars in your birth chart, or if you are an athlete, activist, or just a cantankerous sort in general.

Mercury Cazimi in Virgo - September 20th

Cazimi means “in the heart of the Sun.” On September 20th, Mercury will make its superior conjunction with the Sun in the sign Mercury calls home. The moment of Mercury’s superior conjunction—9:52pm on the East Coast of the United States—is traditionally an excellent moment for matters of the intellect; of communication, organization, and analysis; and to engage fully with the details.

Yet all is not well for the swift-moving messenger planet. Coming up on an opposition with Chiron and square to Saturn, they are beset by troubles, obstructions, aches and pains. Therefore the evening of the 20th is good to engage in troublesome works of organization and analysis that you expect frustration from, that they may be tackled from a position of both strength and full knowledge of the difficulties.

Your unread emails, for example. Just don’t expect to get everything done perfectly.

This transit will affect you most if your Sun, Moon, or Ascendant is in Gemini or Virgo, or in close aspect with Mercury in your natal chart, or if you are a writer, lecturer, analyst, accountant, or otherwise focused on communication or the details.

Mercury and the Sun enter Libra - September 21st and 22nd

Playing out a similar story in quick succession, Mercury races ahead of the Sun to enter Libra shortly before midnight on September 21st. The Sun follows on the 22nd, marking the Fall Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, when night and day are of equal length. From then on, the nights grow longer than the days until the wheel turns again on the Winter Solstice.

Mercury and the Sun play out similar stories in Libra but each according to their nature. They will both oppose Chiron within hours of entering Libra and square Saturn within days. Libra wants to partner, make nice, befriend and connect; the entry into this territory will make that difficult at first, particularly as Libra’s ruler Venus is in one of its least comfortable signs.

Therefore both intellect and self-will will be trying their best to focus more on connecting with the Other, but not succeeding as much as they’d like for the few days following the changing of signs.

When you want to partner and connect, understand that the one you wish to connect with may have other plans in mind, and do your best not to take it too personally. Things will get easier in this regard once the squares to Saturn are past, though there is still much to be done.

Mercury remains in Libra until October 9th; the Sun until October 23rd.

The transit of Mercury will affect most those in Mercury categories listed above. The transit of the Sun will affect you most if your Sun, Moon, or Ascendant is in Leo, or if you were born on the New Moon or at dawn; or if you are a performer or other creative.