Frank Martin Don LLC - Professional Intuitive & Astrological Consultant

This November begins at a frenetic (or is it frantic?) pace. We may feel that we are all over the place, having to address our responsibilities and dealing with unexpected situations that could arise. We might even feel the earth shifting under our feet, both figuratively and literally. Yes, November starts with us betwixt and between, but we can easily question betwixt and between WHAT?

The month starts with three planets in Fire Signs, two planets in Earth Signs, two planets in Air Signs and three planets in Water Signs. Two planets are in Cardinal Signs, three planets are in Fixed Signs and five planets are in Mutable Signs. Five planets are in positive Signs and five planets are in negative Signs.

The entry into November has a T-Square in Mutable Signs, a stellium of three or more planets in Sagittarius and, drum roll please, the Saturn Uranus opposition.

Flexibility and adaptability are key, AND not taking anything too serious. Let’s keep in mind the saying that life’s too mysterious, don’t take it serious. Even if we make judgments about things and have opinions about what is going, something could crop up that forces us to reconsider and
re-evaluate.

Now is a time to adopt an attitude that the jury is out, keep an open mind, yet all the while noting the signals given off by what appears to be going on. Appearance and reality may not truly mesh.

The drum roll for the Saturn Uranus opposition is primarily to emphasize the fact that this configuration, which is exact on the 4th, continues on through the rest of this year, continues on through 2009 and continues on into the middle of 2010. Can I get an aaarrgh?

We are at the threshold, the juncture point, the crossing point of life as we have known it and a brand new day. Actually, it’s a brand new life but day seems so much easier to contend with. The old programs no longer work, but there can be a great deal of resistance to trying anything new. Out of anxiety we could fall back on the ‘tried and true’, even though once tried, no longer true. We might want to cast off the past patterns and past program and lunge forward into the new, the different, and possibly the abyss.

Old and new are doing their dance… dying to the old, born to the new… reinforcing the old, diminishing investigation of the new. Like a metronome wildly swinging out of balance, we could find these times to be quite volatile.

During this month, during the days ahead, it would be wise to focus on awareness and mindfulness. The more we can be mindful of different areas of our lives that are coming up for review or for decisive action, the more we can get a handle on what is being asked of us. The signals will be there. We just have to take off the blinders, let go of our assumptions, work with peripheral vision and be open to what the possibilities and the unfoldings are.

Although we all might prefer resolution one way or another, we are moving out of the sequential reality of beginning, middle and end with resolution. We are moving into a time of process, and a process unfolding not according to any sequential, linear reality. Rather we are stepping onto the magical mystery tour of synchronicity with its kaleidoscope of unexpected events, serendipitous meetings and proddings to be and to do something different than who we have been or what we have been doing.

Exciting times, in deed, but also times that like a good scary movie can be thrilling and terrifying. No knee-jerk reactions please! No assumptions based solely on blind faith! And, please, please, please [kinda like the old musical pleadings of James Brown stage show when he used to fall on his knees and drag himself across the stage floor], no attempts to solely control situations or master the universe. Mastery of the universe is over, done with, an old paradigm of control.

Instead we are moving into times when the parameters can change without a moment’s notice, times when we have to be nimble and quick, flexible and adaptable, mindful and fully aware.

The analogy during these times that I would draw upon is a rope suspension bridge. It will get to the other side but possibly with wild swings as we cross from where we have been to where we are going. There may be times when we have to turn back and go back into the familiar, the old, the customary. And that’s really okay. Other times, we may vaunt across, get to the other side without knowing what the hell we’re going to do or how we’re going to do it. And that’s really okay. For the suspension bridge will cross the chasm between old and new. It might take some back and forth before we reach the other side and decide to cut away the ties that bind our bridge to our past and to our future. And that’s okay too. No judgment… no expectation… cutting ourselves some slack… and recognizing that we are entering uncharted territory, the journey of self-discovery.

With the potential for confusion during this month, it also allows us not to be fixed, not to be rigid, but rather to be open to possibilities that we might not have otherwise considered.

The Saturn Uranus opposition also allows us to draw upon the essence, the substance, the truth of our experience as foundation stones for the investigation, exploration and discovery of our desires, plans and anticipated goals. We have the ability of being visionaries. In being visionaries, the Saturn Uranus opposition allows us to have our head in the clouds and our feet firmly planted on the ground. We don’t have to cast aside all the elements of our past in order to change for the future. We can take those elements that have proven their merit and worth and draw upon them as a best practices approach for realizing our new found goals and dreams.

There will be moments when this month, and these times, are placid and still, other times when the pace accelerates, and times when it may seem almost overwhelming with so much coming at us and the feeling of being pulled apart. No matter, as long as we maintain mindfulness, not accept anything at face value and make our plans with a pencil and large eraser rather than carving our intentions in stone.

November starts with various intense energies.

The Saturn Uranus opposition exact on the 4th is in play throughout the month.

The 2nd has Neptune turning direct and the fog of confusion and illusion can be lifted. We may feel more certain about what we want to do and where we want to go. We are less susceptible to possibilities that are impractical and we can pierce the veil of maya. No matter how clear we might feel, it will be important not to assume that when we have a second wind, that we can rush blindly forward without constantly taking time to consider, re-evaluate and question whether the direction in which we are headed continues to be the direction we intend.

The 3rd has Venus tripping off the Saturn Uranus opposition by creating a T-Square with Venus in Sagittarius squaring Saturn in Virgo and squaring Uranus in Pisces. Relationships can go through a whirlwind. Infatuations with exciting, new and different people can create potential problems with existing relationships and our perceived demands that connections make on us. We may feel increasingly as though we have stepped into some surreal world whereby we are being pushed and pulled, unable to get our grounding both from the conflict of our past and our desired future and from the acceleration with life going ever faster, demanding that we pick up the pace and become adept at juggling.

The 4th ratchets up the intensity of these times. The Saturn Uranus opposition in play until mid-2010 starts in earnest today with the exact opposition between these two planets. But this is not the only energy configuration that could prove daunting. Mars squares Neptune. We may be passionate and determined but a desire to cut to the core might also lead us to make a wrong cut or to be entranced by the mystique without seeing reality. Reality can be a question of opinion, of judgment, of perspective. And on the 4th, Election Day in the US, Mercury sextiles Pluto just before Mercury exits Libra and moves into Scorpio. If we are not swayed by our emotions, by the desire to jump out of our own skin and embrace the different just for the sake of change, our mind can be razor-sharp, even laser-like. We can penetrate the appearances and see what is truly going on. Increasingly, the key elements for us to draw upon during the coming days are awareness and mindfulness. With the kaleidoscope of events, an ever spinning whirr of multi-tasking and the constant juggling at a quick pace, we have to keep on our toes ready to adapt, to shift and to change without a moment’s notice. Awareness and mindfulness.

The 5th has Venus sextile Neptune. If our relationships were strained earlier in the week, we can now sort out much of the superfluous and extraneous that got in our way and concentrate upon the hopes, the potentials, the possibilities. Interactions with friends and others can have us talking about a brand new day and a brand new way. We may see the ideal and consider how we can expand into new realms.

The mid-part of November allows for greater exuberance and focused intent. There is a flurry of activity around the 10th through the 13th. The 10th has the Scorpio Sun sextile Jupiter and the Sun trine Uranus. By attention to conservation and resourcefulness, we can expand our operations and activities in the most expeditious and best practices way. We can be highly effective and productive, especially if we are open to changing our methods and streamlining. We are looking to make changes and during this period we can expand utilizing new technologies and new techniques but in a strategic and detail-focused manner. Mid-November provides great opportunities for us to build upon the past and expand into our future. The 11th has the Sun sextile Saturn. The 12th has Venus conjunct Pluto just before Venus exits Sagittarius and enters Capricorn. And the 13th gives us the Taurus Full Moon with Jupiter sextile Uranus and the Sun square Neptune. Although we are in an expansive and exuberant mood, we have to be careful regarding clarity of vision and clarity of capability. We could get carried away with our enthusiasm, bite off more than we can chew, or make assumptions that are not based on reality but rather on wish fulfillment. Although it could be hard to rein in our enthusiasm, that is what is called for if we don’t want to make a leap into the unknown that potentially could turn into an abyss.

The 16th and 17th are somewhat similar to the energies on the 10th – 14th. In hitting off Uranus, Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune. This time it’s Mercury on the 16th trining Uranus and sextiling both Jupiter and Saturn, followed on the 17th by Mercury square Neptune. Our thoughts can be broad, prospecting for options and alternatives and evaluating them for real possibilities. Our communications can be likewise. A sense of buoyancy and strategic planning can grab our interests and help concentrate our attention. We just have to watch that in our enthusiasm we don’t head down some garden path without recognizing the brambles or the curves in the pathway. The 16th also has Mars moving out of Scorpio and coming into Sagittarius. We may feel like we have gotten a second wind, ready to take on more as a result of our increased energy level. Once again, we just have to be careful that we don’t do too much or overreach.

On the 21st, Jupiter trines Saturn. Our ambitions and projects can meet with success as we both widen our scope and utilize a detailed best practices approach to achieve our results. The 21st also has the Sun moving into Sagittarius and creating a Stellium of three or more planets in the Mutable Fire Sign as the Sun joins Mars and Pluto. This Stellium is briefly reinforced by Mercury coming into Sagittarius on the 23rd and on the 25th conjuncts the Sun. Now is a time when our thoughts and our focus turn more to things far from the normal routine. We are far more interested in things at a distance than those things right in front of us. We may feel beckoned to broaden our reach and take into account foreign situations.

The latter part of the month ratchets up the energy once again. We have two significant planetary changes: Uranus turning direct on the 27th and Pluto entering Capricorn for its multi-year transit of the Cardinal Earth Sign the day before on the 26th. We also have the Sagittarius New Moon on the 27th, Venus sextile Uranus and Mercury conjunct Mars on the 28th and Venus trine Saturn on the 29th.

This latter part of the month talks about beginnings, stretches and raises the question (a question to be raised over the next several years) as to whether we have built upon rock or built upon sand. Anything that is no longer functional, things that are excessive and situations that do not serve a practical purpose may be on the way out. As the saying goes: ‘necessity is the mother of invention’.

We may be far more focused on our necessities, our basic needs and the pressing needs of changing old patterns. We can move into the future with optimism and enthusiasm and with the realization that those things that have true worth from the past can be brought into the future but that our past will not limit our future with its mining of new technologies, new insights and the new paradigm. Although we are likely to go back and forth between our past patterns and testing new possibilities, we are eventually going to cross the threshold into the new paradigm of asequential reality, focused on the process and recognizing that there is no beginning, middle or end but rather a natural unfolding with its own twists and turns… or what I like to refer to as stepping onto the bus for our magical mystery tour.

November 2008… let the games begin…

The early part of the week can be wild and wooly as we do the dance between old and new. The Saturn Uranus opposition that has been influencing us ever since Saturn moved into Virgo last Autumn is strong with Venus creating a T-Square between the two on Monday followed by the Saturn Uranus opposition exact on Tuesday, Election Day in the US.

The early part of the week can be fraught with tension and confusion. We may want to push forward without considering the parameters or the conditions. If we take some time to quietly and objectively evaluate the situation, we could strip away the non-essentials, focus on the key elements and come up with a clear intention.

While we might want to move forward into uncharted territory, our advances into new directions may be restricted by our having to deal with outstanding matters and old issues. This week can have us in a tug of war between our past and our future. An either-or approach might not be the wisest move. On the contrary, the more we can build a suspension bridge between our daily responsibilities and our future goals, the more likely we can successfully incorporate the changes we want to make in our lives.

This week is a good week to dream our dreams and take a realistic approach to realize our goals. We need to be clear about where we want to go and the ways by which to get there.

If we leap before we look, we could wind up going in the wrong direction or making false starts that lead us nowhere. This week is far better for planning and re-evaluating rather than implementing. Our mind is incisive and can cut to the core. Avoid wishful thinking that has no basis in fact. Be open to all possibilities but scrutinize each one for their viability.

Monday, November 3rd – Testy, If Provoked – T-Square, Venus, Saturn, Uranus, Sun, Jupiter. The week starts with Venus going through Sagittarius and creating a T-Square to the Saturn Uranus opposition. Interactions with others could be a little testy. We may see aspects of other people that could have us consider whether we want to continue the relationship, make significant changes to the ways of relating or even cutting off certain ties. We don’t want to be held back by our past, but we don’t want to risk what we have for an unknown, even if that unknown appears to be warm and fuzzy. With the Moon in Capricorn sextile the Sun, conjunct Jupiter, trine Saturn and sextile Uranus, we are not looking to throw the baby out with the bath water. On the contrary, we want to be able to expand our possibilities without sacrificing anything we have at the present. We want to make changes, be far more autonomous and able to express our individuality. But we are not looking to give up a great deal in order to do so. This day we could be feeling a little on edge. It would be wise to concentrate on our daily routine, enlist a best practices approach in dealing with our obligations and not get caught up in the frenzy likely to be operating all around us. If we keep our mind and our activities on our personal ambitions, we can maintain a centered quality while the world seems to be spinning all around us.

Tuesday, November 4th – Here We Go, Here We Go, Here We Go – Mercury, Pluto, Mars, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus, Moon Void-of-Course, Mercury Scorpio. Tuesday is Election Day in the US and what bonker energies we have to deal with this day. The Saturn Uranus opposition that will continue through mid 2010 is exact today. Added flavors to the day are Mercury sextile Pluto and Mars square Neptune. Although our mind may be sharp and laser-like, able to penetrate to the core of any situation, we do have to keep a lid on our emotions and our actions. We could easily do some knee-jerk reactions today based upon wish fulfillment and a desire for change without fully considering the implications or the consequences of our actions. Taking time would allow us to look at the most essential pieces to the puzzle, dissect the whole into its parts and then evaluate our intended course of action. In order to do so, we have to restrain our impulsiveness which could be asking a lot. The day begins with the Capricorn Moon sextile Mars but then the Moon goes Void-of-Course for over seventeen hours making no further connections to the planets as it finishes its transit of Capricorn and before entering Aquarius where it squares Mercury which has just gone into Scorpio. There is not a great deal of grounded energy today, and it would be wise not to hold out great expectations even if we have the energy and desire to get things done. This day is one when we might find ourselves going through real whipsaws, at times exuberant and ecstatic, other times feeling let down and confused. Clarity might be scarce, so let’s be careful not to make significant decisions that could be adversely impacted by unexpected changing circumstances.

Wednesday, November 5th – Smoothing Over – Venus, Neptune, Sun. We may not be out of the woods yet, and probably won’t be for quite a while even in spite of viewing clearings now and again. But today can be far less frenetic than yesterday, and today would be a good day to smooth things over, take a deep breath and get on with our lives. Venus sextiles Neptune today and the Aquarius Moon squares the Sun. We may be looking for a halfway point in regard to our interactions with other people. We want to see the best, accentuate the positive and look to the future even though painfully aware of possible limitations to our resources. Although we may realize we can never go back, we can give thought regarding how and where and with whom we want to move forward. This Wednesday we could give thought to various prospects and possibilities. Although we may feel that we don’t have the resources --- whether time, money or capability --- to follow our dreams, we could also learn to be very resourceful and recognize that we don’t have to do it all. The universe works and we could discover that there are opportunities we haven’t taken into account, if we would only work with peripheral vision and embrace an attitude of possibility. We might also find other people to be good support systems, both in helping us accomplish our plans and in offering a sounding board with intuitive understandings regarding our goals and dreams.

Thursday, November 6th – Getting Together – Neptune, Venus, Mars. Our relationships continue to take center stage. Similar to yesterday when we might have gained an even greater appreciation for our friends and loved ones, today continues in that same vein with a desire to get together or at least be in contact. We may have to allow for a greater element of humility whereby we are not as concerned about making a strong impression as we are with being real in our interactions. One of the beauties of these times could prove to be a greater appreciation of the simple pleasures in life and easy times with good friends. Major productions, intense dramas can go by the wayside. We neither have the time nor the inclination for things that over-the-top. Life has plenty of those extremes right now. We’re not looking to add to them and this Thursday could be one when we just enjoy the camaraderie of our friends and loved ones. We may not get a great deal done regarding our responsibilities, but in taking a breather, we can take off the blinders, look around and enjoy what we have and what we are looking to engage in the future.

Friday, November 7th – Meditative Mind – Pluto, Mercury. This Friday seems to focus on the contemplative disposition. We start the day with the Aquarius Moon sextile Pluto and then shortly thereafter segue into the Moon in Pisces trine Mercury. We may seem otherworldly and our concerns may be far less with the mundane and far more with the universal, the idealistic and the spiritual. No matter what is going on in the world, we can create our own sanctuary where we find the peace and serenity lacking in the whirl-a-gig mundane reality. Taking some time to reflect, to consider, all the while allowing our mind to be porous for the revelations of insights and the hunches of the intuitive would be an appropriate use of the energies today. We may feel a little spacey at times but that could be due to the fact that we are broadening our vista, taking things greater than ourselves into account and are searching for true understanding of what is actually going on. This Friday is a good day to consider our goals and how our lives can be a true expression of our spirit in action.

Saturday, November 8th – Yin, Yang, Tao – Sun, Jupiter, Uranus, Saturn. Today’s Pisces Moon trines the Sun, sextiles Jupiter, conjuncts Uranus and opposes Saturn. This Saturday we can put all the pieces together, even what seems to be discordant and unable to fit into our picture of the way things could be, or should be. Although we might have errands to attend to or commitments to honor, this is a day to stretch our wings, explore new interests and balance our responsibilities with an ability to engage spontaneity. Life is about choices and today we can choose to be in conflict between past situations and future possibilities or we can blend the two drawing upon our experience, addressing our tasks at hand yet at the same time broadening our activities to incorporate the new and the different. Unexpected situations might arise that force us to alter our plans. Any unexpected situation also allows us to be on our toes, attentive, mindful and dealing with life not in a preprogrammed manner but rather in a vibrant, dynamic manner. Yes, we can balance our obligations with a broadening of our palette. We may have to pick up the pace, utilize streamlined methods and be willing to adjust to a learning curve. In so doing, we can become more fully alive and fully present in the moment… and that is all there truly is.

Sunday, November 9th – Going to Extremes – Mars, Venus, Pluto. In some cultures, they refer to Sunday as a day of rest. This Sunday seems anything but. With our day beginning with the Pisces Moon trine Mars and square both Venus and Pluto, we could be up and running. Early in the day, we may have some lively discussions about the world and its / our condition. People may be pontificating like some on-the-sidelines quarterbacking before the game has even begun. Although there could be a tendency to get rid of things that don’t appeal to us, we do have to be careful not to get so excited that we start throwing out things helter-skelter. A desire for breaking free could increase an either-or attitude, going to extremes in clearing the decks and making room hopefully for things that are far more enjoyable. We may feel like we’ve got an itch under our skin, an itch that if we scratch it hard enough will go away. That itch could be some of our projects, some of the people in our lives and some of our normal routine. Today is a day to be careful not to be overly impetuous. We could be leaping ahead without considering what we are doing or where we are going to land. We may have an urge to bring things to completion, to conclusion, but it would be wise that we not act in a rash manner or try to do too much too soon. As the day progresses, the Moon exits Pisces and enters Aries. We are likely to feel less put upon, less reactive or less a victim to circumstance. Now we can move ahead, initiate projects and start things up. It’s all a matter of timing. It always is. Not acting too quickly before the time is right will keep us from going to extremes and prepare us to be fast out of the starting gate only after the starting gun has gone off.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Building upon the changes initiated in 2008, the year 2009 offers challenges and opportunities. These two talks given on October 28th in Greenwich, Connecticut and on October 30th in Fairfield, Connecticut explore the upcoming year, a year of threshold crossing, a year when excess continues to be whittled away and technology is likely to make quantum leaps. The topics discussed include the US presidential election, the next US administration and the challenges facing us as individuals and as a collective society of the global community. This period is a time of paradigm shift, a time when old patterns are considered as to their effectiveness for the future and new patterns are devised using state-of-the-art methods and technology. Life is accelerating. The world is getting increasingly smaller. How will individual nation states deal with these changing times? How will we, as individuals, draw upon the shifting tides to meet the challenges of change in order to benefit and prosper? These talks present an exciting perspective regarding the breakdown of old structures and the potential of rebuilding or building anew. Like the mythological bird the phoenix on the funereal pyre rising from its ashes to soar ever higher, the year 2009 of fers vast possibilities. Listen to my understanding of the planetary energy configurations and my forecasts regarding what we are likely to see in the year ahead on a personal and a geopolitical level.

Any donations towards my work are always appreciated and can be sent to me:
Frank Don
225 Crossroads Boulevard
Suite 229
Carmel, California 93923

-------------

Connecticut 2008

October 28th in Greenwich, Connecticut [7MB - MP3: 2 Hours]

---
October 30th in Fairfield, Connecticut [8MB - MP3: 2 Hours]

As though the starting gun has fired, we can accomplish a great deal this week. We have the energy, the drive and the desire to get things going. Now is a time when we can work smarter rather than harder.

We could take on more projects and get involved in more activities by focusing on the important and not getting distracted by the irrelevant. We want to express ourselves in a creative manner, try something new and embrace our individuality.

The key this week is to streamline our daily lives. By figuring out a best practices approach, we can consolidate our errands, make fewer trips than usual, and prioritize our schedule, concentrating on those items that have the greatest meaning for us.

Feeling at the top of our game, capable, effective and getting things done, we have to watch not to get sidetracked by images and appearances.

This week is a week to lay down the foundation stones of our future plans, broaden our reach and be open to alternatives that allow us to get more done with less expenditure of energy.

With more time available, we can spend quality time with that special someone in our lives. Heart-to-heart talks can give greater depth to our relationships.

We’re feeling good, able to see the light at the end of the tunnel and possibly even appreciate some of the recent volatility in our lives and in the world. Life is good.

Monday, November 10th – Starting Over – Sun, Jupiter, Uranus. Monday has the Sun sextile Jupiter, the Sun trine Uranus and the Aries Moon square Jupiter. Monday starts the week with us like kids in a candy shop. We can see all kinds of possibilities for ourselves. We may want to experiment, investigate and discover new delights today. We are looking to those things that will allow us to expand in an exuberant and uplifting manner. The key to the day is discernment, focusing on those things that are truly alternatives to our lives and not wasting our time on the trivial. Although we have all been conditioned into making things happen and being in control of situations, this Monday is one of those days when we need to get out of our own way and be open and receptive to the synchronicity, or magic, of things happening of their own accord. Today we can witness those mini-miracles where things come out of the blue, possibilities arise that we have not even considered and unexpected surprises could lead us down a different pathway. We may be feeling optimistic, confident today, as though the storm clouds of recent times have passed and we have stepped into a whole new atmosphere --- an atmosphere of hope and change, inspiration and wonder. Although the world is our oyster today, we have to be certain not to try and force anything. Instead of mastering our world, today is a day to be co-creator with the opportunities that we could hardly have imagined for ourselves. We can start over, begin anew, all with the recognition that we are testing the waters and do not have to commit to the long-term. Trying things out and seeing if they are right fit allow us to adjust as we go along.

Tuesday, November 11th – Fine Tuning – Sun, Saturn, Neptune, Venus, Pluto. Tuesday continues with the exuberance of yesterday but with the likelihood of being better able to ground it. In the early part of the day, the Aries Moon sextiles Neptune and trines both Venus and Pluto, which are conjunct tomorrow. We may see prospects for our future and might decide to make contacts with those who have a broad perspective in order to test out our vision and see how realistic we are truly being. We do need to be aware that our tendency could be to reach out to ‘feel good’ people, those people that see the half glass of water as being at least half full with the possibility of the glass eventually overflowing. While a positive attitude is a necessary prescription for good tidings and blessings from the universe and from people contagious with our good cheer, this Tuesday allows us to figure out the best practices approach to realize our hoped-for dreams and desires. For this Tuesday also has the Sun sextile Saturn. We can concentrate on being resourceful, squeezing the most out of the least, and tending to the specifics and the details. In numerology, this day, the 11th, is a master number and speaks of the visionary, that individual who can see beyond present conditions to view the potentials of the future. That capability is ours today. Not only can we see beyond our usual circumstances but we can give a solid foundation to the possibilities we wish to pursue.

Wednesday, November 12th – It Doesn’t Get Better Than This – Venus, Pluto, Mercury, Uranus, Lunar Grand Trine, Jupiter, Saturn, Venus Capricorn. Wednesday continues the productive, upbeat energy of the past two days. Venus conjuncts Pluto, both in the last degree of Sagittarius and just before Venus enters Capricorn today. Our relationships can be deep and meaningful. We are interested in those people that are truly doing their journey, not some playbook handed down to them by early conditioning or expectations, but their own journey of imprinting their life experience with their own uniqueness. We can get philosophical about life and living, and discussions of such could be important milestones and essential prods for us not to get caught up in the crazies of the world but rather to take the path less traveled, our own individual journey. The Taurus Moon opposes Mercury, so we do have to be careful not to get stuck in our opinions or a feeling that we have to hoard our resources instead of using them. It would be wise to keep in mind Christianity’s allegory of the men and the talents --- use them or lose them. If we get fixated on lack and limitations, then we shall have only created a self-imposed restriction that will keep us from achieving our heart’s desires. Let’s not go there, but rather let’s consider how we can be expeditious both in regard to our time and in regard to our finances. We CAN do more with less. Thinking outside the box, considering alternatives, and keeping in mind our options will assist us to see the big picture, the strategic approach to achieve our purpose, and the details necessary as the steps to get from our initiation to our realization. The Moon sextiles Uranus and also creates a Grand Trine in the Earth Element as the Taurus Moon trines Saturn in Virgo and trines Jupiter in Capricorn. This Wednesday is a highly productive day, a day when we can broaden our activities but do so in a focused and highly effective manner. The first three days of this week can be highly productive and very effective for us. The next three days could prove a little dicey. Venus moving into Capricorn today will have us considering those contacts and interactions that can help us achieve our goals. We may be somewhat calculating in our relationships, looking at spending time with those people that are well-connected.

Thursday, November 13th – What’s it All About – Jupiter, Uranus, Sun, Neptune, Taurus Full Moon, Lunar T-Square, Mars. Wednesday night, early Thursday morning has the Taurus Full Moon with a strong Neptune influence. This day has Jupiter sextile Uranus, the Sun square Neptune and the Taurus Full Moon creating a T-Square with the Moon squaring Neptune and the Moon opposing both the Sun and Mars. We may be champing at the bit to make changes, do something different and create the feeling that we are free to do what we want and how we want to do it. That’s all well and good but our tendency could be to leap before we look. We might be so insistent on making moves in our lives that we seek change for the sake of change without considering the implications or the likely consequences. It would be wise for us to restrain impulsive actions. We might be somewhat confused today, not really knowing where we want to go or what we want to do. Going slowly and making subtle variations to our plans would be the safest approach. Today is a day not to carve changes in stone but rather to use a pencil with a big eraser in case we need to remedy spur-of-the-moment decisions or actions. We also have to be wary of other people’s advice today. Their intentions may be sound, but they may not see the entire picture. We might not either, so let’s be careful not to sally forth on a wing and a prayer. Things may not be the way they appear.

Friday, November 14th – Back At It – Lunar T-Square, Uranus, Saturn. Friday has our nemesis of the Saturn Uranus opposition in play. Let’s keep in mind that this opposition, which was exact last week, is in play through mid-2010. Today the Gemini Moon triggers the opposition by the Moon creating a T-Square, with the Moon square Uranus and the Moon square Saturn. Pulls between old and new, tugs between our responsibilities and new possibilities could prove exhausting if we don’t pick up the pace. This Friday is one when we may have to be juggling both our scheduled plans and unexpected situations. It is essential that we be flexible and adaptable today, for things can shift and change without a moment’s notice. We could go from one thing to another to another, scrambling to keep on top of things. Whatever we do today it would be wise to check and re-check over the next few days to be certain that we haven’t glossed over important details or haven’t considered alternatives that might be more successful. There could be a great deal of talk today but it would be wise not to take anything at face value. What could be true one moment might not be valid shortly thereafter. While there is a great deal of energy today, the main thing is to try and keep up with it. If we are slipshod in our approach, then we may find the truth to the old saying that haste makes waste. Remember that the Saturn Uranus opposition is in play through mid-2010 so let’s note those areas that are highlighted today, for they could be areas of focus over the next two years.

Saturday, November 15th – Hey, You, Get Off of My Cloud – Neptune, Pluto, Venus. Much of the action on this Saturday occurs early in the day. The Gemini Moon initially trines Neptune and we could have great plans for get-togethers with good friends or ideas of getting off the track, out of Dodge and enjoying a road trip. While we start the day in a pleasant, upbeat mood, the Gemini Moon then opposes Pluto and the Moon moves into Cancer where it opposes Venus. From a la-de-da early morning, we may hit the shoals especially in our discussions, our plans, and our interactions with other people. What began with idle conversation could turn into heated arguments as people pontificate about right action and the ways of the world. If we feel put upon by belligerent opinions, we could move into a strong defensive mode to the point of withdrawing into the sanctity of our home and canceling plans with other people. Any emotional upsets might need a breather, a time out when we can regroup, gather our forces and unwind from the volatility of our interactions. Thursday, Friday and Saturday could be dicey. The more diplomatic we can be, the more flexible we can be and the less controversial we can be; the better we can navigate the swirling tides of shifting emotions.

Sunday, November 16th – Clouds Parting, Sun Shining Through – Mercury, Uranus, Jupiter, Saturn, Lunar Grand Trine, Mars Sagittarius. Sunday could prove one of those magical days when everything seems to come together and often in inexplicable ways. Today has Mercury trine Uranus, Mercury sextile Jupiter, and Mercury sextile Saturn. The Cancer Moon opposes Jupiter, sextiles Saturn and creates a Grand Trine in the Water Element, as the Cancer Moon trines Uranus in Pisces and trines Mercury in Scorpio. Mars exits Scorpio and enters Sagittarius. Today is a primo day. This is one of those days when everything seems to be going our way. We can gain some incredible insights and understandings. If we felt tongue-tied or unable to express ourselves over the past few days, this Sunday allows us to be a virtual conduit for inspired thought, persuasive arguments and sound reasoning. We may feel like we have gotten a second wind, feeling far more energetic and expansive. Things can fit neatly together. We can draw upon our experience and utilize streamlined methods to both achieve our goals and investigate new possibilities. Some wonderful surprises could be in store for us today. Even the seemingly impossible could prove possible today. Let’s be open and receptive and allow synchronicity to come forth.

Too much of a good thing could leave us a little dazed as we start the week. Possibilities might confuse us as we try to figure out what is real and what is only wishful thinking. It would be wise to take time and allow things to develop before we make any commitments. Taking in a movie or enjoying some other pleasurable activity could give us a fresh perspective by which to evaluate our prospects.

As the week progresses, the Sagittarian energy increases with the Sun and Mercury joining Mars and Pluto in the optimistic, expansionary, Mutable Fire Sign.

We may feel like we are on the dawning of a new day. We have done our soul-searching and now we are prepared to broaden our perspective and widen our realm. We can do so in an effective manner by creating the format and being attentive to the specifics. This is a time when the pieces can fit neatly inside the puzzle.

We may be able to see the big picture without losing sight of the details. Our confidence encourages us to take care of what needs to be done all the while that we are looking at what we want to do for our future.

The weekend is a great time for social gatherings and enjoying romantic moments with our special someone. This week is a time when we can balance work and play. The key element is maintaining balance.

Monday, November 17th ---Off on the Wrong Foot --- Mercury, Neptune, Sun, Moon Void-of-Course, Mars. After a splendiferous day on Sunday, Monday could have us with a bit of a hangover. If magic and miracles were happening all around us on Sunday, we might feel as though any wish we make can come true on Monday. It’s a nice concept in theory, perhaps not practical in reality. We continue with the heady Mercurial influence, but today Mercury squares Neptune. We could easily get enamored with appearances and images, buying into our wish fulfillment without considering the ways or wherefores. The Cancer Moon trines the Sun to begin the day. We are humming along, singing a song but probably not looking where we are going. While our emotions are willing, our mind may not be computing the particulars and the specifics of situations. We have to watch for wanting things a certain way, especially after some of the serendipitous happenings we might have experienced yesterday. There could be a wide chasm between the possibilities we conceive and the actualities we can achieve. Even our communications may be a little off with us trying to express some deep and meaningful ideas but our words turning to mush. We could become moody, feeling misunderstood as if not anyone was getting where we were coming from. The Moon then goes Void-of-Course for over seven hours making no further connections to the planets as it finishes its transit of Cancer and before entering Leo where it trines Mars. The Moon Mars trine can have us back at it, looking for pleasurable activities and projects in which we can shine. The evening hours can be pleasant for taking in a movie, going to a concert or finding outlets for our own creative self-expression.

Tuesday, November 18th – A Momentary Lapse. Tuesday seems a rather quiet day. The Moon is in Leo and we might find delights in creative activities. But the Moon is not making any connection to the planets today. This Tuesday can be a pleasant day, but a day when not a great deal may be happening. Oh, there may be people pontificating or showcasing their stuff, but all in all, the energy today is somewhat muted. This day is far better spent enjoying oneself, engaging in activities that are fun and delightful. For many of us, this Tuesday could prove to be a ‘mental health’ day, a day when we focus on our own self-interests and don’t expect too much of ourselves. We are not all that interested in what is going on with other people, far more concerned with number one, ourselves.

Wednesday, November 19th – Possibilities, Unrealities – Lunar T-Square, Neptune, Mercury, Sun, Pluto. For much of this Wednesday, there is a Fixed Sign T-Square with the Leo Moon opposed Neptune in Aquarius and the Moon squaring both Mercury and the Sun in Scorpio. Similar to Monday when we could have been scratching our head and asking ourselves ‘what’s it all about?’, this Wednesday can have us back in a pickle. We might wonder what to do, which way to go, all the while that we are running in place. We could try something, decide it’s not quite right and then try something else and decide that that’s not quite right either. We may feel that we have all sorts of possibilities open to us, might not know which to pursue and could have the sense that we don’t have the necessary resources to engage certain possibilities. Wednesday could be somewhat confusing. Our thoughts could be tangled as we question possibilities vs unrealities. Our discussions with other people might be convoluted with us unable to clearly make our point. While this day could create a sense of trying to accelerate while we have the brakes on, let’s try not to get overly frustrated. It is far better that we are delayed, even halted, in marching down what we might assume to be a Primrose Lane only to discover that we have entered a briar patch. The latter part of the day gives us the Leo Moon trine Pluto. We have far more determination and drive now, but it might be far better for us to eliminate some of our possibilities rather than launching forward with any of our possibilities. The day comes to a close with the Moon exiting Leo and entering Virgo.

Thursday, November 20th – Reining In – Mars, Venus. Thursday has the Virgo Moon square Mars and trine Venus. We may want to expand our base, broaden our scope and widen our realm. Fortunately, we are likely to be far more detail-focused today and less likely to fast-forward based solely on impulse. We can consider implications and ramifications of our actions instead of just forcefully pushing ahead. We are moving into a far more expansionary period, about to throw off the damper of recent anxiety-provoking times. If we have learned our lessons, then our exuberance and sense of omnipotence and manifest destiny can be tempered by good reason and sound judgment. We are also interested in relationships that can serve our ambitions. We may cozy up to those people that could prove helpful in achieving our goals or moving us closer to our goal posts. This Thursday is a day to rein in our enthusiasm, consider a best practices approach regarding how to realize our goals and make contact with those people who can support and assist us in our intended plans.

Friday, November 21st – All in Order – Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Sun Sagittarius. Friday and Saturday could prove to be the best days of this week. Today, Jupiter trines Saturn. We can readily balance the two contradictory but complementary forces in the universe --- the duality of expansion and contraction. We may find the right structure, concentrate on the particular ingredients and determine the most appropriate methods to get things done. We are looking at broadening our activities but looking to do so in a measured, well-developed manner. No rushing headlong into the abyss for us today. We’ll take things step-by-step, laying the groundwork in order to build upon firm foundations. The Virgo Moon contributes to this energy but also adds another dimension, for today’s Virgo Moon opposes Uranus, conjuncts Saturn and trines Jupiter. Although our plans are well thought out and detail-focused, we might discover that unexpected factors and unanticipated variables could crop up that force us to be flexible and adaptable. While it might be an aggravation to deal with situations we have not been able to take into account, it will keep us on our toes, give us a sense of humility and provide us the challenge to shift and change things according to the unfolding process and developing needs. Everything can be put in order so long as we do not get stuck in assuming we know exactly how things should go. Projects, activities, involvements all have a life of their own. We can be co-creators with the unfolding but no longer masters, or controllers, of the universe. The Sun exits Scorpio today and enters Sagittarius creating a Stellium of three or more planets in a Sign with the Sun joining Mars and Pluto in the Mutable Fire Sign. Can we say ‘happy days are here again’? We are certainly likely to feel far more exuberant and optimistic, all the while that we’re looking over our shoulder wary of the next lateral lobotomy or whack on the side of the head.

Saturday, November 22nd – Friends from Far and Near – Mercury, Pluto, Sun, Mars. In the wee small hours of Saturday morning, late Friday night, our mind might be racing and our thoughts turn to situations that are beyond our reach, out of our control. Early on Saturday the Virgo Moon sextiles Mercury and squares Pluto. Our sleep may be fitful, with an element of concern about things foreign to us. As the day breaks and the Moon moves into Libra, we can be geared up to spend special time with the significant someone[s] in our lives. The Libra Moon sextiles the Sun and sextiles Mars, both in Sagittarius. We may want to travel, get out of Dodge to visit friends, or just get into the countryside. Whether we travel physically or not, we are likely to be reaching out to friends far and near. This Saturday is a good day for social gatherings and spending time with those upbeat people that can put a smile on our face. No sad sacks today, please. There is too much joy, wonder and excitement today to allow a spritzer to rain on our parade. We are likely to be feeling bubbly, enthusiastic, ready to spread our wings and fly, and sharing our exuberance with those people of like mind. Birds of a feather flock together.

Sunday, November 23rd – Walk on the Wild Side – Venus, Jupiter, Neptune, Mercury Sagittarius. Sunday continues with the Libra Moon which today squares both Venus and Jupiter in Capricorn and trines Neptune in Aquarius. Mercury leaves Scorpio and enters Sagittarius bringing to four, count ‘em four, planets in the Mutable Fire Sign. This Sunday is a day when we might want to encounter those people who dance to their own beat, do their own thing. We are interested in characters, those quirky, individualistic types that add flavor [whether sweet, sour or spice] to life. We are not interested in being socially correct today. We are far more intrigued by people, situations and events that are foreign to our daily existence and our previous experience. Stretch is the keyword of these times, thanks to the strong Sagittarian influence. We do have to watch for being overly generous, doing too much, or making more of a commitment than would be appropriate. Today is a day to test the waters, to walk on the wild side, and to broaden our perspective, but all with the sense of tasting and sampling rather than gorging or indulging.

This week is highlighted by the Sagittarius New Moon and, more significantly, Pluto moving into Capricorn for its sixteen year run of the Cardinal Earth Sign.

A prelude of this Pluto transit occurred at the end of January through mid-June, a time that evidenced the fragility of various structures and systems, even to the point of wondering whether as a global society we were heading for another Great Depression. The fundamental factor of this Pluto transit is the question as to whether we have built upon rock or built upon sand.

Increasingly, we are likely to find that we must draw upon our essence, the fundamentals and to be certain that we are focused on substance and not merely appearance. We have the opportunity of creating strong foundations for our future, but it will be important for us to decide what is truly important and meaningful for our lives in the future and build from there.

The complacency of discontent is no longer an option. The uncertainty of these times offers us the opportunity of questioning how we are doing life, considering our possibilities and being co-creators of our lives instead of victims to circumstances beyond our control.

Now is a good time to do an inventory-taking of our lives, see what truly works for us and what is no longer useful, clear the decks and clean the clutter and with renewed optimism prepare for brighter days through better ways.

Monday, November 24th – Someone Special – Pluto. Monday starts with the Moon in Libra sextile Pluto. We are likely to be reaching out to that someone special, making sure that we have included them in our upcoming holiday plans and expressing our desire to be with them. Other people could prove wise sounding boards for us today. Their detached perspective can help us see what works and what would merely be a waste of our time. Today can be a mutual admiration day whereby we appreciate, and are appreciated by, those special people in our lives. We may be making plans for the holidays, considering visits to or from close friends, and feeling upbeat about our future intentions. As the day progresses, the Moon moves out of Libra and enters Scorpio. While we might have been thinking about grandiose schemes for us to get involved with, we now have the opportunity of whittling down our planned activities to those that really speak to us, eliminating those that could prove merely diversions or distractions. Increasingly, we are becoming interested in our time management and the focus of our energies on the truly important and the essential. This Monday is a good day to draw our plans in the widest of possibilities and then to evaluate, critique and finally concentrate on the truly meaningful.

Tuesday, November 25th – Making Plans – Mercury, Sun, Venus. Tuesday has Mercury conjunct the Sun and the Scorpio Moon sextile Venus. We are likely feeling confident, optimistic and enthusiastic as if a long gray cloud has passed us by and the sun has finally emerged in full radiance. With our exuberance we can also be highly effective and very resourceful. Although all of us may have been slammed, or at least impacted, by the financial tsunamis of these times, it has also allowed us to be far more conservation-minded regarding how we use our resources and where we place our energies. Tuesday is a good day for us to do an inventory taking of our lives. We can concentrate on those areas that bring us closer to our goals. We could see the past as past and like the mythological bird, the Phoenix, rising from its ashes determine how we can soar ever higher. We are not likely to be snookered by blind faith today. We may have learned our lessons, recognized the cyclical nature of life, and be far more astute, shrewd and calculating regarding how best to approach our ambitions. If things do not work for us, we are unlikely then to fritter away our time on useless projects. This day is also the last day of Pluto’s transit of Sagittarius, a transit that has gone on since 1995, and a period that has asked us to look beyond the micro-perspective and to consider a macro-perspective --- the philosophy of our living, the world as a global community and the possibilities of extreme expansions. Tomorrow, Pluto enters Capricorn. It did so briefly earlier this year, from the end of January through mid-June, a time when many inviolable structures began to get shaky and break down. As Pluto enters Capricorn tomorrow, we are in for a sixteen-year run of this transit through the Cardinal Earth Sign. Before tomorrow is over, it would be wise for us to take the time and contemplate what our lives are truly all about. What do we consider to be the quality of our living? What is the philosophy of our life? Where shall we focus on placing our spirit into action?

Wednesday, November 26th – Preparations - Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, Pluto Capricorn. This day has the Scorpio Moon trine Uranus, sextile both Jupiter and Saturn and square Neptune. We can be highly effective today. Being flexible and adaptable to changing conditions can allow us to consider options and alternatives that we might not usually consider. In so doing, we can figure out a best practices approach by which we can incorporate new methods, streamline our operations, and get ever closer to the realization of our goals. Today is one of those days when we are operating close to the top of our game. We can juggle and yet be incredibly productive. We can deal both with outstanding matters and usual responsibilities and yet at the same time deal with unanticipated variables and new opportunities. What we do have to watch for is wasting our time on those situations or people that can be a bottomless pit, whereby no matter what we do or how much we do there is always more to deal with. Wednesday also gives entrance to Pluto into Capricorn, a transit that goes on for the next sixteen years. In our lives, and in the world at large, structures, systems and organizations that no longer work are likely to fall by the wayside. We will be looking at whether our involvements are built upon strong fundamentals. If they are, then they can go through a restructuring, reorganization and reworking. If they are not, then they may crumble and fail. We are looking at building upon rock, making our involvements to be fundamentally strong and substantial. While certain things may be eliminated from our lives, it will be important for us to recognize that they have served their usefulness and are no longer productive for our present, much less our future.

Thursday, November 27th – Giving Thanks – Sagittarius Lunation, Sun, Mercury, Mars, Uranus direct. Thursday is Thanksgiving Day in the US, a time when family and friends gather together with the intention of giving thanks for all the blessings in our lives. For many people, the actual performance is one of gorging oneself, overeating and then watching a non-stop day of football. No matter what we do on this day, it would be wise to embrace the attitude of gratitude. Even though our lives, and the world in general, may have seemed on a slippery slope over the past few months, there are many blessings in our lives. We just have to recognize them and see them. It all gets back to the concept of the half glass of water. Are we going to see that half glass of water as half empty? Or as half full? Our choice, our disposition, our attitude. Thursday has the Sagittarius New Moon and what a power-packed day it is! The Sun Moon conjunction is also conjunct Mercury and conjunct Mars. The Stellium of three or more planets in one Sign, this New Moon with four planets in Sagittarius, focuses our energy on optimism, confidence, exuberance and enthusiasm. We may feel like a racehorse in the starting gate ready to bolt out of the starting lane and race at breakneck speed around our course. Yes, we may feel highly charged and ready to tackle the world. Our thoughts may turn to things far beyond our normal routine. We want to broaden our perspective, widen our scope and expand our terrain. Things foreign to us may be intriguing as we take a look at the bigger picture rather than focused on the mere details. This day also has Uranus turning direct ending its five-month retrograde cycle. We may have been champing at the bit to make changes to our lives but unable to do so as we dealt with the immediacy of unexpected variables to maintain a semblance of balance during these volatile times. Now we are interested in how we can incorporate changes into our lives, how we can move in new directions and how we can find areas in which to develop and express our sense of our individuality. The starting gate is opening and today we can give thanks to the blessings and opportunities that each of us has to embrace our uniqueness.

Friday, November 28th – Racing Around – Venus, Uranus, Mercury, Mars, Lunar T-Square, Saturn, Neptune. This Friday, the day after Thanksgiving in the US, is referred to as ‘Black Friday’, the day when holiday shopping hits into high gear. Retailers have dreams of shoppers camping outside their storefront for hours waiting for the doors to open and the onslaught of shoppers looking for holiday bargain sales. Whether that holds true or not this year, certainly this Friday sees a great deal of racing around. Today has Venus sextile Uranus and Mercury conjunct Mars. The Sagittarius Moon kicks in with the Lunar T-Square as the Moon squares Uranus in Pisces and squares Saturn in Virgo. The Moon also sextiles Neptune. Whatever plans we have for this Friday may have to go by the boards as unexpected situations crop up to tantalize us. We may feel pulled between our commitments and our desire to be impulsive, act on a whim and do whatever comes to mind in the moment. Wonderful surprises of bumping into people or serendipitous meetings can come up today. We’re likely to feel high-spirited but we do have to watch for any sense of over-optimism. There could be a tendency towards ‘carpe diem’ --- seize the day --- or, in this case, to live for the day. Although being spontaneous and acting on impulse can be especially freeing and pleasing, it would be wise that we consider implications of our actions and not act too rashly today. Taking care of what needs to be done but giving time to do things on the spur-of-the-moment as well would be the best way to handle this day. Things may come fast and furious, but we’re geared up for excitement, exploration and spontaneous get-togethers.

Saturday, November 29th – Cutting Away – Venus, Saturn, Pluto. Saturday has Venus trine Saturn and begins the day with the Sagittarius Moon before the Moon moves into Capricorn where it conjuncts Pluto. After much of the exuberance and expansiveness of this week, Saturday could have us sobering up and looking at whether we have gone over-the-top in some of our actions or some of our purchases. Today is a good day to see whether we have over-indulged ourselves or over-committed ourselves. We can take a deep breath, look at what we have created for ourselves and start to cut away the excess and the irrelevant. Instead of being caught up in a whirlwind of excitement, thrills and adventure; today we may take a cold, hard look at our lives, do an element of inventory-taking and then consider what we want to focus on and what we need to be rid of. The Moon in Capricorn conjunct Pluto reinforces a practical and pragmatic approach to our lives. If we have gone overboard, Saturday might be the day that we make corrections and revisions, focus on the truly important and concentrate on the means by which we can advance our ambitions. Today is a day to give thought to what is socially significant for us and how we can best maneuver ourselves to get ever closer to our goals.

Sunday, November 30th – Quiet Interlude. After the frenzy of the week that seemed to crescendo mid-week, this Sunday allows for a quiet interlude. The Moon is in Capricorn and we can use this day to take some time, quietly contemplate our plans and blueprint our strategies to realize our plans. We may be more focused on our responsibilities today, considering whether our commitments are out of duty or from an intended purpose in mind. We may be far more calculating, even cunning. The times demand that we concentrate on essence, substance and true reality and no longer on appearances, images and wish fulfillment. Sunday is a good day for a walk in nature, to connect with the natural rhythms and become more aware of the universal structures with its cyclical phases of expansion – contraction, inflow – outflow. Nature could prove our greatest teacher and taking time to step off the fast track and note the rhythms in life itself would allow us to be more in synch with the natural unfolding and impress us to be more co-creators rather than trying to master the universe to our will and according to our whims.

This December is a tale of two phases. The first half of December is off the charts with extreme actions, knee-jerk reactions and various twists, turns and spins. We may not know whether we’re coming or going, but we could find ourselves being pulled in different directions like a bizarre tug of war.

Or to borrow the lyrics from Freddy ‘Boom Boom’ Cannon’s 1962 hit Palisades Park:

‘My heart was flyin’ up like a rocket ship.
Down like a roller coaster.
Back like a loop-de-loop.
And around like a merry-go-round.’

This song immortalized the long-gone amusement park that perched on the cliffs of the Palisades of New Jersey overlooking the Hudson River and the upper West Side Highway of Manhattan in New York City. The song was written by Chuck Barris, who is perhaps best known for his various game shows in the 1960s and 1970s including ‘The Gong Show’.

This early December could rival the talent of The Gong Show contestants and by mid-December, we might want to hit the gong and let the first half of December recede away into memory.

December begins with three planets in a Fire Sign, five planets in Earth Signs, one planet in an Air Sign and one planet in a Water Sign. There are four planets in a Cardinal Sign, one planet in a Fixed Sign and five planets in Mutable Signs. Four planets are in Positive Signs, and six planets are in Negative Signs.

We begin the month with two Stelliums of three or more planets in one Sign. One Stellium is in Sagittarius with the Sun, Mercury and Mars in the Mutable Fire Sign. The other Stellium is in Capricorn with the Moon, Venus, Jupiter and Pluto in the Cardinal Earth Sign. With Sagittarius and Capricorn so powerfully impacted we could assume that we would be feeling upbeat, optimistic and confident but also grounded, focused and pragmatic. And to some degree we are likely to be feeling that way.

In looking at the Elements and Quadruplicities, however, we can certainly see an imbalance. The emphasis upon Fire and Earth reflected in the two Stelliums can be like a scorched earth policy, taking no prisoners and going for broke. The lack of Air and Water takes away both the thinking processes and the E.Q. [emotional quotient]. We could be like steamrollers but without having fully considered the implications or the true meaning of our actions. We may want action, any action, and there lies the rub. With the Quadruplicities heavily concentrated on the Cardinal Sign and the Mutable Signs, we are lacking fixity, and stick-to-itiveness. We can start some thing up then suddenly shift and change. Flexibility and adaptability are key during these volatile times but this first half of December would seem volatitus extremus, or extreme volatility.

Watch for people pontificating, coming up with the right answer in theory but having no clue regarding proper implementation. Hope of a ‘promised land’ may be held out but getting through the muck and the mire in the interim could prove devilish and beguiling.

The month begins with our eighteen-month challenge of the Saturn Uranus opposition in full force. The chart of December 1st reveals a bowl pattern of chart, with that bowl becoming a bucket with either Saturn or Uranus being the handle to the bucket. Each of us may find that tug of war of which I wrote above being the pulls between our responsibilities, our obligations, our commitments and our past; and the pulls of our desire for change, to be free, liberated and able to express our individuality. Let the games begin! But we do need to be wary in our actions and that in this tug of war someone doesn’t bang the gong.

While we have this bowl / bucket pattern of chart to begin the month, with the Saturn Uranus opposition being a major trigger point, Saturn trines the Capricorn planets of the Moon, Venus and Jupiter. Uranus sextiles the same three.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. And this Santa Claus can adeptly juggle the old and the new, taking care of business while stretching into new terrain. And for la crème de la crème, the 1st gives us the two good guys of the zodiac, Venus and Jupiter, in a warm embrace, conjunct one another with the Capricorn Moon conjuncting them both to add the cherry on the top. We can be feeling good about our prospects, energetic about our capabilities, and even assuming that the nightmare of recent days, weeks, months, is fading like a vague memory. La-de-da.

While we start the month on a high note, the month then hits some flats and sharps towards the end of the first week of December.

Sorry, sports fan, but the initial flurry of activity and good cheer can suddenly be dampened. We could blame it on the rain / snow / weather conditions, but the fault lies not so much in ourselves as in the stars, as the planets transiting through Sagittarius hit off squares to first Uranus and then Saturn.

Not being a parade-rainer, I didn’t want to add that the beginning of the month also has a T-Square in the Mutable Signs with the planets in Sagittarius by Sign squaring both Saturn in Virgo and Uranus in Pisces and, of course, our interminable [or eighteen month] opposition between Saturn and Uranus.

We may feel like we’re back to the Mad Hatter routine of being late for a very important date, all the while that we’re juggling our chock-a-block schedule with added inconveniences of unexpected meetings, get-togethers, necessary errands, ad infinitum.

The 5th and 6th seem intense with Mercury square Uranus and the Sun conjunct Mars on the 5th, followed on the 6th by Mercury square Saturn and for a possible mental escape, Mercury sextile Neptune. Mercury square Uranus is my least favorite aspect for flying, or more specifically air travel. During this time, we could experience miscommunications, glitches with our computer and Internet connections, general misunderstandings and problems or delays with travel. No matter, we may want to press ahead and feel that brawn and forcing our way will solve the problem, sort of like the old days when the television would go on the blink and one would hit the set in various locations as if that nudge or knock would fix it and clarify the picture.

On the 7th, Venus exits Capricorn and enters Aquarius. Our desire for change can now include our friendships and relationships. Either our ways of interacting need to shift and become more exciting, interesting, quirky and changeable or we’re likely to look elsewhere for new compadres and comadres.

The pull between the new, the different, testing the waters and expressing our individuality, all under the guise of change, evolution, self-development, even enlightenment can be ramped up again on the 10th when the Sun squares Uranus. And this energy can crescendo, bellow [?], and go over-the-top with the Gemini Moon on the 12th. Yee-ha!

The 12th can be one off the wall energy. Not only do we have a Full Moon [waaaaahhh!], but this Full Moon has a Mutable Sign Grand Cross with the Gemini Moon opposed the Sun and opposed Mars and square Saturn and square Uranus. In addition, Mars squares Uranus, the Sun squares Saturn and Mercury enters Capricorn where it conjuncts Pluto.

With this Full Moon, it might be wise to batten down the hatches, have eyes in the back of our head, and maintain a very, very low profile. People can be off the wall around this time, with explosive actions, belligerent attitudes and urging someone, anyone, to knock the chip off their shoulder. Don’t go there! I wouldn’t.

The 12th is one of those days to keep one’s head down, be ever vigilant and be extremely cautious. Accidents, actings out and other A-type accounts can be prevalent, so let’s try to stay out of harm’s way. Could this be one of those days best to stay in bed and pull the covers over one’s head? Perhaps not to that extent, but I repeat that a low profile would be a wise course of action today, all the while keeping one’s antennae up and working with peripheral vision.

In the midst of all this craziness, we do have a ray of brightness --- Neptune. Possibilities of better days ahead, having faith for the future and a case of wish fulfillment can take the edge off what seems to be going down. Got hope?

The 15th provides the final blow of this dance of the Sagittarius-transiting planets squaring Uranus and Saturn with Mars square Saturn. As though the energy has just been too much, we may feel like the wind has been knocked out of our sails.

And then…

The second half of December seems ever more calmer, far less intense, less anxiety-provoking, less victimized by the slings and arrows of outrageous actions… Maybe we’ve just gotten inured to all the crazies, but the energy does start to chill out. Much of it is due to the fact that the Sagittarius-transiting planets are exiting the Mutable Fire Sign that has repeatedly triggered the Saturn Uranus opposition. Mercury leaves Sagittarius and enters Capricorn on the 12th, followed by the Sun at the Winter Solstice on the 21st and culminated with Mars entering Capricorn on the 27th.

While the Winter Solstice on the 21st offers the signature for the Winter, and a chart and signature you can read about in my seasonal e-letter for Winter, it does have the influence of the Sun Pluto conjunction exact on the 22nd.

Now is a time for us to do a serious inventory-taking, bringing completion and closure to the past year and outstanding matters that we do not want to bring into 2009.

2008 in numerology has been a one year, a year of new beginnings, a traumatic year for many, when old supports, old programs, old securities no longer supported, no longer worked and no longer provided security. With the Sun Pluto conjunction we can take a cold, hard look at our ambitions, our goals and devise a best practices approach to deal with the ever-changing landscape of our circumstances and our conditions.

The 24th and 26th have the first of the Capricorn-transiting planets favorably impacting Uranus and Saturn. While the first half of the month gave us the squares and T-Squares to Uranus and Saturn as these planets transited Sagittarius, we now go from the adverse to the favorable as these Capricorn-transiting planets provide a sextile to Uranus and a trine to Saturn. This configuration continues through much of January.

The first Capricorn transiting planet to sextile Uranus and trine Saturn is Mercury, first with the sextile to Uranus on the 24th, followed by the trine to Saturn on the 26th. Our thought processes can be insightful and revelatory. As if the adage ‘ask and you shall receive’ were playing out, solutions to problems can become evident and can be put into motion. We can determine alternative approaches and structure our actions in a way that can be productive and highly successful during these ever-changing times.

The 27th has the Capricorn New Moon with a Stellium of three or more planets in one Sign being the Cardinal Earth Stellium with six planets in Capricorn: the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter and Pluto and with Mars just having exited Sagittarius to enter Capricorn. The end of this month allows us to get things in order and to become serious about navigating the swirling currents. This New Moon has Venus conjunct Neptune in Aquarius. Our relationships with loved ones, friends and close associates can be close to ideal. We may realize the importance of our connections, of our interactions, of our friendships. This New Moon also feels the influence of the Mars Pluto conjunction exact on the 28th. We can be impassioned, even intense, in regard to our goals and our ambitions. But we may also have to eliminate certain outmoded concepts and desires that are no longer appropriate.

We can become a lot more focused, concentrating on how we can realize our plans through being resourceful and taking a conservative approach.

The expansionary times of the late 1990s and the 2000s, when Pluto was going through Sagittarius and ratcheted up excess, are behind us. The programs that worked then may no longer work in the present, much less the future. At the same time, if we will take a realistic appraisal of the situations and conditions around us, we can move into a highly effective and successful period in our lives.

We end the month and the year with Mercury conjunct Jupiter on the 31st. We can feel good about our possibilities in this coming new year, especially if we see life clearly and not through rose-colored glasses or wistful expectations of what had been or might have been.

The year also ends with Saturn turning retrograde, a cycle that goes on for the next four and a half months, into mid-May. Things may take longer than we like, but any delays might be important filtration processes by which we can be certain that we are not re-creating our past but rather looking at the changing environment and considering how best to proceed, step-by-step.

December… borderline realities…

We might start the week by making our holiday plans, prioritizing how we intend to spend our time during the festivities and checking our list of what we want to achieve before the year is out. The early part of the week would be well spent making our preparations for the upcoming holidays. Holiday gifts, cards, necessary phone calls can be easily accomplished and allow us to get important obligations out of the way.

Mid-week can be great fun. Let’s look to broaden our social interactions. If friends suggest a get-together, we should go for it. Pleasant times with other people could make us aware of new opportunities for our future. We may feel enthusiastic, exuberant about the possibilities, so let’s live it up.

The end of the week could prove dicey. We might find so much on our plate that we can’t take advantage of invitations or interests that come about unexpectedly. We may feel a pull between what we want to do on the spur of the moment and what we feel we should do. Giving a little time to each would help us avoid the tug of war between our responsibilities and our desires. If someone wants to be a grouch, let’s not engage them. Remember: misery loves company. But I always add: just don’t make it your company.

This week can be a productive week by getting things done early in the week, enjoying social interactions mid-week and adapting to changing plans as we end the week.

Monday, December 1st – Happy Days are Here Again – Venus, Jupiter, Uranus, Saturn, Moon Void-of-Course. Monday begins the month of December, and what a way to start! The two good guys of the zodiac, Venus and Jupiter, are in embrace as they conjunct each other in Capricorn. Added to this affectionate display, the Moon in Capricorn conjuncts both Jupiter and Venus and also sextiles Uranus and trines Saturn. Even our nemesis of the Saturn Uranus opposition is mitigated by the Moon today. This Monday can be an especially pleasant day when we can easily mix business with pleasure. We might ask for favors that are willingly given. We can accomplish a great deal for we are both considering tasks at hand and how to get things done in the most expeditious manner. We may be taking care of responsibilities, all the while that we are making our holiday plans and preparations. The one thing we do have to watch for today is excess. We could be generous to a fault and we might make assumptions based upon our good feelings rather than realistic appraisals. We need to watch that we don’t commit to more than we could possibly handle. The ease of the day, like greased wheels, might have us agreeing to accept certain errands or further involvements. While we start the day with a head of steam, as the day progresses the Moon goes Void-of-Course for thirteen hours making no further connections to the planets as it finishes its transit of Capricorn. The day starts off in high gear but then the energy may peter out. The more we can get done early in the day, the better it is. Today can be highly productive but we do need an attitude of carpe diem: seize the day.

Tuesday, December 2nd – Checking it Twice. After a flurry of activity early on Monday morning with high energy, the energy falters, slows down and we might find we can’t accomplish as much later on Monday as we did early on the day. Tuesday has the Moon in Aquarius but without the Moon making any planetary connections. Tuesday is not a high energy day and we might use this day more in regard to going over our ‘to do’ list rather than accomplishing a great deal. We might be thinking about things but there’s likely to be more action in our formulating concepts than our actually getting things done. This day is far better for our mental meanderings, but it would be wise not to take them too seriously. We can go over things, check them twice or thrice and do inventory taking. We might make calls to friends, do holiday cards or figure our schedule for the holidays. But it would be wise not to expect too much of ourselves today. We might have a lot of plans for today but we might not accomplish as much as we anticipate.

Wednesday, December 3rd – Going Beyond – Sun, Mars, Mercury, Neptune. Wednesday is a pleasant day with more of an uptick in energy and the energy fairly positive. Today has the Aquarius Moon sextile the Sagittarius-transiting planets of the Sun, Mars and Mercury. The Moon also conjuncts Neptune. This Wednesday can have us feeling very expansive, engaging more and more activities and seeking to reach beyond our normal routine. We might be exuberant, enthusiastic, optimistic and confident, and even assume that by our wishing will make it so. And that’s where the rub lies. We could be intoxicated by such a ‘feel good’ attitude that we lose sight of true reality believing that everything will turn out the way we want it to. A positive attitude goes a long way towards creating a positive outcome, and today we are likely to feel upbeat. We can do more today than normal just by reason of our sense of good-naturedness and a belief in things going our way. This Wednesday would be a good day to contact friends far and near, think about intended travel plans, and take time to consider possibilities for our future. We’re looking at moving beyond our daily routine and today we might feel like we’re riding a magic carpet.

Thursday, December 4th – Slow Starting – Moon Void-of-Course, Pluto. This week has some real up moments and some quiet, inactive moments. As the 1971 Jerry Reed song goes: ‘When you’re hot, you’re hot. And when you’re not, you’re not.’ Monday and Wednesday gave us some ‘hot’ times. Later on Monday, Tuesday gave us, and Thursday gives us, some ‘not’ times. We start Thursday with the Moon Void-of-Course making no planetary connections and thus a relatively quiet time as it finishes its transit of Aquarius and before entering Pisces where it sextiles Pluto. If we have been making our lists and figuring out those people we need to connect with during the upcoming holidays, then later on this Thursday we can set into motion our plans. While this day starts slowly, the energy picks up as we evaluate and focus on the truly meaningful for our holidays ahead. We can also use this day to bring completion to matters that we do not want to play forward into the new year. Completions, conclusions and resolutions can be accomplished now. We can strip away nonessentials and concentrate on what is important for us. This day is a good day to clear the decks, put into motion our holiday plans, and cut to the core.

Friday, December 5th – Don’t Touch This – Mercury, Uranus, Sun, Mars. Much of the week may seemed to have been rather placid, a few ripples here and there, but largely a pleasant and easy time. Not so for this Friday. Friday ramps up the energy considerably. Friday and Saturday are two days when the energy can be quite extreme. Perhaps it’s the holiday shoppers or getting into high gear for holiday festivities. But these two days could prove intense with unexpected situations cropping up and our dance between Saturn and Uranus engaged. Friday has Mercury square Uranus and tomorrow Mercury squares Saturn. The Mercury square Uranus is my least favorite energy for air travel. Communications can be off with misunderstandings likely and messages not even received. There is a high liability for computer glitches and problems with electronic equipment. And travel may have more than its share of difficulties with delays, alterations, accidents and postponements. Added to the Mercury square Uranus, and in orb a Mercury T-Square in the Mutable Signs with Mercury in Sagittarius square Uranus in Pisces and tomorrow Mercury square Saturn in Virgo; we have the Sun conjunct Mars. We may be champing at the bit wanting to get on with things and possibly forging ahead without considering our itinerary or our direction. We could find ourselves going by brawn rather than brain. Our energy and optimism may be high and we could feel that whatever we want and pursue we can accomplish. Nice concept but not necessarily reality. We might find ourselves banging our head against the wall, wanting things to bend to our will, all the while that unexpected situations crop up for us to attend to. Reinforcing the Sun Mars conjunction is the Moon in Pisces, which today squares both the Sun and Mars. We could have a sense of divine right that things should go the way we intend them to. Of course with unanticipated factors messing up the mix we might be hard pressed to control things and then could fall into a low state, feeling victimized as though we had been punched in the gut by events we could not even account for. This Friday is one to maintain vigilance, work with peripheral vision and be aware of shifting tides and changing circumstance. Being nimble and quick would be essential to surf today’s waves. Otherwise, we could easily wipe out and move into a dark space of defeatism.

Saturday, December 6th – For Real or… Not – Mercury, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, Lunar T-Square, Jupiter, Venus, Pluto. Saturday gives us the second leg of Mercury’s Mutable Sign T-Square as today Mercury squares Saturn, following yesterday’s Mercury square Uranus. If we feel battered by conditions not of our making and situations that came out of the blue for us to deal with, then today we could be nursing our wounds. If we weren’t able to go with the flow and deal with situations as they arose, then today we could feel bummed and our ego knocked down a rung or two. While Mercury squares Saturn today, Mercury also sextiles Neptune. Not being attached to outcomes or our having control over situations would allow us to acknowledge the ‘mysteriousness’ of life itself, somewhat akin to the ‘awe and wonder’ of childhood. Even if we have to deal with messes or commitments that seem repugnant obligations, we also have the ability of considering alternatives and our options. We might take a future look rather than being locked into our present reality. Early in the day, the Mercury, Saturn, Uranus T-Square is reinforced by the Pisces Moon which conjuncts Uranus, squares Mercury and opposes Saturn. If we didn’t get the lesson from the Mercury T-Square, then the Moon creating a T-Square with the same players will help us get it. It’s kind of like universal lessons whereby we are often tapped on the shoulder and if we don’t get the lesson we are tapped a little bit harder. If we still don’t get the lesson, then the universe gives us a lateral lobotomy, a whack on the side of the head. Eventually, we learn our lessons and once done so, we can move beyond them. The key to this Saturday is not to wallow in our disappointments or our frustrations. One of the beauties of astrology is about timing, that there are different phases. Like the oceans’ tides, there are times of crests and times of troughs. While this Saturday starts with us all over the place, feeling anxious and trying to get both what we wanted to accomplish for this day done along with unexpected situations that demand our attention; as the day progresses the energy settles down and the Moon sextiles Jupiter and sextiles Venus. Even if we feel on overwhelm during the early part of this Saturday, we can take care of those things that speak to us later in the day in a methodical manner. We end the day with the Moon moving into Aries where it squares Pluto. No matter what we have committed to, we are less likely to act out of obligation rather determining our behavior by our own self-interests and our desires.

Sunday, December 7th – Much Needed Rest – Venus Aquarius. Friday and Saturday could have proven to be whirlwind days of nonstop activity. It might have worn us out. This Sunday could provide a day of much needed rest. The Moon is in Aries but makes no planetary connections. We may be focused on what we want to do, free or freed by our own decision of obligations and commitments. This Sunday is a day for us. We may loll about reading the Sunday paper leisurely over a cup of coffee or tea. We might decide to take a drive and air out. We could go to shopping malls whether to actually buy something or to view the holiday decorations and spectacle. Whatever we choose to do on this Sunday, it is likely to be determined by our personal interests, what we want to do. This Sunday also has Venus move out of Capricorn and into Aquarius. Increasingly, our social interactions are less involved with people who may be socially appropriate and who can assist us in realizing our ambitions. We are becoming more interested in people who are themselves, marching to the beat of their own drum, emphasizing their individuality and expressing their uniqueness. We may be more willing to engage in social interactions and group activities that intrigue us. But this Sunday is one when we can catch a breather, reflect on the events of the past two days, and possibly see how our lives are in process of major changes.