 Mars and Venus and the Horrors of War Mars and Venus enter Virgo Nov. 3 The war between Mars and Venus moves from Leo to Virgo in November. Mars marches into the sign and Venus is dragged kicking and screaming! Neither do well in Virgo, but Mars is more up for the job. Mars in Virgo brings a need to calculate strategies in order to build on our strengths. We are likely to feel bogged down by the details when all we really want to do is get it done already. This leads to a lot of frustration which needs an outlet. However, there is much which can be achieved if we can be patient and get it just right. Mars is not left alone in Virgo to let us get on with our strategies, however. Venus is right beside the planet of action, whispering sweet nothings into his ear, tempting him from his duties. Added to that, Rahu is in Virgo and ready to meet with Mars and Venus in an explosive dance. These transits are turbulent and how each of us handles them will vary, of course. But you can be certain that the world at large will experience some of the more turbulent aspects of these transits. So, what are the effects of Mars, Rahu and Venus together in Venus? Well, if you would like to get on with a schedule you've been putting off and throwing off anything which stands in your way of achieving a personal goal, then you are in luck - as long as you are prepared to handle the details. If, however, you are seeking to settle down in romantic bliss and play fair, then you might be in for a challenging time in November. This becomes more obvious by November 7, as the Moon joins with Rahu, Mars and Venus in a sign which never settles for anything less than perfection. There's a lot of red tape to negotiate, while at the same time there is a lot of sudden and unexpected events to deal with. The release of a lot of pent up energy after Saturn has released its grip on Mars creates a force to be reckoned with, which could either work for or against you, depending on your individual circumstances. Venus represents the ability to compromise our goals in order to facilitate others. It represents romantic relationships in particular. Venus is at its weakest in Virgo because the exacting environment of Virgo does not suit the planet of peace and harmony. Relationships of all kinds are tested. Some may even come to breaking point. Domestic and diplomatic chaos are on the cards in November, as a result. With compromise hard to reach and Mars feeling turbo charged in a sign which represents the finer details, we are likely to feel someone else's wrath if we try to stand in their way on their path to perfection. Relationships are not perfect, of course. They are messy. Humans being are not machines which can be calibrated. The words 'messy' and 'Virgo' do not belong on the same page! The Virgo impulse sends us on a task of fulfilling everything on our list so that we can be happy. However, as we never reach the perfection the sign requires, we are never happy if we are strongly influenced by the sign. This is why Venus is at its weakest Virgo. We cannot accept things as they are and be happy. We try to reach an illusory perfection and, with Mars and Rahu sending this impulse into overdrive in November, we are likely to create problems for ourselves and others. As if that were not enough to deal with, we have the Sun moving through its sign of debilitation for the first two weeks of the month. It's sign of debilitation happens to be Venus' sign; where we must compromise, but our integrity can end up being compromised and our energy levels depleted. With Venus weak simultaneously, there is enough drama in November to keep us all busy sorting out the mess. Even the one mitigating factor of Mercury in Venus' sign for the first two weeks of November is hampered somewhat due to it being hemmed in between Saturn and Rahu. This means a combust Mercury exchanges signs with Venus and grants us a tight squeeze out of the mess. If you have a good sense of humor then you may be able to diffuse some volatility for everyone's sake. For your personal goals: Plan your route carefully and enjoy the bumpy ride. For your relationships: Step aside and let others past, giving them a wide berth.  New Moon in Libra Nov. 11 This new Moon is the darkest of the year, as the Sun is placed in debilitation when the Moon wanes into total darkness. It is a time to withdraw and renew ourselves and a time to acknowledge the journey into night as a necessary period of inward growth - just as important as the outward expansion. Just as there is Day, there must be Night and each has its place in our daily lives and our experience of the year. This day is known as Diwali in India and is a time of year - together with other festivals such as the Dia de Muertos, or the 'day of the dead' in Mexico and the Celtic Samhain festival - that we bring our light of awareness into the darkness of our ignorance. This is a new beginning on a deeper level and is celebrated by some in India as New Year's day. Of course, the new Moon is always a time to contemplate rather than taking action, and this new Moon and New Year represents the initiation of new growth occurring in the dark which will take some time to come to light. Happy New Year! The Sun enters Scorpio Nov. 16 The Sun moves into Mars' sign by mid-November and we move through a stronger, more internal period. Scorpio highlights our secret self, the self we keep hidden from the world and sometimes ourselves. This involves examining our vulnerabilities and how we go about finding strength in the face of uncertainty. As the Sun moves through Scorpio it comes together with Saturn which began its transit here last November. Saturn in Scorpio brings strength once we have discovered where our weaknesses lie. We can see many weaknesses play out on a global scale, of course, but we each need to look to the sign Scorpio in order to examine how we each try to control events because of our sense of vulnerability. With the Sun now moving through the sign, we can highlight these for ourselves and bring light into the darkness. Simply put, it means closing our eyes and finding ourselves in the darkness. We can withdraw into ourselves to find our hidden reserves of power. Saturn is in combustion between November 12 and December 17 (exact on November 30) due to its proximity to the Sun. Saturn in combustion leads to a reckoning which facilities an internal search for strength. Mercury enters Scorpio Nov. 17 Mercury moves alongside the Sun in Scorpio (also in a state of combustion) and this can highlight negative thinking patterns which we can then use to our advantage - making the necessary changes to our thinking processes. Mercury is also conjunct Saturn on November 24; a time to pay particular attention to the thoughts we entertain, and whether they serve us. Mercury is a bit clumsy and slow in Scorpio, as we try to communicate from a place which feels more then it is able to express. Together with Mercury's conjunction with Saturn, and its combustion, we can see the possibility of a poorer communicative style by late November, but we could also tap into the power of the subtler aspects of communication, i.e., non verbal communication, and finds ways to express our raw emotions without the need for the intellects involvement. We can tune into the brain in our guts and find that we have an awareness of our core being which is more animal; more instinctual, but no less valid in a world which likes to express itself in words. Full Moon in Taurus Nov. 25 A full Moon is a marvel to behold. It is expressive and joyous, kind and seductive. A full Moon in Taurus is a feeling of connection to the things in life which sustain a healthy sense of self and self-worth: food, clothing, family and community. I will not dwell on the fact that Saturn and Rahu both influence this full Moon, and that the planet which rules Taurus (Venus) is placed in debilitation at this time, stressing the mind. At the end of the day, whether you are focused on the things which fuel a sense of joy or sorrow matters little to the mind and emotions which are always feeding on something, giving us a feeling of being alive. While the Sun transits Scorpio, bringing light to the depths of our being, the Moon lights up our life in the most practical way: fulfilling our basic need for communion. Venus enters Libra Nov. 29
Venus leaves its weakest position and gets to move home again in Libra. And although its house has been a bit ram-sacked of late, it can begin to clean up some of the mess. The sign Libra has had its fair share of pressure in the past year due to Saturn and Rahu being placed either side of the sign, creating a less than harmonious environment. Thankfully, this period of tension in this area of life is coming to an end, as Venus surveys the damage and Rahu subsequently moves to lift the blockage off in January. Whatever you have going on in Libra has been feeling the pinch as a result of these transits for the past year. Now that things are begining to improve for the sign - especially for those with Libra rising sign - there is a need to acknowledge all that is joyful in life. Venus' recent transit to Libra's 12th house of loss and debilitation has left a deeply profound feeling of lack which can now be replaced with feelings of renewal and joy. December brings more parties to enjoy, of course, coming up to the festive season, offering us new opportunities of connecting with each other in more harmonious ways than November offered us. OM TAT SAT Don't forget to adjust your clocks on October 25 as Daylight Saving Time ends. Universal Time (UT) and Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) are the same after this date. Venus re-enters Leo Sept. 30 Venus in Leo is a more dramatic expression in love, art and appreciation. Leo represents a need to shine and Venus adds a need to be appreciated for who we are and what we do. Watch for being overly demanding in your relationships and your need for appreciation, as a result - as well as the possibility of overindulgence. This is due to Jupiter and Mars' position alongside Venus in Leo. Mercury stations direct on the same day Venus leaves its shadow phase on October 9; the section of the zodiac it began to move back over in July. This gives a sense of things becoming clear, although there are a few kinks to iron out first. Mercury resumes direct motion Oct. 9 As Mercury resumes direct motion we can now plan our next move in relation to our everyday communications and schedules with our minds fully engaged without the need for as much retrospection. As usual, the days around the turnaround are ones to be mindful of, especially as Mercury joins with the north node, Rahu, for its station. This leads to an exaggerated and intensified sense of anticipation which needs to be balanced with mindfulness in order to keep us in the present moment - not planning an illusory future as Rahu would have us! Some may experience the other extreme, of course, and solely focus on the business of the day which can make one feel too bogged down in red tape. The excitement of this transit can leave some off kilter and many others feeling too mentally stimulated and over-stretched. Get into your body and exercise the body in order to balance this tendency. New Moon in Virgo Oct. 13 The Moon reaches the Sun's degree (25 Virgo) at 0o.05 UT (+1 GMT) in the early morning of October 13. This is within Mars' lunar constellation known as Chitra, the 'bright one'. Bright as this constellation may be, the Moon is dark and a low ebb can be felt in our energy during the transition into the winter months on the northern hemisphere. Take the time to find a slower gear in preparation for a slower pace coming into winter. As Mercury begins its forward momentum once again in Virgo, there is much we can plan and achieve at this time. However, we must also take pause and step back from too much analysis if we are to see the bigger picture. Sun enters Libra Oct. 17 The Sun enters its sign of debilitation - as it does every year - on October 17 and transits Venus' air sign until November 16. The sign Libra is represented by the colour black. It is not a coincidence that those who work in Venusian industries, i.e. acting, fashion, art and beauty; are fond of wearing black. The colour represents our need to set boundaries between ourselves and others as we interact, but it also represents the darkest part of the soul's journey to enlightenment; when we are fully enmeshed in the drama of the exchange. At this time of year, we must go into the darkness in a very real sense by experiencing darker days on the northern hemisphere, but also by eventually seeing the futility of social interaction when it comes to meeting with our true selves in the depths of our own being. Yet by reaching our own depths we meet with others more genuinely. Of course, the word that is often used to describe the sign Libra is 'balance'. This can be a balance between you and another, or the balance of colours as expressed in art and design. It also represents the body's ability to achieve homeostasis. We may need to forgo our own concerns in order to assist others who need our help - even if it just that they require company and must avoid being alone at this time of year, as those who fear the darkness of winter are prone to anxiety at this time. We can use this transit to reach out to others if we are feeling strong and centered ourselves. However, there is a very real possibility of not feeling as vital at this time, as the Sun, which represents our light and life, moves to its weakest position. If you were born between October 17 and November 16 - when the Sun was in Libra - you are more capable of settling into a period of personal neglect to meet the needs of others, be it a partner, friend or anyone who reaches out for help. Full Moon in Aries Oct. 27 The Moon reaches its fullest expression at 9 degrees of the sign Aries on October 27 at 12.05 UT. This fullness is felt within the lunar sign known as Aswhini, represented by a 'horse's head', which is placed entirely within the solar sign Aries. In her book, The Nakshatras: The Stars Beyond the Zodiac, Vedic astrologer Komila Sutton writes; 'Ashwins are the harbingers of ... dawn. Dawn brings with it a very special energy, the promise of a new tomorrow while still attached to the mysterious night'. This period of time leading up to Halloween is a time we experience the twilight more than any other time of year. We become aware of transitioning into the darkness; held between worlds; between different realities. The full Moon highlights an eerie dimension and a sense of something 'other' which opens our minds to new possibilities beyond the scope of our usual enmeshment in our world, represented by the sign Libra. The Sun approaches its exact degree of debilitation (10 degrees of Libra), with the full Moon opposite at the Sun's degree of exaltation, for this full Moon phase. Sometimes we may need to forgo our own concerns and look after others in order to find ourselves again. We may need to shift our self-centered focus to connect with others in a more selfless way at this period and find that we all share the same joys and sorrows. Only then can we let go of our own sense of being special if we have suffered. We do not have to play the martyr to feel important and can begin to heal ourselves in order to affect any significant change in our world. Jupiter, Mars and Venus Conjunct in Leo While the Sun is weakly placed, it also plays host to a gathering of planets in its sign, Leo. Jupiter, Venus and Mars all gather in the Sun's sign. How would you feel if you had to play host while you were not feeling your most confident and robust? You would probably let your guest help themselves, to some degree. Of course, there may be a tendency to overcompensate for this feeling of lack by pretending you are almighty. You will fool no one, least of all yourself, with such acts of bravado. There is an underlying weak link present with this configuration of planets in Leo as a result by the latter part of October. We may seek joy and pleasure in sensual pursuits but we may also question our true desires and doubt ourselves while on our annual journey into winter. This is also due to Saturn's influence on Leo as planets gather there and the Sun moves through debilitation. Venus fairs better due to Saturn's influence. Therefore, we may use this time to express our art in whatever form that comes in and, as the Sun moves through Venus' sign, we can use these transits to be more responsible in our interactions with others. Mercury enters Libra Oct. 29
After a longer than usual period spent in its sign of exaltation - which brought with it many opportunities for advancing one's skills - Mercury now moves into the sign Libra from October 29. This shifts the attention to Venusian themes of love, appreciation, art and balance in our practical lives. And while Mercury is in Venus' sign, Venus will move into Mercury's sign (from November 2). This exchange of signs between the two interactive and stimulating planets leads to a busy period of play in November. But we are also likely to indulge because of a sense of lack in ourselves and our relationships. This is because of not feeling appreciated due to Venus' weakness and a doubt in our own capabilities due to the Sun's weakness. Give yourself some time to play, by all means, but if this becomes an exercise in avoidance of some very real issues which need to be dealt with, then think on this and find your balance. OM TAT SAT |