November 2020 FOrecast

​Join me on Sunday Nov 1 at 7pm UTC (see local times) for the November report. 
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Sidereal Transits
​Mercury stations Direct Nov 3
Venus opposes Mars Nov 9
Jupiter-Pluto Conjunct Nov 12
​Mars stations Direct Nov 14
​New Moon in Libra (Viśākhā) Nov 15
​Sun enters Scorpio Nov 16
​Venus enters Libra Nov 16
Mercury opposes Uranus Nov 17
​Jupiter re-enters Capricorn Nov 20
Venus opposes Uranus Nov 27
​Mercury enters Scorpio Nov 28
Neptune stations Direct Nov 29
​Full Moon (Partial Eclipse) in Taurus (Rohiṇī) Nov 30

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Mercury stations Direct Nov 3
The month begins with a sense of anticipation hanging in the air, a sense of excitment, and nervousness, that will be apparent from the outset. As Mercury stations just after the full Moon, we may be feeling a little overwhelmed mentally and emotionally. Mercury's station in Libra brings a sense of things hanging in the balance, as if something new is about to be birthed. 

The US elections will be one of the more obvious expressions of this stationing, which will probably create a sense of things balanced on a knife edge.

Personally, we can begin to direct our thoughts into the future, slowly taking all we have learned over the past few weeks review and find more balance in our lives. While things hang in the balance in November, it will be a great time to get crystal clear about those things. 

As usually, however, Mercury's slow turn around will bring with it, well, many things being turned on their head. Keep an open mind throughout. The days before and after the station on Nov 3 require patience as things slowly reveal themselves. 
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Jupiter-Pluto Conjunct Nov 12
Jupiter comes into exact conjunction with Pluto for one last time this month. The next time Jupiter meets with Pluto will be in 2033, so this is kind of a big deal. 

This has been one of the key signatures of the year, especially as they have been together for so long. In fact, it's probably been the signature of 2020, but it may not be so obvious. It's Pluto, after all! It represents hidden things, including hidden motives. 

Jupiter represents growth and wealth. Its conjunction with Pluto can show anything from the plutocracy to philanthropy, sharing or hiding of one's wealth, for example. There are many expressions of this conjunction, including increased awareness of death, scientific breakthroughs, as well as space explorations. However, we will probably be more aware of increased numbers of people being infected by the virus, and many more deaths as they come together again in November.

Jupiter represents awareness, an expansion, while Pluto represents death and change, increasing fear in the population. 

During the last two Jupiter-Pluto exact conjunctions, in April and July of this year, we saw spikes in cases of the virus around the world. We are likely to see this again in November. Below is a visual of this phenomenon from Archetypal Explorer, contrasted to numbers of cases in the US as an example. ​(Posted courtesy of astrologer Chris Brennan). 

The good news is that once Jupiter meets with Pluto, it then moves away from Pluto, before it meets with Saturn, where it will hopefully contain the virus. The downside of that is the economic downturn, of course. 

It's no surprise that the main theme of the year is the debate about the impact the virus and lockdowns are having on the economy versus the impact it is having on the death rate. 

More on the all-important Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Capricorn next month. 

I have invited Barry Rosen back to the podcast to discuss Jupiter in Capricorn. We're scheduled to record it on Nov 19, the day before Jupiter moves. If you have any questions about this transit, please email them to me at [email protected] and I may be able to address them in the discussion. 
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Mars stations Direct Nov 14
Mars appears to stop moving backwards in November. Good news, right? Right, but Mars also stations, which means it doesn't appear to move very much all month. And if there is one thing we tend not to handle very well, it's Mars not moving. It can make us all a bit antsy!

This will likely be expressed in frustrations as things are slowly unfolding, probably too slowly for our willful side, so we must be mindful of the possibility of lashing out as the energy slowly finds a vent.

When we add Mercury's station in the beginning of the month, and Mars' aspect to Mercury, we are likely to feel revved up and ready to explode in November - and yet there is a need to pay attention to what we are doing, and how freely we can do it. 

We're probably not going to be doing anything that freely this month, or even for the rest of the year, but that doesn't mean we don't do anything. In fact, Mars stationing is at least a time to start moving forward with plans, albeit it slowly at first. 

Take all that energy that has been built up over the last few weeks, and allow it to slowly express itself; allow what needs to come out do so in whatever manner you deem fit. Your awareness of the need to go slow initially will make sure you are making the most of this powerful station. 

By the time Mars reaches Aries by Dec 24, the energy has picked up enough speed to be a lot more expressive, and explosive, of course, but at least we are moving forward and getting somewhere this time. The fact that Mars makes it to Aries by the end of the year means we will be pushing something through quickly, something we already tried with. This will likely be expressed in a vaccine being rolled out in the New Year, but we can all look to the sign Aries for us individually, to see what area of life is about to get a huge push forward. 

As Mars stations in Pisces, it may feel like we have one last pause to deal with before we run headlong into something we have had on the back burner for some time now. 

Use the time to get clear on the target, training your gaze on the prize. 

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New Moon in Libra (Viśākhā) Nov 15
This is a special new Moon in the Hindu calender, known as Diwali, or festival of lights, which honours the darkest time of year, when the Sun is debilitated during the dark Moon phase. It's obviously not literally the darkest time of year for us on the northern hemisphere, but energetically it most certainly is.

Not only is the Sun debilitated and the Moon moving into debilitation in the days following this new Moon, but Venus is approaching its exact degree of debilitation during the new Moon, and Jupiter is getting ready to move into its sign of debilitation, having conjoined Pluto. That's a lot of debility! Be mindful of the need to ease the mind in healthy ways during this particularly low point of the year. 

When the Sun and Moon are debilitated, we lose our sense of being guided by the light, which is why the festival of lights is celebrated at this time. This year, we are also losing the guidance of Venus and Jupiter, temporarily at least, and so no one is going to be very clear about what to do moving forward in November. Even more reason to light up our path. 

One way we can do this is to help others, to light up others' life in some way. I usually hold a Diwali gathering where I live, with lights, music and astrology, but this year that's not possible with lockdown rules still in place. Hopefully, next year...

​Lights are symbolic of our inner light and spiritual essence. We need these symbols to help us to remember our true source of light and spiritual essence, and we need the darkness to remind us of this. 

The new Moon occurs in ​Viśākhā which means 'two-branched' and is symbolised by a decorated archway. While the meaning of two-branched shows more than one choice, the possibility of focusing on one thing is also emphasized, and necessary. Viśākhā is all about developing courage and will power to achieve our desires, and while it can focus on goals, there is also the possibility of compromise, especially at the Libra stage. 

Democracy is one such expression of this, as leaders must accept the decisions of the people (Sun in Libra). This new Moon may be a turning point in that regards.

Viśākhā is ruled by two gods: the god of fire, Agni, and the chief of the gods, Indra, again reflecting its two-sided approach, as well as immense ambition and courage that is required in making decisions. ​

​This is a formidable new Moon when all is considered. 
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Sun in Scorpio Nov 16 - Dec 15
The Sun moves out of its sign of debilitation and into a more powerful position in Scorpio. Now, the power of the Sun is not that obvious in Scorpio, as nothing is in the sign,but it is there all the same, bubbling under the surface. Here we find the power is accessible from within, deep within, in the darkness of our being, with eyes shut, as this powerful surge builds. 

The Sun's transit is complicated by being totally eclipsed by Dec 14, a total solar eclipse at the tail end of Scorpio. This could bring up all kinds of power struggles within ourselves, struggles which will be more evident in the world around us and in leaders. Donald Trump and Joe Biden's bitter dual will probably be one such expression of this throughout the end of the year. 

The power of the Sun is added to by Mars' station, but Mars' slow turnaround requires that we hold onto the build up of energy for a time, before we can release it, removing the things that stand in our way, increasing the energy we need to get through it. The Sun is now out of Saturn's gaze, so we are likely to feel the release of that restriction, too.
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Scorpio does best by going within, to get over something, to help us recharge in the depths of our being.   
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Venus in Libra Nov 16 - Dec 11
Venus moves out of its sign of debilitation, just as the Sun moves out its sign of debilitation, which means that the energy and mood are picking up by mid-month.

While Venus in Virgo has its mitigating factors and advantages in many ways, the mood is generally a bit low when it visits the sign. This is in contrast to Venus in Libra which is all about a sense of harmony and compromise. And if there is one thing our relationships and general mood benefits from - its compromise. 

Of course, it's not all a bed of roses in Libra these days, in that Saturn aspects the sign leading to restrictions in our social life and the arts, our general mood, but Venus is in a better position, leading to more possibility of peace and harmony. Saturn's aspect to Venus is exact on Nov 19, and so we will be feeling the restrictions more so around this time. 

It's still a better situation than Venus in Virgo and we can all use the restraint to help us appreciate the enjoyments of Venus all the more. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, as they say. 

The main benefit of Venus in Libra, apart from the arts, is others. Libra is all about balance, whether the balance of colours and forms in visual art, or the balance of carefully chosen words, or the balance between two people or two states. It's others who get us through our difficulties; others which make life worth living. We may need to be reminded on this during Venus' transit in Libra.
 
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Jupiter in Capricorn Part 2 (Nov 20 - Apr 23, 2022)
Do you believe in science? That might seem like an odd question. Perhaps a better one would be: Do you trust the scientists? If so, then you've just tapped into the more positive expression of Jupiter in Capricorn i.e. scientific knowledge. 

Capricorn is about cold hard facts. Jupiter doesn't like this typically because Jupiter is about believing in something we cannot see, i.e. faith, while Capricorn requires scientific proof. And while faith can so easily be tested in the sign, it's important to have faith in something, such as the science, the data, while Jupiter transits here. 

While this can sometimes come across as being cold and detached, a scientist viewing numbers as just that, numbers of deaths, for example, it is necessarily and for the good of all. 'All' being the operative word here, as Capricorn relates to the god Vishnu, the god of preservation. Sometimes, something must give, in order to preserve life in another form. I imagine this will be expressed in having to sacrifice some lives for the sake of others. 

Another example of this transit is observing the numbers of cases of those infected with the virus, regardless of personal beliefs or opinions. We may have a belief in how things should be done to deal with the virus, but if we do not have science to back up our claims, there's a problem. 

The problem with Jupiter in Capricorn is it pits individual beliefs, which is the realm of Sagittarius, against scientific data and universal needs. Whatever your personal belief, science may have a different story. 

Jupiter in Capricorn has many downsides, of course. It's where it is debilitated, at its weakest. Although it picks up strength thanks to some mitigating factors, this may be expressed in such things as an economic downturn, a dip in morale, and losing hope. Though an economic downturn will likely be harder to bear the second time around, the silver lining is that things might get so bad that bigger changes are in order. This is why 2020 is such a pivotal year. 

Ultimately, Jupiter is helped out of its weak state in Capricorn because of Saturn. And while this has helped the economy in the past - the last time they met here in Capricorn was in the early 1960's - this year, Pluto's inclusion makes things a lot more complicated. We are likely to see lots of challenging situations for many around the world, despite something more positive coming out of a bad situation. Seeing the silver lining will be important for Jupiter's second round in the sign. 

I'm reminded of the image of Gajendra getting stuck in the mud of Capricorn (below). While it is in peril, it still thinks of god. It is precisely because of our peril that we think of god. When things get really bad, we find god again. Hopefully, you didn't lose your connection to god in the first place, of course, but if you did, then this may be a time to find it again. 

Every time Jupiter moves into Capricorn there is a downturn in some way. Let me remind you of some relevant things that happened while it transited here in the past. Jupiter transits Capricorn every 12 years. Sometimes, as in 2020 and 2021, Jupiter moves in and out of the sign over a two-year period. 
 
In 1914, there was WW1, with many other challenging transits occuring alongside Jupiter in Capricorn at the time. In 1926, there was high unemployment and in 1937 and 1938 there was the persecution of the Jews, a recession and the Hindenburg disaster, to name just a few relevant events. In 1949, there was apartheid in South Africa and a Cold War. In 1961 and 1962, the Berlin Wall was built, which was the last time Saturn met with Jupiter in Capricorn, reminding us of a similar theme of borders and walls this year. In 1973. there was another recession. 1985 saw Live Aid in response to the famine in Ethiopia. Princess Diana died in 1997 and there was yet another recession which began in 2008, just as Jupiter joined Pluto and entered Capricorn. 

So, as you can see from just recent history, Jupiter in Capricorn challenges even the most optimistic of us. 

This year, Jupiter has already met with Pluto and entered Capricorn, on March 29, but it moved back out for a time, from June 30, returning to strength in Sagittarius. Now that Jupiter meets with Pluto once again in November, and then moves into Capricorn for a second time, it will challenge even the most faithful of us. 

And Jupiter will have one more entry into the sign, from September to November next year. Perhaps I'll leave that for next year's forecast, but needless to say there is a ways to go before we are out of the woods. 

Thankfully, Jupiter's transit in Capricorn in late 2021 is brief. It's really this upcoming transit, from Nov 20 until Apr 23, 2021, that's the one to watch for a major downturn - in the economy, in our mood and in morale.

Jupiter's first transit in April, May and June this year, although mitigated by Saturn, was an initial shock to the system, and while Saturn continues to mitigate, it will probably be a sort of 'straw that broke the camel's back' this time around. 

Take heart that Jupiter is moving on from Pluto and this will hopefully see the worst of the virus over with, leaving us all to pick up the pieces in due course. 
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Mercury in Scorpio Nov 28 - Dec 17
​Mercury moves on from a longer-than-usual transit in Libra as it enters Scorpio. While the themes of equality, or the lack thereof, are pronounced in Libra, in Scorpio, we're about to get a sense that we must fight for equality, for what we think is important. Everyone will be fighting, of course, so there's that. 

Mercury in Scorpio is now out of the way of Saturn, and fuelled by Mars moving direct in Pisces, in a trine to Scorpio. All of us - as in, all of our being - is on the same page and we can dig deep and find the strength to communicate what we need to. 

Of course, this transit also implies that many will not be communicating clearly at all, as secrets form the bulk of Scorpio. Mercury's transit here, alongside the south node and eclipse in December, will likely confuse us as things are revealed and obscured in equal measures. And the underlying emotional volatility that is possible in the sign challenges Mercury to keep things light.

This could create all kinds of irrational and impulsive reactions, as Mercury has a hard time with Ketu, the south node of the Moon. We may find it a challenge to communicate from the depths of our psyche in a way that satisfies that itch. At the same time, we may be confused about what others are communicating to us, as surprising events keep us on high alert and feeling vulnerable to changes. 

Nothing to be done about this except to accept that we cannot know it all, anyway. As much as we will try to figure it all out from the outset, there is a need to delve deep to find the answers within, and to communicate these from a more vulnerable, and yet open and curious, place of being. 
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Neptune stations Direct Nov 29
Neptune's slow turn around in Aquarius offers us an ideal way forward, at least in this area of our lives, the house position of the sign Aquarius. Aquarius and Neptune together can show, or perhaps disguise, the issues, of course. 

Generally, Aquarius represents humanitarian causes, which have been going through quite a process in recent years I think you'd agree. On the one hand, Neptune offers us an ideal, while on the other, the possibility is that it's all a bit of a fantasy. 

Best to make whatever you have dreamt up in this area of life a reality, no matter how well it matches the dream. This will be the case more so once Saturn enters the sign in a couple of years, making more real whatever you have dreamt up. 

In November 2020, Neptune's station and change of direction - when added to the other transits - can see bigger themes of progress that are possible for humanity at this time. 

How we each do our bit will be important, too. Recognise this area of your own chart, the house position of Aquarius, and tune into what it is you wish to make real for yourself. 

As the saying goes, 'be the change you want to see in the world'. 
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​Full Moon (Partial Eclipse) in Taurus (Rohiṇī) Nov 30
We end the month with an eclipse, which opens up a time of change in our lives; the beginning of a period of uncertainty which takes us into the New Year. That's because there's a total solar eclipse in a couple of weeks, on Dec 14, and then all the planets move onto one side of the lunar nodes, creating a Kala Sarpa Yoga, the 'serpent of time' combination which makes everything feel fated and topsy-turvy for a while. This is reflected in a lopsided view of the zodiac, an imbalanced line up of the planets. 

Let's get back to the Now shall we, as Rahu would like nothing more than to keep us out of the Here and Now! This full Moon and partial eclipse takes place in what has the potential to ground Rahu more than anything else - that is, the senses. The senses are one quick way to come into the present and stabilise the Rahu impulse, which tends to lose us in a projected future. 

And ​Rohiṇī, which means ‘red one’, is one of the more stable lunar mansions, reflecting a sensual and passionate nature, exuding a sense of warmth and pleasure. It is a creative and nourishing, a fertile ground for building something beautiful for this full Moon.

Its symbol is a chariot, a symbol of wealth and comfort. Rohiṇī is strong and lovely and can use its creative strengths to increase and accumulate assets, with a love of the finer things in life. Rahu's inclusion and a lunar eclipse can make things interesting, of course. This may show up in all kinds of shady dealings and sexual intrigue. Resources, or the lack thereof, will be a theme, as will manipulations to get what we want, no matter the cost. 

This eclipse begins a period of change, and it's change we are long overdue. As with any transit of the nodes, the time is ripe for this area of our life to transform thanks to the transformative nature of the nodes of the Moon. 

With all the change that is necessary, it's also important to stay rooted to the earth, wherever we find ourselves planted. ​

This full Moon and eclipse in the Moon's sign of exaltation, as well as the Moon's favourite lunar mansion (it literally spends more time here than the other lunar mansions), is a great time to feel more stability despite the changes that are taking place, to enjoy the many fruits available and to stock up for the months ahead. 

Find the timing for this eclipse for your location: 
https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/2020-november-30
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As always, I wish you the very best of what the month has to offer. 

OM TAT SAT