November ’13 Astrology

“Street choir,
Sing me a song
For a new day…” Van Morrison

Last night in a recently released book, Transpersonal Astrology I was reading a chapter written by Bay Area political astrologer Jessica Murray in which she said that we were brave souls, having chosen to incarnate at this particular time in history. The challenges and opportunities of our times are largely symbolized by the Uranus/Pluto square – exact again for the fourth of seven times as the month begins.The Uranus/Pluto aspect is about the revolutionary change we see around us. It has an inner and outer dimension for each of us.

On the 3rd there is a New Moon solar eclipse in Scorpio.This is an especially powerful time for seeding new intentions – particularly related to what you feel passionate about as well as relationship endeavors and investments.

On the 5th Venus moves into Capricorn and shortly after the Sun conjuncts Saturn. This is a serious time and good for detail oriented work and working on finances and business matters.

It is a good month with Scorpio’s depth and intensity to get to the bottom of things – such as belief systems which have outlived their usefulness- and set higher aspirations.
With the advances in technology and the speed and overabundance of information these days, it is a good time to take a breath and examine the origin of beliefs- and whether they are overly sourced from the outer world or originate with what you believe to be true.

The influence of Saturn is strong as well – things may take more time, discipline and work than usual.

There are a number of planetary stations this month – Jupiter will station on the 7th.
Mercury stations direct on the 10th and Neptune on the 13th – making this a potentially confusing time frame- so check details twice. It is a good time for creativity and inspiration.

Mid month Venus enters the Uranus/Pluto square bringing challenges to relationships and partnerships which can under this influence become more volatile. Look at what needs reforming and make a plan to start.

The Sun moves up to a square with Neptune on the 24 – watch for illusions. On the 25 Mercury will conjunct Saturn bringing more balance, seriousness and perspective.

Mercury Conjunct Saturn

Once I lived on a working farm where occasionally farm hands would come and stay in exchange for room and board. Once a couple stayed who had recently come from Stephen Gaskin’s intentional community in Tennessee, The Farm. The couple would say a simple grace before dinner and then end it by saying, “Let us think to the origins of our food, ” meaning to think about and be grateful for all the things that had contributed to the dinner that lay before us.
This morning I was reading a book about the history of the Tarot ( a hypothetical history at best). It speculated that the Tarot had originated as the result of an ancient ritual performed in the Temple of Thoth. The Temple’s walls were covered with elaborate paintings which symbolized the “major forces governing the patterns of life.”* The Querent ( the person asking a question) would toss a loose bundle of rods and the priests would interpret the meanings based on which images the rods were facing. Later some speculated, the Tarot deck was made so that the images could be transported and readings could be done elsewhere.
With Mercury conjunct Saturn in Scorpio heading towards a solar eclipse on Nov 3, the timing is good to think about origins – particularly origins of behavior or thought patterns you would like to change. Often these patterns were not chosen freely as an adult but was taught to us by the many influences around us or developed as a coping mechanism. Under the transformative energy in effect now, it is a good time to rethink the origins of things you would like to change and set clear intentions about how you are going to do that.

Quote from Juliet Sharman Burke’s The Complete Book of Tarot