A High-Voltage New Moon, with Options

Dear Friend and Reader:

Today there’s a New Moon in Libra that’s just loaded with energy. Chances are you’ve already been feeling it this week. Despite the fact that a Moon waning to its new phase tends to be lower-energy, this one is plugged into a high-voltage outlet.

That outlet’s name is “Uranus”: the planet of revolution, surprise and invention. Uranus is in late Aries. And at 3:12 pm EDT today (19:12 UTC), the Sun and Moon will make a conjunction to each other (the New Moon) exactly opposite Uranus.

Photo by Amanda Painter.

Depending on where Libra is located in your personal chart, you might have already felt some unexpected disruptions in recent days as the Sun has been moving into position. And you may not have felt like you’ve had the energy to deal well with everything that’s coming your way — thanks in part to the Moon winding down its current cycle.

If that’s been the case, consider cutting yourself some slack. Give yourself a hug (real or metaphorical), take a few breaths, and remember that being a conscious, caring human being in our current world takes a lot of energy, awareness and flexibility. Sometimes, due to a confluence of circumstances, our emotional resources run thin; and that makes it incredibly difficult to roll with unexpected disruptions, curveballs and the needs of loved ones.

Add current political and social issues to whatever you’re dealing with personally, and the pressure can have very real effects. It’s easy to discount the psychic toll exacted by things like news of natural disasters close to home and bombings in far-off lands; or the revelation of sexual harassment institutionalized in the hands of a movie mogul, and then seeing the majority of your female friends raise their voices in a chorus of, “Me too.”

Speaking of that last issue, there’s an interesting aspect happening concurrent with the New Moon that seems to relate: Mercury in Scorpio trine the centaur planet Nessus in Pisces. It suggests to me that there’s some help right now in getting below the surface of our world’s persistent perpetuation of sexual boundary transgression.

There may even be a degree of transformation possible — though I expect this might happen more clearly at the individual level, as this problem is too ingrained and widespread to expect dramatic cultural transformation at a particular moment. But even in the social recognition of the problem, there might be some creative energy available for better understanding the nature of our collective sexual trauma, power and healing potential.

All of this and more weigh on the minds and souls of anyone with a shred of humanity and compassion. We often don’t notice it because it filters into the background, and personal issues with family, partners and coworkers take center stage. But it’s all in there; and the more aware you can stay of when it’s building and needs an outlet, or requires some different form of processing and expression, the more proactive you can be about taking care of yourself. That, in turn, lets you take care of others in healthy ways.

Full chart for the Libra New Moon earlier today. You can see the Moon and Sun on the upper-right side, flanked by Mercury and Jupiter in Scorpio, and Vesta in Libra. Uranus is at the bottom of the chart, still conjunct Eris in Aries. Pholus in Sagittarius is the green ‘golf flag’ in the upper left side. Nessus, which is trine Mercury, is the aqua-colored glyph near Neptune in Pisces, bottom left.

Being human, it’s easy to feel like one is “getting it wrong” if you’re not able to roll with things, or if you react out of hand to what catches you off guard. Even when you know the astrology that’s building ahead of time, the effects can take you by surprise — especially with Uranus involved.

So, do your best to go easy on others; and go easy on yourself if you feel like you’re not handling something as well as you “should.”

As Eric Francis mentioned recently, “If you can harness it, this New Moon is about making positive though perhaps unplanned-for changes.”

He was looking at how the Sun and Moon in Libra and Uranus in Aries are all making harmonious aspects with centaur planet Pholus and the Galactic Center in Sagittarius. That pattern suggests the potential for small, unexpectedly kind gestures in your relationships to ripple out in ways that benefit everyone in the long run.

The tricky thing might be in staying balanced within yourself enough to be able to use the energy that way. Having the Moon — and for a longer time, the Sun — opposite Uranus can be a real challenge in relationships (both intimate and professional).

Putting those players in the signs of “self” (Aries) and “relationships” (Libra) intensifies the dynamics at play: things like restlessness and impatience leading to arguments; too much self-will in one person rousing the self-will of another; a partner doing something radically different that forces you to deal with a new aspect of your relationship. In business or professional/creative relationships, something unexpected can lead to radical revisions, according to astrologer Robert Hand. Even a total stranger could instigate the need for you to do things very differently in something as basic as your morning pre-work routine.

Throughout it all, however, knowing what you want and expressing it positively, consciously and clearly can help tremendously. The trick with this astrology may be figuring out desires and needs proactively, rather than reactively or retroactively. Oh — and listening. Listening fully and with empathy always helps.

Remember that most people are usually doing the best they can at any given time. Sometimes, that does not feel like it’s as “good” as one would like it to be. If you find yourself relating to that idea, allow yourself to try a fresh start with today’s New Moon. That’s pretty much what they’re for — and you always have the chance to choose differently, no matter what you’ve done before.

Yours & truly,

Planet Waves Weekly Horoscope for Oct. 16-22, #1172 | By Eric Francis Coppolino

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You will need to burn chaos for fuel, and you’ll get pretty good at it too. Keep your engine cool; don’t rev the accelerator. Rather, dip into any disorder, surprise turns of events or the unexpected arrival of people, while holding your center and focusing on the task at hand as best you can (and you can). Trying to maintain perfect order and organization will not work. You might tidy your desk to feel better, or not; though let your mind run a little wild and let your conversations veer off course. Then, the gems will emerge from the swirling mystery that is your life at the moment. If you need to maintain boundaries, I would propose two: focus the quality of your work, and do your utmost to come in on time. If that looks like it might not happen, negotiate with clients or bosses well in advance.

“Self-awareness, both of your thoughts and of your conduct, is your most powerful tool to influence your experience of growth into the new forms that you are. This includes reaching deep enough into yourself that you make some contact with the aspect of you that is timeless and changeless.” 
Taurus (April 19-May 20) — There’s an old expression that if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. I do not concur. Sometimes the more you love what you do, and the more you respect the outcome you’re striving for, the more effort you must apply. To do anything well requires discipline (not easy for everyone, though essential for you), some struggle, and enduring times when you would rather be doing other things. Don’t let anything deter you. It will indeed be the love of your work that brings you through any challenging phases in the process, and the excellence of the results that you get. There’s one more thing, which is your growth factor. That’s undeniable now; you’re emerging in the second half of 2017 quite a different artist (using that term in its broadest sense, as a contributor) from the one you were around your birthday.
“There is a genuine skill in creative mastery that involves standing back from judging what you’ve created. You might listen to what other people say; you might work until what you’re doing feels good; you might take a swashbuckling attitude and not care; you might trust the fact that you always strive to do better (or any of these at the right moment).”
Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Others may try to impose structure on you, and you might even let them. Just don’t let it become a struggle; let it be a dance, or a friendly game, devoted to a purpose: getting the job done. Use the tension between the two approaches — yours being random, and that of others being more orderly — like a battery that produces a steady current. One thing you will need to monitor is your anger level. Anger is a natural emotion and, more than managing it, we all need to learn how to use it. In some ways it’s lurking behind much of what is motivating you at the moment. What often compounds anger is the feeling of being powerless, which you are not. That’s the particular dial to watch: any feeling that you’re ineffective, incompetent, a victim, etc. None of that is true, though there may be a moment or two when you feel that way. If you do, immediately tap into the childhood condition it’s connected to and you will regain your equilibrium.
“You’re the one who has to negotiate between your potential and what you do with it. This is an active, everyday challenge being a Gemini. The world can seem so much bigger than you are, and in one way it is — but your mind is the thing that encompasses the world, all the world’s people and all your experiences there.”  
Cancer (June 21-July 22) — You might work from home this week if you can, if you usually work in the office. You might work out of the house, if you usually work from home. Experiment with your environment, and keep experimenting, particularly with what you do best in whatever particular location you choose. You’ll tap different aspects of your creativity in different places, even facing out of different windows or at different desks (if you work in a large office and there are some vacant ones). Also focus on making improvements to your home: there may be a major tidying project you’ve been putting off. If you do that now, you will get results and have the special satisfaction not just of a job well done, but also of a space beautified, reclaimed and made available for both pleasure and productivity. Speaking of: I won’t give the full “keep writing” rant this week; I’ll save ink and leave it to those two words.
“Notice your true feelings for people and make peace with the fact that you feel that way. You may have had a habit of resisting intimacy, and now you have little choice but to yield and open up to allowing others to touch your soul. In this way, you will come to the direct experience of growing into the soul dimension of your life.”
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — You can tap extraordinary powers this week, though you will need to orient your ship and its sails with the wind and the currents. It will be possible to go absolutely nowhere, or to sail across the sea in record time. Therefore, focus on your orientation. Here are some possible examples: one is the place where your daily life meets up with your larger and longer-term plans. Anyone who has aspirations to do anything beyond what they’re currently doing must work this territory: the one where little old today meets (or seems not to meet) the far-away future. If you’re even conscious of this, you will be able to make better decisions. It will help if you perceive the future as real and, therefore, your actions now having a guiding influence there. As for the relationship between the present and the future: that reminds me of something John and Yoko once wrote in a letter to their fans, where they reminded us that the sky extends all the way down to the ground.
“Rather than thinking of yourself as the entity that holds all the planets in orbit, think of yourself as someone who grounds the Sun into the Earth. This is actually what you do in the physical and spiritual sense, and it grants you some relief from the much larger responsibility of providing all the power and all the gravity.”
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Let your momentum carry you, even if you seem to get blocked or stall out. If that happens, slow down and work through the obstacle gently with patience and persistence; then come back up to speed. The thing to remember is that you don’t need to push so hard. If you drift in a direction you don’t want to be going, be careful not to veer too hard the other way and over-correct (a common cause of accidents). Rather, make a series of gentle corrections to bring yourself back on course. Potent forces are at work in your life. This is the last week of Mars traveling through your sign and, as it happens, the Moon will make a conjunction to Mars on Tuesday; that’s a long way of saying you’ll really be feeling this planet of hot, assertive, driven and in some ways sexual energy. In the Gemini reading, I’ve provided some ideas about how to use anger as a productive rather than destructive force, which begin and end with being aware you’re feeling it, and not going into denial.
“There comes that time in any growth or improvement project where you have to ease back, have a glass of wine or even smoke a cigarette. Radical, I know. However, you’re at a stage of your life where you must follow your own rules, and to do that, your rules must be practical and workable.”
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — It’s been a while since Venus was in your sign. Though much else is buzzing around your solar chart for the next few days (for example, many alignments between planets in Libra and those in other signs, particularly Aries), you now have something helpful and special and beautiful: the goddess herself, sitting with you taking tea right on the front porch. My take on Venus is that this planet accounts for those with many talents. When you meet someone who can do ten different things beautifully, you will usually find a well-aspected Venus. And this you now have, positioned in your chart where you can have direct access to it, and let those gifts you have shine out. Just one caveat, one potential fly in the ointment: be careful not to feel like a victim of the work that you do. In other words, if you’re a gifted person and your current job does not allow you to express yourself, deal with that directly. Do what you can — and plot your way out of that situation now.
“Rather than being a clear mirror, relationships can often feel like a house of smoke and mirrors. This is especially a concern due to the experience of projection: ascribing to others feelings that are actually your own. Anais Nin is credited with saying, ‘We don’t see things as they are. We see them as we are.'”
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You can adjust your public image without compromising your integrity. Remember that any presentation to the public is indeed that, and will differ in some ways from who you are privately. There are ways to do this that are true to your purpose and to yourself. The question of presentation is really one of emphasis. It’s a matter of what you choose to say, to a given audience, for the purpose that you need to say it. This will never be a complete story, though it can be accurate in that it represents something of the complete person you are. This veers into deception when you distort some element of yourself in a way that’s not representative of your deeper truth. One gift you currently have — and it’s one not always so easy for you to access — is the ability to reinvent yourself. Your ruling planet Mars moving through the last degrees of the mutable sign Virgo is giving you genuine flexibility. One way to use that is to choose your words carefully. Remember: Jupiter is now in your sign. You are always speaking into a microphone.
“The self-esteem theme, described by the union of your 1st and 2nd houses, is the claiming back of your natural desire as a birthright. If you are in doubt about what you want, or if you consider it a potential moral affront, it’s difficult to feel good about yourself. For you, taking possession of desire is integral to your respect of yourself.”
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — The next eight weeks are a formative, even critical, period in your life. In that time, the mighty Saturn will move through the last degrees of your sign. This has not happened for 29 years; it won’t happen for another 29 years; and in any event it’s happening now. This movement describes the end of a process that began three years ago. Saturn in your sign is about fundamentally coming to terms with who you are. That’s the simplest, most direct and most accurate way to say it. You’ve been through the lemon squeeze; you’ve had some trials and tribulations; you have probably moved up a few notches in the world; and you are most assuredly at least three years’ worth of effort better at what you do. The next two months are a time of completing this process, before you move onto the next level. Make sure that all of your contacts with others are complete. Take care of the details. Remember you are the one and only leader of your life.
“The overwhelming message of this series of South Node eclipses is that you must get beyond your own past, and find the present. Finding the present means sorting out your emotional reality to the point where you understand what happened, and what it means – and use it as a source of strength rather than of weakness.”
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Float your ideas, rather than launch them like a rocket. You will have the latter impulse in a pretty strong way, especially early in the week: you may just feel this need to thrust yourself out there, come what may. That would probably not work out so well, one result of which could be a loss of control either over your personal affairs or an idea that’s dear to your heart. Hence, the cooler, easier-going approach: develop something till it’s pretty good, like a second or third draft, and pass it around and get feedback. Test your idea out on a select audience, or run it past some people you consider mentors or masters of your particular craft. Make revisions, though staying true to the original impulse or motive that’s guiding you for as long as it seems relevant. Be aware that you don’t have to rush. For the next two months, your ruling planet Saturn will be moving through a sensitive part of your chart, heading for your sign. You’ll want to be ready, or even over-prepared, by then.
“If you’re worried about your reputation, this is merely another way of assigning power over yourself to others. You cannot control what anyone thinks, and no matter how pure, sinister, friendly, loving, raunchy, talented or slothy you might be, people will think what they want. What they might think is not your business.”
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You seem to be alternating between past and future images of yourself. Both are relatively true, and both are available now — as is an even better vision. The key is to know where you stand; in the flow of time, and in the flow of your personal development. By image, I don’t just mean a vague mental concept; rather, I mean a vision for yourself that you use as a sketch plan, model or template for further development. There are two main elements to work with. One is the image you have of yourself as relates to your friends, your community and whatever you define as your public. The other relates to the most direct, intimate, one-on-one partnerships and collaborations. This whole theme is worth a book chapter, though the short version is that these two concepts of yourself need to be in harmony with one another and, in turn, in harmony with something much deeper.
“It looks to me like you need to call an end to a certain line of conduct or thinking that has been in your family for a while. The opportunity you have is based on the fact that you can actually see this issue for what it is. It’s normally difficult to discern, and it’s been masked or veiled recently by its prevalence in society. Once you have it in your sights, address it on the spot.”
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — A rare alignment of planets, all focused on the small but deeply meaningful Chiron in your birth sign, points to an unusual turn of events where your career or professional life is concerned. To call this an opportunity would be putting it mildly, though it’s less like your ship coming in and more like your chance to shoot some dangerous rapids along a wild river. That’s the more fun kind; nobody would argue with winning the lottery, nor would they argue with the truth that they did not earn it. You must be at your best this week, which means getting rest and proper nutrition, and steering well clear of people who you know to be sources of drama. Where people in authority are concerned, you must proceed within protocol and with the utmost respect; you are aspiring to be one of them. When you must break protocol, or exceed a limit, or go in a new direction, do so fully consciously, and keep an open dialog with those to whom you are in any way responsible — especially yourself.
“You mean a great deal to the people close to you, and though they may not say anything about it, they certainly know it. If it ever seems that people benefit from you more than you benefit from them, rejoice in that fact. You need less than they do; you are more complete in yourself than most people around you; and anyway, that self-completion is the major theme of your astrology.”
Planet Waves Daily Horoscope for Friday, Oct. 20, 2017 | By Eric Francis Coppolino

Aries (March 20-April 19) — Without exaggerating one bit, I can tell you that your solar chart has some of the most delicious, saucy aspects favoring sex and all other forms of human bonding. This is rare and beautiful power indeed. Use all your intelligence and direct it in only the most sane, loving and friendly ways.

“Self-awareness, both of your thoughts and of your conduct, is your most powerful tool to influence your experience of growth into the new forms that you are. This includes reaching deep enough into yourself that you make some contact with the aspect of you that is timeless and changeless.” 

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Everything about your chart depicts you as someone irresistibly attractive, for all the right reasons. To take advantage of this, however, you must be open to intimacy, and for that to happen, you must allow yourself to be vulnerable. It’s not free of risk, but it has many, many benefits.

“There is a genuine skill in creative mastery that involves standing back from judging what you’ve created. You might listen to what other people say; you might work until what you’re doing feels good; you might take a swashbuckling attitude and not care; you might trust the fact that you always strive to do better (or any of these at the right moment).”

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Events the past month or so have tested your patience with certain relatives, housemates or people you depend on. It’s now time to let those conflicts dissolve into the past, and invite better things into your life. You don’t need people as much as you think, and fortunately they don’t need you.

“You’re the one who has to negotiate between your potential and what you do with it. This is an active, everyday challenge being a Gemini. The world can seem so much bigger than you are, and in one way it is — but your mind is the thing that encompasses the world, all the world’s people and all your experiences there.”  

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today the Moon, Mercury and Jupiter align in your house of art, pleasure and play. Nothing like this has happened the past 10 or 20 years. You can feel good about accepting any rare invitations or taking any opportunity to really, truly live fully. You already work hard. Celebrate your life.

“Notice your true feelings for people and make peace with the fact that you feel that way. You may have had a habit of resisting intimacy, and now you have little choice but to yield and open up to allowing others to touch your soul. In this way, you will come to the direct experience of growing into the soul dimension of your life.”

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Your home is where the party is this weekend. Whether that’s a party for one, two, three or twenty, your place is the place to be. Make sure you invite exactly who you want to be there, and set your place up for precisely what you want to do. Then get those pots cooking hot.

“Rather than thinking of yourself as the entity that holds all the planets in orbit, think of yourself as someone who grounds the Sun into the Earth. This is actually what you do in the physical and spiritual sense, and it grants you some relief from the much larger responsibility of providing all the power and all the gravity.”

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — You may think you want to change jobs, though you really might want to change careers entirely. You know whether this is true, of course. Be mindful if the trends of the people around you are leading you to do what might not be right for you. It’s time, however, to do exactly the right thing.

“There comes that time in any growth or improvement project where you have to ease back, have a glass of wine or even smoke a cigarette. Radical, I know. However, you’re at a stage of your life where you must follow your own rules, and to do that, your rules must be practical and workable.”

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — You are a person with unusual, even outstanding, resources. That means talent, ability and the gift for paying for what you want to do. All of these traits are under the very best aspects at the moment, which is a reminder to know what you have, and to use it wisely, and consciously.

“Rather than being a clear mirror, relationships can often feel like a house of smoke and mirrors. This is especially a concern due to the experience of projection: ascribing to others feelings that are actually your own. Anais Nin is credited with saying, ‘We don’t see things as they are. We see them as we are.'”

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Today’s stunning planetary alignment involves the Moon, Mercury and Jupiter in your sign, which should have you feeling your very best. However, your ruling planet Mars is about to change signs, which may have you feeling stressed or worried about something. Walk lightly and keep your heart open.

“The self-esteem theme, described by the union of your 1st and 2nd houses, is the claiming back of your natural desire as a birthright. If you are in doubt about what you want, or if you consider it a potential moral affront, it’s difficult to feel good about yourself. For you, taking possession of desire is integral to your respect of yourself.”

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — For the next few days, it will be necessary to attend to the details of plans you’ve set in motion starting in early September. Yes, those plans have gone through several sets of revisions, though the core idea remains the same. Now is the time to be attentive to the fine points and necessary tasks.

“The overwhelming message of this series of South Node eclipses is that you must get beyond your own past, and find the present. Finding the present means sorting out your emotional reality to the point where you understand what happened, and what it means – and use it as a source of strength rather than of weakness.”

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Now Mars is about to cross the midheaven angle of your solar chart, joining many other planets in this highly productive little area. The point of this transit is learning how to make decisions. It matters less whether you get it right or wrong, and more that you give it your best.

“If you’re worried about your reputation, this is merely another way of assigning power over yourself to others. You cannot control what anyone thinks, and no matter how pure, sinister, friendly, loving, raunchy, talented or slothy you might be, people will think what they want. What they might think is not your business.”

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Persist in backing off from what you think you know, and how much experience you have, and stick to what you don’t know. The root of all true intelligence comes from a sublime form of doubt that keeps you seeking the truth and nothing but the truth. This will serve you well.

“It looks to me like you need to call an end to a certain line of conduct or thinking that has been in your family for a while. The opportunity you have is based on the fact that you can actually see this issue for what it is. It’s normally difficult to discern, and it’s been masked or veiled recently by its prevalence in society. Once you have it in your sights, address it on the spot.”

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Life is about exchanges. That’s the nature of the human race. Heck, it’s the nature of nature itself. What you must remember at all times is how much you have to offer, and how generous you are. This is an excellent policy, though you must surround yourself with people who appreciate you.

“You mean a great deal to the people close to you, and though they may not say anything about it, they certainly know it. If it ever seems that people benefit from you more than you benefit from them, rejoice in that fact. You need less than they do; you are more complete in yourself than most people around you; and anyway, that self-completion is the major theme of your astrology.”

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