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Today the Sun in Capricorn makes a sextile to Neptune in Pisces. Like flashes of sunlight glistening on the rippling surface of water, fresh illumination and understanding of your purpose can arise when you invite intuition and mystery into our reason and rationality. Soften your gaze, allow it to drift over the shifting contours of your fantasies and dreams, and catch the shimmering insights that flow into consciousness when you surrender the need for certainty. Daydream, vision, and follow the circuitous direction of what becomes clear when you wade into uncertainty. The Moon in Gemini then makes an opposition to Mars in Sagittarius. When conflict arises, get curious. When you feel the aggressive drive to convince others of your perspective, seek out other points of view. If you experience injury today, be willing to speak up and name the ways that you were hurt. In this opposition, balance will come from adaptability, the ability to inhabit and move between multiple positions simultaneously. Be willing to stand courageously for what you believe, and also be willing to recognize the limitations of your beliefs. Both the Moon and Mars are ruled by Mercury in Capricorn; there are limits to what we can know and understand, and we do not lose by accepting the finitude of our own understanding. Rather, when we come to the edges of what we can know, we find where our knowledge meets and fits together with what other experiences and points of view can teach us. 
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Today the Moon in Taurus makes a square to its ruler Venus in Aquarius. Receiving a superior square from a benefic is a condition of bonification—meaning that the Moon receives support and affirmation from its ruler. However, a square can also indicate that the gifts of this aspect may require effort or adjustment. What experiences that live in your body might you have to confront and work through in order to accept your own value and the ways in which you are loved by others? The Moon then moves through rapid trines to Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn. While a trine can describe an especially easeful or supportive relationship, the mounting pressure between Saturn and Pluto is still challenging; we may find that what flows easily into our lives as the Moon moves through these trines are the reverberations of power struggles, the cumulative effects of repression, and the weight of unresolved histories streaming through our nervous systems. Taurus reminds us to ground and stay close to sensation as a strategy for persistence. The Moon then ingresses into Gemini, relieving the pressure from earlier in the day through a shift into curiosity, social connections, and learning more about the situations in which we find ourselves. Whatever you are experiencing, who might you call into your experience? Sharing your stories with those you trust may be part of coming into more clarity about what you think and understanding, how your story fits within larger narratives of which we are all a part.  Today the Moon in Taurus makes a series of supportive aspects, first perfecting trines to Jupiter, Mercury, and the Sun in Capricorn, then a sextile to Neptune in Pisces. In its exaltation in Taurus and configured to its ruler, the Moon is already extremely well-supported, inviting us to root down into what grounds and nourishes us. Jupiter encourages growth and coherence and invites us back into the perspective that abundance and more-than-enough are already potentials alive within our physical and emotional systems. Mercury, the planet of translation and communication, reminds us to ask for the support that we want and need, and to remain responsive to the ways that the world around us asks for support that we can offer. The Sun brings us into the path of that which is life-affirming. Take notice of how the ways you spend your day enliven or deplete you and consider how your life might be different if you were to move more toward that which enlivens. Finally, Neptune offers inspiration in the forms of dreams and fantasies. Judith Butler writes, “To posit possibilities beyond the norm or, indeed, a different future for the norm itself, is part of the work of fantasy when we understand fantasy as taking the body as a point of departure for an articulation that is not always constrained by the body as it is … fantasy is part of the articulation of the possible; it moves us beyond what is merely actual and present into a realm of possibility, the not yet actualized or the not actualizable.” What if you gave yourself time and permission to set sail through your fantasies, those that begin from the body and then carry you into possibilities beyond the norms of what is, drifting into the realms of how else we might live our embodied lives?  Today the Moon ingresses into Taurus, the sign of its exaltation. This is a time for slowing down, grounding our energy, reconnecting to the sensual pleasures of the body and the experiences that allow us to feel well. With Venus, the ruler of Taurus, in Aquarius, I am recalling two of adrienne maree brown’s “pleasure principles”: “We become what we practice” and “The deepest pleasure comes from riding the line between commitment and detachment.” Aquarius turns our attention toward the future, toward the kinds of worlds we want to bring into being. If we become what we practice, how do you want to feel in the future, and how might you begin to practice feeling that way today? Aquarius is also a fixed sign, inspiring allegiance to future possibilities rather than the legacies of the past. What kinds of pleasure might become available to you if you were to ride the line between committing to another way of feeling in your body, while detaching from determining in advance how you might come into such future possibilities? As the Moon makes a conjunction to Uranus in Taurus, we may be propelled to shake things up, to try something new, and to break through the patterns that have been limiting our access to feeling good. Feel into where there are desires that feel like risk, and then ask how you might support yourself in risking exploring new pleasures.  Today Mars ingresses into Sagittarius, leaving its domicile Scorpio behind. Mars in Sagittarius is bold, assertive, ready to courageously pioneer possibilities beyond the borders of where we are standing now. Mars in Sagittarius can bring excitement and adventure, but take care around actions that may be driven by the will to conquer. Remember that what may be uncharted territory for you is very likely the well-tended traditions and homes of those we often fail to notice in the blaze of our own exhilaration. The Moon in Aries then moves through a lovely sextile from Venus in Aquarius. Fueled by Mars in Sagittarius, the Moon in Aries is driven by ambition and personal will; Venus in Aquarius reminds us to connect with others, especially those who may be different from the communities and relationships in which we have found ourselves in the past. Finally, the Moon moves through squares to Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn. Less than a full degree apart from one another, the pressure is building between these slow-moving planets. We may find that as we reject and refuse operations and abuses of power in our world, we are also confronted with the responsibility for dismantling traces of such abuses and operations within our personal lives, our desires, and our bodies. As we move toward acting in alignment with what we really want, let’s also remember that our desires may not be innocent. We are all charged with the task of liberating and decolonizing our desires as we learn to honor what we feel within the social contexts through which what we feel, what we want, and who we are have all been constituted.  Today Mercury makes a conjunction to Jupiter in Capricorn. Good news may be on the move, and it may be that it is yours to share. How might you use today to express gratitude, to share ideas that have supported you in growing into the person you are becoming, and to put words out into the world that make it more of a world in which you want to live? The Moon in Aries then moves through squares to Jupiter, Mercury, and the Sun in Capricorn. These aspects can describe the effort it takes to overcome resistance or adjust your direction to accommodate conflicts of interest. It may not be easy to align your immediate impulses and desires with your long-term growth and development. You may find that resistance is coming from the inside, the ways that words you’ve spoken—or words that have been spoken to you—have lodged in your body, making it difficult to commit to the action that you’re taking. This could be a moment of crisis in which you are asked to devote yourself to a new direction that is not where you thought you were headed but that is more in alignment with your core purpose. As the Moon enters the waxing quarter phase, we may find that processes that were planted during the solar eclipse on December 26 are starting to demand attention. Remember, the path of least resistance is not usually the path to which we are called because such paths have been worn down and smoothed out not only by our own habituated behaviors but also by the currents of cultural norms that structure both privilege and oppression. Encountering resistance can be an indication that we are forging a path along which new possibilities and new ways of living are being made available.  Welcome to the first day of 2020! Today the Moon in Pisces makes a sextile to Saturn in Capricorn. How are you practicing accountability to your own physical and emotional needs? Especially for those of us who were socialized to ignore, discount, or repress our needs, it may take diligence and discipline to develop a practice of slowing down and listening to our bodies in order to determine the direction in which we need to move. The Moon then makes a sextile to Pluto in Capricorn, reminding us that there are deep sources of power available to us within our somatic awareness. What might you be empowered to do if you were to situate your own feeling body as an authority in the life you are living? The Moon then makes a trine to Mars in Scorpio before ingressing into Mars’ domicile of Aries. Mars is completing its time moving through the dark waters of Scorpio, activating our most vulnerable places and asking us to act from the seafloor of our drives and desires. The Moon receives that story from Mars and carries it into fiery Aries. We may feel emboldened to initiate something new that asks us to step more fully into our courage. What is it that you truly want and what are the steps you can take right now in service of that desire?  As we end the calendar year, the Moon in Pisces makes a sextile to the Sun in Capricorn. This could describe a moment of helpful insight or new perspectives, particularly in regard to understanding how you feel about the ongoing renovations and restructuring taking place in your life. The Moon in supportive aspect to the Sun can also describe feeling alignment between the guiding purpose our lives with the ways in which we carry out that purpose in day to day life. This sextile is a reminder to check in with what gives your life direction and meaning, and how you are embodying that direction and meaning in the ways you move through your days. The Moon then makes a conjunction to Neptune in Pisces, setting the mood for a dreamy New Year’s Eve. The Moon conjunct Neptune can be a time for quiet reflection, meditation, or ritual. It is also a time for connecting intimately with those we love—including perhaps our guides and ancestors who are beyond the veil of mundane reality. Neptune also signifies boundlessness and ecstatic intoxication, so be intentional about how or why you might imbibe tonight. It might be easy to drift or flow beyond our own boundaries, and perhaps that is an experience in which you want to indulge. Make a plan for how to create and contain the kinds of Neptunian experiences that you want to have as we say goodbye to 2019, knowing that 2020 will not start fresh, but rather will begin as a continuation of all of the processes in which we are already moving.  After the relatively quiet astrology yesterday, today the Moon in Aquarius is overcome by a superior square from Mars in Scorpio. This can describe physical and emotional distress, injury, or challenging relationships to the body. We may be asked to confront the harm we are carrying in our bodies within the bigger picture of the social systems in which we move. The Moon then ingresses into Pisces, moving shortly through sextiles to Mercury in Capricorn and Uranus in Taurus as Mercury applies a trine to Uranus. Mercury in Capricorn is focused on clear, practical thinking; trine Uranus, we may be inspired to articulate actionable change. How can we begin to advocate for the kinds of structural renovation that we require in our existing systems, in ways that are grounded in the tangible and the material? As the Moon moves between these sextiles, we can consider how to put the change for which we’re advocating into practice today, in whatever ways big or small. Finally, the Moon makes a sextile to Jupiter in Capricorn, inviting us to connect to the resources that support our long-term growth. When you feel into your emotional body, what do you find that you need? What would bring you closer to well-being? Move in that direction.   I'm so excited that the Astrology for 2020 Forecast episode that I recorded with Queer Skies—Daniel Bernal and Drew Levanti—is now live! We talk about Saturn & Jupiter’s meetings with Pluto and the ways power structures and cancel culture might change. We talk about Mercury’s carbonated retrogrades powered by Uranus. We talk about the Venus and Mars retrogrades this year, what lessons they bring for us in terms of survival and resistance, and we talk big picture about what Aquarius has in store for us as our attention shifts.
If you're looking for some queer thinking about the astrology of the year ahead, I hope you give yourself time to listen! You can links to the two previous episodes I recorded with Queer Skies on my Resources page. https://divine-orbit.com/podcast/astrology-of-2020-with-michael-j-morris-queer-skies-ep-7/ In a truly rare moment in the skies, today no exact aspects are made between planets. The Moon is moving through Aquarius, separating from its conjunction to Venus and applying to its square from Mars. With no aspects today and with the Moon in aversion to its ruler Saturn in Capricorn, the day may feel directionless or quiet in an unfamiliar way. The Moon enters its waxing crescent phrase, carrying us into the first light of this lunation cycle following this week’s solar eclipse. Whatever endings and beginnings were initiated at the eclipse may begin to become clear. In the spaciousness of the skies today, use this opportunity for reflection and stillness, integrating what you have been learning through all the simultaneous cycles of your living, and opening to insights and understanding that are yet to come.  In the early hours before dawn, the Moon ingresses into Aquarius and soon moves into a square to Uranus in Taurus. The Moon describes the body and the emotional life, and Uranus describes disruption and upheaval, which could be jarring to our systems. This could be a spike in anxiety or restlessness, the agitation that something needs to change or adjust without quite knowing what that should be. Listen to your body and let it guide you back to grounding. Rather than resisting the sensations that arise, stay with them, maybe even describe what you’re feeling to yourself, and allow that process to become a map to what needs to adjust. The Moon later makes a conjunction to Venus in Aquarius, which could stir desires for connection and union. Venus in Aquarius is inviting us to consider the ways we want to shape and structure our relationships in the future. In what small ways might you begin to put those aspirations into practice today? Finally, in the last minutes of the day, Mercury ingresses into Capricorn, leaving Sagittarius behind. Sagittarius is the sign of Mercury’s antithesis or detriment, in which detail-oriented Mercury can be overwhelmed by the challenge of articulating and managing big ideas and expansive perspectives. Moving into Capricorn with reception from Saturn, Mercury will be more functional. We may feel more capable of clear and practical thinking, communicating what needs to be said in order to lay foundations for the work ahead. With Pluto, Saturn, the Sun, and Jupiter already in Capricorn, Mercury’s presence will draw even more attention to this area of our charts, giving us an opportunity to put into words the changes we’re undergoing in this part of life.  Today the Moon in Capricorn moves through conjunctions to Saturn and Pluto then a sextile to Mars in Scorpio. Saturn is steadily approaching its conjunction to Pluto, which will be exact on January 12. Moving through the narrowing space between these planets, the Moon brings our attention back to this story—which began when Saturn entered Capricorn in December 2017—and how it is unfolding. My sense of this transit is that it describes the immense pressure being put on existing systems and power structures, the ways that we’ve ordered and organized our lives in the past, the limitations that have been set that both support and constrain us, and the ways that power operates on and through us. If we think of Pluto as how power operates, Saturn is a planet that refuses and rejects, a planet that says NO. As the Moon moves between Saturn and Pluto, we can begin to ask: how do we embody our refusal of existing systems and power structures? What does it feel like to embody that refusal? As the Moon makes a sextile to Mars, we may feel emboldened in our struggles, ready to fight to make another way possible. Also today, the Sun makes a conjunction to Jupiter in Capricorn, an aspect called “cazimi” or “in the heart of the Sun.” This is a process of intense clarification and purification for Jupiter, which recently began its journey through Capricorn. This could be a time for clarifying where best to direct your resources in order to support sustainable growth. What is it that you are trying to growth in the year ahead, and what resources do you need to make available in order to support that growth?  Today the Moon in Capricorn makes a conjunction to Jupiter. Coming off of last night’s eclipse, we may be feeling disrupted or interrupted in ways that can be depleting. Jupiter reminds us that even when resources appear to be scarce, there is still more than enough. Jupiter reminds us that abundance is a way of life, of making more possibilities even when opportunities feel limited. As the Moon makes this conjunction to Jupiter, we can ask ourselves: how might I embody abundance and generate more possibilities that can support me—and us—in the days ahead? Jupiter in Capricorn is concerned with long-term, sustainable growth, and this conjunction with the Moon is an invitation to feel and embody these principles. The Moon then makes a waning sextile to Neptune in Pisces, drawing our attention to our ideals, our fantasies, and our dreams. It might be opportune to ask: what ideals are no longer serving me? What fantasies are no longer in alignment with the world that I want to dream into being? adrienne maree brown writes in Pleasure Activism, “But because the realm of imagination is also where culture begins—we imagine things that in turn shape our real life desires and practices.” She invites us to “Examine your fantasies!” and ask, “What initiates your desire? What sustains and builds your desire?” She suggests, “From our first moments, we should be encouraged to focus on how our bodies feel, what sensations and interactions awaken us, what feels wrong, what kind of touch feels right, and how to communicate a spectrum of boundaries and consent.” As the Moon moves through this sextile to Neptune, may we begin to let go of fantasies that are no longer in alignment with the worlds we want to create, and may we return to our bodies as guides to the fantasies and dreams that are in alignment with how we want to feel in worlds to come.  As the Moon perfects its conjunction to Mercury in Sagittarius, we may find ourselves feeling particularly outspoken, willing to speak our truths and advocate for our beliefs, even if there does not seem to be a lot of support for our positions. The Moon then ingresses into Capricorn, the sign of its antithesis or detriment, and shortly thereafter, makes a trine to Uranus in Taurus before perfecting its conjunction to the Sun. The Moon may struggle in Capricorn, but it does have reception from Saturn here, suggesting that resources and support are available even if the conditions are uncomfortable. At 12:12am EST—technically just into December 26—the New Moon in Capricorn perfects just off of the South Node, offering a partial solar eclipse trine to Uranus. We can think of eclipses in several different ways: as a New Moon conjunct the South Node, this could mark a particularly dramatic ending which is also a beginning, specifically in the area of our charts occupied by Capricorn. Trine Uranus, this may be part of the larger cycle of revolution and upheaval that Uranus is describing. I’m also quite fond of Bernadette Brady’s analysis of eclipses within families of lunations called Saros Cycles that move between the Earth’s poles over hundreds of years. This eclipse belongs to Saros Series 3 South, which began in 1208 and will complete in 2452. Eclipses in this family began with the New Moon conjunct Mercury in Leo, with Pluto conjunct the South Node and Venus conjunct Mars in Cancer. Brady writes: “This family of eclipses bring with it the sudden endings of associations or of a relationship … There is a large emotional component, as Pluto is involved, and a sense of traumatic transformation. This can be through news received or short journeys undertaken.” Working with the Saros Series, this eclipse could describe dramatic endings and beginnings that are initiated through sudden revelations or messages that have the potential to end existing associations and demand that we find new ways of relating to our own trauma. Healing often requires breaking with established patterns, sometimes including those with whom we surround ourselves. This eclipse may ask you to face something that you would rather not see, but doing so may be necessary in order to come into a new cycle of healing.  Today the Moon in Sagittarius makes a square to Neptune in Pisces. It may be difficult to know where your feelings end and someone else’s begin. The clarity of why we are doing what we are doing may be elusive, mysterious, or even potentially delusional, so proceed with care and be prepared for misapprehensions. With the Moon in Sagittarius, things that seem exciting or compelling may not be what they seem, and we may find that our expectations and aspirations carry us adrift into terrain that we did not anticipate. The Sun in Capricorn then makes a trine to Uranus in Taurus, inviting us to integrate new comprehension of the ways that we are moving through deep cycles of radical change described by Uranus in Taurus. Uranus first moved into Taurus in May 2018, then after moving back into Aries for a few months, moved firmly into Taurus in March 2019, where it will remain until April 2026. This is a long transit demanding disruption and breaking with established patterns in whatever part of our charts is occupied by Taurus. This trine from the Sun offers an opportunity to see and assimilate changes that have been in motion and will continue to develop in the years ahead.  Today the Moon ingresses into Sagittarius, offering relief from the emotional heaviness of the last several days as the Moon moved through Scorpio. The mood may lift or lighten, and we may feel more capable of venturing out into the world, moving out beyond our own immediate horizons, and seeking excitement or adventure. However, with Jupiter, the ruler of Sagittarius, in Capricorn and in aversion to the Moon, be intentional with your energy and careful with what you expend. You may find that although the quality of the day shifts into something brighter and more expansive, you still have limited resources available to you. The Moon then makes a sextile to Venus in Aquarius, inviting us to be intentional and strategic with whom we spend our time. What are the connections and relationships into which you want to invest your energy most? When you envision the life that you want to be living, who are the people you feel confident are capable of committing to the kinds of mutual care and support that you want for your life?  Today Venus in Aquarius makes a square to Uranus in Taurus. Venus rules Taurus, and so this aspect signifies both reception and also potential conflict, between the ways in which Uranus is breaking up fixed patterns in our lives in order to create space for new possibilities and the ways that Venus is inviting us to imagine new conditions for organizing our relationships. Who are you becoming and how do you commit to new ways of giving and receiving love that are in alignment with your sense of self as you surrender to more and more authenticity? As Mars in Scorpio makes a sextile to Pluto in Capricorn, we may find that acting from our deepest needs and desires gives us access to sources of power that have previously been inaccessible. The Moon in Scorpio then moves through a trine to Neptune in Pisces, sextiles to Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn, and finally a conjunction with Mars. As we move into the evening, you may find that you are capable of embodying your dreams, fantasies, and aspirations, in ways that demand courage and vulnerability, but also bring you into a deeper experience of your capacities for radical honesty and pleasure. You may find that in fact there is already support available to you as you follow the tides of your imagination and the contours of your own feelings, in the present as they unfold. Don’t be surprised if old wounds or injuries flare up in your system as you explore these new possibilities. Moving deeper into the ways we can trust and embody more clearly that which we are already feeling may pierce places that we have not felt for a long time, but this initiates a cycle of healing, of being in a new relationship to old, hidden wounds.  Today is the Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere. It is the shortest day of the year, giving way to the longest night, marked by the Sun’s ingress into Capricorn. It is a time to draw close to loved ones, to stoke the fires that will see us through the darkest times, to meditate on mystery and what it means to survive. But before this major turning point, the Moon in Libra makes a sextile to the Sun in Sagittarius, offering clarity and understanding to the ways we move toward and hold one another. The Moon then ingresses into Scorpio, the sign of its fall or depression, and quickly into a fixed T-square, opposing Uranus in Taurus and squaring Venus in Aquarius. This is a confrontational configuration. If we risk feeling into our own vulnerabilities, the fears and wounds beneath the surface of our emotional responses, we may find that our habitual ways of knowing and sharing ourselves with others are shaken. How might you show up differently in your relationships if you were to stay present with your fears and wounds and to share them with others who have proven themselves trustworthy? The Moon then makes a sextile with Jupiter in Capricorn, reminding us that whatever has been disrupted beneath the surface is part of a larger cycle of growth. Finally, the Sun enters Capricorn in the final hours of December 21. As we move through the longest night of the year and enter these cold, bitter months, I meditate on what it means to survive, and I recall the words of Alexis Pauline Gumbs: “Survival references our living in the context of what we have overcome. Survival is life after disaster, life in honor of our ancestors, despite the genocidal forces worked against them specifically so we would not exist. I love the word survival because it places my life in the context of those who I love, who are called dead, but survive through my breathing, my presence, and my remembering … My survival, my life resplendent, with the energy of my ancestors, is enough.” On this solstice, may you know that you are not alone. You are held by those who came before, who persist with you, and those who will survive because of the life you are living.  Today Venus ingresses into Aquarius, now in aversion to its ruler Saturn. Whereas Venus in Capricorn was teaching us about the disciplines of sustainable long-term love, Venus in Aquarius turns our attention toward the future with a willingness to break with convention and invent new ways of structuring our loving commitments. Venus in Aquarius also asks us to consider how our practices of love fit within larger systems that shape our world. What kinds of societies are you practicing building in your intimate connections? The Moon in Libra makes a sextile to Mercury in Sagittarius, perhaps offering opportunities to connect with others around big ideas shared processes of making meaning. The Moon then moves through squares to Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn. We may encounter resistance or limitations in the relationships, communities, and collaborations we are working to embody. In Libra, we are called to seek justice in our social bonds, holding different needs and desires in balance together. Remember, we may not yet know what justice will be. There are no doubt persistent patterns and ideological investments that must be questioned and discarded in order to create relationships in which everyone involved is supported in well-being.  |
AuthorMichael J. Morris is a witch, an artist, a writer, and a teacher. Categories
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