markspringle.com

Dear Friends,

We have been talking so much about the changes that we need to make, but change is almost always difficult, especially if the change we need to make is a change in an old pattern or habit we learned as a coping mechanism early in life. I have mentioned that I learned at young age to keep my thoughts to myself. Well, that period of my life is certainly over. I cannot broadcast myself enough these days! I need to make others changes, too, and I am sure that we all do, but making changes can be so hard.

If we have been thinking about, identifying, and planning for changes but haven’t quite implemented them, then I have good news! Uranus, the planet of freedom and change is going to change direction on Thanksgiving Day!  I have made much about the Saturn/Uranus opposition which was exact on Nov 4th. The country certainly approved a big change on that day, but even that change is a promise waiting for us in the future. On the day Saturn and Uranus met, Saturn was moving forward (direct) and Uranus was moving backward (retrograde). This made Saturn the stronger of the two planets. With Uranus weakened through retrograde motion, he has not been able to deliver on the message of change. Even Barack Obama has to wait until Jan 20th!   Once Uranus changes direction and begins to move forward on Thursday, the changes we have been thinking about are going to start happening in earnest. If we haven’t made a plan for change, as Saturn in Virgo has been asking us to do for a year now, then we will probably not be happy about the ways that change begins to appear in our lives. Uranus delivers the unexpected and if we haven’t been trying to direct change, we will be getting some big surprises. If, however, we have been taking a close look at ourselves and at least becoming aware of where we need change in our lives, then we are going to recognize the change when it comes, and hopefully, despite how scary the change may be, we will embrace it as a necessary agent in our personal growth. Saturn will turn retrograde on December 31st, and our abilities to come up with an effective, proactive plan will be seriously weakened. At that time, we will be re-working the plan we should have already made. Make a plan now while Saturn is still marching forward!

Pluto is the planet we associate with a transformation or regeneration. A rebirth from the ashes of our former selves which have self-destructed from an over-reliance on our old patterns and bad habits is a hallmark of Plutonian energy. It takes Pluto between 11 and 21 years to move through a sign and effect this transformation, so it is possible that we wont even realize what a huge change has taken place. Over the past 13 years, Pluto has been in the sign of Sagittarius. !3 years is long time, but if we compare ourselves as we were 13 years ago to how we are now….then we can say WOW! what a change! The sign Sagittarius is concerned with expanding our experience and broadening our horizons. Sagittarius rules religion, philosophy, travel, and education, just to name a few. Sagittarius is a sign that likes freedom and expansion, and does not appreciate restriction. Over the past 13 years, the Internet has opened up our world, offering a never-ending supply of information and perspective. We have had never-ending credit, never-ending spending, and free range on travel. Well, we can see now where all of this has gotten us. We need to let go of something in order to expand, but we may have to let go of more than we expected!

Capricorn is the sign of the zodiac that follows Sagittarius. Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, the planet of restriction and structure. Pluto will leave expansive Sagittarius and enter serious Capricorn late on Wed, Nov 26th. Pluto will now show us how to structure all of the information we have received, how to live within our means, and how to honor supportive traditions while at the same time saying goodbye to traditions which don’t serve us anymore. As Pluto leaves Sag, we can see we are very different than we were 13 years ago. We may even have to say good-bye to some things, people, or situations which Pluto in Sag created for us so that we could transform ourselves. Many people are saying good-bye to cars, houses, and other material possessions that they can no longer afford. Pluto in Sag brought huge promises, but we did not create the structure to sustain them, so now they are disappearing. Pluto in Capricorn will show us where we need to restructure in a big way, but he will do so over the next 16 years. The change will be slow but deep and will occur form the inside out as we begin to make different choices. Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, and Saturn is in Virgo, so once again we are reminded that the duty of the day is to clean up, get smart, and take care of the daily task of living within our means in a way that supports positive growth.

We get our first taste of the newly remodeled promise of Sagittarius on Thanksgiving Day!  The very day after Pluto moves into Capricorn, we have a new Moon in Sagittarius. A new Moon is the day when we identify and commit to the things we want to see grow in the coming month. This new Moon will be particularly strong because it is the first lunation where the promise of the newly transformed power of Sagittarius is revealed. To get the message clear, we must look to the planetary ruler of Sag for direction. Well, you guessed it! Jupiter is in Capricorn, reinforcing the need for responsible growth. Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, and by now we all know Saturn is in Virgo! Saturn in Virgo wants to to fix things, but he has to work with Uranus these days, who wants freedom and change! Whatever is standing between us and responsible growth is going to disappear pretty quickly once Uranus goes direct!

One last word on this lunation: Mercury, which is the ruler of Virgo, is sitting with Mars for this new Moon in the sign of Sagittarius! Sagittarius is the most optimistic sign of the zodiac, and Mercury sitting with Mars will promote proactive and positive action. All of this happening Thanksgiving Day! Its all about Sag and and Capricorn, but even Sag is being ruled right now by Saturn, the ruler of Capricorn. Be responsible and optimistic! Honor tradition in so far as it uplifts and supports us, and be thankful that we all have the chance to expand and learn, to grow and to love, and ultimately, to be the people we were meant to be!

Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy everything that comes your way!

I appreciate each and everyone of you. I am so thankful that I have so many people in my life who validate my need to share this information and whose attention creates an experience of love and growth for me.

I wish you all peace, happiness, and prosperity.

Thank You.

mark

MOORE TO CONSIDER ABOUT THIS WEEK’S ASTROLOGY

Dear Friends,

Over and over again this year, we have been discussing the need to adjust and to refine our schedules and daily habits in order to bring them more in line with our goals and needs. This is necessary because Saturn has been in Virgo. Saturn is the taskmaster of the universe. What he says goes, unless he is challenged by a bigger planetary energy like Uranus. On Nov 4th, the planet Uranus opposed Saturn and now we will have a two year period where the freedom-loving, tradition-breaking planet of awakening will challenge our routines and traditions in order to rid us of the negative patterns we cling to out of habit, but which do not support our goals. If you have already been making changes to your routines and habits, this process will happen much more smoothly.

We have been talking about change ever since I began writing this column over two years ago. Change is a constant in our lives. Sometimes, however, we define ourselves or our places in the world relative to “static” snapshots of what we are attached to at the moment. I know people who have defined themselves as parents for years, but now their last child is leaving and the old definition of “parents” doesn’t fit. I have family who need to change their eating habits and exercise more, but this change doesn’t fit in their understanding of themselves as too busy and too tired to cook more healthy meals and to exercise. I have friends who have substance abuse problems who don’t know how to process the emotions that overwhelm them so much that they cant bear them. They identify themselves as stressed out and unloved. Well, the reality of the situation is that all of these people have identified themselves with a static place in their lives. It is as if they have tied an anchor to this one spot and wont release the weight. Who knows exactly why we, as humans, do this. I have done it in my life: I am probably doing it right now. I hope not.

Lucky for all of us, the Saturn/Uranus opposition will be around for the next two years to help us tear ourselves away from these unnecessary habits. We will all know what these patterns are because if we don’t let the change happen, we will experience the change as painful, difficult, dramatic, awful, etc. Paul and I had a few issues to work through and I can clearly remember our counselor, perched at the very edge of her seat, leaning forward with her chin in her hands and looking directly at us and informing us that “The pain is in the resistance.” At the time, we were discussing the need for control in our relationship, but the example works any place where we fight change. As I mentioned last week, Heraclitus is credited with one of the most confounding statement in Western philosophy: all things change. If this is true, and I believe it is, then we can certainly see how being attached to a specific state of being will ultimately prove to be unsatisfying, because that state of being will not last in the face of the unending march of all-changing time. Resisting this change, trying to hold on to outmoded patterns or positions, will only lead to pain, conflict, and a sense of loss.

This feeling is not necessary, however. If we accept that all things change, or if we accept the necessity of change, then we cannot be surprised when we see that something we have grown accustomed to must change or disappear altogether. We can maintain our own equilibrium in the face of this change by reminding ourselves that the change is not happening to us as a punishment. The change is a necessary part of nature, just like gravity. It is a force we must accept and with which we must work in order to preserve the very essence of our being: expansion. Consciousness expands, or at least I believe it should. If consciousness does not expand, we would never, as a race, get anywhere. There would be no learning, no music, no art, no economic policy, no love, for that matter. Why would love exist if we weren’t meant to expand?

Wherever in our lives we are experiencing pain, there is an excellent chance that we are resisting the very change that will expand our consciousness. If we can expand our consciousness, we can broaden our experience, we can learn new things, we can grow. No matter how old we are, how poor or rich we are, how strong or weak we are, we have the capacity to grow, to expand, and to change. The influence of Uranus is always an upgrade, so why not stop fighting and fearing the change, the perceived loss of control, or the perceived loss of identity? If all things change, then our ability to control or identity will change whether we allow it or not, so why make the experience difficult or painful?

For the upcoming week, we have a few interesting aspects to discuss. As a reminder, don’t forget that the backdrop for our discussion is the Saturn/Uranus opposition. In between these opposing planets, we have Jupiter and Mercury creating a cradle configuration. This symmetry began last week and ends this week on Monday, 11/17. Jupiter represents optimism and expansion, while Mercury represents information and communication. In a cradle configuration, the two planets between the opposition can offer a creative way to resolve stress through constructive activity or they can offer a path to avoid dealing with the stress of the opposition.

This highlights one of my favorite issues regarding the practice of astrology. Astrology is not a predictive tool that allows us to see the future. I know some of us like to think I can tell you whether your marriage will end or if your children will be wealthy, but I cannot. I can describe the patterns and habits a person may have, and I can be fairly good at predicting the play of energy in a person’s experience at any given time, but I cannot predict what the person will ultimately choose. We are all free to make decisions that are unique or original compared to the previous decisions we have made. I consulted an astrologer whose advice I respect immensely during the Saturn/Neptune opposition of late 2006 through early 2007 with a question that required a yes/no answer. Her answer was NO, but my experience has been YES! This is not because she was not a good astrologer. In fact, I believe she is a brilliant astrologer, but she was making her prediction based on my past history and choices. Lucky for me, I was smart enough, and had enough good friends and counselors helping me through that difficult period, that I was able to overcome my own negative patterns.

We all have the ability to change our destiny through conscious decision making, and this ability is highlighted by the cradle aspect. If we are having some difficult growing pains at the moment, we could delude ourselves by taking an overly optimistic view of our situation. But we could also process the information we are receiving in a new and expanded manner in order to come up with a new and enlightened perspective that will allow us to work with the energy of change rather than to resist this energy… which will only result in a painful experence.

On Sunday, 11/16, there is a lovely water trine between the Moon at home in Cancer, Mercury in Scorpio, and Uranus in Pisces. Any day the Moon is in Cancer is a good day for comfort food and doing whatever makes us feel comfortable and protected. Water signs are full of emotion and intuition, and trines represent ease and flow among the planets and signs involved. With the proper type of self-nurturing , Sunday could be a great day to create a new and unexpected (Uranus) perspective (Mercury) that will bring us a feeling of security and safety (Moon).

Tuesday, 11/18, the Moon will oppose Chiron, the planet which represents the deep wounds we carry with us, as well as the North Node. This could be a day that we are vulnerable to our worst tendencies and we may re-create the feeling of woundedness that haunts us. If this should happen, then take a long, hard look at the situation and try to find a way to overcome the victim mentality that accompanies this situation. If we can stop being the victim of our perspectives, then we don’t have to keep re-creating the situations which create these feelings in our lives.

By Saturday, 11/22, Mercury has progressed to 29 degrees of Scorpio. The 29th degree of any sign is the expiative degree of that sign and the planet where this degree is happening is a field where we can expect some significant energy to manifest. Mercury is the planet concerned with information and communication, and Scorpio is the sign concerned with other people’s resources, death, and control issues. What we perceive and how we communicate about and around these issues over the weekend could be a source of tension or strife is we are not careful. Scorpio is ruled by 2 planets, Mars and Pluto. Pluto is in the 29th degree of Sagittarius and Mars will be at 4 degrees of Sagittarius. Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter who is currently in Capricorn and also one of two planets involved in our cradle, although this configuration will be over before Saturday. I suppose the message is to be cautiously optimistic and somewhat philosophical about the situations which present themselves, and to avoid the negative manifestation of Sag energy, which included being argumentative, pushy, and impatient. Easy does it! Let’s all take the high road.

I have so much more to say, but if I can be honest with you all, my Mom is here visiting me for my birthday, and today is her last day. I’d like to spend the remainder of the day enjoying her company, and since the Moon is in Cancer, which is all about home and Mom, I know that this is the right thing to do. Thanks for understanding. I’ll make it up to you with a very special column next week because Thanksgiving Day is going to be a HUGE day!

Much love to you all.

mark
www.markspringle.com

MOORE TO CONSIDER ABOUT THIS WEEK’S ASTROLOGY

Dear Friends,

Do you remember that I predicted election high jinx last week due to the Mars/Neptune square on Election Day? Thankfully, I was wrong! It occurred to me that this example would be a good time to discuss some of the subtle aspects of astrology.

Astrology is a tool which allows us to interpret the energies at play for any given time and place. When we look at a birthchart, the horoscope describes the energy at play in the individual. When look at an electional chart (the timing of an event), we are examining the energy at play for a specific event. There are six pairs of signs that we use in astrology to discuss the transfer of energy in a chart. Each sign of the zodiac has an opposite, and since there are 12 signs, we have six pairs. Aries opposes Libra, Taurus opposes Scorpio, Gemini opposes Sagittarius, Cancer opposes Capricorn, Leo opposes Aquarius, and Virgo opposes Pisces. If a change occurs in one sign, such as Aries, a change occurs in the opposite sign as well, in this case, Libra. The point I am making is that any time we discuss an energy in astrology, we must consider both the obvious aspect and the opposite aspect, which may not be quite so obvious. It is the task of the astrologer to weigh all aspects and their opposites in order to discern the most likely way the energy will present itself.

Each planet is composed of a polarity of energies as well. For example, Neptune can represent deception or illusion and a gradual fading quality, or it can represent inspiration and a gradual manifesting quality. For Election Day, I interpreted the Mars (personal action) square Neptune (illusion) aspect as an event that would cloud the voting process because I felt that, given the confusion over the past 2 Presidential elections, the pattern of unclear outcomes would repeat itself. However, what happened was that the action of the voters (Mars) was inspired to manifest (Neptune) the change demanded by Uranus as it opposed Saturn (the established structure). Uranus represents a sudden change brought on by the need of consciousness to expand beyond the limits of a structure which no longer serves the purpose for which it was erected.

On the political stage, the energy of the Saturn/Uranus opposition has certainly made itself clear. Change is the demand of Uranus, and Obama was clearly the candidate of change. I have felt for a long time that Obama would be the obvious winner, not because of polling or my own admittedly Democratic idealism, but because Uranus is the energy which expands consciousness, and it will always bring about the change necessary for this expansion to occur. Like it or not, with Obama as the next leader of our country, we expect his decisions and policies to be different from the ones made by Bush. Bush has served his purpose, but the political structure which has developed during his presidency has become restrictive rather than supportive and there is no room for the consciousness of the American people to expand. The question now is whether Obama can live up to the demands of Uranus and actually shift the political structures of our country in such a way that we will experience the expansion.

If we leave the political sphere and meet on the personal level, where can we see the stagnant structures of our own lives begin to shift and make room for the expansion and freedom that Uranus demands? Yes, America is changing, but so is every American - every person everywhere, for that matter!. Saturn and Uranus will oppose each other for 2 years, bringing many opportunities for each of us to leave the old patterns we learned as children or in past lives behind and to expand our consciousness. As a child growing up, I learned to hide my intelligence and gift of expression because I perceived that the other children I knew, not to mention the adults I met, were intimidated by my perception. I muted my self-expression so that I would not be harassed or punished by people who were not ready to deal with such precociousness in a child. Unfortunately, this pattern persisted will into my adult life and I have faced many challenges as I learn to express myself as completely as possible. It is no accident that my weekly emails blossomed into a website and blog with supporting commentary from Rob Moore as the energy of Uranus challenged my Saturnine pattern of restricting my freedom of self-expression.  I continue to expand the reach of my voice during this opposition as I continue to develop my website (look for a grand unveiling in early 2009) and pursue other avenues to share my observations with even more people.

Each of us is being challenged to break out of old patterns and habits which have held us back in our lives. For some us, these changes will occur with relative ease and feel like the natural evolution of our psyche. For some, the challenges that come up for us will feel threatening and make us want to retreat even deeper into our old patterns for the reassurance we find the habitual. If you are one of these people, I would like to share some advice: embrace change! Uranus is always an upgrade! No matter how anxious, fearful, scared, threatened, old, tired, or miserable you may feel about the energy manifesting itself, the change that is coming is the change you need to be more free and alive!

Heraclitus is credited with one of the most revolutionary thoughts in all of Western thought: “all things flow….”

Now is the time for all of us to embrace change and to flow into our expanded consciousness.

This is the setting for the next two years of our lives. With the understanding that this backdrop will decorate our stage for the next few years, we can now examine the week ahead. The Moon will be full at 21 degrees Taurus on Thursday, Nov 13. Taurus is the sign that rules value and the things we have or own, as opposed to the things that we do not have or own. At the time of the full Moon, the light of the Sun is reflected back to us so that we can see our own lives. Sometimes, the full Moon makes things overly-big and dramatic so that we cant help but to see what is highlighted. This full Moon will bring to our attention what we have or what we do not have, depending on how we answer the age-old “half glass of water” question. The optimists among us will have a wonderfully affirming experience of our own worth, the things we value, and appreciation of what we do, in fact, have. The pessimists among us will see only what we do not value, do not have, or do not own.

If we are going to work with the cosmic energy, we should look to Venus, the ruler of Taurus, for guidance in order to have the best possible experience of this full Moon. Venus is currently riding the friendly skies of expansive Sagittarius, but she will change sign and enter dutiful Capricorn before the full Moon appears. Capricorn is the sign of the zodiac most concerned with tradition and honor. The key phrase for Capricorn is “I use.” If we maintain the positive outlook of Sagittarius as we interpret the message of this full Moon, it could be to realize (full Moon) that we create value (Taurus) in our lives when we make the most (Capricorn) of the gifts we have (Taurus). Another positive way to groom our experience of the full Moon would be to honor (Capricorn) the things or people we love (Taurus) by recognizing (full Moon) them. Either way, we should recognize and honor the gifts that we have so that as we experience the changes of the Saturn/Uranus opposition, we are able to maintain our sense of self and equilibrium. Ultimately, the fact that we are blessed to be alive and conscious on this planet at such an exciting time, ripe with so much possibility, is a profound and moving realization all on its own.

The things that we own, the things that cannot be taken away from us, are going to be the things that we take with us as we expand towards a higher consciousness brought on by the awakening we will experience at the mercy of freedom-loving Uranus. If we break our attachment to what is not ours to begin with or to what we cannot provide, unaided, for ourselves, we wont mind the change at all.

Be well.

mark

MOORE TO CONSIDER ABOUT THIS WEEK’S ASTROLOGY

Hello Everyone,

So, here we are. I have to admit that I am no better at fighting anxiety than most people, and my anxiety about writing this week’s column has slowed me down. I prefer to post on Sundays, but I felt so overwhelmed at the daunting task of commenting on this week’s planetary lineup that I put it off for one more day. The fact that I have had four big party nights in a row did not assist my creativity or fortitude, but what the hell, it was a party weekend and I don’t usually give myself permission to have that much fun all at once! Perhaps we have had a similar weekends?

Its impossible to write this week and not address Election Day, but first lets talk about the energies that lead us up to Tuesday. On Sunday, Nov 2, Neptune went direct in Aquarius after spending 5.5 months retrograding through the sign of fixed, detached air. Neptune going direct will bring clarity to the Aquarius areas of our charts. Wherever 21 degrees Aquarius is placed in your chart is where you may have been very unclear in your thinking over the past 6 months. Perhaps we were deceived, or deceiving ourselves about something that we could not see clearly. Well, with Neptune direct, we will be having a big AH-HA! moment.

Neptune also rules addictions, and whenever Neptune changes directions, we can more successfully end an addiction. Whether our addiction is caffeine, nicotine, drugs or drink, overeating, or criticizing others, this is perfect time to find the strength we need to end the cycle. Personally, I have had two very good friends who have had to face their addictions this weekend. Although I am deeply concerned for them, I am also hopeful that the timing of their seeming collapses occur just as Neptune changes direction. We are all responsible for our own actions and choices in this life, and now is a good time to choose to end destructive habits and cycles.

How will this play out in the election? Well, let’s all think for ourselves about where we believe the American public has been deceived, or has been deceiving itself. I don’t want to put any of my readers on the defensive by making political commentary, but at this stage in the game, we are all much more informed about what the government has been doing or not doing for our benefit. There is no doubt that Americans are addicted to consumption, however! We make more and spend more on every level in our society than any other society in the world. We are mass consumers with no shame at the extent of our gluttony, and now that we have mortgaged the futures of our children and destroyed the golden years of our elders, we are faced with the grim reality of the cost of this appetite. This would be a great time for Americans to break their addiction to consumption and become more responsible not only for their habits, but for their fellow Americans. We have a duty in a democracy to be our own caretakers, and we are failing. Perhaps Neptune going direct will make this clear and a shift in our understanding will result in a shift in our actions.

Concurrently, Venus in Sagittarius is squaring the applying opposition between Saturn and Neptune. Venus represents the power of attraction in our lives. We often feel this power as something that happens to us, but in reality it is the power which we create and direct on a more subconscious level. The experiences we have, the people in our lives, the happiness and misery we experience all are a product of what we attract to ourselves. In this manner, we create our own experiences, no matter how random they seem. If we are aware that we create our own reality by attracting that which we focus upon, then we can begin to change our reality to suit our conscious desires more easily.

Sagittarius energy is a magnifier and it makes everything it touches bigger. I expect that many of us will be getting a very magnified, up close look at what we have created for ourselves. Like my friends who have had to face their addictions this weekend, we are all seeing big pictures of what we have created for ourselves. This is happening in the middle of the Saturn/Uranus opposition that I have been talking about for months. Saturn represent structure and Uranus represents freedom. Once again, the Universe is making it clear what we need to fix, what we need to rebuild, and what we need to tear down in order to progress to the next level of our personal development. Whatever has gotten too big for us to handle is the area in our lives where we need to make the biggest changes. The fact that this is coming up right before a huge election gives the message added strength. Jupiter rules Sag, and Jupiter is in Capricorn, which is an energy concerned with responsibility and tradition.  In all aspects of our lives, we need to be more responsible for ourselves and our actions, for they create vibrations which affect others. The mortgage crisis is a perfect example. There are other crises facing us on a national level, but again, I’ll leave that for every reader to ponder on his own. The question is how do we as individuals step up and own the process of government?   Obviously, voting is one way, but once we vote, don’t we need to remain engaged in the process?

So what happens next, after we have had these two very active and revealing days? Well, more of the same! As the tension from the Venus square dies down late Monday, the tension of the Saturn/Uranus opposition comes to head and becomes mathematically precise on Tuesday, Nov 4th. Saturn represents tradition, patriarchy, career, loyalty, structure and responsibility. Uranus, represents serendipitous freedom that comes with unexpected change. As human beings, we recognize the power and importance of structure, tradition, and loyalty. These things gives us guidelines, purpose, and responsibility. They define our roles and give us meaning.  When these structures begin to feel too restrictive, they are called “old-fashioned” because they were created at a time in the past when consciousness had not expanded beyond those boundaries. As consciousness expands, the structures we have created for ourselves must expand, or we will feel restricted and repressed.

The last time Saturn opposed Uranus was the two year period from 1964-1966. The counter-culture of the 60s rebelled against the tradition that was established post WWII in order to rebuild our country and our communities after the ravages of that terrible war. Those structures were important and allowed our country to rise to great heights in the 40s and 50s, but by the time the 60s came around, those structures were not flexible enough to contain the expanding consciousness of the younger generation.

Forty years later, we are once again in the same position: the expanded consciousness of the Generation of Love has matured and crystallized, and although our consciousness has expanded again, our structures are forty years old, and unable to flex with the changing times. Enter Uranus, the agent of radical change once again! Just as the youth, the women, and the African-American communities of the 60s were mobilized as political forces, once again we see a resurgence in the power of these groups in politics. As with all change whose time as come, resistance will lead to pain. The fight for the right to vote was painful for women when they fought for it, and the fight of the African-American community for that same right was even worse, but the change came despite the resistance. Today, we are faced with a similar situation. Change is needed, necessary, and inevitable, but will our American community resist at its own expense like it did in the 60s, or will we work with the energy presented in order to make the transition an example of how we can make conscious efforts to elevate ourselves and the level of our discourse.

On this very same day, Mars will square Neptune, bringing in a very personal aspect. Mars rules our actions and our impulse to make a mark on the world. Mars is pure “ME” energy and a square is a challenge we must participate in if its to be productive. Of course, we can make a bad decision and fail the challenge, or we make a good decision and expand. This Mars/Neptune square is occurring in fixed signs, which usually indicates slow and deliberate action. On a national level, I believe this is playing out in the long lines and huge turn out for early voting across the country! I saw on the news that people in Atlanta are waiting 10 hours to cast their vote! After waiting 10 hours, I would want my vote to count twice, wouldn’t you?! The point I want to make is that people have weighed this decision for months and they are committed and willing to do what it takes to make their voices heard. What about the undecided voters who haven’t yet voted? They will certainly have something to say on Tuesday!

One word of caution: Neptune carries with him an air of deception. His influence is often unclear and sometimes what we think we see when Neptune is lighting the way, is not really what is there, after all. I think of Neptune as a foggy bathroom mirror that wont clear. It is like we are getting ready to go somewhere, but we cant see ourselves to fix our hair and make-up. We do our best, but once we arrive at our destination, our friends say, “Hey, whats up with your hair?” We rush to the bathroom to find a clear mirror and we see that what we thought we did really turned out to be something else entirely.

For this reason, I would not be very inclined to take anything at face value in Tuesday, not at work, not at home, not at the polling places.  Tuesday is certainly not a good day to be overconfident, pushy, or trusting. If you are voting Tuesday, be patient and alert: even if you aren’t fooled, perhaps you can help prevent someone else from being fooled. Elections are not a proper place for trickery or deception, but the reality of the fact is that Mars will square Neptune that day, and there will be some high jinx at the polls - and everywhere else too! After the last two national elections, lets hope the poll watchers and those responsible for keeping the process transparent are alert and fair.

Most of you know that I am never at loss for words, and I could go on and on about the subtle ways these energies are supporting or thrawrting each other, but at the end of the day, the Sun and Mars are in fixed, serious and deep Scorpio, which means we will be very serious and concerned that our voices are heard and we will do what is necessary to make this happen. Unfortunately, the Mars square to Neptune could cause some people to go overboard in their attempts to make a difference. Mercury will be in the last, expiative degree of Libra, which I believe will call undecided voters to vote their conscience: whatever they feel guilty about, they will vote to expiate those feelings, for better or worse. Finally, the moon will be in Capricorn both Monday and Tuesday, bringing a serious, responsible energy to the forefront of everyone’s experience.

Finally, I would like remind you all that these energies are playing themselves out in our personal lives, as well. Our structures need to change in order to support the expansion in our personal consciousness, and Uranus is bringing it! Resisting or fighting these changes will not stop them but it will make the experience much more painful. People with planets in Virgo, Pisces, Gemini, and Sagittarius are all feeling this tension very strongly.  Pluto will change signs at the end of November, bringing much transformation to Capricorn, Cancer, Libra, and Aries. Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius, the fixed signs, will not be able to resist the pressure from these others, and they will need to restructure as well. Now is a time of great change, like it or not. Now is a time to take more responsibility for ourselves and our neighbors. We are each a manifestation of a larger whole, and our actions should reflect this new consciousness. The changes that are coming our way will re-shape our structures so that our consciousness can expand. Lets all check our need for control and enjoy the feeling of the entire world learning how to breathe more deeply, to be more present, and to be more alive.

If you haven’t already, please VOTE!

Be Well!

mark

MOORE TO CONSIDER ABOUT THIS WEEK’S ASTROLOGY