There’s a lot happening in the sky this month. The New Moon – and the Full Moon following it on November 8th — are both eclipses, which means change is in the air, and for most of us, some changes will be unavoidable. If we are willing to face reality, to not turn away, we can use the eclipse energy wisely to steer our lives in a new direction.

“We only become what we are by the radical and deep-seated refusal of that which others made of us.” ~Jean-Paul Sartre

The realities we need to face are not just external. This New Moon offers opportunities to dive deep and heal old, festering emotional wounds.

We all have these wounds. They are scabbed over and then ignored because often, when they happen, we are too young to know how to even recognize, much less heal them. But the pain and fear is still eating away at us in the background. They still affect our thought patterns and behavior. They keep us from creating the life we want for ourselves and our loved ones, and block the potentials of this lifetime. They leave us at the mercy of others’ ideas about who we are and who we should be.

The healing process isn’t painless. But every time we find the courage to face an old wound and take the necessary steps to heal it, our emotional landscape, mental clarity, and relationships see distinct improvements.

The work we do will also affect the world, as every healing does. It affects the ancestors, and changes the future. As we heal, we bring healing to others.

I’ll take a few paragraphs for the astrologers, and then look more closely at the weeks ahead. If the technical astrology doesn’t interest you, skip past the italics.

(Astrologers: Cast the chart for October 25, 6:49 am Eastern Daylight Time, in Washington, DC. 23°24’ Libra is on the Ascendant.

A tight conjunction of the Scorpio New Moon with Venus (less than half a degree), in aspect with no other planets, means this stellium’s expression will not be held back by any other forces.

[Venus is not the lightweight many think. Like Mercury, she can act as psychopomp, walking between worlds. Neither Venus nor Luna find Scorpio’s terrain easy going, but, working with Sun, they can deepen our feelings, extend our emotional range, and open psychic pathways to knowledge.]

There is also an Air Grand Trine of Saturn in Aquarius, Mars [almost at a standstill] in Gemini, and Mercury in Libra. Grand Trines are an easy flow of energy that too easily can become a rut.

Mars is powerful in this chart. It is almost stationary, co-rules the eclipse, and both disposits and widely squares Jupiter on the Aries Point. It trines and is disposited by Mercury, and squares Neptune.

And don’t forget the Saturn-Uranus square, which is separating, but still in a tight orb, and triggered by transiting inner planets.)

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place" ~ G.B. Shaw

In addition to the deep dive into emotions this month, our rational thinking processes will also be challenged. Many will fall into a rut that may manifest as intellectual laziness or nervous overthinking, a war of words, and other communication breakdowns. Some will find their beliefs about reality severely challenged.

Beware of gaslighting. Watch for it, call it out when you see it. Also beware the loud rattling of shallow emotions attempting to distract from an underlying need to dive into the painful process of healing, both in yourself and others.

Don’t fall for the uber-rational constraints of philosophical materialism. Even people who read the scribblings of astrologers — and the astrologers themselves — can become trapped in the underlying world view of a materialist culture that ignores the evidence for the existence of non-physical consciousness and the world of spirit. Look for the larger, expanded view of whatever situations you find yourself in, because the more you understand, the more effectively you can create and steer change.

Staying grounded in our spiritual and magical practices is essential as we head in to the most difficult part of this year. Remember that the patterns of the planets are like a weather report for the subtle energies that shape our physical reality. Just because the weather is difficult doesn’t mean you are going to be in a bad place. Consistent personal energy practices will help us work with the weather, instead of against it.

Meditation and Magic

Eclipses are about change, and the planetary energies are fully involved in that process during eclipse seasons. This is why there’s some controversy about whether or not it’s a good idea to work with subtle/magical/psychic energies during an eclipse. Or even for days or weeks around an eclipse. Others say an eclipse can empower your workings.

I’ve found there is often energetic blowback working magic close to an eclipse. I think of high seas — it’s easy to get blown around, tossed around, set off course. So generally I stay off the magic boat during these times. But sometimes needs must. If you take the boat out, just be sure to pay attention, and don’t neglect your grounding practices.

Meditation is another matter, and this eclipse can be very helpful to meditations focused on inner change. Many people will be having emotional outbursts, using emotional manipulation, and some will be in dire need of empathy and caring. Meditation and/or prayer (if you’re a theist), can help manage your own emotions and better understand and help others.

Emotion fuels magic, and the more easily we can identify, acknowledge, and shift our emotions, the more deeply we can connect with our magic and creativity. Focus on identifying your emotions as they arise. Look under the surface emotions for what’s real. For instance, anger is often a surface emotion that serves to hide pain and insecurity. When the emotional response is out of proportion to the triggering event, there’s almost always a deeper emotional reality in play.

Once you’ve identified what’s real in your own emotional landscape, then you can work on shifting emotions as they arise, by acknowledging and working to heal the underlying issues.

While everyone is either digging deep into or trying to avoid emotional realities, we can help by offering empathy and caring to those who need it. Including ourselves. Refrain from the all-too-common human response of beating yourself up. Look for solutions, not punishment.

Don’t be shy about signing up for therapy if you find yourself in deep emotional waters, as you may under this sky. Even just a few sessions of talking to someone can help sort things out.

If you choose not to do magic during eclipse season, this is a fine time to use previously made or purchased talismans, amulet/mojo bags, and talismanic materia to help balance your emotional state and draw what you need to you.

As always, if you’d like some insight into how the current planetary patterns are affecting your life and how you can work with them, contact me, and we’ll set up a consultation.

Relationships and Money

As you might imagine with all this emotional energy in the air, relationships are going to be in flux. Specifics depend on how this eclipse interacts with your birth chart, but in general, if you want some changes in your relationships, this is a good time to get clear on what changes you want and start making them happen. If you don’t stay aware of what’s going on in your relationships, then you are more likely to be blindsided by unexpected changes.

It’s important to keep the big picture in mind. If the fact that your kids scatter their toys around or your spouse never unloads the dishwasher is getting on your last nerve, take a moment to think about how best to create real change in a relationship instead of flying off the handle. What happens under this sky will be consequential, and feelings will be easily hurt. Remember the love before you speak.

Healthy relationships can work on healing now, but abusive relationships are likely to intensify. This is the number for the National Domestic Violence Hotline in the USA — 800-799-7233. Keep it handy in case you or someone you know needs it. There is no compromise when it comes to abuse. Reach out for help, and take action to get free.

Money is also going to be going through some changes, both in our personal lives and on the national and global stage. On a personal level, I suggest caution and a budget. There is more to budgeting than saving money. It also forces you to decide what you truly value, since you have to look at where you are going to spend or invest your money. Think about that carefully, and keep in mind that the world economy is highly unstable right now. Which brings me to the national outlook.

What you can do for your country

The conflicts we are seeing politically and socially are not going away. In fact, they are likely to worsen before we start healing. Inflation, issues around oil and other liquid fuels, and religious fundamentalism will be front and center in the news. And of course, there will be plenty of conspiracy theories, hypocrisy, lies, delusions, and calls for violent social change. More of the same, with the emphasis on more.

Calls for reproductive rights and worker rights are not going away either. The public discourse will be heated, and focused on authoritarianism and resistance. Internal violence is a real possibility, and our foreign policy challenges will involve tiptoeing through a diplomatic minefield.

On a global level as well as national, trade will be faced with disruptions that will need flexibility to work around. Unfortunately, that flexibility may be hard to find.

I know this all sounds a bit dire, and it is. We are at a pivotal point in our country’s history. We each have a choice to be an active citizen of a democracy, or get swept along in a tide of rising fascism and theocratic authoritarianism.

(Astrologers: Cast for Washington DC, the chart is predictive for the country. The eclipse is in the first house (I use equal houses), which puts the focus on the citizenry .

Mars is strong in this chart. (Hence more conflict) It rules the eclipse and the descendant. Almost stationary in Gemini, it disposits Gemini’s ruler Mercury through dispositing Venus, which rules the ascendant. It also disposits Jupiter at the Aries Point, which is just a few arc minutes away from retrograding into its domicile of Pisces, where it gets together with co-ruler Neptune to blow lots of things out of proportion, including prices and the news.

Now look at this chart in a bi-wheel with the Sibly chart. Note the eclipse and Venus in the Sibly 11th, suggesting changes in the legislative branch, and all three planets in a tight approaching trine to the natal Venus-Jupiter conjunction. (Make of that what you will. I’m going to call it a good omen for democracy.)

Pay particular attention to the 3-pass Mars return, which activates not only the natal Mars-Neptune square, but also squares transiting Neptune. Then, in a few weeks, it stations on natal Uranus. There’s a lot more there, but I’ll leave it to you to check it out. )

I may or may not get around to writing up the next eclipse, which falls on Election Day (November 8th). But know that this is arguably the most consequential election in our country’s history. Please get out there and vote.

Need more info? Go here: https://www.vote.org/