The Cancer Full Moon on January 13th stimulates emotional drive to engage with spirit and produce a result. What motivates us, makes us feel connected… we're here to do something, not only purposeful, but presented as a gift.

With Mars Retrograde in Cancer, we go over the past — especially family or place of origin — how connected we are to that legacy, our roots. And for some of us, it needs to be reassessed, looked at differently, so that we may decide that we are free of certain things that continually draw us back.

Think about yourself, people who you know or people in the news who cling to grievances and things in the past that they feel wronged by. We may not be able to totally cut off historic influences. Yet in a conscious way, we can step back and choose to proceed with new awareness.

When we go through it in the habitual way, then our experience will be that familiar story. But for those of us who want to grow, especially in this full moon period nudged by Mars retrograde, we can modify the story.

More on the podcast…

In this first full week of January in 2025, we're in a reckoning time as Mars retrogrades in the sign of Cancer. In backward motion from our perspective, we're asked to delay, reflect and slow down. Slow down is not a happy place for Mars.

Mars is the planet that symbolizes how we assert ourselves, go forward, express our libido, desire and anger… so when it's retrograde, depending on our personal horoscope, there may be a tendency to implode — the information goes inside. And that is not comfortable, obviously.

A healthy expression of Mars is to know what you want, express and be able to go for, to make happen in this lifetime… as well as to understand when and why you get angry… how to express anger in a way that is non-reactive, with the appropriate force or assertion that's necessary to move that anger to a healthy point of resolution.

Mars retrograde in Cancer may bring up unresolved feelings, specific to family grievances. Cancer is a sign that is linked to the hearth, family of origin, our roots. Many of us may feel some pushback, especially coming off holidays.

This week is a great time to process that, well supported by the the waxing moon cycle and to see things in different light. Work it out on a ball court, put it into art, express in some sort of activity that is not destructive. That is the best way to use this power, because it is a power we want to understand and be informed by.

If it feels too big, then give yourself some distance from it. Take a walk, get some air in the room, do things that lower the intensity — handle it instead of ignoring it. If there are historic issues, like feelings of not being heard — whatever the residual or old story is, we want to create good foundations for the new story.

This is a life journey for many of us; we experience an epiphany and feel a release but then sometime later it's: oh, so I guess I have to deal with that too. Nonetheless, it can be a really lovely week to push through some old emotional stuff and get a bit liberated from it.

… for the complete week’s forecast, listen to the podcast

December 30th has the New Moon in the sign of Capricorn at 5:27 PM ET. This New Moon at the end of 2024, sets up the ability to reflect on what we learned from Pluto in Capricorn, which began in 2008. Look for my podcast specific to Capricorn New Moon 2024.

Pluto stripped away preconceptions of how we thought things work, especially our institutions and financial systems. We can see it at play in governmental structures all around the world.

As Pluto now travels through the sign of Aquarius, we will revisit the time of the American Revolution. The United States may look very different in eight, ten years than it does today.

This new moon asks: what do you want to have happen? What potential can you imagine? What is our responsibility if we invite in higher octaves of love, connectivity, and a sense of overall harmony within our world? So on a small scale, whatever you contemplate, or want to make happen in your personal life, start with a commitment. You don’t have to know the how yet, but make a contract with yourself.

More on the podcast…

December 23rd opens the week with a Libra Moon. We can connect with people, move with a certain amount of grace and access ability to follow through. Opportunities pop. Moon in Libra wants to understand, create dialogue and invite a balance of opinions.

Because Mercury is direct now (but Mars is retrograde), things may take longer to roll out… and it's right smack in the heart of the holiday season. So anything business-wise may take a while to get off the ground. Things that have to do with generous heart, love, family, charity and friendship can really sing around this time.

Now, the other thing to mention on Tuesday, which is Christmas Eve is that the moon goes void of course as of 5:44 AM. When the moon is void of course is that people are not as emotionally attached to outcomes. This Christmas Eve is really nice to enjoy events, people-watch and super fun stuff — but for those who actually have to work... follow through on projects already in motion and just know that you can only do as much as you can do.

The other thing to note is it's the second time that we have Jupiter square Saturn. Jupiter is in Gemini and Saturn is in Pisces creating a geometric picture which causes tension. The friction heightens because the planets Jupiter and Saturn symbolize different aspects of “paternal” authority and financial systems. In the case of Saturn, it's structured, disciplined, selectively responsible, can be very cold and strategic.

Whereas Jupiter is adventurous, far seeking, optimistic and speculative. It can be hung up on things of the higher mind, judicial or with a religious perspective. These two expressions in the collective create a blockade when at odds. Each one wants to be seen for what it does and have a say. We see authority figures in the news and controversy based on what's just, what freedom look like and what holds in education, institutions and corporations. Many countries right now are going through turmoil.

If Gemini, Pisces, Virgo or Sagittarius are strong in your horoscope, this configuration may affect one of your personal planets. If so, the lesson is to honor both sides of self and not capitulate too strongly in one direction or the other. Is something at the cost of something else? How do you reconcile that so that something meaningful is not tossed because the other voice is so much more demanding?

More on the podcast…

As we come off the past weekend’s Full Moon (quite confusing or challenging for some of us); wildly different conversations, especially if fraught with intellectual/ logic against what feels like justice.

Sunday evening may have brought good rest, as Mercury went direct. As this week opens readjust; Mercury retraces its recent path. Confusion starts to clear, although not necessarily absolute clarity. We just may feel less of a fog, which is certainly preferable.

The moon is in the sign of Cancer on Monday and Tuesday. Therefore, if you've a lot of water or perhaps earth, you want people or situations that feel comfortable and safe. You may think that's good all the time, but some thrive on conflict… when they seek solutions or stimuli, they attract tension and friction!

Yet with this Cancer Moon, we look for that tranquil cove to reset. We need to figure out where we are, evaluate and reflect before we gain momentum. These are unsettling times. Your practice when on less tumultuous waters is to keep righting your ship.

Practice regular spiritual hygiene, whatever's working for you. Some people like a journaling, or scribing their gratitudes. Others exercise the morning pages from The Artist's Way. Yoga practice, stretching, martial art - all forms of meditation. I love being able to walk in nature or garden and just “be” to drift for a while. When I lived in the city, there was the roof and skyline or a walk by the river. You may like a cloistered meditation or you may seek ways that give you a sense of space.

Prioritize a practice of meditation; it will feed you and allow calm in the chaos. It doesn’t have to be fancy or rigid — washing dishes or taking a bath works for some. More on the podcast…

Neptune is now direct in the sign of Pisces before it hits Aries — this will happen in 2025 on March 31st. Yes, it will dip back into Pisces, but as of spring 2025, Neptune starts to sextile with Pluto in Aquarius. This stimulates innovation and accelerate visions of Utopia (which is not a uniform concept).We will experience leaps and bounds as social movements evolve and take shape. As Neptune has gone direct this December 7, conversations intensified on social media of who warrants sympathy in a crime and who does not. The event recently in New York City — still a shock as I write this, the assassination of United Health Care CEO who was gunned down in a midtown street early morning, simply doesn't happen!

In spite of prattle about how dangerous cities like New York City are, this is not normal. It is Pluto in Aquarius. Pluto, symbol of irrevocable transformation in the sign of freedom and revolution. No one should be shot down, but the public response as to the news that the bullets were inscribed “deny, delay, depose” has connected to many who are sick of the US health system and its allegiance to profits. As Neptune has been in the sign in Pisces, it has intensified the feelings of victimization. The sense of not being understood, coupled with the seduction of social media as well as denial of subliminal messages. Conspiracy theories abound regardless of what camp you happen to be in politics, education or the legal system, you name it.

So, am I singing “hallelujah” as Neptune makes this pass that will eventually take it into Aries? Well, we'll see. And I will post soon the astrology of the time of the shooting.

Back to this this week: it opens with Mercury and Mars retrograde; communications tend to get snarled. You can't assume anything. It's really important to back up your files. Get your books and files in order. If you didn't do it before the retrograde, this is a great time to do it.

Overall this week is opening with pretty good energy considering everything else that's going on. We're still in the waxing moon cycle. We're building energetically whatever it is. We are trying to launch, get off the ground, finish complete. And as long as we keep those retrogrades in mind and are doing our due diligence and moving, you know, mincingly forward or as with as much Intentionality as we possibly can, it can be a productive week.

More in depth on this week is on the podcast…

The planetary activity this week is subtle — certain shifts happen — so nonetheless, it's impactful. The New Moon happened in the wee hours yesterday morning Eastern Standard Time. In Sagittarius, this opens up the high holiday season: partying, celebration, connections with family and friends.

There’s been an increase of religious fervor; it gained traction in the later part of the last century and momentum this century. As many people have drifted away from religion, there’s been a focus by some to bring them back. This has been symbolized by Pluto first in Sagittarius and then Pluto in Capricorn. The emphasis is to make faith bigger, not just religious faith, but hope and dream expectations. Be mindful of a fervor that leads to blindsided narrow vision.

Think about the archer that pulls back the bow to aim for the goal. The New Moon gathers energy, and when in the waxing moon cycle, it helps to recognize your direction and your focus. This time of year, many faiths and religions focus on celebration or culmination or an expectation of what's ahead. For many of us it may be to plan family / friend events.

For others it's concentrated thoughts on a religious or ritual closing of the year. And this New Moon is strongly aspected to support unfolding action, for anything you want to give creative energy and drive. On Monday, there’s a picture in the sky between Venus and Uranus in the early morning that suggests new ideas from out of the blue. It might be, “wow, this person is very attractive to me”.

Why, if you never thought of this person or perhaps color, music or food as desirable or intriguing, suddenly it is so. This spontaneous interest can happen around December 2nd.

Keep in mind, that surprise kick can bring a buyer's remorse. You may not want to engage in something without thinking about the consequences. Unless it tracks with what that overall goal is, give it 12/24 hours to sit with it a bit to be certain you are prepared to do this.

More on the podcast…

Mercury goes retrograde November 25th at 9:42 p.m. EST. With the Moon in Libra, the week opens with good days as long as you work within the parameters of the retrograde: reflect, revisit, back up files and edit.

Remember, Mercury is retrograde for the next couple of weeks. We're also in the waning moon cycle, because the New Moon happens this upcoming weekend. This is the period to wrap things up, slough off anything you don't want to bring into the next lunar cycle, clear your head and plan a fresh start.

Obviously there are things we work on continually — health, job, relationships, maintenance, routines and perhaps a long-term project. We don’t necessarily finish these things up, but we may end a certain aspect or decide to modify or change how we do it.

So the waning moon cycle can be very constructive as the weeks begins. You may emphasize anything that needs to be discussed, litigated or compromised. The Mercury retrograde taps into intuition and the ability to reconsider our present understanding; revelations happen.

On November the 19th, Pluto again returns into Aquarius. The “goodbye” to Pluto in Capricorn, which happened during the United States election, also starts to the shift of Pluto into Aquarius.

Aquarius is said to be the humanitarian sign, evolutionary and forward-thinking. I'm not saying that that isn't true, but Aquarius can be a bit imperious. You may know an Aquarius who is very convinced that they have the knowledge, the wisdom and they alone know the right path.

People who have strong Aquarius (Sun, Moon, personal planets, points) usually are opinionated people and are sure that everything would work better if people just lived and did things the way they think it should be done.

So the journey of Pluto in Aquarius will have its share of strong voices and righteous behavior. The balancing act is to keep respect for individual people during the powerful mandates before us.

More about the week n the podcast…

The week opens to encourage “flow”. When the moon is in Pisces “action” can feel amorphous. It works best when you flow in that direction.

If that's a natural way you do things, then you are in your element. People with a lot of water in their horoscope: Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio, as well as Earth signs: Taurus, Capricorn and Virgo, may feel especially in the zone.

Work with whatever's in front of you, especially if it's got to do with how to shift into the next gear. If you are up for transformation and to do whatever may need to happen, this is going to be a gravy day.

Yes! We're harmonizing with wonderful, beautiful energy.

By Tuesday the 12th, the Moon enters Aries. As we move from flow into fire we must pay attention to reconcile energies that are so different.

More about the week on the podcast…

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