This Week in Astrology – 18th – 24th November 2013

InfantStarsIt’s a real mixed bag of a week but there seems to be a uniting thread. It’s about being present. It’s the now that counts, not yesterday and not tomorrow. I’ve been berating myself for the past few days for not doing something I ‘should’ have done or for a lack of focus, procrastination and all manner of other things. At the other extreme my mind wanders to future times so far away I can’t possibly plan for every eventuality (even though I try!). It seems I have been on an ‘anywhere but here‘ trip and yes I have some challenging Saturn action going on, along with the Full Moon just gone opposite my natal Neptune!

But you know what, it’s fine because in this moment I’m here and I’m present and that’s what counts. No more berating, no more trying to beat the clock (which is almost impossible on a Saturn opposite Mars transit anyway!). I’m just here – mindful of writing, mindful of the moment.

We begin with  Pluto conjunct asteroid Pandora on the 18th November. Check in with your hopes. What are you really hoping for? Is hope still alive and well underneath the barrage of work, to do lists and worries about the bank balance? Whatever the situation, there is always room for hope. It’s what keeps us striving for a better time to come. In this combination, hope is a powerful motivator for change.

With the presence of Pluto however, this can also be a time to let go of hopes that are keeping you stuck where you are – hope that has run its course. Hope must have its place.  Certainly hope can get you through the bad times but at some point a step needs to be made to bring the dream alive. This combination is in Capricorn after all. Hope can sustain you, but after the crisis passes, it needs to be combined with good old fashioned hard work and a realistic outlook.


Chiron stations direct on the 19th November on the Sabian symbol ‘A Girl Blowing A Bugle‘. I see the Judgement card in the tarot as I ponder this Sabian. In shamanic practice, it is said that when we suffer a traumatic experience, the soul can fragment. Pieces of the soul leave to hideout in a safe place in the otherworlds (and occasionally are taken by others). The bugle horn is like a call to these lost soul parts to bring them back home.

Edit – A reader has pointed out that the Sabian Symbol is actually “An Aviator Pursues His Journey, Flying Through Ground-Obscuring Clouds”! I actually read the degree backwards which is comical considering I was thinking about a retrograde. Being Leo Rising, of course I am now nursing my wounded pride and covering my red face! But sometimes a message is a message so I am leaving the original words intact.

On the same day, Mercury forms a conjunction to the North Node, pulling the mind towards thoughts of fulfilling your purpose. As you become whole again, Mercury brings you a message from your soul, reminding you of what you are here to learn and of the path ahead.

It’s still a Mercury-Chiron story as we move into the 20th November with Mercury forming a trine to Chiron. Energy flows. Your thoughts can either make or break you. Check where your thoughts are helpful or harmful and remedy those that poke holes in your plans. A quincunx from Mercury to Uranus also on the 20th November indicates flashes of inspiration are blinking in the corner of your eye. A shift of position is all that is needed to perceive it in its entirety.

Mindfulness is still in play as we move into the 21st November with a sextile from Mercury to Pluto. Go Mercury! It’s all about your powers of perception today. If you’ve stayed mindful during the week, then you won’t allow the ‘no’ in your head to get in the way of ‘yes’. Your thoughts are powerful and today is the day to stay aware of this. Be conscious of the words you think and the words you speak.

The Sun enters Sagittarius on the 22nd November. It’s lift off! This is the time of the visionary, the explorer, the philosopher. It’s about enjoying the journey as much as the destination. Your life is a story in the making. There’s no need to keep returning to the past and editing what happened and why. Stay in the now and consider your hero/heroine adventure. Be bold.

A sweet sextile between Venus and Saturn on the 23rd November brings a new energy into play. It’s a stabilising influence that helps to strengthen and deepen your relationships. With Venus also in Capricorn, this is about building for the long-term, no rush. Take your time today. Focus on a job well done. Enjoy the process.

If possible, keep that Venus-Saturn aspect in mind as we move to the 24th November because the end of the week ends on a  wimpy, whiny note with a square between the Sun and Neptune. The difficulty with this aspect is that it can trigger an aimless, confused feeling where you don’t know what you want or you feel like you have lost your way. Daydreaming about what ‘could be’ takes the shine off what is. The Sun in Sagittarius and Neptune in Pisces are visionary placements but the midpoint between them falls in Capricorn. It’s about taking concrete steps to build your dream in the here and now. Wildly imaging big dreams can be motivating but at times like this it can also be overwhelming and confidence sapping. Think, what can I do today to build a better world? Tomorrow can take care of itself.

6 COMMENTS

  1. Leah, wow! This is uncanny! I drew a Tarot card this morning too, from my old Egyptian pack. Out came Akhenaton. The Tarot interpretation says “Man” as in “you will meet a man today”, which is kind of wimpy but there are deeper meanings to the card. Akhenaton was the infamous Pharaoh who tried to replace Egypt’s beloved god Ammon with Aton. The Egyptians hated him so much for this that not only did his attempt fail, but as a punishment he was erased from pyramids, papyrus scrolls and most evidence. He was discovered eventually, but so were the great efforts of his people to obliterate him from history. For me he was the Pharaoh of Utopia, which bodes so well with this week’s aspects. I promised myself to live in the moment and in the real world. Thank you for reminding me to shake my Mars-Neptune opp and “get heat out of cloud”! 🙂

    How does Saturn opposite Mars feel? What does it do?

  2. Hi Laura – I remember Akhenaton. We went to an ‘Alternative Egypt’ conference many years ago and there was a long talk about this Pharaoh – very interesting. I shall be writing about Saturn opposite Mars soon as I have this transit going on!

  3. Yes – isn’t this ironic? A man so hated by his own people is better known and more talked about than Pharaos of much higher glory and popularity. Akhenaton was also one of the main characters of the fabulous novel The Egyptian by Mika Waltari. It took a long time and it wasn’t any consolation to him personally, but Pharaoh Akhenaton did have the last laugh.

    Wish there was an Alternative Egypt conference nearby – I’d go in a flash. I swear I was Egyptian in a past life.

    Can’t wait to read about transiting Saturn opposite natal Mars. Will you get it three times – 1st time direct, then retrograde, and then direct one more time? Like a hot iron on a crisp shirt.

  4. The conference was amazing – many years ago now though. It explored all the archaeology and presented material that the department of antiquities likes to keep quiet!
    As for Saturn opposite Mars, yes 3 times. It’s just 2 degrees away now and I’m already feeling the frustration. Will have to meditate on this one!

  5. Hi Leah,

    Great reading of the week thank you. I noticed today with the Sun ingressing Sagittarius we have it’s ruler, Jupiter a-cross the wheel precisely conjunct the Moon at 21 degrees symbol and interpretation:

    21º Cancer: A prima donna singing.
    Elevation and popularization of human values through art as a social factor. Supreme realization of the life-ambition.

    Can you please remind me Leah (cannot find in my notes) just recently when we had this point come up. I seem to remember it was either one of the aspects contributing to the eclipse. I would like to understand how it may relate to this time.

    Thank you! : )

  6. Hi Leanne – Sorry for being completely rubbish and not replying sooner! Been a little bit busy!
    Anyway, to answer your question, in the solar eclipse on the 3rd November, Jupiter was at 20.29 degrees of Cancer and trine the eclipse.

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