Three planets, Mercury, Mars and Uranus, change direction this month. These changes in apparent motion are generally significant, although the influence may be subtle. While we may not see immediate results, these changes are setting the stage for more obvious impact in the months to come.

Mercury turns direct on the first day of the month, but remains in its disruptive shadow period until the 17th. It would be wise to save the initiation of important projects and trips until after mid-month.

A dominant theme throughout November is the dynamic roused by a trine between Mars and Uranus, the two most action-oriented characters in the zodiac. Noted astrologer Joanne Wickenburg says,

“Mars represents the partof you that wants you to be assertive, action-oriented and independent. Its job is to get you whatever you want. Uranus wants you to take risks every time you go after what you want. It challenges you not only to pioneer new trails in life, but to use untried, unconventional techniques in doing so. This combination can be exciting, unstable and volatile. Anger often erupts unexpectedly; actions can be initiated erratically in Uranus' attempt to show you that you can do more than you thought possible.”

Any time Mars and Uranus are connected there is a danger of too much action without enough thought, the genesis of many accidents. That propensity is escalated the final week of the month as Mercury, the ruler of mobility and transportation, moves into a trine aspect to both of them.

Both of these planets are now stationary and will change direction this month, thus expanding their potency right now and putting special emphasis on the liaison between them.

The connection between them expands to form a grand trine with the Sun for the first week or so of November, then with both Sun and Moon in the New Moon chart on the 9th and with Mercury for much of the remainder of the month. A grand trine usually denotes an easy alliance among the planets involved, with events happening almost effortlessly, somewhat automatically. In this case, however, it’s less of a given, and demands more input because of the stationary duality and impact of two of the three characters.

Mars is most decidedly a “do-it” kind of guy, but less than usual now and for the next five or six months. “The enabler” is packing up, so to speak, for his retrograde return trip to earlier degrees of Cancer, which begins November 15 and lasts into next year. Mars turns retrograde roughly every 26 months, most recently from October 2005 to Feb 4, 2006. During the Rx (retrograde) period, his inclination toward immediate action may be subverted by undertones of lethargy, introspection, self-assessment, obsession and even depression.

Uranus we know for his disdain for traditional wisdom, his impetuous and often rebellious nature, and his insistence on bringing his own drummer. Uranus has been retrograde since June, hovering between 19° and 15° of Pisces, essentially square to magnanimous Jupiter all that time. On the 24th, as a compelling factor in the Full Moon chart, Uranus turns direct, once again fomenting an impetus toward change and directing attention even more toward unusual and technological means of achieving our objectives.

With Mars backing off and Uranus getting ready to charge forward we may expect to see some dramatic intersections crop up in our taken-for-granted plans. With Jupiter still egging Uranus on, some changes may come suddenly and surprisingly.

Add to all this the poignancy of Neptune newly direct and still in its retrograde shadow period, intensifying our longing for more pleasant circumstances. It’s apt to be an interesting month.

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(Except as otherwise noted, all interpretations here are based on a natural chart, using the beginning of Aries as the ascendant, and times listed are Pacific Daylight Time.

A Void of Course Moon makes no significant aspects until it enters the next sign. Its void period is thought to be a poor time for starting new projects or making concerted effort toward existing plans.)

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 1

The Last Quarter Moon square at 2:16 pm is the day’s only major aspect. Moon in Leo and Sun in Scorpio could be quite stimulating, a time when you’re ready to be out there and into it. Only a bit later, at 3:59 pm, Mercury turns direct, beckoning us once again to express our views, make our moves and explore our questions—but, in deference to his host Libra, nicely.

The Sun-Mars-Uranus trine dominates the chart, and will for the coming week or so. It’s pulled into a kite formation with Saturn that makes Uranus the obvious focal point. Uranus has stationed this year at the midpoint of its seven-year sojourn through Pisces, signaling a time when we will begin to recognize the endings and beginnings engendered by corralling this symbol of upheavals and genius in the sign of seeking or evading. Any planet in Pisces takes on the coloring of its ruler, Neptune, and Uranus in itself shares Neptune’s visionary and escapist characteristics. Both are prone to rejecting the demands of reality, opting for fun or fantasy instead.

Sun and Mars are “here and now” planets; Saturn is reality, with all its limitations and burdens. Here we have all three of them aimed at Uranus. Sun represents the synthesis of all the intentions contained in each of our individual selves—our personality, our pride, our self-respect. Mars what we can use to make things happen—our drive, our strength, our energy, our stamina. And Saturn—Saturn gets a bad rap for castigating us when we reach too far, for continually pointing out our obligations and boundaries, but we must also give him credit for keeping us together. It is Saturn who rules our skin, our bones, and our teeth as well as our caution, endurance and ambition.

Sun in Scorpio adds intensity to our efforts, Mars in Cancer demands consideration of familial ties in all that we do.

This week’s kite pattern offers us the opportunity to focus our will—the individuality and independent spirit shown by Uranus—on meeting the lifelong desires shown by those three planets. Take some time this week to identify as precisely as possible the goals held dear by your own personality, drive and ambition. Through the remainder of this month, the planets will offer help in formulating plans to drop any foolish squandering of time, energy and resources in favor of dedicated efforts toward achieving positive goals.

Review the plans you laid with last month’s New Moon. Have you been paying more attention to husbanding your resources? (Note to Nina: That includes getting your filing system in order. “Resources” are comprised of a lot more than money.) Are you acknowledging that home and family are the essential foundations of a rewarding life and that achieving success and contentment in that sphere is fundamental to achieving success in other venues?

In the national chart, set for 5:18 pm in Washington DC, Aries rises. Mars is but one degree past the point of security, the penultimate measure of the importance of home, heritage and holdings. Sun is in the seventh house, where we interact with others and form alliances. Saturn is at the cusp of the fifth and sixth, combining the impetus of the house of focus on offspring and medals, where we exercise our competitiveness and creativity in the quest for immortality, with the sixth, where we pay attention to our health needs and the demands of serving and being served. Three powerful arguments sighted on Uranus—emblematic of political tensions as well as breakthroughs—in the eleventh house of legislators. Perhaps at last Congress will overcome the veto of the children’s health insurance bill. Clearly, we need to demand more insistently than ever the attention and cooperation of our elected representatives in peacefully resolving the issues of Iraq and Iran.

Mercury makes its direct station on the descendant, the point of others, in Libra, and is happily aligned with Jupiter and Neptune, suggesting that diplomatic interactions can be persuasive.

Eris sits almost exactly on the ascendant of this chart, opposing Mercury. I don’t feel I yet have a handle on the influence of Eris. Like many other astrologers, I paid little attention to her before she was named a minor planet a couple of years ago. So I’m simply going to direct you to Alex Miller-Mignone’s fascinating coverage of Eris in the September Daykeeper, and let you draw your own conclusions.

The Sabian symbol for the Moon’s position at 9:04 Leo: Early morning dew sparkles as sunlight floods the field; the exalted feeling that rises within the soul of the individual who has successfully passed through the long night which has tested his strength and his faith. Rudhyar says, “The building of a new society, and of one’s renewed personality as well, is just as much a process of artistic creation as the making of a delicate glass vase or a symphony.”

The symbol for the Sun at 10° Scorpio: A fellowship supper reunites old comrades; the overtones of human relationship based on a community of work or experiences. Rudhyar writes that this “suggests the importance of establishing or strengthening links with those with whom one has shared, or can share, living experiences.”

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 2

Mercury’s retrograde period is still in focus and, as it creeps away from its trine to Neptune, you may find your thinking processes inclined toward the intuitive, with flashes that may seem almost clairvoyant. This is an especially good time to call on creative visualization to help you work toward your goals, as today Moon also hooks into Neptune, with an opposition, and Jupiter. Try to develop detailed mental pictures of your goals.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 3

Moon goes void just 13 minutes after midnight (3:13 am on the east coast) carrying the questing impetus of a trine to Pluto. She moves on into Virgo at 5:45 am. It’s a great day for “closet cleaning,” literal or figurative. Tidy up your wardrobe, rearrange your dresser drawers, organize your files and all those imponderable stacks of things that seem to just grow out of nowhere. Or scrutinize all those mental naggings that have been hanging around. The underlying motive should be to get rid of those things that no longer serve you well.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 4

Don’t forget to adjust your clocks this morning, back one hour as Daylight Savings Time ended early this morning. Venus is closing in on a square to Pluto, which could mean intensity in relationships. There could be squabbles over issues of dominance and control, or a sudden infatuation. In both cases double thinking is highly advisable. Moon activates Sun and Mars before she opposes Uranus today, increasing moodiness, boredom and flashes of temperament. With Moon in Virgo, we could all be a bit too picky. Lighten up.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 5

Moon’s void again at 10:10 am, until her entrance into Libra at 3:47 pm. She’s joined up with Venus just after 9, and again carries the influences of Pluto into her void period. Pluto likes to find out what’s going on behind or below surface appearances. Some of us may use this aspect as an aid to important research and investigation. Others may be simply digging up the dirt to feed a nose for gossip.

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 6

A deceptively placid day, aspect-wise, with the only major aspect a late afternoon square from Moon to Mars that can make us a bit testy. It also feeds the grand trine exciting Sun, Mars and Uranus, so restraint and self-control are not star players. Sun is moving into a square to Neptune, so what we think we see may not correlate all that well with what’s really there. In other words, heads up! Pay attention.

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 7

Moon in Libra can have a tendency to fudge the truth in order to keep up appearances, and with Moon’s trine to Neptune that proclivity is amplified. The facts may all come out unexpectedly mid-morning and things could be a bit bewildering. A good conversational interchange, or time spent with a really absorbing book this evening, clears the air. Moon goes void, again on a Pluto aspect, at 10:46 pm. Dreams may be fitful, and memorable.

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 8

Moon goes into Scorpio at 4:18 am; Venus moves into Libra at 1:05 this afternoon. Scorpio Moons are noted for the black-or-white all-or-nothing attitudes they provoke and the drama-laden atmosphere they generate. The strength of Venus in her own sign, where she revels in peace and harmony, can be a blessing and perhaps smooth a path to cooperation that will make the day far more agreeable. Saturn puts in a bid for equanimity along toward evening.

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 9

The grand trine has become even more prominent in the chart for the New Moon conjunction at 3:03 pm today. In a natural chart, aimed at portraying the planetary influences for everybody, Uranus remains closeted in the twelfth house, out of sight of the public and most of your colleagues and friends, so you can work privately on shoring up your individuality and your hold on what really is important in your life circumstances. It’s still opposed by Saturn, and will be for months to come, so it’s probably advisable to solicit the support of a steady and perhaps older, certainly a more experienced, friend or mentor.

Sun and Moon have joined up in Scorpio in the eighth house of transformation, life-altering changes and peak experiences. It’s also the home of other people’s resources, a hint that your planning should consider what outside options might be or become available to you. Start a journal documenting these ideas, so you can refer back to them and expand or edit as your plans progress. The Lights are bracketed by Juno (make sure your trust will be well-placed with minimal danger of betrayal) and Lilith—strip away long-held illusions.

The trined planets are all in intuitive-emotional water signs, a clue that going with your gut may bring more cogent suggestions than rational analysis right now.

Mars is in the fifth, where we do what we like to do (largely because we do it well and want to do it even better). That’s also the house where we work on our legacy—for most of us that’s our children, for some it’s garnering kudos for athletic or creative ability, for many it’s both. In Cancer, it encompasses racial pride and tribal passions, ethnic sensibilities and the wisdom of folklore and myth. In this grand trine, it means that working on getting yourself in gear can be fun.

In the national horoscope for this New Moon, set at 6:03 pm PST, Uranus occupies the most public spot in any chart, the midheaven. Exactly. No privacy for the U.S. now. It’s all going to hang out for the whole world to see, whether we like it or not. In the coming month, we may see ourselves and be seen at our best and worst.

Our idiosyncrasies, and especially those of our leadership, are on full view. Our technological expertise is in the limelight. Our ability to break through obstacles and hindrances comes to the fore. The power of our independent spirit is more apparent than ever.

The grand trine hooks in Mars in the second house—our fiscal follies will occupy lots of prime time—and Sun-Moon in the sixth. The sixth is where we do what we do largely because we have to, and often hire someone else to do it for us (or wind up being hired to do it for someone else).

We’re called now—our legislators are called now—to realistically assess our own resources, which are probably the most plentiful in the entire world, and evaluate their most productive uses. “Most productive” must be determined on a long-range, broad-based platform—it is not “most productive” to decimate our environment and our future in the interest of immediate desires.

We’re nudged to recognize that all of our services—not merely our military, labor unions and health professionals but all of our agricultural workers, food servers, store clerks, janitors, child care providers, production assemblers, messengers, the list seems endless—comprise a quintessential portion of our national resources and their maintenance and welfare must be jealously guarded.

The Sabian symbol for the New Moon conjunction at 17:10 Scorpio: A path through woods brilliant with multicolored splendor; the exalted feeling of a work well done and a truly consummated life. “We see the smile of youth brought to a more mature, more spiritual culmination,” says Rudhyar. “Human nature is a magnificent symphony of warm, rich colors.”

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 10

Moon is void almost all day, until she goes into Sagittarius at 4:59 pm. She connects with Juno midday, so this is a great day for laying plans to increase your security—physically, financially and psychologically. It’s important now to know how well we can depend on ourselves to meet our basic needs, and it’s equally important to be sure about who else we can depend on to ease the way. An often overlooked essential to that latter task is evaluating our ability to allow others to perform tasks in their own way, which is probably just as effective in meeting the desired end as our own preferred method. Try not to direct their efforts unless you’re asked to—just accept their help graciously.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 11

Moon overlays the ongoing grand trine with a t-square pulling the Saturn-Uranus opposition into high focus again. It’s a somber note, and a bit frustrating. The drive to dig in and do something is strong, but the list of can’ts, shoulds and oughts is even stronger. I once heard this kind of situation described as “being bound up with long strands of wet spaghetti.” Mercury dives into Scorpio just 41 minutes after midnight; we are able to delve ever more deeply into the conundrums that confound us, and may come up with a surprising answer, or two.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 12

Confusion reigns. The trine is all but broken and what seemed easy last week takes effort again. Sun is square Neptune, and it’s hard to get a fix on exactly what is going on, while Moon is hanging out with Jupiter and Pluto making things louder and more intense. The key here is to stand back and look sophisticated, but that’s not easy until after Moon passes over Pluto in the middle of the night. Again, Moon goes void on that contact, so the underground underworld of Pluto haunts our sleep.

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 13

Moon goes into Capricorn at 5 am, and her call for objectivity is a relief. But there’s no obvious pattern to today’s activities. Sun conjuncts Juno, so issues of commitment come up, especially in romantic relationships. In a natural chart, they’re in the eighth house, emphasizing Juno’s correlation with monetary concerns. The two are still loosely involved in the grand trine with Mars and Uranus, so there could be unexpected moves in stock markets and banking practices but the most probable area of interest is shared resources and responsibilities. You and a partner may have a lot to talk about.

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 14

You may have to deal with emotionally erratic people today (or might even be inclined to be one yourself) as Moon opposes Mars, still tightly tied to Uranus, and triggers pent up frustrations. Hackles may bristle when someone tried to lead inappropriately. Sun is still square Neptune, which means slights and insults may be less real than imagined or leftover hauntings from childhood insecurities. Beware of arrogant mannerisms, or overlook them in others. They’re probably transitory.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15

Mars turns retrograde 24 minutes after midnight, PST, and will not turn direct until April 4, 2008.

Mars retrograde in Cancer can bring anxieties around family issues, urging you to protect all things that make for security, comfort and luxury, says astrologer Rob Tillett. He urges that we restrain any urge to exercise undue authority over everything and everybody in the home (or elsewhere), and says that people may get restless, inclined to change occupations. Tillett also cautions against accidents in the home through carelessness, and indigestion from eating foods that are too spicy.

Joan Wickenburg, on the other hand, believes that “Mars retrograde operates with greater power than when it is direct. It points up that something in your life needs your full attention, a look at what motivates or provokes you to take action. Are your old Mars-strategies still working? Or do you need to make some changes in order to continue to evolve? Have you developed habitual ways of going after what you want? How do you demonstrate your aggression, and for what purpose? All of these may be up for reform. This can be an opportunity to meet your power, regenerate your life and realign your identity.”

In a chart for the moment in Washington DC, Mars is on the midheaven, the point of aspiration and status in the world, linked to Mercury on the cusp of the second and Uranus on the cusp of the sixth. Dare we hope that our leaders will reformulate their ideas about aggression?

Moon goes void at 1:19 am and remains void much of the day, moving into Aquarius at 3:30 pm.

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 16

Mercury has definitively moved into position to activate the grand trine with Mars and Uranus, and today Moon’s square to Mercury makes that particularly powerful. The potential for peril is amplified as sensitized feelings can countermand common sense and lead to risky behavior. Remember what we said earlier about the danger of accidents with this volatile Mercury-Mars-Uranus lineup. The warning holds for a week or more. Moon is also trine Venus, so intentions are good—but follow them cautiously.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17

This First Quarter Moon in Aquarius at 2:33 pm PST carries one of the most placid charts of the month; it should be a pretty pleasant day. Again, the grand trine dominates the chart, and again, in our nation’s chart, Uranus is situated at the topmost point, not at the midheaven but as the most elevated planet. Now Sun has moved on, although still in the sixth house, and Mercury occupies the transient corner. Once again Saturn is linked to form a kite pattern with Uranus as its focus. All that we’ve seen of the affects of the New Moon continue unabated, with the added intelligence of thoughtful communication and a bit more reasoned, seasoned input.

Some irritating minor aspects, mostly sesquiquadrates (a square and a half) continue to connect Sun and Moon with Mars. They form yod-like patterns that thrust the insistence of this trio on Vesta, who is charged with looking out for our vested interests, whatever those may be. A mirror pattern directs the moodiness of Moon, the acquisitiveness of Venus and the restlessness of Mars into Saturn’s playground. Saturn, commanding the bow of the kite, forwards all of these to add to the pressures settling on Uranus.

Uranus should be used, in the words of astrologer Robert Hand, to reflect the “constant, ongoing confrontation between yourself and the world, with an energy that keeps everything fresh and lively.” It is Uranus that makes each of us unique, that gives each of us the individual flair by which we are identified. It is Uranus that presents significant forks in one’s life path and if you are among those born with Uranus in Virgo (1961-68), especially midstream. It is likely to be now powering the mid-life crises incurred when it opposes itself. This month’s emphasis on Uranus may be especially meaningful to you.

Whole books could be, and have been, written about the role of Uranus in individuation, in finding the “mission” that each of us has been put on Earth to fulfill. It is our thrust toward a brighter future and our hold on the DNA we were born with, our own unique blend of heritage and vision. These seven years it spends in Pisces are a fruitful time for winnowing its essence from the daily flak of commercial and political spin that surrounds us. And this is among the most powerful periods in that seven-year journey.

Gemini rises in the national chart, with mid-Aquarius on the midheaven, aiming for egalitarian consideration in formulating our objectives. Moon, the symbol of our people as a whole, is in the tenth house of our national reputation and power along with the karmic North Node and shrewd, strategic Pallas.

Moon occults Neptune at 3:48 am to start our day on a high note of sensitivity to those around us, and sextiles Jupiter and Pluto to help us take advantage of the vibes we pick up. She goes Void of Course at 6:51 pm and enters Pisces at 11:14. tonight (2:14 am tomorrow morning on the east coast).

The Moon’s Sabian symbol: A garage man testing a car’s battery with a hydrometer; skill in applying knowledge of natural laws to the solution of everyday problems resulting from life in our technological society. Rudhyar opines that “the need for ‘management’ affects every detail of our individual lives; this applies as well to the complexities of interpersonal, social or political relationships [as well as to technology], because our modern society is indeed like a huge machine speeding on dangerous ground.”

The symbol for the Sun’s position: American Indians making camp after moving into a new territory; the ability to adjust swiftly to a new situation by tuning in to its requirements. “He who lives in harmony with nature, moving on as new needs arise,” says Rudhyar, “finds himself at home everywhere.”

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 18

Moon’s opposition to Saturn is the focus of the day, and it could be a bit of a downer. Somehow, there’s just not a lot of oomph, and there’s an awful lot that needs to be done. Moon’s pulled between the North Node of karmic callings and Uranus who values freedom and independence above all else; the result is a kind of emotional paralysis that makes it hard to choose among the options offered today. Toward evening Moon trines Mercury and Mars, offering a way out. Be alert to the impulse early: simply make a decision and do something—anything—to ditch the doldrums.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 19

A busy day, astrologically. Moon comes upon Uranus first thing, at 1:24 am, setting off its aspects to Mercury, Mars and Saturn. Sounds like a recipe for being really alert, and watching for the unanticipated. Late afternoon, Moon’s square to Jupiter could make that even more true. Venus squares Mars this evening, again exciting its ties to Uranus and Mercury, who by now is trine to Mars. This could bring about some excitement in the realm of romance and/or creativity. It could also lead to overspending.

Moon goes void at 11:26 pm; again its last aspect is to Pluto. If there’s dissension in the air at bedtime, just let it be—at least until tomorrow.

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 20

Moon goes into Aries at 3:24 am. When in Aries, Moon can make us far more active than we have been for the past week, both physically and emotionally. It can also make us far more self-centered, quite unconsciously. We may be totally unaware that we putting our needs and interests ahead of everyone else’s but, believe me, they know. Just consider this a heads-up, and remember it if things start to get a bit tense.

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 21

Moon opposes Venus in the wee hours of the morning, and Venus is exactly quincunx Uranus. We may not even notice it if things are moving along well in our relationships, but if they’re not, it could get a bit hairy today. Mercury’s trine to Uranus becomes exact mid-morning, and words could slip trippingly off the tongue before you even know what you’re saying. A t-square positions Mars to aim his aggressive nature at both Moon and Venus, so macho energies may accost whatever softer, receptive personalities may be nearby.

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 22

Happy Thanksgiving! This could be one of the best family get-togethers in years. Moon is void from 39 minutes after midnight until 4:18 this afternoon when she enters Taurus. She’s gone out on a rather benign trine to Pluto, which generally imbues everyone with feelings of self-assurance and confidence. At 8:50 this morning, Sun goes into Sagittarius where we can all be more jovial and lighthearted than Moon in Scorpio has allowed. We can be pretty good about holding our tongues and forgiving those who don’t. Moon’s first aspect is a kindly trine to Saturn, so even restrictions and laying down of rules can be accepted. Overall, it’s a pretty groovy day.

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 23

The mellow mood is holding. Moon goes void again at 10:53 am, this time hooked up with Neptune. There may be a fantastical and highly imaginative cast to whatever is going on, but hey—for most of us it’s a holiday and we don’t have to insist on hard facts and realistic appraisals. It’s a good time to kick back, enjoy the input, and have fun.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24

Moon moved into Gemini at 3:29 am. Uranus headed forward again, after five months of retrograde motion, at 2:16 am this morning. Uranus craves surprise, originality, eccentricity and detachment as paths to evolution and progress. Thanks to the grand trine, he is aided and abetted now by Mars and Mercury; with Mars now unusually willing to pause and consider before charging into action, and with Mercury now given to intense and probing investigation in Scorpio.

A rather wide t-square moderates the influence of that longstanding grand trine in today’s chart for the Full Moon at 6:30 am PST. Saturn sits just past the midpoint of the opposition of Sun and Moon, while still opposing Uranus. Thanks to that setup, a contributing note of caution enfolds Moon’s hankering for safety and protection and Sun’s need for a dependable ego platform while Uranus begins in earnest to make its play for excitement and risk-taking.

So how do we use the power of these patterns to effect productive change in our personal lives? In large part, it depends on the position of these planets in your natal horoscope, particularly Uranus and its relationship to the Sun and Mars, but there are clues that are to some extent applicable to all of us.

Well, for starters, try a very candid overview of the role of fearfulness in your life. What have you not done, that you may now regret, because of the fear factor? On the other hand, where in your life history should you have been more attentive to caution and prudence, yes, a bit more afraid? Are there similar circumstances now? We have almost a year until the Saturn-Uranus opposition becomes exact to hone our awareness of the imperative balance between fear and risk-taking in all our endeavors.

With Uranus making its change of direction in Pisces, it is an especially appropriate time to consider the value of withdrawal—as a weapon or as a defense.

Sometimes the prudent course is to simply disengage from an insoluble situation. It may be best to leave an environment that is not working for you. It may alternatively be wise to alter your mode of dealing with it by withdrawing your input. Interrogators are taught to remain silent for great lengths of time, until the witness becomes uncomfortable enough to be impelled to talk. Therapists teach that when you wish to change someone, the only productive means is to change your responses to them; withhold your answers and rebuttals, refuse to offer the customary apology or attack. This methodology can be equated with judo, where you use the momentum of the other to your own advantage.

In other cases, Uranus’ change of direction is an admonition that we have already been withdrawing, unwisely, as a way of ignoring our responsibilities, in which case we must come out and face our battles bravely. Determining which case might be appropriate to oneself takes considered and informed analysis. But it is time now to do that.

In the chart set for 9:30 am in Washington DC, Capricorn rises, adding weight to Saturn’s wary watchfulness. Uranus is in the second house, making the expenditure of our resources a primary consideration. Mars, now backing off from his warlike stance, is in the seventh house of enemies and affiliations. Withdrawal becomes ever more feasible.

The most elevated planet is peace-loving Venus. The Full Moon opposition finds Sun in the eleventh, where leadership may be shifting from the executive to the legislative, and Moon in the fifth, where the public is adamant about the future of our children and our freedom of self-expression. In normal times I would consider these signs hopeful. But our current administration seems to pay no attention to either its constituents or the cosmos.

The grand trine from the second and seventh to Mercury in the tenth could speak to us as citizens about exercising withdrawal as a powerful means of protest.

We can withdraw our support of the big-business interests and banks that are controlling our country simply by becoming thrifty and living within our means, buying only what is truly necessary rather than “keeping up” with fads and fashions. Americans’ outstanding credit card debt gives manipulative financiers well over $900 billion—$900,000,000,000—on which they collect very high interest they can turn over to create ever more income. It’s easy to see how they have the money for the lobbying and massive campaign contributions that usurp our right to freely elect the leaders of our choice.

We can withdraw our support for the political cronyism that is controlling the direction of our government by withdrawing our membership in the major political parties. Much of the malaise in our country today can be traced to the way our elected representatives vote “party line” whether or not it is in the interests of the people. As an independent voter one can, in most states, vote for candidates of any political party or can certainly re-register in time for the election. If enough of us did that, the entrenched political power brokers would have to take notice.

We can withdraw our support for “winning” (particularly in a situation where that seems impossible) and support our troops only by insisting that they be returned to their families.

The Sabian symbol for the Moon at 2° Gemini: Santa Claus furtively filling stockings hanging in front of the fireplace; A rewarded faith in spiritual blessings. “The gifts from an imagined and intensely believed in spiritual world must not be examined closely or at length by the reasoning intellect,” Rudhyar cautions. “The would-be clairvoyant is told not to look straight and intently at what he begins to ‘see’ … since the sharply focused mind would make the apparition vanish.” It denotes a time to depend on intuition.

The Sun’s position at 2° Sagittarius: White-capped waves display the power of wind over sea; the mobilization of unconscious energies under the pressure of superpersonal motives. “We have a picture which contrasts the powerful but beautiful storms of nature with the often gory and hysterical crises of a civilization which progresses through war,” writes Rudhyar. Irate citizens can create attention-getting storms by marshaling the power of wind (the thoughtful, objective planets in air signs) to sculpt the sea (the emotional, flexible, compassionate planets in water signs) into an impressive force, perhaps powerful enough to change the course of history—or at least our personal lives.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 25

Two grand trines today! A grouping of sentimentalists Moon, Venus and Neptune has joined the feisty trio mentioned earlier, and for a day or two should keep the cool. It may be a highly sociable day, although the weather may not be cooperative. Projections and planning for holiday entertaining may take priority now. Moon opposes Pluto to add intensity to your dreams and goes void at 11:37 pm.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 26

Moon eases into Cancer at 3:07 am, shortly after the Venus trine to Neptune becomes exact. You can sail into the workweek feeling pretty smooth and may even be able to offer solace to a colleague who is a bit down in the mouth, as your empathy and understanding are keen now. If your tasks have a creative component, this should be a rewarding day. It’s also a good time for getting financial hassles straightened out (so long as you’re lucky enough not to run into new areas of confusion). Moon conjuncts Mars tonight, stirring up that ongoing grand trine again about the time you’re trying to go to sleep. It may take longer than usual.

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 27

A moderately off-kilter mood suffuses the atmosphere and it’s impossible to put a finger on exactly what’s amiss. Some of the things said seem to just come out of the blue and make no sense at all. Others seem a bit rancorous without reason. A lot of behavior seems downright childish. Just bear with it, it should only last a day or so. Moon completes a trine to Mercury, which may offer a clue, and goes void at 8:22 pm.

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 28

Moon goes into Leo at 5:23 am, and makes no classic aspects until she trines the Sun late afternoon. Not a lot is going on today, at least not overtly, although there is a bit of a “Look, ma, I’m dancing” attitude around that can liven up the scene. Sun is setting up a t-square with Saturn and Uranus, which will last through the coming week or so and make the perpetual battle between knuckling down and cutting loose almost painfully poignant. Most of us won’t be able to do much about that.

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 29

Another quiet day, with the only exact aspect Moon’s opposition to Neptune this afternoon, when escapist inclinations are intensified. You’ll need to be careful that you’re not misled, though it’s probably not intentional. It’s just too easy to mistake a fleeting impression for in-depth comprehension of a situation. Calling on whatever kind of spiritual guidance you prefer is highly advisable now.

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 30

Another month down! One more and it’s New year’s again. Hard to believe. Moon flits past connections to Venus, Jupiter and Pluto early this morning, spurring us to grab the outgoing, fun-loving vibes of Leo while she’s still there. She goes void on a square to Mercury, carrying the restlessness on into Virgo at 11:44 am and through the remainder of the day. We may have to spend some time playing catch-up and dealing with the nitty-gritty details we’ve let slide earlier in the week. If you look for appreciation from anyone other than yourself for that efforts, you’re likely to be disappointed. But don’t fail to give yourself a pat on the back for leaving the week tidy.

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