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by Boots Hart There's a famous short story which ends with the hero confronting a pair of doors. He can only open one. Behind one door is the Lady—his heart's desire. Behind the other is a ferocious and presumably ravenous tiger—his greatest fears. November is going to be rather like that—the twist being that we open the door on our emotional Self. The trigger may be situational or not. But the metaphysical point lies in getting us to reconsider why we value one thing over another and how our choices are so often as much (if not more) not so much about wanting one thing, as to escape something else. November begins with the Sun, Mercury and Venus in Scorpio, a sign that things are intense and polarized. We're either totally "in it" or we're aloof. With Mercury in Scorpio's 3rd decanate and Sun/Venus in early Scorpio, what we're doing or trying to get done (Sun/Venus) is dependent on interactions and reactions from others (Mercury). And given that Venus is retrograde, resignation and a lack of delight are present in many a moment. Why does everything have to be so difficult? Yet there is a positive note: Mars in early Sagittarius. Usually indicative of a willingness to try something or tweak some process to get it right, that Mars is starting the month in a semi-sextile with Venus may indicate some emotional discomfort, frustration, even arguments born of feeling "bottled up" or "boxed in." But this has a purpose—and those who get the difference between what they want and what will work will be able to get a lot done, over, taken care of and out of the way! (And good riddance to that!) The big trick is really all about getting out of our own emotional way. Yes, people are somewhat at odds now, but being able to own your part in having been too willful in the past (recent or ancient) not only earns respect from others, but teaches you a valuable lesson. One other odd note here: the more public you are with your owning of your own naughtiness, the better. Those who graciously and honorably admit their errors publicly may earn support, assistance and many a perk from unexpected sources. It's so very Venus retrograde in Scorpio: a period of life lessons all about learning what works, what doesn't work and that how we handle being who we are is often the difference between silken success and rocky rejection. People are basically ready to buy into sensible compromises, but the operative word is sensible. That doesn't mean your way... get it? After a first few days of give and take and trying to grapple and get some traction going we arrive at the New Moon of November 6. Occurring at 4:53 (+00/UT) in the same degree Venus went retrograde at on October 8 (13 Scorpio), with TNO Huya ahead and asteroid Icarus behind, this New Moon is literally the start of a new phase in which we "feel out" how to proceed. Those who in this moment choose the "I can't!" option discredit themselves. Those who are afraid get asked, what's so scary? People who have been through tough times and who don't want to "go there" ever again are asked to do something about what's wrong instead of being so avoidant. With Icarus at 9 Scorpio, many will (over)react emotionally and leap before they look, creating a (bigger) mess for themselves by "falling back" on some idea or position which literally doesn't hold their weight. With Huya at 14, there is a possibility of someone extending a helping hand, but the far more productive route is for you to convert what you know and your emotional experience into a vehicle which touches and connects to others. Effort which uses your head as well as your heart can not only turn a difficult situation to gold, but pave a profitable path into your personal future. But it'll take time—and don't expect to "know" success is at hand as you start out. With Neptune going direct at 25 Aquarius a day later at 6:05 (UT) things aren't all that clear. And with Venus still retrograde and now in very early Scorpio there are misgivings, ill feelings and meltdowns/breakdowns all around. Do you have to take them seriously? That is the question—and the yea or nay has to do with whether you are in avoidance, or weathering the storm while guiding the ship along a better course. The difference here is the source of your emotions: whether you are accepting life and dealing with it, or trying "not to see" (feel, hear) things because they elicit unpleasant emotions. Seeing as Neptune in late Aquarius requires universality AND disruptions, negatives are positives here—you just have to accept and learn from them. Yes, this is a seemingly contradictory moment! And no matter whether you're a participant, bystander or perpetrator, the real question is how well you know and deal with yourself. In other words, it's not the world being against you, it's life prompting you to measure yourself against your ideals. Are you the Lady, or the Tiger? As if things aren't thick enough, then comes November 8, when Mercury enters Sagittarius (at 23:44 UT), arriving there in the company of Hidalgo and Scylla—all as Venus retrogrades back into Libra, where it will meet up with Sisyphus come November 10. Considering Mercury in Sagittarius always suggests haste (and sometimes waste), this can mean a push to get things done starting November 8. And with Mars moving into Sagittarian emotional territory at the moment, we get haste plus urge: a recipe for pushing, shoving—or maybe high drive and inventiveness! Folks who bear in mind that in the end reality wins (in other words, dreams are fine but do they work?) ultimately get much done. But given heroic Hidalgo and Scylla's monstrous stubbornness as this period starts, let's just say not all attitudes can be counted on to be sweet and light as a lark. As the 8th becomes the 9th and the 9th becomes the 10th and Venus backs into conjunction with Sisyphus, the "Sisyphysian" choice whether to use knowledge for "good or self gain" will result in debates, blaming, projection, assumptions, critique, changes-of-mind and not wanting to listen. That much of this will go on without nary a hostile curl of sneering lips (i.e., in people's heads) is brought to you by a touch of Neptune/Venus. After all, Neptune is just emerging from its station: situational fogs clear slowly. And toss in that Venus retrograde (now in Libra) thing? It's a recipe for not knowing quite who wants what. Lady? Or Tiger? What's achievable? What's a pipe dream? This meandering through (inter)personal quandaries continues for an entire week, during which time Venus only moves from 29 to 27 degree Libra. Considering that Venus usually moves over a full degree a day, this is a HUGE (GIANT) indicator that things are sticky. Life is moving at a crawl if it's moving at all. Nobody's comfortable and exhaustion may be presumed. And then comes Venus' station. Traditional lore holds that planetary stations get a two-day "station leeway." So, with Venus going direct on November 18, station effects begin on the 16th and continue until the 20th. But wait! That's not all! Not only is Venus going direct on the 18th—Jupiter is going direct on the 18th too! With both planets in the last third of respective signs means situational feedback and worldly events are the source of impetus and direction: Jupiter going direct at 23 Pisces either warns or teaches us to know what we are dealing with; Venus going direct at 27 Libra not only makes that lesson real but flips it, making it important to be who we are despite all—but to be the person who doesn't just walk the walk or talk the talk but who is able to get the right response. (Hint: don't be the Tiger!) Think of it this way: at the moment, you're your own product. You want to be a hit with your audience. What do you need to get people snatching you—and what you have to sell—right off that shelf? With Venus standing with Atropos, something "ends"; with Jupiter in opposition to asteroid Atlantis, there's a clarity which dawns. What gets revealed? That's personal and individual—though with Jupiter in Pisces this is an emotionally evocative period. It's as if we're suddenly, finally ready to let go of something. We're willing to step up and out into that next big phase of life. We get that rewards are earned, not snatched, hoarded or demanded. With this double (Jupiter/Venus) station-direct of the 18th dictating station effects to run until the 20, it shouldn't be any surprise that the 29 Taurus Full Moon of November 21 is a potent sort of moment. Any Full Moon pictures reality (Earth) as intervening between the will (Sun) and our responses (Moon) but whether that now results in something we hope for coming real, or the icy bucket of water being thrown in our face depends on two things. The first is our relationship to Taurus—the desire for security, satisfaction and self worth which we only earn through effort and which cannot be achieved (long term) without participation in life around us. The second is the "29 degrees" critical mass part: any time we see an astrological figure at 29 anything, we know part of the issue is our own ability to deal with our own feelings. The net here is a polarizing effect: it will either be warm and satisfying (the Lady) or tinged with feelings of alienation. Even in extreme cases, betrayal. (The Tiger.) Once the Sun moves into Sagittarius on November 22 (at 10:16 UT) the pace of life picks up regardless of where things have been. Sagittarius is a time for expanding horizons and understanding so as to facilitate stability. The Sagittarius challenge is to realize that reality rules, and that no amount of charm, good intentions, imagination, idealism or fanatic insistence wins. Not in the long run! While the Sun is in Sagittarius we need to learn how to stop defining life's limits, advance ourselves some credit, and be willing to experiment. We don't have all the answers! We have to cut ourselves a little slack and learn to be the non-expert. With Pallas, Mars and Mercury also in Sagittarius, it's a great time to contemplate new ideas, new venues and not to say "that's not who I am." We all can profit by allowing others to recognize in us abilities we may not have yet recognized. The last note for the month is Venus re-entering Scorpio on November 30 at about half-past midnight UT (Universal Time). Remembering how life became a bit "sluggish" and testy when Venus entered Scorpio back in early September, life is really asking us how much we've learned since then. As polarity sign to Taurus, Venus in Scorpio now asks whether we've learned to dice, risk, or play fair with others—which is to say, not only by our rules of preference. Venus in Scorpio feels like it's all about how others treat us, but in reality, it's all about how much faith we have in who we are and thus our ability not to be ruffled, bothered or otherwise bent out of shape by what others do/don't like, do or say. In the end, the ability to stand for ourselves factually requires no anger, no angst, no manipulation. That's the heart of the Scorpio dynamic, which yes seems odd, considering Scorpio is an emotional (water) sign. But maybe the lesson there is that our Scorpio drives and desires are really about our instinctive drive for security above all else. So are we thinking people, or instinct-driven creatures? Are we the Lady—or the Tiger?
Boots Hart, CAP
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