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Novembert '11
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by Boots Hart

If Aesop were telling the Tale of November, the moral would probably go something like this: life is a cause/effect tale, based on how you go about having, structuring and living that life.

And considering how the tale leading to said moral includes a Sagittarius solar eclipse (its lunar eclipse partner occurs in December), we can assume that areas in life where we think we "know" how things work are where the pluses and minuses will be revealed.

As always, November starts with the Sun entering Scorpio’s emotional degrees. This marks November 1 through 12 as a period when we do best to think in terms of what works—not just for us, but for everybody. By making sure everyone gets that measure of what they need/want, we earn the good will and support which get us where we want to go.

But with Venus and Mercury entering Sagittarius on November 2 (Venus at 8:52am and Mercury at 4:55pm, both UT/+0), tests will occur. The question is this: are you able to think things through? Can you act with clarity? Do you know what the heck you’re doing?

Being that Venus and Mercury are never very far apart zodiac-wise, they end up running in tandem on a not-infrequent basis. And when this happens, we’re thinking of how to get what we want going or accomplished. Here the Sagittarius touch adds the idea of "growth" or expanding our playing field—and the challenges associated with that effort. We may be looking to get more results, better results or to start something entirely new. So the "trick" (and yes, there is one) is how you use each component. Venus in Sagittarius is a wanting/motivational force which creates a flexibility option: those who can make themselves look "valuable" profit now.

But Mercury in Sagittarius? That’s Mercury in not its finest moment. Mercury in Sagittarius tends to represent that which has not been thought through. Or, a bad assumption. Sometimes, the grandiose or dogmatic. There’s a strong desire to "know" and to "be right" with Mercury in Sagittarius. We also often "say too much" or "make pronouncements" under this influence. But the upside here is that this is a great time for opening new doors providing you start with a well mannered opening. Proficiency is a plus now. Pandering is a minus.

Considering where the Sun is, remembering not to expose too much of what you are doing too fast (lest you get taken advantage of) is important, too. So if you need an "expert" of some kind, try to find one who either has nothing to gain from you, who is supremely ethica—or who is so secure in their own right that they have no reason to steal your thunder.

Let’s just say "good enough" isn’t "good enough" right now, okay? When in doubt, go the extra mile. Fill out all the forms. Do all the "legal" and "disclamatory" things. If you will ignore the impatience (yours or theirs), valuable ethical standards can be established—and these will stand you in good stead as November 5 arrives Mercury enters the shadow of its upcoming November 20-December 14 retrograde, the whole of which takes place in Sagittarius.

Once Mercury crosses into retrograde shadow territory in square to Chiron, fixed star Fomalhaut and asteroid Hel (all in early Pisces) we all get a little more "introverted-feeling" and yet we’re busier than bees trying to work things out with others. Understanding our own motivations is a big, inconvenient deal now. You may be tempted to laugh something off, but you shouldn’t. Hurts hidden deep in everyone now just ache to be acknowledged…but no one wants to be first to blink. We’re all afraid of being seen as "weak." Or guilty. Or disingenuous. Or not what or who they thought we were.

Most of all, we’re afraid of not being who we thought we were.

As Juno in Scorpio perfects an opposition to Jupiter (retrograde) in Taurus on November 6. Damocles just going direct at 17 Aquarius adds a note of caution. Situational information just being unveiled causes some things to take shape and others to unravel depending on how intelligently you’ve structured your efforts. Yes, it’s a bit of "live and lean" time. The good news here is that any dangers are vastly emotional. Even if your livelihood is threatened, that doesn’t actually have anything to do with your life.

But yes, you’re going to have to be the one to get yourself past that sticky sticking point. To those who don’t over-react, over-think, over-guess, over-assume (all that Mercury in Sag stuff) …to them goes the eventual success. But since it’s exceedingly easy to move too far too fast or make assumptions now, don’t sign on dotted lines you don’t fully understand ramifications of.

Since November 9 has Neptune going direct at 6:55pm (UT/+0) at 28 Aquarius—and since we allow two days for "station window" effects, that says November 7 through 11 is a highly Neptunian time.

In general, Neptune stations tend to manifest as illusions, reversals, raptures, dissolutions and confusion. And with this particular Neptune station we also get a little message called “Mars at 29 Aquarius opposition Regulus at 29 Leo.” Above all, the instruction here is not to attempt retribution. Some will turn this energy to motivation and even success, and bully for them! Apart from that, however, since Regulus promises success to those who refrain from vengeance, we are warned not to act out or be overly aggressive.

And remember…in the greater sense, any action you take to "wipe out the problem" (or resistance, or blockade) is "an action against" something—and hence metaphysically “vengeful.” So particularly where your ultimate aim is security (emotional, financial or otherwise) the better course is hold off a couple of days.

Yet that may be hard. The Full Moon at 18 Taurus of November 10 at 8:17pm (UT/+0) is the second in a series of Full Moons at 18 degrees; positioned in Taurus this is another symbol regarding "challenges" to our personal values. With TNO Huya in exact opposition to this Full Moon (another way of saying conjunct the Sun) with Damocles at 17 Aquarius (creating a t-square), It’s easy to feel "not properly valued" or "in trouble" because of something you’ve already taken on.

But remember—all this is under Neptune’s station/direct. So nothing is quite what you think it is right now.

The bottom line is…take a breath. Those heroic and fabulous concepts in your head may still come true…it’s just not all going to be a butter slide across a heated pan. The not feeling "valued" may simply be your not being used to something new. Or because you’ve forgotten the actual goal. Betting dollars to doughnuts (which sounds messy, but…) like as not the real issue is about some part of your life which is—to use the vernacular—underwhelming.

Don’t mess things up because you so want attention or satisfaction right now. That’s another form of the Mercury-in-Sagittarius impatience thing—and if you’re prone to impatience or some sort of need to be "center stage" or "top of the heap" this problem has your name inscribed on it, big time. But since those who say "screw it, I want what I want regardless" will lose far, far more than they suspect by striking out now, this is truly one of those "act in haste, repent in leisure" moments.

Thus we come to November 11—Neptune’s last day of being on station. Now Mars enters Virgo (at 4:16am, UT/+0) in opposition to Chiron, which is a focus on the practical and the necessary, whether that’s financial, physical or emotional. Life is not the problem now…that people are having a problem facing life…THAT’s the problem!

A day passes. November 12 has our Virgo Mars moving into position to complete a grand trine with Pluto in Capricorn and Jupiter (retrograde) in Taurus which lasts through November 24. And November 24 is the day Mercury goes retrograde. It’s also the day before a solar eclipse.

Grand trines denote ongoing energies which either cannot be disrupted, which we don’t want to acknowledge or which we can’t be bothered to change. That this takes place in earthy signs of the real and tangible suggests a focus on everyday life. And all might be well here except for the fact that we are fast approaching a solar eclipse. Things are breaking down. And then there is the fact that the North Node is still in conjunction with Ixion (entitlement and rage against entitlement). Problems which may have seemed arguable are fast moving into the impractical and unsustainable zone. In some arenas, pressure is mounting. But is it real or in our heads? That merits careful sorting out, issue by issue, and we are best served by priorities devoid of drama-for-drama’s-sake indulgences.

Things are challenging, yes. But those who insist on exercising whims will pay a price for such self-righteous narrow-mindedness. So pick your battles. And as November 17 rolls around and Mars hits 3 Virgo (entering the shadow of its upcoming January 24, 2012-April 14, 2012 Virgo retrograde), consider lessons from your/our past. With Mercury in exact conjunction with Ixion on this date, faith versus altruism gets argued.

The former is emotional and represents our wanting "out" of responsibilities. The latter logical and accepting of responsibility—most of all for where we’ve painted ourselves into corners.

It’s a bit of a "crunch time" where the difference is between what we want or hope for and that which is reasonable or even possible. Which is more important becomes an individual choice which separates our faith from our beliefs. What we believe in is about who we are and what we will or can or should invest ourselves in. What we have faith in is how we think the world and life (including other people and the greater society) operate. Do you live solely for yourself or for a world which provides for you and others?

That Medusa (the fearful truth) conjuncts fixed star Diadem (the crowning glory) on November 18 tells us this is a scary time for many: the astrological Medusa asks us if we can get past our own fears and sometimes we’re just too scared to dare feel our trepidations. Or our hopes.

As the Sun enters Sagittarius on November 22 at 4:09pm (UT/+0), a focus on method, aims, audience and comprehension of the how-to-do’s in life increases. This being a mere two days shy of Mercury’s station/retrograde, the Sun entering Sagittarius is also a feature of Mercury’s station. So things now—especially “notable events” deserve special notice.

With an Aries Uranus (retrograde) in perfect opposition to Pandora/supermassive Black Hole M87, a "second sight" or inspired mind allows us to see alternatives….but they will come at a (Pandora) price. Are you willing to endure some havoc to get to where you can be happy?

The actual Mercury station of November 24 (at 7:20am, UT/+0) occurs at 20 Sagittarius—a degree known as social, and particularly active in the areas such as writing, art and medicine (all activities which require "focus" as mentioned above). There’s strength of determination associated with this degree which Mercury’s retrograde turn redefines as questioning. Most profitably, this would be questioning-of-self, but demanding that something be justified is likely too.

Mercury makes this turn just shy of mighty fixed star Ras Alhague (at 22 Sagittarius), which gives us the nature of this questioning—namely that it’s all about whether we will "heal or harm." And since Mercury won’t return to conjunct Ras Alhague until January 2, that pretty much determines the window in which we will…

a) decide what that difference is  

b) "fix" matters pertaining to means, method and aim where necessity, or

c) consider whether we are, are able to be, or are or willing to be either a "healing" or "harmful" agent.

The South Node (the easy thing to do) at 14 Gemini conjunct Circe (that which reduces us to animals operating on instinct) as Mercury goes retrograde speaks to the lure and allure to be "all talk, no doing." But that won’t work. And it particularly doesn’t work for anyone whose chart focuses on 2 Sagittarius—the degree of the Solar Eclipse which occurs on November 25 at 6:11am (UT/+0).

Just on the face of it, this pairing of Mercury’s turn against the eclipse signals indecision and/or conflict. It’s a sign that we’re struggling with our “comfort zone.” Yours may be cultural or financial. It may be about work or relationships or a desire to get ahead.

With Juno (leadership at the personal level) conjunct "finding the moral path," KBO Deucalion questions basically center on who you are in your own life. Are you defined by others? Does belief in tradition or position outweigh the moral obligation to express who you are at your core in a genuine and integrated manner?

Anyone with a planet, node or cusp placement between 27 Scorpio and 7 Sagittarius (and/or) 27 Taurus and 7 Gemini will feel this eclipse as life challenging their life. The nature of this challenge being described by house, sign and symbol involved, something there is being "blacked out" and replaced with a whole new perspective, one often driven by simple necessity.

Those with planets, nodes or cusp placements between 27 Aquarius and 7 Pisces (and/or) 27 Leo and 7 Virgo are getting "hit broadside" by something not taken into account. Do you have to take it into account? Maybe yes, maybe no: you may be able to march on without distraction. But if you will incorporate what you learn now, in time things will be/become more solid and capable of greater scope and broader potential.

Those with positions between 29 Capricorn and 5 Aquarius (and/or) 29 Virgo and 5 Libra are being given an opportunity to replace something which "works okay" with something which works well. This is an opportunity, not a mandate: letting better judgment (not willingness) be your guide is probably best.

Those with a planet, node or cusp point positioned between 0 and 4 Scorpio (and/or) 0 and 4 Capricorn will be facing a test of ego. Those on the Scorpio side need to let go and don’t want to, those on the Capricorn side need to restructure and pride is likely to get in the way.

Those with a planet, node or cusp posited between 27 Cancer and 7 Leo (and/or) 27 Pisces and 7 Aries will face interruption of some ongoing process. You thought all was going well? Evidently not. This is a cosmic call to do better and stop relying on old operating parameters.

Those with a position between 0 and 4 Taurus (and/or) 0 and 4 Cancer are either being told their aims, means or methods need correction…or they’ll be finding some barrier which has stood in their way melting away. Either way, a restructuring, rebuilding and recalibration process remains now to be tackled and just “changing emotional gears” is kind of tough. On the Taurus side, this is a "put your money/values where your mouth is" sort of thing while on the Cancer side the challenge is more about planning, the assembling of the team/resources and committing one’s self to the effort.

This eclipse—which like all eclipses begins unfolding now and which doesn’t "resolve" until 2014—being itself in square to Fomalhaut in Pisces and Regulus plus Thuban on the Leo/Virgo side gives us to understand that only when everybody wins does anybody win. Peace here is not centered in personal desire—it’s about functionality, ethics and realism.

As Venus enters Capricorn on November 26 (at 12:37pm UT/+0) a note of pragmatism surfaces. But for those looking for life’s "signposts," it’s of far, far greater import that Regulus enters Virgo on November 28.

For one, this ends some 2,000 years of idealization. That "no harm in trying" saying we all grew up with ends here. From now on, what we try and what we refuse to try is less of an "oh well" (with merry laugh) than a sure indicator of who you really are. And aren’t.

Regulus, Royal Star of Persia, promises success to those who resist the urge to "get back at" or "punish" (exact vengeance). In Virgo, Regulus holds us to standards of functional morality and ethical functionality—which is very different from the idealistic or idealized vision, the nirvana in our mind. The parsing of this difference arises now in all sorts of ways.

We all go through life with preconceived notions. Some will now be proven "unacceptable." Put colloquially, we’re being asked to "clean up our act." Those motivated to undertake this effort willingly will still meet up with challenges and course corrections (Virgo is a mutable sign about “refining,” “honing” and “improving as you go along,” after all…)…but those who don’t? Those who strike out at others unfairly now design their own dismay. Being that we’re talking a fixed star here, we aren’t talking “moments of revelation.” Rather, we’re describing tougher standards—especially as seen from the individual perspective.

Boots Hart, CAP