Here's what's so special about this February.... The middle two weeks of February are pivotal. Running in the background, we still have Saturn in Pisces (think making dreams reality) aligning with Jupiter, planet of abundance, growth, and expansion, in Taurus, as Saturn officially clears the post shadow of its retrograde this week on the 14th. That means Saturn is getting a real fortunate and optimistic boost as it finishes its third and final pass of its retrograde territory from 2023. We are truly moving forward now, and since Saturn is the planet that makes things real, Pisces is the sign of dreams, Jupiter is the planet of good fortune and opportunity, and Taurus is the sign of earthly abundance, this is all good news. At the same time, we have the north node of soul growth moving with Chiron, the wounded healer, in Aries. This brings healing and soul growth, specifically through the energetic prism of Aries, the sign of the self. This alignment is supporting us in healing any old wounds to self and identity that may have kept us doubting ourselves, playing small, and not going after what we desire. While this is ultimately a really beautiful thing, remember that this is growth - specifically soul growth - it may not feel comfortable. Those old scars might be itching up a storm about now, reminding you they are there. On top of all of that, this week and next week, from the 12th to the 22nd, we have a spectacular line up that really takes the cake as Mars, then Venus join Pluto in Aquarius this week and then meet up with each other next week on the 21st. With Pluto sitting at 0° Aquarius, this week's powerful Mars-Pluto conjunction and Venus-Pluto conjunction are happing at the exact same degree as the Great Conjunction (Jupiter-Saturn) from solstice 2020. A seed was planted then - now you're starting to see the fruits of it. The way this is occurring, it's like Mars and Venus each will have their own private session with Pluto before they meet up with each other next week on the 21st. This week, we are unearthing some valuable information that will be very relevant next week. Mars is the divine masculine, the warrior, and our motivation and drive to go after what we want. Venus is the divine feminine, the law of attraction, and our ability to attract our desires by energetically aligning with them, which at the heart of the matter whether we are taking about relationships or resources, is self-value. This is all happening through the energetic prism of Aquarius, with Pluto just beginning a new 20 year cycle there, so whatever new beginning is hatching in your life, it needs to be fresh and unprecedented. Look to what feels unfamiliar, exciting, and inventive. If you have a choice between "safe" and "status quo" and something entirely new, take the new. Why this is an even bigger deal for those born between 1971 & 1984.... Did you know that if you were born between 1971 & 1984, that you are part of a generation here to transform relationships and redefine them on your own terms, and that makes this February extra BIG for you? If you were born between 1971 & 1984, you are part of the Pluto-in-Libra generation. Pluto in Aquarius means at some point in the next 20 years, Pluto will trine your natal Pluto, and this is a big gift of empowerment enabling you to create a more fulfilling life - on your terms. It's a far cry from the extremely challenging Pluto square Pluto transit that you likely experienced in your mid- to late 30's while Pluto was in Capricorn, forcing you to let go and evolve in likely a painful way. Think about it - in the U.S., women only got the right to have bank accounts, bank loans, and credit cards without a husband in 1974. You've grown up with this right, but you may still FEEL like it's not safe, because of the limiting beliefs that were handed down to you, what you were modeled, and your life experiences. It all may seem confusing. Like you are supposed to do something that you aren't really allowed to do. You might be the first woman in your family, or the first person even, to get a degree or start a business, or be successful. You might have experienced relationships where everyone was confused about the roles and felt a need for freedom and independence but also resentment and insecurity. Maybe men don't feel like they should be the "sole providers" for the relationship/family, but also still don't want to help around the house and get sideways when you are busy because of work or have your own money. Know that part of your energetic signature in this life is to transform relationships and redefine them on your own terms, and draw a clear line between the "me" and the "we," and that this necessarily makes you a contract worker for your lineage, cleaning up all the old limiting beliefs and fears as you work through your own blocks and step into this more authentic and powerful way of being. We've already discussed in January how this is a big theme of 2024 anyway, with the north node in Aries and the south node in Libra, meaning our eclipses - the spring and fall change-bringers - will be about these themes. But February is a pivotal month in this regard too, as Mars, ruler of Aries, and Venus, ruler of Libra, come together first one by one with Pluto in Aquarius and then have a special rendezvous of their own. This is a new beginning in love, relationships, creativity, and even enterprise that is positively revolutionary.
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Pluto moves into Aquarius on January 20th, with the sun illuminating the way. This begins a new twenty year era, as Pluto will be in Aquarius all the way until 2044.
If you know what to pay attention to moving through January, you will get a good idea of the energetic nature of what this shift of Pluto from Capricorn into Aquarius is all about for you personally - what is the nature of the past (Pluto in Capricorn) and what is the nature of the future (Pluto in Aquarius). People-pleasing, indecisiveness, over-explaining, poor boundaries, endless questioning, self-doubt, unexplained anger, anxiety, or depression...all of these point to the same root issue: the relationship between self and other in your life is out of balance. This is important, because one of the main energetic signatures over 2024 - the focus of our eclipses - will be around bringing karmic rebalancing to our relationships.
This means that wherever your relationship with anything outside of you is out of balance, events will be occurring to bring that into balance over the coming year, especially with the spring and fall eclipses. MERCURY RETROGRADE 12/13 to 1/1 is your final opportunity to prepare for 2024. This retrograde is bringing MAYHEM & MAGIC, but ultimately, this final preparation for 2024 is about tuning into your personal truth, belief, and core values and desires, so you are moving into 2024 in a soul-aligned way, upon the throne of your heart, in your full creative power. 2023 is a "7" year, and "7" years are times of transition and doing the inner alignment work that prepares us for stepping into our power to claim the abundance that's available for us in the "8" year that follows. That "8" year is 2024. This Mercury retrograde is strongly connected with Jupiter in Taurus as well as the 12/12 Sagittarius new moon, and ultimately is bringing good things. Mercury Cazimi & Solstice
Your "aha moment" comes just after solstice as Mercury meets up with the sun still sitting at 0° Capricorn. Count late in the evening on 12/21 through the 23rd, as the sun arrives in Capricorn marking solstice late on the 21st, Mercury meets up with the sun on the 22nd, and then backs into Sagittarius on the 23rd as magical. Turn inward, connect with your inner and higher guidance, and tune in to soul direction and desires over these days for rad results. After two solid weeks of "growing pains" in November, on December 5th, we turn the corner collectively with the last quarter moon towards our final weeks of 2023 that might just prove to be, well, magical.
Technically this has two parts: 1) the December 5th last quarter moon until the December 12th new moon at 20° Sagittarius next Tuesday and Mercury retrograde December 13th, and 2) Mercury retrograde from 8° Capricorn December 13th until it stations direct on January 1st at 22° Sagittarius. Mercury is the magician, and if you just noticed that Mercury is stationing direct just 2° away from next week’s Sagittarius new moon, you’re onto something! Note also that Mercury stations retrograde Wednesday, December 13th, in supportive aspect to Venus, meaning this Mercury retrograde kicks off with Venus’ blessings. In the wee hours of Monday, November 27th (in North America at least) we reach the energetic climax of the Gemini full moon.
On it's own, this full moon is the culmination of whatever began six months ago at the Gemini new moon back on June 18th. That happened just as Saturn was stationing retrograde in fellow mutable sign Pisces, meaning it was at a square to the June lunation in Gemini by whole sign, just as this Gemini full moon is again in square to Saturn. And we have Mars in the mix yet again this time too. This sets the stage for a "Saturn smackdown" from when the Gemini sun first squared Saturn back on November 23rd all the way through when the full moon is exact on Monday, as sun, Mars, then moon all square up to Saturn on their way to the full moon event. As we turn the corner with the first quarter moon today towards the Gemini full moon exact 11/27, we're headed towards a "Saturn Smackdown" that goes from the 23rd right through the 27th lasting the entire weekend. This is quite the speed bump, and there are 4 non-negotiables to successfully navigating this astro. There are 4 non-negotiables you need to be aware of moving through this weekend. This is "Saturn smackdown" territory, and especially coming off of the sun and Mars alignments with Pluto Sunday and today getting us fired up with desire for reaching our goals and achieving success, it's not going to feel good. Rest assured, this is a speed bump - a planetary traffic jam, really - it's just a little slow down over this weekend as Sagittarius season kicks off and we roll through the Gemini full moon - and it is a test of character. So it's incredibly important to stay calm and keep showing up through this weekend, even if it feels like someone just yanked on the emergency brake as you throttled down the highway. Composure and patience equal points in the bank now. Be the energy you wish to cultivate no matter what anyone else is doing - set the energetic example - it begins and ends with you. This is all caused by sun, moon, and Mars coming into square aspect with Saturn just as they move into Monday's full moon formation. As with any challenge from Saturn, it's likely to feel hard. The sun square Saturn is an ego blow and possibly challenges with authority. The moon square Saturn has us feeling rejected and depressed. Mars square Saturn brings up the frustration and even anger. Proceed with caution. You've done so well. This is only a test. It's just passing through. Don't crystallize it with your reactions. PS - after December 5th, things open up, and you're in for an inspiring Sagittarius season and magical solstice and Capricorn season, so don't let these few days throw you! The 4 Non-Negotiables for Wed. 11/22 through Mon. 11/27 This is growth astrology - it's a trick bit of business over the Thanksgiving holiday, but it's here as a little checkpoint before we get into the really good stuff that's on its way even now. Here's what you're going to do:
At the time of this full moon, we have Mars on 11/25, then the moon on 11/26 at odds with Saturn. This creates an ego blow and also feeling emotionally isolated. Mercury square Neptune creates distortion of mental perceptions and confused thinking and misunderstandings (exact with the full moon on 11/27) while Mars immediately begins applying a square to Lilith, bringing up feelings of inadequacy, powerlessness, and unwantedness - for us to triumph over once and for all. Like I said, this is growth astrology. The pressure results in growth, and that growth is necessary for what comes next. And you WILL be triumphant.
Venus is going direct in Leo Sunday, 9/3 (18:20 PDT | 21:20 EDT), and it's a big deal. We've began this journey in early June, when Venus first entered Leo. Early June through mid-July was like our initiation, or introduction to the work we would be doing while Venus was retrograde July 22nd to September 3rd. (Note that June was also the beginning of another larger cycle layered over this - Saturn retrograde in Pisces - June 17th to November 4th - a mentorship in what it takes to truly bring our dreams into reality, and possibly a reality-check in the process if we were off-course.) This wasn't just Venus retrograde (a review and realignment around relationships, resources, what we truly love and a "rebirth to self-worth"), in Leo (sign of the heart and authentic creative self-expression), because over the course of this retrograde, Venus was getting help by several outside influencers, making a series of three aspects to Uranus, Chiron, Neptune, Jupiter, and Black Moon Lilith. There are a total of three aspects to each because of the nature of the retrograde. First, Venus tracks over the retrograde degrees in direct motion, making the first of the three aspects to each - this is the pre-shadow, the initiation and introduction, in this case to each issue represented by each aspect. Second, after Venus stations retrograde, it begins making the second pass over the retrograde degrees in reverse motion, thus bringing each issue represented by each aspect up for review and deeper consideration, and bringing us to "the heart of the matter." Lastly, once Venus stations direct, there's one more pass left to be made over the retrograde territory, this time in direct motion, and this is the resolution, when Venus will make each of the aspects to each of the planets for a third and final time, bringing resolution in one way or another to each of the issues. As Venus stations direct, we are entering the third and final phase of the retrograde, on until October 7th. This is a time of gaining clarity around what you truly love & where you’ve been - up until now - just making do, settling, or fooling yourself. It is now time to take your power back & start living from a more authentic, heart-centered place, whatever that means for you.
While you may have experienced attention-getting issues around love and money during this retrograde, the heart of this journey is about helping you reclaim your inherent sense of self-value and creative power, and realign your values so that you are living from a more authentic and heart-centered place. With a sense of pride even - this retrograde occurred in Leo, after all. Venus' station direct over the evening of 9/3 and morning of 9/4, depending on where you are in the world, brings relief & maybe a hint of what's to come, but as I've been saying, you won't really feel the results in your life until after 9/14 into October. That's because with Venus direct, "Our Lady of Love & Money" (& attraction, creativity, art, & aesthetics) is just now beginning her 3rd and final pass over the degrees of the retrograde, and this involves making the 3rd and final potent aspects to the main influencers of this retrograde - Uranus, Chiron, Neptune, and Lilith. (Lilith was also a big deal, but while Venus made the first two conjunctions to Lilith in Leo in June and July - helping us understand the unconscious and untamed shadow within and come to terms with any shame keeping us playing small - the third conjunction will actually happen after Venus clears the post retrograde shadow with both in Virgo, so it's really part of the new, not what we've been working on since June.) Here's a breakdown of what to expect and when:
What to Watch Now.... So that's the journey we've been on since early June with Venus in Leo and Venus retrograde. With Venus direct on September 3rd/4th, we are reaching an important turning point, and things are going to be unfolding all the way through October 7th when Venus clears the retrograde territory once and for all. The main action here will be between September 23rd and October 7th, as Venus makes the third and final aspects to Uranus, Chiron, Neptune, and Lilith. Here's the deal, and what you need to be paying attention to now as we move forward: Venus leaves the post-shadow of this retrograde JUST 1 WEEK BEFORE THE LIBRA SOUTH NODE NEW MOON ECLIPSE on 10/14, and you better believe these things are tied together and a big deal. The 10/14 Libra eclipse is our first eclipse with north node in Aries and south node in Libra, on from mid-July til January 2025, and as south node represents past, karma, and what we need to release, if there's any relationship junk that needs to be cleared, this eclipse is going to make you very aware of it. If you want to get out ahead of this, think about what's been coming up here and there since mid-July around relationship dynamics and especially unhealthy ones that have you sacrificing or abandoning yourself for others all the time - codependent tendencies, enmeshment, attachment issues, enabling, not keeping healthy boundaries, passive-aggressiveness (not being able to be direct about your needs and desires and the resulting fall-out), misdirected anger, low self-value, insecurity, people-pleasing, etc. The north node in Aries is pulling us towards a healthy sense of self and the self-assertiveness that goes with it - the south node in Libra means we are going to be required to let go of everything keeping us from that, and the 10/14 new moon eclipse is going to be bringing it up.
About Mercury Retrograde in Virgo August 27th to September 14th, 2023 Mercury is known as "the messenger," as it is associated with the mind, thinking, expression, and communications, but Mercury is also "the magician," and the alchemist. Mercury goes retrograde about 3 times per year - the most of any planet - but the good news is its effects are always fleeting. That's because Mercury is, well, Mercurial, and when we are working with the energy of Mercury, we can use this to our advantage. The idea is to stay flexible and curious - when Mercury is active in our lives, it's never a time to make any concrete decisions - if we try to do this, it's no surprise when it doesn't work! Mercury just stationed retrograde in its own sign of Virgo on 8/23, and it will turn direct 9/14. Mercury rules two signs - Gemini, mutable air, and Virgo, mutable earth. Since Mercury stationed retrograde, you may have noticed your inner critic kicking up as your forward momentum seemed to spin out and maybe plans and communications went awry. It isn't helping that just days later on 8/27 the Virgo sun opposed Saturn retrograde in Pisces, on 8/28 (the day I'm writing this) Uranus is stationing retrograde quite likely causing restlessness and unexpected disruption (maybe even more tech issues?), and we have a full super moon on deck for Wednesday the 30th in Pisces, with the sun-Saturn opposition still lingering. Things might feel a little squirrelly right now. Or okay, a lot squirrelly, and Saturn getting activated at a super moon climax in lesson-bringing reality-check mode doesn't help. But, there's a way to work this in your favor. Remember, Mercury might be the trickster, but its also the magician and the alchemist, so once you understand the energetic dynamics at play, you are empowered to step into the role of creatrix in your life and start weaving the elements and energetic currents in your favor. Keep in mind we are in the deep end of "retrograde season" now for 2023 with 6 planets retrograde - Venus, Mercury, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. It's like summer school, made up of individual planetary mentorships offering their expertise in different areas of your life. This is time to slow down, double check, review, make edits. Pay attention where things are blowing up and going sideways and where you are running into walls and check back in with your body, with your intuition, with your inner guidance and alignment. These delays might just be working in your favor. Also keep in mind that Mercury retrograde is brief - only 3 weeks, and we come out of Venus retrograde 9/3 and then out of Mercury retrograde 9/14. Like I've been saying in the new and full moon emails and on social media, tangible results from all the inner work we've been doing since June will be showing up late September into October, so hold that line!
Mercury goes retrograde about three times per year, and its retrogrades always happen in a series of three - for example, all of the 2022 Mercury retrogrades began in air signs and ended in earth signs, then starting December 2022 into January 2023, we began a series of three Mercury retrogrades in earth signs, and in 2024 we will have a series of three Mercury retrogrades that begin in earth signs and end in fire signs. While all Mercury retrogrades slow us down so we can review and edit thinking and communication, there's a something bigger at play happening here than just delays, breakdowns, lost phones, missed messages, and miscommunications. When we take the high view, we can see that over 2022 we were working on learning how to bring ideas into reality (air to earth), and over 2023 we are working on the real world practicalities of doing that (all earth), and over 2024, we will be using what we've learned with our earth retrogrades as a container that will hold new creative ideas so we don't burn ourselves out (earth to fire). Working With Mercury Retrograde in Virgo 2023 This is our third and final all earth Mercury retrograde in a series of three. We began in December 2022 with the Capricorn Mercury retrograde that carried us into January. Then in April 21st to May 14th, we had a potent Mercury retrograde in Taurus overlapping with the spring eclipse portal. We wrap up this series of all earth Mercury retrogrades in Virgo (during Virgo season, of course, because Mercury is never more than 28° away from the sun). Like I mentioned above, in 2022 the Mercury retrogrades all began in air and ended in earth - lessons in making ideas reality. In 2023, the focus has been completely on Mercury making its periodic reviews in earth signs, and in 2024 Mercury will continue the process beginning each retrograde in earth but ending in fire. The takeaway is that right now we need to let Mercury retrograde in Virgo help us zoom in on the everyday rituals and routines that hold us. Virgo is the sixth sign, an earth sign known for organization, sorting, refining, perfecting, and strongly associated with health, and especially things like diet and exercise that support good health and prevent disease. Virgo is a sign of devotion and acts of service too. When we get out of balance with Virgo energy, we can find ourselves feeling anxious and never good enough, and then highly critical - of both ourselves and others. (As within, so without - as I teach my clients, we cannot give or do to anyone else that we aren't already giving or doing to ourselves - its the same for love and criticism - its like a filter or energetic prism we are living through created by our beliefs.) Here are some ideas for accessing the magic of this Mercury retrograde in your life:
This is The Art of Consciously Creating Life. This year's fall eclipse season will opening us up to the brand new north node in Aries cycle which began on July 18th and will go through January 2025, while simultaneously closing out the north node in Taurus cycle, which we've been in since January 2022. This is powerful, because the nodes represent what we are collectively growing to, and what we must release in order to do so. Before we get there though, we have three important lunations - the August 30th full moon in Pisces conjunct Saturn retrograde, the September 14th new moon in Virgo trine Uranus, and then the September full moon in Aries featuring ruler Mars conjunct the south node in Libra and at the same time square Pluto retrograde in Capricorn. Now that's powerful stuff. If you aren't already part of the tribe and receiving the new and full moon email updates, click here to join us so you can get the details on each of these as we move through them. About the Fall 2023 Eclipse Portal As the October 14th new moon eclipse in Libra is our opener to the new north node in Aries, south node in Libra cycle, it promises to be an eye-opener. With the nodes on the Aries-Libra axis of self and other, respectively, this eclipse season will be bringing relationships to the forefront, and in a particular way. The north node is the point of increase and appetite, destiny and future - it is what we are being pulled towards. The south node, its opposite point, is in contrast, the point of decrease, release, past, and karma. In short, the north node is what we are moving towards, and the south node is what we are moving away from, but the way this happens is that our pull towards expressing the north node sign traits requires us to release the south node sign shadow. In this case, the north node in Aries has us collectively feeling pulled towards more individuality, autonomy, and personal authority. This is about self-assertion and charting our own course. But to do that, the south node in Libra says we are probably going to have to face down our shadows having to do with Libra themes. Libra is the Venus-ruled sign of relationships, and it wants harmony, equality, balance, beauty, peace, justice, and cooperation. But in its value of the relationship and efforts to "not rock the boat," sometimes Libra can lose itself. This is when we end up in situations like codependency. Passive-aggressiveness and resentment can show up when we for whatever reason we don't feel we can state our needs or desires in a straightforward way, or we don't feel like there's room for us to even have needs or desires because "the relationship" is always taking priority and we are in "pleaser mode" to avoid any upset that might lead to loss of relationship or perceived rejection or abandonment. In order to move towards the strong sense of self represented by Aries, we have to let go of that Libra shadow. Ultimately, the Aries-Libra axis is about healthy relationships, and those don't happen without both parties first having a healthy sense of self. There's nothing "selfish" about it. When we come together as two strong, healthy, "wholes," we get a relationship which is a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. And that's a truly beautiful thing. Here's What's Up Between Now & Then The 8/30 Pisces full moon, the 9/14 Virgo new moon, & the 9/29 Aries full moon. So what's happening between now and then? A lot! As I write this on August 20th, we are still in the "deep end" of the Venus retrograde journey in Leo, a "rebirth to self-worth," with Mercury retrograde in Virgo on deck for 8/23 to 9/14. Our new beginning in Leo is just getting underway - the Leo new moon was just a few days ago on August 16th - but we need to be prepping now for the upcoming Pisces full moon. That's because the August 30th Pisces full moon is conjunct Saturn retrograde, and while it very well may be bringing us a hint of a harvest in regards to what we began cultivating at the Pisces new moon six months ago in February, the sun opposite Saturn still retrograde also has the potential to be a reality check, or even an uncomfortable ego hit or pinch. Don't worry - there IS a way to work in alignment with this energy over the two weeks of waxing moon to make sure we are on the right side of this and even harnessing the energy in our favor. The Virgo new moon, September 14th, will be in supportive aspect to Uranus in Taurus, helping us fully step into the new. I've been saying all summer since Venus landed in Leo in June that we would see tangible results from the inner work by late September/October. That's because Venus retrograde featured several "three hit wonder" aspects - Venus conjunct Lilith, Venus square Uranus, and Venus trine Chiron. When this happens, the first aspect is the initiation to the issue, the second is the review when we revisit the issue and gain new insight and perspective, and the third and final one, when the planet has returned to direct motion, is the resolution. The resolution in this case is coming in late September into October, and there's more factors than just Venus direct at play! This new moon is a time to be proactive about making positive changes in our lives. On September 29th, the Aries full moon will be bringing to realization/fruition whatever began in late March/April when we had two Aries new moons in a row, one being an eclipse. These were powerful new moons that bookended the sign, with the first one at 0° and the second at 29°, the anaretic, or karmic degree of the sign, and an eclipse. This one will also feature the full moon ruler, Mars, (ruler of Aries) conjunct the south node of karma, past, and release in opposing sign Libra, and squaring Pluto retrograde in Capricorn, really setting the stage for that new moon eclipse in Libra on October 14th. This is a year of major transition for all of us. A major undercurrent of 2023 is Pluto taking all year to shift out of Capricorn where it has been since 2008, and into Aquarius, where it will remain (after it reenters the sign escorted by the sun in late January) until 2044. Pluto is doing this in T-square to the nodes of future and past, increase and decrease, and destiny and fate for most of this year. Pluto is the planet of death and rebirth transformation. When we see it in such a potent aspect to the nodes for such a long period of time, we can know that we are going to be asked to fully release the past in order to step into the future. This is a "let go or be dragged" situation. We need to fully shed the old skin or it might get very uncomfortable. There might be some growing pains along the way. But, if we are consciously working with these energies (and that's where astrology can help us), then it's more like we are being carried by the current from one point to the next. Each step prepares us for the next. It's a process of evolution and growth. Join us on the journey. Click the button below to get the new and full moon email updates. Follow along on social media by clicking the links below.
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As an ambassador for Consciously Creating Life, Kasey serves as an advocate of the magic that exists in this life and in each and every one of us. She is a champion of the journey to access our own powerful magic by returning home to ourselves and reclaiming the thrones of our hearts as sovereign rulers of our realms, through practicing the Art of Consciously Creating Life.
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