The Solstice is one of the 4 cardinal corners of the solar year. Here in the North we are shadowed in the dark at the Winter Solstice, even as the Sun stalls at its southern-most station bathing the South in light. Meanwhile Venus stations for its retrograde phase this weekend, and Chiron stations for its direct phase, all within the rays of the Gemini Full Moon. May we all stand in awe at the sacredness of this glorious season.

Due to a confluence of events, Venus will be conjunct Pluto for the full month of December. It is rare for these otherwise fast moving inner planets to be slow enough to keep pace with the slow moving outer planets in this way. But now that Venus has slowed for its retrograde station on the 19th, we have this unlikely but intense duo daring to dig up all sorts of scandal and corruption, as they languorously stroll through the heavens together.

The Solar Eclipse on December 3rd (or 4th depending on where you are in the world) is the last of the series of eclipses on the Gemini/Sagittarius axis. Solar Eclipses occur at the New Moon, which are times of new beginnings. The difference being that with an eclipse those new beginnings can have much more far reaching effects. In fact they can act as turning points that can transform our whole lives.

Betwixt and between the eclipses, Neptune will station for its direct phase, and Saturn will complete its last sextile to Chiron. These sextiles have been winding their way through the background of our lives all year. This is their last hurrah. That and the profound influence of Neptune this week are beckoning us all to pause, take notice and breathe in this space between the eclipses.

Within only degrees of the Lunar Nodes, the Lunar Eclipse on Friday (or Thursday, depending on where you are on the earth) is almost, but not quite, a total eclipse. It is also the longest eclipse to be seen in centuries, giving us a much broader window of visibility, weather conditions permitting. It is also the first of 7 eclipses that are going to be on the Taurus/Scorpio axis bringing all things (and people) Taurus and Scorpio to the foreground of our lives.

Uranus transits can be unpredictable. They can strike unexpectedly from out of the blue, catch us off guard and change the landscape. But they can also allow us to see things from a whole new perspective.

The New Moon in Scorpio was one of a series of new moons strongly in aspect to Uranus. This series of new moons are preparing us for the changes in our lives that are well nigh due. This coming week, in preparation for these changes in our lives, we are becoming aware of those things that are no longer working, and may in fact be holding us back, or standing in the way. Confronting these obstacles will be a necessary part of the process.

You may have already noticed that many people are in the throes of change. There are many things contributing to these changes. Some of which are unexpected and unforeseen. This is what can happen when the planet Uranus is so prominently aspected as it is with the upcoming New Moon in Scorpio on November 4th. Almost anything can be revealed and/or exposed in the shadowy light of the Scorpio New Moon when it is exactly opposite illuminating and unpredictable Uranus.

We’re only just recovering from the Full Moon, and we’re moving into Scorpio territory this weekend. But let us not forget that Venus is out of bounds for the second time this year. And will be until December 7th. To read more about Venus out of bounds this week (and what that means) visit the weekly update page.

Jupiter and Mercury both station direct on Monday, the 18th, while a feisty and fiery Full Moon on October 20th is already picking up steam. Strap on your seat belts everyone, this could be something of a bumpy ride.