November 2023By Bob Mulligan (a personal note is at the end of the newsletter) November Highlights Saturn (karma and lord of boundaries) turns Direct at zero Pisces on the 4th. Saturn has been in Pisces since March 2023; turning Direct now cements his pervasive influence in this mystical and inclusive sign until he goes into Aries May of 2025. We will see the reality principle of Saturn puncturing the inflated fantasy world of fanaticism and misinformation. The best use of this influence is recommitting to some form of selfless service. Venus (goddess of love) enters Libra (sign of balance) on the 8th. She lifts our spirits. Mercury (messenger of the gods) enters visionary Sagittarius on the 10th. These planets are linked by a Sextile all month. We will have extra help in finding the right words to convey our intentions. There is the possibility of establishing new avenues of understanding. Mars is Conjunct the Sun at the New Moon, the Full Moon, and when the Sun goes into Sagittarius. Mars, so prominent at these inflection points, suggests there is extra energy for good or ill, powering activities all month. And one more thing; planets are predominantly in fixed signs at the beginning of the month, but there is a steady drift to the mutable signs as the month goes on. This suggests that collectively people may become more flexible and tolerant of other people. Who knows, we may even start listening to each other. The New Moon The New Moon is on the 13th at 4:27 AM EST at 20 degrees and 43 minutes of Scorpio. Uranus is Opposite the New Moon. Mars is Conjunct the New Moon and Trine to Neptune. Tremendous tension and emotional extremes are with us all month. The Trine to Neptune in Pisces points the way, out is up. Our way out of the destructive impulsiveness is to raise our vibration, perspective, and emotional bonding mechanism. Mercury Sextile Venus forms a Yod with Jupiter in Taurus. This pattern points to deep conflicts over values. Disputes will be settled largely based on allocation of resources. All month the discussion and inner dialogue over what is really worth having is critical. Because Pluto Squares the Nodes and Venus and Mars are in their own rulerships, battle lines are being drawn. The higher side of the struggle emerges after some setbacks. The Sun enters Sagittarius The Sun enters Sagittarius on the 22nd at 9:04 AM EST. The Moon is separating from the Conjunction to Neptune and applying to the Trine to Mars. Mars and the Sun are in different signs but Conjunct. An undercurrent of emotional demands forces forgotten issues to the surface. Pluto is in the middle of Mars/Moon and in Sextile to both. Pluto holds the key by supplying the extra oomph to redirect the feelings of the general public. The Sun Square Saturn shows roadblocks as we all try to navigate turbulent waters. But again, Pluto plays a determining role as he is Sextile the Sun from the end of Capricorn. This shows the immediate disagreeable circumstances present issues that have been with us a long time. Each of us can either deal with them, or “kick the can down the road.” The choice is both personal and public. The Full Moon The Full Moon is on the 27th at 4:16 AM EST on 4 degrees and 51 minutes of Sagittarius/Gemini. Saturn is Square both, and so is on the base of a T-Square. With Mars Conjunct the Sun and Opposite the Moon there is tremendous power. With six planets in Mutable signs, there will be lots of mental activity in order to regain balance. Mercury is Sextile Venus and Square Neptune. This shows a desire to be faithful to our own goals but also a tendency to overextend. Mercury Trine the North Node of the Moon in Aries leads us out of difficulties. The South Node and Venus in Libra are the focal point of a Yod with Neptune and Uranus. We are apt to fall back into old habits to straighten out new and uncomfortable situations. The good news is that many people will be on a charm offensive; everyone benefits from this. We can find solutions with common ground and appreciation for a better way of life. The Weeks From the 1st to the 5th money and all things material seem to control the bigger picture. Desires expand with their expression. Moderation seems to be out of the question, or at least unwise. The smartest among us will watch and learn. Although this is a time to act, more information is just around the corner, and will change everything. From the 6th to the 12th sharing during the time of great abundance isn’t particularly courageous or character building. However, when there are real limitations of time and resources, giving to others, without thought of return, can unleash our higher truth. Relationships have new meaning when we give from our heart. From the 13th to the 19th with determination we can start in a new direction, energize an ongoing project, or eliminate barriers to our forward progress. Humanitarian gestures give immediate fulfillment, and elevate our capacity to serve. What is in us is in everyone, latent, but it is there. From the 20th to the 26th hard work has the capacity to raise our vibration. To be committed to the right cause brings peace and a genuine lift to everyone and everything. Inner peace and contentment emerges as a natural conclusion to being on the right path. It is hard to be patient when the end is not clearly seen, but this is necessary now. From the 27th to the 30th we have an opportunity to take a great leap forward; this is achieved by bypassing our normal thinking processes and taking a leap of faith. The categories of the past trap us into endless lines of repetition. There are no wrong paths, only faster and slower ways to reach our destination. To be honest and bold brings results. The Days 1st – Wednesday – Too many options can create anxiety. Determination is one thing, having the path and goal in our sights is another. After just having run the Boston Marathon it’s time to relax and celebrate; it’s not the moment to turn around and run it again. We don’t have to be our own task master; the world is hard enough. 2nd – Thursday – Mercury Contra-parallel Uranus, Venus Contra-parallel Neptune, Sun Sesquiquadrate Neptune – Clarity of vision allows the synthesis of facts and intuition. Peeling away layers of cynicism, the all pervasive beauty of a higher life lived in truth captivates us at least momentarily. We wish to make the day at the ocean last forever. 3rd – Friday – Sun Opposite Jupiter, Venus Opposite Neptune, Venus Sesquiquadrate Jupiter – Our “eyes are bigger than our stomach”. Imagination presents us with an unobtainable future. Sure, this is a lucky moment; but do we have the boundaries to know what is really ours, and what is meant to be someone else’s harvest? 4th – Saturday – Saturn turns Direct, Mercury Opposite Uranus – Yes, we can run the footrace, and even win. However, who is to say this is a good thing? The race we are winning could still have us running in the wrong direction. Being sure of ourselves may be limiting our vision of what is truly possible. We need to be willing to listen to others, even when they are full of it. 5th – Sunday – Jupiter Semi-sextile Neptune – Generosity run amuck can lead us forward with unrealistic expectations. Beauty may only be skin deep, but it is still beauty. Recognizing the beauty in an illusion can prompt us to be our better selves. 6th – Monday – Venus Trine Pluto, Mercury Trine Neptune – A few lingering details come to our attention and need to be addressed. Finishing touches come by appealing to the vast storehouse of knowledge that lies within. We have cut the cloth, sewn the suit, now we must throw away the scraps. Not everything needs to be saved. 7th – Tuesday – Acknowledgement of the Divine can be celebrated through traditional trappings. Genuineness doesn’t always mean innovation. Little acts of kindness can carry great importance in the long journey to advance in consciousness. We expect more from an adult than we do from a child. 8th – Wednesday – Venus enters Libra, Venus Quincunx Saturn, Mercury Sextile Pluto – Self-awareness can show us when the ship is being destabilized through emotional turbulence. A reality check comes via a cold mental appreciation for the obvious. The best way through is to take the necessary steps, without making our actions and decisions all or nothing. The world looks different in a few days. 9th – Thursday – Mars Contra-parallel Uranus – Recognizing positive occurrences, and sharing them with everyone in your network, makes the world a better place. We have to build the house with the materials we have. Tension is there, and needs to be released. We can deescalate without having a fight, an accident, or argument. 10th – Friday – Mercury enters Sagittarius, Mercury Square Saturn – We see some new avenues of adventure and at the same time, obstacles appear. We can’t back up or go forward without overcoming tremendous resistance from the outside world. Contemplation and planning are contemporaneous with our recognition of the change in circumstances. 11th – Saturday – Mars Opposite Uranus – Frustrations emerge when things don’t work out as planned. Being in a hurry can work against us. The desire to accomplish runs counter to our desire for harmony. Are we up to the challenge? Planning is difficult as people and circumstances around us keep changing. If the stock market is going down, there are still ways to make money, but only if we face what is. 12th – Sunday – Sun Contra-parallel Uranus – Altering our course of action is salutary. Preparing for a great wave of change requires us to lighten up. Long standing mundane tasks may need reorganization. If the routines of everyday life are boring or oppressive, it is time to reorganize. Necessary tasks are not always what they appear to be. 13th – Monday – The New Moon is on the 13th at 4:27 AM EST at 20 degrees and 43 minutes of Scorpio, Sun Opposite Uranus, Venus Sesquiquadrate Uranus – We tend to be fixed on a point of view. There is much agreement on what needs to be done. But who has to do what? Who will pay for the things that need improvement? Last minute compromises can show us a way through conflict. We all need to give a little more to help each other. The heavy lifting has already been done. The film has already been shot, now we just have to play it back and watch. 14th – Tuesday – Mercury Parallel Pluto – When we take our head out of the sand, wide vistas greet us. Now can we take this higher perspective and apply it to the routine tasks at hand? Repetition isn’t particularly enjoyable, but when we see it in the larger context of what we are doing, menial becomes meaningful. 15th – Wednesday – Mercury Sextile Venus, Sun Semi-square Venus, Mercury Quincunx Jupiter – Something we have been dreaming about is coming into view. A new possibility arises from the background. There are several steps to be taken over the next two days. First steps happen now and the finale is tomorrow. Our best self comes forward when we see today as part of a sequence of abundance stretching off into the future. We take the first step and nature does the rest. 16th – Thursday – Venus Quincunx Jupiter – Optimism and generosity pave the road to success. We can all improve together. The destruction caused in the past can be put behind us. We can want the result, but will we embrace the process? Healing old wounds comes entirely as an act of will and grace from the Divine. Sharing creates happiness. 17th – Friday – Mars Trine Neptune, Venus Semi-square Mars, Sun Trine Neptune – We may have faith that help is there for us, even when others resist our insistence. We start the car and begin the drive with a half tank of gas. Surely there will be a gas station along the way. And there is. Life is simpler when we believe that the reality of our situation is good for all. 18th – Saturday – Sun Conjunct Mars – The extra push carries us over the finish line. Complications are part of any life process. The trick is not to create more energy, but to carefully regulate the use of what we have. Even though the world seems like a dangerous place, fear and anger are unnecessary and extremely counterproductive. We win a victory over ourselves when we channel our lower impulses. 19th – Sunday – Mercury Semi-square Pluto, Venus Parallel Neptune, Sun Parallel Mars – Big ideas, to be effective, must be harnessed to given duties. We all have some job to do. We have a role. Even when it seems that it doesn’t matter to anyone, it does. The mind is puzzled; every way forward seems incomplete. However, we don’t have to figure it out; the way forward is by following the intuitions of the heart. The world looks different when we don’t worry and relinquish a need to have definitive answers. 20th – Monday – Sun Sextile Pluto – Patience is the attitude needed to make use of the openings for practical advancement today. Evolutionary forces require each individual to make effort. The collective good of civilization is preparing to take the next step. This may seem farfetched, given the violence and hatred in the world. But this is a fact. The light has come and is expanding behind the scenes. 21st – Tuesday – Mars Sextile Pluto – Ongoing considerations in our private life need a few final touches. A little extra push is required. Once personal issues are dispatched, our hands are free to help others, and to participate in something larger than our own lives. Many people are in a celebratory mood; we can profitably join in if we do so without any particular expectations. It is all about vision and attitude. 22nd – Wednesday – Venus Sesquiquadrate Saturn, the Sun enter Sagittarius – Even with new responsibilities, the atmosphere lightens up. Accepting the inevitable, we make compromises with others. Bravery gives both backbone and freedom. Finally, we are able to relinquish attachment to results. It is time to have some fun. Old habits may come back, but pleasure with friends can erase isolation, and this is worth a little back sliding. 23rd – Thursday – Sun Square Saturn – A diversion of energy can seem like nonsense but it is a blessing. We may be digging a hole, difficult to escape, if we didn’t meet obstacles. Sometimes what must be done doesn’t look all that much fun. However, when we try our new direction on for size, it fits. Sometimes just surviving is reward enough. 24th – Friday – Mercury Quincunx Uranus, Mars enters Sagittarius – It’s a hike up the mountain. The good news is the supply of energy and previsions are more than sufficient. Luck is with us and we make good progress. The bad news is that we must journey some part of the path without much companionship. We adjust to the pace of the day once we get in motion. 25th – Saturday – Mars Square Saturn, Mercury Sesquiquadrate Jupiter – What is worthy of our time and attention? A moment of reflection helps us keep the longer journey in perspective. Taking care of details now stops us from having to correct our mistakes in the future. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” 26th – Sunday – Venus Quincunx Uranus – If we are distracted by the unique, our hum drum responsibilities don’t get completed. We must eat the main course before consuming the dessert and hors d’oeuvres. Life is a banquet, but we must know how to approach it. It’s time to see if our espoused values match our actions. If not, what do we really believe? 27th – Monday – The Full Moon is at 4:16 AM EST on 4 degrees and 51 minutes of Sagittarius/Gemini, Mercury Square Neptune – Everything looks good. Too many options can create anxiety. The call of past relationships can upset our rhythm. It is ok to keep a dysfunctional relationship, but only if we invest the time and love to make it functional. It is time to put up or shut up. Honesty and self-forgiveness go hand in hand. We make mistakes; what is important is that we recognize them and then go on. When we are sawing through a board, the saw moves back and forth; this is not indecision. 28th – Tuesday – Jupiter Contra-parallel Saturn – Duty calls, but the well trod and joyous path looks inviting. The material world grounds us, but we are easily led by a higher intuition into an ideal realm. Integrating the unknown with the reliable terrain of the familiar is a process we must go through. If we don’t respond to the higher wisdom, our vision cannot expand. 29th – Wednesday – Sun Quincunx Jupiter – Just floating carries us downstream. Progress isn’t fast, but it is much better that being exhausted and overextended. Taking care of our own lives is sometimes the kindest thing we can do for others. Life is uplifting when we let others do what they want without our interference. 30th – Thursday – Mercury Semi-sextile Pluto, Venus Quincunx Neptune – A slight nudge in the right direction can correct a bad mental pattern. We hear beautiful music that we can’t recreate, but that doesn’t matter. We don’t have to create the ocean in order to recognize it and go surfing. Bob Mulligan is available for personal appointments, astrology classes, and astrological material. Call him at 239-261-2840 or e-mail bobmulliga@aol.com. Visit our website, www.theastrologycompany.com. My Personal Note On November 22 I will celebrate 50 years in astrology. What have I learned? You are invited to a talk online. Let me know if you are interested in attending, I’ll send you a link. I haven’t decided when the talk will be, but it will be soon. In her newsletter, Georgia Stathis said that with the approaching Mars Square Pluto, extreme violence would be likely. As it happened, as Mars came close to completing the Square with Pluto, Hamas launched this barbaric attack on Israel. Transiting Mars was Opposite the Eclipse of April 20th. Pluto was Square the Eclipse. Mars can often be the trigger. Mars was Conjunct the Eclipse that happened just before 9/11. And now we are in a cycle of violence. “An eye for an eye, making the whole world blind.” – Gandhi The situation between Palestine and Israel is not simple. In my class on mundane astrology I used the chart of Israel and Palestine to explain these difficulties. If you would like to learn more, this video might be a good place to start: How Israel Was Created – YouTube In my talk for NCGR San Diego, I talked about what we have coming up. I mentioned that the three outer planets would be in a Sextile Fan Pattern, May 2027 through the summer of 2029. Leela Bruner pointed out that she has a Sextile Fan between these outer planets in her birth chart. For that matter, one is occurring in the heavens right now. What makes the Sextile Fan in the last part of this decade so special is that Pluto, Neptune, and Uranus will have all just changed signs – Pluto in Aquarius, Neptune in Aries, and Uranus in Gemini. Further, these are all positive signs and will reinforce the positive in each other. If you would like to see this talk, I have a copy and can send it to you. Write and ask. Not having anyone in my circle of friends that is transgender, I searched it out online to be better informed. I came across this short post: Transgender Teen Shares Powerful Message – YouTube Katie and I were discussing that fact that we could be talking about something, then shortly see an ad for the thing we were discussing show up on one or both of our computers. I happened to see this on a road sign: Fave way to online shop? I Just yell what I want & wait for an ad to pop up. Then I stumbled across this short article on the internet: Check it out: Notice an Orange Dot on Your Phone? Here’s What it Indicates and Why You Should Watch Your Words (msn.com) This is my favorite scene from this classic Mel Brooks movie: Robin Hood Men in Tights – Bad News In A Good Way – YouTube This song has been covered by so many people from John Denver to the Hollies. This is the original by the author; It’s In Every One Of Us – YouTube “You can counteract a disease only by its antidote Love is the antidote for hatred. When you feel like hating a man try to remind yourself That he is a form of your own self.” Meher Baba Bob Mulligan is available for personal appointments, astrology classes, and astrological material. Call him at 239-261-2840 or e-mail bobmulliga@aol.com. Visit our website, www.theastrologycompany.com. |