Astrological Forecast November December, 1994 By Terry Lamb, M.A. There are times when the planets reflect in us a rather humdrum existence, but this is not one of them. If you will recall, I promised that October would open at least several cans of worms (not to mention step on a few of them and then make you eat them—well, maybe not that bad). November gives you the opportunity to decide what to do with them. You can put them back into a can of your choice (warning: using a larger can will make things easier, but they will take up more space in your life); or you could give them a fertile bed to grow in and produce fertilizer, one of those elixirs of life. This is a more apt metaphor than you might think during this, the time of Scorpio, sign of? oops, excuse me, fertilizer. Not only are many planets to be found in Scorpio at this time, but they are active—drooling and panting at the gate in full costume, waiting to be let into your life. You cannot deny them, and if you make them climb the fence, they will be stinking mad and demand their due. No, it is better to let them in willingly. They will ask you to spill your guts, to transform your being in many different areas until you hardly recognize yourself. At the end of this time, you will be the better for it. You may feel giddy and lightheaded, and perhaps none too comfortable, but this is because you are entering a new vibration, which you must if you want to thrive instead of just survive in the times to come. I know you're stifling a yawn by now. Scorpio has been hit hard over the last several years, so what else is new? Scorpio, like the other fixed signs (Taurus, Leo and Aquarius), is in for one last run through the mill which will be over in mid-March next year. Then it's time for the rest of you out there to get yours, and you can bet that every person with fixed planets (or at least Scorpio) is looking forward to that! Can you tell that we elected a President under Mars retrograde? The character assassination campaign seems to be coming from the media, but it is not; they are being hornswoggled by the longtime Washington insiders even more insidiously than usual. Clinton really got under their skin by not playing by the rules when he first arrived, and they are still trying to bring him to his knees. (Maybe they have succeeded.) If he accomplishes what he set out to, it will be nothing short of miraculous in that venomous environment. It has been very hard on his basic good-hearted nature to be attacked in the very area where he prides himself (and probably excels). We have already seen health reform back burnered for the time being in the face of Haiti, the November election, and Congressional back-pedaling. It is difficult to think of swallowing the kind of government-enforced/insurance-industry-driven system of mediocrity that would pass at this time. Unfortunately, while a truly humane proposal is before the Congress, it is certain to be watered down, and this will only be worse after the election. From a planetary point of view, we would expect political games to be particularly deadly at this time. Not that they have to be, but that, with mudslinging as the rule, it is difficult to do better. Some consolation lies in the fact that we do have one more year to get some health reform passed. Truly universal coverage is probably not going to happen, however—at least not while Saturn is in Pisces. The moderately poor will continue to suffer, and we will be forced to pay out of pocket for anything alternative (read: truly healthy and life supporting) just as before. If I sound pessimistic, it is just that the government is not ready to regulate for our true benefit because they do not yet have the vision for it. What we do not have the vision for, we cannot develop principles upon—principles we need as a basis for our laws. The vision will develop as a result of the problems that we encounter during Saturn in Pisces and Uranus/Neptune in Aquarius; we will develop the principles while Pluto is in Sagittarius. Time will tell if we can as a species overcome the dominance of fear and mediocrity in our public lives. I am looking at millennial issues here; they will be slow in developing and resolving—we hope not too slow. November But to bring us back to the moment, November's start does find us in the middle of dealing with a few worms. In fact, it finds us in the heart of darkness. You will recall that Venus is retrograde. If you were watching the evening sky during the late summer and early fall, you were seeing Venus as the evening star at her brightest. Once she turns retrograde, she begins her 40-day descent into the Underworld. There she is consumed by the fires of the Sun, to emerge triumphant but less brilliant as the morning star before her 40 days are done. By the first, she has already disappeared from our view, to re-emerge by about the 5th. (She may be visible earlier or later, depending on what your eastern horizon looks like.) During her retrograde, which only occurs once every 18 months, we experience a reshuffling of issues, goals and priorities related to values, economics and relationships. The core issue is self-love (Self-love), as opposed to narcissism. To the extent that narcissism masquerades as self-love will your ego be challenged by whatever turn of events and experiences occur. This 40-day tryst with Venus will be especially transformative and potentially fulfilling. Questions that pertain to this time include: How well do I handle power? How much do I hold on to my most cherished ideas and ideals of love? How well and wisely do I communicate? How much am I willing to put my money where my mouth is? One of the reasons this is such a significant Venus retrograde is that the new Venus cycle (which starts on the first) occurs very near the New Moon. This New Moon happens also to be a solar eclipse. The solar eclipse starts another cycle, this one 6 months long. It is affected by Venus conjuncting the Sun at that time and harmonious aspects to other important bodies at the same time. This adds impact to the 18-month Venus cycle and softens the sometimes harsh nature of the solar eclipse. This eclipse period may be the best one we have had in a long time, focusing on relationship, (self-) love, harmony and beauty in a constructive manner. Although fear and narcissism may create conflict (life is never a total bed of roses), the positive potential here is great. That does not change the fact that this lunar cycle (this month) will be full of impact. As with any eclipse lunation, the influence of this month's events will linger with both a 6-month and an 18-month effect. Expect this to be felt more in the foreground of your life for six months, then move to the back burner for the remaining 12 months. In this new six-month cycle, we will encounter several planetary configurations that usually are reflected in human affairs as war and terrorism. We may be able to avert such events with the potential for diplomacy that exists at this time; although under these circumstances, I'm afraid that words of conciliation will fall on deaf ears. On the 7th, we have an especially significant solar cross-quarter, when, if we were living by the true solar cycle, we would celebrate Hallowe'en (Pagan Samhain). It continues to be the time of letting go of things we no longer need, the death of what is outworn. Go into the coming period of dormancy gracefully and accept its restorative qualities. On the 9th, we experience a welcomed release of energies that began to bottle up around June 22nd. This cycle actually began on February 21st and has to do with structure, planning and taking responsibility appropriately (neither too much nor too little). By this time you know all too well what the problem is and look forward to its solution. Often this yearly cycle represents part of a longer process that leads to resolution of longer-term issues. Therefore, you may find that you are making steps in the right direction at this time (you hope) but that completion is not necessarily at hand (unless there are contacts to your chart's personal points to suggest it). Falling as closely as this event does to the general elections, the outcome of these elections is likely to be especially difficulty to deal with. The results may seem heavy or hard to swallow. There may be some choices that seem clearly inappropriate that people will now have to live with. During 1994 in general, we have been building up to a process which will ease the growth pains we have been experiencing with such collective agony over the past few years, even over the past few decades. This has to do with the awakening process within humanity, which occurs less in the specific forms that events and issues take than in the intent of those events and issues. We could say that this awakening has to do with the universalization of human consciousness, which must include recognizing our unity with all others on this planet. Admittedly, we as a species have not progressed very far with this, but some have done so admirably, and for the others the evidence for doing so is there. Perhaps the Murphy-genetic field (the hundredth monkey process) related to this evolutionary process will show signs of maturity during the next year while this planetary configuration is still in effect. I think that the success of The Celestine Prophecy is evidence of this inner maturational process. Narrowing our focus somewhat, if things get a little sticky around the 12th, you will nonetheless have the opportunity to communicate eloquently about it. If you can take the right amount of responsibility, the situation(s) will be resolved within a few days. The 17th begins a new yearly cycle having to do with expansion, education and enterprise. This year will pack a lot of punch as the planet that governs this cycle (Jupiter) has an explosive traveling partner (Pluto). Watch for terrorism and acts of war at this time. If President Clinton has not yet invaded Haiti by this time, he will be hard pressed not to do so now. In your own personal life (if it makes contacts to points in your chart), you may be aware of power. This may be used against you or you may have it available to you. We must remember that great power never comes to us by ourselves but through us from a greater source. As long as we remember that it is not ours but is entrusted to us, we will not misuse it. This occurs at the same time as the Full Moon, which is also a lunar eclipse. (This is not unusual, they always come in pairs.) However, the planetary configuration at this time is unusual and promises to be highly flammable. Surely the volatile personalities in the world will not be able to pass this one up! What's more, this is only Step One in a three-step process—this eclipse will set up the issues that will be played out at steps two and three. Although the energy relating to conflict dissipates somewhat before steps two and three occur, there will be people who cannot give up their fears and positions in order to avoid a fight. There is hope, however, that much of what could arise in mid-November may be resolved in the first part of the month through diplomacy, as mentioned above. If not, we can expect problems, possibly an outbreak of conflict involving the United States from mid-January through mid-February. The situation(s) that arise will be at least partially resolved just before Memorial Day. On the 20th begins a second yearly cycle, that of Pluto. Pluto, ruler of the underworld, brings transformation from the dark side of our being. Even through Pluto and Jupiter will separate in their orbits during 1995, they will continue to flirt with each other during that time, making the expansionary processes in our lives especially vigorous in 1995 just as they have been in 1994. The Sun enters Sagittarius on the 22nd, lifting out of the ashes of Scorpio into the eternal quest for truth. This time of year has been relatively free of the distraction of inner growth over the past few years, but that respite is about to end as Pluto makes its first ingress into Sagittarius in early 1995. For this last year, however, enjoy the holiday season unfettered by planetary hazards—next year transformation may intrude. On the 23rd, at long last, Venus returns to her natural direction for another 16 months. The lessons we encountered over the past 40 days comprise the directive we must fulfill during the coming cycle, signified by where her conjunction with the Sun occurred in your chart. The rest of November flies by unimpeded by planetary veils to catch us. December finds us with our load of stellar burdens lightened, our challenges coming from the more mundane realm of our holiday traditions. December An event of great moment occurs at the beginning of December (the 1st, to be exact). A new 12-year cycle governing the use of power in the social realm begins at this time. It carries the transformative energy that has come up so often during this year ending. We must learn to rise above our petty grievances and truly stand out for something greater than ourselves—god(dess) forbid we call it spirituality! From this energy union may spring everything from a true cure for cancer to the latest jihad; we can infuse any purpose into the available energies and lift them to their loftiest heights or twist them into contortions of ugliness. From this energy, hope springs eternal of reform, social justice and true evolution in the lives of humans. At the same time, we will experience a New Moon, so the lunar cycle once again picks up a powerful energy by timing but not by position. It suggests a covert build-up of power; something developing in the background which will emerge into the open during January. We can all think about these events in terms of the world hot spots, especially with recent posturing among political leaders. However, do not forget to apply it into your own life; if you have personal contacts to these planetary events, you may experience your own war. Perhaps you can already see what that might be. November and December are the months to mollify, to communicate and to prepare for what may come. The 9th brings to us Jupiter's ingress into Sagittarius. After a year in Scorpio and in the same sign as Pluto, Jupiter has been through its own changes with comet fragments striking it in July. Now we can look forward to the opportunity to transcend (not escape) the transformative processes and encounters with raw power that developed over the past year. If we are attentive, Jupiter will bring us insight into what Pluto will bring to us during the next 15 years when it is in Sagittarius. Take care not to fall prey to Jupiter's excesses, because Pluto will shear them away and you with them if you happen to have invested heavily in those excesses. Sagittarius loves excesses like avoiding reality and responsibility (such as how much you really have in your bank account when you go holiday shopping), escaping distasteful circumstances and standing unrealistically on principle. Stay to the center and avoid polarizations and generalizations (like these). The rest of the month will give you time to contemplate the coming winter struggles, if you can take the time to do so. There are a couple noteworthy planetary events left to December, but nothing like the challenges of October and November. These include Mars' long but fragmentary sojourn into Virgo, which begins on the 12th and lasts until January 22nd because it turns retrograde on January 2nd. Take note of what occurs during December, especially if you have placements in early mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces). You can anticipate activity in January related to these points. The Full Moon occurs on the 17th, and it is blessedly devoid of unique planetary circumstances. You should, in fact, find the last half of December quite harmonious. Yule is celebrated when the Sun enters Capricorn on the 21st. This longest night nonetheless signals the return of the light, even though the winter lies ahead. The Goddess gives birth to the newborn babe (Attica, Jesus, etc.) who will become the Sun King in six months. This is the time to plant your seeds for the new year, which actually begins at Yule. No matter what year's end brings to you, your Self will survive it. Remember that life contrives shocking circumstances to get us to remember that we are Self, not self. If we habitually rise to the level of Soul, we connect with the Creative and follow the path of the Sage. The storms of life loom much smaller in our lives from that perspective. May you find the waters of life calm in these coming months. Blessed Be! | 
