Shift Happens
You're not losing your mind. Losing control, though? Maybe. But that's the point, really. You never had it fully to begin with...no matter how many choices you've made that were distinctly your own. We're not super-human after all, and we can't do it all...some things fall through the cracks while we're sifting through priorities. And then the shifts happen. Slow down, stand still, move ahead, back it up...the energy of the Universe moves in mysterious ways, but the timing is always impeccable. The rhythm is down to a science, and the messages move us like art.
November begins the 'time which is no time'...the deepest dark of the year between Samhain (October 31st-November 1st) and the 12 days of Yule (December 21st-January 1st). This transition between the Celtic New Year and the Winter Solstice Holidays is as magickal as it is mysterious. There certainly is an otherworldly undertone to all happenings as we float along with our bodies, trying to keep up with a societal pace that no longer allows the time to pause and reflect at the crucial crossroads of the seasons. We're seeing ourselves do all this business, and hearing ourselves say all these words...but are our feet even touching the ground? What on Earth is real, and what is illusion?
So, on U.S. Election Day, Mercury steps in and focuses our attention on the 5th degree of Sagittarius before retrograding (backtracking, from our point-of-view) to pick up those pieces we overlooked while speeding ahead through autumn. Mercury rules communication, transportation, and the mind. In Sagittarius, Mercury takes our collective mind on an adventurous journey, seeking meaning in the bigger picture and expanding our perspective. The degree where it stationed is represented by the Sabian Symbol 'an old owl sitting in a tree'. The image calls to mind a double-shot of wisdom, as the Owl totem and Tree totems are well known for wisdom medicine. It also suggests that this retrograde got us to stop a moment and view a situation from all sides, piercing through the surface for the truth with sharpened eyes. Many hear 'Mercury Retrograde' and automatically assume the worst will happen. Mechanical and technological delays, communication breakdowns, scheduling snafus and Murphy's Law often come up at this time...especially if you are in a full-speed-ahead mindset needing to get too many things done. Try to see it differently. My printer ran out of ink and paper when I needed a bunch of scripts for my class, but what I did have was sufficient. A mother stopped me after class that day to talk about costumes and makeup, and if I had left on time I might have gotten into an accident with the crushed car that was holding up traffic on my way home. The delays often have good reason. This is a time to look inward and re-evaluate what you put forth before the shift, rediscover something important you may have overlooked, and reconnect with the still voice inside you. Make time to rethink some things, and you'll be using this retrograde to your best advantage.
Now this particular retrograde goes on most of the month, and shifts back to direct motion on November 26th. We're not exactly clear of the lessons of this time, though, until December 14th when it gets back to this same degree where it first stationed.
On Sunday, November 11th, we had another planetary shift...but a much slower one. Neptune stationed that weekend in the 1st degree of Pisces and is now moving slowly forward again in direct motion. When Neptune's at a standstill, prevalent themes play out in the areas of dreams, spirituality, inspiration, imagination but can also get hazy in the areas of addiction, deception, and confusion. Anything that you can't quite define or control usually comes up around these times. The Sabian Symbol for this degree of Pisces is 'a public marketplace'. Commerce is the theme, and during a mercury retrograde mixed with the nebulous nature of Neptune...what's being bought and sold (whether figuratively or literally) may be questionable. Social exchanges may have been a bit heavy or confusing...but we're coming out of all that with a certain indescribable enlightenment. 
On Wednesday, November 14th, Chiron (the Wounded Healer) will also station direct in Pisces, though in the 5th degree. So, this whole week is also colored with our deepest wounds either reopening to be properly healed or healing others with the gift within our own wounds. The Sabian Symbol for this degree is 'a church bazaar'. With Neptune and Chiron working together in Pisces, we'll either be swimming through emotional seas or streaming the currents of spirit. And to make matters a little more emotionally in-depth, Mercury Retrograde brings us back into the intense waters of the Scorpio mind this same day. Sensitivities may be on high, but remember that everyone will be feeling these effects in some way. You may feel alone in your woundedness, but we're all in it together working on our own wounds while healing the wounds of others. This 'church bazaar' that brings community together is a light social gathering full of strange items and treasures from all around the world. There is something for everyone here, whether it be something that reminds us of our childhood, something that recalls a lost piece of our soul, or something that connects us to our spirituality. You will find what you never realized you were looking for.
Diana the Huntress
The New Moon clocks in at 4:08pm CST today (Tuesday, November 13th), followed by a solar eclipse at 4:17pm...all in the 22nd degree of Scorpio. The Sabian Symbol for this degree is 'hunters starting out for wild ducks'. Appropriately, the new moon represents the maiden aspect of the triple goddess...Diana, the huntress. This degree also suggests the stealth and strategy involved in keeping hidden while stalking the prey you are after, which resonates with the shadowy nature of the Solar Eclipse. Every new moon is an opportunity for new beginnings...when we release what no longer serves us from the last moon phase and move on with better intentions and goals for the next few weeks. To avoid being the 'sitting ducks' in this image, we imagine ourselves as the hunters instead...waiting in the shadows and readying ourselves to aim directly for our goal.
Diana is the goddess of the hunt, the moon, and birthing...associated with wild animals and woodland. Animal totem messages may show much insight during this time. Whatever it is you've been meaning to bring to birth in your life...focus your intentions on that goal and make it happen during this moon phase. The effects of eclipses have far-reaching implications...so whatever you make your focus now, may be a significant part of your life for at least half a year to come, if not for the rest of your life. Steady your aim.
Happy New Moon!
Love and Gratitude,
Felina Lune Kavi
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