Depth Astrology, AstroMythology & the Cosmic Feminine

New Moon at 15 Scorpio 11
November 7, 2018, 11:02am EST, 8:02am PST, 4:02pm GMT,
November 8, 1:02am AEDT

Image: Vermont’s new Ceres as “Agriculture”— model/photo by Jerry Williams, for the third incarnation of Vermont’s State House statue. Now in process of being sculpted in her full 14-foot stature, Vermont’s third incarnation of the goddess replaces an older one that had deteriorated beyond repair. The new Ceres will be lifted atop the golden dome of the State House at the end of this month. [I have written an article about the history of the three statues for Vermont Woman magazine. I will include link to online version in next newsletter.]

Summary of November
A tangible change in the energy field this month slowly turns the tide of 2018 with this November 7 New Moon. Opportunity and adventure beckon as King Jupiter jumps into fiery Sagittarius, where he rules. Halfway through the month, Mercury turns retrograde in that same sign. It takes more time than we want to get a clear sense of direction. Detours or rerouting are likely. The Full Moon on November 23 is dynamic and very busy, with a push-pull of distractions. Exercise discernment—and exercise, period. Oxygenate your body and intuition. Don’t believe everything you hear. Find the truth in your heart.

Venus-Ceres-Spica
Before I outline the sequence of changes this month, I want to share one especially lovely feature of this New Moon. Let’s b that Venus is still retrograde for another week. In her own sign of Libra all month, she graciously smoothes things out and seeks agreements— within ourselves first.

There is a special meeting of Venus and Ceres, conjunct at 26-28 Libra. Ceres is a Mother Nature archetype, Mother of millions of small asteroids. Ceres was the first discovered object in the asteroid belt and the largest. First considered a planet, then one of the growing number of asteroids, it is now considered a dwarf planet. Symbolically, then, Ceres has become more significant in our collective consciousness. I love that she joins Venus, as the Goddess of Love slows to turn forward in her own sign. A new balance is being achieved. We have been through a deep process as Venus plunged into the dark subterranean territory of Scorpio. She pulled us into personal depths to find a new and vital vein of heart intelligence that reverberates in harmony with a chord of truth and connects us to a greater field of universal energy. Ceres suggests this deeper harmony ties into a resonance with Earth energy as well. We need this awareness with the increasing planetary emphasis in the earth signs—Pluto and Saturn approach a powerful 2020 conjunction in Capricorn and, soon, Uranus will be in Taurus.

Venus and Ceres are also in alignment with Spica, the blue white “Gifting Star” in Virgo, representing the sheaf of wheat that she holds, as seed and fruit of Nature’s cycle. As Goddess of Agriculture, Ceres is also pictured with a sheaf of wheat, indicating a strong emphasis on the Gifts of the Goddess. Astronomically Venus is unusually close to the star. Are you open to receiving their gifts? Have you found some renewed sense of emotional balance that prepare you to recognize potentials and unexpected options that are opening up for you, that can inform the choices and decisions you make? There is a warning that we be careful not to make rash decisions, but to consider deeply what feels truly and deeply right, honorable and appropriate.

Let’s add in the Sabian Symbol for this New Moon @ 16 Scorpio, as another cosmic feminine reference: “A Girl’s Face Breaking into a Smile.”
What would cause your face break into a smile, like a sudden shaft of sunlight breaking through the clouds?
Here is a quote in Lynda Hill’s classic, The Sabian Symbols as an Oracle, for this 16 Scorpio degree, especially relevant to Venus:
“Beauty is a power; a smile is its sword.” —Charles Reade
A smile is a Gift from the Goddess, as referenced by this stellium of influences: Venus, Ceres, and Virgo’s star Spica.

November’s Shifting Ground
This beautiful trio of goddesses gives us a backdrop of three Graces as we look to November’s series of significant sign changes that changes the tone of our experience in a clear way. Here’s a summary:

October 31— Mercury in Sagittarius & Venus in Libra
On Halloween planetary trickster Mercury shifted into Sagittarius and
Venus retrograded back into Libra, a sweet treat in her own sign. These two planets stay where they are for all of November.

November 6— Uranus back in Aries until March 6, 2019
Uranus sends up flares, lights more fires and creates a fresh surge of excitement. Yet another lightning storm of incoming plasma waves sweeps in from the center of the galaxy. This Awakener planet of higher mind, turns on dormant brain cells, changing our minds. Rewired and surprised? Invite cosmic spaciousness with an Aries open-minded flare of “tabla rasa,” standing alert with “Be Here Now” attention.
Uranus stays in Aries into the New Year. We need this Aries “take two” to be stronger and better prepared when Uranus reenters the fields of Taurus again next March, to plow new territory. We’ll be in new cosmic country by then.

November 7— This New Moon in mid-Scorpio announces further exciting changes:

Nov. 8— Jupiter enters Sagittarius! until December 2, 2019
Once a year the Big Planet changes sign. This is the day that finds Jupiter in its rulership for the first time in 12 years! Hurrah! The pace picks up with Jupiter’s cheerleading. We are stimulated with visionary fire, enthusiasm and intuitive imagination. Archers, string your bow and sharpen your arrows in readiness. Mercury soon retrogrades in Sagittarius to give us extra time to rewrite the script as we seek our true aim and clear direction.

This is a juicy sequence of dates:
November 15— Mars into Pisces until January 1, 2019
Mars finally leaves Aquarius, where it has largely been since mid-May!
Give your mind a break and go with the flow.

November 16— Venus turns direct @ 25+ Libra
“An Eagle and a White Dove Change Swiftly into Each Other”
This has been a transformational Venus retrograde cycle for sure. She will return to Scorpio in early December, showing her spicy side into the new year. Meanwhile she passes the retrograde baton on to Mercury.

November 17— Mercury turns retrograde @ 13+ Sag.
“Sphinx and Pyramids Stand, Remains of a Glorious Past”
Eternal truths stand the test of time. Review your unconscious belief systems. Life is not so much about belief systems as it is embodied experience. Mercury agrees that we need to think twice before making hasty decisions. New pathways may call us to an adventure we did not anticipate. Let that smile break through!

November 22— The Sun begins its annual visit to Sagittarius and celebrates with a Full Moon the next day. I’ll be back in touch around then….

Keep smiling!
More Lynda Hill quotes for this New Moon make great refrigerator notes:

“Your day will go the way the corners of your mouth turn.”

“Smile at each other, smile at your wife, smile at your husband, smile at your children, smile at each other—it doesn’t matter who it is—and that will help you to grow up in greater love for each other.” -Mother Teresa

“When you’re smiling, when you’re smiling, the whole world smiles with you.”

This Louis Armstrong version of that song will make you smile!