season
Astrological Forecast November 16 – 22, 2020
The Sun will complete its cycle through Scorpio this week, moving into Sagittarius on Saturday, and kicking off the official start of the holiday season. The Moon travels through Sagittarius on Monday, then enters Capricorn on Tuesday, where it will remain until Thursday. This will create one of the most productive weeks we’ve had in a while, and since Thanksgiving is next week in the United States, and the holiday season will kick in right after that, this is the week to get all that unfinished work and overdue projects completed, or at least advanced to a level where it feels manageable through the end of the year.
The Aquarius Moon will take us into the weekend, urging us to prepare for the social activities ahead. If you’re planning a big holiday dinner, double-check to make sure you’ve invited everyone you want there, and if you’re aiming for a more quiet, peaceful and calorie-light day off, this is the time to set that into motion as well. Doing things differently is a theme of Aquarius, so if you’re ready to start a new holiday tradition, or ignore tradition altogether, you can still work an attitude and sense of gratitude into your world.
Venus will move into Scorpio on Saturday, adding to the spiritual tone of the weekend. And with the Moon moving into Pisces on Sunday, it will be easy to hear what your intuition is telling you. Listening to your gut will take you exactly where you want to go!
How To Make The Winter Season A Happy, Healthy Time
Just yesterday, my husband said to me that it was getting dark earlier and he already dreads the long, drawn-out winter months that we always have in this part of the world. My husband’s statement struck a chord with me. Yes, the winter is a challenging time for many people, especially those of us who live in very cold regions.
So, winter is indeed fast approaching, but like all seasons, it need not be just endured. It can actually be embraced with excited anticipation and add value to our quality of life. Below are some ways to make the most of the coming winter months.
Lifestyle Choices
I personally find it hard to even get out of bed during the cold winter months! To counteract this, I set my alarm clock earlier and pre-book an appointment at my local gym, as I know that exercise is vital for my health any time of the year. Exercising in winter has many benefits that include not only helping us to feel warmer and happier, but also enhances immunity and helps prevent dreaded weight gain, in what some people refer to as the ‘fat season.’
As vital as exercise is for both the body and mind, our diets cannot, and should not, be over-looked. Like physical activity, food also has a significant impact on our emotional well-being. Consuming mood-enhancing foods such as oily fish, bananas, chocolate (dark variety please and not too much), yoghurt and oats, could have you smiling again in next to no time!
The Magical Energy Of The Moon
The Moon has a powerful influence on our lives. Not only does it determine the tides of the ocean and how plants grow, but you may have noticed it also affects our mood! Connecting to the powerful phases of the Moon can bring enlightenment to your life by way of the moon’s cycles and movement. It can shape our lives and the choices we make. Being in tune with the Moon’s powerful energy can bring you greater awareness of body, mind and soul.
Depending how the Sun, Moon and Earth align on a particular day, only a part of the Moon is usually visible to us. The tracking of the Moon’s phases goes back thousands of year in various spiritual traditions and cultural customs. Traditionally, the New Moon is considered to be the start of the month and a good time to start anew. And the Full Moon is seen as a time of celebration, delight, and mystery.
A Full Moon occurs every 29.5 days, when the Earth is situated directly between the Sun and the Moon, making it appear to us on Earth as a complete circle… illuminated and breathtaking! Native Americans relied on the Moon to guide them in daily life. They gave symbolic names for each of the Full Moons, based on the unique events of each particular month of the year.
January – Wolf Moon
The January Moon is thus named due to the cold, snowy winters, when wolves would howl hungrily outside tribal villages, looking for food. January’s Full Moon is also known as ‘Old Moon’ and ‘Ice Moon.’
February – Snow Moon
February’s Full Moon is named for the abundant snow that usually occurs during the month. The snow made it hard to hunt, and food in the winter was scarce. Therefore it is also known as the ‘Hunger Moon.’
Honor Your Most Magnificent Self
Taking time to experience the wonder of the final days of summer truly is medicine for the soul. My favorite summer activities include dipping my toes in a nearby lake or ocean, feeling the healing energy of the natural quartz sand against my skin, and finding renewal in the essence of the season.
Too often we move through our days and weeks completely engulfed in work, and the chatter of the bustling world. Our lives tend to be caught up in the motion of the world, with little time for self-care and centering.
Many of us awake in the mornings to the national news that often leaves us drained even before our day begins. We shower, have breakfast, down a cup of coffee, and anxiously show up for our families and our careers.
Many hours later, we return to our homes, where we are met with even more news via network and cable outlets, competing with their own spin on identical breaking stories. We reach for our smart phones or laptops and headlines scroll across our screens. When is enough truly enough?
In light of the endless social and environmental concerns permeating our planet, our species is globally experiencing stress like never before. But surely the Divine Presence within our amazing Universe would not leave us stranded on Planet Earth without the tools to transcend stress and what seems like utter chaos.
Finding Hope In A Scary World
The recent events worldwide are terrifying and daunting for most of us. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic our world is not well, and we are all in need of courage, hope and healing.
We cannot control the entire world, or every aspect of our future, but we surely can choose how we react to what is happening to us, and to the world.
Although the world is scary right now, know that there are opportunities for personal and spiritual growth for all of us during this time. Consider the following to make the most of the current circumstances.
Mindfulness
Take a deep breath. Hold it. The release, and repeat. Cultivating a calm, hopeful approach to the challenges we will encounter over the next several months, will bring you peace as you navigate through this time.
Take some time every day to find your calm place within, where you can focus on hope and inner peace. Meditate and calm your fears. Spend some time in your ‘happy place.’
Letting Go Of Those Old Branches
As winter arrives, it is always a time of reflection for me. Winter storms are so bittersweet. They are beautiful, but they also can be very destructive. In a winter storm last year, I have observed some of the strongest, oldest trees losing their branches. Those large branches were the first to snap. They looked so strong and have weathered so many storms, yet they could not withstand the wind.
As I analyzed the results of that winter storm, the realization came to me that the smaller, more supple branches had the ability to bend with the strong winds. The large, majestic branches, however, had become rigid over the years and broke easily in the powerful, icy wind.
The same principle could apply in our lives. How well we handle a challenging situation will depend on our ability to remain flexible and adapt. A very strong, experienced person may appear on the surface to be able to move mountains and handle most situations with ease. But if that same person is unwilling to listen, refuses to compromise with others and cannot remain open-minded, they will most likely be doing a lot of ‘snapping’ when facing adversity.
If we can ‘bend’ to at least agree to disagree with others, and keep a more flexible, adaptive attitude in difficult times, it makes life a lot easier to maintain harmony with the world. If tunnel vision is how we choose to see life, it is impossible to see that others may also be right sometimes, or have a better solution. When we become rigid, stiff, closed and inflexible, it becomes harder to see the bigger picture and to have a more peaceful approach to life.
When we are rigid and think our way is the only way, it is also hard to make and keep lasting relationships. In a group situation there are always people that see the opposite side any situation for a problem. Sometime these people may play devil’s advocate. They listen to each point of view to arrive at a compromise.