posted November 02, 2011 02:29 AM            

Happy Halloween!! ~ this week features the cross-quarter holiday of Samhain a Gaelic harvest festival held on October 31–November 1, starting at sundown. It is the "Celtic New Year" and marks the day when the veil between the world we live in and the world of the dead is the thinnest. The date of Samhain is associated with the Catholic All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day. And, of course, it IS Halloween!

Samhain marks the end of the harvest, the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half". I love sitting with lit candles and marking the holiday with “family” oriented food ~ I cook my favorite foods from childhood and enjoy them. I take out photos of those who have passed on to the other world to remember them. And, later, I attend the wonderful Halloween Parade that takes place here in NYC.

Samhain is the end of the growing season, marking a time of endings for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. I recommend taking a bit of time to remember all you love who have passed over this year or who died in earlier years. They might even stop by in your dreams!

From the Internet: Samhain is the first of the four "quarter days" of the year that mark the mid-point between the equinoxes and solstices.
Samhain in Old Irish literature is considered a time of unusual supernatural power, and associated with the "Celtic Otherworld". Samhain celebrations are festivals dedicated to the harvest and the dead. It is still the custom in some areas to set a place for the dead at the Samhain feast, and to tell tales of the ancestors on that night.

Traditionally, Samhain was time to take stock of the herds and grain supplies, and decide which animals would need to be slaughtered in order for the people and livestock to survive the winter. This custom is still observed by many who farm and raise livestock because it is when meat will keep since the freeze has come and also since summer grass is gone and free foraging is no longer possible.

Samhain was the traditional time for slaughter, for preparing stores of meat and grain to last through the coming winter.

With the bonfire ablaze, the villagers extinguished all other fires. Each family then solemnly lit its hearth from the common flame, thus bonding the families of the village together. Often two bonfires would be built side by side, and the people would walk between the fires as a ritual of purification. Sometimes the cattle and other livestock would be driven between the fires, as well.

The Gaelic custom of wearing costumes and masks was an attempt to copy the evil spirits or ward them off. dressed in white. Candle lanterns carved from turnips, were part of the traditional festival. Large turnips were hollowed out, carved with faces, placed in windows to ward off evil spirits.

It is the time of the year when ancestors and other departed souls are especially honored. Often a meal will be prepared of favorite foods of the family's and community's beloved dead, a place set for them at the table, and traditional songs, poetry and dances performed to entertain them. A door or window may be opened to the west and the beloved dead specifically invited to attend. Many leave a candle or other light burning in a western window to guide the dead home. The more mystically inclined may also see this as a time for deeply communing with the deities, especially those whom the lore mentions as being particularly connected with this festival.

…. So when you celebrate Halloween and greet your trick or treat visitors, know you are honoring a tradition that is centuries old. And you are entering the back half or dark half of the year.

So last week we had some endings as the drama unfolded with Mars/ Venus and Mercury all arguing over our heads. The arguments that took place in your world were to help you figure out, on a deeper level, how to communicate in a more effective manner going forward. No worries if you don‘t think you did so good… You will have plenty of practice in the months ahead!

On the east coast, we had Venus and Mercury’s approaching square to Neptune arrive in the form of a serious Northeaster snow storm. It deposited up to 19 inches of snow on the trees and land. Unfortunately, with Venus and Mercury in Scorpio, those trees had not shed their leaves yet. So we have lots of dead and broken trees bending under the weight of leaves combined with snow that affected our communications, beauty, travel and electricity.

This week, Venus and Mercury in Scorpio perfect their square to Neptune and come to a profound realization ~ the veil of illusions falls down and they see what they had not seen before. Again, this is the last time Venus and Mercury will square Neptune in Aquarius. Neptune is moving into Pisces soon. Their squares celebrate the end of a 13 year phase that started when Neptune entered Aquarius in 1998, specifically in January and November of 1998.

Perhaps, you started a new group experience or worked in a collective or group manner with your hopes and dreams back then. Look at your Aquarian house to see where the dream is ending and shifting now. The passage of Neptune through Aquarius will be coming to an end on February 4. Venus and Mercury want to say goodbye and talk about what they have learned from Neptune over the past 13 years. All the planets will be stopping by to say “So long, farewell” as Neptune leaves Aquarius for the dreamy, interconnected, numinous world of Pisces..

So expect communications, sibling, money and love revelations early in the week as Neptune lets you in on a couple of secrets that you might not have known about. The secrets want to be told! And you need to know them. So pay attention!

Mercury and Venus both enter Sagittarius on Wednesday and become more outgoing and communicative after their goodbyes to Neptune. Bright and early Thursday, the two of them trine Uranus in FIRE ~ passion, idealism and startling, exciting visions! So say “yes” to offers that come your way or that inspire you! Don’t get in your own way and screw things up! This is a great opportunity. Notice things that ask you to write, communicate, speak or create love, money or abundance. It is a gift from the heavens that you need to say yes to!

Saturn passes into the degree of 22:45 Libra on Thursday, November 4, around 4 pm, concluding this special swatch of sky about your commitments, relationships and heart dreams for the next 29 years. He enters into next phase of his “negotiating territory” in his journey through Libra. You will mark and start the story you will working with until October 6, 2012 on Thursday. Pay attention to what shows up in your life the back half of the week ~ particularly around relationships as that is going to be your work for the rest of Saturn’s journey through Libra. And maybe for the next 29 years!

In the meantime, take the early part of the week to vision and visualize what and where you want to go for the next 29 years (or subset there of for those of you with commitment issues!) Think big picture. Bill Clinton was recently asked what he wanted. He replied “To live. To become a grand father.” So what do YOU want?

Mercury also enters his shadow, getting ready for his retrograde journey as he passes over the degree of his upcoming retrograde station in December at 3:52 Sagittarius on Saturday morning. So watch at the end of the week your Sagittarius house to see the communication story that will be reversing itself and revising in the weeks ahead.

Ceres stations in the sign of mutable water, Pisces, and turns direct so expect illusory emotional and water issues to present themselves this week. They want to be resolved. Take steps to figure out what has gone “missing” or “drifted”, “floated” or “not been tended to” or “orphaned”. Time to take care of it.

Void Moons for the Week

5 pm EDT Nov 1, Tuesday to 6:08 pm EDT

11:41 pm EDT Nov 3 Thursday to 3:18 am EDT Nov 4 Friday

4:05 am EDT Nov 5 Saturday to 2:02 pm EST Nov 6, Sunday

VOID ALL DAY SATURDAY AND MOST OF SUNDAY. Day Light Savings Time ends.

Moon’s day, Monday October 31 Moon in Capricorn has a lovely closing aspect of a sextile to Venus in Scorpio suggesting emotional commitments that are real and solid today and Tuesday. Mercury is opposite Admetos so you might find you want to write a mean email and end things today. Hold off a bit. You are operating under a bit of an illusion with the squares of Venus and Mercury to Neptune and their aspects to Eris the Goddess of Discord. Everyone is emotional and not working in their best mode. Try not to react emotionally to what is going on. Wait to hear and see what surfaces once the square clears. Moon in Capricorn can push you to make bad decisions. Let Venus and Mercury shift out of Scorpio and enter Sagittarius before you end things.

Tuesday Mars day November1 Moon in Capricorn is harsh but clear today as she squares Saturn and has productive working aspects with Venus and Mercury. Focus on forming a schedule with deadlines that can be stuck to, deliverables and outlines that need to be met. Mercury has a square to Neptune so sleep is disturbed or disturbing. Pay attention to the messages you receive. Moon is forming a minor grand trine today with Mercury, Venus and Uranus. It is going to be great once it starts up again. Give it time to start up. Mars has an aspect of brilliance tonight so allow the ideas you hear to inform your future actions.

Mercury’s day Wednesday November 2 finds the Moon in Aquarius, square to Jupiter making it another toss and turn night, peopled with all sorts of visitors. Remember the veil between the worlds is narrow now ~ take notes on the messages you receive from the other side. The information will help you. Venus enters Sagittarius and flies high and fast after her journey in the swamp and depths of Scorpio. Everything gets much lighter and more visible, even if it is not focused as the scattered energy of Sagittarius means you might have too much on your plate. It is all good. Prioritize. Another very busy day on planet Earth. Sun in Scorpio links up with Poseidon offering a rush of deep emotions tied to the shift of energy. And water seems to be everywhere ~ emotions, endings, fluids, tears, just let it all flow. It needs to ebb out of you. Mercury enters Sagittarius so communications seem to come from every direction. Again prioritize. Mercury does not like to be in Sagittarius as there is simply too much to keep track of in an organized manner. He needs to sit down with Saturn and plan things so the deadlines get met and the deliverables delivered. He’s not in the mood to be organized but being out of control and not showing up is no longer an option. Focus his energy. Finish things. Get them out the door. The closing aspects are helpful and people offer support. Venus is square to Chiron so love and relationships can feel wounding today. If someone hurt you with what they said, tell them. They won’t know unless you say something. Uranus has a working aspect with the pattern Goddess Athena ~ see the pattern and do it any way. You want to do it. So who cares why you got asked? Say yes and give yourself permission to move forward. It is one of your dreams.

Jupiter’s day, Thursday November 3 Moon in Aquarius is smart and full of actions today. The heavens are particularly busy too. This is one of those super busy days on earth where it is hard to keep track of every thing that is going on. Plus we find out what we are going to be working on for the next 9 months as Saturn finishes his journey in Libra and the Gemini, communication and side by side relationships decant. Mercury is square Chiron so words can wound today. Venus is trine to Uranus so she’s all excited to take action and get something accomplished and out the door. You also are clear on patterns that you tend to repeat ~ which are NOT your best behaviors. So change them already. You don’t have to keep doing the same thing over and over. Just stop. Or change. Or do something different instead. Mercury trines Uranus so expect exciting or interesting news as the fire energy is fed by information and air. It is a great idea and you need to do it sooner rather than later. Clear your desk or your house out so you can finish up the partnerships you committed to. Mercury wants to make sure he’s got it all done even if it will cause him some problems down the road. There is a desire to take a mental health day ~ just to play, create and get things done. You can ~ you do need to make more time for yourself to accomplish what you want. There is a desire to fight or be irritated with the creative forces today as Ceres and Eris agree by declination. Give yourself a break and focus on the longer view. What is actually really important?

Friday, Venus’ Day November 4 Moon in Pisces is mellow and doesn’t want to have problems with Mercury and Venus even if THEY are full of spit and vinegar. Dreams are particularly active today. You see a pattern in how you create today ~ understand this for what it actually means… when you are in, you are in. When you are anxious, you tend to bollox stuff up. Do you want to keep doing that same behavior? Mercury gets to the degree of his retrograde station in December so you will find out what the upcoming Mercury retrograde will be bringing to you. Mars has an aspect of brilliance to the SOUTH NODE so you can let something go or leave your life very easily today. Just ease on out of it. No regrets. You did what you could do. Mars has an ending aspect to Admetos too. Moon forms a minor grand trine to separating Jupiter and Pluto ~ it was good while it lasted. And it filled an emotional need for you. So bless it. And send it on its way.

Saturn’s day November 5 a LOONNNGG void moon all day in Pisces makes today a dreamy, floating, not solidly productive but recreative and restful day. Take time to kick back with the Moon. Venus and Mercury both argue with Jupiter today. He’s being a bit of a fuddy duddy and not keeping up with them. He wants to curl up with a book and not be out in the world. Split up and let the couch potatoes sit on the couch. Let the go-go-go get out and go…. Work the partnership a bit differently than you usually do. Jupiter is opposite Juno tonight so there can be relationship arguments that are pretty foolish and not at all about the real heart of the matter. Someone is feeling possessive and controlling while the other is kicked back and wants to party, flirt and have a good time. Don’t let jealous feelings mar an otherwise fine time. If you don’t get this under control, you will be working with it for the next month as Mercury enters his shadow today.

Siun Day November 6 the void Moon in Pisces continues and shifts into Aries in the Afternoon. AT that point, you’ll be willing to LEAP off the couch. It is day light saving day where we get a bit of extra sleep as we fall back an hour and go to standard time. It also is the New York City Marathon as families and friends and just cheering folks gather to encourage and cheer on the runners. Neptune’s trine to Apollon offers us a bevy of inspirational stories and emotional moments today. Connect with people who nurture you as Ceres stations to go direct at 16 Pisces. Venus and Mercury both Semi-sextile Pluto ~ causing a bit of a blind spot regarding power plays, relationships and communications. Expect surprising news or information ~ particularly related to Thursday’s story.

Mundane: A dear astrologer friend was down at Wall Street when the “Occupy Wall Street” group actually “sealed” off the street ~ so Raymond provided a timed chart for the origin of the group ~ September 17, 2011, 10 am, NY, NY. That is when they actually coalesced and literally “Occupied Wall Street”. I have a personal interest in this chart as the Teamsters (Art Handlers Union) are locked out of Sotheby’s across the street from my house since August. The Teamsters appear every day, whistle blowing and horn honking and stomping and yelling with either the big gray RAT or the FAT CAT, stogie in hand (squishing the POOR WORKING MAN 10 feet balloons. The Occupy Wall Street folks joined the Teamsters in solidarity and vice versa. So last Thursday, at Sotheby’s first “gala” of the Auction Season, you could hardly hear yourself think the whistles, shouting and honking sounds were so loud. My Intermediate Astrology Class arrived commenting on all the commotion taking place on my street.

The Occupy Wall Street chart is remarkably fixed, fixed, FIXED so the group or movement or whatever you want to call it is HERE TO STAY. Companionable energetically to the Tea-Party people (who formed themselves at the degree when the Boston Tea Party took place), the chart has a distinctive community, grass roots, change the world kind of feel. The New Moon last week was at 3 Scorpio on the Ascendant of the Occupy Wall Street group’s formation. We can expect the drama, escalation of interesting techniques and all associated actions and reactions to them to amplify over the next few weeks.

This energy is here to stay ~ the revolutions promised by Uranus square to Pluto are starting. Envision what you want YOUR world to be. We all can make dents in the Universe with these aspects!