When the Sun enters the friendly skies of Sagittarius on November 22nd, Scorpio’s dark introspection and intensity will give way to our annual cycle of optimism, hope and expansion.  Add an auspicious new moon accompanied by beautiful Venus, some encouragement and audacity courtesy of Jupiter and Uranus in fellow fire signs, and the game-changing force of our sixth Uranus Pluto square, and the time for positive change is at hand.  Signified by the archer’s bow pointing toward the horizon, Sagittarius prompts us to look ahead.  With 2014 winding down, it’s natural enough to begin glimpsing into the coming year.  The Sagittarius Sun is here to show us the new opportunities on tap.

    The enlivening of our spirits gets underway right at the start of the cycle when the Sun joins Venus under a new Sagittarius moon on the 22nd.  Last month when the Sun changed signs, it was also accompanied by a new moon in the same sign.  That was part of a very special trend that will occur through the spring equinox of 2015.  While there are many interpretations to these six new moons beginning on the same six days when the Sun changes signs, mine is this.  The Sun symbolizes our personality and the moon our emotions.  Rather than fighting an internal battle between how we behave or appear to others and how we really feel, we are learning to value and acknowledge our emotions more and to more fully integrate them into our identity.  These two planets have also long represented the principles of masculinity and femininity.  This blending of their energies over a six-month period indicates a further release of outdated gender roles and stereotypes and a stronger shift into new ways of defining both and ourselves.  These alignments also signal a time when social, economic and political issues are increasingly seen from a wider variety of perspectives, and when there is greater gender equality and balance.

    Another interesting feature of these six solar lunar meetings is that the first five include Venus.  Venus helps us identify and appreciate what we find beauty and pleasure in.  Though the planet of relationships and relating will be at various stages of its transits, its presence in the same sign as the moon and Sun at the start of these cycles suggests a more heart-centered approach to personal and global issues.  Its presence will inspire us to spend more of our time doing more of what we love, and our connections with one another will be deeper and more authentic.  Finally, this new moon and Sun cycle synchronicity fortifies the characteristics of the respective signs they meet under.

    Sagittarius is filled with optimism, excitement and inspiration.  Its 9th house vantage point shows us the range of possibilities surrounding us and the far-reaching potentials of present aspirations.  This year when the Sun, Venus and Mercury travel through this eternally hopeful territory, they’ll be buoyed by the considerable forces of Jupiter in Leo and Uranus in Aries.  Jupiter enlarges and expands and Leo encourages and creates.  Uranus awakens and innovates and Aries instigates and explores.  This grouping makes up five of the ten planets we watch the most.  Their meetings in the spirited fire signs at trines and conjunctions, astrology’s most favorable aspects, underscore the Sagittarius imperative to reignite our enthusiasm.  For more on fire sign trines, see my Sun Into Libra 2014 article.  Dates to ponder 2015’s possibilities and potentials include November 22nd with the new Sagittarius moon, November 26th when Venus trines Uranus, December 4th when Venus trines Jupiter and the Sun trines Uranus, and the 14th when the Sun trines Jupiter.  But a Sun Jupiter trine won’t be the only stellar event in the sky that day.  In addition to boosting the effervescence of the planets in the lively fire signs, transpersonal Uranus will pair up with transformative Pluto for their sixth square.  
    Since June of 2012, these two powerhouse planets have been engaged in a series of alignments at astrology’s right angles, commonly known as squares.  A square forms when two perpendicular lines intersect at 90 degrees.  In astrology these intersections bring conflicting points of view to the fore for resolution.  As outer or transpersonal planets, Uranus and Pluto have been forcing global or big picture issues to a head for some time now.  Prior to the current series, their last noteworthy connections took place in the mid 60’s.  So their societal impact is clear.  This time, both planets have been in astrology’s Cardinal signs, meaning that their purpose is to create and support new paradigms and endeavors.  Some astrologers are correlating this series of seven squares, which concludes next March, with the chakra system.  If that’s true, then the coming square will effect the 6th or third eye chakra.  Whether through the influence of futuristic Uranus alone or enhanced third eye capacity, increased spiritual awareness is part of our next evolutionary step.  Beyond being our affable, adaptable celestial cheerleader, Sagittarius is equally devoted to belief systems, long-distance travel and higher education.  Opposite of curious Gemini, it wants to find meaning in the information it gathers.  Under its enlightened influence, we are called to wax philosophically about the time ahead, not only in terms of our own wishes and agendas, but in terms of the global impact we make.  The sixth Uranus Pluto square happening amidst these aspirational, fiery skies, asks us to dream a bigger dream, one that will make the world a better place, for everyone. 

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