This is the astrological update for the week of November 30, 2020. A four-minute read.
This week, fire abounds
On Tuesday, December welcomes us in from the icy intensity of November with the warm, orangey glow of a campfire crackling in the night. No matter how isolated we may feel this holiday season, there is a sense of being less alone than we have been in a long time. It’s a good time to cozy up with loved ones (whether safely in person or via zoom calls online) and reminisce about the good old times over warm mugs of hot chocolate and tea.
Reflect on some of your happiest memories and ask yourself: what brings you joy? How can you invite more of that into your life, in ways big and small? This week begins with a full moon, with the sun in joyful Sagittarius while the moon is in inquisitive Gemini. This dialogue is one between a student and a teacher, reminding us to get curious, to ask more questions and take a closer look at the things we sometimes take for granted.
In his book, Think Like a Monk, former monk Jay Shetty speaks of his time at the monastery and shares how they all viewed themselves as equal – everyone was constantly the student and the teacher, neither one above the other. When we maintain the attitude that we can learn something from anyone at any time, we live fuller lives. This is how we stay young.
The Sagittarius / Gemini axis represent the big and the small, the relationship between the cosmic and the human, and the infinite possibilities found in the mundane details of everyday life. It can be a very playful combination, like a child learning to see the world for the first time. How can you invite that sense of wonder back into your life and see things as you did when you were a kid? Fire is all about having fun, and this week we can have lots of it, even if it’s in a quiet way.
Nearing the weekend, we will have all three fire signs in the skies, creating a grand trine – an ease with the qualities of fire. You may be feeling inspired to move your body or play some board games. Fire knows how to bring the heat, so there may be some feistiness in the air, but we can always choose how we use it.
A partial lunar eclipse brings introspective vibes
On Monday, we not only have the full moon, but a partial lunar eclipse as well. An eclipse can be a powerful marker in time as it represents the end of a cycle and the beginning of a new one. This particular eclipse is the sixth of seven eclipses we will have this year (we usually only have four to five in a year but hey, what is normal about 2020?) As this year marks a historical shift in humankind, it would be wise to allow the light to be shone on anything you may still be avoiding so you can step forward into the new year with a little more lightness and ease.
While the full moon typically invites a surge of celebratory energy into our systems, eclipses can leave us feeling tired. When we come to the end of a journey, we often feel fatigued – and this week may be no different. Now is not the time to set new intentions and push yourself to set a plan to move forwards, nor is it even the time for a clearing. This is a time to rest. Take stock of where you’re at, pray, meditate, journal, or do something else to restore your soul. If you feel called to do so, you can invite a loved one into your introspective vibes and share the experience. Sometimes these things are even more powerful when experienced together than they are alone.
Mutable mode is dominant all week
This year, if you’re anything like me, you’ve probably found it really difficult to set any real plans with our current inability to predict what things might look like next week, let alone a few months from now. We’ve never really been able to perfectly predict the future, but at least until now we’ve lived under the illusion that we had some semblance of control over our external circumstances. While we are not completely helpless here, the only thing we are truly in control of is how we respond to what is given to us. 2020 has been a crash course in adaptability – and this week is inviting us to lean into that energy even further.
Mutable energy is all about adaptation. We can a liken it to the middle of a cycle, the messy middle where we have to figure out how to change our plans with the knowledge we’ve gained and work through what’s not working. This is a stark contrast to the strong cardinal energy we’ve been in for the last few months, which has been all about leadership, initiations, and starting new things.
While cardinal and fixed energies tend to be clearer on what they want and how they want to get there, mutable energy … doesn’t really know a lot of the time. People with strong mutable energy are really good at changing their minds and their personalities to fit into their surroundings. They can be like chameleons, and for them, it’s a gift no matter how much it baffles the rest of us.
It can be easy to get lost feeling floaty in times like these, to feel a bit scatterbrained and all over the place. Ground yourself in rituals – make more moments of your day sacred by embedding them in presence and routine. Simplicity is the key here: sit and drink a cup of tea without doing anything else, hold your bowl of food in your hands and take a moment to be grateful for how far the ingredients traveled to get to you and all the work that went into making them. It’s the little things that count.
On Tuesday, Mercury shifts into Sagittarius
After living in the intense sign of Scorpio since September 27, Mercury, the planet that rules thought and communication, slides into blunt, truth-seeking Sagittarius. This transit invites a much needed, much welcome lightness into the air. We will feel a shift from the secretive, murky waters of the subconscious to the open air where fire thrives.
Sagittarius is likely one of the most honest signs of the zodiac. This energy is known to say the things we’re all thinking, but everyone else is too polite or too afraid to say. You may feel the inclination to state things bluntly, go say it as you see it from where you stand because, “that’s the way things are.” If you know yourself to have an opinionated streak, just be aware of what you’re saying, and allow some space for multiple perspectives to exist.
If you feel the need to have an honest conversation, do so with a sense of humour! This is the gift of Sag: the ability not to take things so seriously.
As the fog begins to dissipate in the open air, we’ll see things more clearly for what they are. Allow yourself to remain open instead of clinging to your long-held beliefs about the world. You don’t have to make up your mind right away, and it’s okay to change your opinion – sometimes the middle of the road is the most rebellious place to stand.
As you move into your week, bring this simple mantra with you: I am here now. My emotions are valid, but my stories are not my whole reality. I am learning how to balance the ‘doing’ with being still.
Remember the power in simplicity. Sometimes, things aren’t so very complicated after all.
If you are a fan of my words and would like to have more of them in your life, I’m doing something fun! From December 1 to 25, I’ll be sending out a poem or mantra each day via email. It’s free, my gift to you. You can sign up here until December 5. Hope to see you there!