As we head out of November and into December Mercury goes retrograde and we’ve got a Super Full Moon to go with it. Those happen when the Moon is close to the Earth in orbit so they appear unusually large, although the size of the moon hasn’t changed. How perfect for the theme of this week. Emily Trinkhaus labeled this week’s lunar theater the ‘Wound of Perception’ and it fits beautifully. Mercury goes Retrograde at the very last degrees of Sagittarius with Saturn this coming weekend, which encourages a wiser view that can stand the test of time.
Because Neptune the cloudy planet of connection, illusion and disillusion is at odds with both the Sun and Moon, you have a chance to see where you’ve used logic to disconnect you from what matters more than common sense. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of common sense. My complaint about it is we often use it where it does less good and don’t apply it to where it can do the most good. Here’s one example. Friends strongly advised me against a relationship years ago with a man who had an enormously complicated life and challenges with relationships. Common sense said it couldn’t possibly work out. They weren’t wrong, common sense is mostly based on real facts.
But here’s what they missed. I did get involved with him and while we didn’t wind up happily ever after as a romantic couple, he became one of my best friends. We cheered each other on through some dark days, shared some very difficult human moments and added a word or two of wisdom for each other with love when it was needed most. His friendship made a big impact in my life in too many ways to list. Had I listened to their wise advice, I would have missed out on thirteen years of this wonderful man in my life.
I share this personal story, something I do rarely, because this Super Full Moon you can examine what you know to be True in your heart versus what you know to be intelligent choices. This can be work, friends, family or love. It’s time to understand where a fear of being hurt by an imagined outcome (Neptune’s shadow) keeps you from experiences that bring you far more than they cost. Adjust the lens and take some heart-smart trade offs when you trust you can handle the problems that accompany the things you really love.
How you tell yourself the story of what something means is crucial to seeing what a banquet you have to feast on with clearer eyes. Trust how you feel more than just what you think. Use your mind to help you navigate how to make it a better risk instead of your mind being a Stop Sign. Instead use it to determine how and when rather than what you choose to do. For the what, you are better off when you feel your way first. The Cards and the Stars can help.
The Card of the Week: The Blasted Oak
The Blasted Oak is the card that burns away illusion and gives lightning bolts of understanding. The Super Full Moon later this week offers up benefits from those jolts so you break free of sticky places that still see the world from a young and helpless view. You are neither of these anymore and have your own empathy and courage for an inner mother and father to get you through whatever is in your life. Now it’s time to tackle adding more enjoyment with whatever appears in your life. The difference between an ordeal and an adventure is the attitude you have while it happens. If you hear that and it floats in as trite and a bit of an eye roll, I understand your indifference. That’s because you’ve experienced this truism from a mental perspective. Now try an emotional one instead. When something really gets to you this week, try to give it some love. Really make an effort to put your heart in it and find something you truly can feel grateful for in that moment. Gratitude is proven to have neurological and biological benefits along with some pretty powerful reframes where all kinds of options become visible. Try it, what have you got to lose but a bad mood…
Monday: Three of Arrows
The two feminine planets Moon and Venus get together with the big boys, Pluto and Uranus to shake things up today. Mercury and Saturn pair up with the Moon and Chiron, and suddenly you get a fresh perspective on break ups and heartache. Yep, those historic moments where you felt spectacularly unlovable are going to get a make over and boy will you prefer the view. This is what happens when the Blasted Oak shows up with the card of sorrow and loss. You break up with your break ups. Old resentments and grudges can slip away as you replace them with trust that everything that happened can and does benefit you. You’ve already had the pain, why not allow yourself to finally see where you also gained. Whether it was s a job, friend or lover that broke your heart in the past, be prepared to let go of suffering over it. Now that’s a breakthrough that makes risks more worthwhile.
Take Action: Bask in the way it feels when you shed the burden of those past heartaches.
Tuesday: The Eight of Stones
Ah, you enjoy easy aspects today as the Aries Moon moves into a sweet position with the Sun. Eights remind you, what you put out there comes back to you. So today you get to see what you’ve been broadcasting as you see what those around send your direction. You’ll see some good news show up and if some not so sweet moments also show you where you’ve been defensive or reactive at least you know what you have to work on yourself. Those student spots that need a bit of polish reveal themselves when you get bothered by the flaws that stand out in someone else today. Who’s triggered you and how – that’s some rich information to work with today. So watch, feel and learn more about what is the most authentic choice you can make in this moment.
Take action: Consciously choose what you want to send out to people today knowing it has a return trip with your name on it.
Wednesday: Ace of Vessels
This card is a sweet reminder to be kind to yourself, particularly when you think about your history. Emotions, as represented by the suit of Vessels, rise and fall in waves. Pluto, the Great Transformer, tweaks the North Node today and reminds us emotional tides rise, only to fall back and rise again. The Moon is challenged by Pluto only to move through the day to a place where the North Nodes, already in Transformation mode, offer some added kind support. The tide comes in a wave at a time even though each one appears to draw back. So be kind to you when fears flood in and take it a wave at a time. Progress reveals itself slowly with some pull backs along the way. Those backwards moments don’t mean you aren’t headed for a new high water mark. Trust the journey.
Take Action: If you find yourself feeling blue picture writing your worries on the sand of an imagined beach where the wave comes up and sweeps the worry into a vast ocean.
Thursday: King of Stones
Today this King has you standing tall and solid, master of your domain and at home in your world. You’ve got support for any fears or frustrations thanks to strong aspects to the Moon from Mars, Uranus and Saturn. They promise that when you act from a place of command rather than reaction you reap solid, tangible rewards. Both courage and strength are more easily available to you and being the master of your own life feels good. In fact, in can feel so good you want to make it a regular habit. If it feels good, do it again. If it’s not quite as smooth as you’d like it to be, you confidently try it once more. After all you can feel how right it is and practice makes perfect.
Take Action: As you start your day picture putting your commander in chief hat on and see where that takes you today.
Friday: Nine of Arrows
Okay Mars is is opposite Uranus and the Moon is opposite Jupiter so emotions can run high today. Nine’s are the number of mastery so take the lessons of each day this week and apply them today. Some of what comes at you is part of your fear or energy that you broadcast. You have successful connections and problematic ones too – it’s part of the package deal and not punishment from the Universe for transgressions. When those challenging moments come up, you are in command of how you handle it. Start with compassion if your emotions get kicked into high gear then move to right actions for you. Be sure to consider the other person in how you act but not in what’s right for you. Sometimes a minor adjustment in how you say or do something, or a considerate delay is all that is needed to make it easier for someone else to handle your actions. Save yourself some grief and slow down long enough to factor in what will improve things. This way you use your ‘might for right’ rather than just insist on being ‘right’.
Take Action: Slow down when emotions spike and put the best possible container on them, one that really serves you and your ultimate goals.
Saturday: The Mirror
In the Wildwood Tarot this card highlights the wisdom of surrender. Not defeat, but instead to willingly flow with a moment, a feeling, a situation and trust is a huge bonus that comes from this place. In traditional Tarot the Tower (Blasted Oak) and the Hanged Man (Mirror) together symbolizes sudden breakthrough accompanied by high excitement. Jupiter easily stirs the Collective Unconscious with Neptune as Mercury goes Retrograde. Mars opposes Pallas, the asteroid of logic and squares off with the Sun. It can be blindingly clear where we misread situations from the past and even the present because the actions we looked for weren’t there. It’s the Full Moon of Wounded Perception. So today the ugly Truth starts to reveal itself. We create much of our own suffering when we try to force things to happen or impact when they happen. Failure doesn’t mean what you think it does. We prepare for the Super Full Moon tomorrow when you start to surrender to the bigger part you get to play when you let go of dictating moment by moment. Control locks life out and narrows options as it tries to minimize risks. Command is fluid and allows for some risk because it welcomes the rewards that come too.
Take Action: Practice Surrender today on a point of view you’ve held tightly. See if you can just let it go for five whole minutes.
Sunday: The Woodward
What you experience today is what it’s like to be in command of your world and also be able to surrender under this Super Full Moon. However, it can’t be achieved if you try to make it happen. Let things happen and when they do, decide where and how you insert your unique contribution into the mix. In other words, respond to options with yes or no and what works for you. Once you’ve taken care of what works for you, then it’s easier to really hear and respond to what someone else might need. When you combine the Woodward and The Blasted Oak it offers you enormous potential to shape the uncontrollable chaos in your world. Not control it, but shape it. This the feminine sweet spot. You are dealt some cards and you make a winning hand out of them.
Take Action: Instead of trying to make things happen today, pause and wait at least an hour before you act on things and notice what additional resources show up in the wait time.
