Tomorrow afternoon, we enter the Gibbous phase with the Moon in mid Aries.
The Gibbous is the last before we reach the Full Moon, when we face an unexpected challenge. I’m going to frame one possible challenge as a question:
Can I speak my truth and hold my ground while feeling triggered, and still honor the relationships and connections that brought me to this conversation?
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the United States. It’s a holiday that celebrates gratitude and family that came out of a false history whose truth included exploitation and genocide, so, we’re already on shaky ground.
This year, the state of the world and the political and social climate here in the U.S. provide fertile ground for arguments. Yet we gather to share a meal celebrating family. Can we find a way through this maze?
Note: For those of you not in the US or not celebrating this holiday, the transits and challenges are the same. I’m focusing on Thanksgiving because it offers the perfect storm, if you will; the kind of setting where this pattern is likely to show up. Picture any gathering that includes people with strong views who are not all in agreement.
The Sun has just entered Sagittarius. Mercury is already halfway through this mutable Fire sign. We want to move, and move fast.
The Moon at 16º Aries is conjunct Chiron at 15º as both oppose Venus at 17º Libra and trine Mercury at 19º Sag. Venus sextiles Mercury.
Moon opposite Venus asks us to be aware of the polarity between self and others. Yes, we are independent beings–and we also need each other. We have drives and desires of our own–and some of those desires focus on friends, family, and partners. We want to follow our own star–and realize many important goals rely on teamwork.
Moon conjunct Chiron (opposite Venus) means we’re easily triggered when our independence is challenged. What is the cost of going it alone? What is the cost of compromise? Where is a healthy balance for me that also allows others to make good choices?
Mercury in Sag trining and sextiling the opposition will make it easy to talk way too much. Be aware of this in any setting. If you find yourself dominating the conversation, rein in. If you’re faced with others who won’t stop talking, try redirecting with grace.
Meanwhile, the Moon and Chiron are ruled by Mars in the final, super intense, anaretic degree of Scorpio. This Mars is powerful, and also challenged. At the end of Scorpio, we wrestle with our desires, struggling to keep them in balance. This is exactly what the Moon/Chiron opposition to Venus triggers.
If you find yourself in vigorous debates, in which everyone holds their own, everyone is respected, every point of view is heard, that’s well worth celebrating and being thankful for.
If you find yourself in more contentious territory, feeling silenced or shamed, or see someone else being silenced or shamed, use that Mars in Scorpio to focus in.
Where am I triggered right now? What do I want to do? If that’s not a good choice, what other options are open to me?
The world is on fire. It’s difficult to hold space for other points of view when we feel how high the stakes are. Yet community is important. Civility and calm discourse are vital to finding shared solutions.
Keep in mind that the Sun and Mercury in Sag are ruled by Jupiter, currently retrograde in Taurus. We can check in with our breathing. Where are our feet? What do we need to feel secure? What brings comfort?
One of the paradoxes of being human is, sometimes the same people who trigger us the most also comfort us the most. Life is odd that way.
Wherever you are, tonight and tomorrow, and in the days ahead, may you be safe. May you find comfort. May you be heard.
