Perspectives from the Sky Forecast Autumn 2011
By Leo Knighton Tallarico

Please keep in mind that the following forecast is like a “weather report”, and is meant to have readers get attuned to shifts and changes in our world. This forecast is also meant to assist in the process of breaking out of the box of societal programs of thought that limit the ability to think and feel for one self. There are natural cycles and energies that run through our lives and psyches, and this forecast is an attempt to assist us to be in touch with these cycles, and to better understand that process, not make fated predictions. Re-member that astrological truth is based on the sacred wisdom “AS ABOVE, SO BELOW”, AS WITHIN, SO WITHOUT”, which is where the interweaving world of meaningful symbols and synchronicity reside.

For a more detailed weekly forecast go to www.spiritualtherapy.wordpress.com every week, posted on Saturdays.

Late autumn brings in very intense energies of change again, as a new Eclipse season erupts into our world.

Oct 31st /Nov 1st - Samhain

Samhain was considered one of 8 major turning points by our ancestors. Of course the solstices and equinoxes took up the 4 main seasonal shifts, but the times that were approximately mid way between seasons were experienced as times of turning tides also.

Samhain is in our modern world celebrated as Halloween. It is approximately half way between Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice. The ghosts and goblins are symbolic of the increased sensitivity one has for unseen forces at this time of year. The veil separating our waking consciousness from the deeper inner worlds is thiner at this time. Many people say they experience a connection with dead ancestors and other spirits at this yearly turning point. This is a good time to learn more about the mysteries of life and of your own personal inner world.

Nov 9th - Neptune Direct

As Neptune goes direct, its meaning and energy get stronger. Neptune, god of the ocean, brings us into the deep flow of the music of the inner planes of life and consciousness. One is best not pushing too hard or being too aggressive during movements of Neptune. Neptune fogs up our viewpoint and dissolves stuck or blocked energies. Neptune is a healing energy, but works best when one surrenders and follows the advice of “let go and let God”.

Nov 10th - Full Moon in Taurus
3:16 PM EST

This Full Moon in Taurus opens a portal into the Eclipse season. The first of two eclipses is only two weeks away. Taurus Full Moons are a combination of Sun in Scorpio and Moon in Taurus. There often is a conflict between one needing comfort and security on the one hand (Taurus) and intense emotional energies invading that peace (Scorpio). Be careful surrounding this Taurus Full Moon to not get too involved in power struggles.

Late Autumn Alert

The doors of the Aquarian Age open larger now with every major astrological aspect or eclipse. Old worn out ways from a dying age and paradigm create bigger cracks in the old structure, and new branches of growth shoot through these cracks. The downfall of the old economic system is a big crack in the structure, as are the earthquakes and other weather outbreaks. The Arab Spring and Occupy Wall Street are the new branches that have been coming through the cracks.

Now as we go through a new eclipse season, one that precedes the 2012-2016 Uranus square Pluto power aspect of change, more cracks in the old system will open and new shoots of growth will pour through.

Keep close eye on the economy as it is transforming more and more every day. There may be a big downturn during the eclipse season.

In Israel and the Middle East there is a great chance that explosive events will erupt, as hatred and powers struggles in the world seem to center on this ancient area of religions that all too often show little spirituality.

There will be a great emphasis during this eclipse season on the culture wars in the USA. The right and left politically are getting fiercer and fiercer in their animosity for one another. It is quite possible that some sort of “civil war” will break out in the USA. Third parties politically may form to balance the dysfunctional polarization between the two major parties.

Cultural and religious conflicts may also get stronger during this eclipse season, as the Muslim culture and Judeo Christian culture are more and more enraged with one another.

Remember that all of this conflict will eventually bring us to a world of Unity, of diversity in Unity, both in the USA and all over the world.

It is suicidal in this world that gets smaller and smaler with mass communication, mass transportation, and mass commerce, to not get along- especially because we have built weapons of mass destruction.

In your personal life, these eclipse seasons will have breakdowns and breakthroughs. Is it time for you to let go of a job or home or relationship, of an old car, or something else?

Since there is much concentration in these two eclipses on Gemini and Sagittarius, there are likely to be crises around attitudes or mind frames or beliefs. Often our minds stop us from moving with change into new and better phases of our lives. We hold onto beliefs that we have been programmed into, or that protect us, or that keep us in illusions. During eclipses like this we become disillusioned, we see through our set thinking, we become awakened to new ways of looking at ourselves, others, and life.

Faith is another issue that may come up strongly during this eclipse season. Sagittarius reaches for faith during times of darkness or hardship. Do we believe life has meaning and everything happens for a reason, or do we believe life is about chance or percentages?

During times of challenge, we need to have something to hold onto in our minds and souls that show us that we are on a sacred soul’s journey. That belief can help us though the most difficult times.

Nov 22nd - Sun in Sagittarius
Nov 24th - Mercury Retrograde
Nov 25th - Solar Eclipse New Moon
at 2 Sagittarius 37 1:10 AM

Here we go into the greatest intensity of the current eclipse season. To confuse matters Mercury goes retrograde the day before the first eclipse. It stays retrograde during the entire eclipse period. You may feel your mind is playing tricks on you during these eclipses, and remember that since Mercury will be retrograde and there is such intensity with the eclipses, that making major decisions is not recommended. If you are forced by circumstances to make a major decision or life change, take the time to go deeper in your mind and soul so you can more clearly see the way that your “best self” would want to be. Watch for signs and symbols and synchronicities from the Universe, but do not be too quick to judge the meaning. The Sagittarian influence of this first eclipse suggests you look for the inspiration, but since we are in an eclipse season with Mercury retrograde, we need to take extra time to decipher the messages.

If you are Sagittarius or Gemini you will be most affected by these eclipses. If you are Pisces or Virgo you are also strongly affected by these eclipses. Do more astrological research or consult an astrologer to find out what planetary placements you have at the lower or middle degrees of mutable signs Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces.

It is time to let go of that which is not on your soul’s path anymore, and open up to what is awaiting you in this new era of your life.

Keep in mind that during these eclipse periods, the energies of change are spiking. You are being taken off the plateau you have rested on and are being coaxed to move forward again.

December 10th - Uranus Direct
December 10th - Total Lunar Eclipse
Full Moon 18Gemini11 at 9:36 AM EST

Now it is time for Part two of the eclipses: a total Lunar Eclipse Full Moon in Gemini. This means that the Sun is in Sagittarius and the Moon is in Gemini. Gemini provides information, messages and possibilities; Sagittarius seeks to provide solutions, answers, understanding and meaning. They work well together to solve puzzles. Together they can bring much changeable and scattered energies, and a desire to be un-harnessed. They need to communicate and express openly. So open your mind and spirit now beyond your comfort zones, and get on the road of new education and adventures.

Uranus changing from retrograde to direct helps us to break out of old boxes and awaken to new ways of thinking and being. Revolutionary energies get even stronger now in the world and in your life. Uranus was discovered in 1781, as revolutions were swirling around in America and France.

The revolution is alive and well now, with the Tea party and Occupy Wall Street and protests in Europe and the Arab Spring.

The Aquarian Age is upon us now, and we can expect more and more change and revolutionary energy. Aquarius is about Diversity and Individuality in Unity, about liberation and equality, beyond the old paradigm of privilege and superior/inferior, wealthy/poor.

Open your own mind and heart to these new ways on Earth, which will help us to heal our human community and the Earth.

Dec 13th - Mercury Direct

Finally Mercury goes direct and we can begin to make sense of the storms that have moving through our world and consciousness. But still do not jump to conclusions too rapidly. Mercury will take a week or so to get back to normal speed and clarity, and we are still in the energies of the eclipse season, though hopefully the intensity will begin to subside soon.

Dec 22nd - Winter Solstice
Sun in Capricorn 12:30 AM EST
Sun conjunct Pluto square
Uranus in Aries

Dec 24th - New Moon in
Capricorn conjunct Pluto
1:06 PM EST

Dec 25th - Jupiter Direct

We now move into another big turning point, bigger than the usual Winter Solstice turning point of the year. This is because Uranus in Aries will be very closely square the Solstice point and Pluto will be widely conjunct the Solstice point forming a T-square. This gives a signature of even more powerful change for the Winter Season ahead.

Of course winter solstice is the time of greatest minutes of darkness and of yin energy. There is a birth of hope also at this darkest time, as light begins to grow from this moment on until Summer Solstice, when light is at its greatest strength.

But this year with the t-square, and most especially the close Uranus in Aries square; new energies are wanting to burst forward. Change does not want to be slowed this year by the usual dark solemnity of Winter Solstice. Surprises are in store for us this winter and new transformational energy wants to cause us breakthroughs into new possibilities. Revolutionary energies are getting stronger and stronger now.

Jupiter moving direct just after the solstice, and the New Moon in Capricorn inspire us to take the adventure and leave the old and deadened ways behind. Rich new beginnings are getting stronger even as we feel the dark death of the old at this Solstice time of year.

Jan 9th—Full Moon in Cancer 2:31 AM EST

The Full Moon in Cancer brings the balance of lunar permissiveness to the strict confines of this Capricorn time of year. Capricorn is our need to find certainty and definition, to build and organize through planning and discipline. It is our orientation to what is “out there”, out into the world, to rules and authority. Cancer is our inner orientation to our feelings and inner values. Cancer wants domestic and family unity, and creates it through an unconditional acceptance of all its members and a permissiveness that allows everyone to do what ever they feel without restriction. Together Cancer and Capricorn are the stability of “mom and dad”, the safety we need from both our inner and outer worlds.

Jan 20th - Sun in Aquarius
Jan 23rd - New Moon in Aquarius
2:40 AM EST

The Sun moves into Aquarius now and soon thereafter this year forms a conjunction with the Moon, to create a New Moon in Aquarius. Aquarius brings out that which makes us different, an individual, even if it appears weird to others. Aquarius seeks to move out of the box that Capricorn has created to keep us secure in the status quo. So thus Aquarius seeks liberation and freedom. It is the genius of thinking in new ways. And in its newfound individuality it ironically wants to join in community with others to make a world upheld by principles and ideals. Aquarius is of the mind and has social consciousness, though it finds it difficult to be in a group. At its best it finds community in a detached mental fashion, like the Internet or social networks.

Jan 23rd - Mars Retrograde

Mars goes retrograde on January 23rd and stays there until April 13th. The last time it was retrograde was from December 20th, 2009 until March 10th, 2010.

While Mars is retrograde, we stop and pause before moving any more forward in our lives. We need the time of the retrograde to go over what we really want and where we want to go with our lives. If we have been off our true path, events will begin that help to take us back to that path, so we can find the right direction for our lives. Issues of self-assertion and anger can also come up during the Mars Retrograde period. Mars will be in Virgo for the whole retrograde period, so there is need to make things more simple and real, to be more discriminating in our behaviors.

Feb 1st - Imbolc

This is the approximate mid point between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. It was considered by our ancestors as a time of spiritual initiation.

For a more detailed astrological update please go to Leo’s Weekly Astrological Blog at: www.spiritualtherapy.wordpress.com. For more up to date articles from us please join our new e-newsletter that will be coming out at the 8 sacred turning points of the year and in between as well. You can join our e-newsletter by visiting our web-site: www.spiritualrenaissance.com

Leo Knighton Tallarico has been a full-time professional astrologer, counselor, writer & philosopher for over 22 years.

Leo is available for astrological consultations and on-going counseling and can be reached at: (207) 653-7717, soulus@aol.com, or at: www.spritualrenaisssance.com