Author: Joan Porte

With the recent attention on the problem of police shootings of unarmed African American males, many of them teens and young adults, many are questioning our system of law enforcement. While many people of color life their lives in this atmosphere of shoot first and interrogate later, the awareness of these actions and the anger they are causing to a much wider community are getting more media attention. What can be causing this astrologically? I attribute it to the slow but insidious work of Pluto as it moves through the sign of Capricorn that governs government and authority structures.

Pluto spares nothing when it comes calling. The planet forces us to go deep within and make changes as it transverses each sign. Now in the sign of Capricorn, the domain of which is authority, government and literally the fabric and formation of society. We have seen the banking system unravel, church scandals, sports scandals, etc. since 2008, when Pluto enter Capricorn. Now the dirty little secrets of policing awaken. Capricorn will host Pluto until 2026. Yes, we have a long way to go.

Pluto requires change but the changes made are up to us. Frankly, I think we have done a terrible job of it. We elected President Obama and then expected him to do everything to “change” the government. When the right wing yells we progressives retreat and allow them to have their way. The architects of the banking collapse received no punishment, the one percent are getting richer and the middle class is crumbling. If Capricorn rules structure well our infrastructure is also crumbing because no one has the guts to say we need to spend money.

We have a choice in the next 10 years to demand the real change the Pluto requires. This is especially true because The United States is about to undergo a Pluto return. Pluto takes 248 years to make a revolution through all of the signs and in 1776 on July 4; it was at 27 degrees Capricorn. It will make that return by 2020 back to 27 degrees Capricorn. This is a classic case of chickens coming home to roost. If we have all of this upheaval but fail to solve root problems then it will be a very difficult Pluto return for this country and one sadly we will not recognize in the very near future.

Today the Moon floats into fiery Aries and forms a grand trine with Jupiter in Leo and Venus in Sagittarius fire signs. While this can make tempers flare, it is also a perfect time to make plans for growth (Jupiter) and money (Venus). In addition, Mars is in staid and steady Capricorn and making a positive aspect to Capricorn’s ruler, Saturn. You can’t ask for a better time to organize, analyze and evaluate. All of those New Year’s resolutions, that we hear so much about, should be germinating in you now! There will be no better time before the New Year to take stock and make lists.

The December Full Moon takes place on December 6 and will be on the Gemini (Moon), Sagittarius (Sun) axis. (I love that axis is because that is my North and South Node axis.) Sagittarius is all about formulating ideas and Gemini is communicating those ideas. Hmmm, do you see a pattern here?

With the Sun conjunct Mercury, Ceres and Venus that day there is no reason for you not to start moving your new ideas into the public arena. No excuses – think it, believe it – do it!

On Thursday of this week, November 27, Mercury enters Sagittarius. Considering his speed, it is interesting that he will stay there until December 16. That is a long time for Mercury. This is a great transition time from the inward work that a Mercury in Scorpio transit asks to and outward expression of your thoughts and feelings. Along with the upward and outward searching aspect, that is such a part of Sagittarius, optimism and a thirst for knowledge is prevalent.

Ok here is the good and the bad of this ingress on Thanksgiving. On one hand, Sagittarius is gregarious, outgoing, and interesting in gleaning knowledge from every source. However, Sagittarius in overdrive is fundamentalism, righteousness and the tendency for people to see only their side of the truth. Can you see the makings of some interesting Thanksgiving discussions?

On Sunday, just as the Thanksgiving reverse rush ensues, Mercury squares Neptune. Not only is this a bad time for making contracts, it can also lead to last minute disagreements as people aren’t always as sincere with their word. So make an extra effort no look for last minute family slights.

Have a happy Thanksgiving and remember – the upside of Mercury in Sagittarius is warmth, fun and an honest exchange of ideas!

The Sun tips into Sagittarius this week, on November 22, and will do so with an abundance of energy. The Sun is in the house in which Sagittarius feels most comfortable, the ninth. This is the house of spiritual seeking and searching for our true beliefs. The Sun is sandwiched between the Moon also in Sagittarius and Saturn that will enter that sign in December. This brings not only emotional intensity but also a determination to achieve goals, which in this case are expanding, and spreading beliefs. While this can be dangerous when dealing with zealots, it is also a good time to reconnect with any religious, spiritual practices that may have fallen away. Think of it as a good time to renew and review last year’s resolutions before the year fades away.

With Mercury and Pallas closing ranks, expect a week of vitriolic words and outlandish statements and actions by those people more militantly spiritual. It is also a time to speak truth that you have kept hidden, Just keep your eye on the prize of growth and following your own path.

Today Mars and Pluto will be making another tango in the sky and will be involving that high-energy change artist, Uranus. The energies of Mars, of course, are aggression, leadership and in the extreme anger and war. Pluto goes to the root of all problems and churns up hidden secrets and buried fears. Together, they can lead to a combustible situation whereby deeply held feelings, angers, and concerns bubble up in an angry stew. This can apply to individuals as well as countries. It is a time for everyone to take a deep breath and allow emotions to come out in a more positive, more peaceful manner.

When Uranus jumps into the mix, the combustibility intensifies. Uranus contains impatient energy and he has no patience for Pluto’s slowness. Can you see how this is like a clash of the rebellious, angry teenager (Mars and Uranus) with old, sly grandpa who spends his days rooting out everyone’s secret diaries just to blast them all at the dinner table (Pluto)? This is not a happy family. Keep this in mind as we go through the next few days, please.

On a much brighter note, the Moon enters the sign of Cancer today and forms a water grand trine (a positive flow of energy) with Mercury in Scorpio and Neptune in Pisces! The Moon rules Caner and Neptune rules Pisces so they are very happy where they are. If you are one who prefers not to hang out in the arena of aggression and harm, use all of this mystical water energy to tame your emotions and hone your spiritual practices.
The energies in the sky are much like our own civilization – half trying to reach new heights of cooperation, goodwill and understanding and half myriad in racial hatred and myopia. You know I am rooting for the water signs to win out. How about you?

Fortunately, November looks to be less challenging than October. For one thing, Mercury is out of retrograde and that is always a good thing! While last month’s full Moon was in warrior Aries and conjunct that rebellious teenager of the Zodiac, Uranus, this month’s will be in creative and sensual Taurus. The Moon will be “full” on November 6. Prepare for this by working on the creative areas you want to expand, whether they be around food, artistry of some kind or sexuality. The Sun will be in Scorpio, the Moon will be in Taurus – get a little crazy!

If you do not have your fix for creativity and sensuality on November 6, don’t worry. Taurus’ ruler, Venus enters expansive Sagittarius on November 16. Sagittarius loves to break boundaries and shoot her arrow into the stars finding adventure and excitement.

If you can handle some more growth and creative expression, on November 22, the day the Sun moves in Sagittarius we will be under the influence of a New Moon, a perfect time for manifestation.

I suggest you make a list of your creative goals and use this wonderful energy all month to achieve them!

5 Ways to Get Control of Your Time Today

When was the last time you complained about being too busy?

It makes sense. You’ve got a ton going on. Between work, school, and family – there is a lot to manage at any given moment.

What I find fascinating about this life-at-warp-speed-epidemic that has spread around the globe is that researchers have discovered the happiest people on our planet are busy.

So what gives?

Why are you running around bemoaning your busyness when it can actually make you happier?

Here is the critical distinction: the happiest people are busy – but not rushed.

As soon as you tip the scale from living a full, productive life to an overwhelming, chaotic existence you’ve lost your sense of control. It starts to feel like life is happening too you not the other way around.

You are no longer in the driver’s seat. As one of my clients put it, “I’m not even in the car. I feel like I am just chasing it down the street at this point.”

As soon as we lose our sense of control, we stress more, sleep less, and the part of our brain that helps us organize, prioritize, and make decisions gets overwhelmed.

As it turns out, managing your sense of control is a really smart time management strategy.

Here are 5 ways to boost your sense of control (and save you a ton of time) starting today:

1. Get more sleep. The power of a good night’s sleep cannot be underestimated. Overnight you can vastly improve your ability to organize, manage your emotions, and maintain a sense of control.

Tony Schwartz, one of my favorite authors on the subject, recently outlined this cold, hard truth in The New York Times:

“Even small amounts of sleep deprivation take a powerful toll on our cognitive capacity. A vast trove of research suggests that 95 percent of us need at least seven to eight hours of sleep to feel fully rested, while 2.5 percent need more than eight hours. The final 2.5 percent — or about one out of 40 people — require less than seven hours.
In other words, you are not likely one of them, even though you may well think you are.”

If there were one silver bullet that can automatically make you a better time manager it would be sleep.

2. Cut your to-do list in half (or more). Here’s one of my favorite tricks: Draw a line across the page of your to-do list. All tasks you place above this line are the items you have to get done today. Everything below this line are the tasks you would like to complete. By zeroing in on your key priorities, you will be operating proactively vs. reactively and will enjoy a stronger sense of accomplishment at the end of the day.

3. Get clear on your capacity. It is common to overestimate the time you have available each day to complete your tasks and underestimate how long these tasks will take. This can leave you feeling defeated and frustrated. Look at your calendar each day and get clear just how much time you actually have to get things done. Setting realistic expectations for yourself can greatly improve your sense of control.

4. Focus on small wins. Life isn’t about overnight transformations. What creates true, long-lasting change is the small incremental shifts you make each and everyday. Research has proven time and again that the more you celebrate your small wins each day, the more momentum you create to carry you forward.

5. Own your time. The quickest way back into the driver’s seat is to recognize that you decide each moment of how you spend your time and attention. You are always at choice. Really owning this fact makes it easier to say no to requests that are not your priority – and yes to the activities that really matter to you.

Bonus tip:

6. Take breaks. It can feel extremely counter-productive to take time off when you are feeling overwhelmed. In my experience, this is one of the best time to give yourself a half-day, full day, or even a long weekend to unplug, decompress, and recover. Again, the science backs this up. You will come back to your work with a new perspective, dramatically improving your creativity, productivity, and sense of control.

Now it’s your turn. What tips do you use to stay in control of your time and energy? Be sure to share in the comments below.

Julie Gray, COC is a time coach that teaches creative entrepreneurs and executives how to regain control over their life, have more guilt-free time in their schedule, and live with far less stress and overwhelm. Download her free template and guide on How to Get Out of Overwhelm in 5 Minutes a Day or Less here clicking here.