A short interview and a catch up!

With the Super Blue Moon in Pisces approaching us, I thought I’d come here and say hello.

It’s been a while since I wrote last.

I’m still in the UK but getting ready to fly back to Brazil soon. The transit from Saturn to my natal Sun/Mercury has been going on for months and the process of crystallising myself as an individual out there in the world is strong. Not only I had my MA graduation, but also many developments work wise.

Here I’m sharing a short interview I did for the MysticMag about my work and sensitivity if you’d like to find out more about what I’ve been up to this year: Astrology and Highly Sensitive People/Empaths

It’s very exciting and I can’t wait to be able to share more about it with you!

Are you a Highly Sensitive or an Empath? Let me know in the comments how you found out and how it’s been for you ever since. I’d love to hear from you!

Wishing you all a beautiful Full Moon in Pisces, full of achievable dreams and inspiration.

Insightful eclipse season

The current eclipse season has been an interesting one so far.

I know people struggling with different things and different areas of their life. And I also know that some are feeling rather inspired lately.

During this liminal space between new and full moon, in eclipse season, there is so much that we can do or become aware of. This time is a potentially powerful one, if you care to pay attention to.

What feelings have been coming up to you? What thoughts or needs are becoming insistent?

Since I finished my master’s dissertation, my time management has changed completely. The freedom to think about and learn new things has been exhilarating, until the feeling of overwhelm hit me the other day.

I’ll explain.

I was focusing a lot of my thinking on business, marketing and money mindset things. I felt I had enough of being so informal with my astrology practice, since this is the only thing I can see myself doing. For some reason, no, I am not normal and able to have a ‘side job’.

Perhaps the Scorpio rising ‘all or nothing’ attitude dictates how I do things. Perhaps not having kids or financial responsibilities of that sort enables me to. I don’t know.

What I know is that I could never just have a regular job and do my passion on my spare time. That never worked for me.

So there I was, feeling excited, learning a lot about business, and launches and money mindset, when a sudden feeling of overwhelm took me over. It was intense. So much so that I had to drop everything and go to my yoga mat and meditate.

Anything that would help me regain balance was welcomed.

And that’s when I realised the solar eclipse was happening in my twelfth house and on my natal Pluto. I was dealing with things that were deeply unconscious and part of many generations’ story in my family.

The days went by, with the intense emotional release of that day still in my awareness.

Then boom, another massive insight!

I realised that I am a highly sensitive person.

Have you heard about HSP and Elaine Aron’s work? This is such a huge game changer for me, that I will have to write a whole post about it.

For now, I just want to say, eclipse season can be powerful for insights and clarity around your path and purpose in life. Watch those intense feelings and events, they have something to tell you that can be utterly empowering. If you care to pay attention to…

Last Full Moon in Leo, the IC, insights, and novelty.

Last week there was a full moon in Leo, square the nodes, and it only dawned on me now that it was opposing my progressed Moon in Aquarius.

I have been keeping super busy, trying new mediums and ways to channel creativity and fill my days with astrology work. It has been truly exciting but it’s so easy to lose track of balance and end up overdoing something – in particular, overworking and not paying enough attention to the need for conscious down time.

I had a mini health crisis on the day of the full moon, with food poisoning and a lot of purging and lacking energy to do anything else other than rest. The situation then got me thinking, what was I not paying attention to?

Looking into the symbolism of the IC for a talk I gave to the AFAN yesterday was so insightful (again). Growth is remembering, as we spirally move from stretching out of, to falling back into our patterns again and again.

One of my favourite things about astrology is its relationship to cycles. The beauty and reassurance of cycles. Everything has its right time, don’t you worry. This too shall pass, etc.

Gardening can be really useful in that way too, as we interact with land and weather, we see the ciclic motion in which life unfolds. No need for anxiety, no need to rush or resent. There is a right time for everything.

Astrology too, can help us with that, and as I worked on my presentation for yesterday’s talk, the importance of the IC was highlighted as, amongst other things, our place of rest. And by rest here, I don’t mean going to sleep every night. I am thinking of conscious rest, ritualistic down time as opposed to closing our eyes and drifting away.

(nothing wrong with that, we obviously need a good night of sleep in order to heal and recharge daily)

How many of you out there have given importance to down time as much as you do to productivity? Do you place those activities in your calendar as you do with the other ‘more serious’ ones?

After this insightful, even if painful, full moon in Leo (which rules creativity, inner child and self expression) I was reminded to hear and consider those needs more seriously.

Novelty also deserves to have an important place in our busy schedules.

Quick Full Moon Insights

In two days we will be having the full moon in Pisces and I’d like to write a few words about it.

One of the things that I like about lunar cycles is exactly that – it’s cyclic motion. Just like the seasons, when autumn begins and we reach out for our warmer coats or fluffier blankets, we could also align ourselves with the monthly lunar cycle to a certain extent.

In the last full Moon, the second one in Aquarius this year, we witnessed some interesting configurations in the sky. There was a grand trine involving Saturn in Aquarius, the North node in Gemini and Venus in Libra and I wrote a little about potential reconciliations etc.

Well, we will have an almost grand trine again involving Saturn and the North node, but this time with Mars in Libra instead of Venus.

Last month we also witnessed Mars forming a trine to Uranus and now we will see Venus coming to oppose Uranus – there seems to be some kind of theme there.

What comes to mind is somehow connected with relationships, communication of needs and assertion.

If last month, with Venus in Libra, I was thinking about reconciliation, this time seems like our individual needs could be a little more under the spotlight. Venus and Mars are in mutual reception, that is, in each other’s rulership sign, and this also indicates some potential for working creatively with conflicting desires.

Mercury will be forming a trine to Jupiter, a pretty tight one, and this could be tremendously supportive of clear and rational communication. We can express ourselves in a more considerate (Mercury in Libra) and focused on growth and the greater good of all involved (Jupiter in Aquarius). We can see the bigger picture if we try.

Mind you, Mercury is in its shadow period and will be retrograde from September 27, so we might have to rethink and renegotiate some of the conversations we have during this full Moon. Best to try and be flexible.

And not to forget that both Mars and Venus are in the sign of their detriment reflecting a need to be cautious in our relationships in general – especially as the Moon won’t be too far from Neptune indicating the potential for some degree of confusion.

With Venus in Scorpio (the sign known for an all or nothing approach) applying to oppose Uranus, it is best to not make any hasty decisions for the next few days or you could regret. Work with whatever comes up, acknowledge and observe it. Mars in Libra can also be talking about rational actions rather than being impulsive.

We are preparing the ground for when Venus goes retrograde in December this year.

This full Moon could bring great opportunities for becoming more aware of how you truly feel about your values, relationships and what you’re passionate about (all the Venus in Scorpio stuff), as well as finding creative mediums to express yourself and get acquainted with those desires. Make the most of it by avoiding creating unnecessary drama.

Wishing you all a beautiful and empowering full Moon.

Second full Moon in Aquarius

We are one day before the full Moon, how are you all feeling?

The last new Moon, on August 8, was forming a square to Uranus, a destabilising aspect reflecting much disruption and sudden changes for this lunation.

Tomorrow’s full Moon is the second one in Aquarius this month. The first took place at the early degrees, and this one now is at 29, the crisis degree, pointing out to closure and a turning point of some kind. In horary astrology, when the ASC-DSC axis is at 29 degrees of a sign, things are taking their course and there is nothing one can do about it, its somehow too late.

Emotions might be highlighted as usual during the full Moon, but I feel that in this case we somehow have a larger framework to place them.

In sabian symbols, according to the mindfire website, the last degree of Aquarius is connected with ‘A spiritual brotherhood, in which many individual minds are merged into the glowing light of a unanimous consciousness, is revealed to one that has emerged successfully from his metamorphosis’

I love this image and I think it is pretty fitting with this full Moon in the Leo-Aquarius axis. The individual journey and transformation is, I believe, of paramount importance for healing the collective. In the next couple of days we can tap into and have insights about the individual/collective journey and where we are at with it.

Carl Jung said: ‘Reason becomes unreason when separated from the heart, and a psychic life void of universal ideas sickens from malnourishment’. This is another great quote encapsulating a potential path for integrating the opposition between Leo and Aquarius – the need for being in touch with our hearts and, at the same time, to realise that we are all part of the collective psyche too.

Interestingly, there are also a couple of aspects which I have a very good feeling about during this full Moon.

First the Moon will be conjoined to Jupiter, perhaps reflecting the potential for warmth and expansion, and if you are having a hard time at least you will be able to learn something from it. Considering full moons as the culmination in the cycle, this could also be reflecting a lot of insights and a sense of revelation.

There will be a grand trine in air involving Venus in Libra, Saturn in Aquarius and the North Node of the Moon in Gemini (note Venus and Saturn powerfully in rulership!).

Bernadette Brady has said that trine transits, in her view, remove obstacles, and I think that this grand trine could help with reconciliations, communication and a sense of responsibly sharing with others. Because Saturn is retrograde, it could reflect going back on something, this time in a more harmonious way. Grand trines in general always make me think of beauty and harmony, even more so with Venus in Libra taking part in it this time, and cooperation is another word that comes to mind with this configuration.

Put it simply, with Jupiter conjoined the Moon and this grand trine in air, we could have breakthroughs of all kinds and, at the same time, are more inclined to reach a consensus with others. (which could be tremendous healing after the powerful disruptive Uranian energy of the last weeks).

Mind you, Mercury is coming to oppose Neptune, so if you do decide to communicate something important make sure to choose the clearest way possible.

Mars in Virgo will also be forming an exact trine to Uranus in Taurus – reinforcing the feeling I have that this could be a much more balanced and creative time regarding individual urges and caring for others. Positive and intuitive actions can be taken in this process.

Wishing you all an empowering and insightful full Moon!

Full Moon in Scorpio, my favourite…

I wanted to write something quickly on the coming full moon in Scorpio happening this Tuesday.

Usually I find that full moons in Scorpio reflect a powerful time of release, of becoming more painfully aware of our unhealthy attachments and, hopefully, willing to let them go. And this one is not going to be much different.

First, the full moon is happening not only in Scorpio but also a day before Pluto turns retrograde, which will go on until October 6th – reflecting that over the next few months, we could go deeper in self-reflection and pondering about all the plutonic themes (rebirth, death, power, powerlessness, attachment, addictions, tabus in general, etc). Where are you at in your process of empowerment? Where do you still feel powerless? Are you giving your power away willingly? These are some of the questions worth asking ourselves now…

Second, interestingly, the moon and mars will be in mutual reception (although in fall, they will be in each others signs – Mars in Cancer and Moon in Scorpio) and I see in the symbolism the potential for intuitively working on our boundaries and cutting cords that are disempowering.

There will be great emphasis in Taurus, (with Sun/Uranus/Venus/Mercury), and that could also point out to greater realisations about our true values – do you feel valued in your daily dealings and relationships? If not, this full moon demonstrates a great time for cutting what does not serve you anymore, dynamics that do not nourish your values, places and people that don’t belong in your life any longer.

Both Sun and Moon will be applying to square Saturn at 12 degrees Aquarius, and as the apex of an opposition, Saturn here could also be reflecting an important part of the process – As we become more aware of the old, of the power struggles and issues that need to be solved in our lives, we will do well in pondering and not rushing into taking action impulsively. Saturn is in rulership in Aquarius, and one of its best potentials relates to detachment and willingness to have a bigger perspective, a heightened sense of fairness and social justice, and rationality in general.

I have the feeling that Saturn here is asking that we don’t take things so personally and move on with dignity and maturity.

No need for creating more drama.

Another message symbolised by Saturn’s placement is the potential for withdrawing projected security – you can provide your own sense of security, no need to keep old attachments in exchange for any false sense of safety.

The coming full moon could be a very creative and empowering time if we make space for it and not get caught in the emotional debris and intensity.

Wishing you all a wonderful and magically empowering full moon! 🙂

Reflections and realisations

The coming full moon eclipse on the 30th of November will be exact conjoined my natal Chiron in the 7th house. There are lots of different insights that I can have by observing the full moon’s chart in comparison to my own, but what strikes me is the reminder that most things astrological symbols reflect are rather process oriented than a ‘one off’ type of thing.

Another fellow astrologer wrote an interesting text regarding the coming full moon eclipse and linking it up to a lunation from May 2003, that’s when I was beginning my History degree in Sao Paulo. I can’t particularly remember anything else, nothing special in the relationship arena (which I would expect to see with a natal Chiron in Gemini in the 7th house). What about yourself, can you remember anything relevant that was going on for you in May 2003?

The Sagittarius-Gemini axis relate to information and education in general, how do you communicate your ideas and beliefs? How attached are you to them?

Since 2017 the big planets transiting Capricorn have been activating my natal 3rd house and a huge process of deepening and exploring ideas about astrology and how to communicate them has been taking place for me. Also, the Saturn-Jupiter conjunction will be happening there for me, in my 3rd house. It will be forming a trine to my North Node in Gemini in the 7th house as well as a square to my Pluto.

Ideas, communication, writing, reading, expressing myself, are some of the themes that have been under the spotlight for me recently, and it seems like it will be even more so in the years to come.

Regarding intense emotions and full moons and eclipses, I just realised how emotional I feel right now after having a melt down by myself for feeling really tired. I haven’t had a whole day off in ages, I can’t even remember when was the last one. I have always wanted to work on my career so badly in order to make sure that my job never feels like a ‘job’ in the boring/obligation kind of sense.

I have known that I can only dedicate myself to something meaningful and enjoyable for quite sometime.

But as I was crying and feeling the tension throughout my body today I suddenly realised that that too feels like ‘work’, like something serious and important, and that I need to find ways of relaxing and having lightness and fun in my life. At the moment I doubt my capacity for doing that, for enjoying myself without studying or working or being productive in some way. One of the only ways that I could do that was by having a romance and dating someone but the last thing I want to bring into my life now is frivolity, and dating seems very shallow to me at the moment (says the progressed Venus exact conjoined natal Saturn in the 12th).

I feel heavy. Hope you are feeling better out there.

Grand Cardinal Cross

As I organise myself to send my boxes to Brazil, I think about the current energies and the full moon in Pisces.

At the exact moment of the full moon there was a grand cross in the sky involving Mars in Aries, Saturn/Pluto/Jupiter in Capricorn, Venus in Cancer and Juno in Libra. What do we commit to, how, and the motivation behind it, might be the theme of this intense month. The grand cross is in cardinal signs and I can imagine plenty of energy being available for us to tap into and problem solve.

Cardinality asks for action; so one way of channeling the intensity is exercising a bit more than usual.

Another thing I was thinking about is the challenge regarding compromise; do we know when to compromise and when not? With Mars stationing to move retrograde soon, we better revisit how we assert ourselves and where resentment might still be present, even without our conscious awareness. Buried anger is another one that might come up in the next few months.  How have you been using your libido? How do you get what you want? Do you know what you want or do you get confused in the middle of everybody else’s wishes? These are some of the questions worth asking ourselves now.

Cardinality also speaks of taking initiative, so I can imagine this grand cross reflecting a big amount of energy compelling us to get out of whichever stagnant situation we’ve got ourselves involved in. The important thing to remember though, with Mars just about to go retrograde, is to rethink our strategies rather than just impulsively create more conflict. Rationality goes a long way with so many tense astrological aspects.

Wishing you all a happy full moon!

Full Moon in Aquarius and Authenticity

Im not sure how I missed out the fact that the coming full moon will be exactly conjoined my natal IC in Aquarius this coming Monday.

I guess that when you start studying astrology you become so keen that you never miss something like that, but once you have been studying it consistently for a few years, you then start to take the fast moving transits a bit for granted. Or maybe you just realise that every month there will be a new moon, and a full moon, etc…

But lunations do trigger long lasting transits, solar arc directions and secondary progressions. They have a way of emotionally intensifying whatever it is that you are going through.

I am working on my last assignment before my masters’ thesis and it happens to be a sky journal, a piece of phenomenological research on my observations of how the weather affects me emotionally. One of the themes that came up from the exercise is the awareness of a strong connection between weather x culture, home and belonging.

Lots of food for thought and it amazes me that for my last essay I am doing such a personal piece of work which enables me to explore an issue that feels so urgent to me right now. What and where is home? All of the internal work that took place during the transit from Pluto to my natal Moon still hasn’t given me the answer. I feel closer to finding it out maybe, but the concept of home still eludes me…

Back to the full moon though.

I have the feeling that this full moon will be triggering and challenging to reveal the amount of authenticity in our lives at the moment. Are we really in the right place? Are we really being ourselves in whatever situation that we are going through?

The full moon will be square to Uranus in Taurus and Venus (ruler of Taurus) might have some clues on how to solve the dilemma represented by this t square. Venus is in Gemini and very close to the North Node, so allowing people the space needed to find out what they need to find out, rationality and open communication afterwards might be what we need. Perhaps there is something that we will need to communicate regarding the process that Venus retrograde was reflecting earlier this year as well. Also these days Venus formed the last of 3 squares to Neptune (which started in May), and some resolutions regarding previous confusion might be a possibility with this full moon as well.

What are your values, what is important to you in order to feel loved? Are you happy with the flow of give and take in your relationships or are you giving more than receiving? And if that’s the case, why? These are some of the questions worth asking ourselves now..

Astrological Debates and the coming Full Moon

Catching a bit of a ride with the current energies building up to the full moon happening this coming Friday. It will be forming a t square between the Moon in Sagittarius, the Sun in Gemini and Mars in Pisces (close to Neptune), all at 15 degrees (so watch out all of you with personal planets in the mid degrees of the mutable signs).

As the lunar nodes have also shifted recently to the Gemini-Sagittarius axis, I expect a lot of intense discussions to be taking place, and considering the apex of a t square as a potential clue to a way out from the dichotomy symbolised by the opposition (between the Sun and Moon in this case), I feel that there is something of the energy of Pisces and Neptune that can help us get out of the impasse. Perhaps transcending truths that are plainly egocentric and not really constructive for others as well as ourselves is one way of interpreting this.

Both Pisces and Neptune at best talks about compassion and the capacity for dissolving boundaries which are necessary for us to understand that ultimately we are all connected. So perhaps something connected with that could help us resolve some of the difficult debates that we are bound to be witnessing, as well as taking part in, this week.

Another thing that comes to mind is any form of artwork could also be of great help now to contain the splits of opinion within and without!  Paint, drawing, dancing, writing…

This whole thing reminds me of a small discussion I got myself involved in these days, and made me think as well (again) about the spread of misinformation that we currently can have access to using social media. Freedom of expression can be great and very empowering, but at the same time, there seems to be a lot of people claiming to hold the truth about something which isn’t quite correct.

To be precise, there was an individual claiming to be a professional astrologer who said that: ‘If you have Saturn in a hard aspect in your chart it can and it will definitely make you poor’. I mean, what the fuck? After this post there were lots of comments from scared people, trying to find out if they had that or not in their natal charts.

I usually don’t get myself involved in these online debates, but I couldn’t help and just searched for examples of people with hard aspects from Saturn who happened to be quite rich actually, to respond to that person.

Anyway, my message here is to say that astrology can be a wonderful tool for empowerment and insight but it has to be used wisely. And, at the same time, I strongly feel that it cannot be used divorced from serious commitment to personal work and growth. It’s just too easy to project our life’s traumas and shortcomings into an astrological aspect, star sign or whatever, and then spread misinformation to people around us perpetrating fear and disempowerment.

So remember, if it sounds like fear mongering and simply negative, go and try to find another source or another astrologer to have a consultation from. I am pro different views and techniques and approaches to astrology, but definitely not supportive of astrology done badly and without personal responsibility.