I’m a Spring/Summer person myself, but the long nights of Winter do provide some real opportunities for looking up and seeing the wonders that are contained in the heavens above.

Most of us humans spend way too much time looking down. We miss out on seeing the vastness and beauty that lies above us in the nighttime skies. I believe there’s a perspective that lies in sky-watching. It helps us to realize that no matter how huge are problems are, they are really small when compared with the vastness of the heavens of which we are but a very small part.

The Winter skies are different than what we see in the Summer. Orion, the Hunter, becomes the featured constellation at this time of year. As with most of the constellations, it takes a little imagination to see this hunter outlined in the night sky. Once you spot the three stars that form his belt, you can move upward and see the two stars that create his shoulders. Betelgeuse, a bright orange-red star, marks his left shoulder. If you move below the belt, you will find the bright blue star Rigel marking his right foot.

If you follow a line from his belt to the south and east, you will fine the blue-white star, the brightest star in the night sky, Sirius. Known as the Dog Star, it is part of the constellation Canis Major or the Big Dog. Slightly east of Sirius is the Little Dog, Canis Minor.

The constellation of Taurus can be found by moving to the northeast of Orion’s Belt. Then find Castor and Pollux, in the constellation of Gemini, by following a diagonal line from Rigel through Betelgeuse. Above Orion is Auriga with its bright yellow-white star Capella.

Yes, there is so much to see, even when there are no meteor showers. For me, it is quite amazing and fascinating…and humbling.

(Thanks to the One-Minute Astronomer web site for the good information!)

The stars might be a little difficult to see with the Full Moon in Gemini happening on Friday, November 23rd, at 0:39 a.m. EST. It will definitely brighten the night sky.

With the Sun in Sagittarius, the energies can cause those affected by them to become hasty in speech, overexcited, and perhaps even too active. People can become a little abrupt and liable to change.

The good news is this is a great time for education and for writing, especially in the field of journalism. The judgment and memory should also be good.

Mercury rules Gemini and, with this in mind, it’s a good time for endings that should be done quickly. Under the light of this Full Moon, you can quickly determine what needs to be changed and what needs to be ended, seeking out the ways by which this can happen and employing them quickly.

This is an energy that stimulates the imagination and can be used to manifest highly creative work. Be aware it can also provide the energy for producing create stories for those who enjoy telling lies, causing them to forget everything about truth.

Take care not to spread yourself to thin during this Full Moon so that you are able to follow through on all the creative ideas that may occur to you.

Another of the retrograde planets turns direct as Neptune in Pisces begins it’s forward motion at 8:09 p.m. EST on Saturday, November 24th.

When Neptune is in its home sign of Pisces it becomes a time when we should confront out illusions about spirituality, values, our “ideal” visions, and all the things we consider mysterious, magical and make-believe.

Sadly, it can also be a time of disillusionment and pain as some of our favorite beliefs are eroded and undermined. It’s actually a self-protective process that causes our attention to be drawn to the fantasies that we believe to be real.

What this really causes is a need to deal with our problems rather than try to evade them. No longer can we take the easy way out.

It’s not all bad though. It’s a great time to take an interest in and develop our psychic potentials. If you’ve had an interest in your spiritual development, that interest may return or increase as you begin to see the benefits that can happen. Many will discover that the answers they seek lie within.

When Mercury enters Scorpio on Saturday, December 1st at 6:12 a.m. EST, the energies provided can create shrewd, sharp, powerful minds with clear foresight for those affected by this placement. With it still being retrograde, there will be many opportunities to work through any lessons created by the energies of this placement.

Depending on who you are and how you’re affected, you will either use these energies in worthy ways and be very high principled about the things you do and say or you will be ruthless in your dealings while also being arrogant and intolerant, looking down upon anyone who differs with you.

This energy can create deception, secrets, vengeance, and humiliation. However, being aware of that, you can also use the energies to be brilliant, determined, and even to ferret out secrets.

You may also find yourself drawn to investigate the mysteries of the Universe or those things that are mystical and occult in nature.

There is an intensity to love, in a physical sense, when Venus enters Scorpio on Sunday, December 2nd at 12:02 p.m. EST. Those affected by this placement may find that their love life becomes stormy.

This is an energy that is so very straightforward, determined and direct that it frightens people. People born under this placement or affected by it will have to try to be more tactful and reserved. Excesses of feeling may cause love to turn to jealousy which may then become all-consuming and turn to revenge.

It can be difficult to see the other person’s point of view with the intensity of emotion and desire created by the energies of Venus in Scorpio. The other side to this is that it is also possible to sacrifice everything for love if you feel the object of your affection is worthy of it.

This is another planetary placement that brings an attraction to the occult sciences and inner mysteries. It intensifies psychic sensitivity and allows one to sense the feelings of others.

Last, but certainly not least, is the good news that Mercury in Scorpio will be turning direct from its retrograde motion on Thursday, December 6th at 4:22 p.m. EST.

What does that mean? Well, hopefully, it means that we have learned whatever lessons were necessary from the energies of it being retrograde and will now be able to move forward ourselves with new enlightenment and new responses to the occurrences in our everyday lives.

May the energy of the planets light your way and make your journey easier until we meet again in two weeks.

Love & Blessed Be