Eclipses! The new year kicks off with the first set of eclipses for 2019 right away, and we have a solar eclipse on January 5th at 8:42PM ET in Capricorn. This is the first of 3 eclipses in Capricorn next year (big for Capricorns!), and we can focus long-term on our goals and ambitions, the directions our lives are going in, and what we want to achieve and succeed. This can play out individually, and we can see it on a global scale. Capricorn rules governments, institutions, and politics, so we may see important events, decisions, actions with governments in the world, politically (oh yeah we've got a new Congress coming here in the U.S.), and with large institutions or corporations. There may be new roles, new responsibilities, and new visions. With Capricorn ruling goals, it's the perfect eclipse to start a brand new year, helping us to get focused, get a little disciplined, put together realistic plans, and figure out how we want the year to go. It may not go exactly according to plan, but we can be practical enough to understand that - and make backup plans! This eclipse is conjunct (aligned with) Saturn in Capricorn, amplifying the Capricorn energy (since Saturn naturally rules Capricorn. It's also sextile (positive aspect, two signs away) Neptune in water sign Pisces, and we can trust our intuition, uncover what's hidden, use imaginations and creativity, and do more for others. The eclipse occurs at 15 degrees 25 minutes in Capricorn. The aspects to this eclipse are: Conjunction: 10 degrees 25 minutes - 20 degrees 25 minutes Capricorn Semisextile: 13 degrees 25 minutes - 17 degrees 25 minutes Sagittarius or Aquarius Sextile: 10 degrees 25 minutes - 20 degrees 25 minutes Scorpio or Pisces Square: 10 degrees 25 minutes - 20 degrees 25 minutes Aries or Libra Trine: 10 degrees 25 minutes - 20 degrees 25 minutes Taurus or Virgo Quincunx: 13 degrees 25 minutes - 17 degrees 25 minutes Gemini or Leo Opposition: 10 degrees 25 minutes - 20 degrees 25 minutes Cancer Then comes a lunar eclipse on January 21st at 12:12AM ET in Leo. This will be the last eclipse for a while in Leo, so there may be some finalizing in a way of things that have been shaping up, in development for the last couple of years. Final decisions being made, finishing touches being put on, last chapters being finished before we move on. With Leo, we can be more affectionate and want more attention and praise. We want to come together in love and play, and enjoy ourselves a little bit before we get too serious. This can be great creative energy, and we can feel quite inspired. We can get in tune with our hearts, and can feel more generous and bring joy. This eclipse is super early in Leo at 0 degrees, and doesn't make any aspects in-sign, but will be square (hard aspect, three signs away) Uranus in Aries as an out-of-sign aspect (as if it were in previous sign Cancer). So we may struggle a little with some changes, with sudden developments, with having the independence we want, and can be a little rebellious, restless, impulsive. We need to exercise some restraint and stay focused. The eclipse occurs at 0 degrees 51 minutes in Leo. Aspects for the eclipse are: Conjunction: 0 degrees 0 minutes - 5 degrees 51 minutes Leo Semisextile: 0 degrees 51 minutes - 2 degrees 51 minutes Cancer or Virgo Sextile: 0 degrees 0 minutes - 5 degrees 51 minutes Gemini or Libra Square: 0 degrees 0 minutes - 5 degrees 51 minutes Taurus or Scorpio Trine: 0 degrees 0 minutes - 5 degrees 51 minutes Aries or Sagittarius Quincunx: 0 degrees 51 minutes - 2 degrees 51 minutes Capricorn or Pisces Opposition: 0 degrees 0 minutes - 5 degrees 51 minutes Aquarius Since the eclipse is so early in Leo, it may also make out-of-sign aspects for you (they're just usually more subtle in impact on you). They are: Conjunction: 25 degrees 51 minutes - 29 degrees 59 minutes Cancer Semisextile: 28 degrees 51 minutes - 29 degrees 59 minutes Gemini or Leo Sextile: 25 degrees 51 minutes - 29 degrees 59 minutes Taurus or Virgo Square: 25 degrees 51 minutes - 29 degrees 59 minutes Aries or Libra Trine: 25 degrees 51 minutes - 29 degrees 59 minutes Scorpio or Pisces Quincunx: 28 degrees 51 minutes - 29 degrees 59 minutes - Sagittarius or Aquarius Opposition: 25 degrees 51 minutes - 29 degrees 59 minutes Capricorn 
With Christmas fast approaching, I thought it would be fun to put together a holiday gift guide for the Zodiac signs! It actually was fun picking items for each sign. There are multiple options per sign, and I actually recommend you choose based on the person's Moon sign or Venus sign, if you know them. Why? The Moon governs our emotions, while Venus rules what we take pleasure in. If you get something that resonates with someone's Moon sign, they're more likely to have an emotional connection to it, and if you get something that resonates with someone's Venus sign, they're more likely to enjoy it. If you want more options, you can also consider the house location (if you know the person's time of birth); just look up the sign that naturally rules the house (1st house = Aries, 2nd house - Taurus, 3rd house = Gemini, 4th house = Cancer, 5th house = Leo, 6th house = Virgo, 7th house = Libra, 8th house = Scorpio, 9th house = Sagittarius, 10th house = Capricorn, 11th house = Aquarius, 12th house = Pisces). My one caveat: if their natal Venus is retrograde, try to stick to their Moon (Venus retrograde natives may struggle with their Venus placement until they've worked it out, so to be sure, use their Moon!). You can use the Sun if you don't have their Moon or Venus sign, I just find the Moon and Venus to be more accurate for gift-giving. This post does contain affiliate links - but I think they're all pretty cool! Gift Idea for Aries
Aries is the first sign of the Zodiac, a cardinal fire sign, so this is usually the sign that wants to be doing something physical all of the time. Gotta use up all of it's energy! So anything that can help them do physical activities:
- they often like camping, so perhaps a tent like this Coleman one - this paracord bracelet has a compass, knife, whistle, and even helps you start a fire (in case this is an Aries who gets lost, cold, or needs to protect themselves!) - if they like hiking/trekking, they may appreciate these anti-shock trail poles - if you can afford a little more and they have the space - a trampoline! (who doesn't love trampolines???) this trampoline even has a little basketball hoop (you know the kids would love that! though their parents might be mad LOL!) If they're not into the outdoors, something they can use indoors may be better, like: - this 20-pound dumbbell set (if they want to get buff) - this exercise ball (I used to sit on one whenever I would print a lot of stuff - not even exercising, I just thought it was fun!) - if they can't get away from their computer, they can try this under desk exercise bike (I need to get that) - if they've got some aggression to work on (common Aries problem!), maybe a heavy bag (or if they don't have the place to hang one, a punching ball on a stand) Gift Ideas for Taurus
Taurus rules the senses - see, smell, hear, taste, touch - so getting them a gift that engages one of the senses is usually going to be the best bet. Food is pretty much numero uno for Taurus, so you can try:
- they've usually got a sweet tooth, so try something like these fancy biscotti cookies - they tend to love food but not slaving away, so something like a pressure cooker/slow cooker they can throw everything into and then let do the rest of the work! - a nice tea sampler can be great, and maybe add in a pretty teapot (I find that a lot of Taureans love teapots, even if they don't love tea! haha) - a subscription to the Food Network Magazine or Food & Wine magazine to get them inspired If you want to do something away from food, you can opt for something that will indulge one of their other senses, like: - a soft scarf in their favorite color (touch) - some essential oils and/or an essential oil diffuser (smell) - a wind chime (hear) - an art marker set (see) Gift Ideas for Gemini
Gemini is the sign of the mind (what active minds they have!), so something that will help them learn, write, or keep track of information is usually good, so things like:
- a fancy fountain pen to write everything down (and don't forget the ink!) and a pretty journal (this one is beautiful and celestial!) - because they love to keep busy, a planner is usually a safe bet (you can go simple like this elephant planner, sooo pretty like this Katie Daisy planner, or go big with this Happy Planner kit) - since they love to learn but hate having to stick with anything for too long, maybe try a book on learning faster! Gemini also tends to like techie stuff, smaller little gadgets they can play around with, so maybe something like: - a GoPro camera - since Gemini's can be scatterbrained, this gadget can help them if they're constantly losing their phone or keys - are they gamers? try a gaming headset - okay, this may be the best pick out of all of the signs - a little robot companion!!! (seriously I want this, it's soooo cute! and hello, ROBOTS, can't beat that!) Gift Ideas for Cancer
Cancer is the sign of the home and family, so think about things that they can use hanging out at home (or vegging out at home!). Something like:
- a plush bathrobe - soft pajamas and some comfy slippers - a throw blanket so they can wrap up on the couch - some pillows (they love to nap!) - this sign can be willing to do some cooking, so you can get them some cookware, a baking set, a food processor, or a stand mixer (this one fills my dreams!) I also find that Cancer tends to be a closet creative, secretly dreaming of writing, painting, etc. so feed that with: - a sculpting wheel and carving tools - a painting set - books on screenwriting, playwriting, or songwriting Gift Ideas for Leo
Leo is the sign of fun and games, so feel free to go for the fun, kid stuff (even if they're not even close to being a kid anymore in age!). You can try:
- a classic game like Twister, Monopoly, Connect 4, Battleship, or Operation - a super cute stuffed animal - an elephant, unicorn, a sea otter, or of course for Leo, a lion!) - a karaoke machine (they love to be pretend to be rock stars) Some other ideas: - Leo has to take epic selfies, so gift an extendable selfie stick and tripod and a ring light - the lion must take care of its mane, so try a flat iron, curling iron, blow dryer, or some magic hair (ha!) - Leo loves movies, so how about a giant 19-foot inflatable outdoor projector movie screen! (too cool) Gift Ideas for Virgo
Virgo always wants to keep things organized (even if it seems like a mess to everyone else, it’s still a system that makes sense to them!), so something that can help them with that or clear the clutter. You can try something like:
- if they have kids, a magnetic chore chart - to organize their closet, like an organizer with bins, or drawer dividers - for their office, a desk organizer or a file cabinet (I’d ask, is it weird that I LOVE file cabinets, but I do have Venus in Virgo!) - a pan rack or a drawer organizer/utensil tray to organize the kitchen Virgo is also the sign of health, so they tend to be big in tending to themselves, so you can gift them something that helps with that: - a yoga mat - a hand grip strengthener - a juicer - they tend to be big on self-help yet also have overactive minds, so maybe a book on mindfulness or meditation Gift Ideas for Libra
Libra is symbolized by the scales, and prefers peace and balance, harmony and tranquility (hence the love of diplomacy and compromise!). So you can try gifting something that helps put them in a peaceful state, like:
- lavender is very soothing, so you can try lavender essential oil or lavender buds (maybe hand-make sachets!) - a beautiful Tibetan singing bowl - bubble bath or a bath pillow - a little wine cooler (and include their fave wine) I find Libra also wants to have a beautiful surrounding, so you can get them something pretty for their home or office: - an interesting art print - a cool wall decal - a pretty mirror - a gorgeous flower pot - a book on feng shui (so they get some balance and harmony in their space too!) Gift Ideas for Scorpio
I was recently reminded how much Scorpio loves black (they are the sign ruling the dark side after all!), so how about black anything! Try:
- a black leather jacket (or faux for the vegans) - black onyx jewelry - a black purse - a black watch Scorpio also governs what’s taboo, so I find they tends to have a thing for piercings and tattoos, so: - if they have a piercing, you can get them jewelry for that (something for the lip or eyebrow or belly button - won’t even link to the nipple rings! LOL) - if they have a tattoo, you can get them a vegan tattoo butter to take care of it - if they’re piercing and tattoo free, it might be because they’re afraid to do it! So you can get a fake nose ring, a henna tattoo kit, or some temporary tattoos Gift Ideas for Sagittarius
Sagittarius is the sign of the adventurer, always wanting to go off to some far away place, even if only in their own head, so you can get them something to bring out their inner adventurer, like:
- luggage or a travel passport wallet (for when they do actually travel outside of their head!) - a travel map (so they can keep track of their travels) - a travel backpack - a compass (every adventurer needs one!) Sagittarius is also the sign of higher communication - advanced learning, publishing, public speaking, etc. - so they may like something that plays into that: - a book on TED talks and public speaking - something to learn another language - a Traveller’s notebook (to write about all of their life experiences) - something they can teach themselves, like this on jewelry-making or or this on crochet or this on calligraphy Gift Ideas for Capricorn
Capricorn is a lover of old things, so you can try to get something antique or classic, so you can try:
- a pocket watch (they’re mindful of time too) - a locket (for the memories) - an antique bottle hummingbird feeder (would be so cute for the birds!) - a vintage-inspired refillable perfume bottle - a victrola (if they’ve got old records) Capricorn also rules careers, long-term plans and goals - got places to go and things to do! So you can gift something like: - a briefcase or satchel - a calendar - a tie for the gentlemen (though I like ties too!) or red lipstick for the ladies (it’s a power color) Gift Ideas for Aquarius
Aquarius is the inquisitive scientist and techno-enthusiast, so this sign might like something like:
- a telescope (so they can discover an asteroid!) - a microscope set - a tech repair kit (since they can fix everything for you) some beaker shot glasses (in case they like science but aren’t up for the experimenting!) - another robot! (so maybe I like robots) this one teaches you to code though (meant for kids, but hey, some of us adults need help coding too!) Aquarius is also the environmentalist - funny because it’s not an earth sign, but this sign thinks a lot about the future, about how all of our actions lead to consequences, and wants to do the right thing not just for now, but generations to come, so you can opt for some eco-friendly or recycled products: - recycled glassware - recycled plastic indoor/outdoor rugs - bamboo towels - reusable metal straws (plastic straws are terrible! though I bite my straws so instead I use biodegradable paper straws or BPA-and-rubber free silicone straws - don’t want to break my teeth on the metal! LOL) And with Aquarius ruling astrology, maybe something astrology-related! (since this sign loves the future so much, perhaps a self-paced predictive astrology course). Gift Ideas for Pisces
Pisces is the sign of the mystic and spiritualist, deeply in tune with the subtle energies around us, so you can go with some fun mystical stuff like:
- tarot cards, runes, or a spirit board - a book on contacting your spirit guides - a fluorite wand - some taper candles Pisces also governs music (they get lost in it), feet (the last part of the body for the last sign in the Zodiac), art (see music), and water (as a mutable water sign, very fluid!), so some random picks: - an acoustic guitar or piano keyboard - socks (ha, always need them! why do they run away???) - art supplies - a water fountain (or this cool water bubble wall feature) 
Sometimes you've just gotta come clean about something, so when is the time to do it? Asteroids Veritas (490), Truth (249521), and Fides (37) are the asteroids of truth, so when you want to speak the truth about something, you can look for when you'll have a positive aspect (sextile, trine) to your natal Veritas, Truth, or Fides, or when transit Veritas, Truth, or Fides will be making a positive aspect or are conjunct a personal planet, an angular house cusp (1st, 4th, 7th, 10th house cusps), your 1st house ruler, or are transiting the house ruling what you want to open up about, your 1st house (the self), or positively aspecting the ruler of the house ruling what you want to open up about. You can also look to your progressed Veritas, Truth, and Fides, and when they are making a major aspect to your natal or progressed charts, you may find that you feel you need to speak the truth about something. In a return chart, if they are on an angular house cusp, conjunct the 1st house ruler, or conjunct the planet that the return is for, that can also indicate a period when you feel the need to speak truth. You can also focus on Jupiter and Mercury connections. Mercury rules communication, and Jupiter is a bit of an honest broker (or more like blunt sometimes!). Conjunctions, sextiles, and trines between transit Jupiter and your natal Mercury or transit Mercury and your natal Jupiter can be good times for telling all; oppositions between them may show you open up a little *too* much! Jupiter touring your 3rd house (house of communication) can also be positive. (originally from the September 2018 monthly newsletter) 
December’s new moon comes on the 7th at 2:21AM ET in happy Sagittarius. Sagittarius new moons are usually a time when we want to focus on the positives, can feel more optimistic, expand our lives, open up to the world, come up with big ideas, and just think bigger in general. Everything can seem a little brighter. Something we probably need! Some of this energy may be a result of Mercury retrograde ending the day before this new moon, and we’re done with the retrograde madness for 2018. Mercury retrograde began in November in Sagittarius, so the things that may have been put on hold, that may have had to get shelved, or that experienced setbacks, we can focus on picking back up again. We can open our minds, want to learn more about the world and the way people live, and there may be focus on travel, on higher learning, and on foreign lands, people, and cultures. Stay open to knowledge and wisdom. The new moon is square (hard aspect, 3 signs away) both Mars and Neptune, who are conjunct (aligned) in watery Pisces. This brings some complicated energy to the new moon, and we may be a little frustrated, a little foggy, and feel like we need to do something, take action with something, but have a hard time figuring out what that should be. We’ll need to trust our instincts more, connect more to our soul, and make sure we’re being smart with what we do and not just jump into anything impulsively. There can also be a focus on an ending of some sort, and we may need to work on being more compassionate with people we may view as “other”. We’re all human, there is no other, so remember that! This new moon occurs at 15 degrees 7 minutes Sagittarius. The aspects to this new moon are: Conjunction: 13 degrees 7 minutes - 17 degrees 7 minutes Sagittarius Sextile: 13 degrees 7 minutes - 17 degrees 7 minutes Libra or Aquarius Square: 13 degrees 7 minutes - 17 degrees 7 minutes Virgo or Pisces Trine: 13 degrees 7 minutes - 17 degrees 7 minutes Aries or Leo Opposition: 13 degrees 7 minutes - 17 degrees 7 minutes Gemini December’s full moon comes on the 22nd at 12:49PM ET early in watery Cancer. This is the sign of the home and family, so we can focus on the home, matters to do with our family, and want to come together as one big family. We can focus on our countries and homelands, and feel a stronger emotional connection. Cancer is the sign of emotions, so we can be much more in tune with what we’re feeling, and crave more emotional comfort and support. We may prefer to stick to what we know best to help achieve that. We may be more nurturing and supportive of others, and need it in return. In the Zodiac Wheel, Cancer represents to bottom of the chart, so we may get back to our roots in some way, get at the core of something, work on the foundation of something that may seem shaky, or feel like something “bottom’s out” in some way. This may be an emotional experience, but is likely something we can learn and grow from. This full moon occurs at a special degree, 0 degrees Cancer, which is a critical degree, the Aries Point in Cancer. We may feel the need to bring out our emotions and our personal perspectives into the world to make others understand what we’re feeling, but need to make sure we’re not being completely subjective. It can be easy to get wrapped up in our emotions, and we need to consider everyone’s feelings, not just our own. This full moon is sextile (positive aspect, two signs away) Uranus retrograde in Aries, but this aspect is out of sign, so it may be more subtle. It helps us to find some of the objectivity that we need, and we can be more true to ourselves and our individuality. This full moon occurs at 0 degrees 49 minutes Cancer. The aspects to this full moon are: Conjunction: 0 degrees 0 minutes - 2 degrees 49 minutes Cancer Sextile: 0 degrees 0 minutes - 2 degrees 49 minutes Taurus or Virgo Square: 0 degrees 0 minutes - 2 degrees 49 minutes Aries or Libra Trine: 0 degrees 0 minutes - 2 degrees 49 minutes Scorpio or Pisces Opposition: 0 degrees 0 minutes - 2 degrees 49 minutes Capricorn Since this full moon is so early in Cancer, you may also feel aspects made out of sign, which would be: ConjunctIon: 28 degrees 49 minutes - 29 degrees 59 minutes Gemini Sextile: 28 degrees 49 minutes - 29 degrees 59 minutes Aries or Leo Square: 28 degrees 49 minutes - 29 degrees 59 minutes Virgo or Pisces Trine: 28 degrees 49 minutes - 29 degrees 59 minutes Libra or Aquarius Opposition: 28 degrees 49 minutes - 29 degrees 59 minutes Sagittarius 
In 2010 I visited London’s Natural History Museum with friends, one of whom was an engineer from France. To my untrained eye, the architecture at this museum is the most stunning in London. My French friend commented that: “This building isn’t that old, look at the use of iron,” she pointed at an arch. “Oh, when do you think it might have been built?” I asked. “Late 1700’s” she replied. “That type of welding didn’t exist before 1760.” I laughed. To my California-raised mind, anything before the 1950’s was old, and anything before the 1920’s was ancient. But for my French friend, who grew up in a large city that predates the United States by a thousand years, the 1700’s belong to modern architecture. Along the same lines, natal astrology, as we know and practice it today, could be viewed as a modern development. Before the 1700’s birth data was less precise. It wasn’t all that common for people to know their exact date or place of birth, let alone the hour. Astrology consultations were largely focused on Horary Astrology, where one asked a question (i.e. Can I trust this person in business?) – then using the question’s birth chart to glean a reply. Astrology Before Psychology Was “A Thing”
Astrology was also used to ask: “Is it a good time to begin X, Y or Z?” The answer to this type of question was found by looking at planetary transits. The belief was that if the planets were well placed, good fortune was likely to follow.
This approach can be used to: 1) Minimize risk associated with new projects (keep in mind, the analysis goes far beyond a single transit). This could include anything: when to marry, negotiate a contract, ask for a raise, or sail across the Atlantic. 2) Download the undiluted energy of a planet as it travels through compatible Zodiac signs so that we can benefit from the planet’s qualities. The second use is pure magic. It allows us to complement our personalities with skills or qualities that we might be short on, for example, confidence, business acumen, and communication skills - or soft skills such as empathy and diplomacy. Empowering Yourself With Astrology
We can download and integrate any given planet’s qualities and attributes when that planet transits the Zodiac signs that enhance its energy – usually rulerships and exaltations. So for example, we might look to the Sun for courage, Mars for ambition, Venus for friendship, or the Moon for intuition – just as we would turn to Mother Earth for grounding. In this case, we use Jupiter in Sagittarius to spread our wings and fly.
This week, Jupiter begins a 13-month transit through its rulership in Sagittarius. Jupiter takes 12 years making the rounds through the Zodiac, presenting us with a unique opportunity to harness its lovely energy. Jupiter can give us a boost in many ways. Here are a few ideas.
Want To Go Deeper?
If you’d like to learn more about planetary magic, Christopher Warnock’s book, Secrets of Planetary Magic, gives a thorough introduction to pre-1700 astrology and how best to connect with the traditional planets. This includes an overview of themes for each planet, and how to go about selecting the right time and day.
We can then combine this with energy healing meditations, as discussed in an earlier Dark Pixie Astrology blog post on Chakras, Energy Healing and Planetary Magick. About the Author:
Lilith gives you the power you need to be YOU. Lilith was the first wife of Adam in the Garden of Eden. Adam, being the “man”, tried to make Lilith be sexually submissive, but she wasn’t having that. Some say she left, some say she was exiled, some say she went stark-raving mad. Scary Lilith’s reputation seems to be undeserved. For women, Lilith can show you how you can be your true independent self and find that power within you as a woman. For both men and women, she’s your ability to think for yourself and say it. Your inner Lilith - the person who has their own mind and own power independent of anyone else - can be a source of hidden power that help you become a stronger version of YOU. In practice, I also find people with strong Lilith in their charts tend to: a, be super feminists (girl power!), b, be super mystics (Lilith is a little witchy), and c, there's usually a difficult relationship with the mother (perhaps linking to the "demon" and stealing babies part of the mythology). Black Moon Lilith (BML) is the point in the Moon’s orbit that is farthest from Earth (the apogee). There are two versions of BML, Mean and True or Oscillating. The movement of BML is not too stable, so the Mean position averages out her movement, while the True or Oscillating position gives the actual position. Technically, in astrology, there are three different Liliths: Black Moon Lilith, Dark Moon Lilith (also called Waldemath Moon), and asteroid Lilith (the only physical body of Lilith). Dark Moon Lilith tends to be a little darker while asteroid Lilith to be more symbolic of the story of Lilith. To find the locations of your Liliths on astro.com, in Extended Chart Selection, click on Additional Objects, then click on Lilith in the menu (gives the Mean BML position), and in the Manual entry box, type in h13 (Oscillating BML), h58 (Waldemath), and 1181 (asteroid Lilith), then generate your chart. (originally from the October 1st 2018 newsletter) |
Get ready for 2019 with the 2019 worksheets!
Go now >>> Important Articles:Zodiac Signs Holiday Gift Guide January 2019 New & Full Moons December 2018 New & Full Moons Jupiter in Sagittarius: November 2018 - December 2019 Saturn in Capricorn: December 2017 - March 2020, July - December 2020 Uranus in Taurus: May - November 2018, March 2019 - July 2025, November 2025 - April 2026 
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