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November/December 2011 Astrology Forecast
Surviving the Holidays

by Mark Dodich

It sounds terrible to begin a holiday article with an ominous phrase like surviving the holidays. But it is equally inappropriate to give you the Pollyanna version of seasonal energies. The final months of 2011 take you to your philosophical depths, preparing you for irrevocable decisions that will soon change your life.

Don’t panic because the sky is not going to fall in on you. It is more likely that you have been feeling tired of certain aspects of your life and just don’t have the energy to put into them any longer. Perhaps you are still doing those activities or relationships because you simply do not know what the next phase of your life will entail.

It is time to say “enough.” Odds are good that you do not know what the next step is, but you certainly know what it will not be. November and December offer you the opportunity to trust and release, creating an open space for your greater good to come to you in the not too distant future.

Begin by tending to business as usual in early November. Ambitious Mars moves into purifying Virgo at the full moon on Nov. 10 and stays until early July 2012. When a planet that normally spends six weeks in a sign decides to spend over seven months in simplifying Virgo, then you know its energy will not just blow over. It also means that the changes you decide upon now will not be fully implemented until next summer.

Although the major impact of this extended energy will be dynamic between January and April, the foundation for significant changes is being established now. On a mundane level, Virgo advises you to clear your clutter, purify your body, get organized and reconnect with the goddess within — make space for that unknown “thing” that is coming.

Open to receive a clear message from the goddess through an emotional cleanse and healing release ceremony. The highly sensitive combination of the harvest goddess with warrior Mars calls you into higher service. There is no more time for people and projects that will not or cannot make the upcoming journey with you.

Meditate on the action steps needed around the Thanksgiving holiday. Communications planet Mercury turns retrograde Nov. 23 until Dec. 13 in the philosophical sign of Sagittarius.

The sign of the archer represents your belief system and the bigger picture of life. This is the perfect time to review your thoughts and activities to determine if your current actions are still in accord with your evolving life mission. Expansive and unlimited thinking is called for now.

At the same time, be practical by allowing extra time for Thanksgiving schedules. Mercury retrograde has a reputation for disrupting travel as it did in August with hurricane Irene and last December with massive snow storms.

But the story gets even bigger (think of a Sagittarian telling you the story of the fish that got away). There is a solar eclipse in Sagittarius on Nov. 24. This solar eclipse blocks out the busyness in your daily life to help you envision a higher perspective. In Sagittarius, you are encouraged to transform limiting beliefs and expand your way of thinking.

It is time to rewrite your Jerry Maguire mission statement. Get out your legal pad and let the largeness of your dreams and ideas flow through your fingertips. Don’t worry if your vision is not practical or even possible, because this energy is about opening your mind in an expansive way. Make it big.

Following this introspective solar eclipse is a lunar eclipse on Dec. 10. Expect a pull between the intellectual ideas of mental Gemini and the emotional nature of the full moon. In other words, check to see if your head and heart are on the same page.

This talkative full moon combines with other planetary energies to stimulate social interaction. Get out of the house to play with old and new friends.

Shortly after this social energy peaks, an introspective tone develops around the new moon on Dec. 24. Make time for meditation and quiet time between winter solstice and Dec. 25.

The moon will be in Aries on New Year’s Eve, making for a passionate and active evening. Do be cautious in traffic around 10 p.m. as there are minor, impatient traffic and communications bumps in the night. Many people will celebrate early and be in bed before midnight. Have fun, but don’t go overboard.

Mark Dodich has been a professional astrologer and intuitive consultant since 1980. Mark’s specialties include natal astrology, relocation astrology maps and seven ray spiritual purpose astrology. Receive a free Astromark newsletter and download a free Basic Astrology Primer at www.astromark.us or call 503-252-1558.