Something is Stirring

Something is Stirring

By Lauren Howard Coleman

Posted on February 14, 2025

Mars has slowed for its direct station on February 23rd at 17º of Cancer. And as it does so it makes a trine to Saturn in Pisces. It may still be out of bounds, pushing against limits, but the limits themselves are gently pushing back. There are reasons why Mars is considered to be exalted in the Saturn sign of Capricorn. Mars left to its own devices can be dangerous. We need the things of Mars: fire, energy, heat, motivation, movement, and passion. However too much fire can destroy, and too much passion can consume our senses.

But if you take that same energy and you channel it in a constructive way, much like the insulation around a wire guides the energy for a selective purpose, so we can use Saturn to channel our energy and our passions in useful ways. Retrograde and out of bounds Mars feels both stagnant and reckless at the same time. Like swimming upstream with your last ounce of energy, Saturn reminds us that there is only one way forward, and that is to persist. We don’t give up the fight when Mars is trine Saturn. We don’t throw our hands up in frustration, we persist.

Due to its station, Mars will continue to trine Saturn through the middle of April, at which time Mars will approach the last of its oppositions to Pluto. This is the stuff that requires courage and fortitude. The stuff that requires staunch determination. This is not about losing our way. This is about staying the course.

Use the Mars/Saturn trine for anything that requires patience, planning, discipline and persistence. And that is true even if your heart isn’t particularly in it. Set goals for yourself. Both long term and short term. And just through sheer determination you will make progress, even if it doesn’t feel like it is happening at the time. And before you know it, you will make it through to the other side. One day at a time, one foot in front of the other.

Be clearly aware of the stars and infinity on high. Then life seems almost enchanted after all. ~ Vincent Van Gogh

On Friday, Mercury dives into the diluvian depths of Pisces, followed by the Sun on February 18th, and so we enter Pisces season. With 4 planets, plus the North Node in the sign of Pisces we are being asked to have faith, even in the face of uncertainty. To have hope even when all else appears otherwise.

Soon, Neptune and then Saturn will enter Aries. But before they do so they are moving through the liminal void found at the very end of Pisces. Whenever the slow moving planets, like Neptune, enter Aries, it can almost feel like a revival or even a rebirth. But from where we are standing, with Neptune in the last few degrees of its 160-year-long journey through the whole zodiac, there is a sloughing off, a sadness, a bitt of ennui, and perhaps even some deep despair. We stand on the threshold of a new order, something that could even feel like a spiritual rebirth. We just have no idea what that is going to look like. We cannot yet see it. So as we stand here with Neptune in the last degrees of the last sign of the zodiac, we are all being asked to take this leap of faith as we progress out into the unknown.

Never are we more intuitive than when we immerse ourselves in the sign of Pisces, a sign of vast potential. Never can we feel more, see more, touch more hearts than through the sign of divine compassion. We may stand here waiting for the other shoe to fall into the apparent chaos of the abyss that is opening before us, but know that much of what we are seeing is confounded by so much smoke and mirrors..

Our homework for the next several weeks, is:

To be present even in the face of impermanence and uncertainty. That means focusing on what is in front of us. Do not ignore it or pretend it away. See it for what it is now, and know that we are in a state of flux and change.

To have faith that we are being led where we need to be, even if it doesn’t look like it, and even in the face of uncertainty.

To remember that we are all swimming in this Great Ocean that we call Life, and that there are others here with us. We are not alone. And if one falters, we will hold each other up.

To remember that within the sign of Pisces is a vast potential, uncommonly perceived at other times, but stronger now. Within that potential we are all planting seeds, therefore plant seeds of hope, plant seeds of compassion, caring and empathy.

To remember that together we are so much stronger, so much more powerful than we could possibly be on our own.

To recognize and connect to your own divine center, from which all potential emerges. Be aware of that still small voice that breathes into your conscience, and reminds you of who you truly are in your heart of hearts. For that is what will lead us more surely and more dependably than any other road map out there.

Through our scientific and technological genius we’ve made of this world a neighborhood. And now through our moral and ethical commitment we must make of it a brotherhood. We must all learn to live together as brothers ~ or we will all perish together as fools.~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

As a preview it might be helpful to remember that we are standing on the threshold of an awakening. Much of what we have been experiencing up until now is tainted with destruction. But as all the planets are changing signs this year, they are all going to be in approximately the same degrees of their signs. And as a result they will be speaking to each other in uncommon ways. Pluto in the early degrees of Aquarius will be sextile to Saturn and Neptune as they enter Aries. And as Uranus enters Gemini it will be trine Pluto and sextile Saturn and Neptune. This is incredibly creative energy which can open all sorts of innovative ideas and lay the groundwork for invention and technological breakthroughs.These too can change the world in ways that we might not even be able to fathom.

These can also be used to adapt to change in the best possible ways, which may require us to update our goals and strategies for the future. The alignment of these outer planets also asks us to bring our personal goals and strategies more in alignment with our ideals, especially where it can benefit a higher purpose, a cause, or the greater good of humanity as a whole. And so Dr. King also advised us back in those days of the early civil rights movements, to: Commit yourself to the noble struggle for human rights. You will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in. So may it be.

Lauren Howard Coleman

• https://www.astrologybylauren.com/new-blog/2025/2/13/patience-something-is-stirring

The Lunar Eclipse In Libra March 25th

The Lunar Eclipse In Libra March 25th

By Lauren Howard Coleman

Posted on 25 of March, 2024

In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love. In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me an invincible smile. In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm. I realized through it all, that in the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. 

For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger ~ something better, pushing right back. ~ Albert Camus

On March 25th, at 3 AM Eastern Daylight Time (12 am Pacific Time; 7 AM Greenwich time) the Full Moon will enter the Earth’s shadow (the Penumbra) creating a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse. Not quite as dramatic as a blood red total eclipse, the earth’s shadow will only barely obscure the face of the moon. And yet it is still an eclipse of the moon. This is the time of year when the Sun, Moon and the Earth are so perfectly aligned to allow the Earth to cast a shadow on the Full Moon. And so perfectly aligned so that the Norns sitting at the feet of Yggdrasil have free rein to weave their webs and plot our fates in the tapestries of our lives. Welcome to Eclipse Season.

The Lunar Eclipse falls at 5º Libra 14’ and has a somewhat wide conjunction (9º) to the South Node. It’s the proximity of the Moon to the Nodes that will determine whether or not the coordinates will allow an eclipse to occur, and how intense it will be. South Nodes often infer endings, what is being sloughed off, what we have outgrown, what is fading. Full Moon Lunar Eclipses are also about endings and culminations. A time when we have reached as far as we can go in a certain direction, and now see the results and consequences of choices and actions made in the past. These are also often times of revelation, in which we become aware of something, or are shown something that can completely change our perspective. As a result, we will not be able to see things quite the same way again.

Libra is a sign associated with things like Fairness, Justice, Equality, Agreements, Alliances and all of the important relationships in our lives. Many will find themselves sorting through their alliances and relationships, and we are likely to see some partings along the way. In Eclipse season, we will often see a shuffling of the pieces on the playing board of life. Some will be brought together, while others parted when the eclipses fall in Aries and Libra. And there is a rhyme and reason to this. As it is all for the purpose of bringing us back into alignment with our own soul’s evolutionary purpose. Those who will be most likely affected by these eclipses are those with sensitive points from 1-9º of Aries or Libra, as well as those with placements in the other cardinal signs of Cancer or Capricorn.

Albeit a minor aspect, the Lunar Eclipse is also sesquiquadrate the unpredictable change-maker, Uranus. So there could be a few surprises unleashed in the wake of the Lunar Eclipse. This could even be expressed as acts of insolence or rebellion, a need to reframe the narrative, or to look for alternative, or perhaps even unconventional solutions. We would all be wise to be flexible, and open to change, recognizing that there might be better ways of doing things, even if that may include having to go rogue, or needing to reframe old habits and ideas.

The ruling planet of Libra, Venus, now in the Jupiter sign of Pisces, is separating from a conjunction to Saturn, so many will be reassessing or further committing to agreements, promises and obligations with others. Followed by sextiles to freedom-loving Jupiter and Uranus can show you the benefit of doing so. Venus/Saturn can feel like the cold hard truth of reality, compelling us to look at things more objectively. Are these circumstances truly serving your best interests? Are they helping you or hindering you? It is time to peel off the rose-colored glasses and see things the way that they actually are. Venus/Saturn can almost feel trapped, or like your hands are tied. What promises made are beginning to feel like a choke hold? What obligations bind you? What is holding you back and preventing you from living your own best life? And what, if anything, can be done about it?

Sometimes all that is required is a willingness to look at things from another perspective, and drop some of the shoulds and supposed to’s. The Jupiter/Uranus conjunction of April 20th is coming closer and closer. And it will be all we can do to tolerate situations that have become so limiting or oppressive. Whether that be a habit, a relationship, an obligation or a life unlived, in some way we are all going to be taking some sudden sharp turns, as we move through the current eclipse season.

Don’t be too hard on yourself. There are plenty of people willing to do that for you. Love yourself and be proud of everything that you do. Even mistakes mean you are trying. ~ Anonymous

For the Lunar Eclipse for your sign or natal house, click through to the Horoscope page:

HOROSCOPES

**Source

The New Moon In Virgo 2023

The New Moon In Virgo 2023

By Lauren Howard Coleman

Posted on August 26, 2026

-

Rather than dismissing ourselves as unchangeable creatures of habit, we can instead direct our own change by consciously developing new habits. In fact, the more new things we try ~ the more we step outside our comfort zone ~ the more inherently creative we become, both in the workplace and in our personal lives. ~ Janet Rae-Dupree

On September 15th, Mercury will station direct, ending its retrograde phase. This week, just before that station, we go through another period of orientation and adjustment to what we would consider to be normal. The information we received and the seeds that were being planted and germinated during the New Mercury phase last week, will begin to grow once Mercury is in its direct phase again. But it is this week that we are gradually shifting our perspective, gaining greater clarity, and feeling like we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

One day before Mercury stations we have a New Moon in the Mercury sign of Virgo at 21º Virgo 59’. Planets are always stronger when they station. And as the lord of the New Moon,  further strengthened in its own sign of Virgo as well, this adds a little extra edge to the Virgo Moon this year. Just a fabulous Moon for all things Virgo, and even more.

As I mentioned with the New Moon in Leo last month, we are in the midst of a series of New Moons (all the way through the New Moon in Taurus in May) that are all in alignment with unpredictable, changeable and unabashedly authentic, Uranus. This is the planet of miracles. The planet of surprises and possibility. The planet that even has the capacity to show us glimpses of the future and what could be.

People are creatures of habit. We tend to do things the same way over and over again. We create routines. It helps us to remember things. They are comfortable and familiar. But over time what once served us so well, can also get us into ruts and bind us to promises and habits that we can’t seem to get ourselves out of. That is where the unique genius of Uranus transits can come in really handy.

In some way we are being urged to step out of our usual comfort zones. Not to the point where you will become totally stressed out and overwhelmed. But by stretching yourself just beyond your comfort zone, and into what Janet Rae-Dupree describes as “the awkward and unfamiliar territory of the new and untried” it can open you up to all sorts of possibilities. Stretching beyond the familiar is good for us. It forces us to learn new things and acclimate to a better life and lifestyle. And has a surprisingly beneficial effect on our physical and mental health and well-being.

The retrograde phase of Uranus is a time to internally process all the changes in our lives. Either we are trying to make sense of the changes that have already occurred, or accustoming ourselves to any changes that we are hoping to make in the future. It is when Uranus is retrograde, that we are also being asked to get in touch with our own inner truth, so that we can strive to live a more authentic life and lifestyle.

Some weeks after the retrograde station of Uranus it always makes a trine to the Sun. This happens every year, but rarely does it coincide with a New Moon as it does this year. This is when we are becoming acclimated to any changes we have made, or hoping to make in the future. The New Moon is asking us to try something new, to be innovative, and to step, just enough, outside of our usual comfort zones. And if we are willing to do so, even just a little bit, Uranus can reward us with a whole new perspective and outlook. And sometimes just by being willing to look at a situation from another perspective, we can suddenly see solutions where previously we saw none.

You cannot have innovation, unless you are willing and able to move through the unknown and go from curiosity to wonder. ~ Dawna Markova

Virgo New Moons are great for trying something new in the work space, starting a new project, learning new skills, simplifying and organizing your life and routines. It is a good time to begin a new health and wellness program, tweak a diet or begin a new fitness program. This Moon in particular has an affinity for new gadgetry or technology that will help to make your life simpler and get your work done in a more efficient manner.

Some possibilities for the New Moon in Virgo on September 14th might be:

• Starting a new health regimen. This can include making dietary changes, beginning a new exercise program, or simply following up with doctor’s orders.
• Switching up your daily routines. That can be as simple as eating at a different time, walking or driving a different way to work, or doing things in a different order. Even small changes can have extraordinary effects on our perspective.
• Freeing up your schedule, just enough so that you have more time to do something else. Something that you’ve been wanting to do for some time.
• Rearranging things in your home or work space. Once again, even small changes can open you up to new possibilities and creative ways of looking at things.

Virgo is a sign that strives for organization, and finding solutions. It is a sign that loves patterns, spreadsheets and efficiency. It is also a sign that continually strives for that ever-elusive concept of perfection, and so is naturally geared towards improvement, always searching for better methods and practices. And Uranus is here to lead the way, letting us all know that you don’t have to keep doing things the way we always have in the past. That there just might be some innovative solutions to the problems that plague us and our world. May it be so.

New Moons are times of new beginnings, and if you wish to use this New Moon to set intentions or make positive affirmations for the month ahead, do so during the New Moon phase when the Moon is at its youngest and filled with potential. The New Moon phase begins with the New Moon on Thursday,  September 14th, at 9:40 pm Eastern time; 6:40 pm Pacific Time, and on Friday, September 15th at 2:40 am Universal Greenwich Time. The New Moon phase ends with the Crescent Moon on September 18th. Some positive intentions or affirmations for the New Moon in Virgo might be:

• I organize my life and my environment, in order to create more space for inspiration and creative ideas to come in.
• I seek this wisdom by doing service, by strong search, by questions and by humility. ~ William Q. Judge
• Recognizing that health is the greatest of blessings, I will do what I can to promote my own and other’s well-being.
• I stand in awe at nature’s bounty and wisdom, and its capacity to restore health and vitality.
• May I honor Goodness, the Goddess and the Creator through service to all that lives, whether or not they have a voice of their own.

Lauren Howard Coleman

https://www.astrologybylauren.com/about

Full Super Blue Moon of 2023

Full Super Blue Moon of 2023

By Lauren Howard Coleman

Posted on August 26, 2026

-

This is a busy week astrologically. Perhaps the astronomical highlight of the week might be the Super Full Moon on the 30th, the brightest and largest Full Moon of the year. And a blue Moon at that, as it is the 2nd Full Moon in the month of August. Uranus stations on August 28th for its retrograde phase which lasts until January 27th, and this weekend Mars enters the sign of Libra. All of these are significant for their own reasons.

At the Full Moon the Sun in Virgo is at exact opposition to the Moon in Pisces. This is when we are often most challenged to be able to make sense of the insensible and to create order out of chaos. This Full Moon which falls at 7º Pisces 25’ on August 30th (or 31st, depending on where you are), is also conjunct retrograde Saturn. The Saturn opposition to the Sun, which occurs in the middle of the retrograde phase of Saturn, will be exact just a few days before the Full Moon. Whatever limitations, oppressions, fears that we’ve been contending with or kicking down the road, could reach some sort of crisis point with the Full Moon. As a result whatever you may have been avoiding, or putting up with, can no longer be ignored.

With the Full Moon illuminating Saturn we are being asked to face reality. Pisces represents our highest ideals and aspirations. It is a sign of dreams, wistful hopes, imaginings and sometimes illusions. If we have been in denial about an issue, what is being disclosed at the Full Moon can no longer be denied. If we have been holding ourselves, back, procrastinating, or resisting change, the Full Moon can show us the consequences of doing so.

It can sometimes feel, when Saturn is in Pisces, that we are at risk for having our dreams denied us. But this is not entirely true. For Saturn, the planet of reality, when in the sign of dreams and vast aspirations, also has the capacity to make our dreams a closer reality. The Sun in Virgo can bring us useful tools to facilitate that process, but only if we are willing to fully face the reality of the situation.

Saturn retrograde can show us where we are facing certain challenges, obstacles or self-doubt. We can restore that confidence, and are even given the tools to overcome our challenges through the auspices of the Sun. On October 24th a trine from the Sun to Saturn will help to facilitate that process. This is the trine that aims to restore the status quo, and will then be followed by Saturn’s direct station on November 4th. This week we have the opposition between the Sun and retrograde Saturn.

We have the Saturn opposition to the Sun every year in the middle of Saturn’s retrograde phase, but rarely is it illuminated in this way by the Full Moon. Therefore pay attention to what is being revealed to you in the light of this Super Full Moon. Richard Nolle defined these Super Moons as New or Full Moons that occur when the Moon is perigee or at its closest point to the Earth in its orbit. It makes the Moon appear to be that much larger, and all the more so when it is setting or rising. And it is said to have a greater impact on the tides and affairs of the planet, as well as our lives.

The Full Moon can also be seen as an opportunity. The time is ripe. The tide is high. And we are being asked to ride the crest to the opposite shore. Therefore ask yourself with the Full Moon in Pisces on August 30th:

• What useful tools or information are you being given that will help you to overcome your current obstacles or challenges?
• What reality are you now needing to face, and can no longer ignore?
• What dreams or illusions have you outgrown, and no longer support the person you are now?
• Where have you been stuck? Or lack the confidence to move on to the next step?

THE URANUS STATION ON AUGUST 28TH

On August 28th/29th Uranus will station for its retrograde phase which lasts until January 27th. When we work in a conscious and healthy way with Uranus we come to appreciate that which makes us unique. By compromising our own individuality in order to fit in, or not upset the status quo, we can lose touch with that singular uniqueness. It is when Uranus is in its retrograde phase that we are offered opportunities to get in touch with our own inner brand. So in order to make the most out of the upcoming retrograde phase of Uranus, it is important to first acknowledge your own inner truth.

Because this is so important right now, you will be less likely to tolerate others trying to label you, dominate or control you. Neither will you want to compromise your own integrity just to fit in or be part of a rising trend. This is about you being you. When you truly connect with your own unique brand, you don’t need other’s permission to do so. Nor do you need to flaunt it. You will simply be it.

When Uranus is in its direct phase we are more aware of the outside circumstances that may or may not support your true authentic self and path. As a result we may find ourselves shifting gears, or moving in a new direction to accommodate that. But when Uranus is in its retrograde phase, the adjustments being made are more internal.

If you have experienced or made any changes recently, this is when you would adjust to, and try to make sense of the changes that have already occurred. If you are planning or expecting any changes in the future, this is when you would likely make the internal shifts that will allow you to accustom yourself to the idea of change. These retrograde periods of Uranus can therefore be a preparation phase for the changes that are yet to come. By internally processing the idea of change, it allows you to be ready, and perhaps to even anticipate the changes that are yet to come.

MARS IN LIBRA

On August 26th/27th Mars enters the sign of Libra. The primary reason this is important is because the Nodes of the Moon have recently moved on to the Aries/Libra axis. Mars as the ruling planet of Aries, moving into the opposite sign of Libra, will have an impact on the trajectory of these markers of evolutionary growth.

Libra is a sign of peace, and when the warrior planet enters its domain, it is required to leave its weapons at the door. Libra is supposed to be neutral territory, where allies, as well as enemies rub shoulders. But Mars is our protector. And without his usual weapons at his disposal, he has to look for other ways to set boundaries and defend this territory. And if Mars is unwilling or unable to fight directly, he will find other means to get his way: either through manipulation, passive means or out-right avoidance.

However, Mars, representing the North Node, is entering South Node territory. And so has the capacity to raise the narrative within the Libra paradigm. And although a reluctant warrior in the sign of pacifist Libra, there is nothing that motivates Mars in Libra more than issues of fairness, justice or equality. And although it is not able to be as aggressive as usual, it can still be effective using non-aggressive, peaceful means for achieving its ends.

Mars will be conjunct the South Node in Libra in early October. When considering the Mars relationship with the Nodes we may all be on the fence as to when to take action or veer on the side of compromise and retreat. It could be that we find ourselves not wanting to rock the boat or get involved, but at what cost? No matter how much we avoid, or compromise, there is likely to be a greater awareness of the need for fairness, equality and justice during the Mars in Libra transit which lasts from August 26th thru October 11th.

Lauren Howard Coleman

https://www.astrologybylauren.com/about