"It was the lark, the bird that sings at dawn, not the nightingale. Look, my love, what are those streaks of light in the clouds parting in the east? Night is over, and day is coming."

Romeo & Juliet
—William Shakespeare

This week's New Moon on Tuesday (4:47 AM PDT 24° Taurus) marks a powerful awakening, shining a bright light on a new way forward. Both Mars and Uranus change signs just as they make a potently energizing square, increasing the persistence of the the already dogged determination of the Taurus New Moon. The Mars-Uranus square is in fixed signs (Mars in Aquarius and Uranus in Taurus), indicating the lasting nature of the change that is initiated under the New Moon. [...]

"To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one's family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one's own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him."

— Buddha

The week begins with an extraordinarily powerful Scorpio-Taurus Full Moon that helps us to broaden our perspective and expand our understanding of both what is visible — above — and what is deep beneath the surface — below. Last week's emphasis on making lasting changes naturally leads us to go deeper into our understanding of how the past informs the future. We are also finding increasing determination to demonstrate our independence and self-sufficiency. However [...]

"The air is full of ideas. They are knocking you in the head all the time. You only have to know what you want, then forget it, and go about your business. Suddenly, the idea will come through. It was there all the time."

— Henry Ford

There are a number of significant changes in the overall atmosphere this week that signal the beginning of a dramatic shift in the environment and a surge in intellectual insights. First, Mercury turns direct to begin the week, offering a boost in intellectual insight and improving mental acuity. Intellect produces an extra surge of insight when the Sun conjuncts Uranus mid-week, also bringing a significant dose of independent thinking. Chiron arrives in Aries this week. Chiron in Aries even further encourages independence. [...]