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Cheshvan 5783

Oct. 25-Nov. 23, 2022

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The sense of smell is the spiritual attribute of the month of Cheshvan. Smell is purely instinctual, bypassing the conscious mind and going directly to the most primal part of our brain. Smells don’t lie; scent reveals the true nature of any given thing, so much so that it is said that when Geula (redemption) arrives, Moshiach will evaluate each of us by smell. The ability to instinctively perceive the essence of everything is the gift of Cheshvan. Who among us can receive this gift? Those who resist sifting their instinct through the sieve of mental analysis. The brain reasons — but the nose knows Don’t overthink your truth.

Menashe, who went undercover as a translator between Yosef as Egypt’s Prime Minister and the brothers who came to Egypt and didn’t recognize him, is the tribal ruler of Cheshvan. Translating between those who should understand each other but don’t due to preconceived notions and stale belief systems is a Cheshvan flex. Be wise and humble like Menashe, who instinctively smelled the opportunity to play a part in healing the family’s spiritual wound. The nose knows, and so do you.

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Aries / Taleh

Your planetary ruler, Mars/Ma’adim stations retrograde in Gemini/T’omim Oct. 30, not stationing direct again until Jan. 12.  Scattered energies abound as you overdose with thoughts, plans and ideas. Conflicts arise when you personalize projects; nothing comes to fruition without cooperation. Your thought processes, communications and all forms of mental activity are overstimulated. Developing a practice to calm, center and focus the mind is essential now. Retrograde Mars in Gemini squares retrograde Neptune/Rahav in Pisces/Dagim on Nov. 19. Avoid acting on any “facts” received during this time without multiple independent confirmations of reality. Trust your most emotionally sober friends now.

Taurus / Shor

Taurus, you bring the drama this month! The Full Moon and Total Lunar Eclipse on Nov. 8 with Sun, Mercury/Kochav and Venus/Noga in Scorpio/Akrav opposite the Moon and Uranus/Oron in Taurus, squared by Saturn/Shabbtai in Aquarius/D’li, is a gigantic fixed T-square that will either paralyze you or catapult you to an entirely new level. Fear of change is paralytic; faith is the antidote delivered Nov. 10 at the trine of Venus to Neptune/Rahav. Self-confidence is enhanced when Venus sextiles Pluto Nov. 13; add a layer of grace when Venus trines Jupiter/Tzedek on Nov. 15. Venus enters Sagittarius/Keshet on Nov. 16: Beware of overindulgence!

Gemini / T’omim

Challenge power structures when Mercury/Kochav squares Pluto Oct. 27. Discover a new perspective on social hierarchy when Mercury enters Scorpio/Akrav Oct. 29. The conjunction of Mercury and the Sun opposite the Full Moon and Uranus/Oron at the Nov. 8 Total Lunar Eclipse illuminates issues of service and sacrifice. You’re unwilling to sacrifice individuality to collective identity when Mercury squares Saturn/Shabbtai Nov. 10, but you’re generous with inspiration when Mercury trines Neptune/Rahav Nov. 12. The generalized heaviness exhausts you, but everything lightens up for the better when Mercury trines Jupiter/Tzedek Nov. 16, enters Sagittarius/Keshet Nov. 17 and conjuncts Venus/Noga Nov. 21.

Cancer / Sartan

Eclipse season brings emotional rollercoaster rides. A Partial Colar Eclipse in Scorpio/Akrav Oct. 25 brings renewal to romantic love if you allow yourself to trust and relinquish control. First Quarter Moon in Aquarius/D’li Nov. 1 establishes terms and conditions of shared intimacies. The Full Moon in Taurus/Shor and Total Lunar Eclipse Nov. 8, with Sun conjunct Mercury/Kochav opposite Moon and Uranus/Oron and square to Saturn/Shabbtai reflects a crisis between individual and collective identity. The Last Quarter Moon in Leo/Aryeh Nov. 16 confirms you don’t really think of yourself as just one of many, or part of an indistinct crowd. Value your uniqueness.

Leo / Aryeh

The New Moon and Partial Solar Eclipse in Scorpio/Akrav Oct. 25 shifts your outlook around family issues. The Full Moon and Total Lunar Eclipse in Taurus/Shor with Sun and Mercury/Kochav opposite Moon and Uranus/Oron Nov. 8 alters your professional life in surprising ways, which may not become apparent until the Sun’s square to Saturn/Shabbtai in Aquarius/D’li Nov. 11. Role reversals? Partners become bosses, bosses become partners? Creative solutions arise when the Sun trines Neptune/Rahav Nov. 14, followed by Last Quarter Moon in Leo Nov. 16. Unambiguous joy returns Nov. 20 with Sun trine Jupiter/Tzedek before entering Sagittarius/Keshet Nov. 22. Nobody does exhilaration like you.

Virgo / Betulah

Mercury/Kochav squares Pluto Oct. 27 and it’s your job to ensure the powerful don’t forget the marginalized. The best time for deep self-analysis is Oct. 29 when Mercury enters Scorpio/Akrav. Mercury and the Sun opposite Moon and Uranus/Oron Nov. 8 empower you to articulate your spiritual and philosophical values. If there’s an ethical hill you’ll die on, mark its location Nov. 10-12 when Mercury squares Saturn/Shabbtai and trines Neptune/Rahav. You’ll have your chance to stand up for what you believe Nov. 16 when Mercury trines Jupiter/Tzedek.  Mercury enters Sagittarius Nov. 17 and conjuncts Venus/Noga Nov. 21. The simple truth is sufficient.

Libra / Moznayim

Venus/Noga opposes Uranus/Oron and squares Saturn/Shabbtai Nov. 5-7. Creative tensions between your own individual vision and shared responsibilities with partners are resolved by the supportive trine of Venus to Neptune/Rahav on Oct. 10. Diplomacy facilitates compromise. True inspiration makes space for everyone. Power sharing is done gracefully when Venus sextiles Pluto Nov. 13. Happy days are here again, if not actually here then well within sight by Nov. 15’s trine of Venus to Jupiter/Tzedek. Feel relief and find breathing room when Venus enters Sagittarius/Keshet Nov. 16; this is when Cheshvan becomes less “Mar” and more “Ram” for you.

Scorpio / Akrav

A Partial Lunar Eclipse in Scorpio on Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan asks what part of your life needs resurrecting. The Total Lunar Eclipse Nov. 8 with Sun, Mercury/Kochav, and Venus/Noga in Scorpio opposite Moon and Uranus/Oron in Taurus/Shor changes everything. A rebirth of your most essential self is possible if you allow truly transformational energy to initiate change. Relinquish control and allow the fruits of all the hard inner work to ripen without the toxic pesticides of social hypocrisy. Nothing is as it appears Nov. 19 at the square of Mars/Ma’adim and Neptune/Rahav. You’re seldom fooled but beware ego distortion.

Sagittarius / Keshet

Retrograde Jupiter/Tzedek re-enters Pisces/Dagim Oct. 28; one more chance to dust off your dreams and see if they shine. A dream delayed is not a dream denied. Pitch your ideas Nov. 15-16 for the most favorable results, while Venus/Noga and Mercury/Kochav trine Jupiter. Everything turns around for the better when Venus and Mercury enter Sagittarius Nov. 16 – 17. All your hard prayer and dream work looks to others like mere good luck when the Sun trines Jupiter Nov. 20. Nobody will ever know how hard you really try and how much you really care – and that’s fine with you.

Capricorn / Gidi

Your great advantage this month is that when everyone else is falling apart all around you, you stay steady. This isn’t your first rodeo! The tumultuous events of Nov. 8’s Total Lunar Eclipse in Taurus/Shor will seem superficial in comparison to the battering you’ve taken from the epochal changes in the last two years. The Nov. 7 square of Venus/Noga to Saturn/Shabbtai primes the pump: you’ll be serving up the milk of human kindness in practical, sustainable ways. Mercury/Kochav and the Sun square Saturn Nov. 10-11. The more unvarnished the truth, the more palatable the reality.

Aquarius / D’li

You need renewal and refreshment to strengthen yourself for the stresses ahead, and you’ll find that at the First Quarter Moon in Aquarius Nov. 1. Soak it up because you’re going to need it. Your classical planetary ruler Saturn/Shabbtai in Aquarius is the fulcrum of the big fixed T-square to the Full Moon/Total Lunar Eclipse with the Sun, Mercury/Kochav and Venus/Noga opposite the Moon and Uranus/Oron in Taurus/Shor on Nov. 8. Revolution is at hand, but what kind of revolution? Don’t allow ideological allegiances to eclipse your basic humanity. Justice without mercy is like a body without a soul.

Pisces / Dagim

A bonus round of your great good fortune from earlier this year occurs when retrograde Jupiter/Tzedek re-enters Pisces Oct. 28. Venus/Noga, Mercury/Kochav, and the Sun all trine Neptune/Rahav Nov. 10-14. With Mars/Ma’adim in retrograde Gemini/T’omim square your natal Sun, you literally have too many ideas to deal with. It’s an embarrassment of riches. Don’t squander them! Be exceedingly careful not to commit to anything by word or in writing Nov. 19 when retrograde Mars squares Neptune. You won’t be able to discern precious metal from fool’s gold. Proportion distortion is real! Perception improves when Jupiter stations direct Nov. 23.