Dear Friends:

There's a time-sensitive transit I want to tell you about. It's important to know this.

Likely many of you have been shaken up recently by disruptive Uranus returning for the last time in earthy, fixed, everything-body-and-home Taurus.

Some of you have been affected by health issues (like me), moving, financial concerns, travel woes or wonders, or perhaps an awakening of pleasure.

I suspect in these weeks, you've also been given a new awareness or flash of curiosity. Perhaps a revolutionary, breakthrough idea, or perspective, and you may be wondering if you can trust it.

Mercury retrogrades in two parts: first in Sagittarius, from November 9th–18th, then in Scorpio, from November 18th–29th. It begins its new cycle on the cazimi (heart of the sun) when it conjoins the Sun on November 19th or 20th depending on your timezone. It's occuring at the same time as the New Moon in Scorpio. This jam of Lilith, the Sun, Mercury, and the Moon is in opposition to that disruptive Uranus in Taurus in the late degrees of their signs.

Whoa.

Generally we think that Mercury in retrograde is responsible for tech issues, transportation accidents or delays, communication breakdowns, revisiting, reflection, re-imagining, and backing up. But here's the gem about Mercury cycles. And in opposition to Uranus...we won't be the same. If we allow it.

Here's what I want to share by Adam Sommer, an astrologer who deeply studies the Mercury cycles:

As readers you know that I've been obsessed with watercoloring lately and spend every moment learning techniques and bringing my plein air supplies wherever I go. What you may not know is that I've also been creating these mini journals out of suede, leather, beeswaxed hemp cord, watercolor or mixed media paper, and gemstones.

It began when my current beautiful green grey journal was coming to its end and I couldn't find another to replace it. As someone who needs to work with my hands (I love when I know how to fix my own car stuff), I decided to make my own. I studied different book binding techniques and experimented with scrap suede, leather, and cloth in my boxes of crafting supplies. Mostly I've been gifting these to friends and have a few I'll sell at the December 20th Witches Market at the Brewtorium.

This is what the Mercury's shadow leading up to the new cycle has felt like to me. Being obsessed with new creative ideas, investing heavily on experimenting with them, and taking action to see where they lead me. I think I now have a clue...

Yes, of course I'm going to host a New Moon Ceremony on this auspicious and transformative lunation. Let's gather our intentions and our art supplies, and set the seeds of breakthroughs and innovations. I'll have our usual snacks and sips and we'll integrate it all with a sound bath. Always donation based

Thursday, November 20, 2025, 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. | Hudson Bend, Austin, TX

How Do You Know?

I’ve been sitting with the Four Stages of Competence lately because they describe the trajectory of transformation so that compassion can be found for where we're at. My Virgo stellium makes me excrutiatingly hard on myself with perfectionism, especially when I try something new and I'm completely messy about it. You can imagine how that plays out in how I see others 🙈.

We all start in Unconscious Incompetence, that place where we don’t know what we don’t know, and we’re blind to the skills we haven’t yet developed. I find this to be the North Node in our birth chart, where we're drawn to a knowing but have no idea what it clearly is or how to get there.

Then something awakens us into Conscious Incompetence, where we suddenly see the gap, and it can feel uncomfortable, humbling, and also clarifying. Perhaps this is Chiron in your chart, the wounded healer who shows us our shadows and traumas. Or Saturn, who shows us where we'll learn our biggest lessons.

With practice we move into Conscious Competence, where we can do the thing, but it takes effort and attention, and we are building new habits with intention. This feels like Virgo or the 6th house where rituals can be effective. This can also be where Scorpio is in your chart, where you're diving deeper.

Over time, with devotion, we reach Unconscious Competence, where the skill becomes embodied and natural, and we don’t have to think our way through it anymore. This could be our Midheaven, where we already shine the brightest, or Jupiter, the benefic of higher learning and bigger perspectives.

What fascinates me is how this mirrors every season of personal and creative growth, especially for those of us reshaping our work and our lives.

This is exactly what we’ll explore during the Compass of Devotion: Vision and Strategy Weekend, December 5 to 7, 2025, a space to locate yourself in this cycle, clarify what you’re really cultivating next, and build the practices and systems that help you cross the threshold into true embodied competence. If you’re serious about building your project or business, this weekend is your headspace and heartspace container.

Daylong Option

Some have asked for a shorter version because of the holidays and budgets. I'm offering a daylong version on Saturday, December 6, 2025. It will include your personalized astrology calendar, a step-by-step process of assessment, vision, strategy, and systems to sustainably and joyfully implement your vision. Guaranteed. It's from 9 am - 6pm and includes lunch.

Filming a Podcast

I had the pleasure of attending Kit's Founder, Nathan Barry's, podcast filming at The Sunset Room, interviewing our local best-selling author, Ryan Holiday. His new book is Wisdom Takes Work. It's the last in his 4-part series of the cardinal stoic virtues (courage, discipline, and justice are the other three). For fans of stoicism and storytelling, this is a terrific read.

Random Magic

An update of my health news from my last email is that I'm in good health with specialist tests that check off all the right boxes. It was a wake-up call on a void-of-course moon 😅. My view about illness and symptoms is that they are the only ways our bodies can communicate with us when they are needing attention or we are repeatedly ignoring something not good for us. I don't add more significance to it than that, which can be quite controversial. As an evolutionary herbalist and a scholar of medical astrology and Dr. David Hawkins' work, my views about sickness can be polarizing, so I don't talk about it much. I identify with being a healthy and active person.

Something I have become more painfully aware of is that sitting at a computer, scrolling, and not moving for hours can have negative effects over time. I have been benefitting from this particular video on neck pain, lymphatic systems, and neurology. Since improving my diet, increasing exercise and doing these movements, I've seen a marked difference in my vitality.

Holiday Offers

I don't participate in Black Friday, but I do support Small Business Saturday and Giving Tuesday. From now until December 31, 2025, every session includes a 30-minute add-on, your choice of modality. Whether it's a Brand or Personal Strategy, or a Life Design, you'll receive over 40+ years of experience in a multitude of in-depth metaphysical arts and business systems. You can gift your favorite person a session, too ;)

Wow, you've read this far. Thank you.

I'm grateful for your presence in my life and for your support of my work. It means a lot.

With so much love,

Monica

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