The Astrology of the Week Ahead: November 25th to December 1st

Hey everyone, this is Adam Elenbass from Nightlight Astrology. Happy Monday, everybody! Today, we're going to take a look at the major astrological transits for the week ahead. There are several things we'll be covering, and of course, Mercury is also turning retrograde today. We'll refresh a little bit on that transit as well. So that's our agenda for today.

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On that note, every day during Kickstarter season, I like to tell you something that I think is valuable about the channel, something that might contribute to people supporting it. Today, I wanted to talk about devotion. When I was involved in bhakti yoga, after taking initiation and going by the name A Citta Bhava, the thing that really got me into bhakti yoga was that it was the yoga of devotion. And I've always considered devotion to be central to the different things I've practiced—whether it’s been creative writing, astrology, yoga, or my wife and kids. I consider myself to be a very devoted person.

I was recently digging into the etymology of the word "devotion" because we talked about Venus-Saturn aspects last week, and I mentioned how devotion can imply awe, reverence, care, loyalty, or even a sacred promise or vow. When you support this channel, one thing I think you can know is that there is a devotional attitude behind every piece of content. To me, serving astrology, the gods, the cosmos, the planets, or the Oracle—it all feels like a sacred service. It has always provided me with a sense of faith, trust, and connection to the nature of life and the cosmos itself, especially in hard times when I just don’t understand what’s going on. Astrology makes things okay somehow, and it helps me feel that I’m still on sacred ground. My soul is eternal, and life is okay.

I can't put a price tag on that. Because astrology has given me that, and continues to give me that, I feel a deep sense of loyalty and a promise to serve astrology, the planets, and this language, hoping that it can provide the same spiritual benefits for others. So, when you're watching this channel and decide to support it, know that you’re getting content from someone who has a very deep devotional connection to the craft.

Now, let’s move on to our content for today and take a look at the astrology of the week ahead. Thanks so much to everyone who's already pitched in to support the Kickstarter. Again, you can find the link in the comments section, the description of the video, or over on our website.

Let’s take a look at the real-time clock. Here we can see today’s major event. You’ll see the little "S" next to Mercury. This indicates that Mercury has stationed and is not moving. If we look hour by hour, we’ll see that Mercury’s retrograde begins as it turns red, and the retrogradation will technically begin early Wednesday morning. The station to turn retrograde is happening between now and Wednesday, with today being the day when most people will start to feel the effects.

So, the astrology for November 25 to December 1 starts with Mercury stationing to turn retrograde in Sagittarius. The full retrograde turn really happens between now and Wednesday, as Mercury begins to move backward slowly.

A major event happening this week that we’ll talk about is the connection between Mars and the Sun. The Sun is trining Mars, and whenever the Sun trines one of the superior planets (Mars, Jupiter, or Saturn), this marks the time when that planet is about to change direction. So, right after the trine, Mars will begin to turn retrograde. These two events—the Sun trine to Mars and Mars retrograde—are connected, and we’ll dive into that as the week progresses. I have a whole talk prepared on the divine lessons of Mars retrograde in Leo, as well as some tips on how to track superior planetary cycles.

We’ll be spending quite a bit of time on this Sun-Mars trine and the Mars retrograde, which is a big event, especially since Mars will oppose Pluto multiple times during this retrograde.

The last transit we’ll talk about today is the New Moon in Sagittarius, which takes place early Sunday morning, December 1. This New Moon is significant because it aligns with a big T-square in the mutable signs, involving Jupiter, Saturn, and Mercury retrograde. The New Moon cycle is reflecting this T-square, which we’ll discuss in greater detail as the week goes on.

We’ll be looking closely at the Sun’s trine to Mars and the Mars retrograde, as this is one of the more powerful events of the week. Mars retrograde is always intense, especially when it involves an opposition to Pluto, which is already active.

Now, let’s talk more about Mercury’s retrograde in Sagittarius, which is happening at the beginning of the week. There’s a contradictory quality when Mercury is in one of Jupiter’s signs (like Sagittarius) or when Jupiter is in one of Mercury’s signs (like Gemini). Right now, we have both Jupiter in Gemini and Mercury in Sagittarius, which are in mutual reception by detriment and opposition.

This Mercury retrograde suggests that some things will be taken apart and put back together. For something coherent to be built—whether it’s an idea, belief, or internal structure—there will likely be a process of analysis or deconstruction, followed by revision and rebuilding. This is very much in line with the energy of the Jupiter-Saturn cycles, which are about reform, revision, and shifts in structures—whether those are political, institutional, or personal.

Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius is about dealing with certainty and uncertainty. Sagittarius thrives on the confidence of being invested in something, but when Mercury is retrograde here, there’s an analytical, questioning energy that deconstructs beliefs and structures. Think of Socrates questioning the citizens of Athens—Mercury in Sagittarius retrograde can call into question ideas, beliefs, and systems.

Interestingly, this deconstructive process can be very progressive. Some of the best growth comes from questioning our own convictions. In relationships, for example, some of the best moments occur when we step back and say, "Maybe I was wrong." When we're willing to consider another’s perspective, even if we don’t agree, it often deepens our understanding and opens up space for meaningful dialogue.

So, this Mercury retrograde could be a time for important conversations and realizations. It’s a moment to reconsider, reevaluate, and possibly shift our beliefs or mental frameworks, which can ultimately lead to greater growth.

 

And for like, look, if you know, if I open myself that way to my wife, for example, I find that nine times out of 10 she will open herself to me, and then before you know it, there's more common ground, and there's more of a place of resolution or compromise or mediation of what appeared to be irreconcilable opposites than there were previously.

This is Mercury Retrograde in Sagittarius. We have an opportunity right now to let go of some of the ways in which our conviction or our certainty blocks us from a kind of open-minded exchange that could be very beneficial for us. This does not have to negate or cancel out you still feeling exactly the same way that you do about things. Softening the way you hold a stance is just as valid. It's just as good a benefit of a Mercury Retrograde in Sagittarius as somehow completely changing it.

In other words, keep these things in mind: Mercury's retrograde in Sagittarius can also fill us with a different kind of faith, trust, and hope that is born out of opening ourselves up to some level of temporary uncertainty or of opening ourselves up to be persuaded or influenced by something that we were maybe formerly closed down to.

The other thing that can happen is that we can just go through a process of critical reflection and revision upon these structures and systems that are governing our lives in different areas. That process is ongoing. It will be the process that takes us through the end of the year here. So it's not something that happens all at once, but just notice how almost like a paradigm is shifting.

Now, I can identify where that's shifting in my own life right now. I won't go into it, but I think it's amazing because I track with astrology, and I pay attention to how I’m just starting to think about and do things very differently from a kind of strategic or organizational or mental intellectual standpoint. I'll just say that a lot of the way that I have been thinking about things like my health, my self-care, the way that I exercise—things like that—I’ve been continuing to study and learn and broaden my understanding of the different facets of my routine. It has really been shifting some things that are exciting for me, even though for someone on the surface, they might look like just small nuances.

So pay attention to those things because even just small nuance changes to things that you do all the time that are starting to make a big difference can be really significant. You're not missing anything when you track the astrology in that way.

All right, anyway, as the week unfolds, we get into this Sun trine to Mars. Let's take a look at that on the screen again. So here we have it, Sun trining Mars. All right, okay. So here we go, Sun trining Mars, that is taking place on Wednesday. But if we were to back this up just a couple of days, I want you to notice that here on Monday, we've got the engagement within three degrees happening, and then when we go all the way to Saturday, the Sun is finally separating from that three-degree range. So between now and Saturday, the engagement is full on, which means you could be really noticing these things throughout the entire week because of the nature of a long, slow trine.

That's why we're going to spend a couple of days talking about this one, and I've got this really, I'm very excited about one of the talks that I created on some of the kind of spiritual lessons of Mars Retrograde in Leo. So we'll be looking at that anyway. This trine is really important because it signals—watch, if I just keep going after the trine departs, then see how Mars stations and now Mars is retrograde, and you can see that by December 7, December 8. So fascinating that the Sun connects with Mars, and then slowly, after Mars stations and turns retrograde.

This is interesting because there's reception between these planets and a trine. What does that mean? It means that Mars is in the Sun's sign and then connecting with its host, the Sun, in a harmonious trine, which is of the nature of Jupiter. So we have a very nice form of support taking place between Mars and the Sun this week, and that is going to be the subject of a big part of this week's astrology, like I just said.

So anyway, some of the things to think about, though, is that when the Sun and Mars get together in fire signs, there is a strong executive tendency in the air. By executive, we mean like the power to execute, to do something decisive, to do something strong, to do something bold, to act and to act with a certain degree of confidence and moxie. Fire likes to say something like, "I will mold the world through the shaping influence and power of my will." That's fire, right?

And fire can be consumptive too. We can burn kind of hot, and we have to be very mindful of what's fueling us in a week like this, right? Because the energy can kind of step up, and if you're running on fumes, if you're not taking care of yourself and making sure that you have good energy running through your physical being, the fire can burn you out—especially Mars and the Sun, which get very willful and very strong in expression. And if that's coming through you and you're depleted or run down, it can really burn you out. We'll talk more about that as well.

The combination of these planets, though, is like the ruler and the army. And I know that's maybe a gross image for some people. I get it, but think about it like, you know, you have your chess pieces on the board. This is another analogy, right? Or a metaphor, whatever, and you are the commander of the pieces, and you're going to use the pieces strategically to win the game. This is Mars, right? Mars likes to win. Mars likes to be effective. Mars likes to succeed through enactment of will.

In Leo, there might be a certain sense of pride or dignity or ego on the line. With Sagittarius, there could be very strong convictions at play, but you get the idea of like a strong, confident mobilization of energy, resources, and willpower to try to get something done or accomplished or to be effectively achieving something. And alongside of that can come things like ego, arrogance, bullying, domineering, steamrolling, bulldozing, whatever we want to call it.

So we have to be a little bit aware of that shadow tendency of these fiery planets connecting in a trine. But the nice thing about a trine is that if you just need a burst of energy to support you and to help you get things done, you will find that these planets connect sort of seamlessly to give you like a giddy-up. There's a feeling of, "Yeah, just like a moxie with a fire that comes through and says, 'You've got this, I've got this, I can do this.'"

It's great for building a sense of confidence, and what often comes with that confidence, with the sign of Leo, is generosity of spirit. We're going to talk a lot about that when I do another video on the spiritual values or lessons that Mars Retrograde in Leo may provide us, because one of the great things that it provides us with is a generosity of spirit. My success is not just mine. When I succeed, this is Mars and Leo speaking, it is important that there be a way in which that channels and funnels out to other people succeeding.

Otherwise, what happens is, I'll become like the, you know, the great Mars and Leo image is a smog from The Hobbit, if you remember that dragon that sits on the horde of gold, and how did he come to possess that gold? He came in. The dragons come in where there is great greed growing and great resources growing, but being greedily hoarded. That was what was happening with the dwarf king in The Hobbit, right? He was sort of getting wealthier and wealthier. They had more and more gold and jewels being mined and built up, and then he was becoming greedier and more and more possessive of it.

And what comes in psychically is the dragon. The dragon comes and sits on the horde and guards it. Well, think about kings that hoard power, that don’t want to give it up. They become like dragons that can be very Mars and Leo. So when we see the Sun trine to Mars, the shadow is really the power of the dragon, the dark kind of dragon. There’s many beautiful dragon images, don’t get me wrong. I don’t think dragons are always dark, but in this case, we have to be aware of that power. If it's not distributed, if it's not shared—remember, one of the things the dwarfs have to overcome in the story of The Hobbit is the inability to share their wealth with the people who live by the lakeside, people who've just been ravaged by the dragon, right? So, there’s a need to, with great power, comes great responsibility. The responsibility is to be generous with the power accumulated. This is a huge Mars-Sun lesson. The power accumulated can be part of the Mars-Sun trine—the impetus to figure out a way of sharing, distributing, making sure that success is not hoarded but put into building the success of others.

Wow, that’s a hard thing to do. I personally feel like all human beings struggle when we come into possession of great things, because it’s exciting. It’s “me,” really “me.” I’m doing something great, I’m getting something great, and it’s so easy to be seduced in those moments to then want to defend and hoard and keep and hold, like the Four of Pentacles in the Rider-Waite tarot, you know, the little prince sitting on the throne, holding onto his coins. We’re going to have to watch out for that this week, because even though this connection is very empowering on a level, again, there’s a superior square, a superior trine, from Mars and Leo to the Sun, to its host. So the idea here is that if the military co-opts the king, so to speak, then the king, who has the power of magnanimous rulership, can get co-opted by the martial tendency, and that’s what we have to be careful of in a trine like this, even though for many people, it will be experienced very positively.

So, more on that as the week unfolds. Now, we go to the New Moon in Sagittarius. The New Moon in Sagittarius happens on Sunday.

And this is happening in the bound of Jupiter. If I’m not mistaken, sometimes the ticker is a little bit off, let me just double-check that. Yeah, so we’ve got this, and it’s fascinating. I hadn’t looked at the bound ruler before I drew up today’s talk, so excuse me for just doing this on the fly, but you can see here, actually, let me take away the banner so you can see at the bottom. You’ll see that the New Moon is taking place in the bound of Jupiter, and of course, the domicile of Jupiter. I think that’s really fascinating because, of course, this cycle, this lunar cycle hosted by Jupiter, while Mercury is retrograde in Jupiter’s sign, is opposed to Jupiter, who is in turn retrograding in Mercury’s sign. So again, we have that mutual reception by detriment and opposition taking place, and the New Moon is really participating in that symbolism, as these planets are also getting into the square with Saturn.

Now, I’m going to break this down, the lunar cycle itself, in greater depth toward the end of the week. So we will be returning to this. But I’ll say a few things now because it’s important that we start thinking about these things right away. The square to Saturn that is taking place in the midst of this—this Jupiter-Saturn dynamic—is at the heart of the next moon cycle. Jupiter-Saturn cycles throughout the ages have been associated with the kind of regular, rhythmic way in which human institutions, organizations, and structures, which are always trying to approximate an archetypal ideal, will always fall short. Why? Because we’re in the realm of impermanence, change, and fluctuation.

Ancient mystics saw this world as a kind of reflection of the moon, right? The moon was the ruler of this material world, and the moon itself is a reflective medium. So the world is a place where the eternal forms, eternal souls, and eternal being are playing out through fluctuation of form and transformation of circumstance that’s constantly unfolding in that way. Material reality is like the ripples and changes and reflections on the surface of water. Really fascinating. Of course, so many different traditions have talked about this: Maya, samsara, etc. It doesn’t mean that we have to look at it as all false, fake, phony, and bad or anything like that. But one thing that becomes really important is if we get frustrated with the fact that this world cannot maintain the standard of perfection that the archetypes provide us with, and we can sense and feel and kind of see the archetypes in our mind’s eye. You can see the perfect triangle if you close your eyes and imagine it. The world will always, in some ways, deviate or fall short of that perfect standard.

The ongoing attempts to approximate something ideal in the biggest systematic forms that are in our lives or in the social realm are depicted by the Jupiter-Saturn cycles. But the reason for that is that Jupiter, Zeus, is the cosmocrat, the planet that is emblematic of the idea of the cosmos itself, like a well-arranged whole. Saturn, as the dimmest and most distant planet, sitting on the edge of the visible and the invisible, stands as a kind of gatekeeper between the archetypal and the material. So when Saturn inflects itself on Jupiter, it’s like showing Jupiter in a mirror the limitations that it faces in the mortal realm, as well as inflecting upon it some sense of the archetypal beyond. Saturn, in that way, is like this death, as well as of structures and forms, inflecting on Jupiter. But also, it provides Jupiter with a sense of the numinous possibilities beyond what it currently is.

So that interaction, cyclically, is so important to our lives. I highly recommend going back and tracking. Let’s just do this really quick for fun. So, if you want, I mean, you don’t even have to track the houses. If you want, you can track the houses. We’re talking about Jupiter and Saturn in Pisces and Gemini. But let’s just take out and look at their cycle. So, the cycle of the two planets coming together, their conjunction, which is like the seeding point of the new cycle, was about the winter solstice of 2020. So what I want you to think about is what kinds of systematic changes, structures, or the seeding of some new way of thinking or new way of doing something that was being born around this time in your life. You could look at the whole sign house of Aquarius or just think broadly speaking, what were the most substantive structures of mind, life, relationship, work that were changing, that were starting to show signs of something new?

Now we bring it up to the current moment, and they’re in a square with one another, which means they are in another kind of inflection moment of change, right? So it’s like, okay, let’s look at it. We can see them coming together. This was the—oops. This is December of 2024 here. Let me just get it up right. There we go, so you can see them together now. But if we go back, they were also present. You can track them shifting around August. That’s funny because I can track these things in several different ways. For example, it was in August that we began developing and preparing the donation-based reading clinic. And then here in December, we’ve just launched it, right? So that has been a huge structural change on a number of levels in the business, the company, the website, and so forth. We had to put a lot of things in place to be able to support that. So you can see—and it, you know, it always—also carries over in different elements of my life. As I was saying earlier, some of the ways in which I’ve been learning and deepening my understanding of health and wellness, things like that, have been really like paradigmatic changes for me that have been really cool.

Anyway, I won’t bore you with that, but if you go back in time, you can actually track out the entirety of the last cycle. So if you want to go through the previous conjunction, look at this right here. We have—oops. So here’s the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in Taurus. This is about June of 2000. Then you can track out the development of that story as the timeline progresses. And here’s another connection they had in 2006 in a square, and then you can track out their opposition. This is about 2010 in an opposition. Then you can track out the last

quarter square, taking place in about 2016, right? Then we get to 2020, and we have the next connection. Tracking those moments, if you have the patience to do it, and looking at their conjunctions, squares, oppositions, conjunctions around the wheel throughout your life. Again, add in the whole sign houses if you want. But if you do that work, you will find that they very concisely and beautifully describe major shifts of consciousness, philosophy, form, and structure in your life.

I can track out that previous Jupiter-Saturn cycle for the arc of the development of my career path and the philosophical changes in my life that were gradually leading me to astrology. I can track them out precisely under each of those dynamics. Isn’t that fascinating? So trust me when I say that it is well worth doing, if you have the time for it and the energy to do it. Maybe what I’ll do later this week is flesh out that process a little more in the video we do on the new moon. But the point of this is just to say that this New Moon in Sagittarius, because it’s in Jupiter’s sign, and because, as the moon cycle unfolds, we’ll have the Jupiter, the host of the moon cycle, squaring Saturn, the entire cycle is really about a really important shift in philosophy that’s taking place.

So, and again, I just say this because I know some people will be like, “I don’t see it.” You know, a philosophical change, a change of how you see something, how you do something, how you believe, or how you understand something, is subtle. Many people will have a hard time tracking it because it’s not something that a lot of people pay attention to—the changes in attitude, disposition, the way we think, the way we understand things. A lot of the time, they’re happening very subtly and gradually in a process that is coming because of life experiences that we have that are gradually leading us to shift the philosophy or paradigm. So, you kind of have to pay attention on a subtler level to these things. Not uncommon, by the way, for the mutable signs to include kind of liminal or transitional spaces themselves, which, you know, like, if you look back in a year from now and you just consider November, December of 2024, what events were happening that ended up becoming important for an ongoing shift in how I view something or how I look at something.

So we’ll leave it there. This is the astrology for the week ahead. I hope you find this useful. After I sign off, you can learn more about the rewards that are available when you donate and support the channel. Remember, we’re trying to get to 1,937 backers by January 1. Thank you so much to everyone who has already donated. You can find the link to the Kickstarter in the description of this video, in the comment section, or on the website, NightlightAstrology.com. Thank you, and we’ll see you again tomorrow. Bye.