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Los Angeles

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Astro-logical Forecast for Monday 9/30: Sneak Peek at the Week

…and we’re off…to the start of another work week, this time with a fully-engaged Moon in royal Leo, continuing the potential for play, drama queens/kings and creative efforts that allow you and others to shine. No sleeping in! Exact planetary patterns are light today, but we’ll likely feel the reflection of heavier alignments that are exact starting Tuesday.

First, a need for inspiring vision and/or rose-colored fog in thought and communication is suggested by a lovely connection between mental Mercury and nebulous Neptune, exact on Tuesday night at 5:45PM ET.This is an excellent aspect for artists, healers and other creative types. On the other hand, if something sounds way too good to be true, it couldn’t hurt to dig a little deeper for details, especially when the Moon enters discerning Virgo on Tuesday.

I will be in Los Angeles October 3rd – 12th and available for in-person consultations. Please contact me to schedule an appointment.

Second, the potent challenge between the Libra Sun and Pluto (also on Tuesday) and rebel Uranus (on Thursday) suggests all kinds of power plays, resources (nuclear, oil, gas, etc.), news from underground, and other revelations about governments, corporations and other institutions. Throw in some ground-breaking headlines involving revolution, individual liberties and technology — especially outer space. This just in:  a cool article about how NASA is using the ground-breaking 3D printer.

Other disruptions to the status quo suggested by the never-ending Uranus-Pluto square can be found nearly every day —  in-depth  — on the homepage of www.truthout.org.  Another revolution — this one in health care — begins on Tuesday, when key provisions of the Affordable Health Care Act take effect. Here’s a little summary of what may be in it for you, courtesy of the New York Times. Fascinating that it will take effect, perhaps with a fizzle, when the Moon is void of course between 12:48AM ET and2:52PM ET on Tuesday. Your other Moon void this week: Thursday 2:57PM ET- 10:59PM ET. Be advised that the next lunar cycle begins on Friday at 8:34PM ET, with a New Moon in Libra.

And just in case you haven’t heard:

I will be in Los Angeles October 3rd – 12th and available for in-person consultations. Please contact me to schedule an appointment — and please forward this forecast to everyone you know in the Entire Free World.

Keep those cards and letters coming…

Astro-logical Forecast for Friday 9/28/2013 & the Weekend: Storm Watch; Ted Cruz, Right on Schedule

Another day, another forecast in another time zone. Greetings from the Aloha State, and may I just say that if fate and/or travel fatigue ever leaves you vulnerable to a microbe-induced delirium, there are far worse places to experience it. The warm, nurturing breezes and equally warm, salty ocean — just steps away from a cozy cottage  — expedites the healing process. Huzzah! So let’s now examine the planetary potential of the weekend.

On Thursday, at least one person I know appears to have expressed the flaky potential of the early morning void of course Moon by wearing a pair of mismatched ballet flats to the office. Presumably clarity of focus returned around 3:24PM ET, when Moon entered Cancer, where it is now and will be until 3:57AM ET on Sunday. A Cancer Moon suggests an excellent period to focus on emotional and homeland security needs, e.g., creative projects involving the home, family and nourishment. A lovely connection between Venus and Jupiter, the cosmic sugar daddy, suggests enjoyment of abundance and jolly good cheer (the positive potential), or a bombastic and/or waspish emotional excess (negative potential), followed by a large credit card statement next month. Let’s all go for the positive, shall we?

Adding to the expansive atmosphere that spills over into Friday is the 3rd Quarter Moon, suggesting one last challenge to the agenda you set on the New Moon of September 5th. Recognize it; deal with it and be prepared for upsets, power struggles and emotional catharses on Friday morning, as the sensitive Cancer Moon engages with the disruptive Uranus-Pluto square.

Sparks could fly anytime between now and 9:32AM ET Saturday, as loving Venus in action-hero Mars square off. Stubborn, deep, emotional and dramatic are all possible expressions for this clash of polarities, and one obvious arena where this clash can be felt is between the sexes. Juicy and passionate, if you’re fortunate…

I will be in Los Angeles October 3rd – 12th and available for in-person consultations. Please contact me to schedule an appointment.

Sunday, after a void too brief to note, Moon enters drama queen Leo at 3:57AM ET, looking for more love or at least a party. Mental Mercury — a planet reflecting mindset and communication — dives into ruthless Scorpio at 7:38AM ET, adding more than the usual bite to what is thought and said. Please note that the closer we get to October 1st and 3rd, when the Libra Sun will make contact — first with powerful Pluto and then with erratic Uranus — the more intensity and volatility we will likely feel and see expressed in the headlines. This electrifying, transformative energy will be more personally experienced if you were born around the 30th of March, June, September and December…or if you have a planet or point around 9 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn.

So what did I miss over the past couple of days while in my microbe-induced delirium? Well, as noted in the last forecast, planetary patterns were rather light and the Moon was in blah-blah-blah information-junkie Gemini. Which fits rights in with a 21-hour blah blah blah performance by Senator Ted Cruz on the floor of the U.S. Senate, summarized here with the usual wit and charm by NY Times columnist Gail Collins.

Ted Cruz was born on a day that lives for prominence — December, 22, 1970 — in Calgary, Alberta-as-in-Canada-which-is-not-America, Canada, in case anyone wants to know. His Sun is at 0 degrees of Capricorn, which avid readers know is one of the focus-pulling Aries Points. Cruz’s Sun is squared by Pluto (power), also at an Aries Point. A Sun-Pluto square suggests a certain level of suppression experienced in the early home life.  Making up for lost time now, perhaps?

Current planetary patterns suggest efforts to attract attention for anything Senator Cruz has to say or think will continue to be met with success — for better or for worse — all through 2014. The never-ending Uranus-Pluto square will be making exact contact with Cruz’s potentially brilliant natal Mercury-Uranus square. We can expect plenty of unconventional outbursts in the area of communication from Senator Cruz, as his mind is super-charged with ambition. Note that when we first checked in with him  on February 18, 2013, stern Saturn was making a rather militant connection to his action-oriented Mars in stubborn Scorpio…and darned if that Saturn isn’t right back on top of Cruz’s super-aggressive need to take action using knowledge for the sake of power and control…just in time for his “filibuster”. Fascinating, eh? Cue Marvin K. Mooney now, please.

Please do check out the Feb 18th post linked above for valuable information on stern Saturn’s current voyage through Scorpio. You’ll begin to understand why so many stories about unsavory, nitty-gritty and/or down and dirty issues have been making news in recent months.

Last but not least – a reply to a reader who asked for more information on the food I enjoyed while at the ryokan in Hakone. No surprise at all that this request was made while the Moon was in material comfort-seeking Taurus and that the reply should be duly posted when the Moon is in nourishing Cancer. Well, dear Reader, my ryokan dinner was a dreamy shabu-shabu; my asa gohan (breakfast) included the following culinary delights: pickled daikon radish, pickled ume (plum), konjak (Japanese taro) w/miso sauce; kaga age (fried carrots and onions); beans and burdock salad; chicken tenders, okura and grated yam w/wasabi; natto (fermented soy beans with a slime-like consistency — not for the faint-hearted)…to be eaten with nori (seaweed); an onsen egg (soft-boiled egg cooked in hot spring water); aji no himono (a flattened, sundried and salted fish); tsumire soup (soup with minced fish balls). All beautifully presented in numerous teensy-tiny little ceramic plates and bowls. Oishii desu!

And just in case you haven’t heard:

I will be in Los Angeles October 3rd – 12th and available for in-person consultations. Please contact me to schedule an appointment — and please forward this forecast to everyone you know in the Entire Free World.

Thank you for reading this forecast!

Astro-logical Forecast for Sunday & Monday 9/22 -23/2013: Happy Autumnal Equinox!

As it turned out, I could not bring myself to pack my trusty laptop in my overnight bag for a sidetrip to Hakone; hence, no forecast. And if you ever make it as far as Tokyo, I hope you will take time to escape to this glorious mountain playground, carrying as little baggage as possible. Arriving at my riverside ryokan after a day’s trek via four different kinds of transportation (including a cable car over a sulfurous volcano), I felt like a character in one of the Dungeons & Dragons type role-playing computer games I indulged in during my “geek phase”.  This was back in the day when the plot of the computer game was way more developed than the graphics, and thus far more engaging than the gory (and ultimately tedious) 3-d displays of monster-slaughtering mayhem one apparently must suffer through in computer games now.

Back to the ryokan: it was built in the 17th century, and my spacious tatami-floored suite (!) included a private, open-air hot spring bath overlooking the aforementioned river….were you expecting an astrology forecast?   Oh, all right…

If this post is more focused on fantasy and sensual delights, I am guilty of being swayed by current planetary patterns. Moon moved into comfort-seeking Taurus at 6:33PM ET Saturday, and at 12:37AM ET on Sunday it made a delightfully escapist connection with rose-colored Neptune (I hope your “date night” was inspiring). Late morning hours (around 11AM ET) hold the potential for further emotional depth, with this caveat: a responsibility or serious subject rearing its head just before noon.

Sunday (ET) marks the last day of summer — the Sun is at the end of Virgo and will move into Libra at 4:44 PM ET Sunday and then…happy Autumnal Equinox…a perfect balance between day and night.

The first day of each season is especially powerful. We are immediately alerted to the likelihood of change and the beginning of a new cycle. These days are prominent, noticed and in some cultures even celebrated (it’s a national holiday here in Japan).  The astrological signs that mark the seasons are Aries (spring), Cancer (summer), Libra (fall) and Capricorn (winter). Thus if you are born on or near the first day of those signs, or you have a planet or angle within the first two degrees of those signs, you will likely have a drive to be noticed in whatever areas of your life that planet signifies.

Libra is a airy, mental sign, generally concerned with relationships, social graces and with promoting fairness, justice and balance. This does not mean Librans are balanced; it means they generally are seeking balance and are quite capable of swinging back and forth wildly as they search for it. As sweet as Libra can be, they are not marshmallows. The term “iron fist in a velvet glove” often applies.

I will be in Los Angeles October 3rd – 12th and available for in-person consultations. Please contact me to schedule an appointment.

More about Sunday: more pleasurable indulgences — or overindulgences — can be facilitated by an opposition between the earthy Taurus Moon and loving Venus in depth-seeking Scorpio this evening at 7:41PM ET. If you’re a night owl, however, be advised that a potential clash of wills may ensue some time after midnight, as the Moon is challenged by ardent Mars in regal Leo.

At 3:13AM ET, Moon goes void of course for 24 hours — until 3:34AM ET on Tuesday, suggesting that Monday will be a bust. Stick to what is routine, chill out and roll with whatever twist crop up in your efforts to move forward in a straight line.

Planetary patterns are relatively quiet on Tuesday and Wednesday, with two exceptions. First, a stubborn challenge between loving Venus and action-hero Mars that can ignite sparks between the sexes. This square is exact on Saturday morning at 9:32AM ET, but aspects are often felt before they make exact contact. The other potentially volatile pattern is the Libra Sun’s approaching engagement with the never-ending disruptive Uranus-Pluto square, exact between October 1st and 3rd, but surely reflected in world events between now and then. Y’know, like a possible government shutdown in the U.S.,  engineered by our noble elected representatives…now that could be disruptive.

And speaking of disruptive, ruthless Pluto turned direct last Friday at 11:27AM ET, suggesting a potent and potentially destructive release of underground energies, as reflected in headlines over the weekend. Consult the home page of the New York Times for details. Finally, because reading stories about food stamp programs being slashed and other violent massacres around the world is sometimes more than the average mind can handle, I offer  this note from the world of physics that “challenges the notion that space and time are fundamental concepts of reality….” Will it change your perspective of current events?

Astro-logical Forecast for Tuesday & Wednesday 9/17-18/2013: Steel Magnolias

“Tuesday’s dead”, as the Cat Stevens song goes — at least from where I type in Tokyo. It’s 11PM JST, but in other time zones, your Tuesday is just getting started. As of  9:58AM ET, Moon finally got into gear when it engaged in Pisces, softening hard edges, facilitating compassion for the suffering of humanity and seeking refuge in all sorts of intangibles: music, spirit, drugs, melancholy, meditation, film, vision.

Your actions may be helped by a cooperative connection between mental Mercury and assertive Mars — great for making sales pitches and other verbal presentations. A dreamy/spacey/artsy vibe rolls in around 3:38PM ET, when the Moon is shrouded in rose-colored Neptunian fog. This heightens the already sensitive drive of the Pisces Moon, inspiring visionaries and also suggesting the potential for a bit of idealism or confusion.

Meanwhile, those hard edges that may need softening are courtesy of the potentially chilly, serious, take-no-prisoners hook up between Venus (women, social expression, money, art) and stern Saturn in ruthless Scorpio, This aspect is exact Wednesday at 4:54PM ET, and soon followed by a deep emotional connection to Venus from potent Pluto. Changes of perspective in relationship, finances and aesthetics are suggested; the women in your life are not inclined to suffer fools gladly. Cuts are likely to be made, along with serious creative ambition. All of it is deeply felt, as the Moon is waxing full and will be exact — and still in weepy, watery, soulful Pisces — on Thursday at 7:13AM ET. Any “serious talks” you’re planning between now and then may be quite cathartic.

Your Moon voids for the rest of the week: Thursday from 7:13AM ET to 12:58PM ET; Friday 9:25PM ET through Saturday 6:33PM ET. Not bad for a work week; so make the most of it. But do be kind to each other while you forge ahead — very, very kind. Venus-Saturn patterns can feel oh-so-cruel when you’re looking for a pat on the back or a hug.

In the news…there’s no shortage of items to reports in the wake of the weekend’s dynamic planetary patterns (see last Thursday’s forecast for details), and especially the status quo -disrupting challenge to mental Mercury by the never-ending Uranus-Pluto square. Did you hear about our new Miss America? Crowned on a day with Moon in unconventional, equality and freedom-loving Aquarius, in the wake of other planetary patterns suggesting, innovation, aesthetics and sharply worded criticism, some in America wasted no time spewing said criticism into the Twittersphere like so much effluent. With Moon (women) sorely challenged by stern Saturn late Sunday night, we could certainly anticipate that decisions made would not please everyone.

Other sobering news dominating the headlines is that of yet another lone gunman with “anger management issues,” this time at the Washington Navy Yard, where 13 people, including the perpetrator, were killed. A quick glance at the chart for the time of this disturbing incident — 8:20AM ET on 9/16/2013 in Washington DC — paints a compelling picture:  Moon’s last aspect before 8:20AM is a combative opposition to aggressive Mars; disruptive Uranus and Pluto are on the angles of the chart, as is a rattled/imbalanced Mercury (mental state), sitting right on the Ascendant (impossible to miss). Other measurements suggest surreal and bewildered states.

As I have written in prior forecasts, we can expect disruptions of the status quo pretty much every time a planet engages with Uranus and Pluto. The next time that happens will be the first week of October, when the Libra Sun is opposed by Uranus and squared by Pluto. But since I want to end this forecast on a positive note, here’s an article from last week about a fascinating study on creativity. It’s an awesome piece that effectively communicates the essence of two planets: Saturn and Uranus. Why? I’ll tell you. Saturn is order, conservatism, the established way of doing things. Uranus is chaos and innovation. The study revealed that if you put people in an orderly room (Saturn) and give them choices, they will tend to be more conservative. If you put them in a messy environment — i.e., chaotic and thus Uranian, they will seek more innovative/creative solutions and experiences. This is a major plus side of times when everything feels like it’s falling apart. Got that?

Last but not least, in honor of the recent mind-bending Mercury-Uranus-Pluto T-square, wrap your head around this item: “Maps That Will Change the Way You See the World”.

I’ll post again before the Full Moon on Thursday, as I am allegedly now on vacation for a few days, having delivered my talk in Tokyo…

Oyasumi nasai!

Astro-logical Forecast for Friday 9/13/2013 thru Monday 9/16/2013: Get Up and Go!

Ohayo gozaimasu!

In other words, “good morning” from Tokyo, where the day is already done — and I didn’t even get to live it, having crossed the International Date Line several hours ago. It’s 10:30PM JST, but for most of you, the day is just getting started. And thanks to the enterprising Moon in Capricorn as of 5:56AM ET, you have every reason to get up and make things happen — and that goes for Saturday, too.

Other than the usual disruptions and emotional intensity we’ve grown accustomed to experiencing once a week when the Moon challenges the never-ending Uranus-Pluto square, we have a number of planets supporting the Capricorn Moon’s need to advance progress, fueled by the Virgo Sun’s energy to hash out the details in an effort to make things perfect. Plus we have three other planetary connections not involving the Moon that are just hunky-dory, and they are all exact on Saturday.

First, a lovely connection from Neptune softens the ofttimes waspish Venus in Scorpio, suggesting a need for beauty and ideals of substance in relationships, art, finances and women. Second, a challenge between mental Mercury and ruthless Pluto helps us dig up dirt and express ourselves persuasively in all communications. On the down side, this may be reflected in power struggles and seriously sharp words (so think a bit before you speak, ok?). Third, another harmonious connection: this one between action-hero Mars in regal Leo and rebel Uranus in pioneering Aries suggests a successful application of willpower in especially innovative ways. This is all great news for creative and investigative enterprises of any kind.

Get your Saturday chores done by 7:17PM ET and then chill during another Moon void that lasts until 8:05AM ET on Sunday. That’s when the Moon enters humanitarian, stubborn, freedom and fringe-loving Aquarius, where it will travel mostly unencumbered throughout the day. Get together with some of your wackier friends for some unconventional exchanges. More bright, albeit disruptive ideas may be put into play then, as mental Mercury challenges Uranus at 2:41AM ET.

Wanna make this a three-day weekend? Congratulations. Moon will be void of course from 4:19AM ET until 9:58AM ET Tuesday. Feel free to take the day off to do non-type A activities, and sure, tell ’em your astrologer said it was OK. Just avoid the malls, signing contracts and things you wish to be of consequence. I know I spend a lot of time advising you what NOT to do during Moon voids, because I believe most cultures are so wired to go, go, go — produce, produce, grow, grow — that they NEED to be reminded to CHILL OUT. Otherwise, what does that get you, eventually? Burn out. A depletion of resources. Etc. These long voids are great opportunities to re-charge.

Here’s an interesting article that was on the front page of last Sunday’s NYT — about efforts to change the Type A, Gordon Gekko-worshipping culture that was apparently the norm at Harvard Business School. Seems a few people decided it was time to level the playing field with the concept of gender equity —   a perfect read for a weekend with Moon in ambitious Capricorn, followed by equal opportunity-loving Aquarius.

Reminder to readers in Tokyo: I am available for in-person consultations for the next several days. Reminder to readers in Los Angeles: ditto for you, too — the first two weeks of October. Reminder to everyone else: I always available for consultations via Skype and/or telephone.

Have a great weekend — the forecast will return on Tuesday…

Jaa, mata...

 

 

 

 

n

 

 

 

 

 

Astro-logical Forecast for Thursday: Special Guest Appearance

The only exact aspect today is the First Quarter Moon, a square between the Virgo Sun and Moon in Sagittarius, at around 1PM ET…..which then goes void of course with a sigh for the rest of the day…until just after 2AM on Friday. The First Quarter Moon suggests a challenge to the New Moon agenda you set a week ago — and the Moon void suggests a good time to let things percolate — but not necessarily take action.

You may recall yesterday I asked you, dear Reader, to share some Moon void stories; today my mailbox is flooded. And because I need to be focused on catching a plane today, I’m delighted to present Helen, in a special guest appearance, with her list of things she loves to do during void-of-course Moons. Plus today’s Sagittarius Moon needs to explore and experience an opinionated philosophical debate outside its usual comfort zone. Enjoy!

Some of the good things during moon voids –  In general:

1. Easy-on-the-cook meals – things like chicken drums and fries in the oven instead of special sauces, adventurous cuisines or inventive dishes.

2.  Depending on when they fall, some moon voids can be just right for that mid-week party night with a few more drinks than are allowable on normal weekdays.  No consequences, right?

3.  The To Do list is put aside, in favor of small pleasures like crafts or simply cracking nuts while listening to a radio show.

4.  Moon void mornings are lazy mornings. : )

5.  Harsh encounters seem less important.
6.  I particularly enjoy when the high-and-mighty make sweeping announcements or launch their enterprises (that I disagree with) during voids.  It gives me a secret smile.
7.  I find following the moon in general creates a sort of breathing, give and take, ebb and flow to life, in contrast to our Western money driven training to always go, go, go, do, do, do, get, get, get – it replaces this pressure of continuous forward momentum with a rhythm and pattern of ebbs and flows, which is healthier for the mind and the soul.

8. It generates the sense that ideas and plans can be considered, put aside for a time, then taken up again, before final decisions are made.  This decreases impulsiveness, creates awareness around activities and purchases, and ultimately, is a wiser method of approaching life’s questions, great and small.

I’m down with all of the above, though I believe that if you’re planning a mid-week party on a Moon void, the higher flake factor suggests more no-shows than non-void occasions. All hail, Helen — thank you for writing! And now, I really must fly….

Astro-logical Forecast for Wednesday 9/11/2013: Lighten Up!

Note your dreams upon waking, as today’s high-flying Sagittarius Moon is challenged by nebulous Neptune at 8:44AM ET, followed by a lovely connection to mental Mercury at 9:01AM ET — would you like to talk about it?

In Sagittarius, the Moon needs to expand horizons and express its righteous opinions to the entire Free World. Consider a gamble or a gambol, and enjoy the release of oh-so-much emotional tension of yesterday’s Moon in Scorpio. Today and Friday are days for shipping whatever is on your desk; Thursday the Moon goes void at 1:08PM ET for the rest of the business day.

President Obama’s big speech to the nation happened last night while the Moon was void — did you watch it? I meant to — but then, in typical Moon void fashion, completely forgot about it because I was at the polls just before 9PM, casting my vote for mayor of New York. From what I can deduce from the headlines, the speech might have been one big “NEVER MIND” — in so far as Obama has asked Congress not to vote on taking military action in Syria while a more diplomatic Plan B is explored. But that’s a good thing, right? Cue Emily Litella now, please…

Meanwhile, at the aforementioned polls in New York City, there were numerous void-of-course Moon snafus with voting machines.  At the end of the day, upstart mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio got more votes than anyone, but it is still not clear if he will be the Democratic candidate on the ballot in November; there may be a run-off. And surprise, surprise —  Christine Quinn, the candidate every newspaper endorsed, placed third. So if there is a run-off, it will be between two underdogs: Bill de Blasio and William Thompson, who placed second. Sounds very much in keeping with an election happening during a looooong void-of-course Moon, if you ask me. And yes, to the reader who asked if I would be interested in hearing some good stories about things that happened to her during Moon voids, bring ’em on, and if they’re doubleplus good, I’ll share them with you.

Now get busy and make the most of this day with a Moon fully engaged in optimistic Sagittarius — and we’ll pretend that Venus, which refers to social expression, did not just enter moody bastard Scorpio while you were sleeping. More on that later — I have to post this and run…

Astro-logical Forecast for Tuesday 9/10/2013: A Moon in Scorpio Day

As noted yesterday, today’s Scorpio Moon, needing depth and substance, along with knowledge for the sake of power and control, is void of course all day as of 5:21AM ET. Twists in your efforts to move forward in a straight line are suggested; sometimes this voidy energy feels like stick-shift car in neutral. Enjoy the wandering drift; do something restful if you can. Voids are not necessarily unproductive times; they can be used effectively to execute tasks that are considered routine. However,  the flake factor is higher during voids — and this suggests a lower than expected turnout to today’s primary election in New York, and also the possibility of a surprising upset in favor of an underdog…though I seriously doubt that underdog would be Anthony Weiner.

With yesterday’s exact Mars-Saturn militant clash now behind us, planetary patterns for the rest of the week are relatively light. How fascinating to see last week’s call for a military strike in Syria now at least temporarily diffused by an apparent suggestion from Russia on what should be done about Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal. Well, it was noted yesterday that Mercury’s move into Libra suggested a new idea gaining immediate prominence, and while I did not see this particular turn coming, Libra does refer to diplomacy — and keeping the peace. Also noted yesterday: breakthroughs or prominent news in the tech sector, and today Apple is making a Big Announcement about Something; CNBC is all over this story.

In other news,  a few  Moon in Scorpio-themed stories for your consideration involving knowledge used for the sake of power and control. First, an intriguing piece about how to remain secure in a surveillance state, given the latest news that the NSA apparently has the ability to crack any internet encryption or security measure on the planet. Second, a story that was published yesterday: “New Details in How the Feds Take Laptops at the Border”. And for no particular reason other than it’s a cool story about one farmer whose unique crop-growing strategy appears to preserve soil quality while severely reducing the need for chemical fertilizers, here is “One Weird Trick to Fix Farms Forever” — let’s hope this trick catches on.

Finally, as forecast,  George Zimmerman makes headlines again — with more likely to follow in the next several months, as Pluto and Uranus put pressure on Sun at 11 degrees of Libra. If you have a planet between 9 and 13 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn, that’s a supercharged pressure point in your life, too. Make an appointment and we’ll talk about how to manage it.

Astro-logical Forecast for Monday 9/9/2013: Clash of the Titans

…and we’re back. Apologies for the lapse in service. It was unintentional, though I confess I did flirt briefly with the idea of joining thousands of fast-food workers in their Labor Day strike for higher wages….until I remembered that I was self-employed.

Instead, I spent the Labor Day weekend laboring on an astrology talk I’ll be giving next week in Tokyo — how super cool is that? I’ll be in Japan until the 23rd…and then  in Los Angeles until October 11th, and yes, I will be available for consultations in-person and by telephone —  please email me if you would like to schedule an appointment, especially if you live in SoCal.

Be advised that we have some potentially moody, militant and cranky planetary patterns to deal with this morning. Moon entered the watery depths of  Scorpio on Sunday night at 9:44PM ET, demanding depth, substance, power and control. Moon hooks up with the equally Scorpionic energy of patriarchal Saturn at 11:47AM ET, suggesting a wet blanket or an ambitious reach, met with potential fireworks minutes later as the need for control clashes with a royally entitled Mars (planet of action).  But wait, there’s more:  as you know, aggressive Mars is currently in Leo, a placement that delights in “getting away with murder”. And at 7:06AM ET, Mars challenges Saturn — often a highly militant pattern that was reflected all last week by the beating of drums, marching as to war in Syria. Coincidence or conspiracy?

Bottom line: in your own personal world, I recommend resisting the urge to engage with militant types. However, you may have to make a stubborn stand against some who are all too eager to pick a fight and/or push you around.  If you can work on your own with discipline today, you could get a lot accomplished. And if you’re an athlete, you could be playing one heck of a game (apparently the games played on Sunday were riveting — and with some taking place during a void-of-course Moon, there were some stunning upsets and fumbles).   You are most likely to be personally affected by the potentially militant Mars – Saturn square if you have a planet or angle at 6-8 degrees of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius…or if you were born around the 28th of April, July, October and January. 

If you have to ship, then ship today, as the Moon goes void tomorrow at 5:21AM ET…until 2:36AM ET on Wednesday. So much for President Obama’s big sales pitch — er — speech at 9PM tomorrow night, in which he allegedly will present a case to the public on why we should take action in Syria.

Other Moon voids for the week: Thursday 1:08PM ET until Friday 5:56AM ET…and Saturday 7:17pm ET until 8:05AM ET Sunday. No shopping sprees; no contract signings; just roll with whatever twists may hamper your efforts to move forward in a straight line and remember that crises that crop up are often much ado about nothing. Chill, draft, drift, brainstorm…

Also happening today: Mercury leaves Virgo at 3:07AM ET, where it has been oh-so-happy perfecting details. By the time you read this, Mercury will be in Libra, and — for at least today and tomorrow — suggesting that weighing and balancing ideas and communication may attract prominence. As we get closer to the weekend, when Mercury connects with the never-ending Uranus-Pluto square, some of these ideas and communication may be quite disruptive. This aspect has positive potential, too — keep an eye out for news in the tech sector and the cosmos.

OK. So a little bit about last week’s New Moon in Virgo now…and tomorrow I will attempt to fill you in on the stories I’ve been following: e.g., Dennis Rodman’s perfectly-timed trip to North Korea, George Zimmerman’s divorce (told ya he’d be in for some major status quo disruptions) and what the heck is going on in President Obama’s horoscope. But first, the New Moon:

The New Moon in  Virgo officially began on September 5th  at 7:36AM ET, offering us an opportunity to re-set  intentions and goals for the next lunar cycle.  Around the 12th, on the First Quarter Moon, we can expect a challenge to those goals, with appropriate adjustments made. At the time of the Full Moon on the 19th, we can expect illumination on the success or failure of our goals for the cycle. If we succeeded, we can consciously release our success into our reality; if we failed, we let go of whatever did not work. After the Third Quarter Moon on the 26th, we can review our achievements, tie up loose ends and get ready to begin anew on October 4th.

This New Moon occurred at 14 degrees of Virgo, and its corresponding Sabian Symbol is “a family tree”. Now even before I consult Blain Bovee’s marvelous book on the Symbols, I am thinking about that militant Mars-Saturn square pulling so much focus on this month’s lunar cycle…and how impossible it seems for many people to get along, even– and especially – within their own family. The Symbol “a family tree” thus would seem to suggest that we focus more on our common heritage than on our individualistic needs in meeting this month’s challenges. Even if you do not feel that you belong, act as if…

In the chart for this New Moon we find Mercury (communication) and Venus (social expression) both running wild, demanding attention — and yet both planets are well-placed in signs they rule (Virgo and Libra, respectively). I happened to  run this month’s New Moon chart for Washington DC, and I was fascinated to see the superbly placed Mercury sitting exactly on the Ascendant, and Venus in an exact harmonious connection with the Midheaven! Translation: Washington would likely at the very least put on a mask of sensible critical thinking this month — and a public projection of manners, negotiation and decorum. And indeed, on the 7th, President Obama made the startling announcement that his apparently militant belief that we should take military action in Syria would be debated and decided on by…Congress. Gosh, that sure looks like a rational, sensible thing to do, huh? Intelligent debate, weighing of facts and social graces…oh, wait. Ruthless and potentially destructive Pluto is in an obsessive aspect with the Midheaven, too — add that to things that are likely to be publicly projected…sigh…and here’s the latest public opinion poll.

You’ll feel the effects of this New Moon — and its potential for critical analysis and refinement, driven by a dramatic resolve to take action — if you were born around the 5th of September, December, March or June.

To be continued…