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Astro-logical Forecast for Wednesday 7/30/2014: Neptune in Pisces Update

Analyze it. Critique it. Break it down and get it right. Then, assimilate it. The practical, earthy energy of today’s Moon in Virgo is yours for the taking, supporting by a communicative connection to authoritative, disciplined Saturn. That’s good for harnessing the surge of tenacious will and physical release suggested by patterns that are exact on Friday, but in effect now. What was your New Moon agenda again? Some fabulous work of creative self-expression, with a flair that’s all your own? Make it so.

And now, the news.

I’m seeing so many headlines reflecting expectations of nebulous Neptune’s journey through Pisces, so I thought it would be helpful to do a review. Neptune, dipped into Pisces for four months in 2011 before fully committing to a 14-year run in its home sign in 2012. Neptune energy can be challenging for people who live in a material world, as Neptune tends to dissolve whatever it touches. It doesn’t strike with a lightning bolt, like Uranus, or blow things to smithereens, purging and/or transforming, like Pluto. Its effects are much more subtle, but no less powerful. A few key words for Neptune:  intangible forms (wireless communication including film, photography, telepathy, healing, intuition, spirituality, rarefied art forms, including music), oil, dreams, drugs, blood, alcohol, poisons, viruses, water, oceans, seafood.   A few key words for Pisces: surrender, empathy, compassion, collective consciousness, belief, martyr, saint and all human beings that society tends to sweep under the rug, including refugees and other homeless persons, prisoners, orphans and others locked away in institutions.

The last time Neptune entered Pisces was in 1847, and I thank astrologer Adrian Duncan for putting together some key developments reflecting that last journey so I do not have to write it up myself. Read on for clues to what we can expect to see — and already are seeing — from 2012 to 2026:

“This was the period when Charles Dickens wrote his novels of social realism, and social democratic demonstrations shook the capitals of Europe. This was also a time when painters like Renoir, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Cezanne and Monet made their impressionist paintings, expanding the world of fantasy and imagination. On the scientific front Darwin’s theory of evolution completely undermined Christian tradition. The first photographs were taken, ultimately leading to the coming world of the movies. Anesthetics were used for the first time in hospitals. Opium became a socially acceptable drug. The accepted reality of the day was undermined and new spiritual, emotional and political realities took form.”

Sometimes it feels like we are living in a Dickens novel, with so many headlines of human suffering in a haves vs. have-not world. An op-ed in the NYT Sunday Review bemoaned the empirical data confirming the inability of the haves to empathize (Pisces) with the have-nots.Seriously, their brains are wired that way & the data proves it.  I think Pope Francis, with his apparently exceptional ability to empathize with those who are suffering, is an apt reflection of Neptune in Pisces. So is every headline about water (and lack thereof — witness California and Detroit), oceans and fisheries in crisis. So is every headline about infectious diseases, such as the recent items about bubonic plague in China and the Ebola virus in Liberia. And let’s not forget the recently-discovered vials of smallpox left lying around and the workers at the CDC in Atlanta who may have been exposed to anthrax (the Director of the lab just resigned).

Instead of opium, we’re seeing marijuana becoming more socially acceptable — and in fact, Sunday’s NYT editorial made a strong case for making marijuana legal nationwide, as Colorado and Washington have done already.  It’s not just about about raising revenue; it’s about a more compassionate approach towards the tens of thousands of people currently incarcerated (Pisces) in the United States over drug-related charges.

What Duncan doesn’t mention in the excerpt above is that Uranus and Pluto were quite active in the early years of Neptune’s last 14-year journey in Pisces, just as they are now.  The  “social democratic demonstrations” mentioned above included the  “Year of Revolutions of 1848, in which much of Europe was in upheaval. This coincided with Uranus and Pluto hooking up in the cardinal sign of Aries, along with Saturn. So now we have the return of Neptune in Pisces, and a highly charged pattern between Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn.  And we have headlines of upheaval all over the world.  And we also have refugees, too, as Neptune dissolves whatever it touches, including boundaries and borders.  Coincidence or conspiracy?

So there you have it. A few thoughts on Neptune in Pisces — and how we may see this reflected in the headlines. You are personally affected by this potentially bewildering and/or ego-denying planet if you were born around the 28th of February, May, August or November….or if you have a planet or angle around 7 degrees of Pisces, Virgo, Gemini or Sagittarius. Bewildering and/or delusional is a potential downside; visionary and/or creative might be upsides. Marco Rubio is under the influence. So is Clay Aiken. What’s going on in your horoscope? Consult your local astrologer for details.

 

 

Astro-logical Forecast for Tuesday 7/29/2014: Sneak Peek at the Rest of the Week

Good Morning!

At 11:37pm ET on Monday, the Moon finally got into gear in Virgo, offering us an opportunity to hammer out details, organize and make things right. Push for extra clarification around 2PM ET, when a challenge to the Moon from nebulous Neptune may fog things up. On the other hand, the Neptunian influence may provide you with just the inspiration you  need to craft your pitch. An easy connection to the Moon from regenerative Pluto adds depth and intensity to exchanges this evening, exact around 11PM ET. Easy connections between Moon and Pluto can facilitate healing.

Planetary patterns this week are much lighter than they were say…in mid-July and April. Much of the energy is building to a release on Friday, reflected as follows: Venus (women, money, art, social expression) is being challenged by rebel Uranus and is also being supported by disciplined Saturn. Uranus is the avant garde; Saturn is the old guard. Look for themes of unconventional attractions and freedom of social expression, likely involving women and resources. Also exact on Friday: a clash between action hero Mars in razor-sharp Scorpio and expansive Jupiter in regal Leo, suggesting a need for a physical release or over-the-top expansion. You’ll feel the surge of energy more personally if you have a planet or angle around 3 degrees of Leo, Taurus, Scorpio and Aquarius…or if you were born around the 26th of July, October, January or April. Jupiter at 3 Leo suggests a potential trigger for whatever seeds you planted on last Saturday’s New Moon, which was also at 3 Leo. Expansion is a possibility.

Other than the never-ending Uranus-Pluto square, which continues to hum its wake-up call anthem in the background, disrupting the status quo everywhere, be advised that there is an obsessive-compulsive connection between willful Mars and rebel Uranus for much of the week. Watch the headlines for news of freak accidents and outbursts, as we saw over the weekend in Venice Beach, CA, when lightning struck and killed one man. Freaky indeed, as was the news of a fatal plane crash that very same day in Venice, Florida. You may be feeling particularly buzzed if you have a planet or angle around 16 degrees of Aries or 2 Scorpio.

Moon voids — those natural rest periods during which we may be more inclined to wander off the beaten path — are few this week. On Thursday note 10:48AM – 12:09pm ET; Friday note 10:58pm ET until Saturday 10:57PM ET; otherwise, onward!

 

 

Astro-logical Forecast for Friday — Monday 7/25-28/2014: New Moon in Leo; Mars Enters Scorpio

We are in the balsamic phase of the lunar cycle – the dark side of the Moon, sensing that the New Moon is just around the corner but we don’t quite know what the new energy will bring. Restlessness and listlessness are not uncommon feelings, with double the potential today given that the Moon in Cancer will be void-of-course from 9:53AM ET until 10:55AM ET on Saturday. Wanna start the weekend early?

If you must work — as I must — stick to routine tasks and roll with any twists or delays that may thwart your efforts to move forward in a straight line. Chill out; don’t turn molehills of frustration into mountains;  enjoy the aimless drift…see where it takes you. Wrap up projects from this lunar cycle and get ready to begin anew on Saturday.

Big news today is Mars, finally finally leaving Libra, where it has been all year — and entering Scorpio at 10:25pm ET. And there was much rejoicing in the land! Mars is much happier in Scorpio, where its headstrong efforts are freed up from Libra concerns over what everyone else will think. In Scorpio, Mars needs to act with depth and substance in its quest for world domination – or annihilation. Scorpios are so interesting that way. Caveat: today and for the next few days, Mars is in an especially tense pattern with Uranus (accidents, shocks to the system). This pattern was in effect through most of February and reflected in stunning accidents and outbursts — checkout the archives of this site for examples in the news.

Sleep in, chill out on Saturday. Moon shifts gear and roars into sunny Leo at 10:55AM ET — time for some summer fun! Wish Mick Jagger a happy 71st birthday OMG. Don’t start a fight around 11:29AM ET, when the regal Leo Moon is squared by willful Mars. If you’re shopping around 3PM ET, you may be inclined to splurge, courtesy of a hook-up between Moon and expansive Jupiter in luxe-loving Leo.

The New Moon kicks in at 6:42PM ET, when the Sun and Moon conjoin at 3 degrees of Leo. Make a list; light a candle. A New Moon offers us an opportunity to re-set  intentions and goals for the next lunar cycle.  Around August 3rd, 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 10th, 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 17th, we can review our achievements, tie up loose ends and get ready to begin another New Moon on August 25th.

Creative self-expression, a sense of play and romantic love are Leo trademarks. So are royal entitlement and ego aggrandizement. Leo is born to rule; there’s no need to prove its case, and the sooner everyone in the room recognizes and honors it, the happier everyone will be. Why is that so hard for non-Leos to understand? In this New Moon chart, the need of the Leo Sun and Moon to shine is augmented by this week’s hook-up with expansive Jupiter. An intensified and potentially groundbreaking social expression of this need is suggested by dynamic alignment between Venus (love, women, art, money) and the Uranus-Pluto square. An extra dose of willpower, potent and potentially volatile, is suggested by the aforementioned tension between Mars and rebel Uranus, and by an approaching challenge by Mars to Jupiter which adds an abundant physicality and enthusiasm. How are you going to release all of this energy? Hopefully by being your naturally sunny self and doing what you were born to do. Get in touch with your passions this month. Take some time to follow your bliss. Do what you love.  Leo rules the heart!

You are more personally affected by the need for creative self-expression of this New Moon if you have a planet or point around 3 degrees of Leo, Aquarius, Taurus and Scorpio…or if you were born around the 26th of July, October, January and April.

Sunday the Leo Moon coasts through the day without interference, until it goes void of course on a stubborn challenge between Moon and stern Saturn at 8:38PM ET. An intense emotional response may have been building all day, suggested by ruthless Pluto opposing Venus at 2:17AM ET on Monday. A power play involving women, resources and/or aesthetics is suggested. Here’s what happened the last time Pluto and Venus were in a challenging pattern. Venus will square rebel Uranus on August 1st.

Once the Moon goes void at 8:38PM ET Sunday, it will not enter the next sign — Virgo — until 11:37PM ET on Monday. Long Moon voids suggest long rest periods. If you didn’t launch your New Moon initiative on Sunday; wait until Tuesday.

And now, some news.

I was expecting some royal edicts to make headlines yesterday, given the Leo Sun’s hook-up with expansive Jupiter. And there on the NYT homepage was a piece about what life is like in a Syrian city now controlled by ISIS. That hook-up suggests a lot of hot air, and sharing the NYT homepage was an update on the severe drought affecting the Western United States.

There were plenty of headlines reflecting the disruptive potential of this week’s challenge to mental Mercury by Uranus-Pluto, starting with more than one crash of a commercial jetliner — in Mali and in Taiwan,  not to mention the death of a teen pilot attempting to fly around the world.    In other news, the startling revelation that Senator John Walsh (D-Montana) plagiarized much of the content in his master’s thesis. Meanwhile, a 16-year-old has created an app that aims to expose “corrupt politicians”, while proprietary information about how one might end up on the U.S. “no-fly” list is leaked. Travel plans for some may be further disrupted thanks to a computer glitch that is delaying the issuing of U.S. passports.

Yesterday’s piece about memory and music was particularly well-received. So here’s another story about the positive influence of art (Venus trine Neptune), creative self-expression (Sun-Jupiter in Leo) and especially art’s ability to shake people out of a mental funk (Mercury square Uranus): find out what happens when some people diagnosed with mental illness take up photography.

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Astro-logical Forecast for Wednesday & Thursday 7/23-24/2014: Stellar

Moon continues its sojourn in Gemini today, seeking information and entertainment on multiple platforms, coasting without input from the other planets until 8:53PM ET. That’s when it makes an easy connection to action-oriented Mars, and then promptly goes void — i.e., wanders aimlessly for two hours, and then enters emotional security-seeking Cancer. Any upsets today may be in the form of communication and travel, courtesy of fallout and build-up from mental Mercury’s contact with Pluto yesterday and Uranus tomorrow. Otherwise, you’re good to go.

Planetary patterns on Thursday, as noted in Tuesday’s forecast, are stellar. Venus trines Neptune at 7:10AM ET, suggesting a need for beauty in all senses. Put on your rose-colored glasses, as this need is echoed between 1 and 2PM ET, when the Cancer Moon (women, money, art, social expression) is supported by this trine. At 4:44PM ET, get in touch with your inner lover/drama king or queen/creative spirit, as the Sun and Jupiter meet up in sunny Leo. Downside: news of some royal edict is sure to be issued by a bombastic, entitled type — but hopefully not in your  own personal kingdom.

Startling communications or travels are suggested, as noted earlier, from now until 8:07PM ET Thursday, when Mercury is rattled by rebel Uranus. Two hours later, efforts to assimilate the new information may be facilitated by an easy connection to Mercury from disciplined Saturn,  and a simultaneous power play or emotional catharsis suggested by potent Pluto challenging the security-seeking Moon. In other words, likely a noticeably active night.

In the news, as expected, there have been a number of startling headlines involving communication and travel. For instance, I’ll bet most of you learned in a high school civics class about the justice system of the United States. Accused criminals are “innocent until proven guilty” and the attorney-client relationship is privileged and confidential. Well, not really, as prosecutors are apparently reading the emails defendants who are writing to their lawyers while in prison awaiting trial. It gets worse. Even your cat photos are being tracked. Elsewhere, more startling news of a Plutonian “corruption exposed” nature involving an ethics commission and efforts made to “hobble it” by aides to NY Governor Andrew Cuomo made headlines today.

For upsets in general, conflicting decisions about the Affordable Care Act, as one federal appeals court ruled yesterday that only people in 14 states may qualify for tax credits to help cover the cost of insurance premiums, so people in the other 36 states now stand to lose the tax credits they now receive — and thus, perhaps, their ability to pay for health insurance. Why  do people in  only 14 states qualify? Read today’s NYT editorial. Meanwhile, another federal appeals court rules that the tax credits apply to all 50 states, so stay tuned, the matter is far from settled. Here are some interesting statistics comparing health care in those 14 states vs. the other 36. Health care reform — as noted in prior forecasts — is one of the themes suggested by the never-ending Uranus-Pluto square, a cycle that began 50 years ago when Uranus and Pluto were conjunct in Virgo (health).

Uranus in Aries (the individual) squaring Pluto in Capricorn (the corporation) also suggests upsets to the corporate status quo by the rebel entrepreneur. Companies like AirBnB and Uber are prime examples, and as with just about anything, there are pluses and minuses. Here’s a glowing review and interview with the CEO of AirBnB….and here’s a follow-up piece on the “dark side” of this new-fangled “sharing economy”.  Uranus remains in Aries until March of 2019; Pluto leaves Capricorn in January of 2024.

Finally, on a lighter note: Thursday’s exact trine between Venus and Neptune favors an appreciation (Venus) of music (Neptune). Add this to the week’s startling revelations suggested by contacts among Mercury, Uranus and Pluto, and isn’t it interesting to see this article published about the connection between music and memory.

Cue Judy Collins now, please.

Your donations never fail to make my day, with much gratitude to you for  your appreciation. Gratitude also to those of you who share this forecast with friends. Here’s the 411 on personal consultations. Have a wonderful day!

Astro-logical Forecast for Tuesday 7/22/2014: Sun Enters Leo

An intense focus on information gathering and  persuasive communication may be yours today, courtesy of the Moon in info-junkie Gemini, coupled with a ruthless challenge between mental Mercury and potent Pluto.  At 5:41PM ET the Sun enters regal Leo, where it is born to shine — and help others shine, too. This year the Sun shines bigger than it has in 12 years, courtesy of its approaching hook-up with expansive Jupiter on Thursday. Party on, dudes — in spite of the upheaval in the headlines. In your own personal world, this week offers plenty of potential delights.

This week we are aided and abetted by a couple of other lovely and practical planetary patterns that are also building to a release on Thursday. Venus (arts, women, money, social expression) is in a harmonious aspect with soulful, visionary Neptune. Mercury (mind, communication, travel) is  empowered by its contact with Pluto today, but it is also buzzing with potential insight, courtesy of a challenge to rebel Uranus, and has the potential to structure all that buzz into something tangible, courtesy of an alignment with stern Saturn.  Bottom line: creative efforts and communication are supported. If you live by your wits, take note.

Moon voids this week, because I neglected to mention them yesterday: Wednesday 8:53pm – 10:59pm ET; Friday is a loooooong one: 9:53AM ET until 10:56AM Saturday. Sounds like a three-day weekend to me….and it may feel like one anyway, even if you’re at the office on Friday. Make that a four-day weekend; the Moon will be void all that day, too — at least during business hours in the Americas. If you are new to the forecast and not clear on how to use awareness of Moon voids (natural cosmic rest periods) to your advantage, look here.

 Your donations never fail to make my day, with much gratitude to you for  your appreciation. Gratitude also to those of you who share this forecast with friends. Here’s the 411 on personal consultations. Have a wonderful day!

 

 

Astro-logical Forecast for Monday 7/21/2014: Sneak Peek at the Week

Good Morning!

The Taurus Moon is void of course between 10:13AM ET and 12:36PM ET, suggesting a slow start or twist in the early hours of the work week. You may feel a noticeable shift — a more engaged, focused energy — once the Moon enters pixie chatterbox Gemini after the void. A cooperative connection from enthusiastic Jupiter around 3PM ET suggests an afternoon ripe for expanding your network. Pick up the phone; send the email; make the pitch.

Lots of action this week, though not as intense as last week’s volatile Mars transits. First, two shifts in direction. Saturn turned direct on Sunday at 16 degrees of Scorpio; today, Uranus turns retrograde, appearing to move backwards in the sky until December 22nd, when it moves forward again. What does that mean? Saturn refers to structure, discipline, control and ambition. Generally speaking, Saturn’s move forward suggests that projects that were delayed during its retrograde period (i.e., since March 2nd) may also move forward. You are personally affected by Saturn’s shift if you have a planet between 16 and 23 degrees of Taurus, Leo, Aquarius or Scorpio, and between now and November 1st, you will experience the last of three hits of this no-nonsense energy. On the plus side, an ambitious  reach or structure will have been materialized. Down sides to Saturn transits can include health issues when the areas of the horoscope related to health are involved. Consult your local astrologer for details.

Uranus turns retrograde at 16 degrees of Aries and will back up to 12 degrees by the end of the year. When a planet is retrograde, the energy it represents is best expressed by turning inward, instead of outward. When direct, Uranus tends to rebel against the status quo set by others. When retrograde, Uranus needs to set itself free from limits that are self-imposed. So if you have a planet between 12 and 16 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn, you can expect an intense second hit of issues you’ve recently experienced involving freedom, independence, being yourself without compromise and sudden upsets of the status quo. You’ll get a third hit in early 2015, when Uranus travels forward and hits 12 to 16 degrees again.

Over the next two weeks the never-ending Uranus-Pluto square will be triggered again. This week it’s Mercury, currently in emotional security-seeking Cancer, that will make contact with ruthless Pluto (tomorrow) and with rebel Uranus (Thursday). Note the potential for status quo-disrupting ideas, communication and travel in the headlines. In your own personal world, you may experience this more profoundly if you have a planet or angle between 12 and 16 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn. Next week, Venus (women, art, money, social expression), also in Cancer, makes contact with Pluto on the 28th and with Uranus on August 1st. Same degrees apply.

Also of note: tomorrow the Sun enters Leo, the sign it rules and hooks up with jovial Jupiter on Thursday, oh joy, oh joy! On the plus side, early Leos can hold out their Halloween trick-or-treat bags and more than likely receive an opportunity for recognition and expansion, and for some, a financial bonus. Thursday is a banner day in general for many reasons which will be discussed later in the week. On Friday, Mars (action!)  finally leaves Libra and moves into Scorpio, where it is very strongly placed, for better or for worse. More on that later this week, too. On Saturday we’ll have a New Moon in Leo, a time to re-set our intentions for the following 30 days.

Thank you for reading — and sharing — this forecast. Yes, really. Why not share this forecast with a friend?

 Your donations never fail to make my day, with much gratitude to you for  your appreciation. Gratitude also to those of you who share this forecast with friends. Here’s the 411 on personal consultations. Have a wonderful day!

 

Astro-logical Forecast for Friday 7/18/2014 & the Weekend: Mars in the Spotlight; MH17 and More

Another day with Moon charging through me-me-me Aries, a sign whose mantra might well be, says astrologer (and fellow Aries) Rick Levine, “Ready. Fire. Aim!” Moon entered this trigger-happy sign with an exuberant connection to Jupiter at 1:07AM ET on Thursday. It was then challenged by Mercury at 8:26AM ET, suggesting a conflict or glitch involving mindset, communication, followed by a power play or emotional catharsis 12 hours later, as Moon makes its weekly contact with ruthless Pluto.

Some may find themselves bolting out of bed in the wee hours this morning, courtesy of the Moon’s hook-up with disruptive Uranus at 4:37AM ET.  I actually typed that on Thursday night, and here I am editing today’s forecast at 5:08AM ET. Go figure. If you’re not personally feeling the buzz, you may simply bear witness to the increased drive in others. This is intensified as we get closer to 10PM ET, when the 3rd Quarter Moon is  opposed by action-oriented Mars.  Around 2AM ET on Saturday,  Sun and Mars form an exact square, suggesting an outburst of energy for better or for worse, as was advised in Monday’s forecast. Be mindful on the roads…and around people who may be looking to pick a fight.

Mars is especially powerful now for a few reasons which I will address later in this forecast.  Better to apply the energy at the gym or other creative endeavor. Or consider a dreamy mental escape, suggested by an easy connection between Mercury and nebulous Neptune soon after midnight.  In the words of those who blithely misquote the opening line of William Cosgreve’s The Mourning Bride, “Music has charms to soothe the savage beast”.

In addition to the tension suggested by Mars, three planets will change sign or direction over the next few days. Some may feel a bit wobbly as they adjust to the new direction. On Friday (today), Venus enters watery Cancer, seeking emotional security in social expression.  At 0 degrees of Cancer (the Aries Point), we  thus expect Venusian concerns, (e.g., women, art, money) to be prominent. How interesting to see Edward Snowden, whose 29 degree Gemini Sun was conjoined by Venus yesterday, giving another interview in which the most prominent takeaway was a caution about social expression on the internet and what happens to nude photos that are intercepted by 20-something male surveillance types.  Also making news:  Pvt. Chelsea (nee Bradley) Manning will reportedly begin gender treatment while in military custody; Airbnb’s new logo sparks a feverish debate in marketing circles on whether it looks like ladyparts; while in Japan, a woman artist is arrested for “distributing data that enables recipients to make 3D prints of her vagina.”  Yea verily, and have you seen her kayak?

Moon goes void Friday at 10:18PM ET and enters stability-seeking Taurus at 4:43AM ET on Saturday. Perhaps the Moon void will take some of the edge off of the Sun-Mars square, which happens around 2AM ET.  Once in Taurus,  the Moon suggests a need to build or preserve material security, and an appreciation for these comforts is encouraged. Saturday evening is ripe for the arts, healing and more sweet music. Sunday has more gravitas, suggested by a stern face-off between Moon and Saturn around noon ET, which may manifest as a reach for ambition or an unwelcome control, courtesy of an authority. Saturn is the second planet changing sign or direction this weekend; it turns direct at 4:38PM ET. Uranus is the third planet; it turns retrograde on Monday.

OK. More news…and more about Mars.

Warrior Mars is especially potent now for a couple of reasons. First, as of yesterday it was at 26 degrees of Libra. That’s the same degree as the April 15th lunar eclipse. You may recall that eclipses create bottlenecks of energy that are subsequently released when transiting planets trigger the degree of the eclipse. For example, check out these two articles about what was going on in the Ukraine on April 15th and on April 16th, the day after the eclipse. Here’s what happened yesterday, as you must have seen in headlines everywhere: a Malaysian Airlines (!) plane is shot down by rebels using a surface-to-air missile.  I can only imagine what is going on in the horoscope of Malaysian Airlines. For the record, Vladimir Putin (mentioned here back in March) was the subject of the NYT editorial on April 15th — and again today.

Back to Mars. When Mars squares the Sun on Saturday morning, the Sun will be at 27 degrees of Cancer. The Sabian Symbol for 27 Cancer is “a violent storm raging in a canyon filled with expensive homes”. 27 Cancer was the degree of the volatile New Moon on July 19, 2012, which you may recall was the night of the Aurora, Colorado movie theater shootings — astro-analysis here.  Finally, Mars will reach 28 degrees of Libra on Sunday, which is where it was when it turned retrograde on March 1st — so this is also a sensitive point.

Back to MH17. Of course when news broke that the plane crashed, I immediately looked at the chart for the plane’s departure: 12:14PM in Amsterdam. Instantly noticed Mars at that very significant eclipse point in the 1st house; rising, and  considered that an explosion or other volatile attack was a likely cause. It is absolutely fascinating to note the position of the Moon in the flight departure chart: right on the cusp of the 7th house — same as the chart for MH370! This Moon is at 3 degrees of warrior Aries, and in contact with the angles, it suggests an event that will make prominent impact on the public (Aries is symbolized by the Ram; in this case, perhaps, a sacrificial lamb). This prominence is echoed by the 2 Libra Ascendant and 3 Cancer Midheaven, as these degrees are close to the Aries Point. It is echoed again by its square to Mercury (information/communication), co-ruler of the 9th house (suggesting an international involvement and reach).

With Libra rising, the ruler of the chart is Venus, which also represents the plane. Venus is also prominent — in the 9th house and co-ruling the 9th — and also at the Aries Point and conjunct the Midheaven. Venus is in an extremely volatile and obsessive power struggle with ruthless Pluto, which sits at the bottom of the chart, in contact with the Midheaven. The 4th house refers to the “end of the matter” for the plane; its end was certainly Plutonian, as in totally annihilated. Compare this to MH370, which had Neptune in the 4th in Pisces, exactly squaring a Gemini Moon, suggesting an end involving water and/or suffocation…and mystery. The Libra Ascendant is impacted by two other obsessive contacts: one from Uranus (aviation, accidents, shock, technology) in the 7th house (public, open enemies) and another from Chiron, the wounded healer, in the 6th.

There’s more, but you get the idea. Unlike MH370, the chart suggests that information about MH17’s fate will not be shrouded in mystery. Within hours, in fact, a transcript of an intercepted phone call allegedly between members of the rebel forces in Ukraine was published. They are talking about the plane. It seems one person is genuinely shocked to discover that it is a civilian aircraft and that the dead include women and children. You know how we’ve been talking all week about cognitive dissonance — currently symbolized by an uncomfortable tension between Saturn (old paradigm) and Uranus (new information)? In the last words of this transcript,  the speaker — perhaps the authority (Saturn) figure in the conversation — can’t process the fact that it’s a civilian plane, and that the rebels made an undeniable, murderous error by destroying it. When his colleague wonders why the plane was in Ukrainian airspace, he bends the facts to suit his version of reality:  “That means they were carrying spies. They shouldn’t be f…cking flying. There is a war going on.”

Cue Jack Nicholson now, please.

I’ll end on a hopeful note. As I am about to post, the NYT reports that Vladimir Putin has called for a cease-fire in the Ukraine…

Have a lovely weekend in pursuit of comforting Moon-in-Taurus pleasures of the senses. West Coasters can likely sleep in a bit on Monday, as the Moon will be void from 10:13AM until 12:36PM ET.

 Your donations never fail to make my day, with much gratitude to you for  your appreciation. Gratitude also to those of you who share this forecast with friends. Here’s the 411 on personal consultations. Have a wonderful day!

 

Astro-logical Forecast for Wednesday 7/16/2014: Jupiter in Leo

More of the same intuitive, sensitive flow from yesterday, courtesy of the Moon in dreamy Pisces, which forms a harmonious alignment with the Cancer Sun around 2PM ET. An indulgent connection between the Moon and Venus at 8:57PM ET suggests the potential for an especially pleasurable evening.

Big news today is Jupiter, a.k.a. The Cosmic Sugar Daddy, ending its year-long stay in Cancer and moving into regal Leo at 6:30AM ET, where it has not been since August of 2002. It will remain in Leo until September of 2015. What does that mean? Well, Jupiter suggests expansion and enthusiasm, sometimes excessive and otherwise overblown. Keywords associated with Leo include the sun (solar power?), gold, kings and queens, leadership, drama, creative self-expression, pride, lions, the heart, love and adoration (lionizing), the need to shine (and help others shine, too).

If you’re a Leo — or have a significant planet or angle in Leo, this suggests an opportunity for you to expand your reach and/or receive recognition for being the magic that is you. Look back to what was going on for you in late 2002-2003. You can also look back to late 1990 – late 1991 and late 1978 through most of 1979. What happened?

Following up on the adjustment challenge of assimilating new information into old paradigms as reflected by planetary patterns and discussed yesterday, here’s an interesting article on how Miami is currently being impacted by climate change — dramatically so — and the equally dramatic response by the “powers that be”. Meanwhile, you’ve probably heard by now that 97% of the scientific community believes that climate change poses a dire threat to humanity. Here’s an article about one scientist who is in the 3% that believes otherwise.

Finally, here’s an intriguing article about how the Moon influences our mind and our sleep patterns…just because it is intriguing.

What’s going on in your horoscope? Make an appointment for a personal consultation and find out. Really, there’s too much going on in the cosmos, reflected in world events, to remain clueless about how it is all likely to impact YOU.

Astro-logical Forecast for Tuesday 7/15/2014: Saturn at the Halfway Point

An ethereal Pisces Moon on a day with the Sun in Cancer can facilitate greater emotional sensitivity and compassion. Note your dreams upon waking — especially West Coasters, as the Moon meets up with nebulous Neptune at 10:25AM ET. What may be experienced as rose-colored fog or befuddlement for your analytical brain may also be experienced as a flash of insight channeled from some other plane. Further depth of insight and/or a potential healing or regenerative communication may be yours this evening, as the Moon makes an easy connection to potent Pluto.

Now, a little bit of news. Saturn now sits at a virtual standstill at 16 degrees of Scorpio, halfway through the 30 degrees it must travel to get to the next sign, Sagittarius. Regular readers of this forecast may recall that when Saturn first entered Scorpio in October of 2012, we anticipated that reproductive health issues and other consequences and controls (Saturn) of sexual energy (Scorpio) would be a major focus. For example, we’ve seen many efforts to control and restrict the ability of women to access contraceptives. Today, however — halfway through Scorpio — there is a notable push back against these controls, as the Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing on a new bill called the Women’s Health Protection Act, as explained in this NYT editorial.  Does it have a snowball’s chance in hell of passing? Not with the current crop of members in the House of Representatives. But things change…

If you’ve been reading this forecast for the past five years, you may also recall that when Saturn entered Libra, I opined that fairness in relationships (Libra) under the law (Saturn) would become a major focus, and specifically, the issue of gay marriage. I projected that once Saturn got halfway through Libra, we would see the beginning of a clear shift against laws that banned gay marriage, and that’s what happened.

Follow up from yesterday: you may recall that there is an uncomfortably tense pattern between Saturn (old guard) and Uranus (avant garde) all month. This suggests challenges of adjustment and assimilation, as new information is presented that does not fit with old paradigms. It also supports the prominence of mindset and beliefs trumping established facts and laws that we’ve seen in the headlines over the past couple of months. Thus, yesterday I was delighted to see a number of Facebook posts reflecting this tension, especially this link about cognitive dissonance,  Yes, exactly — cognitive dissonance — the challenge of assimilating new information that contradicts an old paradigm. Coincidence or conspiracy?

 

Astro-logical Forecast for Monday 7/14/2014: Sneak Peek at the Week; A Lover Makes Headlines

Ideas and communication in their airiest form — literally — are a likely focus today, given the Moon in (airy) Aquarius in harmonious aspect to Venus and Mars, in Gemini (air) and Libra (air), respectively. With Mercury (mindset/communication) at the Aries Point (a need for prominence), it’s a fine opportunity to “reach out and touch someone,”   as this cornball commercial from 1979 suggests. Oh, were we really so innocent and sincere back then?

Get it done before 3:23PM ET, when the Moon goes void until 10:40PM ET. This is the only Moon void we’ll have during business hours in the Americas this week, suggesting fewer flakes and twists to derail your efforts to move forward in a straight line. Other voids are Wednesday 8:57PM ET until 12:07AM ET Thursday and Friday 10:18PM ET until 4:43AM ET on Saturday.

Highlights of the week include Jupiter changing signs on Wednesday, leaving nurturing Cancer for regal drama queen Leo — which is great news for anyone with a planet in  Leo  — but especially the Sun, Jupiter, Ascendant or Midheaven. Jupiter transits often coincide with opportunities for expansion, recognition and sometimes a boost in material resources. Yippee! It takes 12 years for Jupiter to travel through the horoscope, and it’s helpful to know where Jupiter is in yours at any given time. Consult your local astrologer for details or consider ordering the Astro-Basics Report, available here.

Other highlights include Venus happily moving into Cancer on Friday; Saturn grinding to a virtual standstill as it prepares to fiinnnnnally turn direct on Sunday; and rebel Uranus also slowing down, as it prepares to turn retrograde on Monday. There’s a tense aspect happening all month between these two planets, suggesting an enhanced tension and uncomfortable adjustment between the old guard (Saturn) and the avant garde (Uranus). You’re feeling it more personally if you have a planet or angle at 16-17 degrees of just about any sign.

Lots of news to report, most of which I’ll cover in Tuesday’s forecast. For now, please enjoy one of the most surprising reflections of Sunday’s exact trine between Venus in charming, double-talking Gemini and Mars in sweet-talking Libra, suggesting a potential harmony between sexes: the love letters of US President Warren G. Harding. The general consensus is that he was a lousy President, perhaps the worst ever. And he may have been a lousy husband, too — as these letters, which were excerpted in the NYT Sunday magazine, were written to his mistress.  Still, he had a remarkable way with words.

So why are these letters being published now? It should surprise no one that in his horoscope,  his natal Venus in Libra is opposed by his natal Neptune. That strongly suggests a dreamy romanticism, and this opposition has been and continues to be supercharged by the never-ending Uranus-Pluto square. Pluto is currently at 12 Capricorn, making the second of three hits to his Venus at 12 Libra. Looking at the solar arcs in the horoscope, we instantly see themes of empowered communication in a solar arc to Venus by Pluto, too, as well as a solar arc to Harding’s Ascendant by Venus, suggesting a need to be seen as especially pleasing — dare I say romantic — even though Harding has long since passed on!  Also of note: transiting Saturn (gravitas) is right on Harding’s Mercury (communication) at 17 Scorpio.

I’m always fascinated to see how horoscopes continue to reflect “life events” for people who are no longer living. Margaret Thatcher made news over the weekend, and though it wasn’t pretty, it made sense in light of her horoscope. Ms. Thatcher was a Libra with a seriously controlling Saturn in Scorpio sitting right on her Scorpio Ascendant. Generally speaking, Libra detests conflict, and has been known to go to outrageous lengths to avoid it. Generally speaking, a Scorpio Ascendant needs to present an image of control…and this would include a need to maintain privacy more than other signs. So the news that came out was that she allegedly knew that one of her senior ministers had sexually abused young boys, and  instead of holding him accountable, she covered it up. And right now transiting Saturn is sitting within one degree of Thatcher’s 15 degree Scorpio Ascendant, perhaps now holding her accountable  for actions taken over thirty years ago. There are other significant transits in her horoscope now, but one in particular that coincides with the timing of this news report is Mars, planet of action, sitting right on top of Thatcher’s Mercury, triggering the release/outburst of communication published over the weekend.

Isn’t astrology amazing? Thank you for reading this forecast.

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