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Astro-logical Forecast for Friday 10/30/2015 & the Weekend: Spellbinding?

TGIF!!

Buzz, buzz, buzz goes the Moon in chatty Gemini, getting off to an optimistic and creative start, courtesy of contacts made to Jupiter and Uranus before 8:04AM ET. Lunch suggests an indulgence or conflict over personal styles, as the Moon is challenged by Venus in persnickety Virgo at 12:49PM ET. Less than three hours later, a potential conflict or push over the perfect way to get that clever message disseminated is suggested by a challenge to the Moon from Mars. Then, peace.

Dominating the day is a potentially healing flow between the deep Scorpio Sun and sublime Neptune in Pisces. Music, arts, spirits and the spiritual are also favored. The alignment happens at 5:06PM ET.  Chill — especially if you are on the West Coast — as the Moon goes void at 10:52PM ET, not to enter Cancer until 5:09AM ET on Saturday.

All Hallow’s Eve seems hardly scary. Spellbinding, maybe. Where’s the party? This is only day of the year when I can wear my native costume without raising eyebrows, darn it. What about you?

Saturday’s Cancer Moon suggests a need to focus on home/family/emotional security concerns. It travels without interference until 5:44PM ET, when it, like the Sun on Friday, aligns with nebulous Neptune. Yes, you are free to shop this weekend…for your home, sweet home.

A lovely balance between the Sun and the Moon happens at 7:44PM ET.  If there’s any horror to be found, it might happen after midnight, as the Moon is opposed by ruthless Pluto at 3:53AM ET on Sunday. We can expect a jolt, revelation or other upset to the status quo around 11:52AM ET on Sunday, as the Moon is challenged by rebel Uranus.

Humming in the background is a fast-approaching meet-up between Venus (yin) and Mars (yang), exact on Monday at 8:10PM ET. Keep an eye out for your perfect match if you have a planet or angle around 23 degrees of Virgo, Pisces, Gemini or Sagittarius. You’ll need other patterns active in your unique horoscope to pull in a seriously significant other, but this fleeting pattern could be fun.

Moon goes void at 10:35PM ET on Sunday…not to enter Leo until Monday at 10:48AM ET. Slow start to the work week for you East Coasters…

And now, the news.

A serious ambition involving women and/or motherhood hit yesterday’s newswires, as China announced it was officially abandoning the one-child policy it established 37 years ago. Interesting to note a disruptive pattern between the Moon (women, motherhood) and Uranus, as well as a militant alignment between Mars (action) and Saturn (control) in China’s horoscope back in 1978. Also interesting to note that transiting Pluto (transformation) was exactly conjunct China’s idealistic meet-up between Mercury (mindset) and Neptune (vision) in its 8th House (joint assets/values; procreative energy). Now transiting Pluto is just wrapping up a challenging square to that Mercury-Neptune conjunction. If you’re a serious student of astrology, you may find that fascinating.

An easy Sun-Neptune pattern, like the one that will be exact on Friday, suggests the potential for a peaceful flow, forgiveness and redemption. It also suggests the potential for dreamy potions that may not be what they seem. Regardless, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) was sworn in as Speaker of the House, accepting the heavy responsibility suggested by transiting Saturn to his Ascendant, combined with the silver lining of transiting Jupiter (expansion) to his Midheaven (career, status). Elsewhere, Edward Snowden received a righteous thumbs-up as the European Parliament narrowly voted to urge member nations to drop all charges against him and offer him asylum. I will be interested to see what moves he might make in January, June and/or October.

Feels like a slow news day. The NYT is still parsing last night’s Republican debate in op-eds too numerous to mention. Fortunately they posted a video about the search for life on Saturn’s Moons, courtesy of NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, or there’d be nothing else to talk about. If you’d like to know if there’s life on your Moon, here’s the 411 on personal consultations. Yea verily, if your Moon is not feeling productively engaged and appreciated, you’re likely not feeling appreciated, either. I’ll wager that many reading this are not quite sure how this applies. Suffice it to say that it is empowering stuff. There’s a lot more to your horoscope than your Sun Sign, and I would be delighted to tell you all about it.

Happy haunting this Saturday! Don’t forget to turn your clocks back at 2AM Sunday, when Daylight Savings Time ends.

Thank you for reading this forecast.

 

Astro-logical Forecast for Thursday 10/29/2015: It’s Debatable — Again — With a Warm Kiss

A chatty Moon in Gemini kicks in at 2:24AM ET, driving the day with a need for information, communication and diversification. An ambitious advance or a wet blanket may permeate the morning, courtesy of a face-off between the ever-so-clever Moon and taskmaster Saturn at 8:41AM ET. Communication lines may be blurred or dreamy around 2:11PM ET, when the Moon is challenged by nebulous Neptune. Make sure what you say is clearly understood.

And now, the news.

In the wake of yesterday’s change-resistant Moon in Taurus, engaged as it was in a stability-seeking Earth Grand Trine, let the record show that the budget accord between the White House and Congress (good until 2017) passed, and the Fed declined to raise interest rates yet again.

During the Moon void, let the record also show that a military surveillance blimp “wreaked havoc” when it broke loose, and all that hot air landed somewhere in Colorado, just in time for the Republican debate. OK, I made that up. The blimp landed somewhere in Pennsylvania.

About the debate. Comcast was one of the biggest losers, as it offered no way for voters to watch CNBC– or even listen on the radio or online — without paying. You’d think that’s what the candidates would have bashed the moderators for, instead of complaining that the mainstream media was essentially a Super PAC for the Democratic party…or that some of the questions asked weren’t “nice”.

The debate started late — which should not have worried anyone watching who understood that twists and delays are more likely to plague events during Moon voids. One of the NYT bloggers described it as “non-linear” and noted how many of the candidates did not answer the questions they were asked. Void!

Over at the Washington Times, Jeb Bush was declared a loser, despite initial efforts to score a few punches.  Recall that yesterday we noted that Mr. Bush’s Ascendant was eclipsed on September 13th. Let’s see if there’s any effort at recovery on Monday, when transiting Mars and Venus will be exactly on his 23 Virgo Ascendant. Wait — what was that he said about a warm kiss? Perhaps that was his recovery effort…or at least the alluring potential of that transit made manifest — like it or not! If your Ascendant happens to be 21-25 Virgo, you may be feeling especially alluring, too. As it were.

According to the WT, Carly Fiorina did not get any attention, which is interesting, given that she had more speaking time — over 10 minutes — than any of the other contenders. Jeb Bush had the least — ouch. Underdogs Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz were declared winners — by the NYT as well — and I’m thinking transiting Uranus and/or Pluto in their horoscopes are likely reflecting the boost.

Front-runners Trump and Ben Carson were notably lackluster. Mr. Trump’s horoscope has lost much of the razzle-dazzle it enjoyed over the summer. We do not have a birth time for Mr. Carson. It’s a mystery. Would that he fades into the background, so as not to have to think too much about him in the future.

As anticipated by looking at the horoscope for the debate, there were plenty of statements made that were not true. Here is Gail Collins, with her always-cheerful take.

Meanwhile, on Monday you may recall that the Moon was also void all day. Perhaps you may also recall the video that went viral. It involved a “school resources officer” in South Carolina who turned a molehill of a conflict into a mountain of crisis by brutally flipping a student onto the floor because she had refused to put away her cell phone and leave the classroom. That officer was fired yesterday, but apparently this is not the first time his aggressive tactics have been applied.

Perhaps his firing bodes well for Alabama, where a police officer is facing a second trial on charges of violating the civil rights of an Indian grandfather out for a morning stroll, i.e., Walking While Brown. Inexplicably — yet captured on tape — the grandfather was slammed to the ground and ended up in the hospital. Putting this into an astro-logical perspective, history buffs will recall that civil rights was a hot button issue in the mid-60s, when Uranus and Pluto were conjunct in Virgo. Now that Uranus and Pluto are square to each other, we would expect matters that were hot in the 60s to be hot again now. Sure, seeds were planted in the 60s — but now we are finding out if those seeds will flourish. With respect to the United States, its horoscope is experiencing a potentially anguishing transit of Pluto to the US Saturn. It is time for the US to face its dark side.

In other news, Jupiter is halfway through Virgo, so we can expect to see some initiatives on its “small is great” agenda.  Here’s one:

Scores of leading scientists on Wednesday urged the creation of a major initiative to better understand the microbial communities critical to both human health and every ecosystem.

Feels like we should end on something that is not political. Of course there is always the friendly reminder that if you would like to better understand yourself in minute detail, a personal consultation about your unique horoscope is a most excellent investment. You’ll be amazed at how much depth can be achieved in 90, 60 or even 33 minutes. Here’s the 411 on all of that.

But what I was also thinking about — along the “small is great” theme of Jupiter in Virgo — was a film made in 1977 called “Powers of Ten”. And if you are certain age, you probably remember it from your school days. Perhaps you thought this nine-minute “adventure in magnitudes” was pretty cool, too.

Thank you for reading this forecast.

 

 

Astro-logical Forecast for Wednesday 10/28/2015: Mind the Void

Make the most of the early morning’s steady focus, courtesy of a material-security seeking Moon in Taurus. It makes easy connections to Venus (social expression) and Mars (action) before 11:20AM ET, after which it goes void until 2:24AM ET on THURSDAY. Stick to routine matters that involve organizing, consolidating and stabilizing. Chill if you can and indulge in some pleasures of the senses today and into the evening hours. Good food and wine, sweet music and a snuggle would all fit the bill. Go with the flow of any twists that may crop up in your efforts to move forward in a straight line.

If your horoscope was directly affected by the solar eclipse on September 13th, you may have experienced a release in matters relating to the affected planet or angle. This is because Mars is at 20 Virgo, triggering the 20 degree Virgo degree of last month’s eclipse — although let the record show that we often see events triggered before an exact hit. Joe Biden’s Midheaven (career/public status) is almost at 20 degrees Virgo — plus or minus a few minutes. Jeb Bush’s Ascendant (personal projection) is at 23 Virgo — is he coming across as somewhat eclipsed these days?

I have tickets to a concert and won’t be watching the Republican debate, airing on CNBC at 8PM ET. In the debate chart — calculated for 6PM in Boulder, CO — we see the Moon conjunct the fixed star Algol in the First House. Algol has a foreboding reputation in mythology and astrology, conjuring up images of empowered-yet-intimidating women and “losing one’s head”.  EarthSky calls it “the scariest star in the heavens”.    While the Moon is in the First House, it rules the Fourth House in this chart, which refers to mother, family and home(land) security. We’ll see how that plays out.

Mercury — mindset and communication — is strongly placed, in diplomatic Libra and connecting with the public. The chart is ruled by Venus in perfectionist Virgo, so perhaps we’ll see more decorum than we saw in the last debate…except for the part where someone loses their head over something. There’s a pile-up of planets in the Sixth House, suggesting a focus on process, cooperation, healthcare, unions, work regimes. There’s also an awful lot of pixie-dust, with Mars and Neptune in an obsessive relationship; the reality check of Saturn dissolved by a challenging contact with nebulous Neptune, along with the intense Scorpio Sun.

Hmm. I’m now seeing that Hillary Clinton’s campaign will be airing four commercials during the debate — featuring working women. Fascinating.

Speaking of dissolving, one day I will finally get around to writing about the horoscope for the Republican Party.

OK, more news.

Yesterday I wrote this about Tuesday’s Full Moon:

If you remember the seeds planted at the New Moon two weeks ago, you may recall it had to do with startling revelations involving relationship. So…more of the same here, with a focus on establishing security.

I was therefore thrilled to see this article on the homepage of the NYT: “The Ambivalent Marriage Takes a Toll on Health”.  Of course there would be an added health focus, with three planets — including Venus and Mars about to meet up — in Virgo. The Venus-Mars meet-up (exact next Monday) seems an apt pattern reflecting an update on another symbol of enduring affection. Remember the love locks that threatened bridges in Paris some time ago. They’ve gone global…

Meanwhile, here’s another homepage story about sugar — as was anticipated in the wake of the weekend’s meet-up between Venus and Jupiter.  This one says its health threat is vastly underestimated. Make that two homepage stories:  “Sugar Market Reform Could Flood EU with Cheap Imports”  Coincidence or conspiracy?

In other news, with transiting Pluto opposing the Sun in the U.S. horoscope, we might expect a bit of a power play. “China accused US navy of ‘serious provocation’ after USS Lassen sailed close to Chinese artificial island…”  reads the headline in The Guardian. You’ve heard about these artificial islands in the South China Sea, yes? No, it’s not the plot of the new James Bond movie, which just opened in the UK — and is apparently a smash. In the next Bond film, perhaps he’ll figure out how to stop Greenland from melting. That’s the subject of the most-viewed article on the NYT home page at the moment. The Mets and the Royals are still tied…Moon in Taurus…just goes on and on…resistant to change….

Thank you for reading this forecast. Why not share with the rest of the Free World?

Astro-logical Forecast for Tuesday 10/27/2015: Full Moon in Taurus; Lots of Virgo in the News

Alrighty, then!

The Taurus Moon waxes to its fullness at 8:05AM ET. Like the last two Full Moons before it, this is a SuperMoon, meaning that the Moon is closer to Earth than usual, and will appear to be that much bigger in the sky. Thus emotions are also likely running higher than usual. Or so the theory goes.

By the way, I hope you’ve been looking up at the sky in recent weeks, to appreciate Venus, Jupiter and Mars so close together in Virgo — it’s quite a lovely sight.

A Taurus Moon can be quite resistant to change. It prefers to establish material security firmly in its own comfort zone. A Scorpio Sun is interested in jointly-held or shared resources. It is the conflict between MINE and OURS that we may experience in this lunation. If you remember the seeds planted at the New Moon two weeks ago, you may recall it had to do with startling revelations involving relationship. So…more of the same here, with a focus on establishing security.

This Full Moon happens at 3 degrees of Taurus, which considered a favorable placement. It is opposed by the Sun at 3 degrees of Scorpio. So if you have planets or angles at 3 Taurus, Scorpio — and to a lesser extent — Leo and Aquarius, this Full Moon will impact your life more personally. If you don’t know where your planets are, then consult your local astrologer.

The Sabian Symbols for the Full Moon are — for the Moon — “a rainbow’s pot of gold,” and — for the Sun — “a youth holding a lighted candle”. Don’t those sound dreamy? And in fact, we see in the patterns of the Full Moon chart an alignment between the Sun and dreamy Neptune. Yes, something about the illumination potential of this Full Moon borders on the ideal. But are we not “such stuff as dreams are made on?

Sabian Symbol guru Blain Bovee suggests we apply these symbols with a mind to “the challenge of the enthusiastic pursuit of reward; balancing dreams that enrich the spirit with appreciating what one already has.” He cautions us against gussying up something of intrinsic value. Isn’t it fine just the way it is? Three planets in Virgo in this Full Moon chart can be so fussy! Hmm…maybe your relationship is just fine, too.

If you like these Symbols and find them fascinating food for thought, get Bovee’s wonderful book.   He has plenty of other things to say about these two Symbols, but space and time do not permit me to list them here.

In the 24 hours following the Full Moon, we’ll see a loose Grand Trine among the Moon, Pluto and Jupiter-Venus-Mars — all in Earth Signs. As noted yesterday, a Grand Earth Trine is a pattern suggesting material self-sufficiency and ease of effort in establishing material security. So apply this practical Earth energy to building your monument to material comfort over the next day or so….seasoned with a liberal dash of dreams.  This pattern would seem to bode well for the alleged efforts going on in Washington to reach a budget accord without having to default. Nice.

And now, the news.

How interesting that yesterday did begin with a jolt, as anticipated. There was a 7.5 quake affecting Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Another jolt was a health study from WHO, advising that processed meats “rank along smoking as cancer causes”. A Moon void much ado about nothing? It’s not like this news has not been published before — it has. But this was how The Guardian presented the study, which was all over social media. Nobody wants to give up their bacon! Later that day, it was fascinating to see how the NYT told the story, with these words in the first paragraph:

But the increase in risk is so slight that experts said most people should not be overly worried about it.

Have you read The China Study yet? It was billed as “the most comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted,” and it’s a page-turner. Darn these three planets in Virgo — and especially Jupiter, which suggest the potential for expanded awareness in matters of health, nutrition and food processing.

Last week I noted that with Venus meeting up with Jupiter over the weekend, I wondered if we’d see a story involving diabetes or some other health matter involving sugar. And in fact, we did see one on Monday, dissecting and criticizing (how very Virgo) a study published last month which concluded that honey was no better than high fructose corn syrup and sugar. What the article did not say is who funded the study that dismissed honey.

Meanwhile, women’s hygiene products are also homepage news in more than one paper in more than one country. Venus (women) conjunct Jupiter (expansion; good fortune; excess) in Virgo (health, hygiene)…with probably a little bit of the adjustment suggested by a current tense pattern between Venus and Uranus (revelation; freedom). Wanna hear these stories? Of course you do. “Under Pressure, Feminine Product Manufacturers Disclose Ingredients” is one. A second is this one:

Britain will lobby Brussels for an end to the 5% rate of VAT on tampons after a threatened rebellion in the House of Commons.

Hear that? Rebellion! And while we’re Going Down There, and since we’re also talking about rebellion, check out the innovative tactics that one woman used to  singlehandedly disperse a protest outside her local Planned Parenthood on Sunday.  That’s what happens when you mix the wacky lightning bolt of Sunday’s Mercury-Uranus opposition with a pile-up of chick-friendly planets in Virgo.

Also making news in the world of women (Venus) and abundance (Jupiter): Wellesley College (my alma mater) announced it has received a gift of $50m, the largest in the school’s history. Huzzah! That’s pretty big — and the timing is perfect, given planetary patterns. What’s also perfect is Wellesley’s launch of its biggest fund-raising campaign, too. My money says they will meet their goal of $500m. Go Blue!

Astrology is amazing. What’s going on in your horoscope? I can’t believe you do not want to know. Taking 90 minutes of time to put the significant events in planetary perspective is a worthwhile investment.  Why? Because patterns repeat themselves, and if you’re facing a challenge or an opportunity now, we can see  how you handled events under similar patterns. This inspires clarity and confidence, and it’s much cheaper than therapy. Here’s the 411 on personal consultations.

Thank you for reading this forecast.

 

 

 

 

Astro-logical Forecast for Monday 10/26/2015: Sneak Peek at the Week

Good Morning!

Planetary patterns suggest an upset or jolt to the start of the work week, as the me-me-me-get-there-in-a-hurry Aries Moon meets up with rebel Uranus at 6:57AM ET. Ninety minutes later the Moon opposes mental Mercury and then goes void until 2:07AM ET on TUESDAY. What is a Moon void? Look here.

Stick to routine matters, even as ye may feel the rising tide of emotions as the Moon waxes to its exact fullness Tuesday at 8:05AM ET. During voids, impulsive purchases are ill-advised, as is finalizing critical decisions. Avoid the temptation to turn a molehill into a mountain of crises.  On Tuesday, when the Moon is in security-seeking Taurus, the vibe is sure to be much calmer, especially in the evening and wee hours heading into Wednesday. Why? Because the Taurus Moon will form a loose Grand Trine among Pluto in Capricorn and Mars, Venus and Jupiter in Virgo. A Grand Trine consists of three or more planets in an equilateral triangle formation. You remember your high school geometry, yes? In Earth Signs, a Grand Trine suggests a material self-sufficiency which some might call good luck.

The only other planetary pattern this week that does not involve the Moon happens on Friday, with the Sun in Scorpio forming an easy alignment with rose-colored Neptune. This suggests various shades of rose, peace, healing and sublime spiritual experiences. Those are some potential upsides….and let’s just focus on that for now.

Other Moon voids for the week: Wednesday from 11:20AM ET until 2:24AM on Thursday; Friday from 10:52PM ET until 5:09 AM ET on Saturday.

I was away from the news for much of the weekend — can you believe it? Will be back with that tomorrow.

Here’s the 411 on personal consultations. If you haven’t checked in with your astrologer in over a year, you’re due for a check-up…

Thank you for reading this forecast.

 

 

 

 

Astro-logical Forecast for Friday 10/23/2015 & The Weekend

TGIF!!

The Moon is in Pisces today, driving the day with a need to identify what is ideal, which it’s willing to follow on faith, intuition or some other intangible belief. Friday morning dawns with an advance, a heavy responsibility or a wet blanket, as taskmaster Saturn squares the sensitive Pisces Moon at 6:34AM ET. A need for vision quickly follows suit, as the Moon then meets up with Neptune at 1:17PM ET.

Big news on Friday happens at 1:47PM ET, when the Sun leaves Libra for Scorpio. As I’ve said before,  Scorpio demands substance; none of that airy-theory-rational stuff that Libra does so well. Scorpio is a deeply emotional sign, noted for its need for privacy, power and control.  Scorpios “build all the way up to Heaven…and all the way down to Hell,” wrote astrologer Linda Goodman. Hopefully you can hang with one who builds a stairway to Heaven. A Scorpio heading for Hell will happily annihilate everyone and everything in its way. Really, they are so very interesting.

On Saturday the Pisces Moon goes void at 7:18AM ET…not to enter the next sign, Aries, until 2:22AM on Sunday. This is a day to chill and go with the flow. It is not a day for shopping, as the Moon void suggests a higher probability that whatever you impulsively buy will prove to be of little use. If you don’t believe me, test the theory out for yourself. Take care of routine concerns and avoid making mountains out of molehills, especially in the early hours of the day when the Moon is opposed by aggressive Mars in hypercritical Virgo. Maybe use that perfecting drive to declutter your space.

Although…decluttering is not what comes to mind when I think of Sunday’s expansive meet-up between Venus and Jupiter at 4:03PM ET. That day will be driven by the Moon in me-me-me Aries, a sign that will happily fall down stairs because it’s faster than walking. And here is Justin Trudeau to prove it to you. Canada’s new PM has Moon in Aries opposed by wacky Uranus, so we immediately expect an eccentric sense of humor and a need to shock. And this is exactly what he says in this videoen francais mais si charmant en disant comment il aime choquer les gens. And then he falls down a flight of stairs.

The Venus-Jupiter meet-up suggests good fortune in traditional astrology. If you have a planet or angle around 15 degrees of Virgo, you could consider buying a couple of lottery tickets. Hey, ya never know. At 6:59PM ET, mental Mercury is rattled by an opposition from rebel Uranus, perhaps building on whatever power play and revelation we saw around earlier in the week. We can expect tech breakthroughs, cosmic revelations and other upsets to the status quo. You’re personally affected by the bolt from blue if you have a planet or angle around 18 degrees of Aries, Capricorn, Cancer or Libra. If you don’t know where your planets are, order the Astro-Basics Report, described on this page.

So I’m thinking we’ll have some verve and excitement on Sunday. On Monday, the Aries Moon meets up with Uranus at 6:57AM, suggesting an upset to the start of the workweek. Moon goes void for the whole business day at 8:25AM ET. If you sleep through your alarm, don’t fret about it.

And now, the news.

Plenty of headlines reflecting the intense, no-holds-barred social expression, mindset and communication we might expect on a day colored by Pluto in contact with Mercury and Venus. “Major Vatican Summit Erupts into Theological Slugfest Over Pope’s Vision for the Church”, just hit as I listen to the another intense slugfest happening in Congress, as Hillary Clinton testifies about Benghazi. Trey Gowdy, the Chair of the Benghazi committee, currently has transiting Pluto opposing his natal Venus-Mars conjunction in Cancer, suggesting relentless force applied in social expression and action. Yep, that is what I’m hearing right this minute. It’s the perfect background noise for a story I’m reading now about Thug Kitchen, a vegan blog whose latest profanity-laced cookbook is also making news today. Today’s potential for blunt, raw social expression is also reflected in this popular headline: “Everyone Is Downloading iOS9.1 for the Middle Finger Emoji”

In the category of cosmic revelations, add these stories:  “NASA Images of Cosmic Catastrophe Give Glimpse of Earth’s Ultimate Fate” and “Rare Merging Stars Spotted; Set to Explode,”  which is what Rep Elijah Cummings’ head just did as the Benghazi hearings moved into recess. Mr. Cummings has Venus opposing Pluto, suggesting no small amount of emotion invested in his social expression. He also has an intense pattern known as a T-Square involving Saturn, squaring a Mercury-Uranus opposition. This suggests a hard-nosed mindset, with the potential for disruptive communication.

Meanwhile, here’s cheerfully irreverent  NYT columnist Gail Collins with her unique take on today’s intensely dynamic inaction in Congress. It’s just about the lightest headline I can find right now. Most all of the rest concern military actions, arson and other violence around the world…what we might expect when a planet makes contact with Uranus and Pluto, as Mercury is doing now.  Thank goodness for goodnewsnetwork.org for a ray of sunshine…and hey! How about those Mets (unless you are a Cubs fan)?

To order 2016 Really Useful Mercury Rx Bookmarks (one for $2.88; three for $4.99, go here). For the 411 on personal consultations, go here. For albatross, go here.

Have a great weekend and thank you for reading this forecast.

Astro-logical Forecast for Wednesday 10/21/2015: Opportunity Knocks in a Horoscope

Allll-righty then!

Wednesday’s drive is brought to you by the Moon in humanitarian Aquarius, looking for a way to be appreciated for being such a good buddy to so many people, especially those on the fringe. It travels without much interference, boosted by an easy connection to mental Mercury at 6:11PM ET. You wanna talk about it rationally, with emotional detachment? Go for it. Because on Thursday at 5:20PM ET, Mercury will be challenged by ruthless Pluto, adding a mental catharsis or investigative power play to the mix. What news from underground will be added to what has already been uncovered this week?

And now, the news.

Monday’s election in Canada did result in a surprise upset, unless you’ve been reading this forecast regularly. If so, you were not surprised at all that Stephen Harper’s Conservative Party was soundly defeated by the opposition, and that Justin Trudeau will be Canada’s new prime minister. Astrology is amazing. And Mr. Harper’s lean, mean thinking machine of Mercury (mindset)-Saturn in Capricorn (conservative; authority)-Mars in Cancer (assertive homeland security needs) in a unsettling T-square pattern is out of a job. And Canada is out of Syria and Iraq.

Comedian John Oliver must be delighted, because he was hoping for an upset, too. It’s against the law in Canada for an outsider to tell a Canadian how to vote, but Mr. Oliver did it anyway. I wish I’d seen his informative and highly entertaining take on the three — (yes, there were three major contenders in the Canadian election), before I emailed Monday’s forecast to subscribers, but here it is now — just for them.  Watch and laugh uproariously…and experience the bewildering fog so notable in Canada’s horoscope (Neptune conjunct Ascendant), Stephen Harper’s(Sun opposite Neptune) and Justin Trudeau’s (Neptune opposing Saturn  — both square Ascendant). What a weird (Neptune), wacky (Canada’s Sun is conjunct Uranus). fiercely independent country it is, astro-logically speaking…

UPDATE: A few days ago I noted that we could expect supercharged action (and now, apparently disrupted ambition) from former Democratic presidential candidate Jim Webb, given patterns of stress in his horoscope. Today he bowed out as a Democratic contender…but hasn’t given up the idea of running as an Independent.

UPDATE: Paul Ryan’s horoscope has assertive and potentially expansive patterns involving his career for the next several days (not unlike VP Joe Biden). He reportedly took a meeting Tuesday to discuss running for House Speaker. No surprise, even if he did so reluctantly. Meanwhile, Harry Reid (D-NV) just endorsed him. And right this minute — 8:13PM ET — the NYT reports breaking news that yes, Mr. Ryan is willing to run for Speaker, if his party can get its act together. This comes less than two days before we see transiting Mars (action!) hitting his Midheaven (public status; career). Jeb Bush announced his campaign launch on a similar transit. Joe Biden will have this same transit exact on October 27th. You’re not surprised about any of this, either, being Avid Readers.

UPDATE:  My  world-famous 2016 Really Useful Mercury Retrograde Survival Guide Bookmarks are still available, and the number of times this link has been clicked compared to the number of actual requests received has me all confused. But perhaps you are confused by the ordering process. Please let me know if that is the case! Here’s what you do: just click this link.   It will take you to a lovely page with a gold DONATE button. Click on that gold button. It will take you to a PayPal page, which is how I am able to receive funds — unless you’d like to send me a check.

To help cover postage, lovely card stock for handwritten thank you notes and printing costs, I am asking $2.88 for one bookmark or $4.99 for three. Trust that they are beautifully designed. Really — would I send you anything that wasn’t? On the bookmark you’ll find the dates of 2016’s Mercury retrograde periods — there are FOUR of ’em. You’ll also find helpful reminders of how to handle the retrograde so you do not lose your mind. I am thrilled that many of you have ordered bookmarks for others, including Avid Reader Jane:

I would like to find out how much it would cost to get 10 Mercury retrograde bookmarks – I am so tired of my idiot friends who don’t get it, they just know something is off. To have your bookmark on hand to give them is the best idea ever.

My thoughts exactly. Make sure you include your snail mail address when you make your bookmark donation, as opposed to relying on telepathy.

OK, more news.

The lingering artsy idealism of Venus opposing Neptune! The enormous physical effort and optimism of last week’s Mars-Jupiter trine Pluto! A make-it-happen empire-friendly Moon in Capricorn during Monday Night Football….and why not air the trailer for STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS? The movie opens on Christmas Day. It will be a HUGE ENTERPRISE.

And while we’re on such a sci-fi bent, here’s a story about Back to the Future II, in which hero Marty McFly travels forward in time to October 21, 2015 — that’s today! What did the filmmakers get right when they imagined how things might be now back in 1989?

Finally, a healthcare PSA because helpful Aquarius Moon. If you’re a woman, the American Cancer Society now thinks you should have mammograms less often.

But wait! Don’t forget to grab a few bookmarks! Or if you’d really like to be thoroughly informed, consider booking a personal consultation. Just think how much easier it could be for Paul Ryan to make his career decisions if he was aware of the cycles of timing in his horoscope. He’d be far less stressed, I’m sure…

Thank you for reading this forecast.

Astro-logical Forecast for Monday & Tuesday 10/19-20/2015: Oh, Canada! Plus, Sneak Peek at the Week

Up and at ’em. The drive of the day is brought to you by the Moon in enterprising Capricorn, looking to make things happen. It is beautifully supported by three planets — Venus, Mars & Jupiter — which are closely aligned in detail-conscious Virgo. Around 3PM we may notice an emotional intensity or focused, resourceful power play, as the Moon meets up with Pluto. A disruption to the status quo may be noted around midnight, as the Moon makes its weekly clash with rebel Uranus at 12:25AM ET early Tuesday morning.

This focused drive continues until 4:31PM ET on Tuesday. Moon goes void at that time on a challenge between the Sun and the Moon. The First Quarter Moon  often brings challenges to the seeds that were planted on projects initiated on the New Moon. Make the required adjustments and then chill until 9:38PM ET Tuesday, when the Moon will be void of course. Regular readers of this forecast understand that Moon voids suggest a higher than average potential for flakes, twists and other upsets in efforts to move forward in a straight line. Avoid making mountains out of molehills. That crisis on your plate is likely much ado about nothing.

Planetary patterns are relatively light this week. On Thursday, just in time for Hillary Clinton to be grilled by Congress on the Benghazi Committee, mental Mercury will make the third in a series of muckraking, take-no-prisoners, mince-no-words squares to potent Pluto.  Pass the popcorn, because the only other non-lunar pattern exact this week is on Friday — and it is an easy alignment between Venus (women, money, art, social expression) and empowering Pluto.

On Friday, the Sun leaves Libra for Scorpio, because when else would we celebrate Halloween?  Bwahahahahahaha! By Friday we should be feeling the buzz and expansive bliss of Sunday’s double-header: 1) a Mercury-Uranus opposition, suggesting revelations in communication and technology; and 2) the third in a series of meet-ups between Venus and Jupiter, a.k.a. Sugar Baby and Cosmic Sugar Daddy. The first two meet-ups happened over the summer in rip roarin’ Leo; this one happens in Virgo and is thus less inclined towards drama and indulgence, more inclined towards refinement. Venus and Jupiter in contact with each other can also refer to diabetes. I wonder if we’ll see a breakthrough on that subject, or any other Venus-ruled health matter, e.g., kidneys and thyroid…or Jupiter-ruled matter, e.g., the liver.

And now, the news.

But first, a reminder about my  world-famous 2016 Really Useful Mercury Retrograde Survival Guide Bookmarks, and this quote from Avid Reader Bonnie:

That bookmark was awesome. I kept it in my datebook and referred to it many, many times during the retrogrades :)

Or this one, from Avid Reader Jane:

I would like to find out how much it would cost to get 10 Mercury retrograde bookmarks – I am so tired of my idiot friends who don’t get it, they just know something is off. To have your bookmark on hand to give them is the best idea ever.

Jane, I couldn’t agree more. And yes, I changed your name, in case your friends are reading this. Your bookmarks are in the mail, along with a handwritten note of thanks.  If anyone else would like one or more,  I will happily send one for $2.88 or three for $4.99 — just click this link and trust that they are beautifully designed and Really Useful. Make sure you include your snail mail address when you make your bookmark donation, as opposed to relying on telepathy.

And now, really the news.

There’s a big election happening today in Canada. I last wrote about our neighbor to the north here. Its horoscope is under pressure for a fresh start and/or a empowered change of identity now and through 2016, as Uranus and Pluto make contact with Canada’s Ascendant. Current Prime Minister Stephen Harper is running for an unprecedented fourth term, and here is  his horoscope — birth time unknown. The lean, mean thinking machine of his Mercury (mindset)-Saturn in Capricorn (conservative)-Mars (action, aggression) T-square is fast-losing the supercharge it’s enjoyed by transiting Uranus and Pluto. Interesting to see Mr. Harper has a Grand Trine among his Taurus Sun, Saturn and Pluto, suggesting a need to project a materially self-sufficient stance that, in politics, could favor the Powers That Be (Saturn in Capricorn – Pluto in Virgo). Interesting also to see his empire-building Taurus Sun opposed natally by dreamy Neptune.

Justin Trudeau, son of former PM Pierre Trudeau, is hoping to upset the Canadian status quo.  He’s a Capricorn whose pioneering, me-first Aries Moon is just getting started with supercharges from Uranus and Pluto. His 3 degree Capricorn Sun was supercharged from 2008 – 2011, and this is when his political career really revved up. With his Moon opposed by Uranus, we would expect him to be a natural-born firebrand, even though he needs to project an image of refined detail and correctness. Yep, Virgo Ascendant, with transiting Venus, Mars and Jupiter now sitting in his 1st House, suggesting opportunities for personal expansion.

Like Mr. Harper, Mr. Trudeau also has a T-square — a pattern of high developmental tension — among Mars (action), Pluto (perspective; resources) and his Capricorn Sun. The planets in this configuration are all at the Aries Point, suggesting he needs to — and is likely to — be noticed! Mr. Trudeau has  a Grand Trine, too — in Air Signs — among Venus (values, social expression)…and Saturn and Pluto. The Air element suggests a self-sufficiency in matters of intellect. He doesn’t need your opinion. He’s got everything figured out fine, thanks very much.

Mr. Trudeau’s 0 degree Gemini Saturn sits at the top of his horoscope, transmitting (potentially) the public status of executive authority. It’s being challenged by transiting Saturn sitting at the bottom of his horoscope at 1 Sagittarius. We could imagine that initiatives taken 14 and 7 years ago would be up for serious review…and that last year, domestic concerns may have been foremost on his agenda. It is a fascinating horoscope — I could write much more, but there’s no time…no time!

No idea who will win the election, but I am rooting for an upset…

UPDATE:  …and apparently so is John Oliver. It’s against the law in Canada for an outsider to tell a Canadian how to vote, but Mr. Oliver did it anyway. I wish I’d seen his informative and highly entertaining take on the three — yes, there are three — contenders in the Canadian election, before I posted today. Watch and laugh uproariously…and experience the bewildering fog so notable in Canada’s horoscope (Neptune conjunct Ascendant), Stephen Harper’s(Sun opposite Neptune) and Justin Trudeau’s (Neptune opposing Saturn  — both square Ascendant). What a weird (Neptune), wacky (Canada’s Sun is conjunct Uranus). fiercely independent country it is, astro-logically speaking…

John Oliver will also tell you about whatshisname, the other candidate in today’s election.

In other news…

The current trio of planets in Virgo suggests an energetic  focus on systems and processes in detail. Venus opposing Neptune — which happened over the weekend — suggests a need for beauty, peace, healing and artsy idealism. I was fascinated to see these themes explored in a lengthy NYT piece that took over a year to write. The reporter’s quest began last summer, when Saturn was smack dab in the middle of its Scorpionic obsession with matters of life and death. The reporter wondered what happens to people who die alone in New York. The result was this: “The Lonely Death of George Bell” — I highly recommend it.

Here’s another NYT piece about systems and processes, this one with a Venusian (feminine) spin: “Supers Who Break the Glass Ceiling”.  Systems and processes include diet and other issues involving metabolism. Oprah Winfrey just bought a big stake in Weight Watchers; the stock is soaring. Meanwhile, probiotics are making news in a positive way.

Venus-Neptune aspects can suggest selflessness and charity, as well as ideal love. In California, a couple called off their $35,000 wedding — and the bride’s parents invited almost 100 homeless people to enjoy what would have been the couple’s wedding feast. What random acts of kindness and senseless beauty have you committed lately? Have you shared this warm and fuzzy video of Koko the Gorilla getting a box of kittens for her 44th birthday (July 4th — supercharged by transiting Pluto)?

Thank you for reading this forecast. Here’s that link again to order your Mercury retrograde bookmarks….and here is the 411 on personal consultations. After I’ve posted that bookmark link five times, I will share with you the most valuable piece of information I ever received as a student at Wellesley College.

 

Astro-logical Forecast for Friday 10/16 & the Weekend: Righteous, High-Flying & Rose-Colored

TGIF!

Moon will leave the intensity of Scorpio as of 5:18AM ET Friday — with a fiery sigh of relief. In high-flying Sagittarius, it’s looking to push boundaries and express its righteous opinion —  whether you asked for it or not. What hits the wires around 10AM ET may be weightier than usual, courtesy of a Moon-Saturn meet-up, with plenty to talk about around 3:15PM ET, as the Moon makes an easy connection to mental Mercury.

Your Friday night happy hour looks good for indulgence and escape, as the Moon square Venus and Neptune.  The whole evening is dominated by a dreamy face-off between Venus (money, women, aesthetics, social expression) in Virgo and visionary/delusional Neptune at 10:54PM ET. Think big, think beauty, think perfect…down to the last detail. Why big?  Because of a meet-up between expansive Jupiter and assertive Mars in Virgo at 6:40PM ET on Saturday, perhaps pushing physical boundaries even further than the usual exuberance that accompanies a weekend with Moon in Sagittarius.  Go for a good gamble or gambol. Broaden your mind. Get out in nature. Treat yourself to a foreign movie or some other culture that is not your own.

There’s no Moon void to discourage your purchasing power on Saturday. On Sunday the Moon will be void between 4:48AM ET and 2:52PM ET, perfect for sleeping in, chilling out — or experiencing an upset victory or twist in a sports match. After that, the Moon gets down to business when it enters Capricorn, looking for an empire to build. The enterprising Capricorn energy continues through all of Monday and much of Tuesday, so no sleeping in.

And now, the news.

Oh wait — but first, this. I received the nicest email today about my world-famous Really Useful Mercury Retrograde Survival Guide Bookmarks! Much gratitude to Avid Reader Bonnie, who says:

That bookmark was awesome. I kept it in my datebook and referred to it many, many times during the retrogrades :)

Bonnie’s three 2016 bookmarks are now in the mail, and yours can be, too.  Last year I mailed out a zillion gratis. This year I’m asking for your help to cover costs. I will happily send you one for $2.88 or three for $4.99, along with a personalized note of thanks for your interest in this forecast. Huzzah!

OK, now the news.

Did you watch the debates on Tuesday? What did you think? Hillary did well, and now op-ed columnists for the New York Times are being paid to comment on what you already anticipated would happen. How can I get one of those gigs? Not that I do not love Gail Collins (here’s her take), but geez…

Bernie Sanders also did well, as anticipated — and bigger than Mrs. Clinton,  according to seemingly every source that was not the mainstream media. What’s up with that? Here’s the theory.

Martin O’Malley had that Moon in Scorpio stare — very intense. He sparked, as we’d expect he would with that Sun-Uranus thing going on in his horoscope. He’ll spark again in a couple of years, when his Capricorn Sun has another hit from rebel Uranus.

Jim Webb. He has a natal meet-up between Mars (action) and Saturn (discipline) in Cancer, potentially expressing homeland security needs in a militant/military manner. That pattern is currently being supercharged by Uranus (to his Saturn) and Pluto (to his Mars), and I was waiting to see how it would manifest. The moment came when he answered the question about enemies he had made, and he cited an encounter with a North Vietnamese soldier (Webb fought in the Vietnam War), noting that the soldier was no longer around. You can imagine why…and Mr. Webb’s remark did not go unnoticed.  Here’s how the Washington Post covered it. Fascinating, isn’t it?

Planetary patterns this week — detailed in Monday’s forecast — suggest athletics and fantasy. We’ve seen some wild play-off games in major league baseball, including one that is going on now, in a long and intense Moon void in Scorpio. Will there be an upset to report tomorrow in tonight’s battle between the “upstart Mets” and the “star-driven Dodgers”?

Fantasy sports are still making headlines — now banned in Nevada. Even former Lakers’ forward Lamar Odom’s tragic story reflects the bewildering downside of current patterns. Mr. Odom was found unconsciousness in a Nevada brothel and is still in a coma; drugs were reportedly involved. You may recall he was married briefly to one of the Kardashians.  Here is his noon horoscope. You can see how strong Neptune is in his natal chart and by transit over the past several years. Right now we note transiting Saturn — a big reality check — making contact with other planets — and in contrast with other transits involving expansive, potentially wretchedly excessive Jupiter. Very sobering and sad.

Health care is making big news this week, too. With Mars (action) and Jupiter (expansion) in Virgo (healthcare) — both in touch with Pluto (resources) — Medicare premiums are set to “surge”.  Unless Congress decides to be more generous. Which it may, as Venus meets up with Jupiter on October 25th.

Finally, an update on former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, who made scandalous headlines  during another heavy Neptune period back in May. You may remember he was accused of  paying hush money  to quash allegations of sexual misconduct involving one of his students when he was a high school teacher and coach.  Now he will apparently plead guilty to at least some of the charges.  In May it was noted in this forecast (see preceding link), that Mr. Hastert has Mercury at 18 Capricorn, recently squared by transiting Uranus at 18 Aries. Uranus transits often coincide with sudden revelations.

You may recall that almost-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy also has Mercury (and Venus) at 18 Capricorn. His bid to become Speaker was derailed last week — suddenly — by certain revelations, too — remember? Isn’t astrology amazing?

Now don’t forget to order your Really Useful Mercury Rx Survival Guide Bookmarks here: $2.88 for 1; $4.99 for 3 — and please don’t forget to email me your snail mail address. These are not virtual bookmarks — they are REAL!

Thank you for reading this forecast. Wishing you an exuberantly righteous Moon in Sagittarius weekend!