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Astro-logical Forecast for Monday 8/29/2016: Sneak Peek at the Week; Mercury Retrograde Survival Guide

Good Morning!

The work week begins — for those who haven’t headed to the beach for the last week of August — with the Moon in rip, roarin’ Leo. Find a way to shine — and help others, shine, too. Party on, dudes! Make way for drama kings and queens!

The Leo Moon cruises without much interference for the next three days. If you’re feeling emotionally buffeted, you can’t blame it on the ups and downs of tense aspects from other planets to the Moon. You can take advantage of a steady flow of lunar energy driving the day and work without distraction. Or play to your heart’s content if you are beaching it.

Venus leaves Virgo for Libra — one of her home signs — at 10:07PM ET. This is generally a happy occasion, as the planet referring to social expression, women, art and money is well-supported by Libra’s people-pleasing need for beauty and balance. It facilitates being less of a Venus in Virgo critic, more of a diplomat with social graces. At 0 Libra, Avid Readers will note that Venus is thus at the Aries Point, so we can expect matters of women, money, values, beauty to be especially prominent for the next day or so — with a spin on what is fair and just — or just right (for stories crossing the wires with Virgo at the very end of Virgo).

Re: “just right” — here’s an apt piece on how women aren’t buying from certain retailers who persist in offering bad clothes.  Here’s one about a woman in Australia making headlines for replacing her mugshot with a more flattering photo. Really, why is this making news NOW?

Tomorrow at 9:04AM ET, Mercury turns retrograde at 9:04AM ET — here is your Mercury retrograde survival guide:

Even if you know nothing else about astrology, you may have heard this term before. Often it’s accompanied by curses and groans, and that’s a shame. Yes, all of the flights on American Airlines might be grounded because of a computer glitch. Or the entire country of Finland might be offline because there’s a transportation strike (actual Mercury Rx events). But there’s much good that can be accomplished when the Messenger Planet appears to be retracing its steps.

Mercury—which in the language of astrology refers to mindset, travel and communication—will appear to move backward through the sky until September 22nd. It’s not really moving backward, but that is how it looks from our perspective here on Spaceship Earth. Mercury goes retrograde 3-4 times each year, for a period of 22 days.

Contrary to popular belief, Mercury retrogrades are no reason to freak out. Mercury retrograde gets a bad rap because we are geared, in this crazy modern age, to always be thinking, doing, moving FORWARD. You know what that gets you? BURN OUT. We need our down times, and Mercury retrograde is a perfect time to give our minds a rest. Why else would your computer, phone and/or car choose THIS time to malfunction? Because you are supposed to be slowing down. And as you slow down, it is vitally important that you FOCUS.

When Mercury is retrograde, be prepared for travel delays, scheduling screw-ups, mechanical breakdowns, computer crashes, having to repeat what you’ve just said, misunderstandings, the past coming back for a second look, surprise reunions and having to repeat what you just said. Use your FOCUS and double check important details, like whether the restaurant you’ve chosen for a meet-up is still in business. Or whether it is booked for a commercial shoot or a private party — all of which has happened to me during Mercury retrogrades.

If you are looking for a job, Mercury retrogrades are a perfect time to reach out to people from your past. Mine your address book and trust that your contacts will be happy to hear from you. However, do not be frustrated if your target is away on vacation or keeps rescheduling meetings. Also, triple check your emails and resumes before you hit “send,” as there is a higher probability of typos and other sloppy snafus.

In your business, you’ll need to make sure all communications have been received and are clearly understood. Be mindful of the higher potential for communications equipment to go on the fritz. MAKE SURE YOUR FILES ARE BACKED UP. Also be aware of a higher than average probability for delays in shipping and travel arrangements. For this you will need an extra dose of patience.

You may also find it profitable to REview a project from the past. Maybe you shelved it then, but now is the time to REconsider. However, be advised that a spontaneously, “out-of-the-blue” idea for advancement may not be so sound when Mercury turns direct. This is why the conventional wisdom advises against finalizing and/or signing contracts on deals during Mercury retrograde. An exception might be supported if you are REnegotiating or RElocating. If you absolutely must close a deal, triple check everything. The key is not to RUSH.

This is a good time to schedule a corporate REtreat. Any activity that affords the opportunity to REview past performance is encouraged. REsearch on a new strategy is also favored.

Mercury retrogrades are not favored for launching a new website or a new communications systems. There is a higher than average probability of technical glitches and confusion.

In general, adopt a playful attitude of flexibility to whatever twists you encounter. Avoid making major purchases (especially electronic ones). Don’t believe everything you hear or read in the papers. Rumors have a higher probability of spreading during Mercury retrogrades. Avoid losing patience — that’s a big one.

When in doubt, be silent!

Do plan on RElaxing, REviewing, REsearching, REorganizing, REgenerating, REconnecting and REcreating….and REviewing your life with your astrologer.

This Mercury retrograde happens at 29 degrees of Virgo, suggesting that whatever is up for REview and RElaxation likely involves discerning analysis about an issue’s practical service and cooperation. If you have a planet or angle around 29 degrees of Gemini, Pisces, Sagittarius and especially Virgo, you are more personally affected by this particular Mercury retrograde. If you don’t have a planet on those degrees, find out what house in your horoscope 14-29 Virgo falls. That’s is the area of your life now up for REview.

As I have written in prior forecasts, the end of this week features a New Moon in a tense pattern with Saturn (real) and Neptune (unreal), similar to what we experienced the first week of June. Except this New Moon (in Virgo) will be an eclipse. There is no need to run screaming down the halls. More on that later this week.

Your Moon voids for the week: Wednesday 12:20AM ET until 11:22AM ET; Friday 6:13PM ET until 8:55PM ET. Sunday has a long one: 8:30PM ET until 8:38AM ET — but shouldn’t be too challenging for folks in the Americas. Moon voids — during which the Moon wanders without much focus — are apt for taking care of routine matters — and rolling serenely with whatever twists and flakes may derail efforts to move forward in a straight line.

I leave you with this image of senseless beauty, suitable for Venus at the Aries Point — on its way into lovely Libra. I buy these wildflowers for five bucks at the local farmers market — a fresh bouquet each week.  They remind me of summers spent in Maine during my childhood. Much gratitude to Avid Readers Diane, Earleen, Teri and others, whose combined efforts enabled this month’s flower fix. When I gaze at these flowers, I think of you. Too pretty to keep to myself — may their beauty brighten your day! UPDATE: Here’s a link to the Flower Fund, since an Avid Reader kindly asked. More gratitude!

Thank you for reading this forecast.

Astro-logical Forecast for Thursday-Sunday 8/25-28/2016: Big Bountiful Weekend

The buzzing sound you hear is the day being driven by an information-seeking Moon in Gemini. It will be fiercely opposed, provoked and transcended by Saturn (12:29PM ET), Mars (1:34PM ET) and Neptune (2:07PM ET), putting a serious and possibly surreal spin on a set of facts. Action for the sake of vision, healing, peace, oil, drugs, scandal and other Neptune themes are likely to hit the headlines as Mars clashes with Neptune at 2:57AM ET on FRIDAY.

On Friday, the Gemini buzz of information and communication in excruciatingly perfect details may be amplified in the afternoon and evening hours, ET. Moon clashes with Venus, Jupiter and Mercury — all in Virgo. Oh what dirt shall be dished? Moon goes void at 8:30PM ET and enters home/family/emotional security-seeking Cancer at 11:06PM ET.

There’s no void to interfere with your shopping on Saturday, and you may be tempted to indulge. Venus meets up with Jupiter at 6:29PM ET, suggesting generosity to a fault — and an extra bonus of appreciation if you have a planet or angle around 27 degrees of Virgo. Were you born around the 20th of September? How potentially lucky for you! Will the markets close on a high on Friday — reflecting the expansive potential of Venus and Jupiter, against the background of the bubble suggested by Mars and Saturn with Neptune?

Moon continues through Cancer on SUNDAY, making its weekly clash with Pluto at 1:39AM ET. Power plays and emotional catharses perhaps, for those personally affected; i.e., with planets around 15 degrees — halfway through– of Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn. Moon clashes with Uranus at 5:41PM ET; there’s the signal for an upset or flash of illumination that clears the air.

No sleeping in on MONDAY. Did you BACK UP YOUR COMPUTERS yet? Mercury goes retrograde on TUESDAY at 9:04AM ET. Do not say you were not advised.

That being said, Mercury retrogrades are an awesome time to review your life with your astrologer. Here’s how to schedule a personal consultation.

And now, the news.

The poster child for this week’s planetary patterns, reflecting the dogged determination and humorless discipline of Mars conjunct Saturn; the surreal scandal of Mars square Neptune; the abundance of Venus conjunct Jupiter with all of their Virgo papers in order. Not to mention the stubborn and patient Moon in Taurus, seeking to fulfill its need for material comfort and security on the day this story broke: “‘I Wasn’t Crazy’: A Homeless Woman’s Long War to Prove the Feds Owe Her $100,000”. And they did, too.

I was expecting militant action in the wake of the meet-up between warrior Mars and ambitious Saturn. Turkey sent forces into Syria in its biggest effort yet against the Islamic State. Native Americans are taking a militant, non-violent stand against an oil pipeline that is planned to cross through their reservations and under numerous rivers (200 times — what could go wrong)? The pipeline is ‘just a few miles shorter” than the infamous, cancelled Keystone XL project and it’s been on a fast track since 2014. Yesterday a federal judge in Illinois said he would rule on the project by September 9th.

Elsewhere, French police are taking a militant stand against Muslim women caught wearing a burkini on a beach, demanding that the women remove their clothes. In Norway, women will now be required to serve time in the military and — as this article reports –– they will be bunked in mixed dorms. In Texas, students protested a new law permitting the concealed carry of guns on campus by openly carrying sex toys — which is forbidden. Militant and surreal — thank you, added dose of Neptune. Which is an apt time to announce that Texas has the dubious honor of having the highest maternal mortality rate in the developed world, as this Guardian article reports:

From 2000 to the end of 2010, Texas’s estimated maternal mortality rate hovered between 17.7 and 18.6 per 100,000 births. But after 2010, that rate had leaped to 33 deaths per 100,000, and in 2014 it was 35.8. Between 2010 and 2014, more than 600 women died for reasons related to their pregnancies.

No other state saw a comparable increase.

Meanwhile…

The astrological signature for earthquakes is Uranus, the sudden disruptor of the status quo. With all of this Mars-Saturn-Neptune potential for militant/destructive action, how did Uranus figure into devastating the 6.2 quake that hit Italy on August 24th at 3:36AM CEDT? Great question. Mars made a 135 degree aspect to Uranus on the 23rd. The technical term for a 135 degree aspect is sesquiquadrate and while considered to be a minor aspect compared to the major aspects we cover in the scope of this forecast, it is considered to an aspect of tension. We also see Uranus and Pluto in contact with the Ascendant and Midheaven of the chart for the earthquake, suggesting the potential for disruption. A more powerful, but less destructive 6.8 quake hit later in Myanmar, and if I could find a reliable local time for the event, I’d compare the charts.

Sagittarius suggests wide open spaces — the wilder, the better. Virgo suggests conservation — and it’s an Earth sign. Today is the 100th anniversary of the National Parks Service — huzzah! Through Sunday, in the glow of Saturday’s generous, earth-conserving meet-up between Venus and Jupiter, admission to the parks will be free.  How apropos — and if we thoroughly mess this world up, there may be hope on a newly-discovered possibly Earth-like planet called Proxima b.

Finally — this has just been posted on the NYT site during a Gemini buzz buzz Moon, though it won’t arrive in print until Saturday: “Inside Facebook’s (Totally Insane, Unintentionally Gigantic, Hyperpartisan) Political-Media Machine.”  Also reflective of planetary patterns.

Thank you for reading this forecast and for sharing it with your friends. Consider posting it on Facebook — to break up the monotonous stream of political blather on your newsfeed. Your friends will thank you — and so will I.

Have a great weekend!

 

 

Astro-logical Forecast for Tuesday & Wednesday 8/23-24/2016: Down the Hatch with Mars, Saturn & Neptune

With the Moon now firmly planted in Taurus, go about your day with a mind to establishing material comfort and security. Comfort food and drink, music and a snuggle with your sweetie are some of the pleasures of the senses in which you may indulge. Tap in to the upside of tomorrow’s meet-up between action hero Mars and control freak Saturn: exercise discipline and dogged determination in your pie-in-the-sky, righteous pursuits. And let’s hope for the sake of all of us that you’re on the side of the angels.

Moon goes void tomorrow (WEDNESDAY) at 3:38PM ET. It enters Gemini at 7:40PM ET, shifting gears with its need to be the smartest kid in the room. Buzz, buzz, buzz…what will be the buzz on the Third Quarter Moon between the Virgo Sun and Gemini Moon at 11:41PM ET?

And now, the news.

This just in from Avid Reader Wendy, who is also a consistent and cherished Supporter of this forecast:

Your blog has me wondering about what planetary patterns have brought about an increase in news around Music and scientific studies related to it.  Encountered these two stories this week. First a new book out about effects of music on healing:

http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2016-08-17/new-use-of-music-in-medical-treatments

The author of the book “Waking the Spirit” discusses his experience playing live music to help patients recovering from surgery.   Including this interesting quote about Bach’s music:

From neuromusicologist Dr. Arthur Harvey: “Of all the music we tested in medical school with patients, colleagues and others, Bach’s music consistently made the brain work in a balanced way better than any other genre.”

Also,  a study of brain scans, taken of musician Sting while listening to music, to research how the brain of an expert associates music:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/08/17/neuroscientists-scanned-stings-brain-heres-what-they-learned/

Just thought this would be of interest because the of the links to the Hathor healing music you have included in your blog.  Thank you for sharing them.  I have listened to that music to help me fall asleep at night.

Thank you, Wendy! I’d argue that these stories reflect the potential for a practical application (Saturn) of the intangible (Neptune in Pisces), suggested by the current 90 degree arc (square) between them. It’s fascinating to note that Sting’s Saturn and Neptune are strongly placed in his horoscope. Saturn conjoins his Libra Sun; Neptune conjoins his Libra Moon and the whole lot of them are in a dynamic pattern (T-square) with genius Uranus and expansive Jupiter. The man has the potential for discipline and vision to rock the world, big time! His Mercury (the way he needs to think) is at 28 Virgo — about to be hit by transiting Jupiter. How interesting that the way he needs to think has just been published, which transiting Jupiter would suggest!

UPDATE: on Melania Trump. On August 8th, I noted, “transiting Mars will oppose Mrs. Trump’s natal Mars on August 15th. This suggests provocative action.” And when I wrote “provocative action,” I meant either on her part or on the part of someone else, in the form of an attack, action or outburst. That is what Mars symbolizes. I’m pleased to report that astrology continues to be amazing, as last week a British tabloid published an extremely provocative article. During yesterday’s Moon void “much ado about nothing,” a lawyer representing Mrs. Trump put that media outlet and others on notice, as the NYT reports:

In an email, the lawyer, Charles J. Harder, said Ms. Trump, the wife of Donald J. Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, “has placed several news organizations on notice of her legal claims against them, including Daily Mail among others, for making false and defamatory statements about her supposedly having been an ‘escort’ in the 1990s.”

“All such statements are 100 percent false, highly damaging to her reputation, and personally hurtful,” Mr. Harder added. “She understands that news media have certain leeway in a presidential campaign, but outright lying about her in this way exceeds all bounds of appropriate news reporting and human decency.”

UPDATE: on Rudy Giuliani, whose horoscope was last covered here on July 11th:

His bewildering 2015 Neptune-Sun transit is behind him, and now he has Solar Arc Midheaven and Ascendant in nearly exact contact with his natal rebel Uranus all year. This suggests opportunities and needs for taking the stage, shining in the spotlight and perhaps a dramatic new direction in his career/public status. Let’s watch.

On July 14th it was announced that Mr. Giuliani would be one of the speakers at the Republican Convention, where his speech set the house on fire. Since then, he’s been the warm-up act for the Republican Party’s presidential nominee, gleefully disrupting the status quo as one might expect with a double-whammy of electrifying Uranus active in a horoscope. I wish I’d bookmarked the Twitter responses from Distinguished Paid Pundits who marveled at the high energy and hand waving of Mr. Giuliani’s RNC speech, wondering why they hadn’t seen it when Mr. Giuliani last ran for office some years ago. Astrology, you Paid Pundits. Astrology!

There’s always room for improvement. Especially with so many planets in perfection-seeking Virgo. Thus, last week the NYT decided it was time to update its list of “15 Ways to Be a Better Person.”

Meanwhile, I see a reflection of this week’s Mars-Saturn-Neptune drama in Sagittarius (nature) and Pisces (refugees) in this headline: “As Homeless Find Refuge in Forest, ‘Anger is Palpable’ in Nearby Towns.”  On the drug front (Neptune), there’s outrage at a pharmaceutical company — Mylan — which has steadily been raising the price of its life-saving Epipen from $100 (in 2007) to over $600 as of this May. These pens have a shelf life of one year and most allergy sufferers, including children, must carry two of them. Surely I can’t be the only one thinking, “What the hell is wrong with you, Mylan?!”

Elsewhere, Stanford University (Sagittarius refers to higher education) has taken a hard-line approach (Mars-Saturn) to sexual assaults on campus and banned hard liquor (Neptune) at campus parties. Overly idealistic (Neptune)? Or a pragmatic start (Saturn)?  This edict arrives just in time for a newly-sober woman to pen this hardcore piece on “The Infuriating Truth About Why Women Drink.” And for this video arguing that the root cause of addiction is lack of connection. That’s a Saturn (separation) vs. Neptune (communion) challenge if ever there was one.

On an uplifting note, militant discipline (Mars-Saturn) has effected healing (Neptune) in a small town in England. In 10 years the village of Ashton Hayes has cut its carbon emissions by 24%. See how they did it. And file this one under the surreal spin Neptune can add to the militant discipline of Mars and Saturn: “Sir Nils Olav the Penguin Receives Military Promotion at Edinburgh Zoo.”  If only every army in the world was commandeered by a penguin….

Last but not least, here is Beth Owlsdaughter’s wise and wonderful Tarot Card of the Week.  Many Avid Readers have become Avid Fans of Beth’s work. Thus I am sad to report that she was dealt a challenging hand last week. In the wake of an utterly humorless Saturn-Venus square, she was diagnosed with breast cancer — details are posted here.

Beth is a fighter. True to this week’s fiercely disciplined Mars-Saturn alignment, she is determined to keep posting her weekly card pulls as she tackles this battle. Courage, blessings and much love to you, Beth. Courage and blessings and love to everyone fighting whatever challenges are on their respective plates. We are all fighting a unique battle on our personal hero’s quest. Trite, perhaps — but it’s true.

Onward!

Thank you for reading this forecast.

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Astro-logical Forecast for Monday 8/22/2016: Sneak Peek at the Week: Mars, Saturn & Neptune Walk into a Bar…

Good Morning!

The Aries Moon went void at 7:48AM ET, on a meet-up with disruptive Uranus. Mental energy may be especially super-charged, courtesy of an earlier meet-up between Mercury (mindset) and Jupiter (big!) in Virgo (discerning analysis) at 5:05AM ET.  Take care of routine concerns and roll with whatever twists may derail your focus on me-me-me Moon in Aries concerns. Remember that crises that crop up during voids are often much ado about nothing. Chill!

The void ends at 5:19PM ET, when the Moon’s ingress into Taurus needs to settle things down. Meanwhile, at 12:39PM ET, the Sun leaves Leo and enters Virgo, where it will be until September 22nd.

What can we say about Virgo? Well, it is an earth sign (as opposed to fire, water or air), and thus practical, with material concerns. It is also a mutable sign, as opposed to cardinal or fixed. What does that mean? Cardinal signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn; they need to come up with the idea and take action.  Fixed signs are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius. These signs need to organize and give form to the concepts pitched by cardinal signs. Mutable signs — Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces — get to spread the word about the cool forms the fixed signs made. Mutable signs are much more subject to change, compared to Cardinal and Fixed. Think of a weathervane spinning in whatever direction the wind happens to blow.

Other Virgo tidbits: it is ruled by Mercury. Virgo is all about analysis and making thing right.  In health matters,  Virgo rules the intestinal tract and assimilation. If you have planets in Virgo in your horoscope, and they are under a great deal of developmental tension, you may have some issues with your digestive system, especially with how your system absorbs nutrition from food. At the end of the day we’ll have four planets in Virgo: Sun, Mercury, Venus and Jupiter. That’s a lot of energy focused on analysis and other forms of breaking things down into tiny bits of data.

The biggest planetary news this week is Mars, the warrior planet of action, meeting up with Saturn, the structuring authority figure.  This will be on Wednesday at 7:27AM ET, but we’ve been feeling it for the past week. The meet-up happens at 9 degrees of Sagittarius, and if you have a planet or angle around 8-12 degrees of Sagittarius, Virgo, Pisces and Gemini, you’re feeling the pressure more personally. Mars and Saturn together suggest hardcore discipline in action that can be militant. In Sagittarius, the action is sure to be righteous and the sky’s the limit! Sagittarius refers to the media and other systems of collective thought; it also refers to foreigners and wilderness.

The Sabian Symbol for the Mars-Saturn meet-up (a.k.a. a conjunction) is “a golden-haired goddess of opportunity,” which, for an event that is creating such an apprehensive buzz among certain astrologers, suggests a successful venture, for better or for worse. Adding another layer of color to the meet-up is the Fixed Star Antares, also at 9 Sagittarius. Antares is associated with military campaigns and strategic plans for advance and/or conquest. In touch with Mars, anger is suggested as a driving force, raging against the proverbial machine.

But wait — there’s more. Mars will square Neptune on Friday at 2:57AM ET. The U.S. has a Mars-Neptune square in its horoscope, and we see it reflected in the U.S.’s idealized romance (Neptune) with guns, wars and heroic action (Mars). Neptune with Mars suggests sex appeal, fantasy, delusion/illusion. Is it any wonder that another big American influence is the film and TV industry? Neptune also refers to spirits, drugs, healing, oil, refugees, floods, scandal, deceit — just to name a few. Should be a very interesting week in the headlines — with more to come on September 1st, That’s when the Sun will engage with Saturn and Neptune at 9 Virgo. It will be a New Moon. It will also be an eclipse.

On Saturday at 6:29PM ET, Venus and Jupiter meet up at 27 Virgo. This could bring an expansive opportunity for those born around the 20th of September, December, March and June. Beata te — lucky you — as they say in Italia. Looks like a good day to enjoy the comforts of home and nurturing, as the Moon will be in Cancer.

The last few days of August include Venus leaving Virgo for Libra on the 29th (how lovely) and…..(drum roll, please)…Mercury turning RETROGRADE on the 30th at 9:04AM ET. It turns direct on September 22nd. BACK UP YOUR COMPUTERS NOW.

Moon voids for the week, other than today: Wednesday 3:38PM ET through 7:40PM ET; Friday 8:30PM ET thru 11:06PM ET.

To find out what all this means for you and your own unique horoscope, why not schedule a personal consultation? Here’s the 411. If you’re already working with an astrologer — or you happen to be an astrologer — but you love reading these forecasts, here is how to  support their ongoing existence, with much gratitude for your appreciation.

The news will be back tomorrow.

Thank you for reading this forecast and sharing it with the rest of the Free World. Referrals are wonderful!

 

Astro-logical Forecast for Friday 8/19/2016 & the Weekend: Rock ‘n Roll

TGIF!

Yesterday (Thursday), when I started writing the weekend forecast, the Aquarius Moon was void until 12:34PM ET. Your marching orders would have been to take care of routine concerns and roll with whatever twists and flakes that may have derailed your efforts to move forward in a straight line (guilty as charged). Consider whatever Full Moon illumination you may have received in matters of a need for personal expression (Sun in Leo) vs. the needs of the collective (Aquarius).

Example: Thursday night in a Facebook group, a fellow Wellesley alum shared fears about being over a Certain Age, without a spouse, children or siblings. Not surprising, in the wake of last weekend’s hard aspect between Saturn (mortality, aging) turning direct in hard aspect to Venus (women).  She’s afraid to grow old alone, without a system of support in these very expensive, uncertain times. “We’ll all have to share a house together,” I posted. “Just like the Golden Girls.” My fellow alum felt better, and other members of the group have chimed in, with serious ideas about how such a collective support system could be constructed. Exhibit A: Babayaga’s House in Paris (reflecting yesterday’s harmonious alignment between Venus and Pluto, suggesting the empowerment of the feminine). Exhibit B: tiny houses, brought to you by Jupiter in Virgo, glorifying that which is small.

We must all hang together, or we will surely hang separately, as the saying goes.

Once the Moon entered Pisces — THURSDAY at 12:34PM ET, it floats through the rest of the day without interference, facilitating a need to identify that which is ideal. Its sensitivity may be jarred by a combative clash with Mars at 12:53 AM ET on FRIDAY, followed by a streamlining or oppressive reality check presented by Saturn at 5:19AM ET. Note your dreams upon waking on FRIDAY, as the Moon meets up with Neptune at 7:22AM ET. More of the surreal in the headlines?

(As of Friday,  I’m noting Ryan Lochte’s story of being robbed at gunpoint in Rio totally unravel, along with Paul Manafort’s brief reign as campaign manager for That Guy Who Won’t Stop Dominating My Newsfeed, Including Turning Up as a Naked Statue in Cities Across America). With respect to Mr. Manafort, let the record show that impulsive hiring decisions made when Mars is retrograde, as it was in May, have a higher than average probability of not going as planned.)

No yard sales or other impulsive purchases on SATURDAY between 8:21AM ET and 3:18PM ET, as the Moon will be void. After the void, Moon charges into Aries, no doubt falling down stairs because it’s faster than walking.  On SUNDAY, note the potential for an emotional power play or other catharsis around 4:42PM ET, as the Moon makes its weekly clash with Pluto. Look for some big ideas — possibly involving publishing and other media — to hit the headlines over the weekend, as mental Mercury meets up with expansive Jupiter, exact at 5:05AM ET on MONDAY. If you have planets around 26 degrees of Virgo, Gemini, Pisces or Sagittarius, maybe one of those big ideas will be yours.

What’s going on in your horoscope? Here’s the 411 on personal consultations. If you already have an astrologer on your support team, no worries. You can still support the continued existence of this forecast here. 

And now, the news.

Did you know that Aquarius rules the ankles? And that we have 83 planets in Virgo now, facilitating detailed analysis of anything and everything? On the NYT homepage a detailed analysis of the imperfections in the ankles of Michelangelo’s statue of David popped up, with the Moon in Aquarius, waxing full. The author of the piece, Sam Anderson, has thought a lot about perfection and overwhelming loads and their implications:

Perfection, it turns out, is no way to try to live. It is a child’s idea, a cartoon — this desire not to be merely good, not to do merely well, but to be faultless, to transcend everything, including the limits of yourself. It is less heroic than neurotic, and it doesn’t take much analysis to get to its ugly side: a lust for control, pseudofascist purity, self-destruction…

It’s a most fascinating read.

UPDATE: Saturn turning direct in Sagittarius is an apt backdrop for the closing of Gawker.com. The irreverent media outlet was purchased this week by Univision. Saturn refers to controls and limits; Sagittarius refers to publishing, pushing boundaries and freedom of speech, no matter what. Saturn won this round and for the moment, Gawker is history.

Meanwhile…

If a box of rocks had a horoscope, what would it look like? I pondered this question while watching Trump spokesperson Katrina Pierson on CNN, defending her statement that “President Obama took the U.S. into Afghanistan,” which in fact, he did not do (this happened in 2001, at the direction of President George W. Bush). With this particular case, I’d expect to see planetary patterns suggesting the following: stubborn, fixed, bombastic, idealism/delusion, fringe. That would be Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius, Neptune and Uranus. Let’s take a look.

Apparently born on July 20, 1976 — somewhere in Kansas — birth time unknown, Ms. Pierson would be driven by a Moon in Taurus. We would expect her to prioritize a need for material security and would be highly resistant to change. Taurus is an earth sign, and this is where we see Jupiter (expansion) conjunct the unfortunate Fixed Star Algol. She can’t help but go overboard/lose her head in matters related to her need for comfort/stability as a reward. Those patterns can be rocky, but with her Jupiter in touch with her boss’s Mars, Ascendant and Midheaven, we could see why he would hire her to promote his image at this particular time.

In this horoscope, we also see a mash-up of Mercury, Venus and Saturn, together in regal Leo. Heavy, conservative and dramatic in thought and expression? You bet, and those three planets — along with her Sun at 28 Cancer — are all square to erratic Uranus, the planet that invented fringe. So far, so good. As for idealism, we see Mercury (her mindset) so close to her Cancer Sun that it is blinded by its light. We also see the potential for delusion in a square between Mars and Neptune.

Similar patterns are apparent in the horoscope of another curiously stubborn case. A film has been made about Brunhilde Pomsel, now 105 years old. She worked for the infamous Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels. In a recent interview, she is unrepentant about her past; to her, it was “just another job;” her boss and his wife were “nice” people. Born on Jan 11 1911 in Berlin, she may also have an intractable, comfort-seeking Taurus Moon if she was born before 9AM.  Her Capricorn Sun together with Mercury suggests idealism, augmented by their opposition to nebulous Neptune. She may well have purchased the Brooklyn Bridge — several times! A square between Venus (values; social expression) and Saturn (control) suggests a likelihood of erring on the side of caution/conservatism/harshness. Her “fringe factor” is suggested by Uranus, sandwiched between her Venus and the Sun.

Uranus also refers to freedom and the need to be oneself without compromise. If you were born around the 14th of April, July, October or January — or if you have a significant planet or angle at 24 degrees of Aries, Capricorn, Libra or Cancer — you are likely feeling an intense need to break out of a shell. That’s what was going on in Chelsea Manning’s horoscope back in February of 2010, when she finally dared to face her fear of appearing in public dressed as a woman, i.e., true to her identity. With transiting Jupiter (expansion) now exactly square to her natal Sun-Uranus conjunction, as well as Venus at 24 Capricorn, it makes sense that we are seeing the story about her revolutionary dare in print today.  Astrology is amazing!!

Have a great weekend — Moon will be void on Monday between 7:48AM ET and 5:19PM ET — if you sleep in, it will likely be without consequence.

Here’s the 411 on personal consultations.

Thank you for sharing this forecast with the rest of the Free World.

 

Astro-logical Forecast for Monday 8/15/2016: Sneak Peek at the Week, Full Moon/Eclipse, Heavy Venus-Saturn-Neptune Round-Up

Up and at ’em!

A make-it-happen Capricorn Moon drives the start of the work week. It goes void at 10:45PM ET, entering Aquarius, the Networking King/Queen at 7:52AM ET on TUESDAY. An easy alignment between Sun and rebel/geek Uranus, exact on Tuesday, favors innovation, tech-savviness and — hey — astrology. An easy alignment between Venus and Pluto, exact on Wednesday facilitates emotional depth — for better or for worse — and transformed perspectives in relationships, with a likely emphasis on the empowerment of the feminine.

Emotions are on the rise, as the Moon waxes to its exact fullness on THURSDAY at 5:26AM ET. This Full Moon is also an eclipse. Lunar eclipses suggest opportunities to release what no longer serves. If you are unable to release it consciously, forces beyond your control may take it away. Wherever 25 degrees of Leo/Aquarius fall in your horoscope suggest areas in your life where you may be invited to clean house. If a planet or angle is connected to those degrees, issues related to that planet or angle are likely to be involved. When might you expect such a release? That’s an excellent question which I would be delighted to answer and discuss  in a personal consultation. Here’s the 411!

Famous people whose horoscopes are personally affected by this eclipse include Donald Trump (Mars and Ascendant at 26 and 29 Leo); Jimmy Carter (Mars at 25 Aquarius; Venus at 23 Leo); Bill Clinton (Sun at 26 Leo); Michael Bloomberg (Sun at 25 Aquarius); Terry Gilliam (24 Leo Moon); Neel Kashkari (26 Leo Moon); Roman Polanski (Sun 24 Leo); George H.W. Bush (26 Leo Ascendant conjunct Nodal Axis; Mars at 25 Aquarius).

Those are the major planetary patterns happening in this last week with the Sun in fiery Leo. Your Moon voids — natural chill periods when we are encouraged to focus on routine concerns and go with the flow of twists and flakes — are as follows: Thursday 5:26AM ET – 12:34PM ET; Saturn 8:21AM ET – 3:18PM ET. Keep on truckin’!

And now, the news.

Heavy heavy heavy everywhere in matters of women, money, authority, structure and aesthetics, with shades of soulful suffering, charity, forgiveness, redemption, high art and deception. As in practically every single headline I’ve seen on multiple news platforms. Each reflecting the bewildering gravitas of Saturn in Sagittarius turning direct on Saturday, squared by Venus and opposed by Neptune.

Exhibit A: “How One Family is Sending 13 Kids to College, Living Debt-Free and Still Plans to Retire Early” Yes, they are thrifty and disciplined (Saturn) with cash and values (Venus), but read between the lines and you’ll notice that much of their success depends on gifts of time and resources from their supportive community (Neptune). It takes a village, as they say. Exhibit B: “An Incurable Disease Covered Her Face in Tumors. She Had to Learn to Like Herself.” is a story of one woman’s healing and empowerment under harsh circumstances. Exhibit C: “Was Alec Baldwin the Victim of a Paint and Switch?”  recounts a potential case of fraud in the world of Really Expensive Art. Exhibit D: a somber reminder that the 250 Nigerian schoolgirls abducted over a year ago have not been rescued: “Boko Haram Video Appears to Show Bodies of Kidnapped Girls.”

General note. Whereas Venus-Uranus transits usually reflect headlines involving tolerance of social expression and gender benders, Venus-Saturn transits reflect intolerance. Too many stories to list here — just look at the headlines.

Saturn refers to aging. I seriously thought there had to be a typo in this horrible story about a newborn baby who was killed by her six-year-old brother when the two were left alone for 30 minutes by their 62-year-old mother. Not a typo. 62 years old. Harsh. Bewildering. Happened in Florida. Why is it so often Florida?

Saturn refers to authority. The first installment of a six-part NYT series on President Obama’s legacy was published on Saturday. The headline: “Once Skeptical of Executive Power, Obama Has Come to Embrace It.”

Neptune refers to intangible art forms such as film and music. What a perfect weekend it was to release Florence Foster Jenkins, in which Meryl Streep portrays a Woman of a Certain Age (Saturn) whose dream (Neptune) of singing at Carnegie Hall became a reality, despite her being utterly without singing talent. Also in sync with planetary patterns:  Equity, a hotly toxic tale of women on Wall Street that is a greedy treat.”

This story surfaced last year under a magically thinking Neptune transit; I’m delighted to see it return with Neptune activated again: “Treasure Hunters Resume Search for Alleged Nazi Gold Train.”

The grand finale — and a future Pulitzer Prize — goes to the New York Times Sunday Magazine. Called “Fractured Lands: How the Arab World Fell Apart” it’s a Saturn (reality check) in Sagittarius (foreign lands) square Neptune in Pisces (suffering, dissolution, refugees) for the ages. It gives decades of historical background to the conflicts in the Middle East and then tells the story of events from 1972 to the present, as seen through the eyes of six whose lives have been torn apart. They are from Libya, Syria, Iraq and Egypt. The NYT devoted all but two of the magazine’s sixty pages to this story. I read it cover to cover last night and went to bed counting my blessings.  I encourage you to read it, too. I take issue only with these two sentences, which appear on page 12:

History never flows in a predictable way. It is always a result of seemingly random currents and incidents, the significance of which can be determined — or more often, disputed — only in hindsight.

History has been flowing in an eminently predictable way, ever since I became aware of planetary cycles. What do you think?

And what the heck is going on in your horoscope?

 

 

 

Astro-logical Forecast for Friday 8/12/2016 & the Weekend: Venus in the Hot Seat; Simone Biles Totally Rocks

Writing this during a 12-hour Moon void in Scorpio on THURSDAY, looking forward to the lift I expect we’ll all feel once the Moon enters Sagittarius at 1:24PM ET.  If you are new to this forecast (welcome!) and are not familiar with the term “Moon void” or “void of course Moon,” here’s a lengthy explanation of what it is and why it is helpful to know about them. Did you experience a twist, flake or wandering focus this morning?

A Sagittarius Moon needs to express its righteous opinion. It can be blunt, coarse and brutally honest. It needs to push boundaries and expand horizons with great enthusiasm, and it’s always up for a gamble or a gambol. Fun Moon-in-Sagittarius activities include catching a foreign film, getting out in nature, engaging in a spirited philosophical debate. At 9:04pm ET, when the Moon is meets up with warrior Mars, you may witness or experience a need for rowdy action, driven by a righteous need for respect.

On FRIDAY, the Moon meets up with Saturn at 8:51AM ET, suggesting a reach for opinionated ambition or an equally opinionated cut. At 11:39AM ET, Moon is challenged by nebulous Neptune, reflecting whatever inspiration or bewilderment you might encounter.  Don’t start an argument at 1AM ET on Saturday.

Saturn turns direct at 5:51AM ET — we’ve been talking about that all week, as well as its challenging square to Venus at 10:31AM ET. You might feel the chill or practically-minded cut to the chase if you have a planet around 9 degrees of Virgo, Sagittarius, Gemini or Pisces. Moon makes two connections to more expansive energies around 1:30PM ET: an alignment with Uranus, facilitating innovation and unconventional alliances; followed by a square to jovial Jupiter at 1:37PM ET. Moon will be void until SUNDAY at 12:11AM ET, affording you the opportunity to wander about in search of adventure without consequence.

Sunday’s Capricorn Moon needs to get down to business with a visionary spin, suggested by an opposition between Venus and Neptune at 1:04PM ET. Do something enterprising with that urge to indulge in healing, music and the arts.

No sleeping in on Monday — Moon will still be in Capricorn and it’s off to the races.

And now, the news.

Real vs. surreal and unreal. Harsh, stark, cutting, control vs. blurry, soft, bewildering, vision. That’s what I’m seeing in the headlines as the personal planets — Mercury (mindset) and Venus (values, money, social expression) — are colored by challenging influence of Saturn and Neptune. If we believe it, does it make it so? Add in the theme of “news from underground,” suggested by Mercury (information) in harmony with Pluto (power, perspective, underground) and here is Exhibit A: “Mysterious Magic Spells Unearthed by Archaeologists in Serbia.”  Exhibit B: why do our brains fall for magic tricks? Take the test and find out if you’re one of the 32% who is more likely to believe they saw something that didn’t actually happen. Exhibit C: a seriously uplifting report on the power of belief a.k.a. virtual reality — “Brain Training Technique Restores Feeling and Movement to Paraplegic Patients.” Exhibit D: a seriously depressing report on travesties of justice —  “Baltimore Police Fired as Scathing Report Released by DOJ”

Exhibit E is in a category all by itself: “Trump Reiterates He Literally Believes Barack Hussein Obama is the ‘Founder of ISIS’” Watch the one-minute video. Who are the people sitting behind him, nodding their heads in agreement, laughing and clapping at this utterly false statement? The 32%?  And what is going on in Trump’s horoscope? An exact to the minute meet-up between Mercury and Pluto in regal Leo, for one. This suggests the potential for inflammatory ideas and communication, presented with regal flair. Ya think?

Meanwhile, two media companies have filed a request asking for court records pertaining to his divorce from Ivana Trump on the grounds of “cruel and inhuman treatment.” I am fascinated by this development as I noted months ago that a challenging measurement between Chiron and a relationship point in the horoscope will be exact next month. No,  I did not write about it here. Other aspects to Chiron will be exact in September and October. Chiron is known as the “wounded healer.” When it is active in a horoscope, it can suggest an illness or other chronic wound that needs to be healed — not always physical.  We shall see.

More on the harsher side of Venus square Saturn: “Baby Boomers Are Taking on Ageism (Saturn) — and Losing”  While you may be nostalgic about posting your  #firstsevenjobs all over social media, one demographic isn’t that interested.   This is harsh:  “Housing Official in Silicon Valley Resigns Because She Can’t Afford to Live There;” If you have kids and are relying on Grandma for help, be advised that her time is limited. And if you call a woman lawyer “honey” in court; henceforth there will be penalties.

I need a Venus opposite Neptune escape. Calgon, take me away!

…to Rio, perhaps where the women of steel on the U.S. Olympics gymnastic team have won the gold and made me believe in magic again. Today the amazing Simone Biles took the gold in the women’s all-around, and there’s no way she could have done that if her horoscope wasn’t hot. No confirmed birth time, but immediately we see a mash-up of Sun, Mercury and Venus in Pisces opposed by an energetic Mars in perfectionist Virgo. She needs to dazzle with all that discipline, suggested by a lovely alignment between Neptune and Mars, as well between Neptune and that Pisces pile-up.  Boundary-busting innovation is pushed to the max by Jupiter and Uranus, together in one-of-a-kind Aquarius. Potent resources, purpose, an ability to re-invent the wheel and discipline are suggested by an alignment among Saturn, Pluto and Jupiter-Uranus. What’s driving the whole bus? A sprightly Moon in Gemini, seeking to fulfill its need to be the cleverest, most intense and entertaining kid in the room.

Way to go, Simone! And congrats to Miss California’s fiance, too — who won his 25th Olympic medal in the swimsuit competition!!!! Huzzah!

And huzzah to Avid Readers Margaret and Wendy, who have proven to me that the link to contribute to my Midnight Oil Fund a.k.a. the Treat Your Cosmic Reporter to a Glass of Gavi Because It’s Friday Fund does in fact work. Margaret and Wendy, a toast to your health. You’ve brightened my day like the rainbow that just appeared outside my window. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

And thank you for reading this forecast. I had fun writing it. To find out how all these cosmic tumblers can be used to further your plans for world domination, here’s the 411 on personal consultations.

Astro-logical Forecast for Tuesday 8/9/2016: Saturn in Sagittarius Review; Senator Susan Collins, Right on Schedule

Arise, go forth and be deep. The day is driven by the Moon in Scorpio, seeking emotional control and substance. It gets a lift from potential brooding/moodiness by Venus at 10:43AM ET, encouraging efforts to be sweet and kind. A need for vision (and more kindness) colors the late evening hours, as the Moon harmonizes with Neptune in empathetic Pisces.

As it slows to a standstill this week, getting ready to turn direct on Saturday, we can expect Saturn in Sagittarius to pull focus. Remember that Mercury, Venus, Mars and the Sun will be making contact with Saturn all month — as I explained in a post last week.

First, let’s be clear that when a planet is stationary retrograde or stationary direct, it’s not actually standing still. It just appears to be at a dead stop from our perspective on Planet Earth. Here’s a review of what we can expect as Saturn travels through Sagittarius — from a post I wrote in December 2014:

Saturn refers to control, discipline and structure. Sagittarius refers to collective belief systems, including: the law, religion, philosophy and academia. Hmm…how about mind control? Or tests of faith?  It also refers to publishing and other mass communication media, as well as sports and entertainment. Expect efforts involving restrictions and/or restructuring. Sagittarius refers to that which is foreign, so issues of border control will likely become hotter. It refers to travel.  So we can expect headlines involving controls in these areas, too.

Righteousness is another Sagittarius buzzword, as is blunt honesty. As its best, the Saturnine restructuring of Sagittarius concerns will stem from righteousness, much as the restructuring of the institution of marriage (Libra) to include same-sex couples evolved when Saturn was in Libra. Fairness is a big Libra buzzword. Got that?

For those born in December 1985- December 1988 and  February 1956 – January 1959, congratulations, you were likely born with Saturn in Sagittarius. You’re about to embark on your first or second Saturn return, which suggests a critical time in your life,  rich with developmental potential. Many of my clients book their first astrological consultations on a Saturn return.

For those born 10-15 days into Gemini, Virgo, Pisces and Sagittarius, this year is a critical time in your life development, too.  You may need to cut your losses and focus on what’s really important. Saturn transits can inspire your ambition, but they can also be experienced as limiting, isolating and sad. Know that this, too, shall pass. Be brave enough to ask for support if you need it. You are worth it. A consultation about happenings in your horoscope would help you sort things out. Here’s the 411.

And now, the news.

How has Saturn in Sagittarius been reflected in restrictions and restructuring of the media? John Oliver is here to tell you all about it, in a brilliant and painfully hilarious bit that aired on Sunday when Mercury (mindset, communication) was under the influence of tough contact with Saturn and bewildering Neptune. Really, this is a must-see.

Elsewhere, yesterday I noted how a news story that is hot when a planet turns retrograde may become hot again months later, when it returns to where it began its retrograde phase. Here’s another example. In December, with Jupiter stationing at 23 Virgo (it turned retrograde in January), scientists working at the Large Hadron Collider thought they might have discovered a brand new particle. Last week, with Jupiter back at 23 Virgo, it was announced that what might have been, simply wasn’t.

Senator Susan Collins is making headlines this week. The Republican from Maine joined other decent and intelligent members of her party who are not supporting their party’s nominee. She wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post explaining her difficult decision to make this break. She’s one of the “women of steel” I expect to see in the news as Venus in Virgo is squared by Saturn. And guess what? In her horoscope, she has Venus square Saturn — and Venus in a tough aspect with Neptune, too — similar to current patterns! I often see this synchronicity between current patterns and the horoscopes of people making news. Astrology is amazing!!

Susan Collins’ Venus-Saturn square can be steely, but her Venus-Neptune square suggests a softer side. And by softer I mean idealistic, in sharp contrast to an otherwise hard-nosed, strategic stance her Venus in Capricorn might take.  One can imagine the intense pressure she’s been under all through June and July, with her natal Pluto at 23 Leo being squared by Mars at 23-24 Scorpio. This suggests a power struggle, perhaps pitting her own desires and standards against those of a group.

Her op-ed to the world is being published with transiting Mars now sitting right on top of her opinionated Mercury in Sagittarius. Her Mercury — the way she needs to think — is retrograde. She needs to turn things over and over and over internally before she lets it fly. Transiting Mars (action!) would be the trigger for the timing of her op-ed.  It’s perfect!

Also under pressure in her horoscope: transiting Uranus opposing her natal Saturn-Neptune conjunction, shaking up structure in her life with no small amount of accompanying wigginess. Next year transiting Uranus will square her Venus and I anticipate her social expression will become even more independent. First she’ll need to experience the necessary streamlining and focus demanded as transiting Saturn meets up with her Sun this November, recalling whatever limiting forces or ambitious reach she was wrestling with in March and April. Birth date: December 7th, 1952 in Caribou, Maine. She’s a Sagittarius with Moon either in Leo or Virgo. She has never, ever missed a vote — over 6000 of them in nearly 20 years of service — an exceptional accomplishment for any Congressperson or Senator.

Here’s the link to that John Oliver video again. Happy Saturn stationing direct in Sagittarius. And happy Perseid meteor watching. The annual show is back this week.

draconid

 

 

Astro-logical Forecast for Monday 8/8/2016: Sneak Peek at the Week; Big News Round-Up

Good Morning!

The Libra Moon goes void at 1:41PM ET, on its weekly disruptive clash with rebel Uranus. That’s the only exact planetary action on a day driven by a need for social graces, fairness in relationships, and appreciation from partners and peers. Stick to routine matters during the void and roll with whatever twists or flakes crop up in your efforts to move forward in a straight line.

Moon enters Scorpio at 12:51AM ET on TUESDAY, driving the following 48 hours with a need for depth and substance. It’s aided by a happily investigative alignment between Mercury and Pluto, exact at 7:22PM ET on WEDNESDAY. Dirt-diggers, unite!

The only other Moon void during the work week happens on Thursday at 1:22AM ET until 1:24PM ET. As we get closer to the end of the week, we’ll have Venus (money, women, social expression) following in Mercury’s footsteps (refer to last week’s lengthy post about the astrology of August). Venus squares Saturn on SATURDAY at 10:31PM ET, suggesting a hard-lined approach in matters related to Venus.  Look for “women of steel” to make headlines.  On SUNDAY, Venus is opposed by Neptune, blurring lines and inviting us to See the Softer Side of Sears, along with the strictly practical.

The biggest shift this week is Saturn turning direct at 9 degrees of Sagittarius, exact on SATURDAY at 5:51AM ET. Saturn refers to structure, authority, ambition and necessary control (among other keywords). If you’ve been having trouble getting a project off the ground in the past four months, take heart. Moving those plans forward is now in sync with planetary patterns, especially if those plans involve getting real about your belief system and expanding your reach. You’ll feel the release and/or push to advance more personally if you have a planet or angle around 9 degrees of Sagittarius, Pisces, Virgo and Gemini.  Onward!

And now, the news.

First, news received two weeks ago from Avid Reader Margaret:

Elisabeth Grace, I tried to donate, but was taken to a generic PayPal site and I need your phone number or email address to send money to you.  This may be an obstacle for others, too.

Isn’t Margaret kind and thoughtful to take the time to send me that note? Thank you, Margaret!  I wrote her back right away and sent her  this link, which PayPal claims is foolproof: https://www.paypal.me/GraceAstrology

…though I’m not convinced PayPal’s claims are accurate. Margaret,  please let me know if that link didn’t work — with much gratitude to you for your appreciation and support.

News and more news, reflecting the hardcore dizziness of mental Mercury’s recent engagement with Saturn, Neptune and now Pluto. Add a war between the sexes and you have it all on the cover of the NYT Sunday Magazine: “The Untold Story of the Fight Over the Brain of ‘H.M.’ — the Patient Who Revolutionized the Science of Memory.” On the NYT home page: “Researchers or Corporate Allies? Think Tanks Blur the Lines.” Plus, a seriously wiggy profile of the ex-priest whose assault on an Olympic runner in 2004 led to that runner, Vanderlei de Lima, being chosen to light the caldron last week in Rio. Meanwhile, who remembers the ad campaign, “This is your brain on drugs,”  — the one with the egg sizzling in a pan? What a perfect week to read that it’s coming baaaaaaaaaack.

Honestly, the wheels have been flying off the bus in the news  — and I’m just grateful to have an understanding of the planetary patterns suggesting a world gone temporarily insane. The NYT threw up its hands two days ago and declared this  the meme for the entire year:

this is fine

Right?

UPDATE: on Edward Snowden. Last fall I anticipated that he would be making a move in January, June and/or October. He did make headlines in January — but I see the potential for something more ambitious. What’s going on in his horoscope?  How about a 12 degree Gemini Ascendant with Mercury sitting on it at 10 degrees Gemini, both currently under pressure from Saturn, Neptune and all of the other mutable planets, as noted in my last post? We can expect an idealistic/ambitious communication impacting his relationship to the public, his personal projection and creative expression. We may see a move, a wipeout or separation. I’ll be interested to see what’s happening in the first weeks of September and October. Meanwhile, this week he created a buzz with a tweet inviting former colleagues to reconnect with him, saying, “it’s time.” Another cryptic tweet had some wondering if he had indeed been wiped out. Not so, say people who claim to Know Such Things.

Elsewhere, Madeleine L’Engle, the author of the children’s classic,  A Wrinkle in Time is no longer among the living. But her book sales are skyrocketing since Chelsea Clinton mentioned A Wrinkle in Time in her DNC speech last month.  Would it surprise you to learn that Ms. L’Engle has a 10 Virgo Ascendant and is thus also being energized by transiting Saturn, Neptune and all of the other planets in Virgo? Her chart has some other things going on now, too. The horoscope lives forever!

Meanwhile, Barbra Streisand’s PR efforts to promote an upcoming memoir and a new album are in sync with planetary patterns in her horoscope. Her love love-me-do Leo Moon is at 10 degrees, energized by last week’s New Moon at — 10 degrees Leo. Her Moon is in the 5th house of creative self-expression; transiting Mars, which rules her pioneering me-me-me Aries Ascendant just squared Saturn, ruler of her 10th house of career and 11th house of love/appreciation received. Engage! Her upcoming solar arc between Jupiter, ruling her 9th house of publishing, and her Ascendant suggests expansive and rewarding potential. Huzzah!

UPDATE: on Melania Trump, whose natal horoscope I briefly sketched at the end of July. I did not discuss her upcoming Mars transits, as there are only so many hours in a day with so many other news stories to discuss.  But when your horoscope is hot, you’re hot, so here goes. Last week Mrs. Trump’s website was taken down (under attack by those doubting the veracity of her asserted college degree) when transiting Mars was at 28 Scorpio, exactly opposing her earth goddess Venus in Taurus. Hours later, the New York Post published nude photos of Mrs. Trump and another woman that were taken in New York in 1995 and appeared in a European magazine (they’re one Google search away, if you simply must see them).

OK, so what — big deal — what model doesn’t have nude pictures in her portfolio? But then, when transiting Mars entered Sagittarius on August 3rd, it met up with her natal Neptune.  Scandale! Mars-Neptune contacts do suggest scandal — and the nature of this particular scandal has to do with her status as a foreigner (Sagittarius).  Because it is quite clear that Mrs. Trump has not been truthful about when she first came to New York,  and statements she made about having a visa that would have allowed her to work legally in the U.S. are highly suspect.

Someone with empathy might say, “look, she wanted to live the American Dream and who can blame her, and look how well she’s done — so why make a fuss about a technicality.” Totally! Except that if Mrs. Trump were any other illegal immigrant, her husband — who is decidedly not an empathetic person — would want her deported immediately. I know, surreal, right? And perfectly in tune with the wiggy Saturn-Neptune patterns we’ve been living through for months.

Transiting Mars will oppose Mrs. Trump’s natal Mars on August 15th. This suggests provocative action. It’s taken me two days to get back into finishing this news round-up, and dirt continues to be dished, with “new evidence” suggesting that Mrs. Trump may have gained her 2001 green card by virtue of a marriage — four years before she met her current husband.

Will any of this matter to Trump supporters? Social scientists say it won’t and here’s why — add it to last week’s ginormous pile of bewildering Mercury-Neptune headlines, along with this palm reader’s take on Trump’s tiny hands.

Speaking of Mr. Trump, let the record show that transiting Jupiter was at 22and 23 godforsaken degrees of Virgo all last week. Why is this important? It is important because the planet associated with expansiveness — for better or worse — has been squaring his 22 Gemini Sun and 21 Sagittarius Moon since the end of July, reflecting a dominant status in the headlines akin to the proverbial Hindenburg.

23 Virgo was where Jupiter stood at a dead stop last January, before turning retrograde. This suggests that the potential for expansion was especially strong at the beginning of the year. Transiting Jupiter at 23 Virgo makes harmonious aspects to his potentially stingy social expression, suggested by his Venus conjunct stern Saturn at 23 and 25 Cancer. It also harmonizes with his 23 Taurus Midheaven (career/public status).

Thus it makes sense that we’d see a lengthy article detailing his generous contributions to charity, as well as others  concerning his expansive behavior. Let’s keep an eye out for the week of September 11th, when transiting Mars will make contact with his Sun and Moon. Should be provocative.

But wait, there’s more:  as with Barbra Streisand, Donald Trump horoscope is also directly affected by this month’s Leo New Moon. It happened right on his natal Pluto, buried in the 12th house of the self-undoing, ruling the 4th house of core personal foundation. What exactly is that foundation, many in the press and elsewhere are publicly wondering. Quicksand? In the 12th House a natal Pluto suggests, as astrologer Noel Tyl has written, someone who feels that “the world doesn’t understand me.” Sad!

On to general news about Jupiter turning retrograde at 23 Virgo in January. This is when Iran released four detained Americans. This is also when the U.S. sent Iran a plane full of cash, fulfilling a separate agreement  to return money Iran paid the U.S. for weapons it never received back in 1979. It made headlines then, so why is this story back now? Some members of Congress are calling the cash payment a “ransom” paid in exchange for those who were detained, as you made have seen in the news. A friend of mine is calling it “blueberry pancakes,” which would be a much more entertaining headline. Though just to be clear, because he’s calling it “blueberry pancakes” doesn’t make it so. What’s relevant from an astro-logical point of view is that we see how a story that was hot when Jupiter (or any planet) turns retrograde can become hot again when — after its retrograde period, it turns direct and  returns to the place it was when it stationed retrograde. Astrology is amazing.

Final note re:  the combative potential of the recent clash between Venus and Mars, coupled with this week’s Venus square Saturn. I’m so pleased to see we do have an “Iron Lady” making headlines at the Olympics — Hungarian swimmer Katinka Hosszu. She is shattering records, even as a furious buzz erupted over the weekend when a hapless NBC announcer said that Ms. Hossku’s husband (who is also her coach) was “responsible” for her fabulous performance. Right-o.

OK. I believe that covers everything for the next few days, including the Big Cargo Short Controversy (Venus in prissy Virgo challenged by adventurous Mars in Sagittarius), which the linked article brilliantly explains.

To find out what all these planetary patterns mean for your horoscope, now is the time to schedule a personal consultation. We will have an excellent discussion together.

Thank you for reading this forecast, sharing it with friends and for supporting my efforts to write it over the past seven years.  Onward!

 

 

 

Astro-logical Forecast for Friday 8/5/2016 & the Weekend, Part I: Saturn and Neptune into September

TGIF!

Hopefully you’ve spent this week applying Tuesday’s New Moon in Leo energy to pursue your heart’s desire, responding to opportunities with “Yes, AND…” whilst getting yourself out of your own way. The Moon has been in Virgo since Thursday AM, urging you forward on a quest for perfection and finding God and the Devil in the details. Moon sails through today without interference until 11:20PM ET, when it meets up with expansive Jupiter and then goes void until 12:57PM ET on SATURDAY. No early morning yard sales; chill and seize an apt opportunity to sleep in.

The rest of the weekend is driven by a relationship-oriented, people-pleasing Moon in Libra. Its quest for peace and harmony may be challenged by a tense and potentially explosive aspect between Venus (the yin principle) and Mars (the yang principle), exact at 8:20PM ET on Saturday. Sounds great for make-up sex after a battle between the sexes; not so great for affairs requiring modesty and social decorum.  This, too shall pass.

There is another pattern that’s been driving the action this week, exact over the weekend. I want to put it in perspective with patterns over the next six weeks, as they are similar to those we experienced in the wiggy month of June. That was the month of a pattern known as a Mutable Grand Cross, featuring information in constant flux, from the sublime to the ridiculous to the utterly surreal.  What do we mean by “Mutable?” Let’s review — this is an excerpt posted on June 1st about the difference between  cardinal, fixed and mutable zodiac signs — this was originally posted on June 1st:

Cardinal signs. That’s Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. Cardinal signs are turning points. They initiate, lead, plant seeds, etc. for the Next Big Thing.  Fixed signs include Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. Already you’re thinking that something “fixed” might be stubbornly or doggedly attached to a tangible form, right? Exactly — and that’s how fixed signs operate — they give form to the cardinal sign’s idea, turning it into an actual functioning widget. So then what?

Mutable signs get the word out about the widget.  Your Gemini marketing guru sells it;  your Virgo research wiz  analyzes it. Your Sagittarius publicist spins your widget righteously and gets the press to publish it.  Pisces channels a way to have the whole world believe in the widget — so much so that the widget and the world are one. Which is why we mourn the last episode of a favorite TV show, the closing of an independent book store or the passing of some other cultural icon or cherished widget. We feel connected; we feel a part of ourselves has passed, too.

Note that a widget is a widget. It is fixed in form.  But selling points and research data and editorial opinions and public sentiments about widgets are subject to change. So is the energy symbolized by planets in mutable signs. That is what “mutable” means: subject or prone to change. Hot pants are hot — until they’re not. Cigarettes are cool — until the data proves otherwise. It’s illegal to sell marijuana — but not in Colorado and Oregon. Dude, laws are subject to change! Mutable is related to genetic “mutation,” which can be an evolution to a higher state of being. We can only hope. As opposed to “mutant.”

With Venus entering Virgo on Friday afternoon, we’ll have these six planets in Mutable Signs: Mercury, Venus and Jupiter in Virgo; Mars and Saturn in Sagittarius; Neptune in Pisces. Over the next six weeks we’ll see Mercury (mindset, communication), Venus (women, money, social expression) and Mars (action, aggression, men) make supercharged connections to Saturn (control, ambition, authority, depression) and Neptune (vision, bewilderment, deception, oil, drugs, refugees).  You could draw a right triangle on a piece of paper and put these planets on each junction: Mercury and Venus in Virgo;  Mars and Saturn in Sagittarius; Neptune in Pisces. Mercury and Venus would be opposite Neptune. Mars and Saturn would be in the middle. The technical term for planets in a right triangle is “T-square.” Got it?

These patterns suggest a buzz of highly charged energy involving detailed data, opinions and sentiments — subject to change and double talk. It’s enough to make your head spin, especially if you were born almost halfway through any of the mutable signs…or if you have any other planet or angle at 8-13 degrees of said signs. Many people making headlines between over the next six weeks will have planets and angles at these points. More on that in a minute.

So. The first planet to engage with Saturn and Neptune in a T-square pattern is Mercury, exact this weekend and in effect now.  Tension between Mercury-Saturn suggests controlling and/or super-structured thoughts. How many times will we see the word “blocked” or “cut” in the news? Mercury-Neptune suggests fuzzy thinking, creative vision, idealism and bald-faced lies. Watch for those themes, too. You won’t have far to look.

Next weekend Venus will take its turn with Saturn and Neptune. Venus-Saturn suggests austerity in social expression, money and values. It also suggests “women of steel.” Venus-Neptune suggests rose-colored glasses in love, beauty and women; oil on troubled waters, rarefied art and empathy.

After a Full Moon/Eclipse on the 18th, the Sun enters Virgo on the 22nd. Two days later, Mars meets up with Saturn in Sagittarius and squares Neptune on the 26th. We can expect action taken in matters of collective belief systems (media/publishing, religion, law and law enforcement) — for better or worse. Mars-Saturn connotes disciplined ambition, potentially militant. It also suggests frustration. Mars-Neptune connotes a showbiz spectacular, snake oil, sex appeal and fanatics. This is a week to watch.

The following week, which takes us into September, the Virgo Sun and Moon have their go  with Saturn and Neptune.  This Virgo New Moon  on September 1st  in is also an eclipse.  Finally, on September 10th, we’ll have the third square between Saturn and Neptune (the second one was on June 17th). After that, perhaps we can get back to reality.

Back to this weekend. Mercury and Saturn square off at 9:18AM ET on Saturday. Mercury opposes Neptune on Sunday at 12:25PM ET. At 7:38PM ET on Sunday, Moon makes its weekly clash with Pluto, raising the probability of power plays and emotional catharses.

No sleeping in on Monday, unless you’re already planning to add an extra day to the weekend. Moon goes void at 1:41PM ET — not to enter Scorpio until 12:51AM ET on TUESDAY.

I have a ton of news to talk about. I am going to post this forecast now — and post again later today with just the news.

Meanwhile, I would be delighted to discuss how all of the above patterns are likely to impact your unique horoscope. If you were born halfway through Gemini, Pisces, Virgo or Sagittarius — or have planets or angles halfway through those signs, I am sure you would find our discussion helpful. Here is the 411 on personal consultations.