Follow us on TwitterFind us on FacebookFind us on Tumblr

Get daily Astro-Logical forecasts delivered to you here.

"The reading was a partnership between the two of us; she did not simply recite planetary signs and meanings, but had a conversation with me, continually asking what I made of what she saw, and what I thought I could do to change the things I want to change.

When the names of other people in my life came up, she quickly looked up their charts on her computer and commented on their roles in my life -- painting a fuller picture of where I was, where I wanted to go, and how I could get there.

What was impressive was that Elisabeth took all the planets, people, and situations that made up my life and created a context for them all that was positive, hopeful, and exciting!

She has a lovely personality, a sharp wit, and a gift for astrological interpretation."

--Bill W.
New York

I CAN'T WRITE THIS WITHOUT YOU : ) PLEASE support my time and efforts. CONTRIBUTE to my COSMIC TIP JAR using the gold button below. THANK YOU.


Monday 3/27/2017 & So Forth: New Moon in Aries; Mercury in the Hot Seat

Allll-righty then!

The work week begins on a dead Moon, which also happens to be void-of-course between 6:19 AM ET and 10:11 AM ET on Monday. There’s your ready excuse for any twist or flake that disrupts efforts to move forward in a straight line. Go with the intuitive flow that a Moon in Pisces must have. Note that the morning hours may be laced with the heaviness that happens when emotional sensitivity is challenged by righteous authority.

The pace picks up noticeably after the void, when the Moon enters me-me-me Aries. A harmony between action hero Mars and visionary Neptune suggests a communication flow in matters of action to preserve a faith-based status quo. That restlessness/listless feeling you may have all through the work day is reflected in the complete darkness of the Moon in the last hours of its cycle.

The New Moon kicks in with impassioned flair at 7 degrees of Aries at 10:57 PM ET. This is the time to light a candle and focus on your list of intentions to develop over the next four weeks.  A New Moon in Aries suggests a need to be a courageous, inspiring pioneer and/or warrior, preferably on the side of the angels. At its best, Aries is a champion for the weak and vulnerable. It inspires people to take initiatives and defy the odds…yes, sometimes foolishly, but hey — if Plan A blows up, there’s always a Plan B, a Plan C and D. A true Aries never never never gives up. There is always a tomorrow.

At its worst, well…let’s just say Aries can be utterly self-absorbed and go to disturbing extremes in order to get there FIRST. Wherever, whatever…so long as something gets started. Astrologer Rick Levine — himself an Aries  — aptly describes the Aries strategy for success as “Ready? Fire. Aim!”

Set in Washington D.C., this New Moon chart has a Scorpio Ascendant — needing to present a mask of power and control. A multitude of Aries planets in the area of the chart related to creative self-expression and performance suggests a battle cry of  “let’s put on a show!” with dogged persistence.  A harmony between Mercury (mindset) and Saturn (structure; ambition) exact on Tuesday suggests an easy flow of fiery ideas seeking tangible form. The second of a series of three dynamic aspects between Jupiter (expansion) and Pluto (power and resources) is a significant component of this New Moon chart. Here’s what was written about  the Jupiter-Pluto pattern back in December of 2016.

The Sabian Symbol for this New Moon is “a large hat, with streamers flying, facing East.” Don’t know what these Sabian Symbols are all about? Here’s the story Sabian Symbol guru Blain Bovee advises us that this East-facing, streamers-flying hat suggests “a need for a steadying influence of adventurous ideas” — which is fascinating, since that’s what I said in the preceding paragraph about the patterns in the New Moon chart.  Bovee also notes the potential for “minds that sense a need for protection while entertaining foreign exploration; that sense the possible implications of core ideas; that look to see where the original idea came from…ideas that fly every which way…a tendency to always be waiting for something to happen…ideas that fulfill the maxim ‘where there’s smoke, there’s fire.'” Hmmm.

During this lunar cycle we will have four planets changing direction. Venus turns direct on April 15th: Saturn turns retrograde on April 5th; Mercury turns retrograde on April 9th; Pluto turns retrograde on April 20th. So we can see the potential for ideas be “flying every which way” as we adjust to this backward/forward motion of four out of ten key celestial bodies.

If you have a planet or angle around 7 degrees of Cancer, Capricorn, Libra and especially Aries, you will be more personally affected by the need to take initiative in a particular area of your life. If you would like to know where this New Moon falls in your horoscope and how you can best apply it, order an Astro-Basics Report or a Your Year Ahead Report and I will include these insights with my compliments. Or book time for an actual one-on-one consultation. We will have an excellent discussion together.

And now, the news.

The attack outside Parliament in London last Wednesday occurred twenty minutes after the Moon’s weekly clash with Uranus, disruptor of the status quo.

I wrote these lines last Thursday, intending to post them for that day and the weekend:

After yesterday’s 13-hour Moon void, we are back in gear with the Moon now fully focused in Aquarius. Arise, go forth and network. Note that the morning hours are more favorable for working things out, given harmonious aspects to the Moon. As we get closer to 5:20 PM ET, we may feel the stubborn tension of a willful and charged clash between Mars and Moon.  Is that when Congress is planning to vote on its revised effort to take away health insurance from millions of Americans, while leaving their own taxpayer-funded, gold-plated plans intact? I’m not convinced they will be able to arrive at a consensus today….

And in fact, the House ended up scuttling its seven-years-in-the-making  replacement of the Affordable Care Act because no consensus was reached.   House Speaker Paul Ryan’s need for people-pleasing has been pushed into maximum overdrive, which is exactly what we expected to happen for him at this time — and through April. Over the weekend, the Tweeter-in-Chief advised his followers to watch a TV show in which the host — Jeanine Pirro — called for the Speaker to pack up and go.  Looking ahead to August and November, we see patterns in the Speaker’s horoscope which often reflect professional success, empowerment and expansion. I do not see him crying in his champagne on New Year’s Eve, regardless of where he is working.

The last few days have been colored by the dirt-digging, mince-no-words potential of another clash between Mercury (how we need to think and communicate) and Pluto (powerfully).  That was exact at 8:42PM ET on Thursday.  The dirt-digging was amplified by another hard pattern to Mercury from Jupiter (expansion) twelve hours later, at 8:46 AM ET on Friday. Jupiter suggests legal and media matters. A meet-up between Mercury and Uranus on Sunday suggested startling communication. What did we learn?

One hour after the Mercury-Pluto clash, the left blogosphere was abuzz over a Tweetstorm posted by journalist Seth Abramson, purporting to “lay out details of the Trump-Russia connection.” Seriously? One hour after Pluto squares Mercury? Drop my jaw on the floor. Astrology is amazing.

We learned that Congress has moved to blow the doors off “landmark internet privacy protections for consumers,”  allowing your telecommunications providers to track and share your personal browsing habits, etc., without your permission. This would reverse protections enacted under the former Administration. Also reversed: the halt of the Keystone XL pipeline…and coming up this week: the reversal of former President Obama’s initiative to curb global warming by using clean power.  Would you like to fax your elected representatives with your thoughts on these matters? Thank the persuasive, tech-savvy and expansive aspects to Mercury for bringing Resistbot to a homepage near you.

We also learned that SCOTUS nominee Neil Gorsuch may be one of the meanest judges to ever sit on a bench, making him the perfect pick for an administration that was time-stamped with Saturn in Sagittarius (harsh opinions) squaring Venus in Pisces (compassion; victims). If you did not read about Mr. Gorsuch and the Case of the Frozen Trucker, here it is. I see planetary patterns in his horoscope — as outlined in last Monday’s forecast  — all over the logic of his ruling. Do you? Be advised that Saturn will be squaring Venus for all of April. Will write more about that in a future forecast

Meanwhile, US magazine reports that P45 and his wife have separate bedrooms. Not surprising on the part of P45, given planetary patterns noted last year suggesting unconventional social expression or a break in relationships for him at this time. Specifically we see a pattern involving Venus (love/women), Saturn (structure) and Uranus (disruption) suggesting (from one of my professional textbooks) “tension in relationships; jealousies; split-off affairs;boredom with the past; arguments; possible separation.” For his wife we see a pattern involving Venus, Saturn and Mars suggesting “a wedge driven into relationship harmony; wanting more than there is; feeling competition; disputes; possible separation.”Makes sense that this article would be published now.

I wish we had a birth date for reality TV producer Jonathan Koch. A lengthy story about his near-death experience and as one of the few patients to undergo a successful hand transplant is a riveting read. I link it here in honor of today’s cooperative sextile between Mars (courage) in resilient Taurus and Neptune (spirit; faith; infection; healing) in Pisces (ditto). It was published in Los Angeles magazine on last week’s vernal equinox — the beginning of the astrological new year.

Thank you for reading this forecast. I appreciate every single one of your kind words, client referrals and contributions to my Cosmic Tip Jar.

P.S. Almost forgot this week’s other voids: Wednesday 8:07 AM – 11:48 AM ET; Thursday 7:12PM ET – FRIDAY 12:40 PM ET.

Monday 3/20/2017: Vernal Equinox; Sun in Aries; Happy Astrological New Year


Happy Vernal Equinox — the first day of spring! At 6:29 AM ET, the Sun enters Aries, marking the beginning of a new astrological year. Courage, self-reliance, inspiration and a pioneering spirit are keywords for the Sun in Aries, sign of the ram — and the lamb.  In the Northern hemisphere (the birthplace of Western astrology), it is a time of renewal and rebirth — a chance to let go of old patterns and make a fresh start.

More on the equinox, but first let’s talk about the rest of this day, which is partly driven by the Moon in Sagittarius. Its need for righteous opinion is squeezed, muzzled and otherwise controlled by a meet-up with Saturn at 6:37 AM ET. And guess what? This is the closest pattern in the chart for the equinox — and thus an important clue to what we are likely to be dealing with for the next 365 days.

Moon goes void immediately after that heavy Saturn meet-up and won’t be fully engaged until 11:31 AM ET, when it enters proactive, status-seeking Capricorn. Half an hour later, the second closest pattern in the equinox chart kicks in — the Third Quarter Moon, a.k.a. tension between the needs of the Capricorn Moon to toe the Establishment line vs. the me-me-me energy of the Aries Sun. With both the Sun and the Moon at zero degrees of their respective signs, this tension will command attention big time. Take care of routine concerns during the morning void. Remember that crises which crop up are often much ado about nothing. Get ready to advance your agenda after 12 PM ET.

OK, the vernal equinox. Here’s what you need to know about the first day of any season from an astrological point of view. The first day of each season (Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter) corresponds with the first day (or first DEGREE) of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn, respectively. Got that? Good. These four signs are called CARDINAL signs of the zodiac, with “cardinal” here suggesting (from the Latin root of the word), “that on which something turns or depends.”  Cardinal signs take ACTION. They INITIATE. Nothing happens without ACTION. And action leads to  NECESSARY CHANGE. As in a change of seasons — suggested by solstices and equinoxes. Clear?

The first day of a  season is prominent in our culture, right? We make a big deal over it — yes? So can you see that in astrology, we observe that PLANETS that are at the first degree of a cardinal sign (Aries, Cancer, Libra & Capricorn), tend to pack a more powerful, prominent punch. They suggest ACTION which leads to CHANGE — prominently! The first degree of the cardinal signs is known as the ARIES POINT. Got that?

If you have a planet or angle at the Aries Point, you can expect that the energy of that planet will demand prominent expression in your life. Your friends and family — and perhaps the entire free world — will notice it. William Shatner was born with the Sun at 0 Aries. “To boldly go where no man has gone before”? I should think so — and the whole world knows him for playing that role.

Other notable patterns this week won’t be exact until late Thursday and through the weekend. First, Mercury — which refers to ideas, thinking, communication, travel and commerce — makes a persuasive, penetrating and corruption-exposing challenge to Pluto at 8:42 PM ET on THURSDAY. Expansive thinking is suggested when Mercury opposes Jupiter on FRIDAY at 8:46 AM ET. On SATURDAY, the Sun and Venus meet up in Aries –showering anyone with a planet around 6 degrees of Aries with a little bit of love. On SUNDAY, upsets and revelations involving aviation, technology and gender equality issues are likely, as Mercury meets up with rebel Uranus at 11:05 AM ET.

What’s significant about the patterns noted in the above paragraph is that they also apply to the chart for the Vernal Equinox. A year of revelation upon revelation upon revelation….?

The only Moon void of note — other than Monday’s — is on WEDNESDAY from 9:20 AM ET until 10:28 PM ET.

And now, the news.

Remember how last week’s  planetary patterns among Saturn, Mercury and the Sun suggested heaviness and despair? I had to laugh when I saw this op-ed in the New York Daily News: “Stop the News, I Want to Get Off: This Week Was One of the Most Depressing in Memory.”  Indeed . I was on the Daily News site because its legendary journalist Jimmy Breslin passed away over the weekend. So did Chuck Berry.

FBI Director James Comey will be testifying before Congress in hearings starting at 10 AM today, during the Moon void. This story is not going away anytime soon.

Confirmation hearings for SCOTUS nominee Neil Gorsuch are also scheduled to begin today. We don’t have a birth time for Mr. Gorsuch (Aug 29 1967 in Denver), but my first thought looking at a chart cast at noon was that his mother must have been a piece of work: intense, erratic, fiercely independent. And guess what? She was.

“A teenage Gorsuch learned from his mother’s stormy tenure at the EPA,” writes the Seattle Times.  Perhaps you are old enough to remember Ronald Reagan appointing Anne Gorsuch to run the EPA:

She cut the EPA budget by 22 percent, slashed EPA enforcement actions against polluters and slowed down payments for Superfund cleanups.

She resigned after less than two years on the job after being cited for contempt of Congress. With four planets in stubborn Taurus in her horoscope, we can appreciate why she refused to turn over certain subpoenaed documents, fueled by the potentially visionary or delusional idealism suggested by two separate patterns (born April 21 1942). Her son Neil has similar patterns, which is typical seen when comparing the horoscopes of parents and their children. Isn’t that interesting? Planetary patterns run in families, just like genetics.

Doesn’t that make you wonder what planetary patterns you share with your children and/or parents? If you want to improve a relationship, get to know the other party’s horoscope. Here’s the 411 on consultations.

In the case of Anne Gorsuch, her horoscope has a Mars-Neptune square; his has a Mars-Neptune conjunction. Hers has a Sun-Mercury conjunction; his has Sun-Mercury and Venus conjunct. His Venus happens to be retrograde in Virgo, suggesting unique challenges in relationship. A need for discernment may have a double agenda. Hmmm.

Mr. Gorsuch is a Virgo, driven by the Moon in Gemini. He needs to be the smartest kid in the room, with the autocratic and controlling flair suggested by an unaspected Saturn in me-me-me Aries. His Saturn/Pluto midpoint is at the Aries Point, suggesting that he is likely to be known for matters involving anguished effort and/or suffering. His mother has the same midpoint picture! His Mars-Neptune meet-up is in Scorpio, and it is in a tense connection with Jupiter (expansion) in regal Leo. This pattern can be quite tenacious in matters of faith (and life and death).

With that in mind, it’s fascinating to note that Mr. Gorsuch wrote a book called The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia.  He’s against both, arguing “that states should sometimes place ‘paternalistic constraints on the choices of its citizens.'” (i.e., the citizens’ autonomy). That sounds like an unaspected Saturn in Aries talking. Random thought: has anyone ever written about the need for “maternalistic constraints” on the choices of its citizens? What would that look like? Mandatory hot lunches for schoolchildren?

We do not have a birth time for Mr. Gorsuch and are limited as to what we can project for him in the near future. What can be seen suggests a tough fight over the next 6-8 weeks. It is fascinating to note that in his mother’s horoscope, her Mars-Neptune square is at 27 Gemini-27 Virgo, now exactly hit by transiting Saturn at 27-28 Sagittarius. This definitely suggests potential for a frustrating battle and reality check. As I wrote in a recent article for Mountain Astrologer, “The Horoscope Lives Forever,” doncha’ know…

Meanwhile, the Great Barrier Reef is still dying…a casualty of climate change.

In other news, Saturn (structure) in Sagittarius (big picture beliefs; travel; education) will be pulling focus over the next several weeks, as it is quite close to the end of that sign. Schools in Boston are reflecting this reality check by replacing the “distorted” maps that have been in use for the past 500 years. Here is what the world really looks like:

Surprised?

Thank you for reading this forecast.

Friday 3/17/2017 & the Weekend: The Axes of Evil (Pun with Saturn Square Sun)

TGIF!

Yesterday and today and are driven by the Moon in Scorpio, seeking depth and substance for the sake of power and control. Moon goes void at 5:56 PM ET — there’s your cue to head to the nearest Irish pub for a pint of green beer.

We are at the end of the astrological year, in the last days of Pisces. The new year — a.k.a. the vernal equinox a.k.a. the Aries Ingress — begins on Monday at 6:29 AM ET. That’s when the Sun enters Aries (for those who are not familiar with the word “ingress”).

These last days are likely to be marked by  heavy cuts, controls, structure and ambition — for better or worse — suggested by the building tension between the Sun and authoritative Saturn, exact on Friday at 5:47 PM ET. Note that I wrote this paragraph on Wednesday evening — and consider what’s hit the wires since then. Pay close attention to whatever news makes headlines at the end of the day Friday. If you have planets around 27-28 degrees of Pisces, Virgo, Gemini and especially Sagittarius, you are likely to feel the weight now and through May, and again in September and October.  If you are a psychologist, my money says your client sessions have been noticeably heavier this week.

A sigh of relief is scheduled for 11 PM ET, when the Moon enters high-flying Sagittarius, seeking a gambol or a gamble along with a need to express its righteous opinion. Patterns to the Moon are accommodating on Saturday and Sunday, and there is no void to derail your shopping adventures.

Monday marks the start of the astrological new year — delayed ever so slightly by a Moon void between 6:37 and 11:31 AM ET. This will be your excuse for sleeping in — or any other twist that interferes with your efforts to move forward in a straight line. Then it’s full speed ahead.

If you have no idea where your planets are and you enjoy reading this forecast, why not book a consultation so you can understand how planetary patterns suggest opportunities  in your own personal world?

And now, the news.

P45’s “…Budget Seeks Sharp Cuts…” was yesterday’s big story. A quick glance back at the horoscope for P45’s inauguration reminds us that this proposed budget reflects the cold and cruel controls against all that is dignified, vulnerable and compassionate (Saturn squaring Venus in Pisces in the inaugural chart), especially in Venus-ruled concerns including arts, women, social values and yes, even food. USA Today published a list of 62 programs the budget would eliminate.  Pundits are howling over the proposed cuts to Meals on Wheels, which provides hot meals to hungry senior citizens. Where is the compassion? It is being oppressed by Saturn in the inaugural chart.

Meanwhile, at the Washington Times (one of Justice Antonin Scalia’s two favorite newspapers), the top story is an authoritative warning to federal judges who have (once again) blocked P45’s efforts to impose a Saturn-in-Sagittarius travel ban. Further down on the homepage, you’ll see the proposed “hard-power,” military-boosting budget presented as a fulfilled campaign promise to eliminate “unauthorized” programs. Which side of Saturn (discipline, streamlining, hard, patriarchal authority, ambition, control) do you see in this budget? Where do you get your news? Hopefully from multiple sources.

A Saturn-Sun square is not known for being warm and fuzzy. Add in today’s Moon in Scorpio and retrograde Venus in Aries, and you might end up with an awkward photo op at the White House, as P45 appeared to ignore Angela Merkel’s effort to put on a socially gracious face for the people back home. GQ has a play-by-play. 

Now called the Leader of the Free World by many, we can see how she might gain that moniker. Like Meryl Streep and Elizabeth Warren, Angela Merkel has Sun in a tight meet-up with Uranus, a sure suggestion of electrifying individualism. Right now transiting Uranus is challenging that pattern in Chancellor Merkel’s horoscope, suggesting break-out opportunities. However, this need for independence is countered by another pattern between her natal Mars and transiting Saturn, suggesting stern controls and potential frustration on her need for action. She will have another exact hit of this potential brick wall in the last half of May. Still, if a 6PM birth time is accurate, transits to her Midheaven (career/reputation) suggest overall expansion and support to the upside — at least until early fall.

Random aside: I’m marking mid-May in my calendar as a date to watch, given certain disruptive and provocative hits to the area ruling public status in the inaugural chart of the current administration.

Here is my favorite Saturn square Sun story of the week.  Who remembers an item from 2013, in which Maine’s famous “North Pond Hermit” was arrested for theft after living in the woods for almost 27 years (a full cycle of Saturn!) without any human contact? Really nothing says “hermit” more than Saturn, which wrote the book on isolation. This week the hermit — Christopher Knight — is the subject of a book which is now making headlines.

So this week we have Saturn square Sun, right? Well what do you suppose Christopher Knight has in his horoscope (birth date 12/7/1965)? Saturn square Sun and Mercury, the same patterns we saw in the Full Moon on the 13th, one of which is exact today! His Sun and Mercury are in Sagittarius, sign of rustic adventures. Mr. Knight’s  isolated/disciplined/hardened lifestyle choice is supported by Mars in practical Capricorn, suggesting an ability to execute practical action effectively. His Mars is currently being supercharged by transiting Pluto.

Thank you for reading this forecast.

Monday 3/13/2017 & Then Some: Sneak Peek at the Week; Full Moon Fallout

Happy Monday!

How heavy was your Sunday, in the wake of its perfection-seeking Virgo Full Moon? Whatever illumination and/release you experienced may have been colored by a tough aspect between Mercury (the way we need to think) and Saturn (tough love), exact yesterday morning. Saturn weighed in again last night when it challenged the Moon at 8:25 PM ET. Who rained on your parade? Demanded you get real?

The Full Moon occurred at 10:54 AM ET at 22 degrees of Virgo, opposing the Pisces Sun. Compared to the expansive (to infinity and beyond!) potential of the New Moon on February 26th, this Full Moon is about contraction and boundaries, suggested by Saturn (the ambitious patriarch), in a challenging pattern to the Sun and Moon. The Sun-Saturn challenge will be exact on March 17th, around the time P45 will allegedly present a budget proposal to Congress. Expect cuts, cuts and more cuts, wrapped in fiery me-me-me idealism. I actually wrote that paragraph last Thursday. Here’s what just hit the headlines at the Washington Post as I am now typing on Sunday night:  “Trump  Budget to Seek  Historic Contraction of Federal Workforce.”  Didn’t I just type “contraction?” Astrology is amazing.

This Full Moon affects all the newsmakers who have key planets around 22 degrees of Gemini, Sagittarius, Virgo and Pisces. I expect we’ll see advancement on stories that made news in the days after September 16th and December 13th of last year. In the horoscope of the United States, this Full Moon falls exactly on Neptune, no doubt offering illumination and opportunities to release our collective American Dream, discussed years ago here. This Full Moon also squares the U.S. Mars at 20 Gemini. Mars refers to the military, among other things.

I’m writing this before 10PM ET on Sunday, wondering what kind of brain fart or ill-fated communication may hit the headlines oh-so-soon. In half an hour the Virgo Moon faces off against Mercury at the end of impressionable Pisces, along with the Fixed Star Scheat. This star is associated with shipwrecks, and it will be together with Mercury until Tuesday.

Any planet close to the end of Pisces is susceptible to a bit of despair, because the end of Pisces is the end of the zodiac, thank you very much goodbye. But take heart, dear Reader, because at 5:08 PM ET on MONDAY, Mercury (how we think/communication) is born anew as it charges into Aries — with prominence! Who wants to reinvent the wheel without considering where the cart might be headed?

Which brings us to where I usually begin this Sneak Peek at the Week forecast, which is to tell you that MONDAY is driven by the Moon in people-pleasing, conflict averse Libra, seeking to find a balance as it swings from side to side. TUESDAY the balance is likely to be upset by the Moon’s weekly clash with Pluto, Jupiter and Uranus around 2 PM, 6PM and 9PM respectively. Do your sweet-talking in the early part of the day.

Moon will be void between 6:05 AM and 11:11 AM ET on WEDNESDAY before plunging into the murky depths of control-seeking Scorpio. A desire for depth and substance cruises without interference until 7:38 PM ET, when Moon makes a stubborn clash with Mars. Would you like to have “But I had the right-of-way” inscribed on your tombstone? Let cooler heads prevail.

There is only one exact aspect on THURSDAY, and this is a harmony between foggy Neptune and the Scorpio Moon at 11:25 AM ET. Right about then would be the time to announce the hard, cold cuts or other serious advance, as the Moon-Neptune thing softens the edges.  St. Patrick’s Day is really no time for a parade, with the Scorpio Moon still in force, along with the authoritative constraints suggested by a challenge between the Sun and Saturn at 5:47 PM ET. Drown your sorrows at the bar in the hours after 5:56 PM ET, when the Moon will be void until 11 PM ET. Hang in there through SATURDAY and SUNDAY, when the Moon will be in randy Sagittarius, pushing the boundaries of opinion and possibly good taste.

And now, the news.

We’ve gotten through a full week of Venus retrograde in Aries. Are you minding your manners? When Venus is retrograde, conventional wisdom argues that satisfaction may be hard to find, especially if it is something being sold. In Washington — true to the potential of the February 26 New Moon — a group of elected representatives locked themselves in a basement with a box of Crayolas and emerged on Monday with their seven-years-in-the-making replacement of the Affordable Care Act. Fun fact: Did you know that 30% of the population thought ACA and Obamacare were two separate health care initiatives? They loved the ACA. They hated Obamacare. Of course people were confused all last year and back into the fall of 2015, given the surreal patterns and cycles.

Anyhoo, with Venus now being retrograde, it’s no surprise so many are not happy with the American Health Care Act, including plenty of conservative pundits and of course, the NYT’s Gail Collins. If you like moving pictures with your news, HBO’s John Oliver explains the AHCA (pronounced as if you are trying to hurl a blob of phlegm out of congested lungs) for you. However, planetary patterns being what they were last week — with action hero Mars first racing through Aries and now bulldozing through Taurus, the bill has already been approved by two House committees.   Still, I’m not convinced the Senate will swallow this pill.

UPDATE: House Speaker Paul Ryan  is leading the charge on the AHCA, and boy is he buzzed (buzz also noted by John Oliver in clip above). His Powerpoint presentation provided endless inspiration for Twitter memes, and his apparent ignorance of how insurance actually works is stunning (must-read article here). Last time we looked at Ryan’s horoscope was in October:

….his people-pleasing, social graces-focused Libra Moon has been under intense pressure from transiting Uranus since late spring. He announced he would no longer defend his party’s nominee for president. People pleaser that he is, he has not withdrawn his formal endorsement. Keep an eye on the Speaker, especially in April/May, when Uranus will complete the cycle involving Ryan’s Moon. The Speaker has been discussed many times in this forecast, going back to 2012:   here (this is an in-depth analysis)   here  here   and  here

With April fast approaching, we can expect much more from Speaker Ryan. From an astrological perspective, his Neptune exactly on the Ascendant suggests that what he presents — visionary and sugar-coated as it may be — is likely not what it seems. Rudy Giuliani has Neptune on the Ascendant. So does Bill Clinton (along with Mars).

UPDATE: Bernie Sanders. He’s been getting a lot of press lately — more than usual — have you noticed? If you’ve been reading this forecast, you are not surprised, given the observations made here last fall — and also in 2015.  Here he is today — front and center in the Guardian, leading the charge against P45. “Despair is not an option,” he says, and of course he would, with zero planets in Pisces and three planets in “achieve the impossible” Aries. I predict he will become even more supercharged  between now and 2020, as persuasive Pluto moves in on Sanders’ Moon, Mars and Venus.

Meanwhile, U.S. Attorney General Preet Bharara was fired over the weekend, after he refused to tender the resignation demanded from him and 45 other attorneys general. Preet Bharara’s horoscope has rebel Uranus running wild, suggesting a need to make statements like this:

“One hallmark of justice is absolute independence, and that was my touchstone every day that I served”

Right now, the disruption in his career is reflected by transiting  Uranus shaking up his natal opposition between Saturn (structure; ambition) and his Libra Sun-Mercury. He is going to be fine, despite the tough patch suggested by transiting Saturn (contraction) squaring his powerfully resourceful  Jupiter-Pluto conjunction in Virgo. Planetary patterns suggest he’ll be making waves with an electrifying and persuasive power through 2018.

What’s going on in your horoscope? When are you likely to make waves? What about your partner or your children? A consultation with a skilled astrologer offers clarity and confidence. Here’s how to contact me.

In the wake of last week’s patterns between Pluto, Mercury and the Sun, serious news from underground hit the fan, as anticipated. Wikileaks dumped a truckload of info on how the CIA could spy on your Smart TV, etc.; the NYT, WaPo and Rachel Maddow continue to dig up dirt on P45 & company’s Russian connections. This story was especially intriguing: the construction of a luxury hotel in Azerbaijan that has never opened. So why was it built? Meanwhile in Egypt, the colossal statue immortalized in Percy Shelley’s poem “Ozymandias” (remember it from your AP English class?) may have been found.

We interrupt this newsfeed for a joke, brought to you by Venus (women; values) retrograde (not inclined to make nice) in Aries (warrior women):

Q:  How many feminists does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

A: That’s not funny.

Also not funny: an estimated 30,000 military men — mostly Marines — who, having been busted for sharing nude photos of their Marine colleagues with XX chromosomes, continue to ogle, objectify and disrespect said colleagues in secret groups elsewhere on Facebook. Elsewhere, a five-year-old girl has strong words for retailers who aren’t making the kind of clothing she wants to wear. A Congressman wonders out loud why men should have to contribute to the health care costs of pregnant women (and the venerable NYT actually calls him a jackass — go Venus Rx, go!). On International Women’s Day, Paul Ryan (him again) proudly announced that the AccccHCA proposal would defund  Planned Parenthood.

On a happier International Women’s Day note, there’s a new statue on Wall Street, an appropriately-named “Fearless Girl” (Venus in Aries is nothing if not fearless) defiantly staring down the iconic bull. How inspiring (Venus in Aries is nothing if not inspiring). Sad to say, it took less than two days for some jackass (the NYT has deemed “jackass” appropriate language for a mainstream publication) to defile the statue of a little girl by grinding his body against it — captured on film. Social graces out the window, when Venus is retrograde. Wonder why Americans are having less sex?

Ending on a light note, as we always do.  Last Friday the Leo Moon was void between 12 and 5 PM ET. The Leo Moon craves the spotlight. Leo naturally rules the area of the horoscope referring to children, creativity and play. A Moon void suggests an unexpected twist that may run away with the whole day! If you haven’t seen this clip of the BBC’s Serious Interview About South Korea disrupted by the Serious Interviewee’s playful children (one wearing sunny Leo gold!), you simply must. And if we could make a rule that henceforth and forever more, all TV interviews will be crashed by children…well, whaddaya think?

Thank you for reading this forecast and sharing it with your friends. Contributions to my Cosmic Tip Jar are accepted here, with much gratitude. A huge thank you to satisfied clients who have told others about my consulting services. A even bigger thank you to Avid Reader Jerry, who took time out of his busy day to let me know  the Cosmic Tip Jar link wasn’t working, no thanks at all to PayPal :)  Jerry, you are my hero today! There is a big gold DONATE button on the Daily Forecast page of my site that usually works if the above link does not. GRATITUDE!

 

 

 

Monday 3/6/2017 & Then Some: Sneak Peek at the Week; Anatomy of a Tweet

Allllll righty then!

The work week began with the Moon in Cancer, suggesting a need to focus on home and family concerns involving emotional security. The only exact aspect on Monday was a meet-up between the Sun and a seriously hungover Mercury in Pisces, struggling to recover from its binge with delusional Neptune early Saturday morning. The meet-up with the Sun suggests idealistic thinking — with reason tossed in the nearest dustbin.

On TUESDAY the sensitive Cancer Moon is well-supported in the morning and early afternoon, so that’s the time to connect with your fellow humans. Tensions rise after lunch ET, and we may experience power plays and upsets in a big way between 4:28 PM ET and 10:33 PM ET, when the Moon makes its weekly clash with Pluto, Jupiter and rebel Uranus.  An extra dose of dirt made be dug up as well, given that Mercury will be in harmony with investigative Pluto at 12:23 AM ET on WEDNESDAY.  Give us what you’ve got, WaPo and NYT.

Moon will be void on Wednesday between 9:59 AM and 11:45 AM ET. This reflects whatever twist or flake you may experience, which may come with a provocative outburst at no extra charge, given that the Moon void begins on a challenge from Mars.  The rest of the day (after 11:45 AM ET) will be driven by the Moon in love-love-me-do Leo, looking for ways to shine and — if we all play nice — to help others shine, too.  An easy connection between the Sun and Pluto in the wee hours (3:29 AM ET) on THURSDAY may be a blessing for regal types and other Powers That Be. This aspect facilitates corporate deals in the energy sector, FYI.

Big news on Thursday is action hero Mars, leaving the race track of Aries (its home sign) for the calmer pastures of Taurus. Stripped of the speed it enjoys while charging through Aries, Mars in Taurus compensates with stubborn, bull-dozing persistence. Mars will be in Taurus until April 21st.

After a productive morning on FRIDAY, the Leo Moon goes void on FRIDAY at 12:05 PM ET, suggesting an opportunity to skip out early for the weekend. Guess who left town last Friday for some down time in Florida, five minutes after the Taurus Moon went void at 10:20 AM ET. Coincidence or conspiracy?

Moon enters Virgo at 5:07 PM ET on Friday, in search of the perfect Manhattan. A need for sorting, organizing and making things right drives the whole weekend, which includes a Full Moon on SUNDAY at 10:54 AM ET. This is a significant Full Moon as it impacts all the newsmakers who have key planets around 22 degrees of Gemini, Sagittarius, Virgo and Pisces. More on that later this week.

Meanwhile, you all know Venus is now retrograde, right? I want to talk about a few news items in this post, so please refer to this post from 2015 for general coping strategies on Venus.  This Venus Rx began at 13 degrees of Aries, so if you have a planet or angle around that degree, you’re special. Look at your horoscope and see where 27 degrees of Pisces through 13 degrees of Aries falls. This is the area of your life where you may have an opportunity to REview what/whom and how you love. Do they inspire you? Do they reflect who you are when you are being true to your adorable self? Why or why not? Venus turns direct on April 15th.

If you haven’t the foggiest idea what’s going on in your horoscope, it’s high time you scheduled a consultation. Here’s how to contact me.

And now, some news.

Here’s what I posted for last Tuesday:

At 11:52 PM ET we’ll sense a palpable shift as the Moon charges into me-me-me Aries, a sign known for speed. On TUESDAY there are no aspects aiding and abetting the Aries Moon’s quest to be thought of FIRST; to lead; to inspire; to achieve the impossible; and to fall down stairs because it’s faster than walking.  Oh — wait there is one aspect at 9:55 PM ET, when the Moon meets up with Venus (women, money, art, social expression), setting the perfect scene for consummate flirts.

Does anyone remember what happened last Tuesday night in Washington? P45 gave a speech to Congress, with assistance from a teleprompter. It was declared a rousing success, with more input from the rose-colored glasses provided by the Sun’s annual meet-up with pixie-dusted Neptune. Then all hell broke loose on Wednesday (as predicted) and Attorney General Jeff Sessions was all anyone could talk about because he appears to have lied to Congress about having had conversations with the Russian ambassador. Wow! You’re probably wondering if Neptune is in contact with many planets in Mr. Sessions’ horoscope (no birth time available). It is.

Neptune is also in contact with a key planet in P45’s horoscope, too. And this key planet would be Mercury, whose condition suggests how he needs to think. Inspiring, visionary and intuitive? Potentially. And also potentially indulgent when it comes to alternative facts. Was it intuition, I wonder, that prompted him to send out a false, yet sensational tweet at 6:35AM ET that totally pulled focus away from Attorney General Sessions’ fine kettle of fish for the rest of the weekend? Look at the chart for the tweet:

Neptune and Mercury in Pisces rising, exact on a Pisces Ascendant. Total fog. Moon running wild in blah blah blah Gemini, in the 3rd House of more blah blah blah, obsessively seeking public status. What planet is ruling the 3rd House of communication and mindset? Venus in me-me-me Aries, at a dead stop and not at all inclined to mind its manners. So if you wanted to pick a moment in advance to send out a total fabrication that would attract a ton of attention, this would be an apt time to do it. Fun Fact: the Moon at 0 Gemini is conjunct former President Obama’s Moon at 3 Gemini. Astrology is amazing.

As it turns out, the writers at SNL kept their focus on actual news. Kate McKinnon gave an encore performance as Jeff Sessions in the show’s cold open. Ms. McKinnon is a Capricorn whose Sun has been supercharged by Uranus and Pluto over the past two years. Breakout star? Personal empowerment? Ooh — and get this: in  her horoscope, she has Mercury with Neptune — at the Aries Point! What a useful pattern to have for an actress who is winning accolades pretending to be other famous people. There’s a place for illusion, doncha’ know….

Speaking of President Obama, events in his life are currently reflecting the powerful reward potential suggested by a pattern influencing career, honors, publishing and popularity.  He’ll be receiving the 2017 John F. Kennedy Presidential Medal of Courage; just scored a $60 million book deal; enjoyed a month-long vacation and founded a new venture. I expect he’ll be cooking with gas in the middle of 2018 and on. Fun Fact: P45 had this powerful reward pattern (among others) all last year. What’s going on in your horoscope?

I have a laundry list of other news items that have nothing to do with politics, but still are in astonishing synchronicity with planetary patterns. I hope to share them soon.

Thank you for reading this forecast.