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"Her ability to pinpoint exact years of major occurrences was uncanny. And her sensitive insight brought such clarity to the reading."
-- D.H.

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Sunday 4/29/2018 & Then Some: Full Moon in Scorpio; Sneak Peek at the Week

Moon entered Scorpio today at 3:11 AM ET, seeking depth, substance and control. It waxes to its fullness at 8:58 PM ET. A Full Moon in Scorpio vs. a Taurus Sun suggests tension,  illumination  and release in matters of “mine” vs. “ours.” As with all Full Moons, emotions may well be on the rise — but with greater intensity, courtesy of Scorpio.

You are more personally “illuminated” by this Full Moon if you have a planet or angle around 9 degrees of Leo and Aquarius — but especially Taurus and Scorpio. The Sabian Symbols for this lunation give us clues as to the nature of the potential release. For the Taurus Sun: a Red Cross nurse. For the Scorpio Moon:  a fellowship supper. These symbols suggest images of compassion and sacrifice; of someone going to the front lines to help the wounded, writes Sabian Sage Blain Bovee.  Other images include gatherings born out of shared experience and a willingness to put aside differences in favor of humanitarian goals.

These Symbols feel hopeful — and make me wonder how last week’s historic meeting between the leaders of North and South Korea will play out. I also wonder what illumination we may see with respect to the P45 Administration, as tonight’s Full Moon falls exactly on the 9 degree Scorpio Moon in the P45 inauguration chart. Not only that, but transiting Mars is fast approaching a meet-up with the 26 Capricorn Midheaven of the chart (exact on May 7). On May 18th, transiting Mars will square the 0 Aquarius Sun…to be followed on May 31st by a square from transiting Uranus. Mark your calendars and see what happens that may be daring, provocative, innovative and/or impulsive, for better or worse.

No sleeping in on Monday. Note your dreams, given the Moon’s 8:32 AM ET alignment with rose-colored Neptune. Waking up inspired? Carry it through the rest of the day. Note the potential for expansive emotions around 3:11 PM ET, as the Moon meets up with Jupiter. There’s an easy flow of practical energy through the evening, thanks to contacts with Pluto and Mars.  Chill between 10:56 PM ET and  11:19 AM ET on TUESDAY as the Moon will be void. No worries if you sleep in on TUESDAY.

After 11: 19 AM ET on Tuesday, the energy of the day is driven by the Moon in Sagittarius. If someone has a righteous opinion, we’re all sure to hear about it — and the more boundaries pushed, the better (according to Sag). Get out in nature; take in a foreign film or indulge in a debate that expands your mind.  Friday and Saturday are all business, courtesy of  the Moon in Capricorn.

The only other Moon void of the work week happens at 8:50 PM ET on THURSDAY — for all of 70 minutes.

Perhaps you have noticed that I’m not telling you about exact aspects between the planets — except between the planets and the Moon. That’s because there are none. There aren’t even any planets changing direction or sign this week.  One possible exception is rebel Uranus, which is now at the very last degree of Aries. Planets at the last degree of a sign tend to intensify. Aries refers to the head, cars, warriors, pioneers, selfies and anything me-me-me. Uranus refers to technology, aviation, liberation, astrology, seismic activity, uranium, rebels and other upsets. Watch the news — and if you have a planet or angle around 29 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn, my money says you’re feeling the buzz. Exhibit A:  Sarah Huckabee Sanders has Venus at 29 Cancer.

Let the record show that there is building tension between Uranus (upsets; innovation) and Mars (action; assertion). On May 16th, one day after Uranus leaves Aries and enters Taurus, Mars will enter Aquarius and immediately square Uranus, releasing said tension.  This is the “other shoe” dropping after last week’s Mars-Pluto meet-up in Capricorn. Mars and Uranus will square two more times this year:  on August 1 and September 18th.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. What does the lack of exact aspects among the planets suggest for this week? Well, over the years I have noticed that in these apparent “empty spaces,” there is room for much to fall, in the way that a giant chunk of ice breaks off an Arctic shelf and crumbles into the sea, as if no one saw it coming.

As for the news, here’s the latest installment of the NYT’s “The Week in Good News” — seven stories, three of which you may already have read about here.  Plus, on today’s stability-preserving harmony between the Taurus Sun  and Pluto in Capricorn, it’s nice that Australia is pledging millions to save The Great Barrier Reef. Another effort to preserve stability: a long editorial in the NYT begging Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy to stick around. That may be a challenge, given patterns in Justice Kennedy’s horoscope that were pointed out here last year — and are active now and into 2019.

Thank you for reading this forecast.

Thursday 4/26/2018 & Into the Weekend: When Mars Meets Pluto…

The  perfectionist Virgo Moon has been void since 5:49 AM ET, suggesting a time to chill, take care of routine and roll with whatever twists and flakes disrupt your efforts to move forward in a straight line. Upsets favoring underdogs are also possibilities.  Reverberating through this day is the aftermath of  a meet-up between Mars (action, courage, aggression, men) and Pluto (power, breakdown, transformation) — exact at 6:54 AM ET. This accounts for nearly all of the headlines I’m seeing.

The Virgo Moon won’t get into gear until 9:13 PM ET, when it enters people-pleasing Libra. On FRIDAY, note the potential for a wet blanket or authoritarian advance around 1:21 PM ET, when the Moon is squared by Saturn. A clash of mindset sparks a revelation, as the Moon faces off against Mercury at 8:42 PM ET. We’ve already talked about the potential volatility suggested on SATURDAY, with the Moon is squared by Pluto and Mars at 11:18 AM ET and 1:17 PM ET. Bite your tongue and head to the nearest gym. Emotions will be on the rise, courtesy of  the Full Moon, exact at 8:58 PM ET.  On the plus side, there are no Moon voids to turn your weekend shopping urges into a bust.

And now, the news.

It’s Mars conjunct Pluto all over the place, i.e.,  assertive energy delivered with potentially explosive force  — including news from underground:

Contrast that last one with  live feed I’m currently watching of a historic meeting between the leaders of North Korea and South Korea.  Lots and lots of cars with sirens racing down a highway. Perhaps this apparent harmony between leaders reflects a harmony between the Taurus Sun and Saturn in Capricorn, exact  at 6:03 AM ET on Sunday.

UPDATE: Bill Cosby, whose horoscope we’ve been writing about since forever.  Here’s the last installment, posted two weeks ago:

He’s back in court for a  Mercury REtrograde REtrial — on charges of sexual assault. A lot has changed since the first trial, which ended in a deadlocked jury. #MeToo, anyone? And there are big changes in Cosby’s horoscope, too. Transiting Pluto is squaring his Ascendant and opposing his Cancer Sun — and karma cop Saturn is squaring his natal Saturn. It seems quite possible that the jury will see him in a different light. A major Pluto phase has a way of changing one’s perspective. Resistance is futile.   Here is his horoscope, using an Aries Ascendant. It’s been tracking quite well since  2014.

In recent days, Mars made provocative hits to three planets in his horoscope and his Ascendant. Today a jury found him guilty of sexual assault. Mr. Cosby reacted by hurling an expletive in the court’s general direction.  Go Mars! Go Pluto!

In other news…

I’m a huge fan of the NYT’s latest series, “Overlooked No More.” In a world dominated by men, the obituary section has been no exception. Thus the NYT is paying its respects to women who should have been respected years ago.  Here’s an excerpt from today’s installment — still very Mars conjunct Pluto:

Maria Bochkareva, a pugnacious, formidable and semiliterate peasant who, in World War I, became one of Russia’s first female army officers and commanded an all-women unit into battle on the Eastern Front, died on May 16, 1920. She was 30.

Meanwhile, long-delayed respects were paid in Montgomery, Alabama: “Lynching Memorial Draws Crowds and Tears.”   The museum is a project of the Equal Justice Initiative, first written about in this forecast back in 2015 and again in 2016.  That’s when the Uranus-Pluto square was intensely active in the horoscope of the United States.

UPDATE: Emmanuel Macron, president of France,  is right on schedule. Here’s a blurb from a forecast last year:

At 28 degrees of Capricorn, his Ascendant will be hit by transiting Uranus starting in April 2018, suggesting a shake-up and/or a fresh direction in his personal presentation. The fresh start is likely to be coupled with an expanded professional status, as transiting Jupiter makes its way to the top of his chart. This year he’ll be dealing with the streamlining influence of transiting Saturn to his Venus, Mercury and Sun. Streamlining is not necessarily a downer. It suggests an opportunity to focus and plan for an ambitious advance.

Yesterday with the first hit of Uranus to his Capricorn Ascendant,  Macron gave a disruptive address to Congress.   Pundits were calling him the new leader of the Free World.  Just the night before the internets went ape over the perceived Mars conjunct Pluto “bromance” between Macron and P45. Or so it was observed by Mrs. Betty Bowers, America’s Best Christian, citing Jane Goodall:

 “When the aging gorilla is confronted with the much more virile, new alpha-male, he shows submissiveness by grooming the alpha-male, but the gesture is actually a vain attempt by the old gorilla to humiliate his much younger rival.”

I believe we’ve given the potential of a Mars-Pluto conjunction plenty of coverage today. Stay tuned for May 16th, when Mars will square Uranus, which will just have entered Taurus.

Now let’s talk about you. What’s going on in your horoscope? Here’s the 411 on personal consultations.

Thank you for reading this forecast.

This handout picture released from the Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens on June 26, 2015 shows giant male gorilla Shabani, weighing around 180kg at the Higashiyama Zoo in Nagoya in Aichi prefecture, central Japan. The 18-year-old silverback with brooding good looks and rippling muscles is causing a stir at the Japanese zoo, with women flocking to check out the hunky pin-up. AFP PHOTO / HIGASHIYAMA ZOO AND BOTANICAL GARDENS

 

Late Sneak Peek at the Week: Macho Mars Pulls Focus; Venus Enters Gemini & More

Never a dull moment, is it?

The work week began with the Moon in regal Leo, an apt placement for a bright spot in the daily newsfeed. And here I would be referring to the royal baby born yesterday to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Today the Leo Moon goes void at 2:39 PM ET, not to enter Virgo until 4:40 PM ET. Chill for a couple of hours and refrain from making mountains out of molehills. Roll with whatever twists and flakes may disrupt your efforts to move forward in a straight line. Then use the Virgo Moon’s discerning needs to sort out and put in order whatever you have on your plate for the next few days.

Notable planetary patterns this week include:

  • Pluto, which turned retrograde on Sunday at 11:23 AM ET — at 21 degrees of Capricorn.  Retrograde planets suggest a time to look inward for authority in whatever matters ruled by that planet. Pluto is power, control, regeneration, transformation, healing. So stop trying to control the world around you, already. Work on controlling (mastering) your own inner world — and then the world around you will start to reflect your newly-masterful self.  Y’know? You’ll feel the potential for a change of perspective more personally if you have a planet or angle around 21 degrees of  Aries, Libra, Cancer — and especially Capricorn.
  • Mars and Jupiter are in harmony today, exact at 1:13 AM ET. This is an excellent transit for an easy flow of physical activity, including childbirth.
  • Venus leaves comfy Taurus for multi-tasking Gemini TODAY at 12:40 PM ET.  Here, Venus — which refers to women, money, social expression and aesthetics — will seek to be ever-so entertaining as it seduces you with potential double talk until May 20th. If you have planets or angles in Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius or Pisces, your social stock may get a boost over the next few weeks. Consult your local astrologer for details.
  • On WEDNESDAY, Mercury and Saturn will square off for the third time in recent weeks. We’ll see this reflected in somber and serious thoughts and communication — perhaps even cutting or depressing. Mercury refers to how we need to think; Saturn refers to control and patriarchy.
  • On THURSDAY, Mars and Pluto will meet up — exact at 6:54 AM ET. Already we’re seeing the explosive potential of this pairing in the headlines.  Ten pedestrians in Toronto were killed yesterday when a young man plowed a van onto a crowded sidewalk.   Over the weekend, another young man armed with an assault rifle opened fire in a Tennessee Waffle House. This story has one of the positive potentials of Mars with Pluto: courage — on the part of James Shaw, the African-American young man who tackled the shooter, saving countless lives. And let’s not forget that the Iran nuclear deal is pulling major focus this week, as John Oliver explained in the latest episode of Last Week Tonight. Meanwhile in North Korea, a bus crash kills 32 Chinese tourists…and talk of nukes is once again on the table. Oh, and oil is up again.
  • Also on THURSDAY: the Virgo Moon will be void between 5:49 AM ETMarsand 9:13 PM ET. If you are unfamiliar with the potential suggested when the Moon is void, here’s a primer.
  • FRIDAY and SATURDAY may be rattled by the Moon’s weekly clash with disruptive Pluto and Uranus, exact on Saturday at 11:18 AM ET and SUNDAY at 1:32 AM ET.
  • Emotions will already be building to a crest, release in the wake of SUNDAY’s Full Moon, which by then will have entered Scorpio. And you were expecting a light spring week? Take heart! There’s a new royal baby in town!

What do all these patterns mean to you?  Check in with your local astrologer once or twice a year,  just as you would with your dentist. Our consultation is sure to be validating and empowering. Here’s how to contact me.

And now, more news.

I neglected to mention the death of Barbara Bush. I should have, given last week’s heavy influence of Venus (women) in touch with Jupiter (grand, big, expansive) and Pluto (power).  Add to that the disruptive potential of the Aries Sun with rebel Uranus. Kudos to WaPo op-ed columnist Ruth Marcus for noticing the synchronicity in the headlines in  her column “What a week for women. Barbara Bush would have been proud.”   That op-ed included Senator Tammy Duckworth — the first Senator to give birth in office and bring her infant daughter to the Senate floor, breaking a Senate taboo.  I would add Madeleine Albright to this mix. Check out her new book: Fascism:  A Warning.

It is interesting to note that Mars is following in Venus’s footsteps this week, aligning with Jupiter and Pluto. Now we are seeing heavy Mars — anger, courage, guns– and of course, men — in the headlines. I could not help but note the regenerative potential of Pluto with Mars in this one: “Whole Again: A Vet Maimed by an I.E.D. Receives a Transplanted Penis.”  Meanwhile, Season 2 of “The Handmaid’s Tale” premieres tomorrow, right on that Mars-Pluto conjunction. On The Guardian’s home page, the most-viewed stories include:

Over at the NYT we find “How Windmills as Wide as Jumbo Jets Are Making Clean-Energy Mainstream.”

At WaPo, the most-viewed story is “NRA are blowing up Yeti Coolers.” In third place: “I thought I was done”: George H.W. Bush faced  death at 20 in WWII.”   Mr. Bush was hospitalized yesterday.

Here are a few stories reflecting the streamlined thought/info potential of this week’s heavy square between Mercury and Saturn:

Finally, here is the horoscope for Royal Baby #3. Sun in Taurus, driven by that regal love-love-me-do Leo Moon. This is a strong will with a dramatic and fiercely independent temperament. It’s fronted by a Cancer Ascendant, suggesting a need to be seen as someone who is caring and sensitive. It’s no surprise to see his Midheaven at the Aries Point, suggesting prominence in public status (!). There’s a strong need for an expression of physical stamina and potential excellence in athletics. For now, let’s leave him be to adjust to his new life on Planet Earth.

It’s fascinating, however,  to study the horoscopes of children. If you’re ever looking for the perfect baby shower, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift, a consultation about a child’s horoscope is priceless.

Thank you for reading this forecast.

Thursday 4/19/2018: Catching Up on the Sun-Uranus News; Mercury Direct; Saturn Retrograde; Sun in Taurus

Yowza  — what a week!

The Moon is in Gemini, where it has been since yesterday at 8:02 AM ET, seeking to be the smartest kid in the room. What do you know and when did you know it? Answers might be vague or downright confusing this morning, suggested by a challenge to the clever Moon from muddled Neptune at 10:11 AM ET. After that, Moon sails free and clear through the rest of the day.

Big news happens at 11:13 PM ET. That’s when the Sun leaves fiery Aries for earthy Taurus. If Aries is the spark that generates an idea, Taurus takes that idea and gives it form.  We may notice a cooling and slowing of energy now, compared to the last 30 days. Taurus needs to consolidate in ways that literally matter.  Keywords for Taurus: possessive, patient, stubborn, sensual. When I think of Taurus, I think of a toddler who’s learned two new words, “Mine!” and “No!” If you are a Taurus born in the first few days of the sign, get ready to be zapped out of your usual comfort zone, courtesy of transiting Uranus on your Taurus Sun. Perhaps you are already feeling an electric buzz demanding freedom and independence? Consult your local astrologer for details.

And now, the news.

Let’s recap the patterns involved:

  • Mercury moving direct — suggesting communication/travel snafus (4/16)
  • Saturn turning retrograde — suggesting a “not-so-fast” review of planned “business as usual” advances (4/17)
  • Mercury and Saturn are in a tense square — exact next Wednesday — suggesting heavy mindset/communication, perhaps of karmic consequences
  • Venus opposing Jupiter and trining Pluto, putting women in the spotlight, especially in areas related to power and expansion (4/17)
  • Sun conjunct Uranus, suggesting these themes: rebellion, shocks, mutations, seismic action, accidents, aviation, innovation and other disruptions to the status quo (4/18)
  • Pluto slowing to a stop, about to turn retrograde — suggesting these themes: power plays, news from underground, resources (4/22)

…and here are a few headlines.

  • Big shock!  Michael Cohen — P45’s fixer/”lawyer” — has only three clients: P45 is one. Two would be a fellow deputy finance chairman of the Republican National Committee — Elliot Broidy — who had an extramarital affair with a Playboy model, which resulted in a pregnancy, which resulted in an abortion, which resulted in Mr. Cohen arranging a secret million dollar payout to the model on behalf of Mr. Broidy. Oh, if only Mr. Broidy had taken a few classes at his local Planned Parenthood, instead of funding efforts to destroy it. In any event, the third super-secret client is (as the Entire Free World now knows)…Sean Hannity,
  • Mr. Hannity was written about in this forecast on May 26, 2017: “Elsewhere, Sean Hannity is on a “planned vacation” after seven advertisers stopped supporting his show. Why? Because Mr. Hannity persisted in promoting a false conspiracy theory about the death of Sean Rich, who worked for the DNC.  Transiting Saturn is likely to be putting quite a squeeze on Mr. Hannity’s Sun, Mercury, Venus and Mars next year when it meets up with all four of those planets in the early degrees of Capricorn. Could be quite a reality check after three years of transiting Neptune casting a rose-colored spell on his Pisces Ascendant.”
  • Sun + Uranus = Aviation upsets & mavericks. On Tuesday, an engine blew up on a Southwest Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Dallas. One passenger died after nearly being sucked out of the plane. Yes, of course there were explosive planets on the angles of the chart at the time of the explosion. That is not surprising.  But have you heard the recording of the conversation between air traffic controllers and SWA 1380’s pilot, Tammie Jo Shults? Shall we forgive the Philly air traffic controller for referring Ms. Shults as “him” on more than one occasion? Surprise, surprise — Philly air traffic controller — and did you know that Ms. Shults is also a pioneering ex-Navy fighter pilot? No birth date available yet — but what an inspiration.
  • Here’s a disruptive story —  involving jumping to erroneous conclusions —  also out of Philadelphia: two African-American men were arrested at a local Starbuckss after  the store manager called 911 because the men hadn’t ordered anything. . The men were waiting for a friend — who arrived as the men were being taken away in handcuffs. Seriously, City of Brotherly Love? Here is Philadelphia’s horoscope, for students who might like to see what’s going on. Meanwhile, Starbucks plans to close all of its stores for one day next month to discuss racial bias. Philadelphia’s police chief has also issued an apology after initially defending the arresting officers.
  • File under “mistakes are gifts”: “Scientists  “accidentally” create enzyme that eats plastic bottles.”   Yay!
  • Surprise! It was revealed that P45’s nominee for Secretary of State — Mike Pompeo —  secretly met with North Korea’s Kim Jong-un over Easter weekend.
  • Surprise! IRS computers crash — everyone gets an extra day to file!
  • Surprise! Massive power outage (again) in Puerto Rico impacts entire island.
  • Not an actual earthquake, but a big, fat feature in a recent NYT: “San Francisco’s Big Seismic Gamble.”
  • Surprise, surprise: Neil Gorsuch sides with the four liberal justices in a case involving immigration.
  • This is not a surprise — more of an “I told you so.” There are too many men in India and China and it’s created major upsets, with more to come.

Finally, UN Ambassador Nikki Haley pushed back against the White House, which accused her of “being confused” about what P45 planned to do about sanctions against Russia (nothing, despite what Ms. Haley may have been told). “I don’t get confused,” said Ms. Haley. Really? Let’s look at her horoscope.  She’s an Aquarius if born after 6 PM on January 20, 1972; otherwise, she’s a Capricorn. Either way, she — like those born in the early days of Taurus — is currently being supercharged by transiting Uranus in contact with her Sun. Translation: a need for freedom and independence, which may be experienced as a electric, innovative, rebellious and otherwise disruptive. As for her mindset (and potential for confusion), she has Mercury in hard-nosed Capricorn in a provocative connection with a high-functioning Mars in Aries AND Uranus in Libra. No confusion here, though she might be innovative, quirky, surprising, combative, impatient and/or impulsive. There is, however, a suggestion of a need for idealism in her social expression and values. Said values might be rose-colored or dreamy, but there’s no lack of clarity about how she thinks about them. I hope I’ve made that perfectly clear.

Need some clarity about your own personal world? That’s what I’m here for. Here’s the 411 on consultations.

Thank you for reading this forecast.

Monday 4/16/2018: Sneak Peek at the Week; New Moon in Aries

…and it’s off to the races we go.

The first half of the work week is driven by a Taurus Moon, still fresh out of the gate after last night’s New Moon in Aries. While a Taurus Moon may seek to preserve the status quo, comfort and material security, there’s a buzz in the air. That’s courtesy of the Aries Sun’s upcoming meet-up with rebel Uranus, exact on WEDNESDAY at 9:59 AM ET.  Meanwhile, a high-functioning Venus in Taurus is in harmony with Pluto, but in a tense face-off with expansive Jupiter.  Those patterns are exact on TUESDAY at 9:02 AM ET and 2:59 AM ET, respectively. We’re likely to see stories of abundance and excess, for better or for worse — with significant illumination on issues that sparked when Venus was conjunct Jupiter in Scorpio last November.  That was when revelations about the Harvey Weinstein atrocities really got going, along with other sexual abuses by men behaving badly. Venus refers to money, art and social expression, as well as women.

Three other planets — Mercury, Saturn and Pluto — are in the process of  changing direction and are at virtual dead stops. The image that comes to mind is one of focus — in the way an impatient driver sits on his or her horn while stuck in traffic. The focus is related to a heavy, pioneering mindset (Mercury in Aries), executive authority (Saturn in Capricorn) and corporate power (Pluto in Capricorn).  Mercury turned direct yesterday ta 5:21 AM ET; Saturn turns retrograde at 9:47 PM ET on WEDNESDAY; Pluto turns retrograde on SUNDAY at 11:23 AM ET.

Retrograde planets suggest a time to look inward for authority in whatever matters ruled by that planet. They also suggest delays or reconsideration.  Pluto is power, control, regeneration, transformation, healing.  Saturn refers to plans structure, discipline and ambition. You’re more personally affected by the retrogrades if you have planets or angles around 9 or 21 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn. Book a consultation and we’ll talk about it.

Mercury moving forward suggests we’ll need a day or two of adjustment in thought, communication and travel.  Don’t get me started on the mess of a subway trip I had yesterday. You? Over the next few weeks – until  about May 3rd — we may see the flaws in the so-called bright ideas that came up since late March. That’s how long it will take Mercury to get back to the place it was when it turned retrograde.

Finally,  Chiron, the Wounded Healer is also pulling focus.  It’s changing signs — from Pisces to Aries on WEDNESDAY. This isn’t a casual visit. Chiron will be in Aries until April of 2027, perhaps offering us an opportunity to repair some of the most disruptive effects that happened during rebel Uranus’s seven-year stay in Aries. Uranus in Aries brought you me-me-me to its shockingly self-reliant max: the gig economy, selfies, cars without drivers and drones come to mind. But what does it MEAN to be self-reliant in  a world that feels like it’s falling apart? What’s our connection? Who are we, anyway? Right now Chiron is  the verrrrry end of Pisces — it can’t see past the feeling that we may have reached the end. It can’t see a re-birth that’s just around the corner, as Chiron enters Aries. The poster child for this potential depth of despair is David A. Buckel, a prominent  human rights attorney and environmental activist who set himself on fire  early Saturday in a Brooklyn park —  to protest how our use of fossil fuels is destroying the planet. He had a partner. He had a daughter.  Why? He was only 60 — no birth date available yet.

Another poster child for the  downside potential of the weekend’s planetary patterns: the miserable young woman on the subway who for some reason believed that two other women had somehow invaded her space. They apologized, to no avail. The woman screamed that she had “nothing to lose'” and spat at them.

Anyhoo…

Yesterday’s New Moon, happened at 9:57 PM ET.  A New Moon offers us an opportunity to re-set  intentions and goals for the next lunar cycle.  Make a list, light a candle, say a prayer — yes, there is still time. This New Moon  was in Aries.  The need is 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, the vulnerable, the underdog. 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. To Aries, 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 be thought of FIRST.  Astrologer Rick Levine likes to say the Aries operating principle is, “Ready…Fire…Aim!” Wherever, whatever…so long as something gets started. I like to say that Aries falls down stairs because it is faster than walking. You got a problem with that?

As volatile as this New Moon may be, the upside potential suggests opportunity for new beginnings, necessitated by the need for change. You will feel this need more personally if you have a planet or angle around 27 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn.  This New Moon squares the 26 Capricorn Midheaven of the P45 inauguration chart, so his administration’s status is activated. The New Moon squares the U.S. Mercury, so our collective minds may be blown.

The Sabian Symbol for the New Moon is “lost opportunity regained in the imagination.” I’ll defer to Sabian Symbol guru Blain Bovee for thoughts on what this Symbol suggests.

Your Moon voids this week — times to chill and stick to routine: TUESDAY 6:05 PM ET until WEDNESDAY 8:02 AM ET; FRIDAY 8:05 AM ET – 10:26 AM ET.

And now, the news.

Thanks to Avid Reader Beth for making sure I did not miss this story about riots in a South Carolina maximum-security prison. Seven inmates were killed. Were Mars and Pluto on all four angles of the chart for the start of the fights Sunday at 7:15 PM ET in Bishopville? Of course they were — and the Aries Sun, Moon and Uranus pile-up were in the 7th.  That’s a lot of rebellious me-me-me energy in everyone else’s face. The fights were not contained until after 2 AM Monday, after the Moon had completed it’s meet-up with rebel Uranus. Astrology is amazing.

In other news, P45 ordered missile strikes on Syria to distract us from his numerous personal scandals. The Moon was void of course at the time the strikes began. Much ado about nothing? No consequence? I don’t know, but today the stock markets seem to be doing their Moon-in-Taurus best to preserve material security and the status quo.  Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders appears to have clarified a photo she tweeted  which seemed to suggest that VP Mike Pence was in the briefing room when the strikes were ordered. This would have been impossible, as the VP was in Peru, looking forward to  “a banquet hosted by President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski .”  Does it matter if  Mr. Kuczynski resigned three weeks ago in a political scandal (and thus was not likely to be hosting a banquet for the VP)? What – EVER…and all hail, Mercury retrograde! Does Mike Pence have planets hit by Mercury retrograde in recent days? Yes — his Saturn — and possibly his Moon (we don’t have a birth time for the VP).

Finally, here’s to the start of a new beginning: a telescope named Tess is scheduled to launch today. Its mission: to search the galaxy for as many at 20,000 habitable planets. We might need them some day.

Thank you for reading this forecast.

 

 

 

 

 

Friday 4/13/2018 & the Weekend: REcap of a Whopper Week: Tribute to an Avid Reader

TGIF and then some. What a week.

I needed to take time away from the forecast for a few days.  I have been focused on Avid Reader Frank. You may recall I mentioned he was one of the very first Avid Readers of this forecast when I started it nine years ago.  If you read my forecast on Facebook @GraceAstrology, you may have noticed Frank’s daily “thumbs up” comments and shares  with his Facebook posse. We should all be so lucky to have a friend as constant and supportive.

Today Frank will be reading this forecast from his new digs among the angels.  He left the physical world on Tuesday night, surrounded by family and friends. It could not have been more peaceful.  Frank was a great humanitarian and advocate, as well as a gifted musician and intuitive. He believed he was here to help others — and he did. I am certain he will find a way to fulfill his Moon in Aquarius mission from whatever space he is in now.

Could we see the potential for Frank’s exit in his horoscope? Absolutely  — well over a year ago.  Over the past couple of months, when he was first hospitalized, I noted his daily progress against the patterns in his horoscope. I saw a potential energy surge — which corresponded with him being moved out of ICU. There was hope. But the energy surge was quickly followed by a serious squeeze — and I suspected this would be reflected by a heavy challenge. It was.  And so he left.

I am certain he is joyfully reunited with his guides and other loved ones on the other side. I am certain he is delighted by his new-found freedom and abilities, unencumbered by the weight of a body. Still, he leaves behind a big hole in the fabric of the physical world.  Only time can repair it.

This was Frank’s idea of a perfect day in New York:

 

Can you tell that Avid Reader Frank is a Capricorn, driven by Moon in Aquarius, wearing the mask of a Sagittarius Ascendant?

Here is a recap of this week’s patterns — started writing this a few days ago — just couldn’t finish and post:

An Aquarius Moon started the work week, seeking to be appreciated for that which is unique and socially significant. It went void on Wednesday 10:55 AM ET and entered Pisces at 2:40 PM ET.  On FRIDAY (today) the Pisces Moon will be void between  7:27 AM and 11:26 PM ET — yep, that’s right — ALL DAY.   During Moon voids we are advised to stick to routine concerns and roll with whatever twists and flakes derail our efforts to move forward in a straight line. In Pisces, the Moon seeks to works with impressions and ideals, facilitating compassion, empathy and the understanding that we are all part of the same Big Giant Pizza Pie. As it were. Chill and don’t turn molehills of trouble into a mountain. Crises which crop up are often much ado about nothing. Chill!

Over the weekend, the Moon will be in Aries — beginning anew on SUNDAY at 9:57 PM ET — and I’ll post a forecast for that dynamic New Moon then. Meanwhile,  Mercury turns direct on Sunday — at 5:21 AM ET — on what may be an especially rollicking me-me-me day.

But surely there was more going on in the cosmos this week? Yes!  On WEDNESDAY, the Aries Sun was challenged by Pluto in Capricorn, facilitating power plays in world events, including significant news about energy and resources.  That happened at 12:51 AM ET — and we saw relevant stories all over the place. If you have a planet or angle around 21 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn, you may have experienced a power play in your own personal world, for better or for worse.  Next Wednesday, the Sun meets up with Uranus., offering an opportunity for yet another shoe to drop.. Watch for stories involving breakthroughs and breakouts, along with significant technological advances.

Humming in the background at the start of the week — and making exact contacts through the rest of the week: lovely harmonies among Venus (women, money, aesthetics, social expression, yin), Mars (yang, action, assertion, sexual desire, aggression), Neptune (vision,  (snake) oil, dreams, healing, spirits of all kinds) and Jupiter (expansion for better or worse):

  • Venus in Taurus trine Mars in Capricorn — exact on Wednesday at 2:02 AM
  • Venus sextile Neptune, exact Thursday at 12:27 PM ET
  • Jupiter sextile Pluto, exact Saturday at 6:26 AM ET
  • Mars sextile Neptune exact Saturday at  1:26 PM ET

And now, the news.

P45’s personal attorney — Michael “the fixer” Cohen — had a very bad day on Monday. His office, apartment and New York hotel room were all raided by law enforcement agents, on  a warrant requested by the office of the Attorney General of the Southern District of New York. You know what that means, don’t you? It means that Mr. Cohen can’t be pardoned by P45 for any convictions he might receive in a New York State court. P45 can only grant pardons in federal cases.  We don’t have a birth time for Mr. Cohen — DOB is Aug 25 1966 — Virgo with Moon in either late Sag or Capricorn.  If Capricorn, then reasonable to argue that it might be feeling the weight of transiting Saturn right about now. Interesting to note a few things he has in common with his infamous client: 1) a square between Mercury and Neptune, suggesting a highly imaginative approach to hardcore facts; and 2) Mars in Leo, a placement that has an impressive way of getting away with murder. This Mars will soon be hit by disruptive Uranus as soon as Uranus enters Taurus next month.

As for P45, his emotional state is there for all the world to see, suggested by a measurement between his righteously opinionated Moon in Sagittarius and his regal Leo Ascendant. A need to act on impulse — even more than usual — is suggested by another measurement between Uranus (upsets; risk) and Mars (anger; action; warfare). That doesn’t begin to fade until the end of June.  We are advised to be prepared for anything. Mentally, he’s feeling the heavy weight of transiting Saturn opposing his natal Mercury (how he needs to think and communicate). This Saturn is now at a virtual standstill, preparing to turn retrograde on Tuesday, April 17th.  The first Saturn-Mercury hit was on March 30th; the next one will be on May 6th.

UPDATE:  House Speaker Paul Ryan announced he will not run for re-election and he looks forward to receiving his big government pension after working so hard to cut support for everyone else.  Meanwhile, despite his alleged marching orders of “fiscal responsibility,” let the record show that under his watch the U.S. deficit is poised to explode.   Never forget that this man was born with Neptune exactly on the Ascendant. NYT pundit Paul Krugman knows exactly what that suggests — read about the potential of Neptune on the Ascendant here.   Search the archives and you’ll find plenty of write-ups about Speaker Ryan posted over the years.  With his announced resignation from Congress, we can see how his upcoming Jupiter transit to his natal 0 Sag “pie in the sky” Ascendant is likely to play out: expansion, expansion, expansion — free of the shackles of his current position.

UPDATE: James B. Comey, true to the ruthless communication potential of his Mercury-Pluto square, has shredded P45 in his new book, “A Higher Loyalty.” “It’s very persuasive,” says the NYT review. Right — that’s what I said — “true to the ruthless communication potential of his Mercury-Pluto square,” i.e., “persuasive.”

UPDATE: Bill Cosby, whose horoscope was first covered back in 2014, continues to be right on schedule. He’s back in court for a  Mercury REtrograde REtrial — on charges of sexual assault. A lot has changed since the first trial, which ended in a deadlocked jury. #MeToo, anyone? And there are big changes in Cosby’s horoscope, too. Transiting Pluto is squaring his Ascendant and opposing his Cancer Sun — and karma cop Saturn is squaring his natal Saturn. It seems quite possible that the jury will see him in a different light. A major Pluto phase has a way of changing one’s perspective. Resistance is futile.   Here is his horoscope, using an Aries Ascendant. It’s been tracking quite well since  2014.

Here are a few non-political stories reflecting the week’s planetary patterns.

Thank you for reading this forecast — and for sharing it with friends. Stay tuned for much, much more.

 

 

 

Friday 4/6/2018 & the Weekend: Mercury Retrograde Truth & Consequences

TGIF!

After wandering aimlessly (perhaps) through boundary-pushing Sagittarius, as of 2:01 PM ET the day is driven by a proactive Moon in Capricorn. Take care of enterprising projects around the house or find ways to enhance your social status this weekend. A harmony between Venus and Saturn on SATURDAY at 9:36 AM ET facilitates structuring your values and aesthetics into something tangible, albeit streamlined. Mind the potential for outbursts around 1:41 PM ET, as the proactive Moon meets up with a proactive Mars. Outbursts are not necessarily a downer or a danger. They come in handy in the final stages of a long run. Saturday night has a dreamy potential, courtesy of a harmony between Moon and Neptune around 8:46 PM ET.

SUNDAY starts with the last challenge to last month’s New Moon agenda, a.k.a. the Third Quarter Moon. A focused power play and/or catharsis is suggested by the Moon’s weekly clash with Pluto at 9:02 AM ET, followed by a surprise or other upset to the status quo around 10:40 PM ET, when the Moon clashes with rebel Uranus. Moon will be void from then until 2:40 AM ET on MONDAY…no sleeping in.

And now, the news.

But first…how’s your Mercury retrograde going? I missed the train yesterday and then misread the timetable for the next train. Ended up on a different train somewhere in Long Island — only to realize that it was taking me to the town I lived in when I was four years old. People, places and things from the past have a surprising way of REturning during Mercury retrogrades. The return trip into the city featured Google directions that took my Lyft driver absolutely nowhere near the train station and countless other delays. On the plus side, Pepper the Cat was REunited with a catnip-stuffed grasshopper that had been missing for months. You?

Other REturns, seasoned with Wednesday’s assertive square between Mercury and Mars, followed by Thursday’s heavy mental square between Mercury and Saturn:

  • A truck seized under civil forfeiture laws two years ago was suddenly returned. The truck’s owner is suing the government for restitution and a class-action judgement;
  • A painting by a Dutch master worth millions is discovered in a storeroom;
  • The body of a CDC researcher who went missing seven weeks ago in Georgia was found in the Chattahoochee River;
  • Who remembers the Menendez brothers? They killed their parents almost 30 years ago in Beverly Hills. It took seven years and two trials to convict them of first-degree murder and sentence them to life in prison. After living in separate prisons since then, the two have been REunited;
  • Reports commissioned in the 80s by Royal Dutch Shell reveal the company knew that climate change was real and that fossil fuel consumption was a leading cause — and oh, by the time the connection was discovered, it might be too late;
  • Cyclist Juli Briskman, whose photo of her giving P45 the bird last fall resulted in her losing her job after the photo went viral is now suing. How does this compare to the nurse I told you about in Monday’s post? She lost her job after her racist FB screeds went viral. Were her First Amendment rights violated? Why or why not?
  • In Italy, a former postman was found with 400kg of undelivered mail — three years’ worth. He said he didn’t deliver it because the pay was too low.

Conservative author Kevin Williamson said this week that women who have abortions should suffer death by hanging. Well that’s an apt potential of Mercury-Mars shooting off at the mouth. The next day, he was fired by his employer, The Atlantic. Happy Saturn square Mercury. Was that too harsh?

After a liberal judge won an election in Wisconsin this week (the first win for a non-incumbent “liberal” in 23 years), Governor Scott Walker had a “meltdown” about a possible “blue wave” in November. With transiting Jupiter on the Sun and Moon of this double-Scorpio last fall, we can appreciate why he tossed his hat into the ring for a third term. That expansive influence will be behind him in November. Instead he’ll be wrestling with the  third squeeze suggested by transiting Saturn in a tough aspect with his equally tough Mars-Saturn square. He’s wrestling with the first squeeze now, with the due in late May/June. Wish we had a birth time.

Embattled EPA chief Scott Pruitt continues to feel the squeeze of Saturn on his natal Libra Moon, as more and more details of his swamp monster corruption are exposed.  That’s not going away this year — nor is the tremendous effort in the face of loss suggested by another key pattern.  With its comfort and status quo-seeking Taurus driven by a people-pleasing Moon in Libra, Pruitt’s persona is fronted by a regal luxury-loving Leo Ascendant. Oh — and this regal projection is all the more inflated by a natal Jupiter at 26 Leo — yes, in his First House — right there for all the world to see. The man needs to live large…so now you can understand his first class flying habits and other ostentatious perks, even as he slashes and burns.  And of course he’d be a bigly fan of P45, with that Jupiter on P45’s equally regal Leo Ascendant and Mars…and of course P45 would still be singing his praises this week as the perfect candidate to replace Jeff Sessions as Attorney General.  If only Pruitt’s Jupiter hadn’t been totally eclipsed last August and again in February, forcing all of that glitz into the light. By the next New Moon on April 15th, transiting Uranus will have hit his Midheaven — professional and public status, suggesting an opportunity for change, for better or for worse.  Here is his horoscope.

In other news, harsh judgement from the NFL: a cheerleader is fired after posting a picture of herself on Instagram in lingerie. Op-ed write Kareem Abdul-Jabbar rails against the NFL’s efforts to “protect America from witches.” How do you know if you’re in the company of a witch? Sir Bedevere explains, in this classic scene from Monty Python & the Holy Grail.

Finally, a sneak peek at the kinds of stories we’ll be seeing a lot more of once innovative Uranus enters Taurus on May 15th. Taurus refers to material comfort and security, banking and agriculture, just to name a few. Uranus refers to technology, disruptions and genetic mutations. “Scientists Harvest First Vegetables in Antarctic Greenhouse.

What’s going on in your horoscope? When are you likely to be feeling a squeeze? A push for expansion? What about your significant others and your children? Find out in a personal consultation. Many thanks for the referrals!

Thank you for reading this forecast.

P.S. Delighted to be published in this month’s issue of Dell HOROSCOPE!  Do run out and buy a copy, won’t you?

Monday 4/2/2018: Sneak Peek at a Militant Mental Week; Mars-Saturn in the News

Happy Militant  Marching Monday!

Moon is in Scorpio, driving the day with a need for depth and control. Go for it today — and mind the Moon void on TUESDAY at 12:05 PM ET until WEDNESDAY at 2:55 AM ET. Avid Readers of this forecast will remember than Moon voids are apt for taking care of routine concerns, as opposed to launching a brand new initiative. No impulse shopping. Roll with the twists and flakes that may impede your efforts to move forward in a straight line. You are doubly advised to avoid making a mountain out of a molehill, given that Mercury is still retrograde. Clean out your desks or closets; reconnect with old colleagues and friends. Chill!

Mercury pulls focus in other ways this week. On WEDNESDAY -3:06 AM ET — and we’re feeling it now — Mercury in impulsive me-me-me Aries will challenge Mars in Capricorn.  With the Moon in righteously opinionated Sagittarius, I see potential for plenty of shooting off at the mouth, later regretted.  On THURSDAY  at 4:22 AM ET, Mercury will be challenged by Saturn, perhaps putting the kibosh on those impulsive yakkers. Watch the headlines for signs of heavy control. If you have a planet or angle around 9 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn, you are more personally affected.

On FRIDAY the Sagittarius Moon will be void between 9:36 AM ET and 2:01 PM ET. There’s your excuse for sleeping in. After the void, Moon will be in Capricorn through the weekend, looking to make something happen.  Venus (women, money, art, social expression) will harmonize with Saturn on SATURDAY at 9:36 AM ET, seeking to stabilize and control. May be some interesting pronouncements in the Friday afternoon news dump.

What do all these patterns mean for you personally? Find out in a personal consultation. If we haven’t spoken in over a year, you’re due for a check-up. We will have an excellent discussion together.

And now, the news.

Today’s militant, marching Mars-Saturn meet-up in Capricorn continues to dominate the headlines.  Compare the news over the weekend with the headlines in February, when Neptune was pulling focus. I wonder when the New York Times will notices how in sync it is with astrology. Here are the Sunday NYT’s top stories:

In other news…

This morning we learn that a page with information about breast cancer has been scrubbed from the Department of Health and Human Services’ website.  We also learn that on the vernal equinox, P45 invited Vladimir Putin to the White House. That was a time when we’d expect prominent news about prominent leaders.  Meanwhile, P45’s trade war heats up, as China slaps tariffs on the U.S.

Another big story this morning is a follow-up on corporate efforts to control media outlets — as predicted during Saturn’s sojourn in Sagittarius starting a few years ago. One corporation to watch was Sinclair Broadcasting, which was gobbling up local news stations faster than a rabid Pac-Man. It now owns hundreds of local stations — more than any other entity. Here’s a repeat of a John Oliver segment on Sinclair. Over the weekend, news anchors at Sinclair stations were ordered by their corporate owners to read a statement straight out of George Orwell’s 1984.  John Oliver has the latest — and it’s must-see.  On the bright side, who even watches local news anymore? Saturn in Sagittarius put the squeeze on media companies and cable fees are so high that more and more viewers are cutting the cord.  You?

Mars pulling focus refers to guns and cars. Saturn is authoritarian control.

  • In Sacramento, protests were held after an autopsy revealed that Stephon Clark — an unarmed African-American — was shot in the back multiple times by police officers who may have believed he had been breaking into cars. Mr. Clark was in the backyard of his grandmother’s house when he was killed. Over the weekend, a 60-year-old woman protester was knocked down by a sheriff’s car. Meanwhile, a nurse who posted on social media that Mr. Clark deserved to be killed for “being stupid” has been fired from her job. Remember the Mercury retrograde mantra: When in doubt, be silent!
  • “Affluenza” Texas teen Ethan Couch — who killed four people while driving drunk and then claimed he was too rich to be held responsible, was released from prison after serving two years. His post-prison life is subject to strict controls.
  • Contrast Couch’s sentence with that of Texas resident  Crystal Mason.  While on probation, she filed a provisional ballot in the 2016 November election. A provisional ballot means that your voter registration status is not clear; local election workers will sort it out after the polls close. She says she did not know that in Texas, you are not allowed to vote if you are on probation (laws vary state-to-state). Her punishment: five years in prison.

Notable obituaries:

It wouldn’t be a real Mercury retrograde without a notable strike. Teachers walked out in Kentucky; those in Oklahoma may follow suit.

There’s always more to report — but then this forecast would never ship. Here’s a random fun item to close on: Hubble telescope captures image of most distant star ever seen. It’s called Icarus.

Thank you for reading this forecast. Avid Reader Frank is doing much, much better — thanks to all who sent good wishes.