Are we having fun yet?

Here’s a reminder from Monday about what we’re dealing with this week:

Not that the electrifying and rebellious buzz generated by Uranus making a hard contact with the Sun on TUESDAY at 11:21 AM ET is inclined to be patient. Combine that with the rising emotions reflecting the Moon waxing to its fullness (on THURSDAY). Add the yuge potential for expansive and empowered action suggested by WEDNESDAY’s challenge between the Sun and bigly Jupiter, along with a harmony between Mars (action) and Pluto (power). Color it prominently rose, suggested by a meet-up between Venus and Neptune on THURSDAY, along with Mercury — now direct — at the Aries Point.

Bottom line: the rush to act rebelliously is supported; however, chances are good that the action plan needs a re-think. We’ll see if it gets one.

Many thanks to Avid Reader Gene — one of the many gifted intuitives I am blessed to have among my readers. Gene writes: “I’m getting imagery similar to what you are talking about in your internet news letter. Very strong emotions dripping in color.” I love it when planetary patterns are in sync with other channels. Thanks, Gene!

How does that jive with Tuesday’s sensational headlines about President Obama and Donald J. Trump receiving security briefings about the Russians having personally compromising dirt on the latter?  And that a dossier of unconfirmed allegations has been in circulation among select journalists, political figures and intelligence officials for months? It fills in the potential suggested by the New Moons and Full Moons in recent months: November’s Full Moon at 23 Taurus, right on Trump’s Midheaven, illuminating career and reputation concerns.  December’s Full Moon at 22 Gemini fell on his Gemini Sun and Sag Moon; THURSDAY’s Full Moon at 22 Cancer sheds light on his Saturn at 23 Cancer and his Venus at 25 Cancer. Venus rules his Midheaven (career; reputation) and his mindset, and Venus refers to how and what he needs to love.  Saturn refers to ambition, patriarchy and fears. Together in his horoscope, Venus and Saturn are one of several suggestions of anxiety about whether he is worthy of being loved.

We can expect more illumination and release for Trump in the coming months. February’s Full Moon in Leo will highlight his Mars and square his Midheaven. March’s Full Moon at 22 Virgo squares his Sun and Moon, recalling illumination that was outed in December. April’s Full Moon in Libra squares his Saturn and Venus, perhaps recalling whatever is coming out this week.  May’s Full Moon in Scorpio impacts his Midheaven and his IC, referring to career status/and family. June’s Full Moon in Sagittarius connects with his Sun, Moon and North Node. And on and on and on…

…and don’t you wonder how these planetary patterns are likely to be reflected in YOUR horoscope? Here’s the 411 on personal consultations. We will have an excellent discussion together. If you already have an astrologer — or you are an astrologer — or a student of astrology who reads these forecasts for the wealth of knowledge they provide, a contribution to the Cosmic Tip Jar is appreciated. 

Back to today’s Full Moon, which is exact at 6:34 AM ET — and then goes void until 7:06 PM ET. However, before it waxes to exact fullness, the Moon makes its weekly charged connection to power mad Pluto and rebel Uranus at 10 PM ET on WEDNESDAY and 3:34 AM ET THURSDAY, respectively. Add in Jupiter’s expansive hits to the Sun and Moon, and I would not be surprised to see the aftermath of a big reveal in the morning’s news. — perhaps focused on home, family and homeland security concerns. My money says it will have something to do with the so-called “vote-a-rama” now happening in Congress, an all-night session which will lay the groundwork for the majority’s plans for world domination.

If they weren’t in recess so often, maybe they wouldn’t have to stay up all night. Or maybe they read the forecast and realized that the all-day Moon void was an apt time to take a break.

During the Moon void on THURSDAY — a time to stick to routine concerns — Mercury leaves righteously opinionated Sagittarius and enters strategy-focused Capricorn, where it demands a much more nuts and bolts approach in matters of mindset and communication. Whatever was going on around January 3rd is up for a re-assessment — with prominence.

Also happening in the void: the beautiful meet up of Venus in compassionate, soulful and suffering Pisces with Neptune, the ultimate dreamer. “Don’t you dare burst my beautiful bubble…la la la…I can’t hearrrrr you…might be one reflection.” Artists and healers and other spiritual types may be mystically inspired, especially if you have a planet or angle around 9 degrees of Virgo, Gemini, Sagittarius and especially Pisces. And of course LaLaLand won a truckload of Golden Globes on Sunday, along with Moonlight. Even the movie titles express lovely shimmering intangibles, as you’d expect with Venus meeting up with Neptune in Pisces.

That leaves us with the militant drive of Mars, challenged by Saturn. This potentially frustrating pattern will be exact on the morning of January 19th, and we are likely to see it strongly expressed until then. In the chart for the Full Moon set in Washington DC, Saturn rules the chart from a secretive position in the 12th house. An unaspected Mercury in the 12th at the Aries Point suggests a trove of buried information seeking prominence. The relationship between Saturn and Mars suggests highly-charged communications about assets and worth — with a hit from rebel Uranus for added shock value. Pass the popcorn!

The Sabian Symbols for the Full Moon, courtesy of Blaine Bovee’s wonderful book are 1) for the Moon at 23 Cancer:  “meeting of a literary society;” and 2) for the Sun at 23 Capricorn: “two awards for bravery in war.” Bovee suggests we apply these symbols with an awareness of “the internal struggles and agonies withing both the world of art and beauty, and that of the battlefields of war….the question is: What moves, what motivates, the awarding of recognition? Consider bestowal by grace or bestowal by the machinations of special interest…” Aren’t these Sabian Symbols FUN?

Once the Moon enters Leo at 7:08 PM ET on Thursday, there will be no exact aspects until 6:26 Am ET on SATURDAY. That makes Friday a play day, fit for a drama king or queen. See how you can help others shine! Moon goes void at 10:14 AM ET SATURDAY and doesn’t enter Virgo to clean up the confetti until 10:52 PM ET. No impulse shopping during the all-day void!

Sunday is a dreamy day for discernment in art and beauty. On MONDAY the Virgo Moon is opposed by Mars at 2 PM ET…and challenged by wet blanket Saturn at 5:13 PM ET. Not so dreamy. Do something productive with the assertive drive around lunch time. No sleeping in on TUESDAY.

Before I get to the news, thanks to Avid Reader Susan,  a double Sag who wants to know why I’ve referred to Sagittarius as a “sloppy” sign.  Totally fair question — and let me clarify. It’s not Sagittarius I’m calling sloppy. It’s Mercury in Sagittarius which — with great affection — I am noting may not be the most detail-oriented placement for a planet that refers to how we need to think. Consider Buzzfeed’s decision on Tuesday night to publish the 35 pages of unsubstantiated claims of aforementioned Russian dirt on Trump. That’s a Mercury in Sagittarius communication: pushing boundaries, supporting a righteous opinion, idealistic in scope and…eh…unsubstantiated… a minor detail. We’ll fix it in post. Let’s stay focused on the Big Picture!

And now, the news.

Last night President Obama gave a gracious farewell address, as we could expect from someone with the humanitarian exterior of a Aquarian Ascendant, the intellect of a Gemini Moon, the natural-born carriage of a Leo Sun and the prominence of a caring Venus in Cancer at the Aries Point. Today he has the first hit of transiting Saturn square his perfectionist Mars in Virgo, tempering action at this time. Still, his horoscope suggests a few remaining acts of significance between now and next Friday, especially around the 16th and 17th.

Today Trump had a press conference — his first in months —  and NYT columnist Gail Collins is here to tell you all about it. Usually she is cheerful, as we might expect from a Sagittarius Sun driven by a Leo Moon (Nov 25 1945). Not so cheerful today. I wondered why — thinking perhaps she might have a “Saturn thing” going on. And in fact, she does. Lay the blame on transiting Saturn sitting right on top of her Mercury at 22 Sagittarius. That can lead to some mighty heavy thinking. Astrology is amazing!!

As anticipated, the billionaire clown car of Cabinet nominee hearings originally scheduled to be speed-dated through Congress was reduced in size, as hearings were delayed until four of the nominees could be cleared by the good folks in the Ethics Office. Yesterday, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), who is the nominee for Attorney General, replied to a question in a way that reflects the narrow-minded efforts at thought control, courtesy of Saturn in Sagittarius:

(Sen.) Whitehouse (D-RI) wondered whether Sessions would have a problem with career lawyers “with secular beliefs,” having in the past criticized department attorneys for being secular. Sessions replied that he has used that language about secular attorneys to differentiate between people who recognize objective “truth” and those who take positions “in which truth is not sufficiently respected.”

Whitehouse replied, with a leading, and perhaps slightly conclusory question: “And a secular person has just as good a claim to understanding the truth as a person who is religious, correct?” At which point Sessions responded, “Well, I’m not sure.” For a few seconds the Senate chamber seemed to go completely silent.

Yes, I heard that pin drop, too.

There are other amazing things happening in the world, in sync with planetary patterns — specifically the expansive and innovative power and resources potential suggested by Jupiter’s contact with Pluto and Uranus. First, Dutch trains are now running on wind power — 100%. Second, the Indian Point nuclear power plant — located 30 miles from New York, is finally scheduled to close — in 2021. Third, the world’s largest peatland — a massive natural carbon storage “facility” — has been discovered in the Congo.  Fourth, two stars are set to collide in 2022, becoming a red supernova as bright as Polaris in the constellations Cygnus. Fifth, a Japanese insurance company made headlines when it announced it would replace its workers with A.I. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Sixth, the confirmation hearing of Exxon Mobil Chairman Rex Tillerson, who is up for Secretary of State — this one is all about power and resources, i.e., oil.

In other news, a Mercury retrograde clarification. Last week, it was announced that scientists had “discovered” a new organ in the human body. Not so fast, says Buzzfeed. Here’s what’s really going on.

Stay tuned to this channel for continuing updates. And for those who have asked, here’s a reprint of Trump’s horoscope happenings for 2017 — posted in mid-November. I have no opinion on whether he will actually be inaugurated on January 20th. But first, an adorable video of zoo animals frolicking in the snow.

“In Donald Trump’s horoscope, we see the first of three hits to his Moon, Sun and relationship point from transiting Saturn on 12/30, 1/6 and 1/14, respectively. Thus begins an ambitious agenda (upside) or a feeling of restrictive focus, control or loss. This pattern hits again in July, September and October. The Moon is only exactly hit once, but will still be under pressure in July. The restrictive influence of Saturn suggests he will not be able to have everything he wants — bringing to life the reality of the song he kept playing at rallies, despite objections from the artists.

(UPDATE: we should add that in Trump’s horoscope, the Sun refers to his self-image — how he needs to be seen — and also hidden enemies and the self-undoing. Saturn (along with Jupiter) refers to the area of his horoscope ruling creative self-expression, children, sexuality and speculative ventures.)

Back to the post from November 14th:

These limitations are countered by expansion — in the form of three hits of transiting Jupiter to his Jupiter, ruler of the area of his horoscope which refers to creative self-expression, children and speculative ventures. Saturn co-rules that area of his horoscope, so it may be six of one; half dozen of the other. Expansion of power and resources is suggested by an extraordinary double whammy of  Pluto — also to his Jupiter — now and through 2017.

A need for innovation and excitement that disrupts his mindset, communication and professional status is also at work in 2017, suggested by transiting Uranus squaring his Venus. When I think of Venus with Uranus, I think “I love you, but don’t take it personally.” I think of unconventional attractions and surprises involving women, values, money and aesthetics.

(UPDATE: soon after this forecast was posted, we learned that Melania would stay in New York with her son, Barron, so he would not have to change schools in the middle of a school year. And now of course, we have allegations of other unconventional arrangements in relationship making news now).

Chiron the Wounded Healer is still in play now and next year, continuing to expose toxic patterns and relationships going back years. This week, a month from now and January-February are active for Chiron (exact hits on January 3, 26 and February 12),  as are June, July (major hit between Chiron and his Sun) and August.

Of special interest: the total eclipse that will fall across all of the continental United States on August 21st. This hits two points in Trump’s horoscope: Mars and his Leo Ascendant, at a time when Mars (action, aggression) will be more easily provoked. The eclipse will be triggered on September 3rd (this applies to anyone with a point or planet at 29 Leo, Aquarius, Taurus and Scorpio). Mitt Romney’s Ascendant was eclipsed in May of 2012. Jeb Bush’s Ascendant was eclipsed in September of 2015. Mark your calendars.

…and if you’re wondering how that total eclipse of the Sun is likely to be reflected in your horoscope, it’s not too soon to contact me for a consultation. Thank you for reading this forecast.