Daily Forecast Archives - Page 64 of 156 - Elisabeth Grace

Astrology for News Junkies

This planetary commentary offers advance notice and analysis on the zeitgeist of the day, with an emphasis on what's happening in the headlines. It is presented as a public service for your information, education and enlightenment. If you have ever wondered "why is this happening NOW," these unique astro-logical insights will transform what you see and read in the news, adding new meaning and understanding. So if you're curious to know why the Impossible Burger is trending now...or why efforts to decriminalize marijuana have been so successful in recent years...or why "Woodrow Wilson, Stud Muffin" was a New York Times headline in December 2013, you will find it here. Use the SEARCH function to find your favorite public figure or world event in over a decade's worth of historical research and reporting. Sign up here to receive this forecast by email (with my compliments).

Astro-logical Forecast for Monday & Tuesday 8/11-12/2014: Sneak Peek at the Week

Good Morning!

Some on the East Coast may have experienced a delay or surprise twist in your early morning routine, given that the Moon was void of course until 8:55AM ET. If you are new to this forecast and want more info on Moon voids and how to handle them, look here. As of 8:55AM ET, if you are really paying attention, you may notice the shift in energy — not unlike the sensation of engaging the clutch of a stick-shift car — as the Moon goes into gear and moves forward in Pisces.

Pisces is an intuitive energy that at its best, expresses compassion and loving kindness for everyone and everything, in its understanding that we are all One. At worst, Pisces wallows in suffering and/or escapes life’s hard knocks by running away, drowning its sorrows in drugs, drink or any other rose-colored glass it can find. Pisces is ruled by Neptune, a challenging symbol for many to integrate in an individual horoscope. At best, it suggests a need for a sublime creative and/or spiritual vision. At worst, it suggests deception and betrayal. Not all visions are real.

Overall, a quiet day today, as there are no exact planetary aspects until 7:26PM ET, when the Pisces Moon hooks up with nebulous Neptune, facilitating — yes, that ‘s right — a need for a dreamy escape — perhaps through a creative or spiritual practice: art, music, meditation. If you’re a night owl needing an energy boost for that novel you’re writing, easy connections between Moon, Mars (action!) and Pluto (depth, potency) late tonight and in the wee hours can carry you through.

Also happening overnight: Venus leaves nurturing ultra-Mom Cancer for royal Leo at 3:24AM ET Tuesday, infusing social expression for the next few weeks with drama, pomp and play. This may also fill up the social calendars of those born under the sign of the Lion, especially those born in July.

Get it off your desk by 12:01pm ET on Tuesday, when the Moon goes void of course on a constructive alignment with disciplined Saturn. Focus on routine tasks or chill until 9AM ET on Wednesday, when the Moon charges into Aries and quickens the pace until lunchtime on Friday. The long Moon void on Tuesday is the only void that may trip up your efforts to move forward in a straight line during the work week. The next Moon void happens between 8:26AM ET and 6:41PM ET on Sunday.

And now, the news.

As expected in light of the heavy Saturn influence during yesterday’s Full Moon, headlines on the NYT homepage are sobering. We see yet another incident involving the death of an unarmed person by a law enforcement officer making news, this time in St. Louis. A candlelight vigil for the victim was held during last night’s long Moon void, along with reported looting and angry protests. Meanwhile, a freak accident that apparently happened after a clash of wills between two race car drivers made headlines on Saturday, resulting in the death of one driver allegedly attempting to “settle a score”. Not surprising to see this story in light of patterns discussed in Saturday’s forecast.

In other news, this headline caught my eye: “A Mother Lifts Her Son, Slowly, From Heroin’s Abyss”. It is an especially apt reflection of the heavy consequences and dogged ambition suggested by the Full Moon, along with two patterns exact today: Venus (social expression, women) at the very last degree of Cancer (motherhood), as well as an obsessive aspect known as a quindecile between mental Mercury and Neptune (drugs, redemption, sacrifice). Planets close to the end of a zodiac sign suggest a heavy learning trip in whatever matters the planet rules. If you have planets like that in your horoscope, you know what I’m talking about.

Thank you for reading this forecast — with extra bonus gratitude to those of you who are sharing it with your friends.

P.S. Special thanks to Karen, a reader who sent in this article written by astrologer Richard Nolle, who coined the term Super Moon back in 1979. I’ve linked it before, but it bears repeating and it may clear up misunderstandings you may have about Super Moons, especially since they are now being written about regularly by reporters who know little about astrology.

How is your life being reflected by patterns in your horoscope? What’s likely to be on your plate this fall? Find out in a personal astro-logical consultation.

Astro-logical Forecast for Saturday & Sunday 8/9-10/2014: Full Moon in Aquarius

You may find more than the usual share of chores on your plate this Saturday, once the Moon is fully engaged in Aquarius as of 9:52AM ET. A heavy challenge between taskmaster Saturn and the Leo Sun at 11:11AM ET suggests a need to take care of business, even on a summer weekend. You may feel this weight more personally if you have a planet or point around 15-19 degrees of Leo, Taurus, Scorpio or Aquarius…or if you were born around the 9th of August, November, February or May.

With the Moon waxing to its fullness on Sunday at 2:09PM ET, emotions may also be building to a release. Saturday around 6:24PM ET suggests grand feelings and indulgence, following by a clash of stubborn will around 10:51PM ET or some other expression of a fighting spirit. Pay attention on the roads.

On Sunday, the serious focus of today’s Sun-Saturn challenge is echoed by tension between Saturn and the Moon, exact at 12:32PM ET. After the Full Moon is exact, the only other aspect of the day is a face-off between the Moon and mental Mercury at 6:12PM ET, leaving us with plenty to think and talk about for the next 14 hours when the Moon is void of course. That’s your chill time — until 8:55 AM ET on Monday, when the Moon will be fully engaged in the next sign, Pisces — and ready to start the work week.

This Full Moon is a Super Moon — and here is an article written by a meteorologist that explains what the astrological term “Super Moon” suggests from his point of view. It seems to have been posted today, during a potential “wet blanket” reflection of the weekend’s heavy Saturn patterns…and isn’t it interesting that the third line of the article begins, “I really don’t want to be the wet blanket at your moon party…”

The Leo Sun suggests creative self-expression; love and other matters of the heart. The Aquarius Moon suggests a need for a more cerebral approach — one that is less personal, more humanitarian. How to integrate these seemingly opposing forces is the potential illumination of this Full Moon. But with stern Saturn sitting right between the Sun and Moon in a T-Square formation, what is revealed will likely require dogged determination, ambition, focus and authority.

Also of note in this Full Moon chart: Mars, planet of action, will be at 8 degrees of Scorpio, opposing the solar eclipse we had at 8 Taurus on April 29th. You may remember that when Mars hit 25 Libra last month (the degree of the April 15th lunar eclipse), MH17 was shot down by Ukrainian rebels. When past eclipses are triggered by current transiting planets, we often see events reflecting an outburst of energy, for better or for worse. If you have a planet or angle around 8 degrees of Taurus or Scorpio, you, too, may experience a burst of energy in your own personal world.

The Sabian Symbol for the Sun at 19 Leo is “a houseboat party”; the Symbol for the Moon at 19 Aquarius is “a forest fire quenched” (per Sabian Symbol guru Blain Bovee) or, as astrologer Dane Rudyhar describes it, “a forest fire is being subdued by the use of water, chemicals and sheer muscular energy” (I include this to show the enormous effort required to quench your average wildfire). What are we to make of these symbols?

Bovee observes that a houseboat is a place for social gatherings. It does not have a keel and is thus challenging to navigate in turbulent waters. “Forest,” he notes, is “derived from the word ‘foreign’ — meaning outside one’s own country; a forest fire is a wild, uncontrollable conflagration…imagine a flaming left-wing liberal finding himself at a conservative right-wing party on a houseboat. It’s a difficult situation calling for diplomacy and delicate matters so as not to rock the boat.” Yep, he really wrote that, and this book was published in 2004.

I find the Symbols of this Full Moon especially intriguing because the Sabian Symbol for Barack Obama’s Ascendant — suggesting the way he needs to be seen — is 19 Aquarius. This is an especially significant Full Moon for him, reinforcing other patterns of significance discussed in the last forecast. For the rest of us, Bovee advises us to apply the Symbols of this Full Moon “with a mind to the challenge of controlling the burning passions of belief in light social circumstances divided along party lines; stewarding combustible situations; keeping an even keel in potentially interesting times.” For more of Bovee’s insights on this and other Symbols, consider getting his wonderful book. Meanwhile, let’s watch and see how the symbols of this Full Moon are reflected in the headlines and in your own personal world.

And now, the news.

Reflecting the heaviness suggested by Saturn’s prominence in current planetary patterns, I could not find a single light story on the NYT homepage. President Obama has authorized airstrikes and humanitarian supply drops in Iraq, and is telling us to prepare for a long-term engagement. Grrrrrrreat. Fighting continues in Gaza and in the Ukraine. Lack of water is a prime focus in stories about California’s Catalina Island and Iraq. Even the usual cheerfully irreverent Gail Collins was focused on a subject topic that is really no laughing matter in her Saturday column. Coincidence or conspiracy?

Determined not to end this forecast on a such a sober note, here are a few stories not seen on the NYT homepage which you may find uplifting. First, how interesting on last week’s harmonious connection between Venus (love) and Saturn (endurance) to see this story of a couple who had been together 62 years pass away within four hours of one another. Their story was told in papers around the world; this loving photographic tribute was put together by their granddaughter. Second, plenty of photos from the website Barnorama show how animals can bring out the best in us. Finally, the interim president of a university in Kentucky came up with a novel way to increase the hourly wage of the school’s lowest-paid workers to $10.25/hour. He took a 25% cut in salary. And he still makes over $250k per year. How magnanimous (Leo) and humanitarian (Aquarius). Food for thought on this Leo-Aquarius Full Moon. I bet he’s nice to dogs and cats, too.

Astro-logical Forecast for Tuesday-Friday 8/4-8/2014: The US Horoscope, Obama & More

Alllll-righty then.

It’s summer, y’know? At least it is in the Northern Hemisphere, and if you live in that area of the world, I hope you are finding time to enjoy some lovely weather and restful days, even if there isn’t a Moon void or a Mercury retrograde to suggest you take time away from the office.

Here’s what’s been going on this week — I’d love to hear how planetary patterns were reflected in your own personal world.

Exact patterns were light on Monday through Wednesday, but are building in intensity and activity towards the weekend, culminating with the Full Moon in Aquarius on Sunday at 2:09PM ET. As of 6:19AM ET Tuesday, Moon ended a 16 hour-long void in “knowledge is power” Scorpio, suggesting that most of Monday would be best spent tending to routine tasks or chilling out. With the Moon in gamboling/gambling Sagittarius, the energy of the day on Tuesday and Wednesday may have been fiery but optimistic, augmented by an easy connection from jovial Jupiter at 2:17PM ET. A dreamy and/or bewildering influence colored Tuesday around 6:19PM ET, when Moon was challenged by nebulous Neptune, suggesting a need to make an extra effort to be clearly understood. [Guess what happened at 3:30PM Tuesday in NY, with Neptune at 6 Pisces challenging the Moon AND the Ascendant at 5 Sagittarius? Two double-decker buses crash in Times Square; the story was published at 5:54PM ET; the driver of one bus has since been arrested for “driving under the influence“]

Kudos to you if you got it off your desk by 10:52AM ET Wednesday, when the Moon went void until 9:39AM ET on Thursday. Suggestions for handling the wandering energy of an all-day Moon void in Sagittarius include any activity that broadens your horizons, e.g., a walk in the woods, a day playing sports, watching a foreign film. Hopefully you avoided the Sagittarian temptation to get involved in a righteous debate, as a Moon void has greater potential for making a mountain out of a molehill in a something that will turn out to be of no consequence.

Thursday (today!) and Friday will be days to “make things happen” when the Moon enters enterprising Capricorn at 9:39AM ET for a power-packed two days. One planetary pattern coloring the week that is exact on Thursday at 8:14AM ET is a magical, mystical connection between warrior Mars and nebulous Neptune. This aspect facilitates charisma, seduction and sex appeal, snake oil salesmen and others hawking dreams and illusions. Healing and spiritual pursuits are also suggested — and perhaps a bit of peace in a war zone. Remember from last week that Neptune tends to dissolve whatever it touches, so when it comes in contact with aggressive Mars, it may diffuse an impulse to fight — at least openly. What was in your dreams last night or in your waking thoughts this morning? Pay attention and move forward.

Friday is especially jam-packed. First, Moon makes its weekly challenge to Pluto and Uranus, possibly disrupting the status quo around 4:22AM ET and 12:15PM ET, respectively. Themes of idealism, mental discipline and/or gravitas leading to tech breakthroughs and a greater than usual conflict between the old guard vs. the avant garde reach a peak when mental Mercury and the Sun make contact with Uranus and Saturn on Friday night and Saturday morning, respectively. Two steps forward; one step back — or one step forward; two steps back? What needs to be eliminated to make room for something new? Got any cosmic breakthroughs on your schedule? How about a rendez-vous with a comet shaped like a rubber duck? Or a mystical-shaped storm system on Saturn? Or a sneak peek at another comet that’s due to swing by Mars in October? Why are all these headlines on the NYT homepage now? That was a rhetorical question.

More news.

Reflecting the verbal/mental expansion, complete with a royal edict, suggested by last Saturday’s hook-up between Mercury and Jupiter in Leo, I am pleased to report that 5000 words have been added to the Official Scrabble Players’ Dictionary. And there was much rejoicing in the land. Reflecting last Friday’s contact among disciplined Saturn and electric Uranus with Venus (love, social expression), a new study seeks to determine “what lasting love is really about”.

More on general events in the US, continuing the discussion from last Friday’s post. I’ve been thinking about a number of horoscopes — all related — which would include the horoscope of the US, Barack Obama and his second inauguration. The exact date and time of the US birthday is a subject of debate among astrologers. Was it the signing of the Declaration of Independence? The Articles of Confederation? The US Constitution? We celebrate July 4th as the official US birthday, the date of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Even so, there is no consensus on what time that signing took place. Several times have been proposed, for various reasons, and the debate continues.

One of the most popular charts proposes a birth time of 2:13AM with a 7 Gemini Ascendant; another suggests a 5:10PM time with a 12 Sagittarius Ascendant — you can look at those two here. Regardless of the exact time, a July 4th horoscope, as noted in prior forecasts, is particularly “hot” right now. Why? For a number of reasons, but the biggest reason is the never-ending Uranus-Pluto square, which is currently making contact with the US Sun at 12 Cancer and the US Saturn at 14 Libra. Uranus and Pluto contacting the Sun suggests emancipation and empowerment — for better or worse — and definitely a disruption of the status quo, as in break-ups and shake-ups. Uranus and Pluto to Saturn suggests tremendous effort required in the face of loss — perhaps even a karmic retribution that is downright anguishing.

We last experienced Pluto to the US Sun and Saturn from late 1976-1978. We had a big, empowering 200th birthday bash in the Summer of ’76. Jimmy Carter was President. Thanks to Jimmy Carter, we have the Departments of Energy (empowering) and Education (ditto). Still, the President was not popular. There was an energy crisis. It was tough, and we did not like it. When nebulous Neptune challenged the U.S. Mars, sprinkling rose-colored pixie dust from sea to shining sea, we yearned for greener pastures, went Hollywood and voted for Ronald Reagan.

Ahhh, Neptune, which dissolves whatever it touches. It is making contact with the US horoscope again, likely in more than one way. Neptune is currently at 6 Pisces, squaring the US Uranus at 8 Gemini. This aspect, writes astrologer Noel Tyl, suggests “loss of ego focus, awakened spirituality, possible irritable or amorphous states”. Does that sound right? And in the Gemini and Sagittarius horoscopes noted above, Neptune is making a challenging aspect to the US Ascendant. It’s simply a matter of degree.

If we use the Gemini ASC chart, we’re in the middle of a bewildering identity crisis that will have peaked by the end of 2015. If we use the Sag chart, our potential “ego wipeout” — the term Tyl uses to describe heavy Neptune transits — is just beginning, and will peak between 2016 and early 2018. The US had its last heavy Neptune transit between 1973-1976. We had an oil crisis at the end of 1973. Neptune also refers to oil. We also had the Watergate scandal and the subsequent resignation of President Nixon. Yeah, that was an ego wipeout, if you’re old enough to remember it. Hmmm. Neptune tends to dissolve boundaries. Isn’t it interesting that we’re having a “border crisis” now, in the form of thousands of hapless Neptune-in-Pisces (keywords: drugs, downtrodden, vulnerable, victims) children from Central America blurring our boundaries?

Leading America through these challenging rapids is no easy task. How is President Obama doing? He had a birthday on Monday. It’s been a tough summer for him, as predicted. We see this suggested by stern Saturn, which has been challenging his 18 degree Aquarius Ascendant for a couple of months now, and will make the last of three exact hits during the first two weeks of September. Saturn is a taskmaster that can feel like a wet blanket or a brick wall. The Ascendant refers to personal projection and how it is perceived by others. Saturn is often reflected in feelings of isolation and/or loss…and also ambition, if we’re up for the task. Happy belated birthday, Mr. President. John Boehner is mad at you and wants to sue you. Your admitting last week that “we tortured some folks” apparently made heads explode on the other side of the aisle. They just didn’t get your Aquarius Ascendant’s need to be seen as all friendly and stuff, and to some it feels quirky, impersonal or quite mad. But now NBC reports that only 40% approve of the job you’re doing…your lowest poll numbers yet. Lonely at the top?

On the other hand, only 14% of Americans approve of how Congress is doing its job, so I suppose it could be worse. And yes, it could be worse, as apparently not many plan to do anything to change a situation they say do not like, such as vote in November’s mid-term elections. Are we as a nation feeling wiped out, irritable or amorphous?

In contrast to Saturn’s controls, expansive Jupiter will hook up with Obama’s Sun for the first time in 12 years in September, just as Saturn hits his Ascendant. A Jupiter transit, suggests opportunities for growth, reward and success and may buffer the heaviness of Saturn. This is one measurement that affirms my thoughts about the horoscope for Obama’s second inauguration (previously discussed here), in which I opined that in a tenacious battle of wills, Obama is likely to maintain an edge. September may well be tough, but by the end of October, Jupiter will oppose his Ascendant, suggesting an expansive public outreach likely to be well-received, except by those who will say (again) that he is overstepping his bounds. In the 2013 inauguration horoscope, Saturn is currently “hot,” suggesting ambition and frustration (or perhaps frustrated ambition), warning lights about “hidden enemies,” and reinforcing themes of isolation or going it alone that we see in Obama’s horoscope.

I hope you’ve found this long post about current and past patterns in the US horoscope helpful. I hope you also appreciate that even though patterns suggest huge challenges now and in the immediate future, these are cycles we have experienced before and we will experience them again. These cycles repeat themselves in individual horoscopes, too. Stay on the planet long enough, and you will surely have an opportunity to make a different choice if you did not like the choice you made the last time a pattern presented itself. I’m an optimist, and fiercely believe that if you are here on Planet Earth, you have a meaningful purpose and gifts to be shared with others that can make this world a better place. May today’s pro-active Moon in Capricorn energy inspire you to make it happen.

To find out what’s going on in your horoscope, consider booking a personal astro-logical consultation.

Astro-logical Forecast for Friday 8/1/2014 & the Weekend: Mercury in Leo; Venus in the News; an Energetic Surge

A planetary shift and a surge of energy that some may experience as volatile has been in play all week and releases today and through the weekend. Since 12:09PM ET on Thursday, the Moon has been in people-pleasing Libra, seeking appreciation and striving to find a balance. Thanks to the aforementioned surge, and the Moon’s weekly challenge to rebel Uranus and cathartic Pluto at 11:14AM ET and 8:45PM ET, respectively, the potential for extremes — to the upside and the downside — seems greater. An exuberant push forward or a frustrating logjam? If all else fails, go for a run. This article says running just 5 minutes a day can work wonders…

Action hero Mars in stubborn, no-holds barred Scorpio clashes with expansive Jupiter in royally entitled and equally stubborn Leo at 6:47PM ET. This tenacious aspect could be constructively applied in a project requiring stamina (especially physical — see article linked above for practical applications). If you are negotiating an agreement, it may feel like you’re trying to force a square peg into a round hole, as each side clings tenaciously to his or his position. I wonder how the lawyers are doing this week…

The planetary shift adding fuel to the fires of regal creative self-expression is Mercury entering Leo yesterday at 6:46PM ET. Mercury refers to communication, mindset and travel. On Saturday it will hook up with Jupiter (think big!) and also square Mars. So on the plus side, creative types may be bursting with bright ideas, especially if you have a planet or angle around 3 degrees of Leo, Scorpio, Taurus or Aquarius. On the downside, there is again the potential for a bombastic clash. Caution is advised on rushing into action or making a mountain out of a molehill of disagreement, given that the Moon will be void of course starting at 10:58PM ET Friday…not to enter the next sign– Scorpio — until 10:57PM ET on Saturday. Sound and fury…signifying nothing? Chill out on Saturday — and do your shopping sprees on Sunday, when the Moon is not void. Purchases made during voids have an odd way of not being nearly as useful as you thought. But don’t take my word for it; test the theory yourself.

Sunday’s Scorpio Moon favors depth, knowledge and emotional intensity. You may experience this in your communication with others early in the morning, courtesy of the Moon making challenging connections with Mercury and Mars. Around 9PM ET, we’ll have the First Quarter Moon, suggesting clarity on seeds you planted at the New Moon last week. What needs to be worked out in your quest for greater creative self-expression? Are you really following your bliss? Why aren’t you having more fun?

On Monday, a serious hook-up between Moon and Saturn at 6:29AM ET starts the work week. That should help firm up your resolve. You’ll have more time to move your agenda forward if you live on the East Coast, as the Moon goes void at 1:43PM ET/10:43 AM PT…until 6:19AM ET on Tuesday. If you’re on the West Coast, stick to routine tasks after 11AM PT, or be advised that efforts to move in a straight line are during voids are usually of no consequence and/or subject to twists and delays. If you are new to this forecast and need more information on handling Moon voids, here it is.

And now, the news — lots of it.

Reflecting this week’s volatile connection among Venus (money, women, social expression, art) with ruthlessly empowering Pluto on Monday and rebel Uranus on Friday, I offer the following items. In Virginia, former governor Bob McDonnell and his wife are on trial “for conspiring to use his office for personal enrichment”. Their defense strategy: their marriage was so broken, they could not have conspired their way out of a paper bag. Holy dirty laundry, Batman — and you’ll hear every sordid detail if you follow this trial. Hard Venus-Pluto contacts suggest emotional overkill. In this category, may I suggest this amusing report in response to the recently-released trailer for the infamously tawdry 50 Shades of Grey. And while we’re on the subject of passion in the arts, here are some artistic crimes of passion, courtesy of the Washington Post.

Venus-Pluto contacts also suggest purging and catharsis, and isn’t it interesting to see this article about how to energetically cut ties with unhealthy relationships, which the protagonist in 50 Shades of Grey obviously never read. The visualization technique is especially apt for clearing emotional/spiritual attachments to people from whom you have already physically separated.

Volatility was reflected in the markets, too — as we would expect and have seen before under similar patterns. Yesterday the Dow dropped 300 points, just before the square between Venus and Uranus, exact at 12:43AM today. Reflecting the potential for an upset involving unconventional (Uranus) social expression (Venus), it was no surprise to read on the NYT homepage that a Ugandan court struck down Uganda’s harsh “Anti-Homosexuality Act”. Also on the subject of unconventional social expression: more than a third of women of child-bearing age in the US are not mothers, and the travel industry is looking for ways to capitalize on this trend (Jupiter and Mercury refer to travel, and they conjoin on Saturday). Another breakthrough in unconventional social expression: an Amazon tribe seeking refuge makes its first contact with the modern world — here’s the video.

I have plenty of astro-logical thoughts on Congress voting yesterday to authorize John Boehner’s proposed lawsuit against Barack Obama, funded by your tax dollars. The specific alleged unconstitutional overreach seems to be Obama’s executive order to delay for one year certain requirements in the Affordable Care Act which some businesses found too onerous to do by the original deadline. This is the same Affordable Care Act that Mr. Boehner’s Congress has voted to repeal over 50 times. If this sounds surreal and/or bewildering, you can bet Neptune must be involved…and I do believe it is, as well as Uranus and Pluto in the horoscopes of United States, and Saturn and Neptune in Obama’s. I hope to pull those thoughts together and share them next time. Stay tuned…

Astro-logical Forecast for Wednesday 7/30/2014: Neptune in Pisces Update

Analyze it. Critique it. Break it down and get it right. Then, assimilate it. The practical, earthy energy of today’s Moon in Virgo is yours for the taking, supporting by a communicative connection to authoritative, disciplined Saturn. That’s good for harnessing the surge of tenacious will and physical release suggested by patterns that are exact on Friday, but in effect now. What was your New Moon agenda again? Some fabulous work of creative self-expression, with a flair that’s all your own? Make it so.

And now, the news.

I’m seeing so many headlines reflecting expectations of nebulous Neptune’s journey through Pisces, so I thought it would be helpful to do a review. Neptune, dipped into Pisces for four months in 2011 before fully committing to a 14-year run in its home sign in 2012. Neptune energy can be challenging for people who live in a material world, as Neptune tends to dissolve whatever it touches. It doesn’t strike with a lightning bolt, like Uranus, or blow things to smithereens, purging and/or transforming, like Pluto. Its effects are much more subtle, but no less powerful. A few key words for Neptune: intangible forms (wireless communication including film, photography, telepathy, healing, intuition, spirituality, rarefied art forms, including music), oil, dreams, drugs, blood, alcohol, poisons, viruses, water, oceans, seafood. A few key words for Pisces: surrender, empathy, compassion, collective consciousness, belief, martyr, saint and all human beings that society tends to sweep under the rug, including refugees and other homeless persons, prisoners, orphans and others locked away in institutions.

The last time Neptune entered Pisces was in 1847, and I thank astrologer Adrian Duncan for putting together some key developments reflecting that last journey so I do not have to write it up myself. Read on for clues to what we can expect to see — and already are seeing — from 2012 to 2026:

“This was the period when Charles Dickens wrote his novels of social realism, and social democratic demonstrations shook the capitals of Europe. This was also a time when painters like Renoir, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Cezanne and Monet made their impressionist paintings, expanding the world of fantasy and imagination. On the scientific front Darwin’s theory of evolution completely undermined Christian tradition. The first photographs were taken, ultimately leading to the coming world of the movies. Anesthetics were used for the first time in hospitals. Opium became a socially acceptable drug. The accepted reality of the day was undermined and new spiritual, emotional and political realities took form.”

Sometimes it feels like we are living in a Dickens novel, with so many headlines of human suffering in a haves vs. have-not world. An op-ed in the NYT Sunday Review bemoaned the empirical data confirming the inability of the haves to empathize (Pisces) with the have-nots.Seriously, their brains are wired that way & the data proves it. I think Pope Francis, with his apparently exceptional ability to empathize with those who are suffering, is an apt reflection of Neptune in Pisces. So is every headline about water (and lack thereof — witness California and Detroit), oceans and fisheries in crisis. So is every headline about infectious diseases, such as the recent items about bubonic plague in China and the Ebola virus in Liberia. And let’s not forget the recently-discovered vials of smallpox left lying around and the workers at the CDC in Atlanta who may have been exposed to anthrax (the Director of the lab just resigned).

Instead of opium, we’re seeing marijuana becoming more socially acceptable — and in fact, Sunday’s NYT editorial made a strong case for making marijuana legal nationwide, as Colorado and Washington have done already. It’s not just about about raising revenue; it’s about a more compassionate approach towards the tens of thousands of people currently incarcerated (Pisces) in the United States over drug-related charges.

What Duncan doesn’t mention in the excerpt above is that Uranus and Pluto were quite active in the early years of Neptune’s last 14-year journey in Pisces, just as they are now. The “social democratic demonstrations” mentioned above included the “Year of Revolutions of 1848, in which much of Europe was in upheaval. This coincided with Uranus and Pluto hooking up in the cardinal sign of Aries, along with Saturn. So now we have the return of Neptune in Pisces, and a highly charged pattern between Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn. And we have headlines of upheaval all over the world. And we also have refugees, too, as Neptune dissolves whatever it touches, including boundaries and borders. Coincidence or conspiracy?

So there you have it. A few thoughts on Neptune in Pisces — and how we may see this reflected in the headlines. You are personally affected by this potentially bewildering and/or ego-denying planet if you were born around the 28th of February, May, August or November….or if you have a planet or angle around 7 degrees of Pisces, Virgo, Gemini or Sagittarius. Bewildering and/or delusional is a potential downside; visionary and/or creative might be upsides. Marco Rubio is under the influence. So is Clay Aiken. What’s going on in your horoscope? Consult your local astrologer for details.

Astro-logical Forecast for Tuesday 7/29/2014: Sneak Peek at the Rest of the Week

Good Morning!

At 11:37pm ET on Monday, the Moon finally got into gear in Virgo, offering us an opportunity to hammer out details, organize and make things right. Push for extra clarification around 2PM ET, when a challenge to the Moon from nebulous Neptune may fog things up. On the other hand, the Neptunian influence may provide you with just the inspiration you need to craft your pitch. An easy connection to the Moon from regenerative Pluto adds depth and intensity to exchanges this evening, exact around 11PM ET. Easy connections between Moon and Pluto can facilitate healing.

Planetary patterns this week are much lighter than they were say…in mid-July and April. Much of the energy is building to a release on Friday, reflected as follows: Venus (women, money, art, social expression) is being challenged by rebel Uranus and is also being supported by disciplined Saturn. Uranus is the avant garde; Saturn is the old guard. Look for themes of unconventional attractions and freedom of social expression, likely involving women and resources. Also exact on Friday: a clash between action hero Mars in razor-sharp Scorpio and expansive Jupiter in regal Leo, suggesting a need for a physical release or over-the-top expansion. You’ll feel the surge of energy more personally if you have a planet or angle around 3 degrees of Leo, Taurus, Scorpio and Aquarius…or if you were born around the 26th of July, October, January or April. Jupiter at 3 Leo suggests a potential trigger for whatever seeds you planted on last Saturday’s New Moon, which was also at 3 Leo. Expansion is a possibility.

Other than the never-ending Uranus-Pluto square, which continues to hum its wake-up call anthem in the background, disrupting the status quo everywhere, be advised that there is an obsessive-compulsive connection between willful Mars and rebel Uranus for much of the week. Watch the headlines for news of freak accidents and outbursts, as we saw over the weekend in Venice Beach, CA, when lightning struck and killed one man. Freaky indeed, as was the news of a fatal plane crash that very same day in Venice, Florida. You may be feeling particularly buzzed if you have a planet or angle around 16 degrees of Aries or 2 Scorpio.

Moon voids — those natural rest periods during which we may be more inclined to wander off the beaten path — are few this week. On Thursday note 10:48AM – 12:09pm ET; Friday note 10:58pm ET until Saturday 10:57PM ET; otherwise, onward!

Astro-logical Forecast for Friday — Monday 7/25-28/2014: New Moon in Leo; Mars Enters Scorpio

We are in the balsamic phase of the lunar cycle – the dark side of the Moon, sensing that the New Moon is just around the corner but we don’t quite know what the new energy will bring. Restlessness and listlessness are not uncommon feelings, with double the potential today given that the Moon in Cancer will be void-of-course from 9:53AM ET until 10:55AM ET on Saturday. Wanna start the weekend early?

If you must work — as I must — stick to routine tasks and roll with any twists or delays that may thwart your efforts to move forward in a straight line. Chill out; don’t turn molehills of frustration into mountains; enjoy the aimless drift…see where it takes you. Wrap up projects from this lunar cycle and get ready to begin anew on Saturday.

Big news today is Mars, finally finally leaving Libra, where it has been all year — and entering Scorpio at 10:25pm ET. And there was much rejoicing in the land! Mars is much happier in Scorpio, where its headstrong efforts are freed up from Libra concerns over what everyone else will think. In Scorpio, Mars needs to act with depth and substance in its quest for world domination – or annihilation. Scorpios are so interesting that way. Caveat: today and for the next few days, Mars is in an especially tense pattern with Uranus (accidents, shocks to the system). This pattern was in effect through most of February and reflected in stunning accidents and outbursts — checkout the archives of this site for examples in the news.

Sleep in, chill out on Saturday. Moon shifts gear and roars into sunny Leo at 10:55AM ET — time for some summer fun! Wish Mick Jagger a happy 71st birthday OMG. Don’t start a fight around 11:29AM ET, when the regal Leo Moon is squared by willful Mars. If you’re shopping around 3PM ET, you may be inclined to splurge, courtesy of a hook-up between Moon and expansive Jupiter in luxe-loving Leo.

The New Moon kicks in at 6:42PM ET, when the Sun and Moon conjoin at 3 degrees of Leo. Make a list; light a candle. A New Moon offers us an opportunity to re-set intentions and goals for the next lunar cycle. Around August 3rd, on the First Quarter Moon, we can expect a challenge to those goals, with appropriate adjustments made. At the time of the Full Moon on the 10th, we can expect illumination on the success or failure of our goals for the cycle. If we succeeded, we can consciously release our success into our reality; if we failed, we let go of whatever did not work. After the Third Quarter Moon on the 17th, we can review our achievements, tie up loose ends and get ready to begin another New Moon on August 25th.

Creative self-expression, a sense of play and romantic love are Leo trademarks. So are royal entitlement and ego aggrandizement. Leo is born to rule; there’s no need to prove its case, and the sooner everyone in the room recognizes and honors it, the happier everyone will be. Why is that so hard for non-Leos to understand? In this New Moon chart, the need of the Leo Sun and Moon to shine is augmented by this week’s hook-up with expansive Jupiter. An intensified and potentially groundbreaking social expression of this need is suggested by dynamic alignment between Venus (love, women, art, money) and the Uranus-Pluto square. An extra dose of willpower, potent and potentially volatile, is suggested by the aforementioned tension between Mars and rebel Uranus, and by an approaching challenge by Mars to Jupiter which adds an abundant physicality and enthusiasm. How are you going to release all of this energy? Hopefully by being your naturally sunny self and doing what you were born to do. Get in touch with your passions this month. Take some time to follow your bliss. Do what you love. Leo rules the heart!

You are more personally affected by the need for creative self-expression of this New Moon if you have a planet or point around 3 degrees of Leo, Aquarius, Taurus and Scorpio…or if you were born around the 26th of July, October, January and April.

Sunday the Leo Moon coasts through the day without interference, until it goes void of course on a stubborn challenge between Moon and stern Saturn at 8:38PM ET. An intense emotional response may have been building all day, suggested by ruthless Pluto opposing Venus at 2:17AM ET on Monday. A power play involving women, resources and/or aesthetics is suggested. Here’s what happened the last time Pluto and Venus were in a challenging pattern. Venus will square rebel Uranus on August 1st.

Once the Moon goes void at 8:38PM ET Sunday, it will not enter the next sign — Virgo — until 11:37PM ET on Monday. Long Moon voids suggest long rest periods. If you didn’t launch your New Moon initiative on Sunday; wait until Tuesday.

And now, some news.

I was expecting some royal edicts to make headlines yesterday, given the Leo Sun’s hook-up with expansive Jupiter. And there on the NYT homepage was a piece about what life is like in a Syrian city now controlled by ISIS. That hook-up suggests a lot of hot air, and sharing the NYT homepage was an update on the severe drought affecting the Western United States.

There were plenty of headlines reflecting the disruptive potential of this week’s challenge to mental Mercury by Uranus-Pluto, starting with more than one crash of a commercial jetliner — in Mali and in Taiwan, not to mention the death of a teen pilot attempting to fly around the world. In other news, the startling revelation that Senator John Walsh (D-Montana) plagiarized much of the content in his master’s thesis. Meanwhile, a 16-year-old has created an app that aims to expose “corrupt politicians”, while proprietary information about how one might end up on the U.S. “no-fly” list is leaked. Travel plans for some may be further disrupted thanks to a computer glitch that is delaying the issuing of U.S. passports.

Yesterday’s piece about memory and music was particularly well-received. So here’s another story about the positive influence of art (Venus trine Neptune), creative self-expression (Sun-Jupiter in Leo) and especially art’s ability to shake people out of a mental funk (Mercury square Uranus): find out what happens when some people diagnosed with mental illness take up photography.

Your donations never fail to make my day, with much gratitude to you for your appreciation. Gratitude also to those of you who share this forecast with friends. Here’s the 411 on personal consultations. Have a wonderful day!

Astro-logical Forecast for Wednesday & Thursday 7/23-24/2014: Stellar

Moon continues its sojourn in Gemini today, seeking information and entertainment on multiple platforms, coasting without input from the other planets until 8:53PM ET. That’s when it makes an easy connection to action-oriented Mars, and then promptly goes void — i.e., wanders aimlessly for two hours, and then enters emotional security-seeking Cancer. Any upsets today may be in the form of communication and travel, courtesy of fallout and build-up from mental Mercury’s contact with Pluto yesterday and Uranus tomorrow. Otherwise, you’re good to go.

Planetary patterns on Thursday, as noted in Tuesday’s forecast, are stellar. Venus trines Neptune at 7:10AM ET, suggesting a need for beauty in all senses. Put on your rose-colored glasses, as this need is echoed between 1 and 2PM ET, when the Cancer Moon (women, money, art, social expression) is supported by this trine. At 4:44PM ET, get in touch with your inner lover/drama king or queen/creative spirit, as the Sun and Jupiter meet up in sunny Leo. Downside: news of some royal edict is sure to be issued by a bombastic, entitled type — but hopefully not in your own personal kingdom.

Startling communications or travels are suggested, as noted earlier, from now until 8:07PM ET Thursday, when Mercury is rattled by rebel Uranus. Two hours later, efforts to assimilate the new information may be facilitated by an easy connection to Mercury from disciplined Saturn, and a simultaneous power play or emotional catharsis suggested by potent Pluto challenging the security-seeking Moon. In other words, likely a noticeably active night.

In the news, as expected, there have been a number of startling headlines involving communication and travel. For instance, I’ll bet most of you learned in a high school civics class about the justice system of the United States. Accused criminals are “innocent until proven guilty” and the attorney-client relationship is privileged and confidential. Well, not really, as prosecutors are apparently reading the emails defendants who are writing to their lawyers while in prison awaiting trial. It gets worse. Even your cat photos are being tracked. Elsewhere, more startling news of a Plutonian “corruption exposed” nature involving an ethics commission and efforts made to “hobble it” by aides to NY Governor Andrew Cuomo made headlines today.

For upsets in general, conflicting decisions about the Affordable Care Act, as one federal appeals court ruled yesterday that only people in 14 states may qualify for tax credits to help cover the cost of insurance premiums, so people in the other 36 states now stand to lose the tax credits they now receive — and thus, perhaps, their ability to pay for health insurance. Why do people in only 14 states qualify? Read today’s NYT editorial. Meanwhile, another federal appeals court rules that the tax credits apply to all 50 states, so stay tuned, the matter is far from settled. Here are some interesting statistics comparing health care in those 14 states vs. the other 36. Health care reform — as noted in prior forecasts — is one of the themes suggested by the never-ending Uranus-Pluto square, a cycle that began 50 years ago when Uranus and Pluto were conjunct in Virgo (health).

Uranus in Aries (the individual) squaring Pluto in Capricorn (the corporation) also suggests upsets to the corporate status quo by the rebel entrepreneur. Companies like AirBnB and Uber are prime examples, and as with just about anything, there are pluses and minuses. Here’s a glowing review and interview with the CEO of AirBnB….and here’s a follow-up piece on the “dark side” of this new-fangled “sharing economy”. Uranus remains in Aries until March of 2019; Pluto leaves Capricorn in January of 2024.

Finally, on a lighter note: Thursday’s exact trine between Venus and Neptune favors an appreciation (Venus) of music (Neptune). Add this to the week’s startling revelations suggested by contacts among Mercury, Uranus and Pluto, and isn’t it interesting to see this article published about the connection between music and memory.

Cue Judy Collins now, please.

Astro-logical Forecast for Tuesday 7/22/2014: Sun Enters Leo

An intense focus on information gathering and persuasive communication may be yours today, courtesy of the Moon in info-junkie Gemini, coupled with a ruthless challenge between mental Mercury and potent Pluto. At 5:41PM ET the Sun enters regal Leo, where it is born to shine — and help others shine, too. This year the Sun shines bigger than it has in 12 years, courtesy of its approaching hook-up with expansive Jupiter on Thursday. Party on, dudes — in spite of the upheaval in the headlines. In your own personal world, this week offers plenty of potential delights.

This week we are aided and abetted by a couple of other lovely and practical planetary patterns that are also building to a release on Thursday. Venus (arts, women, money, social expression) is in a harmonious aspect with soulful, visionary Neptune. Mercury (mind, communication, travel) is empowered by its contact with Pluto today, but it is also buzzing with potential insight, courtesy of a challenge to rebel Uranus, and has the potential to structure all that buzz into something tangible, courtesy of an alignment with stern Saturn. Bottom line: creative efforts and communication are supported. If you live by your wits, take note.

Moon voids this week, because I neglected to mention them yesterday: Wednesday 8:53pm – 10:59pm ET; Friday is a loooooong one: 9:53AM ET until 10:56AM Saturday. Sounds like a three-day weekend to me….and it may feel like one anyway, even if you’re at the office on Friday. Make that a four-day weekend; the Moon will be void all that day, too — at least during business hours in the Americas. If you are new to the forecast and not clear on how to use awareness of Moon voids (natural cosmic rest periods) to your advantage, look here.

Astro-logical Forecast for Monday 7/21/2014: Sneak Peek at the Week

Good Morning!

The Taurus Moon is void of course between 10:13AM ET and 12:36PM ET, suggesting a slow start or twist in the early hours of the work week. You may feel a noticeable shift — a more engaged, focused energy — once the Moon enters pixie chatterbox Gemini after the void. A cooperative connection from enthusiastic Jupiter around 3PM ET suggests an afternoon ripe for expanding your network. Pick up the phone; send the email; make the pitch.

Lots of action this week, though not as intense as last week’s volatile Mars transits. First, two shifts in direction. Saturn turned direct on Sunday at 16 degrees of Scorpio; today, Uranus turns retrograde, appearing to move backwards in the sky until December 22nd, when it moves forward again. What does that mean? Saturn refers to structure, discipline, control and ambition. Generally speaking, Saturn’s move forward suggests that projects that were delayed during its retrograde period (i.e., since March 2nd) may also move forward. You are personally affected by Saturn’s shift if you have a planet between 16 and 23 degrees of Taurus, Leo, Aquarius or Scorpio, and between now and November 1st, you will experience the last of three hits of this no-nonsense energy. On the plus side, an ambitious reach or structure will have been materialized. Down sides to Saturn transits can include health issues when the areas of the horoscope related to health are involved. Consult your local astrologer for details.

Uranus turns retrograde at 16 degrees of Aries and will back up to 12 degrees by the end of the year. When a planet is retrograde, the energy it represents is best expressed by turning inward, instead of outward. When direct, Uranus tends to rebel against the status quo set by others. When retrograde, Uranus needs to set itself free from limits that are self-imposed. So if you have a planet between 12 and 16 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn, you can expect an intense second hit of issues you’ve recently experienced involving freedom, independence, being yourself without compromise and sudden upsets of the status quo. You’ll get a third hit in early 2015, when Uranus travels forward and hits 12 to 16 degrees again.

Over the next two weeks the never-ending Uranus-Pluto square will be triggered again. This week it’s Mercury, currently in emotional security-seeking Cancer, that will make contact with ruthless Pluto (tomorrow) and with rebel Uranus (Thursday). Note the potential for status quo-disrupting ideas, communication and travel in the headlines. In your own personal world, you may experience this more profoundly if you have a planet or angle between 12 and 16 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn. Next week, Venus (women, art, money, social expression), also in Cancer, makes contact with Pluto on the 28th and with Uranus on August 1st. Same degrees apply.

Also of note: tomorrow the Sun enters Leo, the sign it rules and hooks up with jovial Jupiter on Thursday, oh joy, oh joy! On the plus side, early Leos can hold out their Halloween trick-or-treat bags and more than likely receive an opportunity for recognition and expansion, and for some, a financial bonus. Thursday is a banner day in general for many reasons which will be discussed later in the week. On Friday, Mars (action!) finally leaves Libra and moves into Scorpio, where it is very strongly placed, for better or for worse. More on that later this week, too. On Saturday we’ll have a New Moon in Leo, a time to re-set our intentions for the following 30 days.

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Astrology for News Junkies

Astro-logical Forecast for Monday & Tuesday 8/11-12/2014: Sneak Peek at the Week

Astro-logical Forecast for Saturday & Sunday 8/9-10/2014: Full Moon in Aquarius

Astro-logical Forecast for Tuesday-Friday 8/4-8/2014: The US Horoscope, Obama & More

Astro-logical Forecast for Friday 8/1/2014 & the Weekend: Mercury in Leo; Venus in the News; an Energetic Surge

Astro-logical Forecast for Wednesday 7/30/2014: Neptune in Pisces Update

Astro-logical Forecast for Tuesday 7/29/2014: Sneak Peek at the Rest of the Week

Astro-logical Forecast for Friday — Monday 7/25-28/2014: New Moon in Leo; Mars Enters Scorpio

Astro-logical Forecast for Wednesday & Thursday 7/23-24/2014: Stellar

Astro-logical Forecast for Tuesday 7/22/2014: Sun Enters Leo

Astro-logical Forecast for Monday 7/21/2014: Sneak Peek at the Week

Thanks for stopping by!

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Search the Archives

"All I know is that you... Miss Elisabeth Grace are AMAZING! The reading you gave me was so accurate that it still blows my mind 6 months later!!! I also love your daily astrology information!" --Tim R.Los Angeles

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.

Astrology for News Junkies

Thanks for stopping by!

"All I know is that you... Miss Elisabeth Grace are AMAZING! The reading you gave me was so accurate that it still blows my mind 6 months later!!! I also love your daily astrology information!"
--Tim R.
Los Angeles