I started writing this forecast yesterday (Thursday), as follows:

With stormy planetary weather now behind us, the next few days look dreamy. As I type, the Moon is in Aquarius, seeking to make friends and be appreciated for its unique contribution to humanity. I will honor this potential by getting together with few of my Wellesley classmates for our annual fundraising phone-a-thon, in which we hope to shatter another class participation record. It’s so much fun to reconnect! If you happen to be one of my college chums (and some of you are), please let me know you’re in. Go bananas!

Which now brings us up to today (Friday). TGIF!

On FRIDAY, the Aquarius Moon goes void with a sigh at 10:02 AM ET, facilitating an early weekend escape. At 10:36 AM ET, Neptune — planet of intangibles and vision — goes retrograde until November 27th. When a planet is retrograde, the suggestion is to turn inward on issues involving that planet, as opposed to looking outside the self. Neptune refers to vision, intuition, healing and other intangibles. Tune in to your inner guru! Wherever Neptune falls in your horoscope at present is an area of life that may be subject to illusion — or selfless sacrifice. Sometimes the areas of your life that are affected can feel as if they are dissolving.  In the mundane world, Neptune refers to water, oceans, oil, toxins, snake oil, fantasy and fanatics and spirits of all kinds.  If you have a planet or angle around 18 degrees of Sagittarius, Gemini, Virgo and especially Pisces, you may have been feeling especially bewildered this month — while in search of a vision. Neptune can be challenging as it represents the unknown. On the upside, a heavy Neptune period can be quite inspiring if you are a creative. For guidance and practical coping strategies, consider scheduling a consultation with your local astrologer.

Meanwhile, at 11:54 AM ET, the Sun leaves Gemini and enters Cancer. Happy Summer Solstice!

Here’s what you need to know about the first day of any season  — i.e., equinoxes and solstices — from an astrological point of view. The first days of Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter correspond with the first day (or first degree) of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn, respectively (there are thirty degrees in each sign of the zodiac). Got that? Good.

These four signs are called cardinal signs. Cardinal signs initiate. They come up with the idea and put it into action, which leads to necessary change. “Cardinal” suggests (from the Latin root of the word), “that on which something turns or depends.”  So the first day/degree of a Cardinal sign is a turning point. In astrology, the technical term for the first degree of any Cardinal sign is the “Aries Point”, just to confuse people who are not professional astrologers. In other words, the first day of Cancer, Libra, Capricorn and Aries is the Aries Point. The first day of Taurus (and the rest of the signs) is NOT at the Aries Point). Clear?

Equinoxes and solstices are also prominent. We make a fuss over them, right? In Japan, the first day of each season is actually a national holiday. How cool is that? Thus, in a horoscope, a planet or angle at the Aries Point needs to be prominent.

A person born with the Sun in Cancer is here to create and maintain emotional security — in the family, home and homeland.  Cancer is ruled by the Moon, which changes signs faster than any other celestial body. Moon refers to emotional response; thus, Cancers have a rep for being moody. Plus, Cancer is a Water Sign — also keenly driven by emotion, as opposed to an Air Sign (for example), which is more driven by intellect. The keywords for Cancer are: I FEEL. If you are a Cancer born between July 10-16, my money says you’ve been feeling a lot these days, some of which may be divinely inspired, if you were born between July 8-10.

Everyone may benefit from paying attention to dreams over the next few days. On SATURDAY, Moon enters Pisces at 10:01 AM ET and flows without interference from crankypants planets for the whole day. Go with the flow — or to the beach. Indulge in a rose-colored escape or two. We are all under the influence of the potential beauty and generous spirit of SUNDAY’s opposition between between Venus (women, art, money, social expression) and Jupiter, exact at 12:45 PM ET. Indulge!

The other part of this dreamy pattern happens on MONDAY at 5:59 AM ET, when Venus squares Neptune. Already I’ve noticed a headline reflecting its big artsy potential, combined with the assertive controls of the heavy Mars-Pluto-Saturn we just experienced: “Private $3.7 billion art deal for Sotheby’s pushes art market further ‘underground'”. Isn’t that amazing?

And now, more news.

We anticipated many headlines involving these themes: “a convincing and provocative case for home/homeland security and other domestic concerns…an ambitious corporate/patriarchal advance….a ruthless barrage of provocative communication, along with someone’s dirty laundry exposed.” Ready?

• “Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan will resign after scrutiny of 2010 domestic fight,” which “White House knew about…for months.”
• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had Twitter’s knickers in a twist when she called the harsh migrant detention centers at the U.S. Southern border “concentration camps.”
• “DOJ attorneys tell federal judges that U.S. is not required to provide soap or toothbrushes for migrant children” in aforementioned camps.
• In Philadelphia, 72 police officers are now on desk duty after provocative social media posts were discovered
• WaPo announces a “major expansion” of its investigative journalism division
• More scandal and battles at the NRA
• Big explosion at a Philadelphia oil refinery
• On Thursday, just a few hours before the potential warring Mars-Pluto opposition, a planned airstrike against Iran was stopped — minutes before its launch, allegedly. Was the halt a reflection of Neptune at a virtual standstill, pouring calming oil on troubled waters? Or is it not quite what it seemed to be? That would be another reflection of the current focus on Neptune, and here is Reuters with the story, filed at 12:03 AM ET this morning, minutes after the Mars-Pluto opposition.

Elsewhere…

P45 officially kicked off his 2020 campaign on Tuesday –– as reported by your favorite late-night hosts . The chart for the official announcement is as ugly and ruthless as you would expect, with a strong attraction to wealth and power. For students and astropros, that marker is the midpoint ASC = Jupiter/Pluto. On Wednesday it was reported that the campaign had collected a whopping $24.8 million in 24 hours. That equates to almost  1/4 the amount of taxpayer dollars paid for P45’s golf outings since January 2017, according to the website expressly created to keep track.

Speaking of midpoints (another tool we have to assess the potential ingrained in a moment in time), Avid Reader Diane sent an op-ed reflecting the potential of a midpoint that’s been hot all week, as transiting Mars has activated the space between Saturn and Pluto (for astropros: Mars = Saturn/Pluto). In the language of astrology, this suggests fighting a battle with an undercurrent of frustration, not unlike a gun with a cork in its barrel. Check the headlines for examples.

UPDATE: on Cardi B, last written about in January. Her 18 degree Libra Sun was directly affected by the Mars-Saturn-Pluto intensity, suggesting a potential attack. Maybe her Aries Moon was, too — we do not have an exact birth time. She’s just been indicted by a grand jury in connection with a NY strip club brawl.

Meanwhile…

Insulin is a drug (Neptune) related to sugar (Venus) and it’s big (Jupiter). Thus we see a story about the “skyrocketing price of insulin.”

Neptune refers to music and the surreal. Venus is artistry and social expression. Jupiter is big. From the NYT: “The Pianist and the Lobster.”

Neptune refers to spirituality, film and befuddlement. Jupiter refers to good fortune. “Thousands of Christians Demand That Netflix Cancel a Show It Does Not Air”. The show is called Good Omens.

UPDATE  on P45, whose Venus-Saturn conjunction in Cancer is being triggered now and over the next day by transiting Mercury and Mars. This suggests communication/information and an attack or initiative involving women, control, misogyny, family/homeland security. The cover story of next week’s New York Magazine (released today) is an excerpt from advice columnist E. Jean Carroll‘s new book, “What Do We Need Men For? A Modest Proposal.” In it, she describes multiple experiences of being sexually assaulted by “hideous men.”  One of the men was Les Moonves, another notorious accused sexual predator (whose horoscope is also being triggered by transiting Mars). Another is P45, who is accused of assaulting Ms. Carroll  in the dressing room of Bergdorf-Goodman, the luxury department store. Venus = fashion; Jupiter = luxurious; Neptune = scandal. Astrology = amazing.

E. Jean Carroll is a Sagittarius.  With  Jupiter on her Sun three times in 2019, we can see why she has a book coming out now, as Jupiter refers to publishing. Her Sun is conjunct P45’s South Node, suggesting a fated/karmic/energy-draining connection. Her Saturn is in Gemini, conjunct P45’s Gemini Sun and opposing his Sagittarius Moon. She has the potential to serve in his life as a reality check or other severe control.

Whew! What a week! Wishing you a beautiful weekend escape. I leave you with this timely story from Good News Network. It’s pink, it’s about music, charity and all of the heartwarming things people can do if they wish. And it’s big!! “Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour Auctions Off 126 Guitars and Raises $121 Million for Charity.”The “charity” is climate change.

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