Moon enters Leo at 9:53AM ET, ending the void it’s been in since 11:59PM ET last night. A Moon void suggests a higher probability of twists and delays in efforts to move forward in a straight line, which can be your excuse for any flakiness you experienced this morning. Pour hot water over coffee beans you forgot to grind? Been there; done that. Focus on routine concerns; chill if you can; don’t make a mountain over a molehill of crisis.
In Leo, the Moon facilitates a sense of play, creativity and self-expression. Let the drama queens reign, for better or for worse. Throw a party. Help others shine. A Leo Moon without love is a sad thing indeed. Be generous with compliments today and tomorrow; they will come back to you.
The only exact aspect today is an easy flow between Mercury in Taurus (thinking about material security) and Jupiter (expansion) in Virgo. These two are closely aligned in another easy flow with Pluto (power and resources) in Capricorn (the Establishment). All together, they make a loose Grand Trine in the Earth element. This suggests a potential for abundance — or at least the projection of material self-sufficiency. Interesting to note that the markets hit a high for the year yesterday — the second day of a rally. This is not at all unexpected.
Moon continues in Leo through Friday and into Saturday. It goes void at 1:48PM ET, entering Virgo to put things back in order at 7:23PM ET. On Sunday, Mercury aligns exactly with Pluto, suggesting more of what we’re already seeing this week in terms of news from underground coming to light, likely involving power and resources. Such as? Such as this release of still more documents suggesting that Exxon knew — way back in the 60s — about the damage fossil fuels could do to the environment. Exxon denies these allegations. Meanwhile, Oxfam released a report on the top 50 US corporations, alleging they have $1.4 trillion stashed in offshore accounts. Did you know that $1.4 trillion is more than the combined economic output of Spain, Russia and South Korea? Me neither.
More important: Mars turns retrograde at 8:14AM ET on Sunday. Pluto turns retrograde hours later at 3:23AM ET on Sunday. Mars and Pluto slowing down now suggest that matters involving boundary-pushing action/aggression and power plays are likely to pull greater focus in the headlines over the next several days. They’ll pull greater focus in your own personal world wherever these planets fall in your horoscope. Consult your local astrologer for details.
The Virgo Moon will be void as of 8:29AM ET on Monday. It won’t get into gear until 7:24AM ET on Tuesday. So that gives us a whole day to adjust to the change of direction for Mars and Pluto. Note that on Tuesday, Venus (social expression, money, women, aesthetics) in me-me-me Aries clashes with Pluto at 4:49PM ET. On Thursday, we’ll have a Full Moon in Scorpio, accompanied by a Venus meet-up with rebel Uranus. We’re set up for a particularly dynamic week of action. Will have more to say on the retrogrades in the next forecast.
And now, more news.
The Sun refers to the heart. Uranus making contact with the Sun, as it did last Sunday, suggests a disruption involving the heart. How fascinating to read that a drug which forcibly lowers “bad” cholesterol and raises “good” cholesterol had absolutely no apparent effect on preventing heart attacks and strokes. This was a shocker. Meanwhile, headlines were abuzz yesterday over a revelation in another study done 45 years ago, but never published. Thousands of people were put on a no animal-fat diet. Instead, their diets included vegetable oil, specifically corn oil. Not surprisingly, their cholesterol levels went down. Surprisingly, they saw an increase in the rate of heart disease. Here, the NYT weighs in.
Elsewhere in matters of energy and resources: the Senate seems poised to pass the first comprehensive energy bill since the Bush Administration. Let the record show that the bill is sponsored by two female senators reflecting yesterday’s Venus in Aries (pioneering women) trine Mars, perhaps. Yesterday a bill sponsored by another pioneering woman — Senator Elizabeth Warren — proposes simplifying tax filing for millions who do not itemize their taxes by putting the onus on the IRS to determine what is owed. If you’re wondering what impact energy and resources have on your life expectancy, this study concludes it depends on where you live — at least in the U.S. Check out your state here.
Here’s an uplifting Venus in Aries trine Mars in Sagittarius (schooling) headline: “Female Chief in Malawi Breaks Up 850 Child Marriages; Sends Girls Back to School”
Finally, Neptune — which dissolves whatever it touches — is currently challenging Mars (the head) in Sagittarius (pushes boundaries), as both are simultaneously challenged by Jupiter (expansion) in Virgo (detail). There have been a number of interesting stories about drugs hitting the headlines this week — but consider this one about what the brain looks like under the influence of LSD. Boundaries dissolved, indeed!