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Monday 6/10/2019: Sneak Peek at the Week; Cutting Through the Fog

Today is an interesting mix. Lots of action in the wee hours of the morning in the Americas, with challenges suggested by the First Quarter Moon at 1:59 AM ET, in touch with Neptune and Jupiter. More of the same from Sunday.  The Virgo Moon, seeking exacting perfection in every detail, went void at 8:01 AM ET…and won’t enter the next sign — Libra — until 8:29 PM ET. If you wanted to sneak in an extra vacation day, this would be a day to do it. Otherwise, stick to routine and avoid impulse shopping sprees. I find writing flows easily during long Moon voids — if drafting or brainstorming needs to be part of your work flow today, have at it.

Meanwhile, the Sun’s opposition with Jupiter at 11:28 AM ET can be cited as the source of any weekend indulgence from which you are now recovering. For me it was a S’mores Sundae — shared with a friend.  It was the last thing on my mind when I ordered my healthful vegan entree at the local Bareburger, but as it turned out, a feast of graham crackers, marshmallow and hot fudge over vanilla and chocolate ice cream couldn’t be helped. Yum!

Today’s Sun-Jupiter opposition amplifies whatever beautiful ideal or flat-out falsehood made the news over the weekend. “President P45 has made 10,796 false or misleading claims in 869 days,” WaPo posted at 3 AM ET. A few hours later, P45 accused the NYT of “sick journalism” for reporting that key components of an immgration deal with Mexico that was announced on Friday had actually been agreed to several months ago. Immigration and big lies: both are likely potentials during this Jupiter (big) in Sagittarius (foreign, press) square Neptune (illusion, ideal, lies) in Pisces (refugees, victims). Clear?  Note that the last time Jupiter and the Sun were in a tense pattern was in March, so stories that were hot back then may be hot again now.

The closer we get to the weekend, the more ruthless and militant the action and opinions are likely to get. Here’s how the week progresses:

  • TUESDAY: is driven by the Moon in Libra, seeking harmony, balance and fairness in relationships. A Libra Moon faciliatates talk, some of which may be merely conceptional, without depth or substance. Things flow fairly (!) smoothly, though note the potential for a clash of opinion around 5:03 PM ET, as the Moon squares Mercury (how we need to think).
  • WEDNESDAY: Another busy period in the wee hours for the Americas, as most of the action occurs while we are sleeping. The Libra Moon squares Mars, Saturn and Pluto around 2, 5 and 11 AM ET respectively, before going void for the rest of the day, ET. Get it off your desk in the morning, then roll with whatever twists or flakes that may disrupt your efforts to move forward in a straight line. Crises that crop up during Moon voids are likely much ado about  nothing so CHILL!
  • THURSDAY: Now we’re getting to the depth and substance the Libra Moon may have lacked. Moon enters Scorpio at 12:02 AM ET and clashes with rebel Uranus at 9:11 AM ET. Surprise, surprise? The Scorpio Moon’s need for power and control may be keenly felt over the next two days. It is intensified by the influence of patterns exact on…
  • FRIDAY:  At 2:12 AM ET, Mars (action, war, men, courage) trines Neptune (scandal, healing, empathy, lies, vision, faith). A trine is a harmonious aspect between two planets; hence the energies the planets symbolized may be easily applied. So we see an opportunity for a collective experience involving compassion and/or courage in matters related to victims, idealism, assertion, weapons — any and all of the potentials Mars and Neptune symbolizes. Mercury and the Scorpio Moon are part of the experience, as the Moon trines Mercury, Mars and Neptune between 3 AM and 9:13 AM ET.
  • FRIDAY (cont): The wrench in the system will be played by the 11:49 AM ET opposition between Mars and Saturn, as well as Mars and the toxic South Node.   Unlike the trine, the opposition is a challenging aspect. Two planets are literally opposed to one another; how will they integrate? Mars is the energy of action and heat. Saturn is the energy of structure and cold. Thus Mars and Saturn can run hot and cold, suggesting that a project running merrily along is suddenly blocked — or attacked.  Avid Readers may recall that last month, when Mars (weapons)  was in Gemini (words), we cited headlines where words did in fact become weapons, or the PTB was engaged in a war of words. With Mars in Cancer, the weapon can become whatever Cancer symbolizes: motherhood, homeland security, family security, food/nourishment; emotional response. Something to consider when reading this week’s news — and here is an example, as Mars rules the head “How to avoid facial recognition technology at the airport.”  Next week — on June 19th — Mars and Mercury will oppose Pluto, which can be even more ruthless in thought and action. On the plus side, it can be quite helpful for investigative reporting.
  • FRIDAY: (cont.) the Scorpio Moon goes void at 3;45 PM ET, not to enter Sagittarius until Saturday. If you can start the weekend early, please do.
  • SATURDAY:  Moon enters Sagittarius at 5:03 AM ET, looking for an outlet for its righteous opinion. A Sag Moon needs to be enthusiastic and push boundaries. Get out in nature; take in a foreign film; consider something outside your usual comfort zone because it will be fun! Note that the Moon is waxing, thus the fiery Sag emotions are running high. The Full Moon won’t be exact until early MONDAY, but before we get to that release, we must process three other patterns in effect this week and exact on…
  • SUNDAY. Mercury trines Neptune at 7:43 AM ET. Note your dreams today — and frankly, all this week and next, given how active Neptune (which refers to dreams) is. That dreamy vision gets a reality check or a structural advance around 10 AM ET, as Mercury is opposed by Saturn. At 11:18 AM, Jupiter officially squares Neptune for the second time this year.  The first square was on January 13th — here’s what was going on back then.  Meanwhile, the Sag Moon makes contact with both Jupiter and Neptune at 3:08 PM and 3:11 PM ET, respectively. I’ll have another S’mores Sundae…

And now, the news.

Finally, WaPo columnist Jennifer Rubin thinks she knows why Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg are surging in the polls — and she’s got half of it right. According to her, both are delivering messages of faith and optimism, including religious faith. Yup. But does Jennifer Rubin know WHY that message is likely to be so well received now? Nope! So where do we see that need for a message of faith and optimism? In the 2019 Jupiter-Neptune square!! We also see in the horoscopes of Warren and Buttigieg that they have the ability to serve as effective and empowered messengers at this time. Robert J. Samuelson is also a WaPo columnist, with an opinion expressing the streamlined focus of 2019’s approaching Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn: “Democrats are peddling fairytales.,” says he. Such a Debbie Downer!

What’s going on in your horoscope? Are you more affected by the expansive optimism of the Jupiter-Neptune square or by the lean, mean focus of the Saturn-Pluto conjunction? Find out in a personal consultation. Here is the 411.

Thank you for reading this forecast — have s’mores!!

Friday 5/30/2019 & the Weekend: Keepin’ It Light and Lovely on a Taurus Dead Moon

TGIF!

Friday and Saturday are brought to you by the Moon in Taurus, apt for establishing material comfort and security. Indulge in tangible, practical pleasures that favor the status quo. Such efforts are well-supported, now that we are past the potential surprising twist that may have coincided with the Moon’s weekly clash with rebel Uranus, exact at 9:26 AM ET.  File that one under “P45 defends tariffs on Mexico as stock markets reel”

Moon goes void on SATURDAY at 6:52 PM ET. Enjoy your chill! Note that we are at the end of the lunar cycle, a time when we may feel restless or listless, sensing that something new is just around the corner. Chill! On SUNDAY, Moon enters information junkie Gemini at 7:48 AM ET, no doubt with some deep tale to tell involving women, money, aesthetics — how and whom/what we love.  Take some time to make a list and set your intentions for the New Moon in Gemini that begins on MONDAY at 6:02 AM ET. No sleeping in.

And now, the news.

With Mercury making contact with Neptune and Jupiter, we anticipated BIG statements of opinion, some of which may have been overly idealistic or muddled at best. More rose-colored expressions were suggested by Venus in harmony with Neptune. Fun fact: Neptune refers to music, and I noticed more than one person humming to themselves on the streets of New York this week (myself included). Did you have a musical escape, too?

Here in these United States, Robert Mueller made a surprise announcement that the office of the Special Counsel is now closed. He did not take questions. Notable takeaways:

“…if we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so. We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime.

“…under longstanding department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office. That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view, that, too, is prohibited. A special counsel’s office is part of the Department of Justice, and by regulation, it was bound by that department policy. Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider.

“…the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing.

“…I will close by reiterating the central allegation of our indictments, that there were multiple, systematic efforts to interfere in our election. And that allegation deserves the attention of every American. “

Everybody clear on this? With his Mercury and Mars in Virgo, seeking perfection in though and action, we can appreciate that Mueller would want everyone to get it. It must be frustrating to have transiting Neptune (which dissolves whatever it touches), infringing on the perfect execution of Mars. This cycle started in mid-March, and Avid Readers were advised that it would be significant. That is when he sent his report to AG William Barr, who wrapped it in duct tape and rose-colored fog. Neptune turns retrograde on June 21st and will throw more fog on Mueller’s Mars on October 14 and January 8, with still more to come on this theme up until August of 2020. Wait and see.

Meanwhile, we can all talk about whether or not Mueller is overly-idealistic to think that Congress will take action (see quote #3 above).

Here’s another one, with bonus input from Jupiter (big!) and  Venus-Pluto (power and news from underground, as the evidence in question is from a dead man’s hard drive): “Despite P45 administration denials, new evidence suggests citizenship census question was crafted to benefit white Republicans.” 

Words were oh-so BIG and boundary-pushing last night: “‘Uncharted territory’: national spelling bee ends in historic eight-way tie”

UPDATE: on exciting news from Israel. You may recall that Israel’s horoscope is ripe for an upset this summer — and we were alerted to this potential before its most recent election. Thus it was disappointing to see the status quo preserved, and Netanyahu re-elected. Ohhhh — but wait! The fat lady has not yet sung in this opera, as Netanyahu has failed to form a government. That means there will be a new election on September 17, and we’re finding this out just a few days after the first disruptive square from Uranus to Israel’s stability-seeking Leo Moon. After September 17, whoever wins will have 42 days to form a government…and on November 3rd, Israel will have the second hit of Uranus square its Moon. Hmmm. Things get even more interesting in January 2020.

Also affected by transiting Uranus —  on his Taurus Moon: Elton John. A biopic about him — “Rocketman” — opens in the U.S. this weekend. It’s “better at the tiaras than the tantrums,” says on reviewer. Well, who needs tantrums in a weekend dominated by Mercury, Neptune and Venus? Bring on the tiaras!

Here’s a story with Mercury and Venus in touch with Neptune written all over it: “Dementia stopped Peter Max from painting. For some it was a lucrative opportunity.”

What’s going on in your horoscope? Are you due for a move, a split or a promotion? What do you really need to have in order to feel fulfilled? What is your purpose in this lifetime? These and other important questions can be answered in a personal consultation. Here’s the 411.

Thank you for reading this forecast — and for the wonderful referrals. Your friends are fabulous…and so are you.

 

 

 

Astro-logical Forecast for Friday 6/17/2016 & the Weekend: Anarchy in the UK Edition

TGIF!

Moon in Scorpio goes void at 9:52AM ET on a provocative meet-up with Mars. Back away from that double espresso and chill. Take care of routine matters; roll with the twists and flakes that may interfere with your efforts to move forward in a straight line. Delay signing on the bottom line; avoid the malls; wrap up the day early if you can.

At 3:39PM ET Venus enters Cancer, facilitating efforts at beautification and nurturing until July 11th. At 11:23PM ET the boundary-dissolving, reality-bending square between Saturn in Sagittarius (structure, control, borders, foreigners, opinions, media, etc.) and Neptune in Pisces (intangibles, opiates, refugees and other keywords noted in prior forecasts) will finally be exact.  File any “oh what’s the use?” feelings you may have in the folder labelled “Saturn vs. Neptune.” If you were born about halfway through Pisces, Gemini, Sagittarius or Virgo, you are more personally affected. A consultation with your local astrologer would be productive.

Relief shows up around 9:34PM ET, when the void ends and the Moon enters high-flying Sagittarius. Up for a gambol or a gamble this weekend? How can you broaden your mind, expand your horizons and/or push boundaries in a way that is constructive?

On Saturday, note your mood around 9PM ET, as the Moon makes contact with that Saturn-Neptune square.  Emotions are on the rise, one way or the other, as the Moon waxes to its fullness in Sagittarius Monday at 7:02AM ET. This Full Moon has an especially trippy potential, felt a few days beforehand, perhaps recalling whatever was on your plate at the beginning of the month. The trippiness is reflected by Mercury — planet of mindset and communication — as it makes exact contact with Saturn and Neptune on Monday at 10:56AM ET and 1:11 PM ET, respectively. Mercury-Saturn contacts suggest a need for serious focus and controls. Downside: potential depression. Mercury-Neptune contacts suggest a need for creativity and vision. Downside: potential illusion/delusion. We’ll see a mix of all potentials in the headlines, I’m sure.

Exact patterns are light on Sunday, and the Sag Moon favors a round of golf or romp in nature.  Be aware of the potentially wiggy Mercury-Saturn-Neptune thing and have a happy Fathers’ Day.

And now, the news.

Here’s the song by the Sex Pistols. And here’s the story behind it.

First, from yet another pit of Saturn-Neptune despair (provoked by retrograde Mars running wild), comes the senseless killing of British MP Jo Cox . I can’t possibly fathom a silver lining at this time.  Her assailant reportedly shouted “Britain first!” during the attack. This is a reference to Brexit, a referendum on whether Britain should stay in the European Union.   The vote happens on June 23rd. While columnists and editors at the NYT clearly feel an exit would be folly, what does Britain’s horoscope say?

Alas, under the influence of the ambition-killing Saturn-Neptune square, I can’t muster up the energy to look it up.  But off the top of my head, I do recall the Queen’s horoscope having the first of three transits of rebel Uranus to her Ascendant last month –and the third one won’t happen until next year.  In addition to reflecting her choice of a fabulous electric green birthday suit last week, Uranus-Ascendant patterns suggest a need for greater freedom and independence — often felt  in relationship, potentially leading to a break-up, move or other disruption of the status quo. Uranus transits can be surprising and often shocking. Uranus co-rules the Queen’s First House. The other co-ruler is Saturn, which rules her Capricorn Ascendant. The Ascendant refers to the way she — and by extension, Britain — needs to be seen by others.

You see, once upon a time, only kings and queens consulted with astrologers, as it was in the horoscope of the ruler that the fate of a nation could be divined. We shall see if this theory of synchronicity holds true in more modern times.

Let’s continue.

We also see transiting Mars conjunct — i.e., on top of —  the Queen’s Midheaven and Saturn.  Mars transits to the Midheaven suggest action — any form of assertive/aggressive energy, whether acted out or acted upon. This includes the potential for attacks and accidents — and I’d argue that the assassination of Labour MP Jo Cox reflects that potential for attack. Mars rules Her Majesty’s Second House, referring to matters of money, values and self worth.

We also see the Queen’s Venus at 13 Pisces in her natal Second House,  currently under pressure from transiting Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter and Mercury. Venus refers to enjoyment and money, among other concerns. Transiting Jupiter to Venus suggests a jolly (90th birthday) good time, but transiting Saturn to Venus can be experienced as isolating and streamlining, in financial as well as social arenas.

UPDATE (as of June 24th): On June 23rd,  UK voters elected to leave the European Union. The world is shocked. Prime Minister David Cameron has resigned. The British pound has plummeted. I took a closer look at the Queen’s horoscope and noted two important measurements coloring the first half of 2016, both of which were exact in May. One is a solar arc  between Saturn and Mars, referring to the Queen’s/Britain’s identity and self-worth/assets. Astrologer Noel Tyl describes the potential as follows:

Putting a damper on things; ups and downs; indecision; failing

The second solar arc involves Neptune and the Midheaven. Neptune co-rules the Queen’s Second House (along with Mars). Quoting Noel Tyl again, we see the potential for:

Accentuation of creativity on the job; disruption in the home life; being pushed around; feeling lost; “losing it.”

Let the record show that the Washington Post  offers this headline, “The British are frantically Googling ‘EU’ Hours After Voting to Leave It.”  Losing it, perhaps? Said one British voter:

“Even though I voted to leave, this morning I woke up and I just — the reality did actually hit me,” one woman told the news channel ITV News. “If I’d had the opportunity to vote again, it would be to stay.”

Coincidence or conspiracy? God Save the Queen!

UPDATE: Bernie Sanders, who will have the third hit of expansive Jupiter to his Virgo Sun on Saturday, did not end his campaign yesterday. However, he did vow to work together with Hillary Clinton to defeat what’s-his-face.  Planetary patterns in his chart for the rest of the summer and into fall suggest a need for a zealous application of emotional energy. At the end of the year we see a Sun-Uranus measurement suggesting greater freedom and independence. Talk of him establishing a third political party does not seem unreasonable, especially as he will continue to experience transiting Uranus to Mars and Venus into 2017 as well. Translation: walking his talk, generating an intense buzz.

Best Saturn (control) -Neptune (drugs) proposal I’ve read all day: Congresswoman Gwen Moore is sick of poor people being stigmatized. She’s proposing that anyone who itemizes more than $150,000 in tax deductions must submit to a drug test in order to claim the tax break.

Finally, a bit of delight from NPR for people who believe the world would be a much happier place if “please” and “thank you” were used more often.

Thank you for reading this forecast. To schedule your fabulous personal consultation, please use this handy contact form. To support my efforts to bring you these Really Useful Forecasts, please donate to my Midnight Oil Fund.

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Astro-logical Forecast for Monday & Tuesday 2/22-23/2016: Sneak Peek at the Week; Harper Lee & Umberto Eco, RIP

Happy Monday!

I hope you are starting the week with efficiency, using the discerning faculties of the Virgo Full Moon (exact at 1:20PM ET) to perfect your boundless ideal in greater detail. Said “ideal” would be suggested by the Pisces Sun in an approaching meet-up with visionary Neptune (exact on Sunday). A practical technical analysis may lend itself to you, courtesy of a communicative flow between Mercury (mindset) and Saturn (structure; ambition) — that’s exact on Thursday. What will you do with this potential illumination?

Structuring and focusing an all-encompassing vision is a theme echoed in the Sabian Symbols for this Full Moon. Don’t know the story of these cryptic Symbols? Here it is. For the Sun at 4 Pisces: “a colored child playing with white children” (remember that these Symbols were channeled in 1925); for the Moon at 4 Virgo: “heavy traffic on a narrow isthmus”.  Huzzah for the ever-helpful Sabian Symbol guru Blain Bovee, who points out that “‘play’ is an activity that blissfully ignores boundaries, rules and narrowly drawn lines of convention and bias”; whilst the latter of the two Symbols suggests “a well-defined sense of procedure that narrows into a bottleneck situation”. We are advised, says Bovee, to apply these Symbols “with a mind to the challenge of being tolerant while following a focused, narrow path to one’s goal; crossing social and ethnic boundaries with childlike ease…bottleneck issues slowing progress…needing to get away…funneling energy towards the key thing”. Bovee offers many other insights too numerous to mention here, but are readily available in his wonderful book.

Keep on plugging with discernment on Tuesday, using Virgo’s practical and earthy drive. Note the potential for an ambitious reach or a wet blanket around 1:02PM ET, as the Moon is challenged by taskmaster Saturn. Depth of analysis is facilitated around 3:17PM ET, as Moon trines Pluto just in time for tea. The evening builds to an enthusiastic release around 9:44PM ET, when the Moon meets up with expansive Jupiter.

Get it off your desk on Tuesday if you can, as the Virgo Moon goes void on Wednesday at 9:22AM ET, wandering through the day without dynamic thrust until 5:41PM ET. You might focus on routine tasks that require innovative sorting and refinement.  I say this because Mercury (mindset, communication) is in an easy alignment with Saturn (exact on Thursday) and Uranus (exact on Friday).  Roll with the twists and flakes that may detour your efforts to move forward in a straight line; perhaps indulge in a creative outlet that takes you in an unexpected direction. Resist the urge to turn a picayune molehill into a mountain of crisis. Chill — and avoid impulse purchases, as those made during Moon voids have an odd way of proving themselves not nearly as useful as you hoped they would be. But don’t just take it from me. Test the theory for yourself.

Once the Moon shifts into gear in Libra at 5:41PM ET on Wednesday, it drives the next few days with a need for social graces in relationship, as well as an appreciation for rational discourse seeking balance. In the wee hours on Friday morning ET, the balance may be disrupted by the Moon’s weekly clash with Pluto and Uranus. It goes void on a face-off with the latter at 6:18AM ET, facilitating your plans to start your weekend early.

And now, the news.

At the start of last week, I opined that the relative lack of action among the planets suggested a set-up for a dramatic event, seemingly happening out of nowhere on a perfectly routine day. On Saturday such an event happened in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Six people were killed — and others wounded — by one man in a series of series of random shootings. What’s interesting from an astro-logical perspective is that the chart for the time of the first shooting — around 6PM on 2/20/2016 in Kalamazoo — paints a picture of a potentially violent outburst. Immediately we see lethal Mars (guns, anger, war) very strong in Scorpio, not in connection to any other planet (thus demanding attention by “running wild), but smack dab on the angles of the horoscope. Planets on the angles of the chart for an event say much about its nature.

Which makes me think of another incident back in January I meant to write about as soon as it happened, because what was reported did not reflect what is suggested in the horoscope.  This was an alleged gang-rape of an 18 year old girl by five teens in a Brooklyn playground. It happened around 9:10PM on the 7th.  The first thing to notice is Neptune — planet of illusion, fog and alcohol — right on the angles of the chart. Other patterns suggest boundaries pushed, accounts revised and/or retracted, details blurred and  twisted and a potentially kinky expression of assertive energy. I did not believe initial reports in the papers, and I wondered why one reporter (and her editors) at one rag have paying jobs in journalism — see that initial write-up here. A week later, after the five teens were found, arrested and  charged, the case against them was “crumbling,” as murky and disturbing allegations involving the young woman’s father emerged. The DA apparently has until June to build its case for a grand jury.

I believe there were a few debates among the candidates running for president around that time. If memory serves, Neptune was on an angle at the start of each of those debates, too. Take that with a grain of salt.

If you’re a student of astrology and you just learned something new and exciting, why not express appreciation for the gift of knowledge right here. You would totally make my day.

Meanwhile, Jeb Bush formally ended his presidential campaign just as transiting Jupiter hit 20 degrees of Virgo. Why is that significant? 20 Virgo was the degree of a potent eclipse in September, and as you may recall, Governor Bush’s horoscope was personally affected. The eclipse fell in his 12th house, close to his 23 Virgo Ascendant and square his Gemini Midheaven. Back in September, I noted that we needed to keep an eye on his horoscope in 2016, when Jupiter would trigger September’s eclipse. And speaking of eclipses, we have two of them next month, and you’ll find a bit of info on how eclipses can operate in that last link. As for Governor Bush, perhaps the third hit of Jupiter to his Ascendant and Midheaven in August will bring expansive opportunities, accompanied by shoes he can actually fill. By the end of this year and into 2017,  he likely be needing to get serious about core foundation and family concerns, as transiting Saturn hits the angles of his horoscope.

In other news, Umberto Eco — truly a one-of-a-kind novelist and scholar — passed away over the weekend. Looking at his horoscope, I expected to find eccentric/genius Uranus all over it. Yep. It’s there — sitting right at the top of the chart on the Midheaven, square to his Capricorn Sun and Mars. Those planets and that Midheaven have been under a high level of tension in the past couple of years, with transiting Uranus and Pluto supercharging them. Mr. Eco passed away with transiting Saturn exactly on his high-flying, big-picture focused Moon in Sagittarius.

Harper Lee, author of the beloved classic, “To Kill A Mockingbird, ” also passed away. I expected to see Uranian/Aquarian humanitarian themes in her horoscope, too .Yep, they are there. Ms. Lee is a Taurus, with her ruling planet — Venus — conjunct Uranus in Pisces, suggesting a need for sensitive yet avant garde social values and expression. Venus also rules her people-pleasing Libra Ascendant. Uranus trines the Midheaven, suggesting a need for that social consciousness to be expressed in her vocation. Additionally we see Mars conjunct Jupiter in Aquarius, in a complex and dynamic T-square pattern. They oppose Neptune — suggesting no small amount of energy and charisma —  and all three square a seriously intense meet-up between Moon and Saturn in Scorpio. This is a woman who would need to be appreciated for depth and substance. She is described by the NYT as “reclusive,” and her horoscope suggests that need, too.

It is fascinating to see that Ms. Lee’s 25 Libra Ascendant is about to be opposed by transiting Uranus starting in August of 2016, and again in May of 2017, then hovering around 25 Libra for weeks between  December 2017 and February 2018. Transits to the Ascendant from Uranus often suggest a fresh start, and horoscopes live forever.  Guess what’s planned for Ms. Lee around that time? A new production of “To Kill A Mockingbird”, written by Aaron Sorkin. This play has never had a Broadway run. A fresh start indeed — and potentially quite a splash when it premieres. Transiting Jupiter will cross her Ascendant in October of 2017 — how nice for a public debut. Transiting Jupiter will then conjoin her Moon-Saturn conjunction and engage and expand the other three planets in that T-square in the spring of 2018. Tony nominations, anyone?

UPDATE: have to add that Umberto Eco’s horoscope, as noted above, also reflects the “fresh start” potential of transiting Uranus to the Ascendant and/or Midheaven. And guess what? Mr. Eco had a book scheduled for publication this May….but now it will be published this weekend! Astrology is amaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing.

Finally, because it’s always fun to end on a bright note — the weekend’s Leo Moon coincided with a heartwarming cat story. Did you hear about Kunkush? He belonged to a family of refugees who fled Iraq last fall. En route to their new home in Norway, Kunkush was lost on the island of Lesbos. Incredibly, he was reunited with his family last week. Roll heartwarming tape. Grab box of Kleenex.  Imagine a world where everyone treats everyone else with the kindness and care shown to Kunkush.

Thank you for reading this forecast. Here’s the 411 on consultations. I can’t imagine why you would not want to understand how planetary patterns are reflected in your own personal world. We will have an excellent and enlightening discussion together.

Astro-logical Forecast for Friday 12/28/2012 & The Weekend: Full Moon in Cancer & May the Force Be With You

At 3:06PM ET on Thursday, Moon entered the (usually) nurturing sign of Cancer, seeking to fulfill its need for emotional security and the comforts of home and family. If only it were so simple, given the potential for shake-ups and power plays suggested by Moon’s interaction with ruthless Pluto and rebel Uranus, exact Friday at 9:34AM ET and 12:34AM ET, respectively. The Moon reaches its fullness at 5:21AM ET on Friday, echoing the suggestion of a release of whatever emotions/energy have been building over the past several days.  On the plus side, the disruption you may experience offers the potential for profound revelation (Uranus) and transformation (Pluto). If you are feeling disrupted, look for the silver lining. It has to be in there — somewhere.

You are more likely to be feeling the impact of this powerful Full Moon if you were born between the 25th and 31st of March, June, September and December…or if you have a planet or angle between 4 and 10 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. If you are not sure if this applies to you, consult your local astrologer, who would be only too happy to honor this Holiday Special: A One-Hour Astro-logical Consultation (at a very reasonable and fabulous price), which is being offered for purchase through January 1, 2013 (to be scheduled in the New Year).

One of the silver linings of this Full Moon is that it goes void-of-course at 9:43AM ET, not to enter the next sign (Leo), until 2:45AM  on Sunday. Chill, baby, chill — and take the time to process whatever needs to be processed after this day of (likely) rich emotional focus on what makes you feel secure or feel at home. (Note to the Universe: the jackhammers that have been outside my window all morning are not contributing to that feeling of home-y security). Avoid the temptation to go mad at the malls, as impulse purchases made during Moon voids rarely turn out to be as useful as thought. Those items will still be on sale next week, and probably marked down even further.

The other silver lining of the Full Moon is the awesome potential for support, structure and discipline offered by taskmaster Saturn. Whatever realization and/or need for change hits you this weekend, now is the time to put on your big girl panties — or your boxers/tighty-whiteys — and be prepared to do the hard work required to make these changes happen. This applies to changes required for growth in your own personal world and in the collective world. We are all in this together. Each of us has the power to make a positive contribution as an individual, which is a good thing, because we are going to need those positive contributions as we navigate the challenges of the next few years.

What kind of contributions? Funny you should ask. With the Moon in emotional security-seeking Cancer, I was struck by an article about an inventive and extraordinary physics teacher (reflecting Mars currently in a sextile with techno-geek Uranus) who discovers a powerful force that appears to transcend the laws of physics. I guarantee you will be moved by this article and will likely forward it to others.

This force is also the key component in a book I was given for Christmas — The Divine Law of Compensation by Marianne Williamson. Money as a means to security is another Cancerian theme worth contemplating during this long Moon in Cancer void, and Williamson happens to be a Cancer with Moon in enterprising Capricorn; information-junkie Gemini on the Ascendant. Thus she is utterly inclined to present succinct edicts — some of which you may have heard before — on removing blocks we ourselves have created that limit the flow of compensation for work that is divinely inspired. And yes, the book is idealistic (her Sun is conjunct Venus),  boldly unique and innovative/”out-there” (rebel Uranus is also conjunct the Sun); filled with faith (Sun-Venus-Uranus is square nebulous Neptune) that offers grand resources for material reward (Jupiter in Taurus square mental Mercury and potent Pluto in Leo). Williamson’s Mars is in Scorpio, so you can be sure she’s produced something of depth and substance. Birth data: July 8 1952 at 3:53AM in Houston, TX — very intriguing horoscope.

Sunday features the annual meet-up of the Sun with Pluto (8:37AM ET),  suggesting news from underground and a reach for power. Pluto refers to nuclear issues, mines, volcanoes, things coming to the surface after being long-buried. In Japan, US military personnel are suing Tokyo Electric Power Company for TEPCO’s alleged failure to disclose the truth about leaked radiation in the wake of the 2011 tsunami which shut down the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Meanwhile, in Washington, alleged lawmakers have convened for a rare late-December session to try to work out a few pressing fiscal issues, including the “fiscal cliff”.  Friday’s meeting at the White House could be good for brainstorming, given the Moon void — but no final decisions should be made. Sunday would be an appropriate day to act with empowerment and reach an accord, given potent and cooperative planetary patterns…but as astrologer Noel Tyl always says, “Planets don’t do things. People do”.

The Moon will be in Leo as of 2:45AM ET Sunday. This is a festive, fiery energy that is excellent for play, royal drama or a “teachable moments” (Leo can be an awesome coach). Be mindful while you are out and about this weekend, as in: be exceptionally aware of your surroundings and the people near you. The fallout from this Full Moon is intense; some are not processing it well. I am writing this from the perspective of a New Yorker who notes that a second man was pushed in front of an oncoming subway train last night, apparently by a total stranger (a young woman) in a seemingly random encounter.

I hope this forecast finds you enjoying only good things from the break this holiday week usually inspires (and which planetary patterns this year do support).

Astro-logical Forecast for Monday 12/10/2012: Perks and Perils of Mercury Square Neptune

How time flies! Once again, we are in the dark side of the Moon, where the focus should be on tying up loose ends from projects that were initiated at the time of the New Moon on November 13th.  We may feel a sense of restlessness or listlessness at the end of the cycle. We sense something is about to begin, but we don’t know what. It can be very Waiting For Godot. The next New Moon happens on Thursday, December 13th, at 3:42AM ET. More on that later this week.

Moon in Scorpio needs information for the sake of power and control. It also needs depth and substance. The challenge for the next couple of days is presented by nebulous Neptune squaring mental Mercury at 7:58AM ET on Tuesday, suggesting an idealized or confused mindset, communication exchange or travel adventure. You may recall this aspect was in effect all last week, too.  Think twice before signing on the dotted line today, as things may not be as they seem. This is especially true for Tuesday, when the Moon will be void from 8:08AM – 5:22PM ET. Moon will also be void  on Thursday from 3:42AM ET until 4:43PM ET.

This Mercury-Neptune square can be terrific for creative types: artists, spiritualists and healers. There is a caveat, however, and here I would be thinking of the Australian DJs who — last week, on a day with the Moon in playful, regal Leo — thought it would be so fun and fantastic to pretend to be the Queen of England and ring up the hospital where the Duchess of Cambridge was being treated for severe morning sickness. Unfortunately, their ruse was so successful that it allegedly resulted in the suicide of the nurse who thought the deception was real.

Then there is this tragic story of Jenni Rivera, a singer (Neptune) whose plane (Mercury) crashed shortly after take off yesterday.  In other news, I almost fell out of my chair when I read the 4th paragraph of columnist David Brooks’s last effort — this is Mercury/Neptune idealism in spades; a beautiful, beautiful dream….but where is the real game plan? (That would be Saturn — and yes, I know, all politicians in the U.S. wax rhapsodic about the American Dream; it is part of our collective consciousness, as suggested by the Neptune-Mars square in the U.S. horoscope). Anyway. To counter David Brooks, here’s Paul Krugman to tell you why record corporate profits are not what they seem to be. On a more uplifting and healing note, here’s an amazing story of how a 7-year-old girl beat leukemia (diseases of the blood are usually ruled by Neptune).

I’ll close with this op-ed piece that seeks to expose all of the sneaky tactics retailers employ in order to get shoppers to open their wallets. On the one hand, it seems to argue that the more disoriented the consumer is by the experience, the more money she is likely to spend. On the other hand, the research studies presented appear to contradict each other, making them perfectly in synch with the expectations of a Mercury-Neptune square! Have I mentioned that from now until January 1st, 2013, I am offering a Special One-Hour Consultation at a very reasonable price, and that it’s the perfect gift for everyone on your list, including yourself? But don’t take it from me, take it from a recent client:

“Thank you for a REALLY helpful session today!”

No confusion there. I am delighted to be of service. Now if I can just figure out how to make your computer screen smell like a pina colada…