Writing this forecast one minute before the Cancer Moon — which has been void since 8:39 AM ET — leaves Cancer and gets focused in party-hearty Leo at 12:26 PM ET. Now is the time to shine — and help others shine, too. It’s also the time for drama queens and kings to take the stage, hoping the madding crowd will fulfill the Leo Moon’s need for love and honor. In effect for the past few days — and exact at 3:41 PM ET — is a trine (harmony) between Venus (a bit witchy in Scorpio) and Neptune (happily wallowing in Pisces). A Venus-Neptune alignment suggests a need for idealism; the water signs involved suggest depth of feeling; the Scorpio Venus may take you to places you’ve never been before. At 10:29 PM ET the Leo Moon meets up with rebel Uranus, suggesting a shock or other upset to the status quo. The rest of the week goes like this:

• TUESDAY — Moon in Leo drives the day with little interference from other planets, save for a clash of values/aesthetics possibly involving women, as the Moon squares Venus at 6:54 PM ET. Not the time to call Mom.
• WEDNESDAY — the Leo Moon goes void at 5:14 AM ET, on a square to Mercury. A challenge to a regal ego as Mercury in Scorpio digs up dirt? The Moon void lasts until 3:30PM ET. Roll with the twists and flakes; stick to routine concerns; avoid impulse shopping and finalizing decisions. The crisis that crops up during a Moon void is usually much ado about nothing. It will all get sorted out when the Moon enters Virgo, aided by accommodating authorities and helpful friends. Meanwhile, during the void the Sun ditches Libra and enters Scorpio at 1:20 PM ET — there’s no need to run screaming down the hall. While Scorpio may spark fear in those who follow stupid astrology, we do not do stupid astrology in this forecast. For example, I will never tell you which zodiac sign is mostly likely to get a dog this fall, even if you are a reporter writing a story about it (this actually happened last week). That would be stupid. But back to the Sun in Scorpio.  It demands substance; none of that airy-theory-rational stuff that Libra does so well. Scorpio is a deeply emotional sign, noted for its need for privacy, power and control.  Scorpios “build all the way up to Heaven…and all the way down to Hell,” wrote astrologer Linda Goodman. Hopefully you can hang with one who builds a stairway to Heaven. A Scorpio heading for Hell will happily annihilate everyone and everything in its way. Really, they are so very interesting.  Scorpios also have a strict code of honor and are known to be loyal to a fault. Scorpio is a Fixed Sign — which does not mean they are neutered. It means they are here to create form — and they are quite stubborn in their way of being. Theodore Roosevelt is a Scorpio who famously said, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” He probably had one of those famous “Scorpio stares” that wordlessly inform you (a scorpion has no need for words when it has such a compelling sting) that he sees right through your song and dance. Joaquin Phoenix — currently starring in “Joker” — is also a Scorpio, and transiting Uranus opposing his Sun is being reflected in his life big time, wouldn’t you agree? What a crazy-genius, powerful and deep performance, eh? I’d be stunned if he wasn’t at least nominated for numerous awards, as Uranus will be activating his Sun into early 2020.
• THURSDAY — get thee to work with efficiency and discernment, driven by the Virgo Moon’s need to get it right. Moon opposes Neptune at 6:07 PM ET; put on your rose-colored glasses and escape.
• FRIDAY — East Coasters note that the Virgo Moon goes void at 9 AM ET and won’t enter Libra until 4:20 PM ET. West Coasters, the Moon void is likely to reflect twists and flakes in your morning routine — and perhaps you’ll need a push to get going. Venus sextiles Pluto at 5:49 AM ET, suggesting an easy flow of communication involving emotional depth and catharsis, in effect all week.
• SATURDAY — Moon in Libra drives the day with a need for balance and harmony in relationship — and a willingness to talk about it. Heads up around 4 PM ET, when the Moon’s need for equilibrium is supercharged by a meet-up with Mars (at 3:48 PM ET) and then gets doused by a cut or wet blanket when it is squared by Saturn (4:32 PM ET). It may be a sneak peek of the square between Mars and Saturn, exact on…
• SUNDAY — at 10:30 AM ET. Mars-Saturn patterns are known for militant discipline, only too happy to fight for control. If you’re an authoritarian dictator, this is your time. And if you want to have secret meetings to advance your plans for world domination, the dead Moon’s (it’s the end of the lunar cycle) lack of light will facilitate your wish to fly under the radar. The New Moon in Scorpio kicks in at 11:38 PM ET — details in the next forecast. For now, let’s just note that while last month’s New Moon squared Pluto (power plays and corruption revealed), this New Moon opposes Uranus (shocks, seismic activity, technological breakthroughs, astrology, rebellion). Watch the headlines as this buzz builds all week.

Want to know what all this means in your own personal world? Here’s the 411 on consultations. If it’s been a year since your last chat with your astrologer, you’re overdue for a check-up. Consider this your personal invitation.

And now, the news.

UPDATE: on Israel’s horoscope, which you can read more about in my column in  the next issue of Mountain Astrologer. Avid Readers know from past posts that Israel is totally ripe for upsets this year, especially with respect to its elections. Despite not getting as many votes as challenger Benny Gantz and operating under charges of corruption, PM Benjamin Netanyahu was still tapped by Israel’s president to form a government…which Netanyahu has failed to..for a second time. So now Benny Gantz gets to have a go…and I’m doing a Snoopy Dance over the astonishing accuracy of astrology.

UPDATE: on Boris Johnson, who is experiencing the potential blow-up of action hero Mars crossing his people-pleasing Libra Ascendant (today) and squaring his Midheaven (career/status point) on the 23rd. Try as he might to wheel and deal his wretched Brexit through Parliament, he failed to do so over the weekend and again today. More time is being asked for, as opposed to  Johnson’s wish to cut ties from the EU on October 31st, the day Mercury goes retrograde. The smart move says buy more time or call the whole thing off altogether.

UPDATE: on the usual elephant in the room, whose horoscope continues to function as designed. Avid Readers will recall that P45 is primed for boundary-pushing action last week and this week, as transiting Jupiter activates his blah-blah-blah Gemini Moon and desperately-seeking-respect Sagittarius Moon. When not betraying allies, bowing to authoritarian leaders and serving as Commander-in-Chief of retreating troops that are pelted with rotten potatoes (further diminshing the status of the United States as suggested by the transit of Saturn squaring the U.S. Saturn, which is exact TODAY), P45 declared last week that yes, in fact, the next G7 summit would be held at one of his own resorts despite an Emoluments Clause in the U.S. Constitution that says that is a no-no. He still has a job, but when members of his own party pushed back, he dropped the idea.

Also boundary-pushing: a face-off between Nancy Pelosi and P45 at the White House last week, resulting the release of a  photograph that not only went viral, but is being analyzed to death by some unconventional pundits. Here is a body-language expert — and here are a few art critics. And now, for the astrology, which no mainstream publication has asked for, because they are too busy “having fun” over which zodiac sign is most likely to get a dog this fall…or was it a hamster — now I can’t remember.

Anyhoo…

This face-off involved  P45 having a meltdown tantrum  (another way of saying he lost his head) and Nancy Pelosi standing up and pointing out his disturbing loyalty to Vladimir Putin.  This happened on Wednesday, October 16th, when the Moon was void in Taurus and conjunct the Fixed Star Algol — a.k.a. the Gorgon Medusa.  Thus, the Taurus Moon was activating the horoscopes of both Pelosi and P45.  Like Robert DeNiro, Nancy Pelosi has action hero Mars conjunct Algol — and who messes with Robert DeNiro, right? But Algol is also square P45’s Mars — and within a few degrees of his 23 Taurus MC and square his wannbe regal Leo ASC. You can see already how the two might not see eye-to-eye. But right now, Pelosi holds the sceptre, thanks to a current power surge in her horoscope between Pluto (power) and Jupiter (expansion). As an Aries driven by Moon in Scorpio, Pelosi is a natural born warrior. P45’s Mars on the ASC makes him need to be seen  a fighter, but essentially he’s a Gemini salesman driven by an entertaining, pie-in-the-sky Sag Moon. He’s also in the hospitality business.

Let the record show that the July 2nd solar eclipse hit P45’s Mercury, which relates to appreciation received from others, friends and associates, self-worth and other assets. that eclipse was triggered by Mars last week — suggesting potential release and revelation. Mercury refers to how we need to think and communicate, and what was revealed in concert with that Mars trigger was a letter P45 wrote to Turkish premier Recep Erdogan. It is a further example of the diminished status of the U.S., pushing boundaries of diplomacy so far that many who read it thought it was written by The Onion. Coincidence or conspiracy?

UPDATE: Mars also triggered a planet in Mitt Romney’s horoscope, too: Neptune, planet of illusion. He was outed over the weekend as the man behind a “secret” Twitter account — quelle scandale! (Actually, not really).  His nom de plume: Pierre Delecto. Transiting Jupiter is squaring Romney’s Pisces Sun — which is being reflected by his expanded stature in the headlines. But pourquoi “Pierre Delecto”? I don’t know, but Pierre means “stone” and delecto is Latin for “delight.”

FUN FACT: Hillary Clinton’s natal Neptune was also triggered by Mars. And we did get an update — a final end to the final end — on the “but her emails” scandal. A P45 Administration inquiry found “no deliberate mishandling of classified information.” And  a CNN legal analyst is apologizing all over the place, but Fox News remains skeptical.   However, in that link you will find a surprising statement HRC made over the weekend about how she believes Russia will work to undermine the 2020 elections, and if she is correct, it would be scandalous indeed.

Meanwhile…

As Uranus continues its seven year stay in Taurus, we see the potential for disruptions (Uranus) in Taurus concerns. Venus rules Taurus, hence those concerns are related to pleasure and material goods, e.g. food, clothing, shelter Shopping just isn’t the thrill it used to be — and who has time to haunt the malls — and why would you when you can get anything from Amazon, destroyer of malls and small businesses everywhere? High-end retailer Barneys filed for bankruptcy, as did another chain in the UK, but I can’t remember which one.  Disposable clothing outlet Forever 21 is also going out of style, as is trashing the environment. So here’s an apt primer on how to buy clothes that are better for the planet and  are built to last. 

Thank you for reading this forecast, which took three and a half hours to put together. Fun stuff — and onward!