Good Morning!

Moon entered Gemini at 5:27AM ET. A new day, a new week — and five hours earlier, a New Moon. More on that in a minute.  High-flying ambition and action designed to tell the world about it are in play, as Moon is challenged by Saturn at 8:49AM ET, followed by a meet-up with warrior Mars at 1:26PM ET.

Hmm. I wrote that line last night, and the headline dominating the home page of the NYT is this: “Obama to Limit Military-Style Equipment for Police Forces”. Excellent, Mr. President. Now when are you going to back off this TPP (doubtful).

Be aware that mental Mercury is at at standstill (from our Earthbound perspective) and will turn retrograde at 9:53PM ET. You can be quite productive during this period of mental review, so no whinging, please.

Did you back up your computers and other electronic gizmos? Good. Will you promise to triple check written communications before you hit “send”? Excellent. Do you swear you will call the restaurant before you meet that important client, just to confirm that it is still there and/or not closed for private party? Awesome. And will you promise to slow down enough to make sure that what you say and what you hear are accurately understood? Great! You’re going to be just fine.

I meant to post this forecast last night, but my computer “mysteriously” froze. I did not get upset. I read an inspiring book and then went to sleep. This morning the computer is functioning as designed.

Contrary to popular belief, Mercury retrogrades are no reason to freak out. Mercury retrograde gets a bad rap because we are geared, in this crazy modern age, to always be thinking, doing, moving FORWARD. Ya know what that gets you? BURN OUT. We need our down times, and Mercury retrograde is a perfect time to give our minds a rest. Why else would your computer, phone and/or car choose THIS time to malfunction? Because you are supposed to be slowing down…and tuning IN. And as you slow down and tune inward, it is vitally important that you re-adjust your FOCUS.

When Mercury is retrograde through June 11th, be prepared for travel delays, scheduling screw-ups, mechanical breakdowns, computer crashes, having to repeat what you’ve just said, misunderstandings, projects from the past coming back for a second look, surprise reunions and having to repeat what you just said.

Adopt a playful attitude of flexibility to whatever twists you encounter, as with void-of-course Moons. Avoid making major purchases (especially mechanical ones). Avoid gossiping and believing everything you hear or read in the papers. Most important, avoid losing patience. Make friends with your inner Zen Buddha instead.

Mercury turns retrograde at 13 degrees of Gemini. If you have a planet or an angle around that degree, you’ll be more personally affected than most. If you know where 13 degrees Gemini falls in your horoscope, that’s the area of your life that will be most stimulated by Mercury’s apparent backward motion.

Do plan on RElaxing, REviewing, REsearching, REorganizing, REgenerating, REconnecting and REcreating. Mercury retrogrades are excellent times to REview your life with your astrologer.

The NYT published a superb article about Mercury retrograde back in January. So encouraging to see a Serious Newspaper run a serious, smart article about astrology. In February, the Washington Post also ran a piece about Mercury retrograde, but with a sensationalist headline. Mercury retrograde “madness”? Give me a break. For potential “madness,” wait until Memorial Day. That’s when we’ll have a fanatical/delusional/starstuck challenge between Neptune and Mars and a challenge in which rebel Uranus shakes up Venus (women, social expression, art, money). But I’m getting ahead of myself.

About this New Moon…

The New Moon in Taurus happened at 12:13AM ET, offering us an opportunity to re-set  intentions and goals for the next lunar cycle.  Make a list, light a candle, say a prayer. Around May 25th, 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 June 2nd, 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 9th, we can review our achievements, tie up loose ends and get ready to begin another New Moon cycle on  June 16th.

New Moon in Taurus needs to build material stability and security. So what do you want to have? What do you value? How creative can you get when it comes to acquiring what you want?

There is a dynamic action potential in this New Moon chart, for better or for worse. The Sun and Moon are applying to warrior Mars and controlling/ambitious Saturn. The Sun and Moon are also conjunct the fixed star Algol, which you may remember was prominent in the departure chart of that ill-fated Germanwings flight.

Algol suggests losing one’s head. The word “alcohol” comes from “Algol” — isn’t that interesting? Algol also suggests “immense female passion and power,” as you’ll read in this fascinating piece by UK astrologer Nick Kollerstrom.

The Sabian Symbol for this New Moon at 27 Taurus echoes this overwrought feminine theme: “a squaw selling beads”. “Squaw” is a controversial word. Some say it is derogatory because it means vagina. This is also a point of controversy. But with two powerful symbols of feminine energy that is seen through a distorted lens and is thus feared, I’m curious to see how this will manifest in the headlines.

Sabian Symbol guru Blaine Bovee suggests that “a squaw selling beads” is a image of someone having to take on a job that is beneath her dignity. Is she selling herself short? Why does she have to “sell out”? Bovee also notes that Manhattan was sold for a handful of beads.  How interesting to be faced with this Symbol as the aforementioned  Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement gains traction in the news.

On the plus side, Bovee suggests this Symbol implores us to consider being true to ourselves. How we can not “sell out”? How can we not throw our precious pearls (beads?) before swine?

And on that note, I’ll close…so I can post this by 10AM ET. Apologies for any typos left uncorrected as a result…

To be continued…