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Saturday & Sunday 2/23/2019: Oscar Musings; More on Chiron in Aries

As anticipated, Friday was a busy news day. The quest for fairness and balance in relationships  — reflected by the Libra Moon — had to juggle multiple heavy hits — into the late evening.  If last night was your date night, emotions were likely to be exceptionally intense, for better or for worse.

On SATURDAY, the intensity continues as the Moon plunges into Scorpio, ending the chatter and replacing it with a need for depth and control. The morning may begin with a jolt, as the Moon opposes rebel Uranus. Investigative dirt and/or persuasive talk is likely to be on the agenda, given the first of three sextiles between Mercury and corruption-exposing Pluto, exact at 12:15 PM ET. A clash between the Moon and Mars at 10:12 PM ET heightens the potential for a notable outburst of expression.

SUNDAY‘s patterns are not as jarring. A harmony between the Moon and Neptune facilitates artsy expression. A sextile between the Moon and Saturn at 5:21 PM ET is the last exact aspect of the day, and it’s arguably subdued.

This is the backdrop for the Oscars — and it’s nowhere near as glitzy as the planetary backdrop of Oscars past. There won’t even be a host. I anticipate that the Oscar will go to whichever films and players best express the energy of Scorpio, combined with wounded healer Chiron.  Spike Lee may be a Pisces with Moon in Scorpio (we do not have an exact birth time); Glenn Close has the Sun at the end of Pisces; Ruth Bader Ginsberg is a Pisces with Moon in Scorpio (a documentary about her is up for an Oscar).  I will be surprised if there are tons of big laughs or gaffes, other than the wry/self-deprecating humor we might expect from a trio of planets in Capricorn: Venus, Saturn and Pluto. These are the cosmic times in which we live. The famous Vanity Fair party, once the hottest and glitziest Oscar soiree, is now described as “a week-long corporate branding palooza.” Yeah, that’s that trio of planets in corporate Capricorn, too.  And if there was any doubt about the zeitgeist of these next couple of days, this morning when I returned to the draft of this forecast, I saw this: Stanley Donen, Director of Mirthful Musicals, Dead at 94.

I will watch the Oscars and I will miss Billy Crystal. You? Here’s how he opened the show in 1998. How times change. As they will change and change again.  Fortunately, we can use astrology as a guide.

Whatever happens on Sunday, the Scorpio Moon goes void on MONDAY at 7:14 AM ET, getting the work week off to a wandering start and a possible twist, flake or a “much ado about nothing” crisis. We can all heave a sigh of relief at 4:19 PM ET, when the Moon vaults into high-flying Sagittarius.

And now, the news.

What did I say about Friday?

Mental Mercury in spacey/intuitive Pisces makes its first of three squares to a high-functioning Jupiter in Sagittarius. Watch the news for potential boondoggles in courts, publishing, academia, opinions. At 10:49 PM ET, Venus meets up with Pluto in Capricorn; the suggestion is power plays and catharses in matters of women, money, aesthetics and values. I expect a sobering hit around lunchtime, as Moon squares Saturn, followed by the intensity of the Moon’s weekly clash with Pluto at 9:51 PM ET…watch the late afternoon news dump.

Right. Boondoggles. And add “sports” to the keywords associated with Jupiter in Sagittarius.

Meanwhile…

All week I’ve been thinking about what I wrote in the last post about Chiron entering Aries: “It’s time to focus on healing toxic aggression, masculinity and leaders — all associated with Aries.” The day after that was posted, Barack Obama made news when he advised men “to avoid toxic masculine behavior.” His horoscope was triggered by Chiron entering Aries, as it made contact with his Venus (values and social expression; how and what we love) at 0 Cancer, a cardinal sign. Coincidence or conspiracy?

In other news, and on a similar theme:

And while we’re on the subject: “The deadly truth about a world built for men — from car crashes to stab vests.” Thank the good folks at The Guardian for publishing this provocative thought:

When broadcaster Sandi Toksvig was studying anthropology at university, one of her female professors held up a photograph of an antler bone with 28 markings on it. “This,” said the professor, “is alleged to be man’s first attempt at a calendar.” Toksvig and her fellow students looked at the bone in admiration. “Tell me,” the professor continued, “what man needs to know when 28 days have passed? I suspect that this is woman’s first attempt at a calendar.”

How intriguing to consider that first markers of time may have been female.

In other news…

This is a story some have said should really be front and center, cutting through the clutter of salacious headlines. Pluto refers to power (nuclear and otherwise); Mercury in touch with Pluto, combined with other patterns, suggests corruption exposed. Did you know that The Donald’s administration has been secretly negotiating to sell nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia? The proposed deal may well be illegal.

Hmm…it seems we should have some guidelines for managing toxicity. Here’s some expert advice for choosing a perfume or cologne that’s just right for you.  Here are the “new household rules” for what needs to be cleaned and how often.  And finally, here is the iconic mirthful scene from the musical Singin’ in the Rain.  Cue Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds, directed by Stanley Donen now, please.

And if that’s not enough fun for you, here’s the classic Hollywood musical mash-up, set to Uptown Funk.

Thank you for reading this forecast. To find out what these planetary patterns suggests for you in your own personal world, here’s the 411 on consultations. I am honored to be of service.

 

 

Monday 12/31/2018: Sneak Peek at the Week; Mars enters Aries

Happy New Year’s Eve!

This is when I usually outline major patterns for the New Year. However, the action in just the first WEEK merits several paragraphs, so the rest of the year may have to wait.  Suffice it to say that if your plan is to hit the ground running in 2019, planetary patterns have your back. January is supercharged by a need for action and courage that carries into February. Do pay attention to any primal spark that currently commands your attention, as it may well develop into an effective crusade. Your quest for world domination may also be facilitated by patterns suggesting a focused reach for empowerment,  a sudden break and/or release — all before January 6th. Two eclipses this month — a New Moon on the 5th and a Full Supermoon on the 21st — accelerate the pace.

The last day of 2018 is driven by the Moon in depth-seeking Scorpio. What a perfect energy for tossing out dead wood and clearing space in preparation for the New Year. Purge, baby, purge! Send those dust bunnies packing! Make a list of what you no longer wish to carry — and burn it. Spend some time focusing on what you would like to receive in 2019. For more New Year’s Eve/Day traditions, Tarot Diva Beth Owl’s Daughter has written them all up for you. The need for emotional substance and control continues through New Year’s Day, as the Scorpio Moon continues its reign.

Meanwhile….

  • MORE ABOUT MONDAY (TODAY): Action, action, action — in ways that demand notice — as warrior/hero/badass Mars leaves Pisces for Aries at 9:20 PM ET TODAY. Aries is the sign ruled by Mars. When a planet is in the sign it rules, it functions with high effectiveness. Is that good or bad? I don’t know. What are you trying to accomplish?
  • At its best, Mars in Aries is courageous, inspiring, pioneering and a fighter for the underdog.  It has great physical stamina and prowess. At its worst, Mars in Aries can be way too macho — fighting for the sake of fighting; needing to win at any cost; utterly self-absorbed, impatient and reckless. Mars rules steel, men, desire, guns and war — and at 0 degrees of Aries, it suggests that such matters will be prominent.
  • You are personally affected by Mars at the Aries Point if you have a planet, angle or midpoint around 0 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra and/or Capricorn. And since I’ve heard from more than one Avid Reader asking for more on the Aries Point and what it means personally, I will be pleased to send you a few custom paragraphs on where the Aries Point falls in your horoscope, how it drives you and how you are likely to be affected by Mars sitting right on top of it. Hit reply to this email and send me your birth data if you think I don’t have it. Then toss $54 into my Cosmic Tip Jar. I will send insights within a day or so.
  • TUESDAY: Moon continues to seek depth and control in Scorpio. Aspects from other planets to the Moon are not jarring, suggesting ease and harmony of application. Moon goes void at 5:26 PM ET. Time to chill; focus on routine concerns and refrain from making a mountain of crisis out of a molehill.
  • WEDNESDAY: Humming in the background for the past several days is the Sun’s annual meet-up (technical term: conjunction) with Saturn. The Sun refers to leaders and vitality. Saturn is a karma cop, symbolizing structure, limits, ambition and control. Watch the headlines. You’ll feel this heavy focus more personally if you have planets around 11 degrees of Capricorn, Cancer, Aries or Libra. Meanwhile, Moon soars into Sagittarius at 3:53 AM ET, lifting spirits and sights into the stratosphere. A Sag Moon facilitates righteous opinions, foreign affairs, a walk in the woods — anything that pushes boundaries.
  • THURSDAY: Lots and lots of stuff. A Sag Moon drives the day with optimism, with the heavy Sun-Saturn conjunction in the rear view mirror. Plus, Moon squares Neptune at 7:01 AM ET — adding more sugarplum visions to the morning. Note your dreams upon waking and double check your schedules and directions, to minimize disorientation. Noon ET marks the official start of the 116th Congress. A look at that chart merits several paragraphs, already written — but they need an edit. Next forecast!
  • FRIDAY: Mercury trines Uranus at 12:12 AM ET — potential described above. Moon goes void at 12:41 PM ET.  Once it enters Capricorn at  1:55 PM ET, it’ll be poised to take care of business. Sun sextiles Neptune at 2:58 PM ET — apt for artists, healing, refugees and all other Neptune themes. At 10:40 PM ET, Mercury leaves Sagittarius for practical Capricorn, chasing after the Capricorn Moon.
  • SATURDAY: New Moon in Capricorn at 8:28 PM ET — it’s an eclipse — and significant in world affairs. Stay tuned for details.
  • SUNDAY: Shake, rattle and roll. Moon makes its weekly clash with Pluto and Uranus; Uranus turns direct; freedom, disruption, innovation, seismic activity likely to make headlines.

And now, the news.

“The Lives They Lived” — the NYT’s latest Sunday Magazine features more than the usual number of people who passed away under Neptune in Pisces/Mars in Pisces circumstances (i.e., self-sacrificing/undoing).

Meanwhile, WaPo  offers funny writer Dave Barry’s re-cap of 2018. Buh-bye — and don’t let the door hit you on the way out. It’s “2019 Preview” features predictions by reporters — most of which are supported by planetary patterns. Not bad, WaPo!

UPDATE: on the explosion that lit up the New York skyline a couple of days ago. Remember I said  in the last forecast that the chart for the event did NOT look like an explosion? Electric, yes — explosion, no. Turns out it wasn’t an explosion. It was a plasma discharge caused by a tech snafu. Technical term for the event: electrical arc.   Astrology is amazing.

UPDATE: Barack Obama has Venus at 0 Cancer, a.k.a. the Aries Point. With transiting Mars activating that Venus, we could expect his aesthetic values to demand our attention. Heck, even without that Mars transit, we’re always going to be hearing about Barack Obama’s aesthetic values. When he is 90, and Certain Other People are long gone, we will be hearing what Barack Obama had for lunch.

UPDATE: Avid Readers will recall that Elizabeth Warren was born with Sun and Uranus at the Aries Point. With Mars now at the Aries Point, her horoscope has been triggered. “Elizabeth Warren Announces She is Running for President in 2020.” Of course she is. Given the current state of her horoscope — even without a confirmed birth time —  there was never a doubt.

  • REMINDER: I will be pleased to send you a few custom paragraphs on where the Aries Point falls in your horoscope, how it drives you and how you are likely to be affected by Mars sitting right on top of it. Hit reply to this email and send me your birth data if you think I don’t have it. Then toss $54 into my Cosmic Tip Jar. I will send insights within a day or so.
  • OTHER REMINDER: I have not given myself a raise in several years. Rates will increase on January 15th. Any service purchased before January 15th may be scheduled anytime in 2019.

Thank you for reading this forecast. I cherish each and every one of you, whether you’ve been an Avid Reader for years or have only just discovered my astrological musings. I hope you always find it informative and entertaining.

Closing with this gem from Sunny Daze, a human who posts on the Facebook. It’s the best prediction I’ve seen yet:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday 8/3/2018 & the Weekend: Mooooon in Taurus; Big Indulgences; Venus in Focus

TGIF!!

The me-me-me Aries Moon has been void since 10:52 PM ET last night…not to enter Taurus until 3:51 PM ET.  You know how much I love a weekend driven by the Taurus Moon’s need for material comfort and security. Raise a glass; get thee to the spa; indulge in sensual pleasures with your sweetie….and yes, some may go overboard over the next few days. Why? Because on Monday, the Leo Sun squares Jupiter, planet of wretched excess. If you liked February 9th and May 8th, you’ll love August 6th. Watch the headlines for bloated consumption and bombastic egos. That’s the downside. The upside would be a jolly good time. Cheers!

Meanwhile, women, art, money and social expression will become prominent in the headlines. Why? Because Venus is fast approaching the Aries Point as it traverses the last couple of degrees of Virgo and hits 0 Libra — also on Monday. Ooh — and look at this: Venus hits the Aries Point and Jupiter squares the Sun at exactly the same time — 7:28 PM ET. Hmm. An excuse to buy a few lottery tickets, perhaps? Ya never know….especially if you have a planet or angle around 14 degrees of Scorpio, Leo, Aquarius or Taurus. Don’t know if that’s you? Well, good heavens, book an appointment with your astrologer and find out. That’s what I’m here for. Sheesh!

Oh, but I got ahead of myself.

There is no void on Saturday to deter your shopping sprees. On Sunday, the Moon will be void for only two hours — between 7:46 PM ET and 9:32 PM ET — no biggie. Then it enters Gemini, looking to be witty and clever with the latest rumor. I say “rumor” because Mercury is still retrograde. Don’t believe everything you hear! When in doubt, be silent!

No sleeping in on Monday. There is no Moon void to use as an excuse, and blaming it on Mercury retrograde is a tired cliche. In addition to the big story the Sun-Jupiter square suggests we’ll be reading about,  we’ll have the buzzzzzzz of rebel Uranus at a standstill, about to turn retrograde on TUESDAY at 12:49 PM ET. Watch for more stories of aviation, technology, innovation, geniuses, madmen, rebels, seismic activity and other shocks to the status quo.

Astrologers are like dentists. It’s good to check in with one every six months to a year. Plus, Mercury retrogrades are excellent times for REviewing your life with your astrologer.  Here’s the 411 on consultations.

And now, the news.

The pattern of the week — Mars in Aquarius square Uranus in Taurus — is everywhere in the headlines. Fires, firearms, tech breakthroughs, reckless actions, cars, airplanes, even an astrology story or two:

Reflecting the extravagance of the upcoming Sun-Jupiter square: details of Paul Manafort’s spending habits, as his trial gets underway. Here’s another: “At P45’s hotel in New York, revenue went up this spring — thanks to a visit from big-spending Saudis”

Also big — and adding the prominence of Venus (art) approaching the Aries Point, with the REcovery potential of Mercury retrograde: “A small-town couple left behind a stolen painting worth over $100 million — and a big mystery,” reports WaPo….although the story of the recovered De Kooning in question was reported way back in the fall of 2017. Meanwhile,

UPDATE: on P45. Just in time for a measurement exact on August 19th between Mercury (mindset) and Uranus (disruption), Omarosa Manigault’s tell-all tome will be released on August 14th. The title: “Unhinged” — an apt reflection of the downside potential of Mercury-Uranus connections. Why else would P45 tell an audience (last night), that he was 15 minutes early for tea with Queen Elizabeth…when all the world saw it live on tape that he was the one who kept Her Majesty waiting?  When was the last time you read George Orwell’s 1984?

UPDATE: Marianne Williamson, whose horoscope I haven’t written about since 2012. She’s apparently “exploring a run for president in 2020.” With transiting Uranus supercharging her Capricorn Moon this year, we can appreciate why she’d be fired up about making something happen — whatever it takes.  Ms. Williamson was certainly on to something in her open letter to Hillary Clinton, published before Mrs. Clinton announced her presidential run. And we see other patterns in her horoscope reflecting a need to expand on a vision and get the message out there in 2019. We also see patterns requiring no small amount of discipline and focus.

Well? What pleasantries will you allow yourself to indulge in this weekend, hmm?

Thank you for reading this forecast.

Monday 3/12/2018: Sneak Peek at the Week; Hard-Headed Women and Other Mercury-Venus-Saturn Reflections

Good Morning! Or perhaps afternoon, by the time this is posted. It takes a few hours to gather these stories and make sense of them through the lens of astrology, especially since I do not write every day. Yet the astonishing synchronicity of planetary patterns and headline news continues to enthrall, so gather and analyze I shall. Gratitude to Avid Readers for your continued support — fan email,  shares, contributions to the Cosmic Tip Jar and of course, requests for personal consultations. As of next month, I will have been writing this forecast for nine years. Here’s to another nine more!

The Capricorn Moon goes void today on its weekly clash with rebel Uranus at 11:36 AM ET suggesting an upset to the status quo. Roll with whatever twists, flakes and/or crises may disrupt your efforts to move forward in a straight line. Stick to routine matters and chill until the Moon enters Aquarius at 6:44 PM ET. Other Moon voids this week are THURSDAY 3:32 AM ET until 6:12 AM ET, and SATURDAY at 9:12 AM ET until 2:57 PM ET. On Saturday we will have the next New Moon — in Pisces — at 9:12 AM ET.

Meanwhile, we’ve got a boatload of action to talk about.  On TUESDAY at 8:39 AM ET, Venus in warrior Aries is squared by patriarchal Saturn. Venus refers to social expression, money, women and aesthetics; Saturn refers to control, structure and discipline. Hardheartedness  would be one potential, as in streamlining in all matters related to Venus. Downside: budget cuts and other financial controls, with empathy tossed out the window. Upside: women of steel making themselves known.  We had a whole month of Saturn square Venus last April. Here’s what was going on then.   If you were born around the 29th of March, June, September and December or have a planet around 8 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Capricorn or Libra, you are likely feeling a squeeze — for better or for worse. This is not always “bad;” often Saturn reflects just the discipline we need to move a plan forward!

Also exact on TUESDAY (but reflected in the headlines a few days before): a harmony between the Pisces Sun and Jupiter in Scorpio. This suggests expansion — for better or for worse —  if you have a planet around 23 degrees of Scorpio, Pisces or Cancer. It’s the silver lining after the squeeze of Saturn. I see this reflected in Beth Owls Daughter’s Tarot card for this week — the Five of Cups — check it out.

As we get closer to the weekend, we are likely to see stories of action, aggression and courage pushing boundaries with prominence. Why? Because Mars (action, courage, aggression) is at the end of Sagittarius, which means it will hit the prominent Aries Point when it enters Capricorn on SATURDAY at 12:41 PM ET. You are affected by this more personally if you have a planet or angle around 0 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn. Count to 10 before you lash out and be mindful of your surroundings.  If you’re running a marathon or need a boost of energy to apply to a constructive task, a hit from Mars may serve you well. Familiar newsmakers  off the top of my head whose horoscopes are affected include Hope Hicks, Paul Ryan, Jeff Sessions, Rafael “Ted” Cruz, William Shatner,  Orrin Hatch,  Barack Obama, Harvey Weinstein, Meryl Streep, Elizabeth Warren,  Michael Moore, Gary Oldman, Bill Murray, Steve Mnuchin, Louise Linton.  Watch the headlines between this weekend and next.

And now, the news.

How many times in November and December did we say that the rush to pass a tax reform bill with Mercury retrograde in sloppy Sagittarius  (not mention the muddle-headed influence of transiting Neptune) would result in a mess? Too many to mention, but here’s one for reference.  Meanwhile, from the Sunday front page of  the NYT: “GOP Rushed to Pass Tax Overhaul. Now It May Need to Be Altered.” Ya THINK?!?

Remember that Sunday’s aspects included a hard-headed square between Mercury and Saturn; an innovative/risky harmony between Mars and Uranus; and a potent harmony between the Sun and Pluto (power and resources; news from underground). “In Britain, Learning to Accept Risk, and the Occasional ‘Owie'” is about a new initiative to expose school children to “the element of risk in everyday environment” out of fears that the children are too soft. Another front-page story: “Targeting Rules ‘Written in Human Blood'”  is about the innovative ways the oil industry is lobbying to change (Pluto) the restrictions (Mercury-Saturn) on drilling (Pluto) imposed during the Obama years.

The front page of the NYT Sunday Styles section includes two Mercury square Saturn mind control experiments (Mars-Uranus). The Man Who Knew Too Little. is  about a man under a self-imposed news blackout since the November 2016 election. He has no idea what’s going on in the world, and he’s quite happy. He also has the resources to be completely self-sufficient, unlike the rest of us. The second story is about the newly-rigorous disciplined life in an Arizona “rehab” for...Harvey Weinstein.

Need an innovative control on your phone conversation? Time for a revamped perspective.  In the NYT Business section: “Dial ‘P’ for Privacy: the Phonebooth is Back”.  Meanwhile, on the Sunday Review front page, we see a screaming Venus-Saturn squareMoney is Power. And Women Need More of Both. 

Mercury refers to the lungs. Saturn refers to teeth.  This was apt and odd from WaPo:  “Dentists Keep Dying From This Deadly Lung Disease. The CDC Can’t Figure Out Why.”

I wanted to share this last week, when Jupiter turned retrograde and Venus was at the Aries Point: “15 Remarkable Women We Overlooked in Our Obituaries.” Better late than never, odd pun intended.

In other news…

It is fascinating to see  one of the stories that was hot under last April’s Saturn-Venus square back for an update at this time. Remember Robert Berinstain, the undocumented Mexican immigrant — married with children to a U.S. citizen (who voted for P45)? He was the  beloved owner of a restaurant in Granger, Indiana — suddenly deported. Outrage ensued. Where is he now? What happened to his successful restaurant? Where are his wife and children? Meanwhile, a policy of separating children from their immigrant/refugee parents has only gotten harsher, as this Sunday’s WaPo editorial laments (on a Saturn-Venus square, naturally).

More Saturn square Venus headlines:

  • Venus refers to sugar. Saturn refers to reality. Big Sugar vs. Your Body — is a reality check.
  • Lean, mean Betsy de Vos was interviewed on 60 Minutes. The interviewe aired with transiting Mars exactly on her Mercury in Sagittarius. As expected, the interview generated outrage. Her Mercury (in Sagittarius) is also conjunct Saturn — no surprise there — just another example of headliners in sync with planetary patterns. One provocative question asked was how she felt about being the most hated person in P45’s Cabinet — which was unfair. According to a recent poll commissioned by the mostly-cheerful NYT columnist Gail Collins, EPA head Scott Pruitt is the most hated — or at least, perceived as the very worst. With transiting Saturn  now opposing Pruitt’s Libra Moon, this is no surprise, either. Plus, he’s destroying the planet.
  • Venus refers to fashion. Saturn refers to endings. This just in: fashion icon Hubert de Givenchy has passed away.  It’s fascinating to see how even the obituaries reflect planetary patterns. I just learned that Givenchy was all over the “little black dress” — the color of Saturn in Capricorn. Wow.

OK, time for some fun stuff — before these heavy Saturn transits (some of which are impacting your faithful astrologer’s horoscope) take over the world. Although I must say, even the sketches on SNL had the sobering stamp of Saturn. Did you catch the cold open spoof of  last week’s trainwreck finale of The Bachelor, where Robert Mueller (played by Kate McKinnon) confesses to Becca Kufrin (played by Cecily Strong) that he just doesn’t have the goods?

Meanwhile, Uranus and Mercury refer to astrology. With those planets pulling focus over the weekend, combined with the transforming potential for a Sun-Pluto harmony, it was empowering and refreshing to see a positive, thoughtful take on why Millennials are so into astrology. Thanks to The Guardian!

UPDATE: on Michelle Obama, whose horoscope was discussed back in 2016.  On the last of three hits to her 26 Capricorn Sun (suggesting a need for freedom of self-expression), a truly unique portrait was unveiled in the National Portrait Gallery and her memoir will be published this fall. Not only that, but a photo of a two-year-old girl staring in awe at the painting went viral, which led to an adorable video of Mrs. Obama dancing with the little girl.

Writing about P45 can be exhausting. Are you exhausted by the continuing astrological updates? Let me know — and I  will consider your opinion when choosing what to write about in future forecasts. I kept it to a bare minimum today, though the continued chaos in DC is happening as we would anticipate, given his horoscope, the horoscope of the US and the horoscope of his inauguration. I’d also like to know if you enjoyed this forecast more when I wrote it every day.

Until next time, here’s to the positive potential of Venus under the influence of Saturn. Cue Cat Stevens now, please…

Thank you for reading this forecast.

 

Friday 2/3/2017 & the Weekend: Venus Pulls Focus; Jupiter Turns Retrograde: Mars News Update

TGIF!

A comfort-seeking Taurus Moon drives today and SATURDAY — make your weekend plans accordingly. There’s a dreamy alignment between the Moon and Neptune today at 3:10 PM ET that you can use for inspiration. Later in the evening — at 11:19 PM ET — we will have the First Quarter Moon, perhaps lobbing a stubborn “let’s not change anything” challenge to the New Moon agenda you’ve been pushing.

Meanwhile, just to spark things up, Venus enter Aries at 10:52 AM ET. Venus refers to women, money, aesthetics and social expression. In Aries, it’s a bit of a flirt, frankly. It needs to know that it is loved by everyone. So it may well spice up your social interactions for the rest of the month, inspiring you to connect with new people. Just be advised that impulsive passions are likely to be up for a review when Venus turns retrograde on March 4th. Have fun in the meantime.

Moon will be void on Saturday between 5:42 PM and 11:44 PM ET, meaning that SUNDAY is brought to you by the Moon in information junkie Gemini, seeking to be the smartest kid in the room. If you’re up for a chat, a Gemini Moon is happy to oblige it, as well as your need for entertainment and multitasking.

If you’ve got a planet or angle around 23 degrees — two thirds of the way — through Aries, Capricorn, Cancer and especially Libra, you may be in an expansive phase in one or more areas of your life. Jupiter, the cosmic sugardaddy, has been hanging out at 23 Libra for a few weeks, getting ready to turn retrograde MONDAY at 1:52 AM ET. Jupiter retrograde suggests that whatever was expanding may now be subject to a review and/or delay. With Jupiter in Libra, the sign of justice, fairness, equality and balance, I expect we’ll see many delays in the headlines played out in court. Jupiter turns direct on June 9th. It returns to 23 Libra in early September, which I expect will be an extremely significant period of time.

Perhaps you’d like to know what the placement of Jupiter in your horoscope suggests for you. Jupiter transits often coincide with opportunities for honors and promotion — and I have plenty of cases in my files of clients whom I encouraged to make a pitch for expansion during a Jupiter transit — which resulted in success. Astrology is a very good thing to know about. What’s going on in your horoscope?Here’s the 411 on consultations.

And now, the news.

The action continues at a dizzying pace on all sides, reflecting the potential of  Mars (action! warriors! guns! sports! cars!) charging through impatient, impulsive, go-go-go Aries. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), himself an impatient Aries, withdrew a bill proposing to sell off an area of public land equal to the size of Connecticut. What swayed him? In this planetary climate, it wasn’t the picnickers and tree huggers. Nope. Score this victory courtesy of the hunters and anglers who were outraged — and as a “proud gun owner,” what else could Rep. Chaffetz do?

Cars! Over 200,000 people have deleted their Uber accounts in the wake of the “perception that it was undermining a [JFK] taxi strike” in protest of P45’s thinly disguised Muslim ban. That’s amazing — and I say this based on personal experience. It is not easy to delete an Uber account; one must be resourceful and very persistent.  The consumer backlash may have prompted Uber CEO Travis Kalanick to resign from P45’s economic advisory council. Cars!

The new U.S. border controls were not kind to the former prime minister of Norway, who found himself detained at Dulles airport because of a 2014 trip to Iran, where he had given a speech at a human rights conference. So where was Kjell Magne Bondevik heading on this week’s U.S. trip? Spit take alert: he was going to the annual National Prayer Breakfast, where he would be hearing P45 use the solemn and reflective occasion to make a nasty jab about Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ratings as the new host of  a TV show which shall remain nameless. Gov. Schwarzenegger was quick to respond, as Stephen Colbert reports. (I mean it. Put the coffee mug down now).

Iran has since banned U.S. wrestlers from participating in the Freestyle Wrestling Cup.…and just now, more sanctions have been announced against Iran.

In other Mars-related stories, at the National Prayer Breakfast, P45 also vowed to “totally destroy” (because simply repealing it would not convey the destructive drive of Mars) the Johnson (Mars!) Amendment, which narrows the scope of how churches (i.e. tax-exempt organizations) may participate (i.e. fund) political campaigns.

Also spit-take worthy: P45’s remarks about African-American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman Frederick Douglass, as reported here by Seth Meyers. We do not have a confirmed birth date for Mr. Douglass, so we can’t look at his horoscope to see which planets are being activated by this sudden push into the spotlight. We can state with certainty that he died in 1895 — a fact that P45 and press secretary Sean Spicer may not have known. This means that Mr. Douglass could not have opened this Twitter account, even though many may find his alleged tweets amusing.

I was compelled to refresh my memory of what I learned about Mr. Douglass years ago — the first link in the above paragraph is to his Wikipedia biography. So many striking things — but these passages really jumped out at me:

When Douglass was about twelve, (slave owner) Hugh Auld’s wife Sophia started teaching him the alphabet. Douglass described her as a kind and tender-hearted woman, who treated him “as she supposed one human being ought to treat another”.[19] Hugh Auld disapproved of the tuition, feeling that literacy would encourage slaves to desire freedom; Douglass later referred to this as the “first decidedly antislavery lecture” he had ever heard.[20] Under her husband’s influence, Sophia came to believe that education and slavery were incompatible and one day snatched a newspaper away from Douglass….

…When Douglass was hired out to William Freeland, he taught other slaves on the plantation to read the New Testament at a weekly Sunday school. As word spread, the interest among slaves in learning to read was so great that in any week, more than 40 slaves would attend lessons. For about six months, their study went relatively unnoticed. While Freeland remained complacent about their activities, other plantation owners became incensed about their slaves being educated. One Sunday they burst in on the gathering, armed with clubs and stones, to disperse the congregation permanently.

…which segues into another current newsmaker, Aldous Huxley, who wrote Brave New World — a futuristic novel often compared to 1984. Brave New World was written in 1931, around the time of the last series of disruptive Uranus-Pluto squares. Mr. Huxley’s horoscope, like Mr. Orwell’s — is hot now, reflecting his renewed prominence. Transiting Uranus square his natal Mercury is one immediate suggestion that how Mr. Huxley needed to think is likely to be up for a fresh start.  Mr. Huxley is a Leo with Moon in Taurus. From his biography on Wikipedia, we see the Taurus need for comfort and security (italics are mine):

The events of the Depression in Britain in 1931, with its mass unemployment and the abandonment of the gold currency standard, persuaded Huxley to assert that stability was the “primal and ultimate need” if civilisation was to survive the present crisis.

What does this have to do with Frederick Douglass and his crusade to educate slaves? From Wikipedia:

Social critic Neil Postman contrasted the worlds of Nineteen Eighty-Four and Brave New World in the foreword of his 1985 book Amusing Ourselves to Death. He writes:

What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egotism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy. As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny “failed to take into account man’s almost infinite appetite for distractions.” In 1984, Orwell added, people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that our fear will ruin us. Huxley feared that our desire will ruin us.

Food for thought as we contemplate how and why the world has become what it is, in the wake of another revolutionary Uranus-Pluto square.

This just in: 1984 is coming to Broadway this summer. Told ya Orwell’s horoscope was hot.

UPDATE: the massive earthquake that crippled the Fukushima nuclear power plant happened in March of 2011, when Uranus (earthquakes, uranium) hit 0 degrees of Aries, suggesting prominent action in Uranian-related concerns. Mars was at 0 Aries on Saturday’; Venus is there as I type — both triggering the chart for the earthquake in 2011. Japan Times reports today that radiation at the No. 1 reactor is at its highest level since 2011.

This just in: Venus is now at the Aries Point — suggesting prominence in matters of women, art, money, social expression. There was a shooting at the Louvre. Two male CEOs — of Wal-Mart and EY — have been selected to advise P45 on…wait for it…women in the workplace. And there’s a new White House dress code: “women must dress like women.” I don’t even know what that means.

UPDATE: last Friday I noted that Mars would be meeting up with Scheat, a Fixed Star associated with unfortunate events and shipwrecks. This suggested the potential for Mars-themed actions to backfire, as reflected in this headline: “Trump-ordered Raid that Killed U.S. Navy SEAL Was Approved ‘Without Sufficient Intelligence'”  The raid was on Sunday, on the Mars-Scheat meet-up. An 8-year-old American girl was killed, along with other civilian casualties. A $75 million military helicopter was (ship)wrecked. Coincidence or conspiracy?

Finally, in case you haven’t heard, there was never a massacre in Bowling Green, as everyone on Twitter is tweeting this morning. Was Kellyanne Conway confusing Bowling Green with Kent State? Two colleges — both in Ohio — I can see how that might happen. If you are too young to remember the 60s, four unarmed students who were protesting the Vietnam War were killed by Ohio National Guardsmen on May 4, 1970. This event has been called the Kent State Massacre — and Crosby Stills Nash & Young wrote a song about it. Cue “Ohio” now, please.

Isn’t there a game on this weekend? This year, I’m rooting for the commercials.

With Jupiter stationary retrograde, justice has been delayed. Will get to Neil Gorsuch next week — I hope.

Thank you for reading this forecast. Have a wonderful weekend!

Astro-logical Forecast for Monday 8/29/2016: Sneak Peek at the Week; Mercury Retrograde Survival Guide

Good Morning!

The work week begins — for those who haven’t headed to the beach for the last week of August — with the Moon in rip, roarin’ Leo. Find a way to shine — and help others, shine, too. Party on, dudes! Make way for drama kings and queens!

The Leo Moon cruises without much interference for the next three days. If you’re feeling emotionally buffeted, you can’t blame it on the ups and downs of tense aspects from other planets to the Moon. You can take advantage of a steady flow of lunar energy driving the day and work without distraction. Or play to your heart’s content if you are beaching it.

Venus leaves Virgo for Libra — one of her home signs — at 10:07PM ET. This is generally a happy occasion, as the planet referring to social expression, women, art and money is well-supported by Libra’s people-pleasing need for beauty and balance. It facilitates being less of a Venus in Virgo critic, more of a diplomat with social graces. At 0 Libra, Avid Readers will note that Venus is thus at the Aries Point, so we can expect matters of women, money, values, beauty to be especially prominent for the next day or so — with a spin on what is fair and just — or just right (for stories crossing the wires with Virgo at the very end of Virgo).

Re: “just right” — here’s an apt piece on how women aren’t buying from certain retailers who persist in offering bad clothes.  Here’s one about a woman in Australia making headlines for replacing her mugshot with a more flattering photo. Really, why is this making news NOW?

Tomorrow at 9:04AM ET, Mercury turns retrograde at 9:04AM ET — here is your Mercury retrograde survival guide:

Even if you know nothing else about astrology, you may have heard this term before. Often it’s accompanied by curses and groans, and that’s a shame. Yes, all of the flights on American Airlines might be grounded because of a computer glitch. Or the entire country of Finland might be offline because there’s a transportation strike (actual Mercury Rx events). But there’s much good that can be accomplished when the Messenger Planet appears to be retracing its steps.

Mercury—which in the language of astrology refers to mindset, travel and communication—will appear to move backward through the sky until September 22nd. It’s not really moving backward, but that is how it looks from our perspective here on Spaceship Earth. Mercury goes retrograde 3-4 times each year, for a period of 22 days.

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. You 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 as you slow down, it is vitally important that you FOCUS.

When Mercury is retrograde, be prepared for travel delays, scheduling screw-ups, mechanical breakdowns, computer crashes, having to repeat what you’ve just said, misunderstandings, the past coming back for a second look, surprise reunions and having to repeat what you just said. Use your FOCUS and double check important details, like whether the restaurant you’ve chosen for a meet-up is still in business. Or whether it is booked for a commercial shoot or a private party — all of which has happened to me during Mercury retrogrades.

If you are looking for a job, Mercury retrogrades are a perfect time to reach out to people from your past. Mine your address book and trust that your contacts will be happy to hear from you. However, do not be frustrated if your target is away on vacation or keeps rescheduling meetings. Also, triple check your emails and resumes before you hit “send,” as there is a higher probability of typos and other sloppy snafus.

In your business, you’ll need to make sure all communications have been received and are clearly understood. Be mindful of the higher potential for communications equipment to go on the fritz. MAKE SURE YOUR FILES ARE BACKED UP. Also be aware of a higher than average probability for delays in shipping and travel arrangements. For this you will need an extra dose of patience.

You may also find it profitable to REview a project from the past. Maybe you shelved it then, but now is the time to REconsider. However, be advised that a spontaneously, “out-of-the-blue” idea for advancement may not be so sound when Mercury turns direct. This is why the conventional wisdom advises against finalizing and/or signing contracts on deals during Mercury retrograde. An exception might be supported if you are REnegotiating or RElocating. If you absolutely must close a deal, triple check everything. The key is not to RUSH.

This is a good time to schedule a corporate REtreat. Any activity that affords the opportunity to REview past performance is encouraged. REsearch on a new strategy is also favored.

Mercury retrogrades are not favored for launching a new website or a new communications systems. There is a higher than average probability of technical glitches and confusion.

In general, adopt a playful attitude of flexibility to whatever twists you encounter. Avoid making major purchases (especially electronic ones). Don’t believe everything you hear or read in the papers. Rumors have a higher probability of spreading during Mercury retrogrades. Avoid losing patience — that’s a big one.

When in doubt, be silent!

Do plan on RElaxing, REviewing, REsearching, REorganizing, REgenerating, REconnecting and REcreating….and REviewing your life with your astrologer.

This Mercury retrograde happens at 29 degrees of Virgo, suggesting that whatever is up for REview and RElaxation likely involves discerning analysis about an issue’s practical service and cooperation. If you have a planet or angle around 29 degrees of Gemini, Pisces, Sagittarius and especially Virgo, you are more personally affected by this particular Mercury retrograde. If you don’t have a planet on those degrees, find out what house in your horoscope 14-29 Virgo falls. That’s is the area of your life now up for REview.

As I have written in prior forecasts, the end of this week features a New Moon in a tense pattern with Saturn (real) and Neptune (unreal), similar to what we experienced the first week of June. Except this New Moon (in Virgo) will be an eclipse. There is no need to run screaming down the halls. More on that later this week.

Your Moon voids for the week: Wednesday 12:20AM ET until 11:22AM ET; Friday 6:13PM ET until 8:55PM ET. Sunday has a long one: 8:30PM ET until 8:38AM ET — but shouldn’t be too challenging for folks in the Americas. Moon voids — during which the Moon wanders without much focus — are apt for taking care of routine matters — and rolling serenely with whatever twists and flakes may derail efforts to move forward in a straight line.

I leave you with this image of senseless beauty, suitable for Venus at the Aries Point — on its way into lovely Libra. I buy these wildflowers for five bucks at the local farmers market — a fresh bouquet each week.  They remind me of summers spent in Maine during my childhood. Much gratitude to Avid Readers Diane, Earleen, Teri and others, whose combined efforts enabled this month’s flower fix. When I gaze at these flowers, I think of you. Too pretty to keep to myself — may their beauty brighten your day! UPDATE: Here’s a link to the Flower Fund, since an Avid Reader kindly asked. More gratitude!

Thank you for reading this forecast.

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 Thursday-Sunday 4/7-10/2016: New Moon in Aries; More Rolling Heads and Warrior Women

Feeling especially charged this morning? Fizzle out as the day progressed?

Between 4:33AM ET and 10:56AM ET, the me-me-me Aries Moon made contact with Saturn, Pluto and Uranus, before going void for the rest of the day on that Me-Without-Compromise Moon-Uranus meet-up. At 7:24AM ET, the new lunar cycle officially began, as the Moon met up with the Aries Sun. Light a candle; make a list and take time to re-set your intentions for the next thirty days.

A New Moon in Aries suggests a need — or an opportunity — to be a courageous, inspiring pioneer and/or warrior, preferably on the side of the angels. At its best, Aries is a champion for the weak and vulnerable. It inspires people to take initiatives and defy the odds…yes, sometimes foolishly, but hey — if Plan A blows up, there’s always a Plan B, a Plan C and D. A true Aries never never never gives up. There is always a tomorrow.

At its worst, well…let’s just say Aries can be utterly self-absorbed and go to disturbing extremes in order to get there FIRST. Wherever, whatever…so long as something gets started. Astrologer Rick Levine — who celebrated his Aries birthday yesterday — aptly describes the Aries strategy for success as “Ready? Fire. Aim!” I like to say that Aries falls down stairs because it is faster than walking. You got a problem with that?

New Moon seeds planted now may be imbued with a strong need for freedom and empowerment, suggested by Moon’s contact with Pluto and Uranus.  They also hold an easy structuring flow, courtesy of the Moon’s early AM contact with Saturn. Also in an easy flow: prominent crusading values and righteous opinion, suggested by Mars in Sagittarius trine to Venus at 2 Aries, at the Aries Point. Want some pixie dust with that? Mars and Neptune have been in a tense pattern for weeks, and the tension continues through May, returning for a last huzzah at the end of August. Your dusted pixies may be fanatical, magical, scandalous, seductive or drunk on their own delusions. It’s we who choose how we will manifest the potential suggested by planetary guideposts. Upside or downside — we decide.

Many astrologers have noted that this New Moon makes contact with Eris, known in mythology as the Goddess of Discord. File this under “increased potential for righteous outrage from those who perceive they haven’t been offered a seat at the table.” Also file it under “bullheaded/intractable  thoughts and communication, potentially running wild,” suggested by Mercury unaspected in Taurus.

In the New Moon chart for Washington DC, we see this Mercury exactly on a 2 degree Taurus Ascendant, with the Sun and Moon exactly squaring an 18 Capricorn Midheaven, atop which sits Pluto at 17 Cap.  There are four planets, plus Chiron, Eris and the South Node in the 12th house. This house traditionally refers to covert concerns, secret enemies, institutions, the self-undoing and issues we bury in the subconscious. Sounds like a lot of behind-the-scenes, backroom power plays which — with that Mercury on the ASC, we should hear about in plodding detail or pixie-dusted spin. Also hidden away in the chart for Washington: Mars and Saturn in the 8th House. Intriguing.

You’re more personally affected by this New Moon if you have a planet or important point at 19 degrees of Cancer, Libra, Capricorn, and especially Aries. Bernie Sanders has Moon at 20 Aries, Mars at 24 Aries and Venus at 23 Libra. The entity that continues to wreak havoc in the Middle East and elsewhere has Sun at 20 Aries, Venus and Eris at 23 Aries and Mars at 22 Aries.  Justin Trudeau has Moon at 18 Aries. Pope Francis has Mars at 20 Libra — and he’ll be making headlines on Friday.

The Sabian Symbol for 19 Aries is “a magic carpet.” Ooh — more pixie dust!  A magic carpet is empowered by something outside conventional norms, transcending the Earth, rising above it. What an interesting perspective you can get by introducing a little levity into your life. Or alternatively, as Sabian Symbol guru Blain Bovee writes:

Suspending natural laws implies effecting the extraordinary or not appreciating the gravity of the situation….

(cue “Shock Horror Riff” now, please)

Bovee’s  take on this Symbol seem to echo the overall patterns of this New Moon with its breakout, magical or delusional potential. In applying this Symbol in our daily lives, Bovee adds:

Think of magic as the wisdom to know when to stand above the fray; to transcend situations that could lead to bereavement; to ascertain the right moment to touch down.

How interesting that the Sabian Symbol for last month’s New Moon suggested the potential for being swept away by the madding crowd.

On Friday, the Taurus Moon seeks to build and maintain comfort and security — perhaps in ways that are fiercely unique, given Saturday’s meet-up between the Sun and rebel Uranus. The Taurus Moon will be void all day Saturday. Chill and avoid the malls.

Moon buzzes into Gemini at 1:59AM ET on Sunday, clashes with Mars at 4:06PM ET and squares off with nebulous Neptune at 7:59PM ET. Double check your communication channels to make sure what you heard is what was said.

No sleeping in on Monday, as the Moon will not be void in the morning.

And now, the news.

The disruptive Sun-Uranus-Pluto action this week continues to be reflected in rolling heads (the Sun) of state and other bright stars. In the wake of the Panama Papers massive leak, Argentina’s leader now faces an investigation. British PM David Cameron appears to be coming clean. In China, no heads are rolling, but websites posting the leak have been censored. Because if you censor it, that means it didn’t happen.

In Alabama, articles of impeachment were filed against Governor Robert Bentley (R-AL), who is currently mired in a sex scandal amid other questionable actions.  In other news, Thomas O. Staggs, thought to be the likely successor to Disney CEO Robert Iger, was suddenly let go.

Meanwhile, Don Blankenship, the former CEO of Massey Energy, received the maximum sentence — one year — for conspiring to ignore federal mining safety regulations. This is considered extraordinary, the first time such a high-ranking executive has been found guilty of a workplace safety violation.  You may recall that six years ago, 29 miners were killed in an explosion in one of Massey’s mines.

Venus entering Aries on Tuesday suggested prominent stories of fiery, independent and/or warrior women. I’d heard of Burning Man, but not the Dinah, where this year 20,000 lesbians gathered for a five-day festival in Palm Springs. The fest has been happening since 1991. Meanwhile, the NYT just posted a depressing piece about how Boko Haram is training abducted women to become suicide bombers. Feels like there are shades of Eris, Goddess of Discord in that one.

Discordant women in Indiana are attracting attention nationwide today, as a campaign called Periods for Pence made the home page of the NYT. In response to Governor Mike Pence signing a bill requiring, for instance, that a miscarried or aborted fetus must be now buried or cremated at the woman’s expense, Hoosiers with hoo-has have been peppering the governor’s office with status reports and questions about gynecological concerns. A suit challenging the constitutionality of the law has just been filed.

Meanwhile, in Australia, prominent Venusian themes of sugar, women, money and social graces made headlines in this story about a Gender Gap Bake Sale intended to expose wage disparity, yet exposed something even uglier. Also ugly: a very lengthy expose on sugar itself, arguing that it is poison. What’s interesting about that story — which I’ve heard before — it that it builds on research that was published in the aftermath of the Uranus-Pluto conjunctions of  1965-1966. The research was not well-received, and now another scientist is having a go with research of his own.

That’s it for the news! Have a wonderful Moon in Taurus weekend, indulging in good food, drink and a snuggle with your sweetie. To facilitate your efforts to build material security, here’s how you can stash away some tax-free funds right here in the good ol’ USA. No need to call anyone in Panama.

Thank you for reading this forecast. Here’s how to schedule a personal consultation. We will have a fabulous discussion together!

Astro-logical Forecast for Wednesday 1/6/2016: Pluto Power Plays & Such

Alll-righty then!

Writing this during Tuesday’s 13-hour Moon void in Scorpio, looking forward to the lift I expect we’ll all feel once the Moon enters Sagittarius at 1:56AM ET on Wednesday. If you are new to this forecast (welcome!) and are not familiar with the term “Moon void” or “void of course Moon,” here’s a lengthy explanation of what it is and why it is helpful to know about them.

A Sagittarius Moon needs to express its righteous opinion. It can be blunt, coarse and brutally honest. It needs to push boundaries and expand horizons with great enthusiasm, and it’s always up for a gamble or a gambol. Fun Moon-in-Sagittarius activities include catching a foreign film, getting out in nature, engaging in a spirited philosophical debate. At 4:40pm ET, when the Moon is squared by fuzzy Neptune, you may find yourself contemplating a dreamy escape. A harmonious aspect between the Moon and Venus at 7:54PM ET bodes well for social enjoyment, rustic as it may be.

A push for empowerment and emancipation may be on your plate, courtesy of late Tuesday night’s meet-up between the Sun and Pluto at 10:26PM ET.  The emancipation or other disruption of the status quo may be experienced as an upset or revelation between now and 7:22AM ET on Thursday, as the Sun squares Uranus. Certainly we’ll see it in the headlines….and oh, look — it’s 9:48PM — and this breaking news just hit the home page of The Guardian: “North Korean Nuclear Test Suspected as ‘Artificial Earthquake’ Detected”.  Amazing how that works. If the Moon weren’t void, I might freak out about it. I think I’ll chill instead.

Meanwhile…

President Obama was right on schedule Tuesday morning, announcing his efforts to do something — anything — to curb gun deaths. What got noticed? The fact that President Obama spoke through tears, which we would expect. Why? His Venus in emotionally sensitive Cancer — running wild and at the Aries Point. His caring nature needs to be prominent, and with a measurement to Venus from soulful Neptune, we would not be surprised to witness still more prominent displays of compassion and empathy from him this year. Others may be numbed out by the violence, but he can’t be, given what’s going on in his horoscope. We can expect more sweeping initiatives this year, suggested by other patterns noted in Monday’s forecast.

The good folks at the Guardian have put together a useful chart  where you can find out the number of gun deaths in your electoral district in the past year, and how your elected representatives are rated by the NRA. Mine all got an F, with $0 in campaign contributions from the NRA. Yours?

Closing with a quirky fashion piece that reflects the empowered potential of the Sun’s meet-up with Pluto, combined with the aesthetic ideal of Neptune square Venus. What does one wear to a power lunch? The NYT has the story — live from New York’s famous — and soon to close — power lunch spot, The Four Seasons.

And if you do check out the Four Seasons piece, you might see — out of the corner of your eye — this one, from a few months ago:  “Armani and Missoni: In the Shadow of the Supermoon”.  And if you happen to read the first few lines of that story, you will snorf.

MILAN — Milan Fashion Week came to a close just after a total lunar eclipse, the sort that indicates heavenly bodies in perfect alignment. As portents go, it doesn’t get much better than that.

The clothes, however, did not quite live up to the — well, astronomical implications. All that new energy everyone kept talking about during the week? It got a boost from a gently calibrated, Balthus-inspired Arthur Arbesser show, full of youthful (but not naïve) florals and tone-on-tone ghostly cat prints, but mostly felt gone with the blood moon.

Instead, Milan ended in retrograde.

Did you snorf?

I can’t even….

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Astro-logical Forecast for Tuesday 11/10/2015: Art & Commerce

The Scorpio Moon drives  the day with a need for substance, deeply experienced and perhaps a tad controlling or controlled. Add in an investigative flair suggested by an easy connection between Mercury and Pluto, exact at 7:12 AM ET (but in effect over the past few days). Let the dirt be dug! Then add an expansive optimism for all of the details, as the Sun and Jupiter make yet another easy connection, exact at 9:17PM ET. How big can it get?

Around midday could be dreamy, as the Moon and Neptune are in harmony at 1:07PM ET. Wine with your lunch? As I peruse the dirt and mud(slinging) making today’s headlines, an escape sounds mighty appealing.

And now, the news.

With Venus at the Aries Point over the weekend (and now in Libra, sign of balance and harmony), we could expect matters involving social expression, women, aesthetics and money to pull focus. How interesting to see this op-ed in today’s NYT: “Being Dishonest About Ugliness”, encouraging people who tell children that looks don’t matter to get real. And here we see more on the theme of Real vs. Unreal suggested by the first of three exact squares between Saturn and Neptune. Remember how we were talking about that all last week?

Last night, a Modigliani nude gained prominence when it fetched a ginormous sum — over  $170 million–  at Christie’s.  It is the second-highest price (big!) ever paid for an artwork at an auction. The Modigliani is prominent for other aesthetic reasons:

Monday’s sale assuaged concerns that the Modigliani painting would be too risqué for some collectors.

“This painting leaps off the page as the most vibrant, sexual, lyrical of the catalogue raisonné,” said Ana Maria Celis, a Christie’s specialist in postwar and contemporary art.

Meanwhile in Canon City, Colorado, some high school students are terrified that they could face child pornography charges because they exchanged and collected nude photographs of themselves, using their cellphones.  In response, high school officials have mandated that all students must complete classes in figure drawing, art history and biology in order to graduate, as well as attend discussion forums on human sexuality and social mores through the ages.

OK, I made that up. In actual response:

Police are now poring through hundreds of sexted pics and Fremont County District Attorney Tom LeDoux has acknowledged the possibility that “students will have to register as sex offenders” in some cases.

Real. Unreal.

Back in June, Disney (a media company) made headlines when word got out that it fired a number of longterm IT staffers, replacing them with cheaper workers imported to the US on H-1B visas. The IT staffers would only receive severance packages if they were willing to train their replacements. Yesterday it was reported that a company called Cengage (they’re in the education business) executed a similar strategy in mid-October (its second one this year), telling laid-off workers that they would also lose their severance if they spoke to the press.

The press found out anyway, and today the NYT exposes more dirt how big outsourcing companies are scoring so many H-1B visas (hint: follow the money), and who is being hurt by this seemingly rigged system. Elsewhere, yesterday the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked a number of President Obama’s executive orders on immigration, suggesting that the matters in question will be argued before the Supreme Court.  Why am I calling out these stories? Review prior thoughts on what we’re likely to see with Saturn in Sagittarius for the next couple of years.

It wouldn’t have been an all-day long Moon void yesterday without some mountain being made out of a molehill. How fascinating that the one that hit social media involved aesthetics (Venus at the Aries Point) and other themes suggested by the surreal potential of Saturn in Sagittarius square Neptune in Pisces. Have you seen the 2015 Starbucks holiday cup? It’s very red and very minimalist, prompting some to howl that the design is a “war on Christmas.” Former radio and TV evangelist Joshua Feuerstein told his 1.8 million Twitter followers:

“Starbucks removed Christmas from their cups because they hate Jesus.”

No comment from Mr. Feuerstein on a study that was released over the weekend, concluding that children from religious families are less kind and more punitive than those from non-religious households.

Matters of belief —  from the sublime to the ridiculous — are likely to continue to be hot topics in the foreseeable future, suggested by planetary patterns. In your own personal world, may you only experience that which is sublime. To find out how these patterns are likely to be reflected in your life, here’s the 411 on personal consultations. FYI, astrology is not a belief system. As a wise astrologer once said, however, it is a very good thing to know about.

Thank you for reading this forecast.

snowman