A me-me-me Moon in Aries drives the morning with intensity, going void with a potential jolt or revelation at 11:42AM ET. Roll with whatever twists or flakes that  may crop up in your efforts to move forward in a straight line. Remember that crises which crop up during Moon voids are often much ado about nothing. This void will last until 10:46PM ET, when Moon enters Taurus, seeking comfort and stability. Will there be a “me-centric much ado about nothing” story that pulls focus like so many  squirrels running through a dog park?

We are in the dark side of the Moon — the balsamic phase — a time to wrap up projects initiated at last month’s New Moon. The next cycle begins with a New Moon in Gemini on Saturday at 10:59PM ET, and the patterns in that configuration are in effect now and through the next week. What are those patterns?

So glad you asked. First, a quick tutorial on the difference between cardinal, fixed and mutable zodiac signs. Yes, you will learn something useful today, if my Gemini Moon has anything to say about it, and gratuities are accepted. With gratitude. Really.

OK, cardinal signs. That’s Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. Cardinal signs are turning points. They initiate, lead, plant seeds, etc. for the Next Big Thing.  Fixed signs include Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. Already you’re thinking that something “fixed” might be stubbornly or doggedly attached to a tangible form, right? Exactly — and that’s how fixed signs operate — they give form to the cardinal sign’s idea, turning it into an actual functioning widget. So then what?

Mutable signs get the word out about the widget.  Your Gemini marketing guru sells it;  your Virgo research wiz  analyzes it. Your Sagittarius publicist spins your widget righteously and gets the press to publish it.  Pisces channels a way to have the whole world believe in the widget — so much so that the widget and the world are one. Which is why we mourn the last episode of a favorite TV show, the closing of an independent book store or the passing of some other cultural icon or cherished widget. We feel connected; we feel a part of ourselves has passed, too.

Note that a widget is a widget. It is fixed in form.  But selling points and research data and editorial opinions and public sentiments about widgets are subject to change. So is the energy symbolized by planets in mutable signs. That is what “mutable” means: subject or prone to change. Hot pants are hot — until they’re not. Cigarettes are cool — until the data proves otherwise. It’s illegal to sell marijuana — but not in Colorado and Oregon. Dude, things change! Mutable is related to genetic “mutation,” which can be an evolution to a higher state of being. We can only hope. As opposed to “mutant.”

This week we have planets in all four mutable signs. They are in a cross configuration. You could draw a square on a piece of paper and put a planet on each corner: Sun and Venus together in  Gemini; Jupiter in Virgo; Saturn in Sagittarius; Neptune in Pisces. Draw a diagonal line between the Sun-Venus meet-up and Sagittarius. They are opposite each other. Draw another diagonal line between Jupiter and Neptune. They are also opposite each other. Meanwhile, Sun and Venus are square Jupiter and square Neptune. Saturn is square Jupiter and square Neptune. Got that?

There is a technical term for this cross configuration: Mutable Grand Cross. Translation: a buzz of highly charged energy involving sales pitches, data, opinions and sentiments — all subject to change — and existing in seemingly opposing sides all at once. It’s enough to make your head spin, especially if you were born halfway through any of the mutable signs…or if you have any other planet or angle at the halfway point (13-17 degrees) of said signs. You may be feeling a bit like Alice in Wonderland — ten feet tall one minute, and tiny as a dormouse the next. Wheee!

The first exact hit — and subsequent release of energy — in this Mutable Grand Cross pattern happens tonight at 10:43PM ET, when the Gemini Sun is squared by Neptune. In the news we may expect themes of bewilderment, rose-colored glasses, vision, healing, spaciness, delusion, spirits, drugs, oil, toxins, magic, forgiveness, empathy and refugees. Ooh looky — an article about Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, a new play opening in London on June 7th — what perfect timing for the NYT home page – like magic! Ooh — and there will be a sequel to Mary Poppins — yay!

The Sun refers to vitality. Saturn refers to endings. Jupiter refers to expansion. What else is on the NYT home page? “American Death Rate Rises for First Time in a Decade,” because of — cue Neptune, please — “drug overdoses, suicide and Alzheimer’s.” Saturn and Jupiter refer to higher education, business and the law. “Former Trump University Workers Call the School a ‘Lie’ and a ‘Scheme’ in Testimony.” Of course they do.

Mr. Trump, by the way is a Gemini with his Sun conjunct erratic, eccentric Uranus.  Driven by an opinionated Moon in Sagittarius no doubt desperately seeking respect.  Mutable signs. Subject to change. On a moment’s notice. His Mercury (mindset)is square to Neptune, an awesome aspect to have if you are a visionary or a snake oil salesman. Inspiring or bewildering, no?

Getting back to the forecast…

On Thursday, the Taurus Moon pushes forward without interference, bolstered by vision and expansion in the evening hours, courtesy of input from Neptune and Jupiter. It’s the Gemini Sun and Venus that are under pressure, as Venus will square Neptune at 12:15AM ET on Friday, followed by the Sun’s exact opposition to Saturn at 2:38AM ET. Venus will be exactly opposite Saturn on Friday at 8:47PM ET. What can we expect?

In the news, watch for cuts, controls and reality checks in matters of information and opinion. We can also expect cuts and controls in matters related to Venus — e.g., women, money, aesthetics, social expression and values. “Women of steel” are likely to pull focus — here’s an example from 2014.  If your horoscope is personally affected, relationships with women may be testy. That covers the Saturn portion of the week. Meanwhile, Neptune’s contact with Venus suggests idealism — for better or for worse — in the aforementioned Venus arenas, along with opportunities for the sublime, healing and empathy.

Speaking of empathy, it is apparently the Official Antidote for any and all Mars retrograde-induced feelings of anger and resentment, as I learned on page 85 of my most recent night table reading, You Staying Young: The Owner’s Manual for Extending Your Warranty,”by Drs. Michael  F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz:

Research has found that “letting it rip” with anger actually escalates anger and aggression and does nothing to help you or the person you’re angry with) resolve the situation. In general, to cope with an emotion, you have to do the opposite.  The opposite of anger isn’t to withdraw or lash out, but to develop empathy. So instead of swearing at the guy who cut you off, think that maybe there’s a reason he did so — like, he just got a call that his wife is in labor or his mom tripped over his child’s toy and can’t get up. It helps to remind yourself that few people are jerks on purpose. Getting angry just forces you to justify your actions, so you act out to make sense of how crazily you just acted.

So add that to your arsenal of tools for mastering your inner demons during this Mars retrograde, as suggested in Tuesday’s forecast.

One final thought about Mars, as it backed up into Scorpio on Friday. As it travels through 29-23 degrees of Scorpio this summer, it may be triggering whatever nitty-gritty matters of sex, death and money you were dealing with when Saturn went over those degrees last summer. We had to get real in those areas, and we saw it all over the headlines — here’s an example. That’s my take on any especially nasty news of Humans At Their Worst we may see. Oh — and here’s another thought. We expected to see action in Mr. Trump’s horoscope as Mars squared his regal Leo Ascendant and natal Mars. He has now amassed enough delegates to be the Official Republican Nominee for president; he fired his campaign manager and he continues to spout off angrily all over the front page. Poor Mr. Trump. Sad.

Thank you for reading this forecast. To schedule a personal consultation, here’s how to contact me. We will have an excellent discussion together.