Alllrighty-then!

Exact planetary patterns are light this week, hopefully giving us time to process the potential cuts, losses, and power plays of last week. Think I’m kidding? Here is what was written for last Thursday:

• THURSDAY: And so, after last night’s upset, today starts with a warm connection between the Moon and Venus, exact at 10:08 AM ET — and then goes void for the next three hours. Your mission: roll with the twists and flakes that may disrupt efforts to move forward in a straight line, and don’t make a mountain out of a molehill. What seems like a crisis — or a colossally dumb move — may well prove to be much ado about nothing, once the Moon gets back into gear. This means cooling your jets if you are feeling especially squeezed by the cold, hard face-off that’s been humming in the background all week, symbolized by Mars opposing Saturn. Note that at 1:12 PM ET, Moon enters Virgo, ready to clean up the confetti from the Moon in Leo party. A dose of reality — or lean, mean, controlling action — weighs in around 4:39 PM ET, as that Mars-Saturn opposition is exact. Given that Mars symbolizes the masculine, guns (including the Defense Department), the head, cars, iron, etc., we can expect those themes in the headlines. Here are headlines from a past Mars-Saturn opposition.  A productive use for this provocative and controlling pattern would be to brainstorm a new strategy for world domination. As the evening progresses [OUR BUILDING’S SUPER SUDDENLY RESIGNS] we may see another militant advance or control around 2:02 AM ET on…
• FRIDAY: …when Moon is opposed by Saturn and meets up with Mars at 2:02 AM ET and 2:35 AM ET, respectively.

Obviously, I wasn’t surprised by the super’s sudden break because astrology is amazing. Everyone else was shocked, shocked, shocked.

What happened in your neck of the woods? Oh — and if you know of any super candidates in the NYC area, send them my way. We’re hiring!

Anyhoo…

This week should be much lighter, with potential for much creative play — yay!

Highlights for this week:

• Mercury meets up with Venus, now retrograde in Leo on Thursday
• Mercury enters Virgo on Friday

It goes like this:

• MONDAY: Moon in Libra drives the day with a need for fairness, balance, and diplomacy in relationships. Moon travels without interference all day, possibly slowing the speed of time passing. Would love to get feedback from Avid Readers on my new theory of these long stretches of no contact between the Moon and other planets. Do tell.
• TUESDAY: Action picks up, as Moon sextiles Mercury at 2:39 AM ET, looking to get the royal word out. Meanwhile, power plays in relationships may be feeling a squeeze, as Pluto — at the verrry end of corporate Capricorn — is literally caught between the North and South Nodes, in Aries and Libra, respectively. Acquiescing may feel like the path of least resistance, but soul growth comes from championing the underdog or a cause. Echoing what I just wrote, Moon sextiles Venus at 10 AM ET, followed by its weekly clash with Pluto at 11:05 AM ET. Take a break for two hours during the Moon void. At 12:55 PM ET, it’s back to work again, as Moon shifts gears and enters Scorpio, seeking to be appreciated for its depth and substance, as it consolidates knowledge for the sake of power and control. First stop is the First Quarter Moon, exact at 6:05 PM ET. Adjustments to last week’s New Moon agenda may be required, which can be challenging for two planets clashing in Fixed — i.e., stubborn — Signs (Scorpio Moon; Leo Sun). In this case, the Leo Sun is stronger, but the Scorpio Moon fights dirtier. An action plan may present itself, as Moon trines Saturn at 12:27 AM ET on…
• WEDNESDAY. Moon’s sextile to Mars at 7:31 AM ET provides vim and vigor, with exuberant expansion possible around 1:38 PM ET, as Moon opposes Jupiter. Then…another lonnnnng stretch of the Moon traveling solo, until 7:10 AM ET on…
• THURSDAY: when — surprise! — Moon opposes Uranus, the 20,000-volt cattle prod. Anyone with planets around 27-29 degrees of Leo, Aquarius, Taurus, and Scorpio may have a royally idealistic pronouncement about it, as Mercury and Venus meet up at 28 Leo. Off the top of my head, President Biden, VP Harris, Barack Obama, the former guy, Gym Jordan and Mitt Romney have significant placement on those degrees. As for everyone else, what are we all thinking about the REview of values, money, social graces and aesthetics that is now underway as Venus backtracks through our horoscopes? Who, what, and how do we need to love? Are we having FUN yet? Please, let’s have some FUN! It could get dreamy or fuzzy around 3:55 PM ET, as Moon trines Neptune. At 5:05 PM ET and 5:53 PM ET, the Scorpio Moon’s need for depth and substance squares off against Mercury (how we need to think) and Venus (who, what and how we need to love). Will it be wondering, “is that all there is?” More deep thoughts are supported by Moon’s sextile to Pluto at 6:35 PM ET. Take another two-hour break…and then sign with relief as Moon soars into Sagittarius at 8:23 PM ET for another long stretch of travel.
• FRIDAY: Moon in Sagittarius needs to be of influence, respected for its righteous opinion. Sounds like a great idea around 5:21 AM ET, as Moon trines Sun. Oh — but what is that wet blanket raining on our parade? Who is making an ambitious — or controlling advance or cut around 6:51 AM ET, reflecting the Moon’s square to Saturn? And why is it all about power and resources, and figuring out if we should work it out, or just fly solo? Pluto and the Nodes are engaged in a pattern similar to Tuesday’s dance — exact at 2:34 PM ET. Oh — and look — Mercury is at the verrrrrry last degree of Leo, giving the drama kings and queens a sense of urgency about their communication agenda. The workweek may end with high-flying assertiveness, seeking a perfect execution plan, reflecting Moon’s square to Mars, which is still in (perfect-seeking) Virgo. At 5:31 PM ET, Mercury exits Leo and enters Virgo — one of the signs it rules. This is an improvement for matters involving detailed, practical analysis that aim to be of service — what a concept! Mercury will be in Virgo until October 5th, giving us plenty of time to separate the wheat from the chaff. Why so long? Because on August 23rd, Mercury goes retrograde. No worries!
• SATURDAY: Moon in Sagittarius continues…facilitating gambles and gambols; anything that broadens your horizons. Moon’s contacts to Venus and Neptune at 7:32 PM and 7:51 PM ET, suggest enchanted, artsy escapes. Chill during the 4-hour Moon void. At 11:44 PM ET, Moon enters Capricorn, looking to Make Things Happen.
• SUNDAY: Capricorn Moon’s proactive drive is well-supported by easy contacts to Mercury and Saturn in the morning (2:55 AM ET and 9:15 AM ET), and Mars and Jupiter in the evening (8:18 PM and 9:51 PM ET). If you’re working today, make the most of it.

No sleeping in on MONDAY. The first day of the work week continues the easy flow of action, building to a sobering reality check on TUESDAY, which is the Full Moon in Aquarius and the first day of August.

Here’s what Beth Owl’s Daughter’s always-in-sync Tarot Card of the Week has to say.

Meanwhile…if you’ve ordered a few paragraphs of personal insights about how the Venus retrograde is likely to activate your horoscope, I will have those sent in a day or two, with gratitude for your faith and patience.

And now, the news.

First, if you would like to listen to the astro-logical take on the SAG-AFTRA strike, and how it prepares us for the challenges of 2025 (especially in the age of AI),  here is Episode 44 of Off the Charts: A Stellar Newscast. Other topics: the future of affirmative action; Barbie and Oppenheimer — all according to astrology.

Venus — women, art, money, social expression — slowed to a virtual standstill in Leo over the weekend, and isn’t it cool how these stories “just happened” to command our attention:

• Lioness: Special Ops premiered. Yes, really — LIONESS!!
• “Fuzzy invasion of domestic rabbits has Florida suburb hoppin'” — and, YES, they are LIONHEADED rabbits! And Venus rules rabbits, according to William Lilly.
• “Lioness believed to be on the loose in Berlin” — of COURSE, she is!
• Barbie, Barbie, Barbie — opened to boffo box office. A friend insisted we go, and I’m so glad we did. Fun, fun, fun — Venus in Leo FUN!

Take the focus of Venus retrograde and add in the iron-fisted militant discipline of Mars opposing Saturn, the power play potential of Sun opposing Pluto, the dreamy/surreal spin of Sun trine Neptune, and the shock/innovative potential of Mercury square Uranus:

•  “Don’t let the lost girls get lost again” is a thoughtful piece on why it took years to find and arrest the alleged Long Island/Gilgo Beach serial killer — even though the clues were readily accessible. The “why” has to do with the “value” given to the victims — all female — and many, if not all — were escorts.
• Note that both the suspect and his wife are both having their second Saturn returns this year — and she has just filed for divorce after 27 years of marriage.
• “She’s on a mission from God. Suing big oil for climate damages”
• Venus refers to food. “Russia stops Ukraine food deal, shaking world food markets.”

Speaking of Russia, if you listened to Episode 42 of Off the Charts: A Stellar Newscast, you’ll recall its focus on Vladimir Putin, and what we could anticipate this summer. The short-lived rebellion led by Wagner group head Prigozhin seemed too soon to be permanently disruptive, given what we know of Putin’s horoscope. Things are starting to heat up now, with the first of three contacts of Uranus to Putin’s Midheaven just two days ago, and the first of three to his Pluto (ruler of his presumed Scorpio Ascendant), on July 30. Next date to watch: August 21st, when we believe he will have a contact to his Ascendant from Pluto. As reported by Heather Cox Richardson, he’s not attending the BRICs summit in South Africa because there’s a warrant out for his arrest. HCR has more on the significance of Putin’s change of status. Meanwhile he made news today by being hateful to Russia’s transgendered citizens .

Here in the U.S., the militant power play potential was reflected in:

• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, with his fanatical Mars-Neptune conjunction in Scorpio, violated federal laws and treaties between the U.S. and Mexico when he ordered buoys covered with razor wire to be placed in the middle of the Rio Grande. Rumor has it that troopers were told to essentially drown migrants — including children — if that’s what it took to keep them from crossing the river.
• Alabama defied a Supreme Court order when Gov. Kay Ivey signed into law a congressional map that did not include two Black-majority districts. Here is a write-up of Alabama’s horoscope. Looks like last week’s New Moon was right at the root of its horoscope.
• In Florida, the Board of Education approved new standards for social studies courses that teach students that slavery was kinda like a job training program that “benefited” the enslaved people.
• Twitter’s little blue bird is now officially dead. Tip of the hat to astrologer SJ Anderson’s pithy observation that exes tend to show up during Venus retrograde. Twitter’s new name is…X.

And….that’s a wrap. I wish I could share what Stephen Colbert has to say about it all, but his writers are still on strike. Thus, in honor of Venus retrograde in Leo, I’ll end with Cyndi Lauper’s classic, “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” That’s your mission, for the rest of the week. Guys can play, too.

Here’s the 411 on personal consultations. We will have a fine discussion together.

Thank you for reading this forecast — and sharing it with friends. Thanks for listening to Off the Charts: A Stellar Newscast, too!