Allllllrighty then!

Before I get into the forecast, I am inspired to tell you what I created last week.  I was commissioned to write a 2024 general forecast for each Sun Sign, to be packaged with a cool set of 10-shilling Sun Sign coins. My client was delighted, and they encouraged me to share them with Avid Readers who may be looking for unique stocking stuffers or other holiday gifts. You can see the collection on my website here – and yes, I’ll mention this again at the end of the forecast.

Highlights for this short Thanksgiving holiday week (here in the United States) are:

• Sun sextiles Pluto on Monday
• Mars sextiles Pluto on Tuesday
• Sun enters Sagittarius on Wednesday
• Sun squares Saturn on Thursday
• Mars enters Sagittarius on Friday
• Mars squares Saturn on Saturday
• Mercury enters its shadow phase on Sunday

…and by the weekend, we’ll be under the rose-colored spell of Monday’s Mercury-Neptune square.

It goes like this:

• MONDAY: Moon squares Mars and Sun at 4:38 AM ET and 5:49 AM ET, and then goes void for almost four hours. East Coasters, I understand if you overslept, and if you did, it’s of no consequence.  Sun-Mars-Moon squares can be energizing, and if that’s how you felt upon waking, I hope you put it to good use.  Moon enters Pisces at 9:29 AM ET, beginning a two-day exercise in empathy as we travel about the country to our Thanksgiving destinations. The sobering focus comes courtesy of the Moon’s meet-up with Saturn at 10:44 AM ET, and actions taken on that gravitas are likely to be efficient, for better or worse.
• MONDAY: At 4:26 PM ET — and in effect all day — Sun sextiles Pluto. Sun refers to leaders; Pluto refers to power; the sextile refers to cooperative flow of communication and processing. If you are working today, put this — and the rest of the week, frankly — to good use. The evening ends on a note of exuberance, as Moon sextiles Jupiter at 11:19 PM ET.
• TUESDAY: Double check the details in your directions and communication. If an adjustment is required, it reflects the square between the intuitive Pisces Moon and Mercury, currently swashbuckling its way through Sagittarius. There’s still much to be accomplished with high efficiency, as Mars (action) sextiles Pluto (resources) at 8:18 PM ET. Innovation, technology, and unconventional alliances carry the day, as Moon sextiles Uranus at 8:35 PM ET.  Meanwhile, there may be a sense of urgency among a leader of business or head of state, as the Sun is now at the verrrrry end of Scorpio, seeking to fulfill its mission of consolidating knowledge, reaching heights, and plumbing depths.
• WEDNESDAY:  Note your dreams, as the Pisces Moon meets up with Neptune at 3:45 AM ET, possibly opening otherworldly channels. At 9:02 AM ET, Sun leaves Scorpio and enters Sagittarius. Happy birthday to all Centaurs a.k.a. Archers, a.k.a. philosopher-clowns!! Sagittarius is born to be of influence, pushing boundaries with righteous optimism. Those born in the first eight days of Sagittarius may have spent 2023 adapting to a need for structure and containment which continues into early 2024. Take heart, dear Sag — your successful streamlining may be rewarded soon thereafter, even if the next few months feel weighty.
• WEDNESDAY:  Meanwhile, the Moon drives the action on any given day, and the Pisces Moon is well-supported again today. Moon sextiles Pluto and Mars at 9:28 AM ET and 10:09 AM ET, suggesting a morning without speed bumps. Mind the ensuing two-hour void (blink and you’ll miss it), and note how the energy shifts once the Moon charges into Aries at 12:19 PM ET. Yes, the Moon is trine the Sagittarius Sun at 12:34 PM ET, but then the Moon travels without interference from then until 5:57 PM ET on…
• THURSDAY. Translation: an Aries Moon suggests a need to lead — not now, but RIGHT NOW. Aries may be headstrong and self-absorbed, like that driver who cuts in front of you on the freeway. The need to be first can run away with this day, so…if you’re in transit, travel defensively. If there was a bit of heavy news involving leaders and losses, or an announced plan for greater discipline (perhaps militantly so), this would reflect the square between the Sun and Saturn at 4:46 AM ET. In astrology, Saturn refers to limits, controls, mortality, strategy, taxes, skin, teeth, bones, and debt. Watch for them in the headlines…and ask your Sagittarius friends born around November 22 if they need support. If there’s a football game today, it’s likely to be especially intense, with 1) Moon in Aries; and 2) Mars now at the verrrrrry end of Scorpio, as it prepares to make a hard contact with Saturn. Moon opposes Venus at 5:57 PM ET and trines Mercury at 10:51 PM ET.
• FRIDAY: Now it is Mars that leaves Scorpio and enters Sagittarius, where it will be until January 4th. Mars in Sagittarius facilitates action that reflects righteous beliefs and — unlike Mars in Scorpio’s need for control — Mars in Sagittarius’ agenda is one that hopes to expand your mind. The sky’s the limit – and perhaps that bodes well for retailers on this Black Friday. Moon squares Pluto at 12:40 PM ET, suggesting our weekly appointment with power plays and/or catharsis. Mind the ensuing three-hour void, especially with an Aries Moon that is more inclined to buy on impulse. Avid Readers know that Moon voids are not favored times for making significant purchases, as they often do not live up to expectations. This isn’t always a bad thing…but I wouldn’t buy a computer during a Moon void. If you’d like an example of a Moon void purchase that turned out to be delightfully surprising, even though it didn’t go as planned, look here.
• FRIDAY: At 3:28 PM ET, Moon enters Taurus, seeking peace, calm, and material comfort/stability. Moon in Taurus is not a fan of change, and usually has fixed opinions about The Way Things Ought To Be. Its stabilizing agenda is supported by a sextile to Saturn at 4:59 PM ET. In your own personal world, a Taurus Moon is apt for actions and purchases that make you feel comfortable and secure. Indulge in simple pleasures as best you can.
• SATURDAY: Moon meets up with Jupiter, at 4:42 AM ET, lifting spirits or potentially expanding a militantly disciplined agenda involving standing one’s ground. Mars squares Saturn at 11:57 AM ET — and that’s it for the rest of the day. Here are headlines from past Mars-Saturn squares.   A surprise twist may hit the wires around 3:02 AM ET…
• SUNDAY:..as Moon meets up with Uranus. Empathy is added around 10:42 AM ET, as Moon sextiles Neptune. Depth and power are added around 4:51 PM ET, as Moon trines Pluto. Chill during the three-hour Moon void. Moon enters Gemini at 7:39 PM ET, and now its agenda is gathering all the news that’s fit to print…some of which may be heavy (as Moon squares Saturn at 9:22 PM ET), and some of which may be be inspiring or simply inaccurate (as Mercury is squaring Neptune, exact on Monday at 8:27 AM ET). Sparks may fly around 11:07 PM ET, as Moon opposes Mars.
• SUNDAY: Mercury officially enters its shadow period, in preparation for its next retrograde on December 13th at 2:09 AM ET. Translation: Mercury is at 22 Sagittarius, which is where it will be when it turns direct at 10:07 PM ET on January 1st. Note what’s hot in the headlines now, and see how it may be reviewed and revised. If you have planets around 22 Sagittarius, make note of that, too, as it will be in the spotlight on New Year’s Day. 22 Sag = the former guy’s Moon, for example. Stay tuned.

And now, the news.

Planetary patterns aren’t only reflected in the headlines. They crop up in other media, too. For example, last week’s dominant pattern was Sun-Mars in Scorpio trine Neptune, suggesting forceful expression of leadership, infused with pixie-dust, scandal, intrigue, and the surreal. Thus on Friday, it was no surprise to see that writer Greg Olear chose to share three recently-read books in his latest Substack post:

• Messalina: A Story of Empire, Slander and Adultery,
• A Spy Alone
• The Guns of August

See how they all reflect the week’s planetary patterns? Guns, spies and scandal. Astrology is amazing!

Meanwhile, I went to the theater on Saturday, and of course I saw Emergence, described as:

…a revolutionary theatrical experience led by Patrick Olson that stands at the intersection of art, science and music. It defies conventional boundaries…where the realms of knowledge and artistic expression intertwine, and things are not as they seem.

Did you know that the reason we perceive a yellow tulip as “yellow” is because when light hits the tulip, it absorbs all the other colors in the spectrum — except yellow? That color is not absorbed, and is thus reflected back to our eyes, and it is we — the observer —  that perceives the tulip as yellow. Of this phenomenon Olson drily observed that it is interesting that the yellow tulip is perceived to be the thing it rejects. The tulip itself is colorless — like everything else on earth. It is an illusion…a projection…a hologram. But who creates it?

If I learned that tulip tidbit in high school, I forgot it. If you have a chance to see Emergence, don’t miss it. It is wonderfully thought-provoking.

In other news…

Looking ahead to this week’s square between Sun and Saturn, I expected sobering news involving heads of state. I sighed on Friday night, when former First Lady Rosalynn Carter entered hospice care, and passed away the next day. Here is her horoscope.  Here are thoughts about her horoscope, posted a few months ago, and here are many photos and tributes posted on the Carter Center’s website.

Mrs. Carter was a Leo queen, driven by the Moon in Taurus. This is a potentially empowered organizer, gifted with confidence and dramatic flair. Her Virgo Ascendant echoes the earthy practicality of her Taurus Moon, adding exacting detail. It occurs to me that many people transition during patterns similar to ones in their natal chart. Mrs. Carter was born with Sun square Saturn and Mars sextile Pluto –– both in effect this week.

Jimmy Carter is a double Libra,  driven by the Moon in Scorpio. This is a people-person, for sure — as my teacher Noel Tyl observed — happiest when caring for others, yet fiercely protective of their own privacy. It occurs to me that the former president’s Moon in Scorpio suggests tenacity and loyalty to a fault. He would never leave his beloved. And he didn’t. Here is his horoscope.

Thinking of their extraordinary love story and 77-year marriage made me remember another couple I wrote about in 2014 — married for 73 years. One was a Taurus; the other was a Scorpio. One had Moon in Taurus; the other had Moon in Leo. These fixed signs (the fourth one is Aquarius) play for keeps.

In other news…

A few stories broke just before I posted Friday’s news round-up. They are forceful and surreal.  First, MAGA House Speaker Mike Johnson released 90 hours of security footage taken on January 6, 2021 — during  the former guy’s attempted coup:

• “New Jan 6 video released; Republicans say the narrative of violence has crumbled” — which is just bonkers gaslighting, but also what we could expect on a hot Neptune transit. We are told to reject the evidence we all witnessed with our ears and eyes, as George Orwell wrote in 1984 (the must-read novel).
• “Colorado judge rules [the former guy] ‘engaged in insurrection’…” but…ready for Neptune to kick in? Ready? “…keeps him on the  [state’s primary] ballot.” Why? Because in their interpretation of the Constitution’s 14th Amendment, Article 3, the judge isn’t convinced that the president of the United States is an actual officer of the United States…although, to be fair, it could be argued that the former guy was indeed an officer of another country, not the U.S. — and maybe we’ll see that snarky comment on the next Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Hey — it could happen — in the same way that the writers on Saturday Night Live made a point about last week’s panda promise in the show’s cold open.

Point is, the fate of our country is in your hands. Yes, you are the hero! I’m not convinced the cavalry is coming. The power is with the people, as Pluto in Aquarius (coming soon!) would posit. Are you registered to vote? Are you sure? Please check here — and pass it on to your friends. If you’re in Virginia, you could be one of the thousands were “accidentally” purged from the roster.

Elsewhere…

It’s not just the U.S. that is facing authoritarianism — on the one hand, and democracy — on the other. Astrology has prepared anyone who’s been paying attention to planetary cycles over past fifteen years that this mind-boggling dilemma is one that plenty of other countries are facing, too. In Argentina, for example…

• “Javier Milei: Argentina’s far-right outsider wins presidential election” on a promise to “Make Argentina Great Again.”

We do have a horoscope for Milei — with a possibly disputed time, but we can test and track events in his life next year after the April 8th eclipse. Why? Because his 18 Aries Midheaven will be eclipsed, that’s why — and this must affect his professional status, one way or the other. I invite you to read the linked article to learn about his priorities.

Milei is a Libra, with Sun at the verrry end, so he is yet another poster child for the empowerment potential of Pluto squaring the Sun. His Moon is in Leo, squared by “man on a mission” Jupiter in Scorpio, so of course he needs to be an adored drama king, big time. If he really was born at 24:00 on October 22, 1970, he has a Cancer Ascendant — demanding prominence and a personal projection of family values and feeling. He has a Mars-Pluto conjunction at the Aries Point — forceful machismo can make him famous (does waving a chainsaw around whilst campaigning qualify?), and Mars-Pluto square his Ascendant. Isn’t interesting that he was elected on a weekend with Sun-Mars conjunct in Scorpio, sextile Pluto?

Meanwhile…

• “Why was Sam Altman fired at CEO of Open AI” (the folks who bring you ChatGPT). Altman was fired on Friday night…just days after it was announced that Jared Kushner’s brother’s company (Thrive) was going to put together a big employee stock buyback deal.  I have no idea why Altman was fired…and now may be hired back, but in what we can see of Altman’s horoscope (4/22/85 in Chicago, IL), transiting Mars made challenging contacts with his natal Mars in Taurus-Saturn in Scorpio opposition (and possibly a Taurus Moon). Altman has a Sun-Pluto opposition in early Taurus-Scorpio, and this will be supercharged by Pluto when it fully engages in Aquarius in 2025. Not only that, but transiting Uranus will be on his Mars (which is also conjunct Algol) for a long stay next summer. We may see daring — possibly reckless action — and then some.

Finally…

Saturn refers to debt. Neptune refers to healing. As the Sun trines Neptune and squares Saturn, I offer these:

• “She vowed to clear strangers’ medical debt in a posthumous viral post” — so inspiring
• “Extra fees drive assisted living center’s profit” — so infuriating
• “A stranger asked me to take her photograph. It saved my life.”

Today is President Biden’s 81st birthday. He has a busy week in his cosmic calendar. Over the weekend, he wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post.

And ooh — lookie! Beth Owl’s Daughter’s Tarot Card of the Week is in…and it’s the Ten of Pentacles. Coins!! And always in sync with planetary patterns! Everyone should have someone as wise and wonderful as Beth in their life.

Here’s the 411 on personal consultations. Yes, of course I have gift certificates — delighted to be asked (as I was earlier today). This year, I also have shiny Sun Sign coins with a 2024 Sun Sign forecast — just in time for the holidaze!!

May you find yourself counting many blessings on this Thanksgiving. I count you among mine.

Yellow tulips presenting themselves as something they actually reject.

Insert deep-thinking emoji here.