Monday 1/15/2024: Sneak Peek at a Short Work Week; Politics, As Usual…

Allllrighty then!

Today is s a holiday for many workers in the United States, as we pause to honor the pioneering civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, Jr., whose horoscope was first written about here a decade ago.  As MLK continues to be a powerful influence, it’s helpful to look at his horoscope for clues to challenges and opportunities each year. Last year, I wrote:

Transiting Pluto continues to activate MLK’s Midheaven. Disruptive Uranus is at a virtual standstill almost exactly on his Taurus Ascendant, shaking up his image, for better or worse. Neptune has moved beyond his Mars and will square his Saturn in 2023. His authority and his professional status could become even more inspiring (upside). It could also be disorienting, as actual reality sinks in — and doesn’t live up to the dream.

 I do think his legacy will become more empowered as we move into 2024 — and in January 2025, it’s due for a reward. Isn’t it interesting that MLK’s 27 Capricorn Midheaven is conjunct the U.S. Pluto? His public status can’t help but be entwined with power in the United States.

Planetary highlights this week are:

• Sun sextile Neptune on Monday
• Mercury sextile Saturn on Thursday
• Mercury trine Jupiter on Friday
• Venus square Neptune on Friday
• Sun’s annual conjunction with Pluto on Saturday
• Sun and Pluto both enter Aquarius on Saturday

This is a week of power plays, many involving leaders of business and state. It starts out dreamy, perhaps, but packs a punch over the weekend.

• MONDAY: A Pisces Moon drives the day with a need for empathy, impressions, ideals, and accommodation. Go with the flow of an easy connection between the Sun and Moon (at 3:47 PM ET),  that may plant seeds for more inspiration (or fog), as Moon meets up with Neptune at 4:03 PM ET. A sextile between Moon and Pluto at 11:32 PM ET deepens the big idea, whilst a sextile between the Sun and Neptune at 7:37 PM ET is reflected in headlines like “‘Selfless and heroic’: Iowa principal wounded in school shooting dies”  Sun refers to leaders; Neptune refers to selflessness and saviors. Moon enters Aries at 11:48 PM ET on…
• TUESDAY: …driving the next two days with me-me-me first impulses to Get Things Started. A square to the Moon from Mercury at 4:04 AM ET may garble communications in the morning. A clash involving matters of speed vs. practicality may erupt, as Moon squares Mars at 3:13 PM ET.
• WEDNESDAY: The only exact aspects to the Moon during business hours is a trine (harmony) to Venus, paving the way for fiery social expression. Tension builds as evening approaches, with the First Quarter Moon in Aries challenging the Capricorn Sun. Will pioneers defer to the Establishment? Film at 11…followed by a power play around 3:02 AM ET on…
• THURSDAY: … Moon squares Pluto. Frankly, a sextile between Mercury (how we need to think) and Saturn (strategically) has been humming in the background all week, and it’s possible that cooler heads may prevail over the Aries Moon’s “Ready! Fire! Aim” typical M.O. (with gratitude to Aries astrologer Rick Levine who said it first). The need to maintain comfort and material security kicks in at 3:11 AM ET, as Moon enters Taurus. Moon makes four supportive connections today: a sextile to Saturn at 11:56 AM ET; a trine to Venus at 12:41 PM ET; a conjunction with Jupiter at 2:04 PM ET and a trine to Mars at 10:25 PM ET. Translation: make your pitches; build your empire; there are no heavy speed bumps today.
• FRIDAY: Big news in court opinions, sports, foreign affairs and publishing is suggested by Mercury’s trine to Jupiter at 4:30 AM ET. This is the last of three trines in recent weeks, and this one comes is assorted shades of rose. Why? Because at 10:48 AM ET, Venus (who, what and how we need to love; women, money, art) squares foggy, dreamy Neptune. Whether the news is dreamy or delusional, patterns argue for a surprise twist, as Moon meets up with rebel Uranus at 1:11 PM ET.  One surprise may be a rescheduling of plans that were made when Mercury was retrograde in December.
• SATURDAY: The annual Sun-Pluto conjunction happens at 8:46 AM ET, the verrrrrrrry last degree of Capricorn, planting seeds for the Powers That Be to preserve their status as if their lives depended on it. This focus is apt for the annual confab at Davos, as it was last year, too. Here are other headlines reflecting last year’s Sun-Pluto conjunction — the last one we’ll have with Pluto in Capricorn in our lifetimes. But wait, there’s more!
• SATURDAY: Taurus Moon trines Pluto and Sun at 8:56 and 8:57 AM ET, adding structure to whatever empowered seeds have just been planted. Moon goes void for just one minute, and then enters Gemini, seeking information and chit-chat about What Just Happened. Ten minutes after that…the Sun enters Aquarius, ditching the Sun in Capricorn’s earthy initiative for Aquarius’  airy organization. Keywords for Aquarius include innovation, eccentricity, friendship, humanitarian, unconventional, rocket scientist and/or mad genius. If you were born with the Sun in Aquarius, you have the energy to innovate and intellectualize with others. If your Moon is in Aquarius, you need to be socially significant — and dare I say appreciated for it. You probably need to be unusual, too.
• SATURDAY: The Gemini Moon’s need to know receives a reality check as it squares Saturn at 6:32 PM ET. And then…at 7:50 PM ET… Pluto enters Aquarius….

(A pause, while I recap thoughts on Pluto in Aquarius from last week’s forecast):

• …for the second time in less than 12 months. It remains there until September 1, when it re-enters Capricorn for a stay until November 20th. Here’s what I wrote about Pluto in Aquarius at the beginning of 2023:

At 0 Aquarius, Pluto will amplify the potential of the 2020 Great Mutation of Jupiter-Saturn at 0 Aquarius. Here’s a lengthy article I wrote about that a couple of years ago. Great gobs of power and resources will be poured into this potential…with efforts to put extremes of control into place. Power grids and all the ways we connect with each other virtually may be affected. Humanitarian values are likely to prevail over values that prioritize stuff over people. Pluto at 0 Aquarius will activate the horoscopes of President Biden, King Charles and Queen Elizabeth. Pay attention to what happens during Pluto’s brief dip into Aquarius, which ends on June 12th (2023). It’s a sneak peek of life on Earth for the next 20 years. Pluto at 0 Aquarius will amplify whatever was going around March 6th, 2022, too.

• Pluto at 0 Aquarius also activates the Office of the U.S. Presidency because U.S. presidents assume power when the Sun is at 0 Aquarius. What do I mean by “activates?” Well, it’s Pluto…so…we consider breakdown, corruption exposed, transformation, empowerment. Is the U.S. President really immune from prosecution, as the former guy is claiming in court? We’re going to find out…
• Pluto in Aquarius “coincides” with technological advances in the extreme. Tech titans have an awful lot of power and influence, do they not? Three of them blasted into space on the first ingress of Pluto in Aquarius. What’s next? Is it a bot or is it human? Whose jobs will be outsourced to AI?
• Pluto in Aquarius will expose rot in matters ruled by Aquarius. Aviation is one example, and Aquarius is an Air sign. How will airlines cope with episodes of heavier turbulence (thanks to climate change) pilots are likely to encounter? Not to mention the “loose bolts” discovered today in more than one of Boeing’s grounded fleet of 737 Max.

• SUNDAY: After the big astrological shift, Moon in Gemini travels through the day without input from any other kids in the cosmic sandbox. What’s the buzz?

And what’s the buzz in your horoscope these days? If it’s been over a year since your last consultation, you’re overdue for a check-up. Astrologers are like dentists, doncha’ know. Schedule accordingly, to minimize the need for cosmic root canals. Here’s the 411 on personal consultations.

And now, the news.

How about the weather in the U.S., huh? Extremes of cold in many states. Where do we see the potential in planetary patterns for an outburst of energy that could be challenging? From last week’s forecast, perhaps, as in:

• A trine between Mars and Jupiter is exact at 5:41 AM ET on….
• FRIDAY: Translation: we have an easy flow (a trine) between the planets that represent action and assertion (Mars) and expansion (Jupiter). Applied to a sports event — like this one — that’s great news. Applied to a weather pattern, and it could be excessive, especially when we consider that Mars and Jupiter are in signs (Capricorn and Taurus) that are not well-received by the other. Capricorn is the sign of Jupiter’s Fall; Taurus is the sign of Mars’ Detriment. Translation: we can appreciate why the energy reflected in this trine could wreak havoc…as in…all 50 states except one — North Dakota — are currently under weather advisories, especially involving high winds. As of TUESDAY, half a million people in the U.S. are without power.

We might also consider that Taurus and Capricorn are considered to be cold and dry…and we have two planets in Taurus now, and four in Capricorn, including Pluto, which is associated with extremes. Hmm.

Meanwhile…

UPDATE: on Chris Christie, who ended his presidential run in accordance with patterns in his horoscope. Transiting Saturn (strategy, cuts & losses) is in hard aspect to his Moon, Jupiter and Midheaven, and by spring will have moved on to his oppose his Virgo Sun and Pluto. A fresh start kicks in this spring, as Uranus completes a series of squares to his Scorpio Ascendant. I’d wager he has some ambitious plan up his sleeve, and he’ll be feeling a squeeze through December. 2025 may coincide with a reward for his effort.

UPDATE: on Dean Phillips (D-MN), not-so-affectionately known as #DropOutDean on the former Twitter. When we last discussed the Congressman and his longshot bid to become President, we noted that his Sun is either 29 Capricorn or 0 Aquarius, and thus up for some serous empowerment over the next 13 months. Today he floated the idea of nominating Elon Musk or Bill Ackman for a Cabinet position, should he win the White House, which only reinforces my previously stated belief that Neptune must be making a huge statement in his horoscope right about now, if only we had a birth time. Meanwhile, his Sun is realizing its potential for empowerment, with two billionaires now apparently backing him.

Bill Ackman — one of the billionaires — may not be a household name for many Avid Readers. He’s a hedge fund manager whom I first noticed over a decade ago when working at CNBC. He was often on that network at that time because of his controversial bet on Herbalife. He believed  the company was built on a Ponzi scheme and would therefore fail. This is fascinating from an astrological perspective because Ackman has a Sun-Mars conjunction in Taurus opposing his Neptune and Midheaven. Neptune refers to things not being as they seem. Neptune also refers to philanthropy, and, when we also consider that Ackman’s Jupiter (benevolence; generosity) is in high-functioning Cancer and at the Aries Point, we see how he could become known for his charity,  as well as his speculative ventures.

Anyhoo…Ackman’s horoscope was impacted by the October 28th lunar eclipse, which squared his Aquarius Moon…which was activated by transiting Jupiter as it stationed on the eclipse degree at 5 Taurus at the end of December. Translation: accelerated activity in domestic affairs and matters of the higher mind. And right on schedule, Ackman burst into the news as “the Jewish avenger” who “took down” Claudine Gay (Harvard’s former president), as reported in the linked article…and two weeks later, left the Democratic Party to form a think tank that will challenge what Ackman sees as antisemitism and reverse discrimination in academia. He’s going after the media, too…after Business Insider reported on examples of alleged plagiarism committed by Ackman’s wife, former MIT professor Neri Oxman. Accusations of plagiarism is what reportedly, ultimately, led to Gay’s ouster.

What’s interesting astro-logically about this controversy is how it reflects the anticipated debate, discussion and/or fight for control over how people think and communicate, in the aftermath of the 2020 Great Conjunction — a.k.a. the Great Mutation of Jupiter-Saturn in Aquarius, a.k.a. the new age of Air.

So…Ackman’s domestic affairs and matters of the higher mind are thrust into the spotlight…as an example of what can happen when an eclipse affects one’s horoscope (and here is Ackman’s). With Jupiter and Uranus about to connect with Ackman’s Taurus Sun in April…and with Pluto soon to square his Mercury, Ackman’s need for a persuasive and empowerment mindset is likely to make headlines for a couple of years.

UPDATE: on Hunter Biden, whose horoscope was also activated by transiting Jupiter. In his case, it opposed his natal Jupiter at 5 Scorpio, just as a solar arc (another way astrologers measure time) between Saturn and Pluto became exact. Any hard aspect between Saturn and Pluto suggests hard, hard work in the face of potential loss. For Biden, it was reflected by the Republicans on the House Oversight Committee holding a hearing on whether to charge him with contempt for his refusal to testify in a closed-door hearing.

Biden — living up to the potential of a daring Mars in Aries-Uranus in Libra opposition in his horoscope, squared by transiting Mars — made a surprise appearance at the hearing, prompting Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) to denounce Biden for exercising his “white privilege.” Mace’s remarks were duly reported in the Hindustan Times. Astrologically, it’s interesting to note that Mace, like Hunter Biden, has a hard contact between Mars and Uranus in her horoscope; both are born disruptors. And Mace’s horoscope, like Biden’s, was also receiving a provocative transit from Mars (the energy of action and assertion) that week, and it made news around the world.

Meanwhile, Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) was yet another person at that hearing operating under the influence of Mars. Here she is explaining in no uncertain terms why it was only logical that Biden would only agree to testify in a public hearing…and what this video of her speech illustrates is how transiting Mars squaring five planets in a horoscope may be expressed in the life of the individual.  Translation: we anticipate fiery provocation. Crockett’s horoscope (she’s an Aries with Moon in Capricorn) was discussed in this prior forecast.

WaPo affirmed Crockett’s take, reporting, “Weighing action against Hunter Biden, GOP resorts to falsehoods”

Here are a few stories reflecting tonight’s sextile between Sun and Neptune:

• “This humble fish may help the Supreme Court weaken the administrative state” (obviously Pluto’s status is also reflected here)
• Did you watch the Emmys?   Neptune is an apt influence for a Hollywood award show.
• “The man who set out to build the world’s best stereo“ ($1 million later, and then some)
• “Why birds and their songs are good for our mental health” (Neptune refers to music)

FYI, here’s an article I wrote about Boeing’s horoscope a few years ago….

And here is Beth Owl’s Daughter’s Tarot Card of the Week.

For my next adventure, I’m preparing a talk for the Wellesley College Club of Boston. I love love love speaking to Muggles about what astrology is, and how it works. Contact me if you’ve got a group or company that would enjoy a highly entertaining and enlightening presentation about astrology.

Thank you for reading this forecast — and sharing it with friends.

Pluto says hi. Resistance is futile.