Monday 1/9/2023: Sneak Peek at the Week; Mars Turns Direct; the Trouble with Harry; Mercury Rx Escape
Greetings from a tropical island in the Caribbean!
This trip would not have happened without this forecast, as I traveled here with one Avid Reader, and we are both visiting another Avid Reader who lives here. It’s the perfect Mercury-Mars retrograde REtreat, and it sparks my imagination. Is there a demand for an astrology retreat in a gorgeous nature setting with access to a beach, yoga studio, and healthy cuisine? That is the question. And if there is a demand, it could be planned. Please let me know your thoughts.
Here are the highlights of the week:
- Venus trines Mars on Monday
- Mars turns direct on Thursday
- Sun sextiles Neptune on Friday
- Venus squares Uranus on Saturday
And it goes like this:
- MONDAY: No sleeping today, as the regal Leo Moon will not be void. Its need for love and honor may be disrupted by the electric buzz suggested around 4:02 AM ET, reflecting Moon’s square to rebel Uranus. Trying to keep it all together this morning is Venus — now in “I love you, but don’t take it personally” Aquarius in a trine (easy alignment) with Mars. Venus refers to values: who, what and how we need to love. Mars refers to action, assertion and aggression. Ah, but Mars is retrograde and in multi-tasking, double-talking Gemini. Conventional wisdom advises against forming partnerships borne out of frustration. With this Venus-Mars trine, we see potential for a friendly, unconventional, detached Entity A, in an alliance with Entity B, which may be a pent-up, fracturing force with a double agenda. That’s a mundane take on this pattern. In your own personal world, your day may flow just fine….though building up to a possible ambitious authoritarian advance or smack down around 8:52 PM ET, as the love, love-me-do Leo Moon is opposed by “what did you do to deserve it?” Saturn in Aquarius. Chill during the ensuing 13+ hour Moon void.
- TUESDAY: Take it slow in the morning. Moon in Leo is still void, suggesting you roll with any twists or flakes, and stick to routine concerns. Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill of crisis, as often any hullabaloo settles down, once the Moon is back in gear. Today this happens at 10:15 AM ET, when Moon enters Virgo. Perfecting and correcting, based on insightful analysis is what a Virgo Moon needs to do. Have you reorganized your files and closets during this Mercury retrograde yet? You can take advantage of the added drive courtesy of a square to Moon from Mars, exact at 2:36 AM ET on…
- WEDNESDAY. Throwing out unwanted items in your closets may serve you better than a random spat about who is right. A rethink, and an easy of communication marks the morning, as Moon trines Mercury at 9:57 AM ET. Humming in the background all week is the sound of a cosmic car horn blaring. This would be Mars, slowing to a virtual standstill, from our perspective on Earth. This brings into focus all manner of Mars-in-Gemini matters, especially those involving the use of words as a means of assertion and/or attack.
- THURSDAY: Meanwhile, note your dreams in the morning. Sun trines Moon, which feels like an easy flow around 6:07 AM ET. It’s followed by an opposition between the Moon and Neptune, facilitating visions or fog. At 3:56 PM ET, Mars turns direct. You are more personally affected by its focused assertion if you have planets or angles around 8 degrees of Gemini, Virgo, Pisces and Sagittarius. This includes the United States, whose horoscope has Uranus at 8 Gemini. Thus we see an activation of innovation and humanitarianism (upside) and/or rebels, madness and recklessness (downside). The Sabian Symbol for this Mars change of direction is “a quiver full of arrows,” with one keyword being “PREPARATION.” Sabian Symbol expert Saijin puts the quiver of arrows in context through the story of William Tell. I see a parallel here with recent happenings in Congress, with guidance on how to move forward. Do you? Mars was conjunct the U.S. Uranus on January 1st and will reconnect for the third time on January 24th. Meanwhile, the Virgo Moon trines Pluto at 6:06 PM ET, adding depth to your quest for perfection. Chill during the 4 hour Moon void. Moon enters Libra at 9:56 PM ET, now seeking fairness and diplomacy in relationship. Can’t we talk it out? See both sides of a situation? Weigh the balance? Moon’s opposition to Jupiter at 3:33 AM ET on…
- FRIDAY: …suggests an illumination and release. At 9:11 AM ET, the Sun sextiles Neptune. This is another pattern humming in the background all week, and it suggests themes of surrender, pacifism, victimization, delusion, wipeout, healing and vision in matters of leaders. Sounds like a perfect time for Harry, the Duke of Sussex’s memoir to hit the stands (which it does, on January 10th), especially since Harry received the last of a series of oppositions to his Virgo Sun from Neptune on January 5th (more on his horoscope in a minute). Take it slow as Mars begins to get back up to speed. Your steady pace is supported by a trine to the Moon from Mars at 1:45 PM ET. At 4:54 PM ET, Moon squares Mercury, suggesting a need for a work-around in matters of communication and information. The evening ends on a sweeter note (perhaps), as Moon trines Venus at 12:57 AM ET on…
- SATURDAY. This weekend may feature unconventional attractions, innovation and upsets in relationships, as Venus squares Uranus at 8:21 PM ET. Venus-Uranus patterns often coincide with market volatility, if you are someone who pays attention to such things. At 9:10 PM ET, the Third Quarter Moon (in Libra) squares the Capricorn Sun, prompting tension between people pleasers and social climbers. Moon’s weekly clash with Pluto at 3:39 AM ET on…
- SUNDAY: …suggests a catharsis or power play. Chill during the 3 1/2 hour Moon void. Moon plunges into Scorpio at 7:08 AM ET, offering everyone a serious opportunity to be quiet for a few days, especially with Mercury still retrograde…though about to turn direct on January 18th. Focus, focus, focus. Moon sextiles Mercury at 10:47 PM ET, helping you gather your thoughts for the start of another work week.
And now, the news.
Mars slowing to a standstill right on the U.S. Uranus, suggested shocking and/or reckless acts of assertion/aggression. Two of Friday’s headlines — in the aftermath of the Full Moon — pushed the envelope, as the reckless acts of aggression were committed by children — one in Tulsa and another in Virginia. I would like to believe that at some future date, the world will get to the point where it’s simply had enough, and these incidents will cease. Astro-logically, we do see strong potential for powerful new beginnings in the not-too distant future — within our lifetimes.
As another example of the potential shock and recklessness we might witness in the life of someone in a Mars-Uranus (daring/reckless action) period, consider that Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has an opposition in his horoscope between rebel Uranus and Chiron, the Wounded Healer. Those with such patterns in their natal charts are often on a powerful healing journey — and they can heal others, too. Guess where Mars is this month, with respect to Harry’s Uranus-Chiron opposition? Mars is sitting on his Chiron, opposing his Uranus! Not only that, but transiting Uranus is at the bottom of his horoscope, sparking upsets (with potential for liberation) in matters of home, family and heritage! We could easily talk for an hour about many other patterns that make Harry’s horoscope hot this year.
Meanwhile, the Mars retrograde, combined with the potential suggested by the Sabian Symbols for the Full Moon, played out all week in the U.S. House of Representatives.
- Kevin McCarthy was elected Speaker of the House after four days and 15 efforts to obtain the needed 218-vote majority, as Heather Cox Richardson explains. He did not negotiate with Democrats, who were united in their support for Hakeem Jeffries. Instead, he gave in to a number of concessions demanded by most of the 20 extremists in the Republican Party. It will give this small minority — less than 5% of the House — far more power than they deserve. In these all-too interesting times, it’s helpful to have historians writing op-eds reminding us that the U.S. has been here before, e.g., this one from HCR’s podcast co-pilot, Joanna Freeman. And yes, there are astro-logical correlations with those turbulent times and these. All involve relatively rare and significant transits from revolutionary Uranus and power-playing Pluto. One example Freeman cites — 1860 — involved transiting Neptune at the bottom of the U.S. horoscope. We will repeat that pattern starting in 2025, and Saturn will be right there, too. So the good news is — we made it through those contentious times. We can make it through these times, too, exhausting as it may feel. We can also build something better once the “interesting times” are behind us. Yes, really.
Also reflecting the application of Mars (action) on the U.S. Uranus (potential chaos): there were no rules! Because until a Speaker is elected, the rules for the new Congress can’t be agreed to. So there was Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) casting her vote — with her dog. And there was Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) reading a book with an especially provocative, assertive title. And a fist fight almost broke out on the House floor (see the link re: Porter’s book). Meanwhile, there are still no official rules in the House because they have yet to be voted on. It is being reported that the rules package may include controls placed on the House Ethics Committee, further enabling inmates to run the asylum.
Astrology. Is. Amazing.
We now have a birth time for Kevin McCarthy. Here is his horoscope, which was a hot topic in this forecast back in 2015, here and here. Back then, we did not know that this Aquarius with Moon in Sagittarius had Gemini rising. Now we know his Moon is right on President Biden’s Ascendant — now there’s a personal connection. But — like Liz Cheney — McCarthy’s need-to-be-influential Sagittarius Moon is exactly square to Saturn. Which means that McCarthy’s Saturn is square to Biden’s Ascendant, and we can thus appreciate how McCarthy is likely to get in Biden’s way. McCarthy’s Saturn also sits on VP Kamala Harris’s Midheaven. We see how he could obstruct her, too.
Like VP Harris, McCarthy will have his second Saturn return in 2023. I wrote in the last forecast how I can see Harris becoming more empowered in during her Saturn return, which would also reflect transiting Pluto squaring her Sun and Moon. For McCarthy, transiting Saturn will (obviously) square his Moon and his Ascendant. If you are rooting for him to fail, this pattern may reflect cuts and losses. Keep an eye on April, when he’ll have the first of three hits of this pattern. A second Saturn return is an opportunity to review what has been established in the material world since the first Saturn return at roughly age 29. That was around 1995, when McCarthy became chair of the Young Republicans in his local community.
Meanwhile, we can appreciate why McCarthy wouldn’t throw in the towel after the first of 14 losing elections. His need to “get it right” perfectly reflects the energy of an unaspected Mars in Virgo running away with the whole horoscope! In other news, the fact that his idealistic exact conjunction between Mercury and Venus in Capricorn (the man needs to seek STATUS) is under the influence of nebulous Neptune in 2023 is concerning. Things are not what they seem. What he thinks, values and expresses may not be for real.
This just in…
Supporters of the defeated ex-Brazilian president — Jair Bolsanaro — are storming government offices in Brasilia as I type. And last week Bolsanaro left Brazil for…Florida, where he dined with one of his buddies, the defeated former U.S. guy. Coincidence or conspiracy?
In other news…
Regardless of the chaos in the House of Representatives, there were plenty of instances reflecting a more upbeat manifestation of innovation, revolutionary and reaching across the aisle.
- VP Harris swore in the newest members of the Senate in what HCR said looked like a “fun” day. We have a new pro tempore of the Senate — Patty Murray (D-WA), who is the first woman to serve in this position. She was second in line for the presidency at the start of the week (now she is third).
- House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries gave a “barn-burning speech” before handing over the gavel to Kevin McCarthy. Jeffries’ ABC’s of Democracy have gone viral in multiple memes.
- In Kentucky, President Biden, Mitch McConnell and others from both political parties met to celebrate the literal building of a bridge!
- House Clerk Cheryl Johnson drew praise and a standing ovation from “both sides of the aisle” for her superb success at maintaining order in the House last week. Johnson is the second Black woman to hold that post, and one look at what we know of her horoscope confirms why she was an apt choice for the job. She is a Taurus, driven by Moon in Libra. Everything needs to be fair and diplomatic, and she has the Taurean potential for patience. A trine to her Sun from Saturn in high-functioning, authority figure Capricorn helps, too. But she’s also destined for innovation. Her Sun is square rebel Uranus, and transiting Uranus will be conjunct her Sun in April. We see a breakout or break-up potential here — coinciding with what is likely to be a tough month for Speaker McCarthy (if h e lasts that long).
For fascinating insights on 2023 from a Tarot diva’s perspective, here is Beth Owl’s Daughter to explain what it means that 2023 is the Year of the Chariot.
For more uplifting stories, the GoodNewsNetwork never fails to deliver.
Here’s the 411 on personal consultations. Now is the perfect time to plan a strategy for the year. And did I mention that I’m available to speak to your company, club or other social group about how astrology works, and what we can expect in 2023? I have a PowerPoint ready to go — contact me for details.
Postcard from paradise.
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