Monday 4/20/2020: New Moon in Taurus; Saturn Bites Sun; Pluto Turns Retrograde
The start of the work week is driven by the Moon in pioneering Aries, dying to get things started and structured. Other than a harmony (sextile) between the Moon and Saturn at 6:16 AM ET, its proactive needs are free and clear — to a certain extent. What cuts and harsh realities might it encounter between now and 3:00 AM ET on ….
- TUESDAY — as the earthy Taurus Sun is squared by Saturn in patriarchal Capricorn? A lot, frankly, as you’ll see in the headlines I’ll list below. If you have a planet around 1 degree of Aquarius, Leo, Taurus or Scorpio, how are you feeling the potential gravitas of an ambitious reach or a cut? Meanwhile, the way to get an Aries to do anything is to tell them it’s impossible — and the Aries Moon is well-supported throughout this day by Venus and Mars in airy Gemini and Aquarius, as well as Mercury in Aries. So we’ll likely see plenty of diverse and entertaining ideas trying to gain traction through innovative or rebellious action. Some of this talk is likely to be held behind closed doors, out of the limelight, given that we’re operating under a dead Moon.
- WEDNESDAY — a choppy morning with news of power and resources, grand as you can. Moon squares Pluto and Jupiter at 5:31 AM ET and 8:32 AM ET, respectively. Still, the Aries Moon pushes forward, possibly into a brick wall or a streamlining authority around 6:59 PM ET, as Moon squares Saturn. Then we are really in the dark of the Moon, as it is now void — perhaps with an extra dose of listlessness or restlessness for the next few hours.
Here is the chart for the New Moon in Taurus, exact at 10:26 PM ET — set in Washington, DC:
With its Sagittarius Ascendant, the chart is ruled by Jupiter — in a challenged state in Capricorn. Jupiter is sitting in the 2nd House, along with heavy hitters Saturn and Pluto. The 2nd House refers to money, so that’s the focus for the U.S. in this next lunar cycle. You’ll notice at the bottom of the chart sits Neptune, symbol of idealism, fog, vision, deception, oil and viruses. These symbols represent the ground underneath our collective American feet. Meanwhile, Avid Readers may recall from the weekend forecast that this is exactly where Neptune is in Joe Biden‘s horoscope; in fact, the angles of this New Moon chart in DC are only one degree off from Biden’s. This New Moon cycle is likely to be of special significance for him.
The ruler of the 10th in this chart represents the leader of the country. Once again it is Mercury (as it was last time), in marginally better shape now that it is in Aries, but squaring Pluto and Jupiter. The Pluto square to Mercury suggests extremes of thought and communication, and Pluto rules the chart’s 12th House — that which is operating behind the scenes and/or the self-undoing. Mercury’s square to Jupiter (the ruler of the chart) suggests that the leader of the country is likely to be more of a challenge than a help.
A New Moon in Taurus needs to establish and maintain material comfort and security. The keywords for Taurus are I HAVE. Moon in Taurus people are more likely than others to be tactile. Famous people with Moon in Taurus include: Adam Driver, Elizabeth Warren, Mick Jagger, Meryl Streep, Amma (the Hugging Saint)and of course, Joe Biden. The Sabian Symbol for this New Moon is “the rainbow’s pot of gold,” and we last wrote about it on the Full Moon of October 2015. Blain Bovee notes that this Symbol is
“an image of dreams cast ahead toward the golden allure of a rewarding, rich destination,” but that “chasing after a pot of gold is…futile…since the projected spot where a rainbow touches the earth is an illusion.”
It’s interesting that the New Moon falls in the 5th House of this chart set in Washington, as that House refers to entertainment, creative play and speculative ventures (such as the stock market). Bovee suggests we apply this Symbol “with a mind to the enthusiastic pursuit of reward,” but not being all that attached to getting it. Consider what riches you already carry within you, he seems to suggest. We are sure to see this Symbol played out in the headlines, as the country wrestles with the challenge of getting citizens the resources (rewards) they need — and dream of having — even perhaps at great risk. Given that the Moon and Sun will next meet up with Uranus, a surprise upset is likely in store, for better or for worse.
- THURSDAY — A surprise upset starts the day, as Moon meets up with Uranus at 4:29 AM ET. The rest of the day is free and clear of speed bumps, as efforts are made to preserve the status quo. A clash of will may make itself known late in the evening, the closer we get to 1:30 AM ET on…
- FRIDAY — as the Moon squares warrior Mars. While the Taurus Moon is well-supported throughout the day by easy patterns to Neptune in the morning (note your dreams) and Pluto-Jupiter in the evening (power and resources, oh-so-generous and grand), there are two patterns humming in the background, in effect all week, and exact on…
- SATURDAY — But before we talk about that, note that the Taurus Moon enters Gemini at 3:20 AM ET. Thus today and Sunday are driven by the Gemini Moon’s need for information and entertainment, OK? So. These patterns humming in the background. First at 3:34 AM ET, Mercury at 24 Aries squares Pluto. This activates Mercury in the U.S. horoscope (which is at 24 degrees of Cancer) — i.e., how we need to think and communicate. Just in general, it suggests provocative extremes of thought and communication, involving power and breakdown. I expect a heavy Friday afternoon/late evening news dump — especially since the Taurus Moon will be void between 8:43 PM ET and 3:34 AM ET on Saturday.
- SATURDAY — the second pattern humming in the background is Pluto. The Lord of the Underworld has been slowing to a virtual standstill (from our perspective on Spaceship Earth). It turns retrograde at 2:51 PM ET. As it slows and stops, the effect is not unlike that of a driver leaning on the horn of a car. It’s a call to FOCUS on the keywords associated with that planet. Pluto in Capricorn represents the Powers That Be, breakdown, transformation, regeneration, corruption exposed, news from underground, including resources extracted from the earth. Retrograde planets suggest a time to look inward for authority in whatever matters are ruled by that planet. Therefore, in your own personal world, now is the time to look within for mastery and control. When you accomplish this task, the world around you will start to reflect your newly-masterful self. Y’know? You’ll feel the potential for a change of perspective more personally if you have a planet or angle around 24 degrees of Aries, Libra, Cancer — and especially Capricorn. That means you, Lady Gaga. With your Venus at 24 Aries, supercharged by Pluto, of course you spearheaded Sunday’s ginormous eight-hour charity concert: “Together At Home” — with proceeds benefitting WHO. If you missed it, the BBC offers these nine “best moments.” Pluto will turn direct at 22 Capricorn on October 4th.
- SUNDAY — This provocative mindset of Mercury square Pluto is further amplified by a square to Jupiter at 12:31 AM ET. Big news about publishing and the media, no doubt — as well as the travel industry, religious dogma and court opinions. At 5 AM ET, the Sun meets up with Uranus, suggesting rebellion, shocks, seismic activity, eccentric leadership (for better or worse), tech breakthroughs, rocket scientists and astrology. This electric buzz will also be felt a few days beforehand. And buzz, buzz, buzz goes the rest of this day, with a possibly dreamy or foggy evening in store.
For added perspective, here’s Beth Owl’s Daughter’s Tarot Card of the Week.
And now, the news.
While sirens of emergency vehicles continue to stream by my home here in New York City (a.k.a. COVID Central), in other parts of the country people are showing up in scores to protest the horrible burden of being confined to their homes, while protecting themselves and others from spreading a fatal disease scientists are still struggling to understand. Rather than challenge why their country — the wealthiest in the world — isn’t caring for its citizens as others have done — with health care and financial lifelines for all, the protesters want the right to go back to work, not now — but right now — and they’re not at all afraid to stand closely together without protective face masks and gloves.
If you know anything about the U.S. horoscope, you can appreciate this “pull yourself up by your own bootstraps and get to work” attitude as an apt reflection of the U.S. Sun in Cancer being square to the U.S. Saturn. We all have the right to work hard for our daily bread, and someday we might own a bakery. That’s the American Dream. It’s interesting to see these protests breaking out as the current Taurus Sun is about to square Saturn in Aquarius.
Under the heavy potential of this Sun-Saturn square, it was helpful to read Heather Cox Richardson‘s latest post, a reality check explaining how these protests came to be so carefully orchestrated and publicized — and by what entities. These protests also aptly reflect one side of the potential for extremes of mindset suggested by the already stressed-out U.S. Mercury-Pluto opposition.
UPDATE: on P45 — with respect to Pluto being stationary retrograde. This pattern activates two planets and two midpoints in his horoscope. The planets are his Venus-Saturn meet-up in Cancer, reflecting his chilly social expression and need to play the role of patriarch in his family. The midpoints (i.e., the halfway point between two planets) — and how they will be reflected in his behavior for the rest of the year are:
- Pluto = Venus/Saturn, which my teacher Noel Tyl defined as “unusually strong tensions towards separation; wasting of emotion”
- Pluto = Sun/Mars, which Tyl defined as “force; ruthless application of energy; defensiveness in the extreme; warring relationships; possible severe health strain.”
We see these midpoints activated every time he condescends and/or insults a reporter (usually female) at his daily televised blabathons. Yesterday P45 ordered CBS reporter Weijia Jiang to “relax” and “keep your voice down” when she asked him why he spent the month of February holding campaign rallies instead of warning people about COVID-19. If only he’d had the sense to look at planetary patterns on her birthdate: June 6, 1983!
Jiang is a Gemini with an exact meet-up between her Sun and Mars, driven by the Moon in Aries. This is a fearless warrior. She was born under the last Saturn-Pluto meet-up in Libra and is thus well-equipped to handle the toughest of assignments. This isn’t the first time Jiang has stood up to P45, as I learned in this report from 2018.
Other headlines reflecting the harsh reality of Sun square Saturn:
- “Sephora Never Valued Workers Like Me“
- Big fat restaurant chains have apparently depleted the $349 billion relief fund that was supposed to help small businesses;
- “Small business owners say big banks helped wealthy clients first”
- Treasury Dept. investigating bank seizures of $1200 stimulus checks;
- Brazilian president Jair Bolsanaro denounced for participating in pro-dictatorship rally & coughing all over people during a global pandemic;
- “A beloved bar owner was skeptical about the coronavirus…” (John Oliver has more on how this could have happened).
- “White House Has Erected a Blockade Stopping States and Hospitals from Getting PPE”. “Blockade” is such an apt word for Saturn.
- Disney lays off half its workforce to save $500 million a month; still plans to pay out 100% of a $1.5 billion dollar dividend to shareholders
Add in the focus of Pluto slowing to a stop, and we have:
- “Historic collapse in oil prices sends markets reeling,” prices are actually in negative territory!
- “A deep-diving sub, a deadly fire and Russia’s secret undersea agenda”
- “A decade after Deepwater Horizon” — the lessons ignored
Yes, these planetary patterns are heavy — and so is the news. Is there anything constructive to report? How about:
- In Israel, “Netanyahu and Gantz agree to form unity government.” Netanyahu will reportedly stay in office throughout his corruption trial — and then turn the reins of power over to Gantz in 18 months, just as transiting Pluto finishes its gut renovation efforts in Israel’s horoscope. Did you see the anti-Netanyahu mass protests over the weekend, with each protester practicing social distancing? Or were you watching “Together at Home”?
Or this one:
And:
- Florida’s endangered sea turtles are thriving. Yay!
If you enjoyed this forecast, please support it, says Avid Reader Diane. Like Lady Gaga, her Venus in Aries makes Avid Reader Diane a fierce champion for noble causes everywhere — and I’m honored to have her in my corner, aikido black belt and all. Today I’m thinking it would be fun to have more than one Avid Reader with a Y chromosome step up to the plate and become a Faithful Monthly Subscriber. Dear Gentlemen who have been reading this forecast since forever or more recently: why should Avid Reader John be the only one? Why is there only one, one wonders. Don’t men like receiving thank you notes?
Thank you for reading this forecast.
Endangered sea turtle seeks
answers to rhetorical questions…