Tuesday 9/22/2020: Late Sneak Peek at the Week; Ruthless
Alllll righty then!
Because I was too focused yesterday on finishing my next “Charts in the News” column for Mountain Astrologer, the Sneak Peek at the Week was delayed. Upside: I got to read Beth Owl’s Daughter’s Really Useful Tarot Card of the Week before I started writing, and was delighted by this opening quote:
Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful, for beauty is God’s handwriting — a wayside sacrament. Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every flower, and thank God for it as a cup of blessing.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
I did a lot of appreciating beauty yesterday, the second day of a spontaneous end-of-the-season escape to Shelter Island. It really is an island, accessible only by ferry. After filing my TMA column around tea time, I crossed paths with a number of deer, woodchucks, squirrels and rabbits — none of whom appeared to have any knowledge of the Supreme Court, money-laundering or Lindsay Graham. I look forward to more of such encounters during my escape.
Major patterns of note:
- Sun enters Libra at 9:31 AM ET today (Tuesday).
- The week is driven by Mercury (information, mindset, communication), as it squared Pluto on Monday, squares Saturn on Wednesday and opposes retrograde Mars on Thursday — all before leaving Libra for Scorpio on Sunday. Mercury-Saturn is the one to pay attention to, as it happens three times. Mark November 1 and 6 on your calendar. I told you Mercury-Pluto would reflect extremes of thought and a ton of investigative news from underground. The square to Saturn suggests a controlling mindset and possible depression. The opposition to Mars is a war of words.
- Humming in the background (exact next week, but sensed this week) are a rare harmony between Venus and Mars, followed by the second of three militantly disciplined squares between Mars and Saturn. And speaking of Saturn, its agenda of authority and control is in high gear, as it slows to a virtual standstill and turns direct next Tuesday, the same day Mars squares Saturn.
Day by day it goes like this:
- TUESDAY: Moon in Sagittarius drives the day with a need for righteous opinion. Pushing boundaries of expression has been in force since Monday at 3:32 PM. Upside: get out of your usual box; commune with nature (e.g., woodchucks and deer); expand your mind by entertaining/debating a foreign perspective. And yes, power, control and opposition are all part of that debate, reflected by Mercury with Pluto, Saturn and Mars. The Sag Moon travels without speedbumps, despite the mental gravitas.
- TUESDAY: Fall officially begins at 9:31 AM ET, as the Sun leaves Virgo for Libra. Happy Autumnal Equinox — and here is a primer on why the first day of a season is so significant. Did you know that the Sun is actually in its Fall in Libra? “A planet in Fall” in the language of astrology means that the planet is traveling through a sign that is incompatible with its nature. The Sun is all about ME; Libra is all about WE. Cocktail party astrology says that one of Libra’s pitfalls is resentment. Why? Because the ego energy of Libra is invested in partnership, often at the expense of personal ego recognition. A planet in Libra generally loathes conflict — and can go to extremes to avoid it. When a Libra reaches its limits of tolerance, a tornado may ensue (Libra is an Air sign, after all). “How come you never said anything about this BEFORE?!” the Libra’s partner may cry, surveying the wreckage of their once-peaceful home.
- WEDNESDAY: Moon squares Neptune at 12:21 AM ET; the wee hours may be foggy or dreamy. Mercury squares Saturn at 6:38 AM ET; watch the news for a probable thud. The Sag Moon goes void at 1:32 PM ET; get it off your desk before then and chill. Moon enters Capricorn at 7:16 PM ET, rarin’ to make its corporate agenda happen. A clash emerges around 9:55 PM ET, symbolized by the First Quarter Moon, i.e., a square between the Capricorn Moon and the Libra Sun. If you were born around a solstice or equinox or have a planet around 2 degrees of Aries, Libra, Cancer or Capricorn, you are more personally galvanized by this First Quarter “charge.” Off the top of my head, examples include Elizabeth Warren, Amy Coney Barrett, Ted Cruz and Adam Schiff.
- THURSDAY: Speaking of clashes, the Moon-Mars opposition is exact at 6:54 AM ET. Got a planet around 27 degrees of Aries, Libra, Cancer or Capricorn? Congratulations! You may be personally provoked. In the aftermath of the morning thunder or firestorm, the Capricorn Moon travels without interference, executing strategy with the help of unconventional allies and technological advances.
- FRIDAY: Another full day of Moon in Capricorn — but supercharged, as Moon makes contact with six planets. Note your dreams in the morning, as Moon bounces off Jupiter and Neptune. Moon meets up with Pluto and Saturn between at 12:06 PM ET and 5:26 PM ET, planting seeds for a 28-day cycle of power and control. Moon clashes with Mars at 7:12 PM ET and Mercury at 11:36 PM ET — be prepared for a likely volatile Friday news dump…again. Moon enters Aquarius at 2:08 AM ET on…
- SATURDAY: …and needs to hang with its network of besties. There’s no Moon void this weekend, so you are free to shop without worry that what is bought will not live up to expectations. A surprise twist occurs around 9:01 PM ET, as the Moon is squared by rebel Uranus.
- SUNDAY: there are no aspects to the Aquarius Moon; enjoy the lull in the action. While you were sleeping, Mercury left Libra for Scorpio at 3:41 AM ET. Mindset and communication is no longer about Libra’s rational debate. Mercury in Scorpio needs depth and substance; its responses are more emotional than rational.
Usually I do an analysis of the chart for the Autumnal Equinox set in Washington, D.C. The chart for a change of seasons is a turning point and can be used to assess potential for the next three months. All I have to say about this chart is that the Ascendant is 0 degrees Scorpio. The early degree suggests that there is much Free Will at play; it’s too soon to tell how it will all go down. But because my Gemini Moon is inclined to be generous with its time and wealth of information, I had to explore the Sabian Symbol for that early Scorpio Ascendant.
“A sight-seeing bus” conveys a friendly and open approach that reminds me of the wisdom of seeking beauty in all things, as Beth Owl’s Daughter’s Tarot Card advises. It’s quite a surprise to read the words “open approach” with anything related to Scorpio, as Sabian Sage Blain Bovee remarks here. But that’s how he suggests we play this hand — as a a tourist on a wild ride or a magical mystery tour. Bovee’s further advice here feels apt for the current Mars retrograde, arguing against efforts to ram through anything. Mars retrograde actions have a curious way of backfiring once Mars turns direct, which won’t happen until mid-November.
In general, last week we could anticipate:
News from underground, startling headlines involving women, money, values and social expression. Add in efforts on the part of the Patriarchal Powers That Be to further its drive for for continued control.
(A pause, while my train of thought is interrupted by a female cardinal chirping on the patio. A cardinal visit in honor of the equinox?)
Right. Onward.
This is one of the biggest stories of the week — and fans of Sarah Kendzior’s book, Hiding in Plain Sight will appreciate it:
- “FinCEN files show criminals moved billions as banks watched.” If banks are held accountable, it will embody the disruptive potential of Uranus in Taurus (banks) and Pluto’s purge as it exposes corruption in the very last degrees of Capricorn (the Establishment). This story is also Heather Cox Richardson‘s “favorite candidate” for “story the P45 Administration is hoping no one will notice,” as she explains here.
More news from underground:
- “Former Mueller prosecutor says (in new book) Russia investigation cowed by P45 threats, ‘could have done more’“
- Manhattan D.A. says for the first time that it may have grounds to investigate P45 for tax fraud.
- “His people are going to suffer and that’s their problem,” was Jared Kushner‘s compassionate response re: Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-NY)’s request for federal assistance in containing Covid-19. Kushner is determined to be perhaps the biggest reason for the triumph of Covid-19 in its battle against the U.S., per this investigative report in Vanity Fair. The official Covid death toll in the U.S. is now over 200,000 – heavy news fit for a day under the influence of Mercury square Saturn.
Avid Readers may recall that planetary patterns argued for a resurgence of Covid-19 this fall, as Mars activates Jupiter-Saturn-Pluto in Capricorn and Jupiter-Pluto move to their third and final conjunction (exact November 12th). We are in fact seeing a second wave in Europe, and in the UK they are preparing for another lockdown.
Meanwhile…
Last week’s Venus-Uranus square suggested a startling expression of values, likely involving technology and/or outer space:
- Scientific American makes first presidential endorsement in its 175-year history Why now?
- Gratitude to Avid Reader Katya for making sure I didn’t miss this one: “Venus is a Russian planet — say the Russians”
The Venus-Uranus square was the set-up for last week’s New Moon, which we anticipated would affect the U.S. thusly:
Seeds for a big communication initiative or opinion in publishing or courts — likely related to P45’s fortune, for better or worse. Think of “two men placed under arrest” as a time out; a captivating bit of news and/or a suspension of normal rules.
“Two men placed under arrest” refers to Mercury at 18 Libra in the chart for the New Moon. Last Friday, with the Moon at 18 Libra (astrology is amazing), we learned of the death of Supreme Court Justice and fiery dissenter Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Within an hour, Mitch McConnell announced he’d waste no time in filling Ginsburg’s seat (making this a priority over voting on legislation to ease the suffering of those still financially hurt by the ongoing pandemic). A truckload of Republican Senators who swore in 2016 on the graves of their grandmothers that they would never ever ever every consider filling a Supreme Court seat during the 2020 election year threw their own words under the bus. It’s all quite “arresting,” this “suspension of normal rules,” hmm?
Well. We knew October was going to be a wild ride. Thank goodness for astrology to manage expectations. Meanwhile, Avid Reader Katya had a few deep thoughts on the symbolism of last week’s Venus-Uranus disruption:
“…maybe the link between the Russian claim on Venus story and the energy around the death of Ginsburg is a coopting of the feminine – I’m thinking of the rush to replace RBG with (any) another woman, as if that confers legitimacy to their naked-boy power grabs, which have eclipsed decent attempts to treat her passing with dignity and grace.
Avid Reader Katya’s musings reminded me of something astrologer Michael Lutin penned back in 2012 — about the ingress of the fixed star Regulus into Virgo. In his view, the naked boys can power grab with all their might, but the future is decidedly female.
Are you registered to vote? Need the 411 on early voting in your state? Stephen Colbert has a video made just for you! Check out BetterKnowABallot.com — and get yourself to the polls as soon as you are able. It’s fun! It’s civic! It’s do-able!!
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And now…it’s tee time.
Thank you for reading this forecast.
Adorable woodchuck brought to you
by Avid Reader Karen.