Astro-logical Forecast for Monday 8/8/2011: Saturn and the US Horoscope
Talk to your Libra friends born around October 3-8. Ask them how they’re feeling squeezed, confined or otherwise pressured to streamline and focus their energy with a sense of urgency, especially if they were born in 1981. Your Cancer, Capricorn and Aries friends born two weeks into those signs likely have similar stories to share. The squeeze and pressure they are feeling comes courtesy of transiting Saturn, planet of discipline and control, making a challenging connection to the Sun (life force). In the case of your Libra friends born in 1981, they have the added pressure of a once-every 28-30 years Saturn return.
All through the month of July and August, Saturn is exerting a similar pressure on the horoscope of the United States. Saturn has been squaring the US Sun at 12 Cancer and sitting right on top of the US Saturn at 14 Libra. Add this to the pressure on United States resources (banking & finances) suggested by ruthless, corruption-exposing Pluto and disruptive Uranus, and it is no surprise to see the Friday’s headline about Standard and Poor downgrading the US credit rating. Squeezed! Some say the downgrade will have no impact, but I anticipate a volatile week in the markets, as everyone tries to figure out what it all means. Certainly there was plenty of outrage over the $2 trillion dollar error in S & P’s calculations. Here it is, straight from the US Treasury Dept: http://www.treasury.gov/connect/blog/Pages/Just-the-Facts-SPs-2-Trillion-Mistake.aspx Mercury retrograde strikes again? Well, strikes are another likely manifestation during a Mercury retrograde, and over the weekend, workers in the telecommunication industry (Verizon), did just that: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/08/business/in-verizon-strike-landlines-and-fios.html?scp=2&sq=verizon%20strike&st=cse
Figuring out what it means continues to be a challenge, as Mercury is still retrograde and still under the magical, mystical, diffusing, confusing (pick whichever adjective applies in your own personal world) influence of nebulous Neptune. We get another exact hit of that aspect today, as Mercury moves backwards into the sign of Leo. The shift in tone? You may notice more regal posturing in analysis and communication, less of a focus on the discriminating, perfectionist analysis of Virgo, which is where this Mercury retrograde started.
Today’s Moon in Sagittarius sets a buoyant, optimistic, if a bit opinionated tone. And look, the word “buoys” is right on the front page of the New York Times: “European Intervention Buoys Italy and Spain” http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/09/business/global/daily-stock-market-activity.html?hp Amazing! Any undertaking to broaden your horizons is likely to be rewarding. Think outside the box, but don’t sign a contract just yet. Watch the headlines for breakthroughs, jolts and upheavals as rebel Uranus approaches its exact challenge to aggressive Mars on Tuesday.