Monday 10/18/2021: Sneak Peek at the Week; Mercury & Jupiter Direct; Full Moon in Aries; Mars on the March
It’s Sunday night, and we’re in the middle of a long Moon void — this one in Pisces. Jupiter and Mercury are at virtual standstills, both preparing to turn direct tomorrow (Monday) at 1:30 AM ET and 11:16 AM ET, respectively. Planets at their stations (this is the technical term for a planet about to change direction) function like car horns blaring when leaning on by a driver. Matters they rule command attention and FOCUS. For Mercury, this is communication and information; for Jupiter, this is the law, education, sports, publishing, religion, travel, foreign affairs — and especially our collective belief systems.
Add to the mix three other patterns — all involving either Mars (action, aggression) or Pluto (power plays and catharses, news from underground — and all exact between today (Sunday) and Friday, and we really need to salute the NYT for today’s front-page story: “90 Seconds of Rage on the Capitol Steps.” It’s a meticulously researched FOCUS on a concentrated span of time, with plenty of investigative dirt and connections dug up. True to the spirit of Sunday’s Pisces Moon, the article ends on a note of tears and empathy. Astrology is amazing — and the NYT gets five stars for once again being in sync with planetary patterns.
Here’s how the week goes:
- MONDAY: Jupiter turns direct at 1:30 AM ET, activating the horoscopes of anyone with planets at 23 degrees of Aquarius, Scorpio, Taurus, and Leo. We can expect Mitch McConnell to be expansively controlling, and Justice Brett Kavanaugh to simply be expansive, for better or worse. Jupiter moving forward suggests exactly that in real life: projects that have been frustrated or stymied finally getting a go. For a clue to how things will be moving, we look to the Sabian Symbol for 23 Aquarius: “a big bear sitting down and waving all its paws.” Sabian Symbol sage Blain Bovee alerts us to a powerful surge of creativity that may be harnessed if we stay centered and seated on a bumpy ride. Watch for ways to bring grace to raw power, and otherwise bring beauty to the beast (says Bovee). It may be helpful to look back at the Full Moon of August 2019, which also activated this Sabian Symbol. Whatever was illuminated then may be expanded upon now.
- MONDAY: a day driven by Moon in me-me-me Aries is certainly up for a powerful surge of creativity, especially if it gets something started — not now, but RIGHT NOW. Adding to the urge to surge — sort of — is a harmony (a trine) between Mars (action!) and Jupiter (expansion!), exact at 10:36 PM ET. But with both Mercury and Jupiter at a standstill, I’m not sure how far we’ll get — at least today. The former guy is supposed to be sitting for a deposition, and rumor has it that the Freedom to Vote Act will actually get a vote in the Senate. In your own personal world, pay attention to words, directions, and technology. FOCUS! You are more personally affected by Mercury today if you have a planet around 11 Libra, Capricorn, Cancer, or Pluto. That would include Rachel Maddow, Piers Morgan, and Hungary — watch the wires. The Sabian Symbol for Mercury’s change of direction is “a professor peering over his glasses,” setting us up for a contest between brute (bearish? beastly?) executive willpower vs. refined studied knowledge. The Aries Moon’s crusade is steadied by a sextile (cooperative connection) to Saturn, exact at 7:14 PM ET.
- TUESDAY: Moon opposes Mercury at 1:25 AM ET, sparking illumination on opposing sides. Something’s got to give, and perhaps the early morning will get off to a sweet start, as the Aries Moon trines Venus at 6:39 AM ET. The rest of the day is driven by the Moon’s desire to get up to speed — without any interference from the other kids in the sandbox. Emotions are on the rise, reflected by the waxing Moon, which will be full on…
- WEDNESDAY: …at 10:56 AM ET, after a volatile early morning. Moon opposes Mars at 2:28 AM ET and squares Pluto at 4:55 AM ET. This is intense physical energy seeking an outlet — and a sneak peek of the weather just after midnight on Friday when Mars squares Pluto. Get to the gym; go for a run; find a constructive way to work off steam. These patterns are better suited for projects you’re working on by yourself, especially with that Aries Moon! Once the Moon is exactly full — right on VP Kamala Harris’s own Aries Moon and Libra Sun — the Moon goes void for the next five hours. Whatever blazing crisis crops up during the void may be much ado about nothing. Roll with the twists and flakes; avoid impulse shopping and CHILL. When the Moon enters Taurus at 3:58 PM ET, the need is to steady the energetic flow in an effort to maintain material comfort and security. The caveat is that Mars-Pluto square humming in the background. This can be a brutal expression of power (over others) and echoes the two Sabian Symbols that were in focus on Monday. At 7:56 PM ET, wish our VP a happy solar return (and good luck over the next several days, as Mars squares her Sun and Moon). Here is Kamala Harris’ horoscope.
Here is the chart for the Aries Full Moon, set in Washington, D.C.:
Obeservations:
- A Full Moon in me-me-me Aries challenges the we-we-we energy of the Libra Sun. Why is so-and-so so darn selfish and why can’t we just compromise and be done with it? Or: why is so-and-so so wishy-washy? Make a decision, already! The need for freedom of creative self-expression jumps out at me in this chart, driven to extremes of action by its recent contact with Mars, Pluto — and Eris, too. Matters of children and conception may also be brought to light.
- In addition to the horoscope of Kamala Harris, this Full Moon activates Pluto in the U.S. horoscope (already under stress by its impending Pluto Return in early 2022). It offers further illumination on money and power behind the scenes, especially in government institutions. The Nodes fall on President Biden’s 3 Sagittarius Ascendant, suggesting challenging relationships and associations, and Saturn is minutes away from its third and final opposition to his Pluto (exact on Halloween). These patterns feel confining, but remember that patterns in his horoscope in December suggest expansion.
- The Sabian Symbols for this Full Moon are, for the Aries Moon: “a large disappointed audience;” and for the Libra Sun: “A man in the midst of brightening influences.” We are advised to manage our expectations with a dose of realism — and perhaps be pleasantly surprised by a gift from out of the blue. Echoing patterns in the Full Moon horoscope that suggest a need for freedom of creative self-expression, Blain Bovee suggests that rewards may come to those who demonstrate an uncompromising sense of self. Hmm. For better or worse? Pay attention to what is heard — anything to do with audio, sound, listening, and hearings. Trust that life is full of ups and downs, and that whatever is down this week may not be there for long.
Back to the weekly forecast:
- THURSDAY: a potential cut, loss, or authoritative advance in the morning, as the Taurus Moon is squared by streamlining Saturn at 5:44 AM ET. Get up and get to work — but watch yourself in traffic and large crowds, given that impending Mars-Pluto square. Some people are simply spoiling for a fight (here’s looking at YOU, former guy). Choose your battles with care. At 6:27 PM ET, Moon meets up with rebel Uranus, offering pushback against the controls of the early morning. Again — be mindful of volatility, shocks, and upsets that may be especially ruthless (thanks, Mars-Pluto), but hey — if you’re running a marathon, you could do worse than to have this pattern driving you across the finish line.
- FRIDAY: Mars squares Pluto at 12:19 AM ET, activating the Venus-Saturn square in the former guy’s horoscope. I’d be surprised if he wasn’t making noise all through the weekend. As for the rest of the Free World, note your dreams in the morning, as imagination is sparked by Moon sextile with Neptune, exact at 9:26 AM ET. A bit of exuberance or excess lands on your plate around lunchtime, as the Moon squares Jupiter at 12:31 PM ET. Depth is easily demanded and received a few hours later, as Moon trines Pluto at 4:35 PM ET — and then goes void for the rest of the night.
- SATURDAY: The Sun ditches Libra and enters Scorpio at 12:51 AM ET — there’s no need to run screaming down the hall. While Scorpio may spark fear in those who follow stupid astrology, we do not do stupid astrology in this forecast. For example, I will never tell you which zodiac sign is most likely to get a dog this fall, even if you are a reporter writing a story about it because that would be stupid. But back to the Sun in Scorpio. It demands substance; none of that airy-theory-rational stuff that Libra does so well. Scorpio is a deeply emotional sign, noted for its need for privacy, power, and control. Scorpios “build all the way up to Heaven…and all the way down to Hell,” wrote astrologer Linda Goodman. Hopefully, you can hang with one who builds an escalator that only goes up. A Scorpio heading for Hell will happily annihilate everyone and everything in its way — but then, again, it does make them interesting. Scorpios also have a strict code of honor and are known to be loyal to a fault. Scorpio is a Fixed Sign — which means they are here to create form — and they are quite stubborn in their way of being. Theodore Roosevelt was a Scorpio who famously said, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” He probably had one of those famous “Scorpio stares” that wordlessly inform you (a scorpion has no need for words when it has such a compelling sting) that he sees right through your song and dance.
- SATURDAY: Moon enters Gemini at 3:57 AM ET, buzzing around for the latest news — possibly without much direction, until around 6:11 PM ET when Gemini’s multitasking energy is stabilized by a trine with Saturn. Whatever plan is consolidated, perhaps on…
- SUNDAY: you can get the word out, as Moon trines Mercury at 6:16 AM ET. Note that even though Mercury is moving forward, it’s still retracing steps it’s already taken twice before — forward — backward — and now forward again. Now is the time to revise and rethink yet again. At 5:42 PM ET, Moon opposes Venus in Sagittarius, offering a potential indulgence in high-flying, boundary-pushing social expression. Put on your rose-colored glasses and plan an entertaining escape, as Moon squares Neptune at 10:13 PM ET. They say everything is beautiful at the ballet, and Neptune favors music and dance.
Fun fact: the 17th is my favorite day of each month because that’s the day I receive the most Cosmic Tips from Avid Readers, Fairy Godparents, Guardian Angels, and Biggest Fans who have pledged Faithful Monthly Expressions of Appreciation — so inspiring when typing the Sneak Peek at 1:23 in the morning! I wish I could remember what I wrote on that lucky 17th that inspired so much support, but please know I’m ever so grateful to those who were moved to place a value on my astrological insights.
And now, the news.
There were plenty of stories reflecting last weekend’s triple conjunction of Mercury, Mars, and Sun in Libra — a sign in which the latter two are inclined to behave a bit badly — perhaps in an effort to accommodate the other side. Mars refers to men, cars, heat, and steel; the Sun refers to ego, leaders, and the heart:
- “Aspirin is no longer recommended as a preventative measure against heart attacks and strokes in older individuals”
- Las Vegas Raiders’ coach Jon Gruber resigned after the NYT dug up gobs of racist, homophobic, and misogynistic emails he’d scribed over the past 12 years. SNL had a field day with the story in its cold open.
- SNL also lampooned “Squid Game,” the record-breaking hit on Netflix. Squid Game is a dystopian drama in which hundreds of cash-strapped South Koreans agree to compete in a series of children’s games, knowing that the sole prize winner will also be the only one who isn’t killed. Critics have opined that Squid Game is yet another reflection of the consequences of unfettered capitalism, which reflects the passage of Pluto (power and resources; corruption exposed) through the final degrees of Capricorn (corporations; government; the Establishment). Fun fact: North Korea agrees (!). Other critics have opined that Squid Game is not healthy for children, as it facilitates bullying and desensitization of violence.
- On October 8th, the day of the Sun-Mars meet-up, teachers in Texas were reminded to present “opposing views” of the Holocaust to their students, as Heather Cox Richardson explains. It’s interesting that HCR didn’t actually write about the directive until October 16th, reflecting the STOP AND FOCUS potential of Mercury (information) and Jupiter (teaching) at a virtual standstill.
File this under Pluto turning direct on October 6th (a nice follow-up to the release of the Pandora Papers, which has resulted in the Denver Art Museum returning certain artifacts to Cambodia, and the possible impeachment of the president of Chile):
Saturn turning direct last week suggested potential cuts and losses — and with respect to the $3.5 trillion infrastructure bill the Biden Administration would like Congress to pass, it’s now looking like funding for home health care, child care, the expanded child tax credit, and universal pre-K will be reduced or cut. Did you know that Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia publicly espoused a $4 trillion infrastructure bill on January 19, 2021? Why is he trying to cut it by 75% now? Over the weekend, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg warned Manchin that his resistance to the clean energy proposals (as a remedy for inevitable climate change) in the bill will “cost lives.” This is an apt headline for a weekend dominated by Sun square Pluto (power plays and energy resources). Manchin’s horoscope (8/27/1947 in Farmington, WV) — even without a birth time — is on an expansive tear this year, as transiting Jupiter opposes his Sun, Mercury and Venus. His ego energies (Sun) are being amplified to the extreme by contact with Pluto, which my astrology software program compares to a butterfly emerging from a cocoon, allowing one’s true nature to be revealed.
This just in…
It’s now Monday morning and Mercury has just turned direct, upping the odds that the media won’t get it quite right. As if on cue, we’re seeing stories that former Secretary of State Colin Powell has died of “complications of Covid,” (true) but neglecting to add that Powell had multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that compromises the immune system. There is no truth to the statement made by John Roberts at Fox “news” that Powell’s death raises questions about the efficacy of the Covid vaccine.
Avid Readers will recall that the horoscopes of the recently deceased often reflect current planetary patterns, and Powell’s is a fine example of this week’s “military power” square among Sun-Mars and Pluto. His Mercury is at 27 Aries — same as this week’s Full Moon — and it is squared by an opposition between Jupiter at 24 Capricorn and Pluto at 26 Cancer. This T-square pattern was under stress all through 2020 and continuing into 2021, mostly courtesy of transiting Pluto on his Jupiter. This week we can expect illumination on how he needed to think and communicate, reflecting the Full Moon right on his Mercury. Transiting Mars activates all three planets in this T-square into next, reflecting matters involving expansion, status, reward, power, and transformation. There will be a discussion of his performance at the United Nations on February 5, 2003, in which he presented “proof” that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, in an effort to convince the world that invading Iraq was justified. I don’t about you, but I’ve never forgotten that UN speech, illustrated by an easel of placards depicting diagrams of WMD-loaded trucks that every fiber of my being screamed was 100% false. I remember feeling heartsick because I expected better of him — and because the speech accomplished its objective.
And before I forget…
- “Alden Global Capital: the Hedge Fund Killing Newspapers” is a sobering focus on publishing, information, and Pluto-in-Capricorn news from underground and corporate power plays.
In closing, I welcome any recommendations for alternatives to AT & T. During this Mercury retrograde, it was revealed that AT & T is a financial backer of One American Network News (OANN) — as you can see here. Now that Mercury is moving forward, it’s time to change — and also upgrade my iPhone. Do any Avid Readers have T-Mobile, Mint, Credo or some other cell phone service provider that they just adore (if it’s possible to adore a cell phone service provider)? Inquiring minds want to know!
Meanwhile, here’s the 411 on personal consultations.
Thank you for reading this forecast.